Recapturing the sounds and sonic experiences of the hunter-gatherers at Ajvide, Gotland, Sweden (3200-2300 cal BC) (original) (raw)

Prehistoric Soundscapes in Scandinavia

Report no. 6 from Sound Environment Centre at Lund University: SOUNDS OF HISTORY , 2008

Paper from an interdisciplinary symposium arranged by The Sound Environment Centre at Lund University, Sweden

Tracing the rattle of animal tooth pendants from the Middle Neolithic graves of Ajvide, Gotland, Sweden

World Archaeology , 2014

Strung rattles of teeth, shells and hooves have traditionally been thought to be among the earliest musical instruments. These sound producers, which are suspended from the neck, arms, legs or clothing, are often used to highlight dancing. This study seeks to explore whether similar rattles can be traced to the northern European Middle Neolithic. The research material comprised 53 animal tooth pendants from graves of Ajvide, Gotland, Sweden (c. 2900–2300 cal BC). Microscopic analysis showed that the pendants from Ajvide are well-worn and abraded, especially on their opposing perforated sides. Because the pendants usually appear in clusters or hem-like rows on the hips or legs of the deceased, a plausible explanation for their use-wear is that they once struck each other. This concussion resulting from the wearer's movements would have created a rattling sound. The acoustical properties of this sound can be demonstrated with copies of animal teeth. This paper aims to provide insight into the previously little explored world of Neolithic sound.

[Special Issue] Past Sounds: New Perspectives in the Field of Archaeoacoustics -- Special Issue Open Archaeology 9(1)

Open Archaeology, 2023

Díaz-Andreu, Margarita, and Neemias Santos da Rosa. 2023. "[Special Issue] Past Sounds: New Perspectives in the Field of Archaeoacoustics." Open Archaeology 9, 1: articles 20220329, 20220330, 20220328, 20220327, 20220344, and 20220340. https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/opar/9/1/html?lang=en | • Employing Psychoacoustics in Sensory Archaeology: Developments at the Ancient Sanctuary of Zeus on Mount Lykaion - Pamela Jordan - Article number: 20220329. https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2022-0329 | • One, Two, Three! Can Everybody Hear Me? Acoustics of Roman Contiones. Case Studies of the Capitoline Hill and the Temple of Bellona in Rome - Kamil Kopij, Adam Pilch, Monika Drab, Szymon Popławski - Article number: 20220330. https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2022-0330 | • Ringing Tone and Drumming Sages in the Crevice Cave of Pirunkirkko, Koli, Finland - Riitta Rainio, Elina Hytönen-Ng - Article number: 20220328. https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2022-0329 | • Music and Storytelling at Rock Art Sites? The Archaeoacoustics of the Urkosh Area (Russian Altai) - Margarita Díaz-Andreu, Andrzej Rozwadowski, Raquel Jiménez Pasalodos, Neemias Santos da Rosa, Daniel Benítez-Aragón, Lidia Alvarez-Morales - Article number: 20220327 https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/opar-2022-0327/html | • Listening in Sacred Spaces: The Sanctuary of Poseidonia and Selinunte’s Main Urban Sanctuary - Angela Bellia - article number 20220344. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/opar-2022-0344/html | • Presenting Archaeoacoustics Results Using Multimedia and VR Technologies - Rupert Till - article number 20220340 https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/opar-2022-0340 |

Archaeoacoustics: A Qualitative Study of the Impact of Frequency-Dependent Sound on Human Thought and Feeling in a Bronze Age Cave in Morayshire

The proposed research project aims to collect primary qualitative data from between 5 and 10 participants after listening to drumming between frequencies of 90 and 120Hz for two minutes in a late Bronze Age cave in Morayshire. Each frequency of 90, 100, 110, and 120Hz will be drummed at two beats per second for two minutes. After each frequency has been played the participant will be asked to complete a questionnaire with 10 questions pertaining to their thoughts and feelings during the two minute drumming period. See fig.1 below for position of drummer (D) and participants (P). Fig 1. Map of the cave showing position of drummer and participants. The drummer is positioned in that area as in the 1928 and 1979 excavations mandibles and skull fragments were recovered from this 10ft square area of the cave. If the human remains were deposited here then it may be postulated that ceremonial or ritualistic behaviours occurred in this area of the cave that involved sound.

Structuring Prehistoric Sound. Informed by Artefacts, Imagery, Ethnography and Place

Eichmann, R., Koch, L-C and Jianjun, F. (eds.) Sound-Object-Culture-History. Papers from the 9th Symposium of the ISGMA at the Ethnological Museum, State Museums Berlin, 09-12 September, 2014. Orient-Archäologie 37, Studien zur Musikarchäologie X., 2016

Zwei neue Ansätze wurden im Zusammenhang mit der Musik-Archäologie vorgeschlagen, um die Beziehung zwischen Artefakten und zeitgenössischen Modellen zu beleuchten: „Ersatzmodelle“ von Cajsa Lund aus dem Jahr 1992 sowie Graeme Lawsons Zwei-Ebenen Schema „Epistemologie und Imagination“. In diesem Beitrag widmen wir uns den genannten Modellen, bevor eine zusätzliche Perspektive Erwägung findet, um einen weiteren Punkt der Forschung zu klären und ihre Beschränkungen durch neue Studienelemente zu ergänzen: handgefertigte und 3D-Modelle sowie Aufführungsorte.

A Note on Palaeolithic Soundscapes

Quaderni di semantica, 2010

This note has been inspired by the concept of "neuroarchaeology" by Colin Renfrew (cfr. Renfrew [2007], ), and is based on two hermeneutic coordinates: 1) neurophysiological bases of perception and representation of sonic space; 2) symbolic and social construction of sonic landscape. As I have illustrated in two previous articles published by this journal (cfr. Meschiari [2008 and 2009]), my hypothesis is that the Homo sapiens sapiens' mind possesses a cognitive module specifically for landscape that spatially organizes perceptions, representations and individual and collective knowledge. This module also acts in the conceptual and symbolic organization of sounds, which only exist contextually and relationally in systems called "soundscapes". The aim of my contribution is to provide some epistemological coordinates in order to correctly approach the question of the "origins" of the sonic behaviors of our species.

Sounds of Prehistory and Antiquity

2017

The study of music from the earliest past draws upon iconography and archaeology, and any attempt to understand the earliest acoustic ecologies requires some level of approximation based on material artefacts. Participants are invited to offer embodied, experiential, phenomenological, creative, practice-based and practice-led research that explores the sonic contexts of prehistory and antiquity. These explorations may consider the examination of sound-producing objects and musical instruments, acoustics of performance spaces, or role of sound in rituals, ceremonies and everyday events. Research is welcomed that uses digital technologies in (re)constructions of ancient soundscapes, and explorations of sonic textures drawing upon iconographic, archaeological and literary sources. Also considered may be performances or other artistic content, whether focused on musical, sonic, performance or visual arts. They should provide information about the source material which has created the basis of the work, but subsequently freely engage with performative explorations.

Programme of the session “From Landscape Archaeology to Soundscape Archaeology: Themes, Approaches, and Perspective” at the 25th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) to be held in Bern, Switzerland, from September 2 to 7, 2019.

FROM LANDSCAPE ARCHAEOLOGY TO SOUNDSCAPE ARCHAEOLOGY: THEMES, APPROACHES, AND PERSPECTIVES Theme: Interpreting the archaeological record: artefacts, humans and landscapes Organisers: Bellia, Angela (Institute for Archaeological and Monumental Heritage - National Research Council) - Mattioli, Tommaso (Dept. Història i Arqueologia, Facultat de Geografia i Història Universitat de Barcelona) Discussant: Discussant: Margarita Díaz-Andreu (Dept. Història i Arqueologia, Facultat de Geografia i Història Universitat de Barcelona) The study of sound in archaeological contexts includes many subject areas that range from music archaeology to physics acoustics. Each of these areas raises a number of challenges concerning the choice of the methodology and the methods to be adopted. A key element in this selection pertains to the physical scale of the analysis of the auditory experience; this can vary from the perception of sounds in a limited area up to interactions within large sonic environments. Although soundscapes have been thoroughly discussed at a theoretical level, this type of analysis has so far been sparsely applied in archaeological research. Therefore, some of the questions that papers for this session could address are: by putting sound back into an archaeological landscape, would we be able to understand how people lived? Through examination of the sounds heard by people wandering the landscape, would we be able to understand their culture and rituals in more depth? By reading (or re-reading) archaeological landscapes, how could we model an ancient soundscape? How did the study of soundscape in the past help us add a new dimension to our archaeological picture of ancient culture? How does technology enable us to understand the way sounds were experienced in their original location? These topics will be addressed through contributions of scholars working in various fields: archaeology, acoustic engineering, archaeomusicology, soundscape studies, anthropology, neuropsychology and heritage.