YRA Workshop 2025 Abstract Book

Young Researchers in Archaeometry YRA Workshop 2025 October 14–17, 2025 Budapest, Hungary Abstract Book Organised by: Organisers: Viktória Mozgai Rebeka Gergácz Andrea Mészáros Hosted at: Eszter Solnay Enikő Somogyvári-Lajtár Thomas Rose A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 2 Supported by CTT Consulting Kft We thank our sponsors SUBCOMITTEE ON ARCHAEOMETRY, HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 3 Programme Tuesday, 14 October 19:00 Icebreaker (self-paid) Treffort Kert és Könyvtár Klub (1088 Budapest, Múzeum krt. 4.) Wednesday, 15 October 09:00 – 09:30 Registration 09:30 – 09:50 Welcome 09:50 – 10:20 Keynote: Communities, connectivity and catastrophes in 6th century Pannonia: Challenges and possibilities of combining genetic, archaeological and historical perspectives István Koncz Session 1: Pigments, plaster and mortars 10:20 – 10:40 The inter-instrumental comparability of semi-quantitative ED-XRF analyses of iron gall inks Ophelia Kloth 10:40 – 11:00 Painters by the Yarmouk: Investigating Craft Organisation through Painted Plaster Analysis at Gadara and Tall Zira’a (Northern Jordan) Elena Cantero Ros, Luc Megens, Brita Jansen, Hans Huisman, Susanne Kerner 11:00 – 11:20 Distinguishing binder to aggregate ratio in historic lime mortars from Cyprus through FTIR analysis: is it really possible? Paola Pizzo, Petra Mácová, Jan Válek 11:20 – 11:40 Coffee break 11:40 – 12:00 Awards ceremony Session 2: Glass and building materials 12:00 – 12:20 Beyond Provenance: Reconstructing Exchange Routes, Production Processes, and Recycling based on Early Medieval Glass Beads from Zweeloo (the Netherlands) Nina Schreuder A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 4 12:20 – 12:40 Research on Burnt Early Copper Age Houses at Marosnagylak Eszter Horváth, Dorottya Láng, András Füzesi 12:40 – 13:00 A close-up on prehistorical household structures. Case study: micromorphology in the Bronze Age tell settlement from Sântion - Movila Mănăstirii (Bihor county, Romania) Alexandra Stache, Florin Gogâltan, Emanoil Săsăran 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break Session 3: Metals 14:00 – 14:20 Comparison of the polychrome metalworking and decorative techniques from the Langobardic and Gepidic periods (late 5th and 6th centuries AD) in the Carpathian Basin Viktória Mozgai, Eszter Horváth, László Előd Aradi, Bernadett Bajnóczi 14:20 – 14:40 Identifying surface treatments on medieval metal artefacts András Török 14:40 – 15:00 The datability of Nuremberger yellow brass Panni Kovács 15:00 – 15:20 The TerraLID metadata profile: Uniformly describing lead isotope data in archaeology Thomas Rose, Tim Greifelt, Katrin J. Westner, Annette Hornschuch, Yiu-Kang Hsu, Helge Wiethoff, Sabine Klein 15:20 – 15:40 Coffee break 16:00 – 18:00 Guided tour in the Hungarian National Museum (1088 Budapest, Múzeum krt. 14–16.) Thursday, 16 October 09:00 – 11:30 Visit at the Budapest Neutron Centre (1121 Budapest, Konkoly-Thege Miklós út 29–33.) or ELTE RCH Institute of Archaeogenomics (1097 Budapest, Tóth Kálmán utca 4.) 11:30 – 13:20 Lunch break A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 5 Bioarchaeology, part 1 13:20 – 13:40 Strontium Isotopic and Proteomic Analyses on the Human Remains of the KGK VI sites of Sultana and Gumelnița, Romania Aurelien Tafani, Enrico Greco, Robert H. Tykot, Kévin Salesse, Hannah F. James, Christophe Snoeck, Cătălin Lazăr 13:40 – 14:00 Early Thoughts on Childhood in Early Medieval Iceland (10th–13th Centuries AD) Maren von Mallinckrodt 14:00 – 14:20 Gender, Age, and Social Identity in the Middle Bronze Age Burials from Western Hungary Eszter Melis Tamás Hajdu, Anett Gémes, Katalin Gyenesei, Fabian Kanz, István Major, Attila Mrenka, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, Bálint Savanyú, Viktória Kiss 14:20 – 14:40 Coffee break 14:40 – 16:00 Poster Session (see tab “Posters”) Session 5: Bioarchaeology, part 2 16:00 – 16:20 The Whole, the Missing and the DisturbedExploring Post-Burial Practices in the Langobard Cemetery of Gyirmót–Homokdomb Regina Viktória Csordás, Eliza Orellana-González 16:20 – 16:40 Experimental research of medieval bone skates Kata Szathmári 16:40 – 17:00 Archaeozoological investigations in the Late Neolithic site of Moftinu MareHamiliz (Northwest Romania) Xenia Pop 17:00 – 17:20 Ancient Parasitic Infection: A Millennium-Old Probable Echinococcal Cyst Discovered in an Avar Period Burial Csilla Libor, László Előd Aradi, Norbert Kapcsos M., Kristóf Fehér, Botond Heltai, Dániel Gerber, Tamás Sréter, Dániel Csete, Gergely Szenthe, Erwin Gáll 20:30 Conference dinner (self-paid) Vakvarjú Étterem Pest (1061 Budapest Paulay Ede u. 7.) A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 6 Friday, 17 October Session 6: Ceramics, part 1 09:00 – 09:20 Pottery Technology and Neolithization in the Middle Tagus Basin: Preliminary Petrographic Insights Estíbaliz Espada-Martín, Miriam Cubas, Silvia Amicone 09:20 – 09:40 Understanding Copper Age pottery function through morphometric and organic residue analysis Rebeka Solti, Isabel Wiltshire, Izzy Davis, Melanie Roffet-Salque, Lucy Cramp, Eszter Solnay, Márton Szilágyi, Dávis Kraus, Gábor Szilas, Zsuzsanna M. Virág, Zsuzsanna Siklósi 09:40 – 10:00 The traces of the potter’s hand: Pottery experimental reference collection for the analysis of Copper Age vessels from the Carpathian Basin Eszter Solnay, Zita Hrabák, Antony Borel 10:00 – 10:20 Technological investigation of the Middle Bronze Age Late Hatvan and Füzesabony style pottery from the Borsod plain region, Northeastern Hungary Ákos Mengyán, Klára P. Fischl, Ferenc Kristály 10:20 – 10:40 Comparing archaic Corinthian pottery through SEM-EDS and optical microscopy. A case study Michael Ioannou 10:40 – 11:00 Coffee break Session 7: Ceramics, part 2 11:00 – 11:20 Unchanging tastes: Material choices in Hellenistic and Roman storage vessels from Nea Paphos Zofia Chomoncik 11:20 – 11:40 Geochemical and mineralogical provenance analysis of West African pottery Juan-Marco Puerta Schardt, Andreas Gaertner 11:40 – 12:00 Exploring AI-assisted Image Segmentation for Ceramic Thin Section Analysis: some Experience with TagLab Elisabetta di Virgilio, Federico Parisi, Diego Ronchi, Antonio Ferrandes, Marco Callieri 12:00 – 12:20 Iberian majolica finds in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary? Dorottya Györkös, Zsófia Nádai, László Előd Aradi, Kristóf Fehér, Erika Kereskényi, Attila Kreiter A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 7 12:20 – 13:40 Lunch break Session 8: Geoarchaeology and geophysics 13:40 – 14:00 Prehistoric Sites in Turkmenistan: A GIS-Based Overview of Spatial and Temporal Patterns Mahym Amanova 14:00 – 14:20 Geophysical research of rural settlements of the Roman period in the surroundings of Crumerum (Nyergesújfalu, Hungary) Viola Tőkés 14:20 – 14:40 Application of Non-Destructive Field Investigation Methods in the Archaeological Study of a Medieval Ruined Settlement in Tolna County, Hungary Mátyás Németh 14:40 – 15:00 Closing Posters Bioarchaeology, diet, mobility  The Lord of the Shrooms: A Sensor’s Quest to Detect Ancient Ergot Justina Stonyte, Paulina Morkyte, Giedre Motuzaite Matuzeviciute, Rasa Pauliukaite Ceramics, pottery, glazes  Urns Under the Microscope: Petrographic analysis of eight Iron Age pots from Funen, Denmark Christina Holdgaard Schultze, Torbjörn Brorsson  Archaeometric analysis of late Sarmatian pottery recovered from Tázlár-Templomhegy settlement Vivien Bozsik, Krisztián Fintor, Sándor Gulyás, Dorottya Walter, Dorottya Györkös, Attila Kreiter, Máté Szemerédi  Clay and pots from Eneolithic period Mădălina Dimache A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 8  Blue and Pink Across the Strait: Stylistic, Material, and Technical Study of 20th-Century Japanese and Taiwanese Ceramic Tableware Han-Chun (Joanna) Hsieh  First Archaeometric Results on Early Iron Age Ceramic Fragments from the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios in Gortyn, Crete Bianca Costi Farias, Anna Bertelli, Lara Maritan, Jacopo Bonetto Pigments, mortars  Characterization and Analysis of Wall Painting Fragments from the Sandrigo Estate of Aquileia for the Determination of a Chronological Framework Yarden Jessica Tsfoni, Clelia Sbrolli, Andrea Cipolato, Daniela Cottica, Simone Dilaria  Archaeometric analyses of Pozzolanic Mortars in Roman Thermal and Hydraulic Constructions at Nora, Sardinia Laura Buganza, Zeno Caneva, Jacopo Bonetto, Caterina Previato, Simone Dilaria Organic materials, organic residues, textiles  Textile remains of the Early Avar period cemetery at Babarc Flórián Harangi Lithics, stones, building materials  Tracing the Provenance of Roman Marble Statues through Multi-Proxy Analysis Vasiliki Anevlavi, Kalina Petkova, Vesselka Katsarova, Petya Andreeva, Walter Prochaska A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 9 The Inter-instrumental Comparability of Semi-quantitative ED-XRF Analyses of Iron Gall Inks Ophelia Kloth1,2* 1 Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin, Germany 2 University of Bologna, Italy * [email protected] Keywords: Iron gall inks, XRF A systematic chemical investigation of ancient and medieval inks from known socio-geographic contexts could enable a non-invasive, indirect dating of manuscripts. This prospect led to the development of a standardised protocol for the in-situ analysis of inks in historical manuscripts, incorporating energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectroscopy. Due to the heterogeneous, thin-layered ink-on-support matrix, ED-XRF analyses of inks are limited to semiquantitative results. Given the wide variety of configurations in ED-XRF spectrometers, concerns persist regarding the comparability of data generated by different devices. This study addresses these concerns by analysing mock-ups with known ink compositions and a historical manuscript sample using five ED-XRF spectrometers. The results reveal significant discrepancies in relative elemental intensities across spectrometers, linked to factors as the anode material, X-ray optics, incident angle, and acquisition mode. These findings underscore the need for detailed metadata, robust calibration routines, and the use of standard reference materials in the ED-XRF analysis of writing materials. The study calls for greater dialogue among heritage scientists to refine analytical protocols for ink analysis, in order to support reproducible and interoperable data across laboratories and ultimately pave the way for a reliable ink database. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 16 Identifying Surface Treatments on Medieval Metal Artefacts András Török1* 1 Department of Archaeometry, Archaeological Heritage and Methodology, Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: Archaeometallurgy, XRF, Silvering, Tinning The research of surface treatments was always marginal in the field of archaeometallurgy. Their popularity is still highly uncertain within most of the medieval material culture, sometimes their function is unclear as well. This case study showcases identified surface treatments - gilding, silvering and tinning – on several artefacts from the Middle Ages using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and optical microscope. The main questions of the topics are the following: what are the best analytical methods for identifying surface methods?; how popular were gilding, silvering and tinning in medieval times? The results of the research were very interesting and instructive. To begin with, on several artefacts the surface treatments could only be identified with the analytical methods, which also means that they were misinterpreted previously. The latter is more prominent in the case of 5 S-end lock rings, which were all originally interpreted as silver artefacts; using the analytical methods all of them could be identified as silvered bronze jewellery. This result shows that researches like this are not only important from an archaeometallurgical perspective, but also very useful for classical archaeology too. My study not only acknowledges these problems, but also offers a practical method for future researches into different surface treatments. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 17 The Datability of Nuremberger Yellow Brass Panni Kovács1* 1 Institute of Archaeology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: XRF, Candlesticks, Late Medieval, Early Modern, Yellow brass, Dating The topic of my presentation is my current research, which involves the application of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis to medieval brass candlesticks from Nuremberg. I wrote my bachelor’s thesis on this topic and will continue this research during my master’s studies at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. I collected nearly 40 fragments of candlesticks and chandeliers from three museums from one of the largest counties in Hungary, Bács-Kiskun county. From these, I selected seven pieces for XRF analysis, which I conducted at the HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research with the help of Dr. Furu Enikő. To help date these objects, I relied on the work of Josef Riederer, who developed a database and a method for identifying the approximate age of any Nuremberger yellow brass objects. He examined late medieval and early modern grave plates made from this alloy in a graveyard in Nuremberg and realized that a specific composition of yellow brass was used during particular time periods. Due to their excellent datability, he was able to connect specific compositions to distinct time periods. After hundreds of compositional analyses, Riederer was able to determine with certainty that any type of Nuremberger yellow brass cast objects can be dated to a few decades. The aim of my presentation is to demonstrate the use of Riederer’s method on late medieval and early modern yellow candlesticks using XRF technology, while highlighting its potentials and limitations. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 18 The TerraLID metadata profile: Uniformly describing lead isotope data in archaeology Thomas Rose1* , Tim Greifelt1, Katrin J. Westner1, Annette Hornschuch2, Yiu-Kang Hsu1, Helge Wiethoff3, Sabine Klein1,4,5 1 Forschungsbereich Archäometallurgie, Leibniz-Forschungsmuseum für Georessourcen/Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany 2 Forschungsbereich Montanarchäologie, Leibniz-Forschungsmuseum für Georessourcen/Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany 3 Rechenzentrum, Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola, Bochum, Germany 4 Institut für Archäologische Wissenschaften, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany 5 FIERCE, Frankfurt Isotope & Element Research Centre, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany * [email protected] Keywords: Archaeometallurgy, Lead isotopes, Research data Since its first application to archaeological artefacts almost 60 years ago, the analysis of lead isotopes evolved into the default method for reconstructing the raw material provenance of non-ferrous metals. Pre-requisite is a collection of data with known raw material provenance to compare the artefact data to. Unfortunately, the compilation and re-use of this data is often hampered, among others, by the large variety and different levels of detail of their metadata. TerraLID aims to improve this situation by providing a digital research data infrastructure with a single point of access for the publication, storage, and access of lead isotope data combined with a web application for working with such data and submitting them. An essential part of this research data infrastructure is a metadata profile for the uniform description of the data and their metadata. Development of this metadata profile aims towards its universal applicability, easy extensibility and efficient storage of information. Guided by the input of the TerraLID editors as community representatives, the entire community is currently encouraged to comment on its draft. As part of this community feedback process, this contribution will present the overall structure and takes a closer look on some aspects to spark discussion and encourage feedback from the audience. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 19 Strontium Isotopic and Proteomic Analyses on the Human Remains of the KGK VI sites of Sultana and Gumelnița, Romania Aurelien Tafani1* , Enrico Greco1, Robert H. Tykot2, Kévin Salesse3, Hannah F. James4, Christophe Snoeck4, Cătălin Lazăr1 1 ArchaeoSciences Platform (ASp), Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania 2 Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA 3 Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic 4 Research Unit: Archaeology, Environmental changes & Geo-Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, AMGC-WE-VUB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium * [email protected]om Keywords: Strontium, Amelogenin, Chalcolithic, Romania This talk will explore the results of the strontium isotopic analyses on the tooth enamel of the human remains found in the Eneolithic graves excavated at the Sultana-Malu Roşu and Gumelnița necropolises (Romania) and on modern plants of the area used to create a baseline. It will also present the results of the proteomic analysis of amelogenin of human tooth enamel that we also performed to obtain reliable sex estimations, on individuals whose remains were the least preserved. Finally, it will discuss the potential role of individual mobility and marital alliances as a driving force behind the emergence of the Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karonovo VI (KGK VI) material culture in the eastern Balkans during the 5th millennium BC. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 20 Early Thoughts on Childhood in Early Medieval Iceland (10th–13th Centuries AD) Maren von Mallinckrodt1* 1 Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland * [email protected] Keywords: Biological anthropology, Medieval Iceland, Childhood While the study of childhood in the past has gained considerable momentum in recent decades, both from social archaeological and bioanthropological perspectives, it remains largely unexplored within Icelandic biological anthropology. To date, I am the only researcher actively investigating this field. In response to this gap, I conducted the first bioarchaeological study of early life courses at four sites in Northern Iceland dating from the 10th to 13th centuries AD. The results revealed significant growth disruption in infants and high mortality rates between 1.5 and 4.5 postnatal months. These patterns point to poor maternal and infant health and a postnatal decline in immunological and nutritional support, likely shaped by the adverse living conditions that characterized early medieval Northern Iceland. These included a harsh and unstable climate, nutritional deficiencies, poor indoor air quality, and high exposure to infectious diseases within domestic spaces. Building on these findings, my PhD project will further examine childhood health, mortality, and social identity at these four sites. It will incorporate methods such as dimorphic peptide analysis of dental enamel for biological sex estimation in non-adults and stable isotope analysis to reconstruct breastfeeding and weaning practices. In my presentation, I would like to outline the results of my preliminary research alongside the principal aims and hypotheses of my ongoing doctoral project. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 21 Gender, Age, and Social Identity in the Middle Bronze Age Burials from Western Hungary Eszter Melis1* , Tamás Hajdu2, Anett Gémes2, Katalin Gyenesei2,3 , Fabian Kanz4, István Major5, Attila Mrenka6, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury7,8 , Bálint Savanyú9, Viktória Kiss1 1 Institute of Archaeology, ELTE Research Centre for the Humanities, Hungary 2 Department of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary 3 Hungarian National Museum Public Collection Centre, Hungarian National Museum, National Institute of Archaeology, Hungary 4 Center for Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Vienna; Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Austria 5 HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research, Hungary 6 Soproni Museum 7 Department of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology, University of Vienna, Austria 8 Austrian Archaeological Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria 9 Rómer Flóris Art and Historical Museum, Győr, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: Funerary practices, Sex-specific peptide, Gender intensity, Stable isotopes, Diet, Radiocarbon dating, Bronze Age This study examines the social structure of communities that inhabited the area of present-day Western Hungary between 2200/2100 and 1600/1500 BC, using archaeometric methods for sex determination, radiocarbon dating, and dietary reconstruction based on excavated burials. During this period, the region functioned as a cultural borderland between the inhumation funerary traditions of the Central European Únětice culture and the cremation rites practiced by groups of the Carpathian Basin, such as the Kisapostag and Transdanubian Encrusted Pottery cultures. Within this context, our research focuses on the previously underexplored GátaWieselburg communities, which are notable for their inhumation burial practices. In addition to archaeological and anthropological analysis at Hungarian sites associated with this culture, we conducted stable isotope and geochemical studies at two cemeteries in Nagycenk (61 burials in total), both distinguished by their rich assemblages of status-related grave goods. By integrating observations for funerary practices, anthropological data, and peptide-based sex identification, our study aims to explore the emergence and extent of gender and age-based social differentiation within these communities. A further key question is whether the grave goods and isotopic evidence for diet reflect patterns of emerging permanent social stratification in the Middle Bronze Age. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 22 The Whole, the Missing and the Disturbed: Exploring Post-Burial Practices in the Langobard Cemetery of Gyirmót-Homokdomb Regina Viktória Csordás1* , Eliza Orellana-González2 1 Department of Migration Period and Medieval Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary 2 Department of Classics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Graz, Graz, Austria * [email protected] Keywords: Langobards, Grave reopening, Archaeothanatology, Bioarchaeology, Migration Period, Post-burial practice, Mortuary archaeology Grave reopenings in the 6th-century Langobard-period cemetery of Gyirmót–Homokdomb, located in Northern Transdanubia, offer a valuable opportunity to explore post-burial interactions with the dead during the Migration Period. This study applies archaeothanatological and bioarchaeological approaches and methods to examine selected burials showing evidence of disturbance. The analysis focuses on the stratigraphic and spatial characteristics of selected/ these reopened graves, including alterations in skeletal positions, and the possible removal of bones and grave goods. Particular attention is given to identifying patterns of disturbance and assessing their consistency across multiple features. Preliminary bioanthropological observations aim to detect indicators of post-depositional manipulation, such as the rearrangement of skeletal elements or damage not attributable to natural taphonomic processes. Material culture associated with disturbed contexts is also examined for evidence of fragmentation, redeposition, or spatial reorganization. Rather than assuming a single motivation behind these reopenings, this study explores a range of possible explanations—ritual, social, or practical—within the broader framework of Langobard mortuary customs. The ongoing analysis seeks to refine our understanding of the role of reopened graves in the funerary landscape and the significance of post-burial practices during this transitional period. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 23 Experimental Research of Medieval Bone Skates Kata Szathmári1* 1 Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: Use-wear analysis, Experimental archaeology, Bone skates Since the 19th century, bone tools made from the long bones of large ungulates have been the subject of interest in both Hungarian and international research. Contrary to earlier interpretations some of the finds in the Carpathian Basin may have actually been bone fishing net weights in the Middle Ages, but a large number of objects identified as bone skates have also been found. In order to shed light on the function of the medieval and early modern bones, I carried out use-wear analysis, which are closely related to experimental archaeology. To determine the function of the objects and understand their use, I also included ethnographic parallels in the study. During the experiment, I was able to perform the method of skating known from medieval descriptions and compare the use-wear traces on the bones with those observed on the archaeological objects, thus proving that some of the finds were indeed used for skating on ice. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 24 Archaeozoological Investigations in the Late Neolithic Site of Moftinu MareHamiliz (Northwest Romania) Xenia Pop1,2* 1 Romanian Academy, ”Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest, Romania 2 Satu Mare County Museum, Satu Mare, Romania * [email protected] Keywords: Archaeozoology, Late Neolithic, Settlement, Animal bones The archaeological site at Moftinu Mare-Hamiliz is located in northwestern Romania, on the terrace formed by the flow of the Murai stream into the Ecedea marsh. The site was identified in 2016 during field investigations for the installation of a gas pipeline and a gas collection and purification station. Archaeological excavations carried out in the same year identified a settlement and a necropolis dating back to the Late Neolithic period, the Herpály culture. Research at the settlement continued in 2021. The Neolithic settlement at Moftinu Mare is remarkable for its rich ceramic material, lithic materials and animal bones. The archaeozoological material studied comes from the settlement, and was excavated during the campaigns of 2016 and 2021. Primary archaeozoological analysis showed a predominance of domestic species, especially cattle (Bos taurus). Other animals identified in the settlement are domestic pigs (Sus domesticus), sheep/goats (Ovis/Capra) and canids (Canis familiaris). Hunting represented a less important occupation of the Moftinu Mare community; among the wild animals present at the site we find red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus caprelous), aurochs (Bos primigenius) and bison (Bison bison). Archaeozoological investigations have identified several traces of disarticulation (cut marks) and gnawing on the distal epiphyses of cattle bones. The processing of deer and roe deer antlers was also attested in the settlement. Bone pathology was observed on one of the bovine metacarpals. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 25 Ancient Parasitic Infection: A Millennium-Old Probable Echinococcal Cyst Discovered in an Avar Period Burial Csilla Libor1*, László Előd Aradi1, Norbert Kapcsos M.2, Kristóf Fehér1, Botond Heltai3, Dániel Gerber3, Tamás Sréter4, Dániel Csete5, Gergely Szenthe1, Erwin Gáll6 1 Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary 2 Munkácsy Mihály Museum, Hungary 3 ELTE Research Centre for the Humanities, Hungary 4 National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, Hungary 5 Semmelweis University, Hungary 6 Institute of Archaeology “Vasile Pârvan”, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania * [email protected] Keywords: Parasitology, Cyst, Paleopathology, Bioarchaeology During the excavation of a late Avar-period cemetery in Gyomaendrőd, Hungary in February 2023, the archaeologists of the Munkácsy Mihály Museum (MMM) observed an unusual feature in grave S113, located between the lower right ribs. They identified a relatively large, calcinated anomaly. A remnant of a cyst caused by a parasite infection likely developed in the liver was successfully recovered. This discovery is important because such archaeological cysts are known from fewer than ten publications worldwide. Echinococcus granulosus is a tapeworm that causes cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease. Humans are intermediate hosts, becoming infected by ingesting eggs from contaminated dog feces. In the human host, the parasite larvae migrate to different organs, mostly liver. It grows, creating hydatid cysts that can reach 2-3 cm in diameter annually. The carrier may remain unaware of the infection for years. In the case of the cyst found in Gyomaendrőd, we are particularly fortunate because multiple institutions have joined the research. Collaborators include colleagues from the MMM and the HNM, as well as researchers from HUN-REN, the National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy, and Semmelweis University. In addition to SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and micro XRF analyses, we also conducted genetic and micro-CT examinations. Our goal is to thoroughly investigate the cyst, which will not only expand our knowledge about this disease but also allow us to infer information about the hygienic and health conditions of the population from that period. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 32 Geochemical and Mineralogical Provenance analysis of West African Pottery Juan-Marco Puerta Schardt1* , Andreas Gaertner2 1 Institut für Archäologische Wissenschaften Abt. III, Vorund Frühgeschichte, Goethe Universität, Frankfurt, Germany 2 Sektion Mineralogie, Museum for Mineralogie und Geologie, Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Dresden, Germany * [email protected]frankfurt.de Keywords: Pottery, Provenance analysis, pXRF, Mineralogy In historical periods, trade networks in West Africa are documented through written sources and exotic artifacts. However, both are rare and represent only a limited portion of past exchange activities. The provenance analysis of ceramics, as a common find category, can offer new insights into the movement of artifacts. Our approach follows a two-step process. First, sherds that were likely produced locally were selected from archaeological sites across various regions of West Africa. This selection was based on attributes such as shape, decoration, and petrofabric. These sherds were then subjected to geochemical analysis to determine the regional chemical composition of the ceramics. For this purpose, we used portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), which enables the rapid analysis of a large number of samples. In doing so, we were able to establish geochemically distinct reference groups for many regions of West Africa. In the second step, sherds identified as non-local based on their attributes were analyzed to verify their non-local origin. Using the reference groups, it is also possible to assign these vessels to potential source regions, thus tracing interregional connections in medieval West Africa. While pXRF is well-suited for mass sampling, it also has certain limitations. Therefore, selected sherds are subjected to more precise geochemical and mineralogical analyses. These complementary methods provide a more detailed understanding of the clays used in pottery production. The combination of rapid and precise geochemical and mineralogical approaches enables the efficient analysis of a large number of samples, while producing robust results. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 33 Exploring AI-assisted Image Segmentation for Ceramic Thin Section Analysis: Some Experience with TagLab Elisabetta di Virgilio1* , Federico Parisi2, Diego Ronchi1, Antonio Ferrandes2, Marco Callieri3 1 Institute of Cultural Heritage Science (National Council of Research), Montelibretti (RM), Italy 2 Department of Antiquities, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy 3 Institute for Computer Science, National Council of Research, Pisa, Italy * [email protected] Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Ceramic petrography, Segmentation, Automated images, Archaeometry Ceramic petrography plays a fundamental role in archaeometric studies, offering insights into raw materials choice, manufacturing techniques, and provenance. However, the method is time-consuming and relies heavily on expert interpretation. In this context, emerging AI-based tools offer promising opportunities to enhance the efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability of thin-section analysis. This study presents an experimental application of TagLab, an opensource software originally developed for the analysis of large-scale orthomosaics of marine corals, to the analysis of microphotographs of ceramic thin sections. The aim is to explore how TagLab’s AI-assisted segmentation features, particularly its trainable classifiers, can be adapted to automatically recognise and annotate petrographic components such as inclusions, pores, and matrix areas in different ceramic fabrics. The application of this tool to new scenarios showed several challenges, especially due to differences in scale, resolution, and the use of polarised light in microscopy. Nevertheless, with appropriate image pre-processing and calibration, TagLab proved capable of supporting semi-automated annotation and providing both visual and quantitative data outputs. The approach offers potential benefits in terms of speed, repeatability, and partial reduction of interpretative subjectivity. While still in progress, this work highlights the potential of AI-driven tools in ceramic petrography and encourages their integration in archaeometric workflows. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 34 Iberian Majolica Finds in the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary? Dorottya Györkös1* , Zsófia Nádai2,3, László Előd Aradi1, Kristóf Fehér1, Diego Segui-Fábián1, Erika Kereskényi1, Attila Kreiter1 1 Archaeometry Laboratory, Hungarian National Museum Public Collection Centre Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary 2 Central European University, Vienna, Austria 3 Institute of Archaeology, ELTE Hungarian Research Centre for the Humanities, Budapest, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: Lustre, Cobalt blue decoration, SEM-EDS, mXRF Two blue and white glazed ceramic fragments featuring leaf motifs and lustre decoration were recovered during archaeological excavations in Budapest and Győr (Hungary). Comparative research into published majolica finds from the territory of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary revealed a vessel in the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts bearing identical decorative patterns. Based on typological and stylistic analysis, the fragments were dated to the first half of the 15th century and attributed to the renowned majolica workshops of Manises and Paterna (Valencia, Spain). In the last decades, several studies have addressed the archaeometric characterization of raw materials and production technologies employed in these workshops. The results indicate that the ceramic bodies and glaze pigments were made from different raw materials in the different periods of these long-lived workshops. Our aim was to determine if the Hungarian finds were indeed made in these workshops or in another, which imitated their decorative style. Due to the uniqueness of these fragments, destructive analysis was limited to a single sample, while the others were examined using only non-invasive techniques (SEM-EDS and mXRF). Preliminary results indicate that the ceramic bodies were produced using calcareous raw materials, consistent with those used in Valencian manufacture. However, notable differences were observed in the glaze compositions. The laboratory analyses were funded by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (TKP 2021-NKTA-15). A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 35 Prehistoric Sites in Turkmenistan: A GIS-Based Overview of Spatial and Temporal Patterns Mahym Amanova1,2* 1 Instituto Terra e Memória, Mação, Portugal 2Centro de Geociências, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal * [email protected] Keywords: Turkmenistan, Prehistory, GIS mapping, Spatial analysis, Jeitun culture, Chalcolithic Turkmenistan, a Central Asian country, remains a relatively understudied region in terms of archaeological research. This study aims to provide an overview of all prehistoric archaeological sites discovered in the region, from the first excavations in the early 20th century to 2023. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to compile an inventory of prehistoric sites and approximate their geographic coordinates. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were further exploited to elaborate spatial distribution maps and analyze site patterns across time periods. A total of 103 sites were recorded, with more than half belonging to the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age settlements in the southern region of the country. Another significant cluster of Bronze Age and Iron Age sites was recorded in the Murgap alluvial fan area in southeast Turkmenistan, indicating that these two regions have received the most extensive archaeological attention. The oldest known sites, dating back to the late Upper Paleolithic period, are located in the western Balkan region. While the western region has been studied to some extent, the northern region remains largely underexplored. The resulting maps and period-based classifications offer a foundational resource for future archaeological research and emphasize the need for more systematic investigation across less-studied regions of Turkmenistan. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 36 Geophysical Research of Rural Settlements of the Roman Period in the Surroundings of Crumerum (Nyergesújfalu, Hungary) Viola Tőkés1* 1 Institute of Archaeology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: Geophysics, Non-invasive archaeology, Rural settlement system, Roman period, Pannonia The research of the rural settlement system in the Roman period has become an important topic in Hungarian archaeology in recent decades, as has the topographical work with a holistic approach. My research takes place in Komárom-Esztergom County, a few kilometres from the Danube, therefore the Roman ripa Pannonica and the quondam auxiliary fort of Crumerum. To understand the rural settlement system in the 1st–4th centuries, I focus on conducting noninvasive, mainly geophysical surveys at two sites (Lábatlan–Rábl valley and Nyergesújfalu– Gunyhóalji fields) using GPR and magnetometer. At both locations there are several buildings with stone foundations, which is not atypical for Pannonian vici, but certainly shows a higher level of development. I complement the geophysical component with field surveys and examination of the archaeological finds from the surface. I compare the results of the sites to each other as well as to the wider Pannonian context of the buildings and other objects found during the surveys. In the long term, I would like to extend the research with more sites to a micro-regional level in order to gain a deeper understanding of this area in the Roman period. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 37 Application of Non-Destructive Field Investigation Methods in the Archaeological Study of a Medieval Ruined Settlement in Tolna County, Hungary Mátyás Németh1* 1 ELTE Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. * [email protected] Keywords: Non-destructive, Geophysics, GIS, Aerial, Medieval As part of my BA thesis in Archaeology, I conducted a non-destructive investigation of a deserted medieval settlement in Tolna County, Hungary. The research employed a combination of methods, including historical map analysis, archival and archaeological aerial photography, magnetometer surveying, and 3D photogrammetric survey using a drone. My primary tasks included executing some of the surveys, processing and evaluating the archaeological data, and interpreting the results. I also reconstructed the site’s topography using archival cartographic, geological, and geographic sources. The integration of multiple survey techniques allowed for the identification of numerous structural features of the former settlement. Different methods revealed different aspects of the archaeological record, and their combined interpretation provided a more comprehensive picture of the site. All data were processed and analyzed within a geoinformatics (GIS) software environment, which also facilitated the reconstruction of the landscape and the settlement layout. The results revealed the main street, property boundaries, ditches, a gate, and the location of the medieval church complex in Gyánt. In this area, two distinct church structures were identified, although their spatial and chronological relationship remains uncertain. In the riverside zone, the remains of a workshop and several mills were inferred. These were supported by environmental reconstruction, written sources, and the earlier discovery of millstone fragments, indicating their proximity to the river. This research highlights the effectiveness of integrating non-destructive methods and GIS analysis in the archaeological study of deserted medieval settlements. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 38 Characterization and Analysis of Wall Painting Fragments from the Sandrigo Estate of Aquileia for the Determination of a Chronological Framework Yarden Jessica Tsfoni1*, Clelia Sbrolli2, Andrea Cipolato2, Daniela Cottica2, Simone Dilaria3 1 Department of Cultural Heritage, Applied Sciences to Cultural Heritage, Material, and Sites, Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy 2 Department of Humanities, University of Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy 3 Department of Cultural Heritage/ Circe/ Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy * [email protected] Keywords: Petrography, Wall paintings, Aquileia, Mortar, Chronology This study investigates the raw material and production techniques employed in the Roman wall-painting fragments collected from the Sandrigo Estate, east of the River Port of Aquileia. 10 representative samples were chosen for analysis from nuclei collected from secondary debris. TransmittedLight Polarized Optical Microscopy (TL-OM) on thin sections was adopted for petrographic analysis of preparation mortars. Such analysis has unfolded a progressive evolution in the choice of raw materials employed in the preparation of the wall-paintings. In fact, stylistic and petrographic research on wall fragments from Aquileia conducted in past years aided in the determination of a chronological framework ranging from the 2nd c. BCE to the 4th c. CE (Dilaria et al. 2021). By comparing the results of the analyses of the Sandrigo samples with this reference “baseline” it is therefore possible to reconstruct their probable chronology. The main characterizing element relies on the preparation of the uppermost intonachino layer. Most of the samples were made adopting methods typical of the Republican/Early Imperial periods, characterized by distinct layers of tectorium and an intonachino composed almost entirely of sparry calcite. On the other hand, other samples appear to follow preparation practices of the Late Antique period, where intonachino was made with common fluvial sand. Moreover, via Raman Spectroscopy pigments have been characterized. These include the common Roman palette (hematite, carbon black, goethite), but interestingly the best executed samples were also the ones where more expensive pigments were detected such as cinnabar, sometimes mixed with Egyptian blue. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 39 Urns under the Microscope: Petrographic Analysis of Eight Iron Age Pots from Funen, Denmark Christina Holdgaard Schultze1*, Torbjörn Brorsson2 1 Department of Archaeology, Museum Odense, Odense, Denmark 2 Kontoret för Keramiska Studier, Höganäs, Sweden * [email protected] Keywords: Petrography, Geochemistry, Ceramics This project is a small petrographic case study of eight ceramic pots used as urns at a burial site in Bellinge Fælled near Odense in Denmark dated to around 300-500 AD (Younger Danish Iron Age). Four pots with ornamentations and four without were chosen to investigate any mineralogical and technological differences between the two groups of ceramics in order to examine whether they could have been produced by different potters in different local areas. The petrographic analysis of the eight pots has shown that there is a difference between the urns with and without ornamentations. The pottery with ornamentations has been carefully produced from similar clayand temper sources with uniform technology which reflects a specific recipe and technology for this type of pottery. The four studied pots without ornamentations, on the other hand, show variations in the clayand temper sources and in the production process. These pots could have been produced by different individuals and might have been reused from the household pottery. The eight pots have additionally been analysed with the geochemical analysis ICP-MA/ES to investigate their provenance. This has shown that the ceramics were all produced locally on the island of Funen but with clay from four different clay sources. Based on this, the pottery must have been produced by different potters with extensive knowledge of the materials and resources, who were able to select and use different resources for different types of pots with different purposes. A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 40 Archaeometric Analyses of Pozzolanic Mortars in Roman Thermal and Hydraulic Constructions at Nora, Sardinia Laura Buganza1*, Zeno Caneva1, Jacopo Bonetto1, Caterina Previato1, Simone Dilaria1,2 1 University of Padova, Department of Cultural Heritage (DBC), Padova, Italy 2 Inter-Departmental Research Center for the Study of Cement Materials and Hydraulic Binders (CIRCe), Padova, Italy * [email protected] Keywords: Historic mortars, Pozzolanic mortars, Provenance studies This research presents the preliminary results of the compositional characterization of the structural and lining mortars of two relevant Roman Middle Imperial period buildings in the ancient city of Nora (Sardinia, Italy). Specifically, the objects of the analysis are the thermal complex of ‘Terme a Mare’ and the aqueduct, both built around the 2nd-3rd century AD. Most of the analysed samples are hydraulic mortars enriched with different types of pozzolanic aggregates that are primarily constituted by pyroclastic material such as pumices/tuffs, obsidians, or ceramic fragments. Mortar samples and pyroclastic aggregates were analysed adopting a multi-analytical protocol. Mortars were analysed, coupling Transmitted-Light Polarized Optical Microscopy (TL-OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (SEM-EDS), providing a detailed characterization of their compositions and production techniques. Moreover, SEM-EDS together with XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) were adopted to analyse the pozzolanic volcanic aggregates and to define their provenance based on the comparison with geochemical reference literature. The preliminary archaeometric analysis allowed us to investigate the petro-mineralogical compositions of each mortar sample, leading to the identification of four distinct mortar groups: aerial lime mortars, pumice/tuff-enriched lime mortars and cocciopesto enriched with obsidians were mainly employed for structural purposes, whereas cocciopesto enriched with pumice/tuff was primarily used for lining of hydraulic infrastructures. Through the geochemical analysis it was possible to establish that pumices and tuffs were imported from the Phlegraean volcanic district (Naples), while obsidian most presumably came from the Monte Arci outcrop (southwestern Sardinia). A workshop for ECRs by ECRs Organised by Hosted at YRA 2025 41 Textile Remains of the Early Avar period Cemetery at Babarc Flórián Harangi1* 1 Hungarian National Museum, National Institute of Archaeology, Budapest, Hungary * [email protected] Keywords: Archaeological textiles, Textile production During the excavations carried out between 2021 and 2023 in the surroundings of Babarc in Southwest Transdanubia (Hungary), the Janus Pannonius Museum and the Ásatárs Ltd. uncovered an exceptionally rich Early Avar period cemetery. The parallels of the archaeological material reveal in many cases connections with the Byzantine and Merovingian worlds, while the parallels of more conservative burial practices are mainly known from the Eastern part of Hungary (Transtisza region), where a community from the Eastern European Steppe settled during the period. According to our present knowledge, textile remains related to 24 objects/groups of objects have been recognized from 13 graves in the cemetery, mostly related to elements of the garment. Most of the textiles are woven from z-twist yarns in compact or loose tabby with regular yarn thickness. But tabby woven textiles with various yarn thickness also occur in more graves (SNR 4, SNR 11, SNR 25, SNR 26). In the case of a male grave (SNR 2023/1), the woven pattern or embroidery is also clearly identifiable on the textile remains. In two graves (SNR 73, SNR 94) the corrosion of the iron belt fittings has preserved at least two layers of fabric remains, suggesting that the deceased men were buried in multilayered or lined clothing.