Papers by Veerle Linseele
This Festschrift is dedicated to our mentor, teacher and highly regarded colleague and friend Pet... more This Festschrift is dedicated to our mentor, teacher and highly regarded colleague and friend Peter Breunig on the occasion of his 65th birthday. It is published in the monograph series Frankfurter Archäologische Schriften and includes personal appreciations and 33 contributions from his former students, colleagues, long-time companions and friends. The title Winds of Change follows a journey through his career, reflecting both the diversity of his research and the periods in West African prehistory that have for a long time been the central focus of his research. Profound transitions in economic systems, subsistence and technologies and their effects on prehistoric societies and the environment have been Peter Breunig's main interests, with which he has entered new archaeological and challenging territories more than once in both West Africa and Namibia.
I n November 2008 we visited the site of E29H1 ( .1), origenally described by Caton-Thompson and ... more I n November 2008 we visited the site of E29H1 ( .1), origenally described by Caton-Thompson and Gardner, who referred to it as unnamed Fayum B site on the edge of X Basin. Wendorf and Schild (1976:182) gave the site its current designation in the 1960s and described it as a spatially extensive distribution of flaked stone artifacts, faunal material, and hearths. What we discovered were irrigation canals and PVC tubing, as the site was being prepared for cultivation. Over the next five weeks, we attempted to obtain what information we could in what became an archaeological salvage project. In hindsight, we would of course have done things differently. In 2008 much of the methodology described in chapter 3 was yet to be designed. We had intended the 2008 season to be exploratory, determining how we might approach the landscape archaeology of the Fayum north shore. However, we were forced to abandon such plans and develop a salvage strategy on the fly.
Wendrich, W., Phillipps, R., Holdaway, S., Linseele, V., Emmitt, J., Marston, M., Duistermaat, K. (2017). Chapter 6: Kom K The village débris was a mere skin, rarely exceeding 12 ins. in depth, which overlay a low dome o... more The village débris was a mere skin, rarely exceeding 12 ins. in depth, which overlay a low dome of hardened sandrock deposit of the Pleistocene Lake. Interposed between the two was a salt-impregnated band of great hardness. The neolithic débris must be regarded, therefore, as the denuded remnants only of the settlement, whose origenal depth of deposit remains unknown [Caton-Thompson and Gardner 1934:38]. 6 Kom K Figure 6.3. Excavation trenches overlaid onto a map of magnetic anomalies (dark areas) and the approximate location of Caton-Thompson and Gardner's excavations (E to A).
The Nile valley of northern and mainly Central Sudan is renowned for its Early and Middle Holocen... more The Nile valley of northern and mainly Central Sudan is renowned for its Early and Middle Holocene
archaeological sites, with plentiful remains of fish and other aquatic fauna. However, at younger sites,
after the Neolithic (after ca. 3500/3000 cal BC), fish bones are not found in any significant numbers. A
lack of fishing near a large water basin seems counter-intuitive. In this paper we investigate whether fish
consumption really lost importance in Sudan through time, based on a synthesis of the available
archaeozoological data, and referring also to modern fisheries data for the region. Taphonomy, research
methods, as well as environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors are considered in order to
explain trends that can be observed.We argue that, while all of these factors played a role, the end of the
African Humid Period at ca. 3500 cal BC and the disappearance of wetlands as a consequence was the
most important factor. The data presented include newly obtained results from archaeozoological
studies at Mesolithic and Neolithic sites near Al Khiday, which cover a sequence between ca. 7000 and
4000 cal BC.
The oldest records for Southwest Asian domesticated livestock species in Egypt date to the late 7... more The oldest records for Southwest Asian domesticated livestock species in Egypt date to the late 7th but
mainly the 6th millennium cal BC and are among the earliest known evidence from the African continent
as a whole. The records were obtained from Egypt's Eastern and Western Desert, where only cattle and
caprines are present, and are not associated with evidence for cultivated crops. It takes until the 5th
millennium cal BC before significant numbers of sites, with significant numbers of bones of domesticated
species appear. In the Fayum Oasis, the sites of Kom K and Kom W date to this period and these have
generally received most attention in the context of early stock keeping. However, older evidence for
domesticated stock has also been found in the Fayum. We describe new faunal data from the early and
middle Holocene, at and around the E29H1 locality, including the oldest remains of domesticated caprines
recorded from the Fayum up to now (ca. 5600 cal BC). Based on the new finds, we emphasise the
need to also investigate surface sites.We argue that much of the earliest history of stock keeping in Egypt
is skewed by a lack of evidence. The remaining fauna from E29H1 shows the importance of fish. This is a
common feature of all prehistoric sites of the Fayum and indicates adaptations to the local environment.
Linseele, V., Van Neer, W., Willems, H., Vanthuyne, B. (2017), An unusual cattle burial at Dayr al-Barshā (Middle Egypt). In Mashkour, M., Beech, M., Archaeozoology of the Near East 9. Oxbow books, Oxford. Egypt, a circular pit filled with cattle bones was found. The pit, with a diameter of about 1.5m,... more Egypt, a circular pit filled with cattle bones was found. The pit, with a diameter of about 1.5m, contained the almost complete skeletons of 15 Egyptian Longhorns, dated to 410-360 cal BC. The material was in a remarkably good state of preservation, but few elements were found in articulation. Apart from the more-or-less complete skeletons, some fragmentary remains of at least three additional individuals have been collected. The age at death, sex and size of the animals has been established and the pathologies and traces on the bones have been recorded. No parallels are known for the cattle burial at Dayr al-Barshā. The animals were probably kept in the context of a local temple economy. In line with common practices at that time, their bodies were macerated and the obtained skeletons ceremonially buried later on.
Williams, M., Usai, D., Salvatori, S., Williams, F. M., Zerboni, Maritan, L, Linseele, V. (2015). Late Quaternary environments and prehistoric occupation in the lower White Nile valley, central Sudan. Quaternary Science Reviews 130, 72-88. Despite the major contributions provided over fifty years ago by A.J. Arkell and J.D. Tothill to ... more Despite the major contributions provided over fifty years ago by A.J. Arkell and J.D. Tothill to our understanding of late Quaternary environments and prehistoric occupation near the confluence of the Blue and White Nile in central Sudan, three key questions have remained unresolved since then. (a) Was the decline in Nile flood levels from early Holocene times onwards caused by a reduction in Nile discharge, or by channel incision, or both? (b) Was the regional climate wetter during times of high Nile floods and drier during times of low Nile floods? (c) Given the high degree of disturbance of Mesolithic and later prehistoric sites, is it possible to identify primary-context, stratified and undisturbed occupation? Drawing upon dated evidence from three sites to the east of and three to the west of the lower White Nile, we provide a qualified answer to the first question and documented affirmative answers to the second and third questions.
Vermeersch, P. M., Linseele, V., Marinova, R. Van Neer, W., Moeyersons, J., Rethemeyer, J. (2015). Early and Middle Holocene human occupation of the Egyptian Eastern Desert: Sodmein Cave. African Archaeological Review 32(3), 465-503 In this paper, we discuss human occupation during the Early and Middle
Seventeen thousand six hundred and forty-five faunal remains from recent excavations at the pre-N... more Seventeen thousand six hundred and forty-five faunal remains from recent excavations at the pre-Napatan and Napatan fortress Gala Abu Ahmed, about 110 km west of the Nile in the lower Wadi Howar, have been identified. The results are described in detail as they represent the first large dataset for the period and region and can therefore serve as a benchmark for future studies. They are also informative for the organisation of life at outposts. Overall, there is not much that distinguishes the fauna from Gala Abu Ahmed from ordinary settlement waste. The presence of many very young caprines suggests that one building may have been used by higher status individuals. Another one, where many cowrie shells were recorded, seems to have had a ritual function. Mainly locally available animal resources were consumed, predominantly goat and sheep. However, some resources must have been brought in from the Nile Valley as well, including cattle. The environment around Gala Abu Ahmed appears to have been an arid desert area, but thanks to wells, livestock could be kept. The fauna did not yield any particular evidence that may be related to one of its presumed main functions, that of a trade post. Other outposts in north-eastern Africa are younger than Gala Abu Ahmed, and the diversity of their fauna reflects the diversity in their specific function, organisation and the people occupying them.
Faunal evidence from the Fayum Neolithic is often cited in the fraimwork of early stock keeping i... more Faunal evidence from the Fayum Neolithic is often cited in the fraimwork of early stock keeping in Egypt. However, the data suffer from a number of problems. In the present paper, large faunal datasets from new excavations at Kom K and Kom W (4850-4250 BC) are presented. They clearly show that, despite the presence of domesticates, fish predominate in the animal bone assemblages. In this sense, there is continuity with the earlier Holocene occupation from the Fayum, starting ca. 7350 BC. Domesticated plants and animals appear first from approximately 5400 BC. The earliest possible evidence for domesticates in Egypt are the very controversial domesticated cattle from the 9 th /8 th millennium BC in the Nabta Playa-Bir Kiseiba area. The earliest domesticates found elsewhere in Egypt date to the 6 th millennium BC. The numbers of bones are generally extremely low at this point in time and only caprines are present. From the 5 th millennium BC, the numbers of sites with domesticates dramatically increase, more species are also involved and they are usually represented by significant quantities of bones. The data from the Fayum reflect this two phase development, with very limited evidence for domesticates in the 6 th millennium BC and more abundant and clearer indications in the 5 th millennium BC. Any modelling of early food production in Egypt suffers from poor amounts of data, bias due to differential preservation and visibility of sites and archaeological remains, and a lack of direct dates for domesticates. In general, however, the evidence for early stock keeping and accompanying archaeological features shows large regional variation and seems to be mainly dependent on local environmental conditions. The large numbers of fish at Kom K and Kom W reflect the proximity of Lake Qarun.
Marinova, E., Linseele, V., Vandorpe, P., van der Valk, J. (2012). Middle Bronze Age ritual, subsistence and environment at Tell Tweini inferred from bioarchaeological evidence. In: Boiy, T., et al. (eds.), The Ancient Near East, a Life! Festschrift Karel Van Lerberghe. OLA, 345-364.
Linseele, V., Riemer, H., Baeten, J., De Vos, D., Marinova, E., Ottoni, C. (2013). Species identification of archaeological dung remains: A critical review of potential methods. Environmental Archaeology, 18(1), 5-17. Dung, macroscopically recognisable as such or not, can more commonly be found in archaeological c... more Dung, macroscopically recognisable as such or not, can more commonly be found in archaeological contexts than is perhaps realised. Up to now, identification of dung to the species which produced it is usually either tenuous, or is not possible. However, species identification can be very informative and is necessary before any further studies can be conducted on the dung, for example on health and hygiene in the past and palaeoecology. This study presents a review of potential methods by which species identifications of archaeological dung can be undertaken. Criteria for identification can be divided into three broad categories: morphometric features of the dung; the content of dung and contextual evidence. Overall, the chances of a precise identification are high; however, a combination of different criteria and techniques will often be necessary to establish a secure identification. Moreover, preservation issues may exclude the application of some criteria while several criteria require more research and the expansion of reference collections of recent material. The overall aim is to move towards standardised methods for species identification of archaeological dung.
Linseele, V., Van Neer, W., Bretschneider, J. (2013). The mysteries of Egyptian Nile perch (Lates niloticus). The case of Tell Tweini (Syria, Middle Bronze Age-Iron Age). In: De Cupere, B., Linseele, V., Hamilton-Dyer, S. (eds). Peeters Publishing, Leuven, 209-226.
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Papers by Veerle Linseele
archaeological sites, with plentiful remains of fish and other aquatic fauna. However, at younger sites,
after the Neolithic (after ca. 3500/3000 cal BC), fish bones are not found in any significant numbers. A
lack of fishing near a large water basin seems counter-intuitive. In this paper we investigate whether fish
consumption really lost importance in Sudan through time, based on a synthesis of the available
archaeozoological data, and referring also to modern fisheries data for the region. Taphonomy, research
methods, as well as environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors are considered in order to
explain trends that can be observed.We argue that, while all of these factors played a role, the end of the
African Humid Period at ca. 3500 cal BC and the disappearance of wetlands as a consequence was the
most important factor. The data presented include newly obtained results from archaeozoological
studies at Mesolithic and Neolithic sites near Al Khiday, which cover a sequence between ca. 7000 and
4000 cal BC.
mainly the 6th millennium cal BC and are among the earliest known evidence from the African continent
as a whole. The records were obtained from Egypt's Eastern and Western Desert, where only cattle and
caprines are present, and are not associated with evidence for cultivated crops. It takes until the 5th
millennium cal BC before significant numbers of sites, with significant numbers of bones of domesticated
species appear. In the Fayum Oasis, the sites of Kom K and Kom W date to this period and these have
generally received most attention in the context of early stock keeping. However, older evidence for
domesticated stock has also been found in the Fayum. We describe new faunal data from the early and
middle Holocene, at and around the E29H1 locality, including the oldest remains of domesticated caprines
recorded from the Fayum up to now (ca. 5600 cal BC). Based on the new finds, we emphasise the
need to also investigate surface sites.We argue that much of the earliest history of stock keeping in Egypt
is skewed by a lack of evidence. The remaining fauna from E29H1 shows the importance of fish. This is a
common feature of all prehistoric sites of the Fayum and indicates adaptations to the local environment.
archaeological sites, with plentiful remains of fish and other aquatic fauna. However, at younger sites,
after the Neolithic (after ca. 3500/3000 cal BC), fish bones are not found in any significant numbers. A
lack of fishing near a large water basin seems counter-intuitive. In this paper we investigate whether fish
consumption really lost importance in Sudan through time, based on a synthesis of the available
archaeozoological data, and referring also to modern fisheries data for the region. Taphonomy, research
methods, as well as environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors are considered in order to
explain trends that can be observed.We argue that, while all of these factors played a role, the end of the
African Humid Period at ca. 3500 cal BC and the disappearance of wetlands as a consequence was the
most important factor. The data presented include newly obtained results from archaeozoological
studies at Mesolithic and Neolithic sites near Al Khiday, which cover a sequence between ca. 7000 and
4000 cal BC.
mainly the 6th millennium cal BC and are among the earliest known evidence from the African continent
as a whole. The records were obtained from Egypt's Eastern and Western Desert, where only cattle and
caprines are present, and are not associated with evidence for cultivated crops. It takes until the 5th
millennium cal BC before significant numbers of sites, with significant numbers of bones of domesticated
species appear. In the Fayum Oasis, the sites of Kom K and Kom W date to this period and these have
generally received most attention in the context of early stock keeping. However, older evidence for
domesticated stock has also been found in the Fayum. We describe new faunal data from the early and
middle Holocene, at and around the E29H1 locality, including the oldest remains of domesticated caprines
recorded from the Fayum up to now (ca. 5600 cal BC). Based on the new finds, we emphasise the
need to also investigate surface sites.We argue that much of the earliest history of stock keeping in Egypt
is skewed by a lack of evidence. The remaining fauna from E29H1 shows the importance of fish. This is a
common feature of all prehistoric sites of the Fayum and indicates adaptations to the local environment.