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Papers by Gideon Hartman

The 84th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2019

Journal of Human Evolution, Apr 1, 2011

The Golan Heights borders the Upper Jordan Valley on its eastern side and likely served as a prim... more The Golan Heights borders the Upper Jordan Valley on its eastern side and likely served as a prime foraging area for hominin groups that inhabited the Upper Jordan Valley during the Mid-Pleistocene. This study tests the hypothesis that Mid-Pleistocene climate in the Golan region was similar to that of the present day. Carbon isotope composition of present day plant communities and soil organic carbon from the Golan were compared to those of paleosols from Nahal Orvim to reconstruct Mid-Pleistocene paleoclimatic conditions. After correcting the paleosol values for recent changes in atmospheric carbon isotope values and potential biodegradation, the isotopic results show a strong similarity to those of present day local plants and soils. These results indicate that during the Mid-Pleistocene, the Golan was dominated by C(3) vegetation, shared similar climatic conditions with the present day, and displayed long-term environmental stability. The span of time of paleosol formation is unknown and might cover multiple climatic episodes; thus, although short climatic fluctuations may have occurred, their impact was not substantial enough to be detected in the Nahal Orvim paleosols. This study concludes that the Golan slopes provided hominins and large grazers with a reliable and highly nutritious foraging area that complemented the Jordan Valley riparian ecosystem.

Functional Ecology, Sep 28, 2010

Summary 1. Mammalian species from hot and arid environments often have elevated nitrogen isotope ... more Summary 1. Mammalian species from hot and arid environments often have elevated nitrogen isotope values compared to animals from similar trophic levels in more temperate climates. This pattern has most often been explained as the result of a physiological response by animals to heat and water stress. However, a positive correlation between rainfall and the δ15N values of plants and herbivorous mammalian species suggests that diet may be responsible. 2. This study uses the horn keratin of desert‐adapted bovids (Dorcas gazelle and Nubian ibex) to test whether the δ15N values of herbivore body tissues are determined by heat and water stress or by the isotopic composition of their diet. The δ15N values of horn keratin are compared against several climatic factors that affect heat and water stress to determine if a relationship exists. In addition, the range of δ15N values measured in desert vegetation is used to evaluate the contribution of the diet to the isotopic values of bovid body tissue. 3. The δ15N values of desert bovid horn keratin were correlated against individual climatic factors that induce water stress and were not found to be significant. When climatic factors were combined, a significant positive correlation was found between the δ15N values of Dorcas gazelles and temperature, humidity, and rainfall. This observation contradicts the physiological stress hypothesis that predicts a negative correlation between rainfall and humidity and δ15N values. Instead, this correlation is likely attributable to denitrification processes in the soil that directly affect the isotopic values of the plants. Values for δ15N of horn keratin fall within the range predicted by discrimination between diet and consumer (Δ = 4·1‰) which supports the diet hypothesis. 4. The results suggest that the isotopic composition of the diet is the dominant factor determining the δ15N values of herbivore body tissue.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Mar 1, 2012

This study uses the carbon isotope values (δ 13 C) to determine how environmental deterioration i... more This study uses the carbon isotope values (δ 13 C) to determine how environmental deterioration is expressed in the δ 13 C values of vegetation and gazelles in the southern Levant. The ultimate goal is to use these modern data to predict the climatic impact of the Younger Dryas (YD). Climatic deterioration associated with the YD has been cited as the trigger for the transition to agriculture in the southern Levant. However, the evidence for the local severity of this climatic event is equivocal. There is disagreement over whether Mediterranean forest was succeeded by arid adapted steppic plant communities in what has been termed the Natufian 'core area'. The modern data show a moderately negative regression slope between aridity and the δ 13 C values of both modern C 3 plants and gazelle horn keratin within the Mediterranean phytogeographic belt. This pattern is expressed in both seasonal and annual datasets. The incorporation of a C 4 plant component into gazelle diets is evident in the arid Mediterranean region, and is more pronounced in the dry season. The latter is apparent even despite interference caused by gazelle foraging on cultivated land. Based on the present day data, it is predicted that the succession of Mediterranean forest by open steppic vegetation would cause a positive shift of > 2‰ in the δ 13 C values of C 3 plants and gazelles. The argument is based on the response of C 3 vegetation to growth under increasing water stress conditions and the current distribution of C 3 and C 4 vegetation in relation to rainfall. This study presents a new tool with the potential to assess the climatic severity of the YD and its effect on Natufian foraging strategies.

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2016

Journal of Human Evolution, Jul 1, 2015

The Middle Paleolithic site of Amud Cave, Israel, was occupied by Neanderthals at two different t... more The Middle Paleolithic site of Amud Cave, Israel, was occupied by Neanderthals at two different time periods, evidenced by two chronologically and stratigraphically distinct depositional sub-units (B4 and B2/B1) during MIS 4 and MIS 3, respectively. The composition of both hunted large fauna and naturallydeposited micromammalian taxa is stable at the site over time, despite a~10 ky gap between the two occupation phases. However, while gazelle is the most ubiquitous hunted species throughout the occupation, isotopic analysis showed that there is a marked change in Neanderthal hunting ranges between the early (B4) and late (B2/B1) phases. Hunting ranges were reconstructed by comparing oxygen, carbon, and strontium isotopes from gazelle tooth enamel with modern isotope data from the Amud Cave region. This region is characterized by extensive topographic, lithological, and pedological heterogeneity. During the early occupation phase negative oxygen isotope values, low radiogenic 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, and low Sr concentrations reveal restricted gazelle hunting in the high elevations west of Amud Cave. In the late occupation phase, hunting ranges became more diverse, but concentrate at low elevations closer to the site. Climatic proxies indicate that conditions were drier in the early occupation phase, which may have pushed gazelle populations into higher, more productive foraging areas. This study showed that Neanderthals adjusted their hunting territories considerably in relation to varying environmental conditions over the course of occupation in Amud Cave. It highlights the utility of multiple isotope analysis in enhancing the resolution of behavioral interpretations based on faunal remains and in reconstructing past hunting behaviors of Paleolithic hominins.

Journal of Human Evolution, Jun 1, 2011

Great apes and humans use their hands in fundamentally different ways, but little is known about ... more Great apes and humans use their hands in fundamentally different ways, but little is known about joint biomechanics and internal bone variation. This study examines the distribution of mineral density in the third metacarpal heads in three hominoid species that differ in their habitual joint postures and loading histories. We test the hypothesis that micro-architectural properties relating to bone mineral density reflect habitual joint use. The third metacarpal heads of Pan troglodytes, Pongo pygmaeus, and Homo sapiens were sectioned in a sagittal plane and imaged using backscattered electron microscopy (BSE-SEM). For each individual, 72 areas of subarticular cortical (subchondral) and trabecular bone were sampled from within 12 consecutive regions of the BSE-SEM images. In each area, gray levels (representing relative mineralization density) were quantified. Results show that chimpanzee, orangutan, and human metacarpal III heads have different gray level distributions. Weighted mean gray levels (WMGLs) in the chimpanzee showed a distinct pattern in which the 'knuckle-walking' regions (dorsal) and 'climbing' regions (palmar) are less mineralized, interpreted to reflect elevated remodeling rates, than the distal regions. Pongo pygmaeus exhibited the lowest WMGLs in the distal region, suggesting elevated remodeling rates in this region, which is loaded during hook grip hand postures associated with suspension and climbing. Differences among regions within metacarpal heads of the chimpanzee and orangutan specimens are significant (Kruskale Wallis, p < 0.001). In humans, whose hands are used for manipulation as opposed to locomotion, mineralization density is much more uniform throughout the metacarpal head. WMGLs were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in subchondral compared to trabecular regions in all samples except humans. This micro-architectural approach offers a means of investigating joint loading patterns in primates and shows significant differences in metacarpal joint biomechanics among great apes and humans.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, May 1, 2016

Carbon and oxygen isotope values of bovid tooth enamel and pedogenic carbonates were used to reco... more Carbon and oxygen isotope values of bovid tooth enamel and pedogenic carbonates were used to reconstruct the paleoenvironments associated with Middle Pleistocene archaeological and paleontological sites from the Kapthurin Formation, Kenya. Fossil teeth and pedogenic carbonates were collected from lacustrine and fluvial facies (K3 and K3') of the Kapthurin Formation (~543-509 ka). Twenty teeth from six bovid tribes and twenty four pedogenic carbonates were sequentially sampled for stable oxygen and carbon analysis. The primary aims of this work are to reconstruct the vegetative habitats of bovids and environmental landscapes from the Kapthurin Formation, assessing the presence of C 3 , C 4 , or mixed vegetation and foragers. We also assess general paleoclimate factors, such as overall aridity, seasonal shifts in water availability, and broad habitat reconstructions. Carbon isotope values suggest a wide range of foraging strategies available to bovids, and are characterized by both C 3 dominated and C 4 dominated diets, with little evidence for mixed feeders, while pedogenic carbonates suggest the landscape combined a mix of C 3 and C 4 vegetation sources, structurally similar to wooded grasslands. Paleoclimatic conditions, based on the reconstructed mean annual water deficit from δ 18 O enamel values suggest a hyper mesic environment, most comparable to the modern Ituri rainforest, indicating a much wetter climate than the modern Lake Baringo Basin. This environment coincides with an intensified Middle Pleistocene African monsoonal system at onset of Marine Isotope Stage 13 (~533 ka). The Middle Pleistocene Lake Baringo regional habitat appears to have been one dominated by woodland areas, perennially active streams, marsh and sumpland environments, and a surrounding grassland ecosystem. This lush basin would have provided hominins with a diverse and productive ecosystem. Perhaps not surprisingly, archaeological sites are found in all habitats, including wet, forested, and grassland environments.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Feb 1, 2014

The relative contributions of bedrock and atmospheric sources to bioavailable strontium (Sr) pool... more The relative contributions of bedrock and atmospheric sources to bioavailable strontium (Sr) pools in local soils was studied in Northern Israel and the Golan regions through intensive systematic sampling of modern plants and invertebrates, to produce a map of modern bioavailable strontium isotope ratios (87 Sr/ 86 Sr) for regional reconstructions of human and animal mobility patterns. The study investigates sources of variability in bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, in particular the intra-and inter-site range of variation in plant 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, the range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of plants growing on marine sedimentary versus volcanic geologies, the differences between ligneous and non-ligneous plants with varying growth and water utilization strategies, and the relative contribution of atmospheric Sr sources from different soil and vegetation types and climatic zones. Results indicate predictable variation in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios. Inter-and intra-site differences in bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios average of 0.00025, while the range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured regionally in plants and invertebrates is 0.7090 in Pleistocene calcareous sandstone and 0.7074 in mid-Pleistocene volcanic pyroclast. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in plants growing on volcanic bedrock show time dependent increases in atmospheric deposition relative to bedrock weathering. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in plants growing on renzina soils depends on precipitation. The spacing between bedrock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios and plants is highest in wet conditions and decreases in dry conditions. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in plants growing on terra rossa soils is relatively constant (0.7085) regardless of precipitation. Ligneous plants are typically closer to bedrock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios than non-ligneous plants. Since the bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios currently measured in the region reflect a mix of both exogenous and endogenous sources, changes in the relative contribution of exogenous sources can cause variation over time. Precipitation, the age of the bedrock and the overall Sr concentration must to be taken into consideration when interpreting geographical variation in strontium isotopes throughout a region. Because these factors can change through time, we recommend that Sr data from time periods older than the Holocene be interpreted with caution.

The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2018

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Nomadic pastoralism and long-distance transhumance are often invoked as primary explanatory mecha... more Nomadic pastoralism and long-distance transhumance are often invoked as primary explanatory mechanisms for human migrations and regional interactions in the Early Bronze Age Kura-Araxes cultural tradition of the West Asian highlands. Based on established archaeological proxies of pastoralism, these arguments have rendered homogenous reconstructions of a complex pastoral landscape because of the effect of site formation processes that smooth out diagnostic archaeological signatures of diverse herd mobility strategies. Overcoming this equifinality requires an interdisciplinary approach that can empirically measure animal movements in the past. In this paper we use stable oxygen (δ 18 O) and carbon (δ 13 C) isotope analyses of incrementally-sampled teeth to investigate sheep, goat, and cattle herding strategies at the Kura-Araxes settlement of Köhne Shahar. Our δ 18 O analysis reveals that cattle and caprines accessed different water sources, with cattle staying closer to the settlement and the more permanent bodies of water that it provided. Restricted intra-annual ranges in δ 13 C values also show that nearly all herd animals were managed locally, involving limited transhumance that was supplemented with dry foddering. We contextualise our observations with published zooarchaeological data to call for more nuanced interpretations of Kura-Araxes pastoral landscapes that deemphasise the role of long-distance pastoral mobilities.

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2016

Ó The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract Pla... more Ó The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract Plant C and N isotope values often correlate with rainfall on global and regional scales. This study examines the relationship between plant isotopic values and rainfall in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The results indicate significant correlations between both C and N isotope values and rainfall in C3 plant communities. This significant relationship is maintained when plant communities are divided by plant life forms. Furthermore, a seasonal increase in C isotope values is observed during the dry season while N isotope values remain stable across the wet and dry seasons. Finally, the isotopic pattern in plants originating from desert environments differs from those from Mediterranean environments because some desert plants obtain most of their water from secondary sources, namely water channeled by local topographic features rather than direct rainfall. From these results it can be con...

There are many people to thank for this dissertation. First, I would like to thank my wife, Sarah... more There are many people to thank for this dissertation. First, I would like to thank my wife, Sarah Sportman, for continuing to support me while I completed my studies. She has also read and edited many versions of this dissertation, although her academic interests lie within the archaeology of northeastern North America. I would like to dedicate this dissertation, such as it is, to our son, Charlie, who is a never-ending source of continuing inspiration to me; through his two-year old's eyes I have begun to find a new appreciation for all aspects of nature and the world. I would also like to thank my parents, who have supported me over many years, and instilled in me an early appreciation for nature. My advisor, Sally McBrearty, has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and support throughout my graduate career, and facilitated much of this research through her own grant funding. Gideon Hartman provided lab space for much of these analyses, but more importantly, his door was always open to me from the very beginning of this project, providing endless feedback on ideas, manuscript drafts, and grant proposals. Dan Adler dedicated much of his time to reading and editing previous versions of this dissertation; without his careful attention to the theoretical underpinnings of these manuscripts, my work would have surely suffered. I count myself luck to have had three such advisors who dedicated much of their time and resources to my dissertation and career. There are many financial institutions to thank for this project. The National Science Foundation facilitated this research with a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (BCS 1343214). The Anthropology Department at UConn has been very supportive of my graduate career and research, providing Summer Research Fellowships, graduate support in the form of several teaching and research assistantships, and a dissertation writing fellowship. Sigma Xi v provided a Grant-in-Aid of research for a component of this dissertation research. The Center for Environmental Science and Engineering provided a fellowship that supported some of the early data collection for this research. Finally, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School, and the Humanities Institute, all at UConn, funded portions of this research through fellowships. I also have many colleagues, advisors, and friends to thank for various support and feedback during this eight (!) year period of my life. In no particular order, and this list is by no means complete, I would like to thank the following people for support over the years: Bonface

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

Ancient seeds recovered from archaeological contexts are typically protected from degradation thr... more Ancient seeds recovered from archaeological contexts are typically protected from degradation through the process of low temperature charring (<300 � C). Resilient Maillard Reaction Products produced by charring are considered chemically stable, and thus, suitable for stable isotopic studies. A few high-profile reconstructions of past climate and human economies have been based on charred seeds. In this study we take a comprehensive structural, compositional, isotopic, and genetic approach to compare modern Eastern Mediterranean lentils with archaeological charred lentils recovered from Iron Age I layer Tel Dor, and five complementary southern Levantine sites ranging from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to Persian periods. The modern lentils were charred at temperatures ranging from 100ᵒC-400ᵒC and analyzed as a reference for the archaeological material. The modern and archaeological charred lentils were found to differ structurally, compositionally, and isotopically, challenging the notion that seed charring prevents further chemical alteration between the time of burial and recovery of the seeds. Genetic analysis of archaeological lentils revealed the presence of bacterial taxa capable of degrading chemical compounds considered stable in ambient burial conditions. We assume that microbial degradation is more likely to affect charred legumes than other seeds due to their high nitrogen content. We also acknowledge that different environments and burial conditions might promote better preservation of charred lentils. We call for the development and employment of archaeological legume screening methods that will help select seeds best suited for isotopic analyses.

Scientific Reports, 2020

Understanding past human settlement of inhospitable regions is one of the most intriguing puzzles... more Understanding past human settlement of inhospitable regions is one of the most intriguing puzzles in archaeological research, with implications for more sustainable use of marginal regions today. During the Byzantine period in the 4th century CE, large settlements were established in the arid region of the Negev Desert, Israel, but it remains unclear why it did so, and why the settlements were abandoned three centuries later. Previous theories proposed that the Negev was a “green desert” in the early 1st millennium CE, and that the Byzantine Empire withdrew from this region due to a dramatic climatic downturn. In the absence of a local climate archive correlated to the Byzantine/Early Islamic transition, testing this theory has proven challenging. We use stable isotopic indicators of animal dietary and mobility patterns to assess the extent of the vegetative cover in the desert. By doing so, we aim to detect possible climatic fluctuations that may have led to the abandonment of the ...

The 84th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2019

Journal of Human Evolution, Apr 1, 2011

The Golan Heights borders the Upper Jordan Valley on its eastern side and likely served as a prim... more The Golan Heights borders the Upper Jordan Valley on its eastern side and likely served as a prime foraging area for hominin groups that inhabited the Upper Jordan Valley during the Mid-Pleistocene. This study tests the hypothesis that Mid-Pleistocene climate in the Golan region was similar to that of the present day. Carbon isotope composition of present day plant communities and soil organic carbon from the Golan were compared to those of paleosols from Nahal Orvim to reconstruct Mid-Pleistocene paleoclimatic conditions. After correcting the paleosol values for recent changes in atmospheric carbon isotope values and potential biodegradation, the isotopic results show a strong similarity to those of present day local plants and soils. These results indicate that during the Mid-Pleistocene, the Golan was dominated by C(3) vegetation, shared similar climatic conditions with the present day, and displayed long-term environmental stability. The span of time of paleosol formation is unknown and might cover multiple climatic episodes; thus, although short climatic fluctuations may have occurred, their impact was not substantial enough to be detected in the Nahal Orvim paleosols. This study concludes that the Golan slopes provided hominins and large grazers with a reliable and highly nutritious foraging area that complemented the Jordan Valley riparian ecosystem.

Functional Ecology, Sep 28, 2010

Summary 1. Mammalian species from hot and arid environments often have elevated nitrogen isotope ... more Summary 1. Mammalian species from hot and arid environments often have elevated nitrogen isotope values compared to animals from similar trophic levels in more temperate climates. This pattern has most often been explained as the result of a physiological response by animals to heat and water stress. However, a positive correlation between rainfall and the δ15N values of plants and herbivorous mammalian species suggests that diet may be responsible. 2. This study uses the horn keratin of desert‐adapted bovids (Dorcas gazelle and Nubian ibex) to test whether the δ15N values of herbivore body tissues are determined by heat and water stress or by the isotopic composition of their diet. The δ15N values of horn keratin are compared against several climatic factors that affect heat and water stress to determine if a relationship exists. In addition, the range of δ15N values measured in desert vegetation is used to evaluate the contribution of the diet to the isotopic values of bovid body tissue. 3. The δ15N values of desert bovid horn keratin were correlated against individual climatic factors that induce water stress and were not found to be significant. When climatic factors were combined, a significant positive correlation was found between the δ15N values of Dorcas gazelles and temperature, humidity, and rainfall. This observation contradicts the physiological stress hypothesis that predicts a negative correlation between rainfall and humidity and δ15N values. Instead, this correlation is likely attributable to denitrification processes in the soil that directly affect the isotopic values of the plants. Values for δ15N of horn keratin fall within the range predicted by discrimination between diet and consumer (Δ = 4·1‰) which supports the diet hypothesis. 4. The results suggest that the isotopic composition of the diet is the dominant factor determining the δ15N values of herbivore body tissue.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Mar 1, 2012

This study uses the carbon isotope values (δ 13 C) to determine how environmental deterioration i... more This study uses the carbon isotope values (δ 13 C) to determine how environmental deterioration is expressed in the δ 13 C values of vegetation and gazelles in the southern Levant. The ultimate goal is to use these modern data to predict the climatic impact of the Younger Dryas (YD). Climatic deterioration associated with the YD has been cited as the trigger for the transition to agriculture in the southern Levant. However, the evidence for the local severity of this climatic event is equivocal. There is disagreement over whether Mediterranean forest was succeeded by arid adapted steppic plant communities in what has been termed the Natufian 'core area'. The modern data show a moderately negative regression slope between aridity and the δ 13 C values of both modern C 3 plants and gazelle horn keratin within the Mediterranean phytogeographic belt. This pattern is expressed in both seasonal and annual datasets. The incorporation of a C 4 plant component into gazelle diets is evident in the arid Mediterranean region, and is more pronounced in the dry season. The latter is apparent even despite interference caused by gazelle foraging on cultivated land. Based on the present day data, it is predicted that the succession of Mediterranean forest by open steppic vegetation would cause a positive shift of > 2‰ in the δ 13 C values of C 3 plants and gazelles. The argument is based on the response of C 3 vegetation to growth under increasing water stress conditions and the current distribution of C 3 and C 4 vegetation in relation to rainfall. This study presents a new tool with the potential to assess the climatic severity of the YD and its effect on Natufian foraging strategies.

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2016

Journal of Human Evolution, Jul 1, 2015

The Middle Paleolithic site of Amud Cave, Israel, was occupied by Neanderthals at two different t... more The Middle Paleolithic site of Amud Cave, Israel, was occupied by Neanderthals at two different time periods, evidenced by two chronologically and stratigraphically distinct depositional sub-units (B4 and B2/B1) during MIS 4 and MIS 3, respectively. The composition of both hunted large fauna and naturallydeposited micromammalian taxa is stable at the site over time, despite a~10 ky gap between the two occupation phases. However, while gazelle is the most ubiquitous hunted species throughout the occupation, isotopic analysis showed that there is a marked change in Neanderthal hunting ranges between the early (B4) and late (B2/B1) phases. Hunting ranges were reconstructed by comparing oxygen, carbon, and strontium isotopes from gazelle tooth enamel with modern isotope data from the Amud Cave region. This region is characterized by extensive topographic, lithological, and pedological heterogeneity. During the early occupation phase negative oxygen isotope values, low radiogenic 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, and low Sr concentrations reveal restricted gazelle hunting in the high elevations west of Amud Cave. In the late occupation phase, hunting ranges became more diverse, but concentrate at low elevations closer to the site. Climatic proxies indicate that conditions were drier in the early occupation phase, which may have pushed gazelle populations into higher, more productive foraging areas. This study showed that Neanderthals adjusted their hunting territories considerably in relation to varying environmental conditions over the course of occupation in Amud Cave. It highlights the utility of multiple isotope analysis in enhancing the resolution of behavioral interpretations based on faunal remains and in reconstructing past hunting behaviors of Paleolithic hominins.

Journal of Human Evolution, Jun 1, 2011

Great apes and humans use their hands in fundamentally different ways, but little is known about ... more Great apes and humans use their hands in fundamentally different ways, but little is known about joint biomechanics and internal bone variation. This study examines the distribution of mineral density in the third metacarpal heads in three hominoid species that differ in their habitual joint postures and loading histories. We test the hypothesis that micro-architectural properties relating to bone mineral density reflect habitual joint use. The third metacarpal heads of Pan troglodytes, Pongo pygmaeus, and Homo sapiens were sectioned in a sagittal plane and imaged using backscattered electron microscopy (BSE-SEM). For each individual, 72 areas of subarticular cortical (subchondral) and trabecular bone were sampled from within 12 consecutive regions of the BSE-SEM images. In each area, gray levels (representing relative mineralization density) were quantified. Results show that chimpanzee, orangutan, and human metacarpal III heads have different gray level distributions. Weighted mean gray levels (WMGLs) in the chimpanzee showed a distinct pattern in which the 'knuckle-walking' regions (dorsal) and 'climbing' regions (palmar) are less mineralized, interpreted to reflect elevated remodeling rates, than the distal regions. Pongo pygmaeus exhibited the lowest WMGLs in the distal region, suggesting elevated remodeling rates in this region, which is loaded during hook grip hand postures associated with suspension and climbing. Differences among regions within metacarpal heads of the chimpanzee and orangutan specimens are significant (Kruskale Wallis, p < 0.001). In humans, whose hands are used for manipulation as opposed to locomotion, mineralization density is much more uniform throughout the metacarpal head. WMGLs were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in subchondral compared to trabecular regions in all samples except humans. This micro-architectural approach offers a means of investigating joint loading patterns in primates and shows significant differences in metacarpal joint biomechanics among great apes and humans.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, May 1, 2016

Carbon and oxygen isotope values of bovid tooth enamel and pedogenic carbonates were used to reco... more Carbon and oxygen isotope values of bovid tooth enamel and pedogenic carbonates were used to reconstruct the paleoenvironments associated with Middle Pleistocene archaeological and paleontological sites from the Kapthurin Formation, Kenya. Fossil teeth and pedogenic carbonates were collected from lacustrine and fluvial facies (K3 and K3') of the Kapthurin Formation (~543-509 ka). Twenty teeth from six bovid tribes and twenty four pedogenic carbonates were sequentially sampled for stable oxygen and carbon analysis. The primary aims of this work are to reconstruct the vegetative habitats of bovids and environmental landscapes from the Kapthurin Formation, assessing the presence of C 3 , C 4 , or mixed vegetation and foragers. We also assess general paleoclimate factors, such as overall aridity, seasonal shifts in water availability, and broad habitat reconstructions. Carbon isotope values suggest a wide range of foraging strategies available to bovids, and are characterized by both C 3 dominated and C 4 dominated diets, with little evidence for mixed feeders, while pedogenic carbonates suggest the landscape combined a mix of C 3 and C 4 vegetation sources, structurally similar to wooded grasslands. Paleoclimatic conditions, based on the reconstructed mean annual water deficit from δ 18 O enamel values suggest a hyper mesic environment, most comparable to the modern Ituri rainforest, indicating a much wetter climate than the modern Lake Baringo Basin. This environment coincides with an intensified Middle Pleistocene African monsoonal system at onset of Marine Isotope Stage 13 (~533 ka). The Middle Pleistocene Lake Baringo regional habitat appears to have been one dominated by woodland areas, perennially active streams, marsh and sumpland environments, and a surrounding grassland ecosystem. This lush basin would have provided hominins with a diverse and productive ecosystem. Perhaps not surprisingly, archaeological sites are found in all habitats, including wet, forested, and grassland environments.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Feb 1, 2014

The relative contributions of bedrock and atmospheric sources to bioavailable strontium (Sr) pool... more The relative contributions of bedrock and atmospheric sources to bioavailable strontium (Sr) pools in local soils was studied in Northern Israel and the Golan regions through intensive systematic sampling of modern plants and invertebrates, to produce a map of modern bioavailable strontium isotope ratios (87 Sr/ 86 Sr) for regional reconstructions of human and animal mobility patterns. The study investigates sources of variability in bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, in particular the intra-and inter-site range of variation in plant 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, the range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios of plants growing on marine sedimentary versus volcanic geologies, the differences between ligneous and non-ligneous plants with varying growth and water utilization strategies, and the relative contribution of atmospheric Sr sources from different soil and vegetation types and climatic zones. Results indicate predictable variation in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios. Inter-and intra-site differences in bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios average of 0.00025, while the range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured regionally in plants and invertebrates is 0.7090 in Pleistocene calcareous sandstone and 0.7074 in mid-Pleistocene volcanic pyroclast. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in plants growing on volcanic bedrock show time dependent increases in atmospheric deposition relative to bedrock weathering. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in plants growing on renzina soils depends on precipitation. The spacing between bedrock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios and plants is highest in wet conditions and decreases in dry conditions. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in plants growing on terra rossa soils is relatively constant (0.7085) regardless of precipitation. Ligneous plants are typically closer to bedrock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios than non-ligneous plants. Since the bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios currently measured in the region reflect a mix of both exogenous and endogenous sources, changes in the relative contribution of exogenous sources can cause variation over time. Precipitation, the age of the bedrock and the overall Sr concentration must to be taken into consideration when interpreting geographical variation in strontium isotopes throughout a region. Because these factors can change through time, we recommend that Sr data from time periods older than the Holocene be interpreted with caution.

The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2018

Social Science Research Network, 2022

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Nomadic pastoralism and long-distance transhumance are often invoked as primary explanatory mecha... more Nomadic pastoralism and long-distance transhumance are often invoked as primary explanatory mechanisms for human migrations and regional interactions in the Early Bronze Age Kura-Araxes cultural tradition of the West Asian highlands. Based on established archaeological proxies of pastoralism, these arguments have rendered homogenous reconstructions of a complex pastoral landscape because of the effect of site formation processes that smooth out diagnostic archaeological signatures of diverse herd mobility strategies. Overcoming this equifinality requires an interdisciplinary approach that can empirically measure animal movements in the past. In this paper we use stable oxygen (δ 18 O) and carbon (δ 13 C) isotope analyses of incrementally-sampled teeth to investigate sheep, goat, and cattle herding strategies at the Kura-Araxes settlement of Köhne Shahar. Our δ 18 O analysis reveals that cattle and caprines accessed different water sources, with cattle staying closer to the settlement and the more permanent bodies of water that it provided. Restricted intra-annual ranges in δ 13 C values also show that nearly all herd animals were managed locally, involving limited transhumance that was supplemented with dry foddering. We contextualise our observations with published zooarchaeological data to call for more nuanced interpretations of Kura-Araxes pastoral landscapes that deemphasise the role of long-distance pastoral mobilities.

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2016

Ó The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract Pla... more Ó The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract Plant C and N isotope values often correlate with rainfall on global and regional scales. This study examines the relationship between plant isotopic values and rainfall in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The results indicate significant correlations between both C and N isotope values and rainfall in C3 plant communities. This significant relationship is maintained when plant communities are divided by plant life forms. Furthermore, a seasonal increase in C isotope values is observed during the dry season while N isotope values remain stable across the wet and dry seasons. Finally, the isotopic pattern in plants originating from desert environments differs from those from Mediterranean environments because some desert plants obtain most of their water from secondary sources, namely water channeled by local topographic features rather than direct rainfall. From these results it can be con...

There are many people to thank for this dissertation. First, I would like to thank my wife, Sarah... more There are many people to thank for this dissertation. First, I would like to thank my wife, Sarah Sportman, for continuing to support me while I completed my studies. She has also read and edited many versions of this dissertation, although her academic interests lie within the archaeology of northeastern North America. I would like to dedicate this dissertation, such as it is, to our son, Charlie, who is a never-ending source of continuing inspiration to me; through his two-year old's eyes I have begun to find a new appreciation for all aspects of nature and the world. I would also like to thank my parents, who have supported me over many years, and instilled in me an early appreciation for nature. My advisor, Sally McBrearty, has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and support throughout my graduate career, and facilitated much of this research through her own grant funding. Gideon Hartman provided lab space for much of these analyses, but more importantly, his door was always open to me from the very beginning of this project, providing endless feedback on ideas, manuscript drafts, and grant proposals. Dan Adler dedicated much of his time to reading and editing previous versions of this dissertation; without his careful attention to the theoretical underpinnings of these manuscripts, my work would have surely suffered. I count myself luck to have had three such advisors who dedicated much of their time and resources to my dissertation and career. There are many financial institutions to thank for this project. The National Science Foundation facilitated this research with a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (BCS 1343214). The Anthropology Department at UConn has been very supportive of my graduate career and research, providing Summer Research Fellowships, graduate support in the form of several teaching and research assistantships, and a dissertation writing fellowship. Sigma Xi v provided a Grant-in-Aid of research for a component of this dissertation research. The Center for Environmental Science and Engineering provided a fellowship that supported some of the early data collection for this research. Finally, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School, and the Humanities Institute, all at UConn, funded portions of this research through fellowships. I also have many colleagues, advisors, and friends to thank for various support and feedback during this eight (!) year period of my life. In no particular order, and this list is by no means complete, I would like to thank the following people for support over the years: Bonface

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020

Ancient seeds recovered from archaeological contexts are typically protected from degradation thr... more Ancient seeds recovered from archaeological contexts are typically protected from degradation through the process of low temperature charring (<300 � C). Resilient Maillard Reaction Products produced by charring are considered chemically stable, and thus, suitable for stable isotopic studies. A few high-profile reconstructions of past climate and human economies have been based on charred seeds. In this study we take a comprehensive structural, compositional, isotopic, and genetic approach to compare modern Eastern Mediterranean lentils with archaeological charred lentils recovered from Iron Age I layer Tel Dor, and five complementary southern Levantine sites ranging from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to Persian periods. The modern lentils were charred at temperatures ranging from 100ᵒC-400ᵒC and analyzed as a reference for the archaeological material. The modern and archaeological charred lentils were found to differ structurally, compositionally, and isotopically, challenging the notion that seed charring prevents further chemical alteration between the time of burial and recovery of the seeds. Genetic analysis of archaeological lentils revealed the presence of bacterial taxa capable of degrading chemical compounds considered stable in ambient burial conditions. We assume that microbial degradation is more likely to affect charred legumes than other seeds due to their high nitrogen content. We also acknowledge that different environments and burial conditions might promote better preservation of charred lentils. We call for the development and employment of archaeological legume screening methods that will help select seeds best suited for isotopic analyses.

Scientific Reports, 2020

Understanding past human settlement of inhospitable regions is one of the most intriguing puzzles... more Understanding past human settlement of inhospitable regions is one of the most intriguing puzzles in archaeological research, with implications for more sustainable use of marginal regions today. During the Byzantine period in the 4th century CE, large settlements were established in the arid region of the Negev Desert, Israel, but it remains unclear why it did so, and why the settlements were abandoned three centuries later. Previous theories proposed that the Negev was a “green desert” in the early 1st millennium CE, and that the Byzantine Empire withdrew from this region due to a dramatic climatic downturn. In the absence of a local climate archive correlated to the Byzantine/Early Islamic transition, testing this theory has proven challenging. We use stable isotopic indicators of animal dietary and mobility patterns to assess the extent of the vegetative cover in the desert. By doing so, we aim to detect possible climatic fluctuations that may have led to the abandonment of the ...

The Kapthurin Formation, a part of the Middle Pleistocene sedimentary sequence of the Kenyan Rift... more The Kapthurin Formation, a part of the Middle Pleistocene sedimentary sequence of the Kenyan Rift Valley in the Lake Baringo basin, documents the transition from Acheulean to Middle Stone Age (MSA) technology (Tryon and McBrearty 2002). The MSA is of particular importance, as it marks the appearance of modern behavior, and the emergence of our own species, Homo sapiens (McBrearty and Brooks 2000; McDougall et al. 2005). Archaeological and paleontological sites from two time intervals, 509 ± 9 thousand years ago (ka) to 543 ± 4 ka, and 235 ± 2 ka to 509 ± 9 ka (Deino and McBrearty 2002), were sampled for stable isotope values of fossil pedogenic carbonates, useful in reconstructing environments exploited by MSA and Acheulean hominins. Sample preparation of fossil carbonate nodules followed Breecker et al. (2009) and Hartman (2011). δ13C and δ18O values derived from this study and a previous study on bovid tooth enamel (Leslie 2013) indicate that landscapes in the Lake Baringo basin were comprised of diverse micro habitats, ranging from wet forested (C3) environments to arid grassland (C4) environments between 545 ka and 235 ka. These results will be useful in determining if there is evidence for differential utilization of landscapes, environments, and resources at MSA sites when compared with Acheulean sites, as has been suggested by other researchers (Clark 1988; McBrearty and Brooks 2000; Marean 2007; Texeier et al. 2010).

19th International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Bonn/Cologne (22-26 May), 2018

Annual Meeting of the American School of Oriental Research, San Diego (20-23 November), 2019