Scientist explores archaeological record by studying Mongolian reindeer herder camps

For years, Todd Surovell has studied an ancient Paleoindian site in Colorado and wondered why he would find concentrations of tools in one spot or a particular type of tool in another. He had to go to Mongolia to find the answers.

This composite time-lapse photo shows every spot Mongolian people occupied in a reindeer herder camp Sept. 15, 2014. 
Todd Surovell, a UW professor of anthropology and director of the George C. Frison Institute of Archaeology and 
Anthropology, heads the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project. The project’s primary goal is the development 
of spatial theory of human behavior for application to archaeological problems [Credit: Todd Surovell]

Surovell, a University of Wyoming professor of anthropology and director of the George C. Frison Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, is an expert in Paleoindian archaeology. He heads the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project, which has a primary goal of developing spatial theory of human behavior for application to archaeological problems.

In essence, he is interested in understanding how people decide where to do the things they do.

“I’m interested in how people use space from an archaeological perspective,” Surovell says. “We might, for example, identify prehistoric households and examine how people used space, both inside and outside. We also might ask how the spaces in different households were used, whether similarly or differently.”

For a number of years, Surovell and his colleague, Nicole Waguespack, a UW associate professor of anthropology, studied the Barger Gulch archaeological site that dates back 12,500 years and is located in Middle Park, Colo. There, they recovered more than 75,000 chipped stone tools and artifacts. Sometimes, a large number of various tools would be found in one spot. Other times, similar tools would be found in another.

From studying spatial patterns in the Middle Park site, Surovell surmised that Folsom people, nomadic hunter-gatherers, lived in round-shaped structures with fires in their centers. Artifacts preferentially accumulated to one side of the house (east or west), and often toward the back, or south side, of the home.

“Archaeologically, all you see are spatial patterns in chipped stone artifacts. There is no house or physical architectural remains,” he says.

In order to understand archaeological spatial patterns and how they translate into past human behavior, Surovell, as a scientist and a researcher, wanted to see how nomadic people use space in real life.

“To interpret human behavior from the past was not easy,” Surovell concedes. “I wanted to see nomadic people in the real world, and how they use space in the real world.”

So, Surovell traveled to the Khovsgol Province of Mongolia to study the Dukha (pronounced Do-ha), nomadic reindeer herders of Tuvan descent. Like the Paleoindians of the past, the Dukha of today live in rounded homes, called an ortz, with iron stoves located in the middle. The structures somewhat resemble teepees.

He has traveled to the northeast Asian country five times, and in all seasons, as part of the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project, which began in 2012. Ethnoarchaeology is the study of living peoples for the purpose of developing tools for improving interpretation of the archaeological record. This project differs from traditional spatial ethnoarchaeology, in that Surovell shifted the focus from the mapping of material remains to the direct mapping of human behavior. To do so, he has used a combination of observational mapping and time-lapse photography coupled with photogrammetry, or mapping from photographic imagery.

For example, one composite time-lapse photo that was taken shows all camp occupants -- in all of the spaces they occupied in exterior camp space -- over the course of a 12-hour day. Photos were taken roughly every three minutes from a camera perched atop a fiberglass mast. Cameras relied on battery and solar power. In all, about 300 photos were shot and then combined into the composite photo that accompanies this story.

“That is unique to the project. The big innovation in our project is this idea of mapping people as they go about their lives,” Surovell says. “Technically, it wasn’t possible to do this with high precision until recently. Imagine being in a place with no electricity, and you want to map how they (Mongolians) go about their lives. So, we turned to time-lapse photography.”

A Dukha summer camp in the West Taiga.  Nine families live here. One ortz is used mostly as a rental for tourists 
[Credit: Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project]

The goal was to precisely map people in camp sites over frequent intervals. The information can be used to develop spatial datasets which, in turn, allow Surovell and his research team to understand how people make space-use decisions. Spatial datasets included information on a person, his or her sex, age, activity, equipment, household membership and weather.

Initial results suggest that human spatial behavior on small scales is highly patterned, predictable and explainable.

During his five separate treks to Mongolia, Surovell has lived in seven different camps. The days are long, filled with lots of hard work just for basic survival.

“It’s physically challenging. It’s cold in winter -- 40 below regularly every night,” he recalls. “In summer, it freezes almost every night. It’s rustic. You sleep on the ground. You can’t take a shower for months on end. I bring freeze-dried food. You have to ride in on a horse or a reindeer.”

During the spring, Surovell often rode a reindeer -- the Dukhas’ mode of transportation -- to help haul firewood to summer camps with the family with whom he stayed and studied. He says he paid attention to being careful, knowing medical help was often three or four days away. Still, his body was beaten up, and he typically lost 8-10 pounds during each trip.

Still, he enjoyed the simplicity of living in the moment and being away from technology.

“It’s wonderful, physically challenging, and they don’t speak English. I had to learn Mongolian,” Surovell says.

Surovell says spatial patterns of tools used at the Colorado Middle Park site could be used at Wyoming’s archaeological sites, including the Mammoth Kill site near Douglas, the Hanson site in the northern Big Horn Basin and at Hell Gap.

“I don’t know if there are obvious, practical benefits of this work. The major benefits are largely academic,” he says. “Architects who design workspaces would probably be very interested in those kinds of data of how people use space.”

Funding and sponsorship of the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project was provided by the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Scholars Program and the George C. Frison Institute. Surovell says he has a few publication papers in the works and, ultimately, he says his group -- which includes Randy Haas, a UW postdoctoral researcher, and Matthew O’Brien, an assistant professor of anthropology at California State University-Chico -- plans to write a book about the research experience.

“A lot of these things, they do became obvious when you see it in the real world,” Surovell says. “We have found, for example, that the distribution of light is an important factor governing the performance of many activities in interior spaces. I don’t go to a dark closet to read a book. We knew people tended to gather around a stove.

“I suspect how Mongolians use their spaces is fairly similar to how we use our homes, too,” he says. “I hope this research will give us insight into spatial patterns worldwide and not just in Colorado.”

Source: University of Wyoming [April 15, 2017]

byUnknown

in Anthropology, Indigenous Cultures, Mongolia, Society

April 15, 2017

Scientist explores archaeological record by studying Mongolian reindeer herder camps

For years, Todd Surovell has studied an ancient Paleoindian site in Colorado and wondered why he would find concentrations of tools in one s...

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Medieval Mongolian woman died after massive blow to head

Intriguing new details have emerged about a medieval mummy known for her 'Adidas' boots - which she wore more than a millennia ago.

Scientists believe the body of a woman found in April last year, died up to 1,100 years ago from a blow to the head 
[Credit: The Mongolian Observer/The Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

The body of the woman was discovered a year ago this week in the Altai mountains region of Mongolia.

And her body and possessions remained so remarkably preserved that experts are still uncovering some of the secrets they keep.

Now, scientists have discovered that the mummy suffered a significant blow to the head before her death. 

Her trademark felt boots - which feature red and black stripes and metal buckle work - have been
 carefully cleaned and restored [Credit: The Mongolian Observer/The Center of Cultural 
Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

The Mongolian woman - aged between 30 and 40 - hit headlines in April 2016, thanks to her modern-looking footwear, which some likened to a pair of trainers.

In the intervening 12 months, scientists have been working to find out more about the mysterious Mongolian mummy.

Experts from the Centre of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia now believe the woman died up to 1,100 years ago after suffering a serious head wound.

The items of clothing found, like this jacket, were decorated with fine embroidery patterns 
[Credit: The Mongolian Observer/The Center of Cultural Heritage 
of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

Initial examinations found that 'it was quite possible that the traces of a blow to the mummy's facial bones were the cause of her death'.

They are still seeking to verify the exact age of the burial, but they estimate it took place in the tenth century - more recently than originally thought.

The high altitude and cold climate helped to preserve both the woman's body and her belongings.

Experts believe she may have been a seamstress, due to a variety of sewing equipment which was found inside her bag,
 as well as the embroidery on her clothing [Credit: The Mongolian Observer/The Center of 
Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

And a coating of Shilajit - a thick, sticky tar-like substance with a colour ranging from white to dark brown - that covered her body aided this process.

Some skin and hair can be seen on her remains, which were wrapped in felt.

The woman was buried alongside a number of her possessions - including a handbag and four changes of clothes.

Despite her seemingly lavish possessions archaeologists believe she was an 'ordinary' women of her time,
 rather than an aristocrat or royal [Credit: The Mongolian Observer/The Center of 
Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

A comb and a mirror from her beauty kit were also found, along with a knife.

Her horse and a saddle with metal stirrups in such good condition that it could be used today were buried as well.

But despite her seemingly lavish possessions archaeologists believe she was an 'ordinary' women of her time, rather than an aristocrat or royal.

The preserved remains of a horse were uncovered at the burial site [Credit: The Mongolian Observer/
The Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

'Judging by what was found inside the burial, we guess that she was from an ordinary social strata,' added Mr Enkhbat.

'Various sewing utensils were found with her.

'This is only our guess, but we think she could have been a seamstress.'

A saddle with metal stirrups in such good condition that it could be used today were found alongside it 
[Credit: The Mongolian Observer/The Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

'Inside (her bag) was the sewing kit and since the embroidery was on both the bag and the shoes, we can be certain that the embroidery was done by locals.'

The grave was unearthed at an altitude of 9,200ft (2,803 metres) and the woman is believed to be of Turkic origin.

It appears to be the first complete Turkic burial in Central Asia.

The Mongolian woman is believed to have been aged between 30 and 40 when she died. Some skin and hair 
can be seen on her remains, which were wrapped in felt [Credit: The Mongolian Observer/
The Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

A host of possessions were found in the grave, offering a unique insight into life in medieval Mongolia.

These included a saddle, bridle, clay vase, wooden bowl, trough, iron kettle, the remains of an entire horse, and ancient clothing.

There were also pillows, a sheep's head and felt travel bag in which were placed the whole back of a sheep, goat bones and small leather bag designed to carry a cup. 

Experts from the Centre of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia have worked for the past 12 months 
to restore the items they found buried [Credit: The Mongolian Observer/
The Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia/Siberian Times]

Archaeologists from the city museum in Khovd were alerted to the burial site by local herdsmen.

The Altai Mountains - where the burial was discovered - unite Siberia, in Russia, and Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.

Author: Will Stewart | Source: DailyMail [April 13, 2017]

byUnknown

in Anthropology, Asia, Central Asia, Forensics, Mongolia

April 13, 2017

Medieval Mongolian woman died after massive blow to head

Intriguing new details have emerged about a medieval mummy known for her 'Adidas' boots - which she wore more than a millennia ago. ...

Read More

Precision chronology sheds new light on origins of Mongolia's nomadic horse culture

According to new research, nomadic horse culture—famously associated with Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes—can trace its roots back more than 3,000 years in the eastern Eurasian Steppes, in the territory of modern Mongolia.

Domestic horse head burial from Mongolia’s Deer Stone-Khirigsuur complex, used in the study 
[Credit: William Taylor]

The study, published in Journal of Archaeological Science, produces scientific estimates of the age of horse bones found from archaeological sites belonging to a culture known as the Deer Stone-Khirigsuur Complex. This culture, named for the beautiful carved standing stones ("deer stones") and burial mounds (khirigsuurs) it built across the Mongolian Steppe, is linked with some of the oldest evidence for nomadic herding and domestic livestock use in eastern Eurasia. At both deer stones and khirigsuurs, stone mounds containing ritual burials of domestic horses - sometimes numbering the hundreds or thousands - are found buried around the edge of each monument.

A team of researchers from several academic institutions - including the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Yale University, University of Chicago, the American Center for Mongolian Studies, and the National Museum of Mongolia - used a scientific dating technique known as radiocarbon dating to estimate the spread of domestic horse ritual at deer stones and khirigsuurs.

'Deer stone' stela in Bayankhongor province, central Mongolia, surrounded by small stone mounds 
containing domestic horse remains [Credit: William Taylor]

When an organism dies, an unstable radioactive molecule present in living tissues, known as radiocarbon, begins to decay at a known rate. By measuring the remaining concentration of radiocarbon in organic materials, such as horse bone, archaeologists can estimate how many years ago an animal took its final step. Many previous archaeological projects in Mongolia produced radiocarbon date estimates from horse remains found at these Bronze Age archaeological sites. However, because each of these measurements must be calibrated to account for natural variation in the environment over time, individual dates have large amounts of error and uncertainty, making them difficult to aggregate or interpret in groups.

By using a statistical technique known as Bayesian analysis - which combines probability with archaeological information to improve precision for groups of radiocarbon dates - the study authors were able to produce a high-precision chronology model for early domestic horse use in Mongolia. Lead author William Taylor, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, says that this model "enables us for the first time to link horse use with other important cultural developments in ancient Mongolia and eastern Eurasia, and evaluate the role of climate and environmental change in the local origins of horse riding."

Domestic horses form the center of nomadic life in contemporary Mongolia 
[Credit: P. Enkhtuvshin]

According to the study, domestic horse ritual spread rapidly across the Mongol Steppe at around 1200 BC - several hundred years before mounted horsemen are clearly documented historical records. When considered alongside other evidence for horse transport in the Deer Stone-Khirigsuur Complex these results suggest that Mongolia was an epicenter for early horse culture - and probably early mounted horseback riding.

The study has important consequences for our understanding of human responses to climate change. For example, one particularly influential hypothesis argues that horse riding and nomadic herding societies developed during the late second millennium BCE, as a response to drought and a worsening climate. Taylor and colleagues' results indicate instead that early horsemanship took place during a wetter, more productive climate period - which may have given herders more room to experiment with horse breeding and transport.

Domestic horse head burial from Mongolia's Deer Stone-Khirigsuur complex, used in the study 
[Credit: William Taylor]

In recent years, scholars have become increasingly aware of the role played by Inner Asian nomads in early waves of globalization. A key article published this month in Nature argues that nomadic movement patterns shaped the early trans-Eurasian trade networks that would eventually move goods, people, and information across the continent. The development of horsemanship by Mongolian cultures might have been one of the most influential changes in Eurasian prehistory - laying the groundwork for the economic and ecological exchange networks that defined the Old World for centuries to come.

Source: Max Planck Society [April 11, 2017]

byUnknown

in Archaeology, Asia, East Asia, Mongolia

April 11, 2017

Precision chronology sheds new light on origins of Mongolia's nomadic horse culture

According to new research, nomadic horse culture—famously associated with Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes—can trace its roots back more t...

Read More