A fragment of mortar from the pedestal ruin belonging to the central statue in Forum Vetus, Ulpia Traiana archaeological site, Romania, was investigated. The ruin is well-documented and unrestored, and radiocarbon dating was deemed suitable to determine its moment of construction. Preliminary analyses were used to establish the composition of the material and the sources of carbon-14, selecting the most reliable fraction for radiocarbon dating by the AMS method. Although sampling was carried out according to the recommendations, a younger apparent age was obtained than that expected. This is in fact a concrete-like mortar according to the analyses, and the phenomenon of delayed hardening of mortar in masonry was detected. The difference between the real and apparent ages quantifies this phenomenon. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry with thermogravimetric analysis, and gamma spectrometry were used. Pyrogenic calcium carbonate and carbonates from calcium silicate/calcium aluminate hydrates were the only forms present in mini-nodules/lumps. The reactivation of binder calcite or geogenic calcite, the other problems encountered when dating mortars, were not spotted. This case study highlights the limitations of the radiocarbon dating method, and we introduce gamma spectrometry as a technique for additional investigations into direct exposure to the environment or the origins of raw materials.

Datarea radiocarbon prin metoda spectrometriei de masǎ cu ioni acceleraţi AMS, folositǎ din 2012 la IFIN-HH Mǎgurele, a oferit recent cadrul ştiinţific pentru un studiu interdisciplinar, atât din punct de vedere arheologic cât şi arheometric, aplicat unor materiale din lemn sau derivaţi ai lemnului. Primele rezultate radiocarbon calibrate obţinute pe şase eşantioane prelevate la Mǎguricea Branului în 2021 au plasat majoritatea probelor într-un interval în jurul secolului al XIII-lea, unele diferenţe putând fi explicate pe baza unor parametri ce sunt prezentaţi în acest articol. Cele patru probe similare suplimentare rezultate din campania 2022 au oferit date radiocarbon calibrate foarte diferite de estimǎri, dar şi faţǎ de cele anterioare. Deşi aceste probe au justificat dezvoltarea în laborator a unei metode noi de pre-tratare, pentru „lemn carbonificat”, unele rezultate nu au putut fi explicate din punct de vedere tehnic prin încadrarea în cei trei parametri: terminus post quem, time-width, apparent ages, aplicabili materialelor din lemn şi derivaţi, şi deci nu au putut oferi date relevante din punct de vedere arheologic. Lucrarea poate fi de interes pentru arheologii care folosesc probe de lemn pentru datarea AMS.

The stone Ensemble from Corbii de Piatrǎ Romania arouses a continuous scientific interest, with the final goal being to obtain an exhaustive and multidisciplinary package of results that will become the support of an extensive restoration project. The cave painting stands out as the most important and most affected by the advanced degradation among the historical monuments in Romania. This article provides for the first time a radiocarbon dating of the first forms of painting by establishing the age of the mortar/plaster used as a pictorial support. Being a very complex context from the point of view of the type of datable material and the disappearance over time through degradation of other elements that would ensure a simpler and more reliable radiocarbon dating (such as the straws used to form the material), it was necessary to use a multidisciplinary approach for the selection of samples and for supporting the radiocarbon results. The set of analyses consisted of visualization techniques through microscopy and compositional analysis, providing information on the similarities/differences between the samples, the degradation mechanisms/impurities and the quality of the calcium carbonate dated by the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) technique. The results supported each other, ensured the selection of reliable radiocarbon data and established the most probable moment of the early interventions, namely the two phases corresponding to the 14th century.

This study investigates intraspecific morphometric variability in the archaeozoological assemblages from the multi-period site of Șoimuș-Teleghi (Hunedoara County, Romania), encompassing occupation phases from the Early Neolithic (Starčevo-Criș culture) to the Late Bronze Age. The new AMS radiocarbon dates obtained refine the chronological framework of the site. The results reveal pronounced morphometric variability in cattle (Bos taurus), with horncore flattening indices, dental dimensions, and postcranial measurements enabling the differentiation of males, females, and probable castrates—the latter suggesting traction-oriented management strategies. A notably large horncore from the Vinča level may indicate hybridisation between domestic cattle and aurochs (Bos primigenius). Sheep (Ovis aries) display an increase in estimated withers height from the Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age, potentially reflecting improved husbandry. The pig (Sus domesticus) scapula scatter plot indicates a female-dominated culling pattern, while postcranial elements suggest relatively robust forelimbs combined with more gracile distal limb segments. Among wild taxa, red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) exhibit clear sexual dimorphism and generally large body sizes, consistent with the selective hunting of prime adult males. Comparative analysis with contemporary assemblages from Transylvania, Banat, and Hungary situates the Șoimuș-Teleghi material within broader regional trends, while highlighting certain distinctive features, particularly the large dimensions of Early Neolithic cattle and the diachronic size increase observed in caprine.

Grație unui proiect susținut de Physics Advisory Committee al Institutului Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Fizică și Inginerie Nucleară „Horia Hulubei”, au fost analizate cinci probe prelevate din gropi cu material arheologic bogat (Gr. 76, 78, 93, 99 și 116). Selecția probelor a fost determinată de prezența, în umplutura acestora, a unor piese de inventar și fragmente ceramice atribuite tradițional primei epoci a fierului (PEF). În eșantionul analizat a fost inclusă și o probă din groapa Gr. 93, în a cărei umplutură au fost recuperate o piesă de inventar și fragmente ceramice din PEF, alături de mai multe bucăți de vase cu o posibilă atribuire cronologică mai largă, până în sec. IV a.Chr. Ultimele două gropi (Gr. 99 și 116) se remarcau prin caracterul lor aparte, care sugerează posibila existență a unor practici cu caracter ritualic. În urma analizei radiocarbon, probele din Gr. 76, 78, 99 și 116 au fost datate, cu o probabilitate cuprinsă între 94,7% și 95,4%, în intervalul 1265–804 cal BC, ceea ce corespunde, în linii mari, datării arheologice propuse – respectiv sec. XII–X a.Chr. Rezultatul probei din Gr. 93 indică, cu o probabilitate de 80,1%, intervalul 564–394 cal BC, și cu 10,7%, intervalul 746–689 cal BC. Aceste date confirmă cronologia sugerată de anumite categorii de artefacte, în special vârfuri de săgeată din bronz (piramidale sau cu trei aripioare) și fragmente de amfore de Chios, datate în al treilea sfert al sec. V a.Chr. Datarea mai târzie susține rezervele privind atribuirile cultural-cronologice ale unor complexe cu ceramică ce poate fi încadrată atât în prima epocă a fierului, cât și în a doua epocă a fierului, chiar și în prezența unor piese de inventar cu datare sigură în faze mai timpurii.

The subsistence economy of Early Iron Age communities in the Lower Danube remains insufficiently documented despite the large number of settlements attributed to the Babadag culture. This study examines subsistence practices at the eponymous Babadag settlement by combining archaeozoological, carpological, phytolith, and radiocarbon evidence from legacy excavation materials. The chronological framework includes 14 radiocarbon determinations, which broadly support an occupation between the end of the 11th/beginning of the 10th century BC and mid-8th century BC. The analysed assemblages comprise 11,475 faunal remains, two samples of charred plant macroremains, and nine sediment samples for phytolith analysis. Domestic mammals dominate the faunal assemblage, especially cattle and sheep/goat, with fishing providing an important supplementary food resource while hunting remained limited. Age-at-death data, together with the limited sex-ratio evidence, are consistent with mixed livestock exploitation, which may have included meat production, dairying, traction, wool production, and reproduction. Carpological remains document hulled barley, emmer, spelt wheat, and common millet, while phytoliths indicate repeated inputs of grass material into archaeological deposits. Overall, the evidence indicates a diversified subsistence economy based primarily on animal husbandry and cereal cultivation and processing, supplemented by fishing and the limited use of wild resources.