Journal of Global Archaeology

The Forgotten Kingdom.

Tue, 04 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The kingdom of Eswatini provides a rich archaeological sequence covering all time periods from the Early Stone Age to the Iron Age. For over 27 years though, no or very little archaeological research was conducted in the country. In the scope of a new project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) we aim to re-excavate and re-date Lion Cavern, the potentially oldest ochre mine in the world. In addition, we conduct a largescale geological survey for outcrops of ochre and test their geochemical signatures for comparative studies with archaeological ochre pieces from MSA and LSA assemblages in Eswatini. Here we present a review of the research history of the kingdom and some preliminary results from our ongoing project.

The rise of the Angkorian Empire in reality and in the imagination of the 11th century: How it became the paramount power

Karl-Heinz Golzio — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

To describe the history of ancient Cambodia – especially of the Ankorian Empire – is much more difficult than the reconstruction of the development of other ancient civilizations which had created a rich historiography by its own. But not only the lack of written literary documents as known from the Greek, Roman and Chinese civilizations. Even the huge amount of inscriptions does not help very much to give a coherent picture of the empire's political, religious, social and economic history. Information about military and political events are rarely mentioned, if not connected with acts of religious importance as was the case of a campaign against Campā to conquer a statue of the goddess Śrī. Nevertheless, the inscriptions – very often dated and bearing the names of ruling kings – provide a framework for the reconstruction of the basics of history. Moreover, the monumental architectural remains spread over vast territories are witness¬es of the extension of the empire. It remains enigmatic that even the many military expe¬ditions of the most warlike king Sūryavarman II are not recorded in his own inscriptions, but in Vietnamese annals. In the same manner the occupation of Campā by Jayavarman VII is recorded only in Cham inscriptions. Whenever Cambodian kings are speaking of their military conquests they never gave information about real events.

Insights into a First Millennium BC (800 – 400 cal BC) Social Network

Eric Dyrdahl, Carlos Montalvo — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Interregional interaction long has been a central theme in Ecuadorian archaeology. However, outside of a few studies from late prehispanic contexts, little evidence of craft production has been identified, with limited examples that relate to long-distance exchange. Excavations at Las Orquídeas, a Late Formative (800 – 400 cal BC) site located on the outskirts of the modern city of Ibarra, have recovered the most diverse array of crafting activities in prehispanic Ecuador. We present the first detailed examination of 278 m² of excavations, documented contexts, and some important artifact classes (ceramics, obsidian, malacological remains) since our doctoral dissertations. We argue that the first millennium BC inhabitants of Las Orquídeas participated in a long-distance network that involved important social events in which exotic jewelry was exchanged. The population at Las Orquídeas obtained unworked non-local raw materials to craft distinctive jewelry and participate in the network.