This study investigates palaeoenvironmental changes during the late 4th and early 3rd millennium BC in N Moldova, focusing on the Gordineşti II-Stînca goală archaeological site. The research employs broad spectrum of bioindicators of non-siliceous and siliceous origin as well as geochemical and sedimentary analyses of dry, humic and mineral deposits. The comprehensive results of studied geoarchives underscores the intricate interplay between environmental conditions and anthropogenic influences on Late Tripolye Culture communities. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the Eneolithic communities, highlighting the importance of alternative analytical approaches and detailed investigations into environmental changes and subsistence strategies in N Moldova during the specified period. The analysed profiles of dry terrestrial habitats represent bioarchives of restricted palaeoecological bioindicators. The record of subfossil plant and animal remains showed scarce representation in both analysed sequences, which was associated with dry conditions. The results demonstrate a predominance of open vegetation at the Gordineşti II-Stînca goală site during pre-occupation, Late Tripolye Culture settlement in 2nd half of 4th mil. BC, and in the post-settlement phases. Local environmental conditions at the hillfort area may not have been suitable for plant cultivation due to the lithological situation. This area might have been used rather for extensive grazing. The forest cover was in the surrounding areas, including slopes of the site promontory. Our results demonstrate that dry mineral and humic deposits including archaeological layers in semi-arid areas could store useful archives for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological reconstructions.

This study presents multidisciplinary analyses of soil cover and archaeological faunal remains from the late Eneolithic fortified settlement of Gordineşti II – Stînca goală in Moldova. Associated with the Tripolye culture, the site dates back to the late 4th millennium BC. Significant cultural and economic shifts characterize this period, marked by a transition from agrarian to pastoral practices, which ultimately led to a gradual decline in sedentary settlements. Employing diverse geochemical techniques and isotopic analyses (87Sr/86Sr, δ15N, δ13C, 14C-dating), the research elucidates the palaeoecological context of the settlement, human-environment relationships and reasons for its decline and abandonment. We examined 25 faunal specimens, both domesticated and wild, providing local isotopic reference values (87Sr/86Sr baselines) from surficial deposits and water in the region. The initial carbon and nitrogen isotope values indicate a local isotopic ecology undergoing progressive aridification, particularly in the isotopic signatures of larger herbivores. Additionally, our analysis of 87Sr/86Sr isotopic values from faunal dental materials reveals distinct mobility patterns among certain animal groups, offering new insights into Eneolithic husbandry practices. This research holds considerable significance as it reveals the adaptive strategies of prehistoric communities navigating the critical shift from agriculture to pastoralism, thereby deepening our understanding of the socio-economic transformations that occurred in prehistoric Eastern and Central Europe.

The Gordineşti  II-Stînca goală is an archaeological site located in the northern part of the Moldavian Plateau in Edineț Region. Chronologically this settlement is linked to the later phase of the Tripolye Culture. Currently, in archaeological literature, the problems of human occupation, land management, and spatial arrangement of settlements in Moldova during the Eneolithic are highly understudied. In this paper, we present the results of recent archaeological works focusing on the spatial patterning of housing structures, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey, and desk-based Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analysis, that has been undertaken to further the understanding of the spatial organisation of the Gordineşti II-Stînca goală settlement. The results indicate the high archaeological potential of this site, with the likely presence of multiple housing structures arranged in a planned and functional manner.

Die Gordineşti II-Stînca goală ist eine archäologische Fundstätte im nördlichen Teil der moldawischen Hochebene in der Region Edineț. Chronologisch ist die hier angetroffene Besiedlung mit der späteren Phase der Tripolye-Kultur zu verbinden. In der moldawischen Forschung werden derzeit Probleme der menschlichen Besiedlung, der Landwirtschaft und der räumlichen Anordnung von Siedlungen in Moldawien während der Jungsteinzeit kaum untersucht. In diesem Papier stellen wir die Ergebnisse der jüngsten Ausgrabungen vor, die sich auf die strukturelle Musterung von Wohnstrukturen, Bodenradar (GPR)-Untersuchungen und schreibtischbasierte Kernel Density Estimation (KDE)-Analysen konzentrieren, die durchgeführt wurden, um ein tieferes Verständnis der räumlichen Organisation der Siedlung Gordineşti  II-Stînca goală zu erlangen. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen weisen auf das hohe archäologische Potenzial dieser Stätte hin, auf das wahrscheinliche Vorhandensein mehrerer planmäßig und funktional angeordneter Wohnstrukturen hin.

In the absence of wood, bone, and other organics, one possible candidate for determining the age of a site is the radiocarbon (14C) dating of pottery. In central Europe during the Early Neolithic, pottery was ubiquitous and contained substantial quantities of organic temper. However, attempts at the direct dating of organic inclusions raises a lot of methodological issues, especially when several sources of carbon contribute to the resulting radiocarbon age. Hence an alternative approach to dating of the early pottery is necessary. Here, we present a novel method of bulk separation of organic content from the grass-tempered pottery from Santovka (Slovakia). The procedure is based on the consecutive application of three inorganic acids, dissolving clay, silica content, and low molecular or mobile fractions to separate organic inclusions added to the pottery matrix during the formation of vessels. Radiocarbon dates obtained with this method are coherent and produce the shortest time span compared to other pretreatment methods presented in this study. The paired dates of grass-tempered pots with the 14C age of lipids extracted from the same pots point to a difference of 400–600 14C yr, however they are in line with the site’s chronostratigraphic Bayesian model. Grass-tempered pottery from Santovka (Slovakia) is dated to the first half of the 6th millennium cal BC, making it the earliest pottery north of the Danube. It seems feasible that ceramic containers from Santovka were produced by hunter-gatherers, and pottery predated the arrival of farming in the Carpathian region by a couple of centuries.

This study reconstructs Middle and Late Neolithic dietary practices in the area of the today Czech Republic and Lower Austria with a help of complementary evidence of stable isotope and dental microwear analysis. From a total of 171 humans, carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were measured in bone collagen of 146 individuals (accompanied by 64 animals) while 113 individuals were included into buccal dental microwear analysis. The samples were divided into two newly established chronological phases: Neolithic B (4900–4000 BC) and Neolithic C (3800–3400 BC) based on radiocarbon data modelling. Isotopic results show that the Neolithic diet was of terrestrial origin with a dominant plant component. A small but statistically significant shift in human carbon isotopic values to a higher δ¹³C was observed during the Neolithic C, probably reflecting an underlying change in plant growing conditions. Dental microwear results suggest a shift in adult diet and/or food preparation techniques between the Neolithic B and C, which, however, was not reflected in either the carbon or nitrogen isotopic values. The positive correlations between nitrogen isotopic values and the dental microwear variables (NV, XV, XT and NV/NT) observed in the adult sample suggest that meat rather than milk was the dominant source of animal protein, or that food enriched in ¹⁵N was processed specifically. Also, as both methods offer a snapshot of different periods of an individual’s life, the presence of a significant correlation may imply highly repetitive dietary behaviour during their lifetime.

Subsistence strategies of Eurasian pastoral populations have been broadly studied in the archaeological literature. The 'Valley of the Kings' in Tuva, Russia, has captivated archaeologists with its remarkable collection of large burial mounds, containing lavishly equipped tombs of nomadic kings, warlords, and aristocracy. These barrows bear witness to the ancestral connections between the deceased leaders, highlighting the alliances among prehistoric nomads in Central Asia. In this research, we present comprehensive radiocarbon dating and 813C/815N isotopic data from the Chinge Tey barrows, which represent the burial sites of 12 high-ranking individuals. The chronological alignment of both Chinge Tey monuments with the Arzhan 1 and Arzhan 2 reference frames sheds light on their historical context. This study delves into intricate aspects of ecological adaptability, pastoral food practices, social hierarchies, and nomadic mortuary rituals. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes indicates potential connections between the barrows in the 'Valley of the Kings' and diverse nomadic cultures, suggesting that dietary habits among neighboring populations may have exhibited significant variation.

This study aims to provide information on cultural and environmental factors influencing the development and decline of the Late Trypillia settlement at Gordineşti II–Stînca goală. The discussion is based on the results of archaeological excavations, non-invasive surveys (magnetometric and GPR), as well as radiocarbon, macroremains, palynological, archaeozoological, and isotopic analyses. All data suggests that Gordineşti II–Stînca goală consisted of at least 15 lightweight constructed dwellings. It was a small settlement existing c. 3300-2950 BC. Its inhabitants were oriented to cereal cultivation and livestock husbandry, using available areas with fertile soils. The livestock were well-fed. However, the location of the settlement on a highly exposed outcrop probably did not facilitate the use of the flowing water of the nearby Racovăţ River. The rock underlying the site would have made digging the wells a very tough task. Hence, the water access problem may be one of the factors that made life inconvenient at the Gordineşti II-Stînca goală settlement.

This paper reports LA-ICP-MS Sr-87/Sr-86 isotopic data collected from archaeological human remains uncovered in Manzherok region, Altai Republic, Russian Federation (Mobility of nomads in central Asia: chronology and Sr-87/Sr-86 isotope evidence from the Pazyryk barrows of northern Altai, Russia [1]. The skeletal remains derive from Scythian barrows dated to 6th - 3rd century BC located at Chultukov Log 1 cemetery. The Chultukov Log cemetery, located approximately 470km south of Novosibirsk, is considered the biggest nomadic burial ground in the Upper Altai and the Sayan Mountains. To enrich the information on prehistoric mobility of ancient nomadic populations in Central Asia, strontium isotopic data were collected using a Nu plasma (II) MC-ICP-MS equipped with ESI NWR193-based laser ablation system from premolar teeth of 8 adult individuals (4 males and 4 females), associated mainly with the Pazyryk culture. Additionally, we report bioavailable strontium data from single Equus caballus specimen (found at Chultukov Log 9 settlement) from Manzherok territory. In this study we have successfully applied and tested new in-depth decontamination protocol for total (<95%) removal of contaminants, necrotic tissue and dental calculus in archaeological materials based on a clinical irrigation procedure with NaOCl and EDTA. Strontium LA-ICP-MS Sr-87/Sr-86 isotopic data presented in this paper were obtained from prehistoric human teeth previously decontaminated according to this method. These data will provide valuable resources for isotopic analyses of prehistoric transportation systems in Central Asia, including residential mobility of ancient nomads inhabiting steppe zone, Mongolia and NW China.

In this study we report the first Sr-87/Sr-86 isotopic data and mobility analyses of the Pazyryk culture in Central Asia. Throughout prehistory the Altai Mountains represent a unique cultural frontier characterised by a perpetual state of transition, resulting from highly mobile nomadic inhabitants. We analysed human skeletal remains from barrows in the Manzherok region of the Altai Republic, Russian Federation. The analysis was based on 160 measurements of Sr-87/Sr-86 from Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), in tandem with environmental samples and comparative animal material. The combined dating evidence and strontium isotopic values indicate that after the 5th century BC, residential mobility amongst Altaic nomads is rising, especially long-distance female mobility, leading to contact acquisition with extrinsic territories of Central Asia. The Sr-87/Sr-86 isotopic evidence from Manzherok suggests that members of the Altaic population might have been buried in Scythian tombs located in Tuva and Khakassia, most notably in the Arzhan barrows.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of human hepatitis. There is considerable uncertainty about the timescale of its evolution and its association with humans. Here we present 12 full or partial ancient HBV genomes that are between approximately 0.8 and 4.5 thousand years old. The ancient sequences group either within or in a sister relationship with extant human or other ape HBV clades. Generally, the genome properties follow those of modern HBV. The root of the HBV tree is projected to between 8.6 and 20.9 thousand years ago, and we estimate a substitution rate of 8.04 x 10(-6-)1.51 x 10(-5) nucleotide substitutions per site per year. In several cases, the geographical locations of the ancient genotypes do not match present-day distributions. Genotypes that today are typical of Africa and Asia, and a subgenotype from India, are shown to have an early Eurasian presence. The geographical and temporal patterns that we observe in ancient and modern HBV genotypes are compatible with well-documented human migrations during the Bronze and Iron Ages(1,2). We provide evidence for the creation of HBV genotype A via recombination, and for a long-term association of modern HBV genotypes with humans, including the discovery of a human genotype that is now extinct. These data expose a complexity of HBV evolution that is not evident when considering modern sequences alone.