Robert H Tykot
Biographic Data
| ID | 88506 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Robert H Tykot |
| GIVEN NAMES | Robert H |
| FAMILY NAME | Tykot |
| SIGNATURE | TYKOT R H |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of South Florida |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8154-9331 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 84 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 630 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 84 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1993 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 15 |
On Pins and Daggers: Compositional Analyses of Prehistoric Metal Artifacts from Across Sardinia
This research uses non-destructive energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometry to characterize the composition of 56 metal artifacts from 11 sites throughout the Italian island of Sardinia dating from the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age (ca. late 4th to early 2nd millennia BCE). These objects are housed at the Museo G.A. Sanna di Sassari and the Museo Nazionale di Cagliari and represent one of the most comprehensive collections …
Prehistoric Obsidian Travel to and Through Central Italy
Starting in the Early Neolithic, obsidian sources on three Italian islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea were visited and utilized regularly, with cores and/or artifacts distributed to central peninsular Italy and beyond. The geological history of each island source in the central Mediterranean is well established, while detailed survey and collection of source material has been done to address features including size, quality, quantity, and accessibilit…
Bioarchaeological signatures during the Plague of Justinian (541–750 CE) in Jerash (ancient Gerasa), Jordan
Paleoeconomy and mortuary practices in the Mediterranean Copper Age: Zooarchaeology of the Bell Beaker assemblage from Padru Jossu, Sardinia (Italy)
The Bell Beaker phenomenon, as evidenced by its distinctive material culture, is regarded as a pivotal period of intensified connectivity in Western Europe and the Western Mediterranean, spanning several centuries from the mid-3rd millennium BC to different periods in different regions. The nature and mechanisms behind the diffusion of its markers have been under interpretive scrutiny for many decades, until the recent contribution of stable isot…
Isotopic Evidence of Diet and Mobility From the Megalithic Burials of the Rego da Murta Dolmens (Portugal)
This study uses stable and radiogenic isotopic data from Chalcolithic ( c. 3000–1900 bc ) humans and animals recovered from the Rego da Murta dolmens (Alvaiázere, Portugal) to understand dietary and mobility patterns in the populations using these monuments. The results suggest diets based primarily on C 3 plants and terrestrial animals, with some possible variation in protein intake by age or status. Analyses of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values identify two …
Stable Isotope Analysis of Ancient Maya Skeletal Remains from Late Postclassic Iximche', Guatemala
War, captives, and human sacrifice were parts of Late Postclassic (AD 1250-1524) Maya culture in highland Guatemala. Las Casas (1958:152) wrote that the supreme lord "put the heads of the sacrificed on some poles on a certain altar dedicated only to this, where they had these for some time, after which they buried them." These cultural aspects show up in human remains excavated at Iximche', the Kaqchikel Maya capital. Here, we integrate previousl…
Understanding the intersection of Rapid climate change and subsistence Practices: An isotopic perspective from a Mediterranean Bell Beaker case study
Isotope values reveal “canopy effect” in deer territoriality and maize consumption for dogs from archaeological sites in Kentucky dating to the Middle Woodland through Late Fort Ancient time periods
Archaeometric Study of Iron Age Pottery Production in Central Sicily: A Case of Technological Conservatism
This study presents an in-depth archaeometric investigation of Iron Age ceramic assemblage dating from 950 to 750 BCE from the sanctuary at Polizzello Mountain, Sicily. The site, a key sanctuary utilized by indigenous communities for ritual activities, is examined for its strategic location, structural developments, pottery assemblages, and evidence of communal activities. The study employs petrographic analysis on thin sections, integrated with …
Intensified exploitation of animal products in the Mediterranean Copper Age: Isotopic evidence from Scaba 'e Arriu (Sardinia)
In this paper, dietary patterns are reconstructed across two phases represented at the Copper Age of Scaba 'e Arriu (Sardinia, Italy) via isotopic analysis of human and animal skeletal remains. Collagen carbon, nitrogen, and bioapatite carbon, and oxygen isotopes were used to infer diet, economic practices, and possibly different climatic conditions. Differential management of cattle, sheep/goats, and pigs was detected, with scarce animal product…
Diet and mobility in Late Antique Sicily: Isotopic data from the catacombs of Santa Lucia, Siracusa (Italy)
The catacombs of Santa Lucia were built during the 3rd century CE in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy, as a burial site for members of the local Christian community until the early 8th century CE. This site is an important cemeterial context of the Late Roman and Byzantine periods. The tombs and artifacts found suggest that individuals of varying wealth were buried in the catacombs. Historical accounts also confirm the presence of a significant Christian …
Análise de isótopos de carbono e nitrogênio: A dieta antes e após a presença de cerâmica no sítio Forte Marechal Luz
Nesse estudo foram realizadas análises de isótopos de carbono e nitrogênio de esmalte dentário e dentina de indivíduos sepultados em camadas sem e com cerâmica do sítio Forte Marechal Luz, localizado no litoral de Santa Catarina. Os resultados do colágeno da dentina sugerem que os indivíduos teriam uma dieta proteica rica em recursos marinhos durante o período de formação dos dentes analisados. No entanto, comparando períodos anteriores com poste…
A landmark for local communities. Compositional analysis of the early Iron Age sanctuary at Polizzello Mountain (Sicily, Italy)
Obsidian from the Neolithic Layers of “Grotta di San Michele Arcangelo di Saracena” (Cosenza), Italy. A Preliminary Report
The paper presents the results obtained by techno-typological analysis of a lithic assemblage from the Neolithic layers of Grotta San Michele Arcangelo di Saracena (Cosenza) together with the results of micro-wear analysis obtained from a preliminary selection of obsidian artifacts with different provenances distinguished by pXRF analysis. The site provides one of the best preserved Neolithic sequences in the area, from the earliest Impressed War…
Far from home: A multi-analytical approach revealing the journey of an African-born individual to imperial Rome
Childhood in the Carpathians: An isotopic analysis of childhood diet and weaning in a medieval and Early Modern Transylvanian village
Obsidian from the Site of Piano dei Cardoni, Ustica (Palermo, Italy): Preliminary Results on the First Occupation of the Island
New investigations on Ustica (Palermo, Sicily) originated from the need to improve our knowledge of the island’s archaeological and environmental heritage. Through field surveys, particular attention was paid to human occupation in the Neolithic phases and focused on the less investigated southern side of the island. The systematic survey of the area of Piano dei Cardoni in 2018 brought to light a new Middle/Late Neolithic site, already partially…
Paleodiet of Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in the Early Pueblo Period of the Northern Southwest
Turkey domestication in the northern Southwest is not clearly defined, in part because wild turkeys are difficult to differentiate from domestic turkeys based on skeletal morphology. Stable isotope analysis is a method that researchers have used extensively to help build a picture of how turkey populations were managed by humans. Earlier evidence for C4 plant consumption by turkeys is limited to a small number of published studies. Using a stable…
Bone Chemistry and Ancient Diet
Using dental enamel to uncover the impact of childhood diet on mortality in Petra, Jordan
Analysis by pXRF of Prehistoric Obsidian Artifacts From Several Sites on Ustica (Italy): Long-Distance Open-Water Distribution From Multiple Island Sources During the Neolithic and Bronze Ages
The small island of Ustica was a regular part of the obsidian distribution network in the central Mediterranean, despite its location more than 50 km north of western Sicily. More than 1000 obsidian artifacts from several different sites, ranging in age from the Neolithic through Bronze Age, were analyzed using a non-destructive, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Obsidian from Lipari-Gabellotto dominates the assemblages at all sites teste…
Lipari (Aeolian Islands) Obsidian in the Late Neolithic. Artifacts, Supply and Function
This study focuses on the Neolithic, particularly on the emergence and development of the Diana Culture in the Aeolian Islands. Since the 1950s, the archaeological excavations unearthed parts of a settlement in a plain near the sea, contrada Diana in Lipari. We discuss the technological and typometric study of obsidian from trenches XVII, XXI, and XXXVI. A series of pXRF analyses on obsidian were carried out to identify their sources. A selection…
The Emergence of Copper-Based Metallurgy in the Maltese Archipelago: An archaeometric perspective
The amount of prehistoric metal items discovered in the Maltese archipelago during the BronzeAge very limited in number. The majority of the artifacts are traditionally considered Aegean imports from nearby Sicily. Nineteen objects, currently on display in the National Archaeological Museum of Valletta, and dated between the 17th and 12th century BCE, represent the main evidence of metalwork in Malta during the Bronze Age. Daggers, axes, vessels,…
PXRF analysis of obsidian artifacts from Albania: Crossroads or cul-de-sac
Isotopic analysis of newly discovered fragments of an Ulúa Valley marble vase at the ancient Maya site of Pacbitun, Belize
Isotopic Studies of Human Skeletal Remains from a Sixteenth to Seventeenth Century AD Churchyard in Campeche, Mexico: Diet, Place of Origin, and Age
In AD 2000, construction activities in the central plaza of the city of Campeche, Mexico, led to the discovery of an early colonial church and an associated burial ground dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries AD. During the subsequent rescue excavations, the remains of at least 180 individuals were unearthed from the churchyard. We have concluded a series of isotopic studies of these remains to obtain information on diet, status, pl…
Stable isotopes and human diet in central western Argentina
Obsidian Procurement and Distribution in the Central and Western Mediterranean
Obsidian has long been recognized as an indicator of long-distance, maritime-based exchange networks in the Neolithic central and western Mediterranean. Earlier studies have identified and chemically characterized the major island sources, but few subsequent efforts have been directed at determining the provenance of significant numbers of artifacts from secure archaeological contexts. This paper presents new interpretations of obsidian procureme…
Stable isotopes as indicators of change in the food procurement and food preference of Viking Age and Early Christian populations on Gotland (Sweden)
Characterization of the Monte Arci (Sardinia) Obsidian Sources
Dietary adaptation during the Longshan period in China: Stable isotope analyses at Liangchengzhen (southeastern Shandong)
El Maíz (Zea Mays) en el Mundo Prehispánico de Chile Central
Los restos de maíz en sitios arqueológicos de la región central de Chile son notablemente escasos. Para estudiar la introducción y adopción de este cultivo en las poblaciones prehispánicas se discutirán los resultados de análisis de isótopos estables de un conjunto de muestras humanas que abarcan desde las comunidades alfareras iniciales (300 a.C.-200 d.C.) hasta el contacto incaico (1450-1550 d.C.). Los isótopos estables de Carbono son sensibles…
The Importance of Early Maize Agriculture in Coastal Ecuador: New Data from La Emerenciana
Stable Isotope Analysis of Diet-based Social Differentiation at Late Prehistoric Collective Burials in South-Western Portugal: Social differentiation at collective burials in south-western Portugal
In the Neolithic and Copper Age collective burials of the Portuguese Estremadura, the majority of material culture and skeletal remains are highly commingled, making it difficult for archaeologists to evaluate social status by linking individuals with specific grave goods. In these circumstances, bio-anthropological data about individual life histories offer an additional avenue of investigation into social complexity among prehistoric communitie…
Geographic variation in bone carbonate and water δ18O values in Mendoza, Argentina and their relationship to prehistoric economy and settlement
Diet and mobility patterns in the Late Prehistory of central Iberia (4000-1400 cal bc): The evidence of radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr) and stable (δ18O, δ13C) isotope ratios
Stable isotopes and archaeology in central Chile: Methodological Insights and Interpretative Problems for Dietary Reconstruction
This paper discusses the problems faced when making interpretations of human stable isotope values due to the various explanatory alternatives that arise when reading archaeological data. These interpretative issues are analysed and discussed using the isotopic results for approximately 100 human individuals from archaeological contexts spanning from 5000 BC to 1540 AD in central Chile, supported by data for more than 50 plant and animal samples …
Bone Chemistry at Cerro Oreja: A Stable Isotope Perspective on the Development of a Regional Economy in the Moche Valley, Peru During the Early Intermediate Period
In this paper we test the hypothesis that an intensification of maize production preceded the development of a regional Moche political economy in the Moche Valley of north coastal Peru during the Early Intermediate period (400 B.C.-A.D. 600). To do so we analyze stable isotopic signatures of 48 bone apatite and 17 tooth enamel samples from human remains recovered from the site of Cerro Oreja, a large urban and ceremonial center in the Moche Vall…
Stable isotopes and maize consumption in central western Argentina
In this paper we present stable isotope information (δ13C in bone collagen and apatite, and δ15N) in order to discuss the significance of maize consumption in the human diets of central western Argentina. We also contribute bioanthropological information based on the study of caries, hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia and dental abscess frequencies. This study shows a large variability in the significance of C4 resources (e.g. maize) during the last 25…
Obsidian Studies in the Prehistoric Central Mediterranean: After 50 Years, What Have We Learned and What Still Needs to Be Done
Obsidian sourcing studies have been conducted in the central Mediterranean for more than 50 years. Detailed studies have been done on the geological sources on four Italian islands, and many analytical methods have been used to successfully distinguish between them. The ability to conduct analyses using those minimally (LA-ICP-MS) or totally (XRF, pXRF) non-destructive to artifacts has led to >10,000 analyses just in the last decade. Along with t…
Calakmul as a Central Place: Isotopic Insights on Urban Maya Mobility and Diet During the First Millennium Ad
Isotopic investigations of human burials from excavations of the Autonomous University of Campeche (CIHS) at the prehispanic Maya capital of Calakmul in southeastern Mexico, near the border with Guatemala, include determination of radiocarbon dates; carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in collagen; and strontium, carbon, and oxygen isotope ratios in tooth enamel. A total of 22 human and 5 faunal samples analyzed for strontium isotopes reveal a narr…
Isotopic study of geographic origins and diet of enslaved Africans buried in two Brazilian cemeteries
Lithic technology and obsidian exchange networks in Bronze Age Nuragic Sardinia (Italy)
The Transition from Hunting–Gathering to Food Production in the Gamo Highlands of Southern Ethiopia
Over three field seasons between 2007 and 2012, we excavated three caves—Mota, Tuwatey, and Gulo—situated at an average elevation of 2,084 m above sea level in the cool and moist Boreda Gamo Highlands of southwestern Ethiopia. Anthropogenic deposits in these caves date from the Middle to Late Holocene (ca. 6000 to 100 BP) and provide excellent preservation of material culture, fauna, flora, and human skeletal remains from which to investigate cha…
Isotopes and rocks: Geographical organisation of southern Patagonian hunter-gatherers
We present an archaeological study of hunter-gatherer home ranges on the basis of two lines of evidence. Firstly, we discuss information related to the mobility of individuals, which was approached by stable isotope studies. Secondly, we present data related to the transport and discard of artefacts, since the distribution of these items may be determined by the movement of people. Our main goal is to integrate these two lines of research in the …
Diet and collapse: A stable isotope study of Imperial-era Gabii (1st–3rd centuries AD)
Oxygen Isotopes and Human Residential Mobility in Central Western Argentina: Oxygen Isotopes and Mobility in Western Argentina
Stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) from human bone apatite from central western Argentina (30o–37oS latitude) were analysed to understand changes in human residential mobility during the Late Holocene. This region contains evidence for the use of domesticated plants over the last 2000 years (Zea mays, Cucurbita sp. and Phaseolus sp., among others), and previous models of prehistoric occupation have suggested a distinct change in mobility and populatio…
Stable Isotope Analysis of Turkey (Meleagriscc Gallopavo) Diet from Pueblo II and Pueblo III Sites, Middle San Juan Region, Northwest New Mexico
The transition from the Pueblo 11 Period (A.D. 1050-1150) to the Pueblo III Period (A.D. 1150-1300) in the San Juan Basin marks an intensification of turkey use, evidenced by an increase in the percentage of faunal assemblages representing turkey bones. We examine stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen ( δ15N) isotopic values of turkey bones from three ancestral Puebloan sites in the Middle San Juan Region to test the hypothesis that this intensificat…
Geological Sources of Obsidian on Lipari and Artifact Production and Distribution in the Neolithic and Bronze Age Central Mediterranean
The Aeolian island of Lipari, just north of eastern Sicily, was a major geological source of high quality obsidian that was volcanically formed in the Late Mesolithic, followed by another major production in the 1st millennium AD. A much earlier volcanic event on Lipari also produced some obsidian, but not of sufficient quality for tool production. A detailed geological survey of the Lipari obsidian source areas, including assessments of quantity…
Long distance trinket trade: Early Bronze Age obsidian from the Negev
Metallurgy at Nuraghe Santa Barbara (Bauladu), Sardinia
Excavations at Nuraghe Santa Barbara, Bauladu, western Sardinia have filled gaps in the poorly documented history of bronze casting in ancient Sardinia. The western section of the 12th–8th century B.C. village surrounding this five-towered nuraghe has yielded clear signs of metallurgical activity. The technological assessment of these remains, based on elemental and microscopic analyses, is described
Sardinia in the Mediterranean: A Footprint in the Sea. Studies in Sardinian Archaeology Presented to Miriam S. Balmuth
Obsidian Procurement and Distribution in the Central and Western Mediterranean
Obsidian has long been recognized as an indicator of long-distance, maritime-based exchange networks in the Neolithic central and western Mediterranean. Earlier studies have identified and chemically characterized the major island sources, but few subsequent efforts have been directed at determining the provenance of significant numbers of artifacts from secure archaeological contexts. This paper presents new interpretations of obsidian procureme…
Characterization of the Monte Arci (Sardinia) Obsidian Sources
New directions in central Mediterranean obsidian studies
Mediterranean obsidian-provenance studies are changing in direction and focus of modern research, with characterization of the Sardinian sources, application of minimally destructive and inexpensive analytical techniques, analysis of complete or large parts of assemblages, and the integration of provenance data with reduction technology and use-wear traces
A geological companion to Greece and the Aegean
Traces of the Past: Unraveling the Secrets of Archaeology through Chemistry . By Joseph B. Lambert. Archaeological Chemistry . By A. Mark Pollard and Carl Heron
Chemical Fingerprinting and Source Tracing of Obsidian: The Central Mediterranean Trade in Black Gold
Chemical fingerprinting using major or trace element composition is used to characterize the Mediterranean island sources of obsidian and can even differentiate as many as nine flows in the Monte Arci region of Sardinia. Analysis of significant numbers of obsidian artifacts from Neolithic sites in the central Mediterranean reveals specific patterns of source exploitation and suggests particular trade mechanisms and routes. The use of techniques s…
Julian Henderson. The science and archaeology of materials: On investigation of inorganic materials. xvii+334 pages, 165 figures, 5 tables. 2000. London: Routledge; 0-415-19933-6 hardback £62.50, US$1…
Julian Henderson. The science and archaeology of materials: on investigation of inorganic materials. xvii+334 pages, 165 figures, 5 tables. 2000. London: Routledge; 0-415-19933-6 hardback £62.50, US49.95. - Volume 76 Issue 291
The Importance of Early Maize Agriculture in Coastal Ecuador: New Data from La Emerenciana
Long distance trinket trade: Early Bronze Age obsidian from the Negev
Petrographic and Stable Isotope Analyses of Late Classic Ulúa Marble Vases and Potential Sources
Ulúa marble vases from the Ulúa Valley of northwestern Honduras are a hallmark luxury good from Late Classic ( ad 600–900) Mesoamerica. Archaeological and stylistic data point to centralized production at one site, Travesía. This paper analyses stable isotope and petrographic data from the vases and three potential procurement areas. The results indicate that the vases were produced from one primary source with one, potentially two, secondary sou…
Celebrating Place Through Luxury Craft Production: Travesia and Ulua Style Marble Vases
This paper explores the production of Late to Terminal Classic Ulua marble vases (ca. 600/650–800/850a.d.), the hallmark luxury good from the lower Ulua Valley of northwestern Honduras. Unlike other areas of the greater Maya world, no one center appears to have held political sway in the valley. Yet marble-vase production at Travesia indicates that, through the patronization of this specific artifact, the site was able to celebrate its identity a…
Dieta en Sociedades Alfareras De Chile Central: Aporte De Análisis De Isótopos Estables
Los patrones de subsistencia son una caracterstica importante del comportamiento humano que dependen tanto del entorno como de las tecnologas y de las opciones culturales de cada grupo social. En la arqueologa de Chile central estos patrones se han caracterizado sobre la base de evidencias botnicas, de arqueofauna, de artefactos encontrados en los sitios arqueolgicos, las potencialidades del entorno natural y las patologas seas y dentales princip…
Stable isotopes as indicators of change in the food procurement and food preference of Viking Age and Early Christian populations on Gotland (Sweden)
El Maíz (Zea Mays) en el Mundo Prehispánico de Chile Central
Los restos de maíz en sitios arqueológicos de la región central de Chile son notablemente escasos. Para estudiar la introducción y adopción de este cultivo en las poblaciones prehispánicas se discutirán los resultados de análisis de isótopos estables de un conjunto de muestras humanas que abarcan desde las comunidades alfareras iniciales (300 a.C.-200 d.C.) hasta el contacto incaico (1450-1550 d.C.). Los isótopos estables de Carbono son sensibles…
Stable isotopes and archaeology in southern South America. Hunter‐gatherers, pastoralism and agriculture: An introduction
Archaeology and History in Sardinia from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages: Shepherds, Sailors, and Conquerors . By Stephen L. Dyson and Robert J. Rowland Jr
Isotopes and rocks: Geographical organisation of southern Patagonian hunter-gatherers
We present an archaeological study of hunter-gatherer home ranges on the basis of two lines of evidence. Firstly, we discuss information related to the mobility of individuals, which was approached by stable isotope studies. Secondly, we present data related to the transport and discard of artefacts, since the distribution of these items may be determined by the movement of people. Our main goal is to integrate these two lines of research in the …
An approach to pre-Hispanic diets in the Pampas during the Early/Middle Holocene
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to dietary studies of Early-Middle Holocene Pampean hunter-gatherers, and to evaluate the intra-group dietary differences. Results from stable carbon isotope analysis of the organic and inorganic fractions of bone from 26 human remains from the sites Arroyo Seco 2 (Interserrana area) and Monte Hermoso 1 (Atlantic coast) are presented and discussed. Isotopic values from archaeofauna - including megafauna …
Stable isotopes and maize consumption in central western Argentina
In this paper we present stable isotope information (δ13C in bone collagen and apatite, and δ15N) in order to discuss the significance of maize consumption in the human diets of central western Argentina. We also contribute bioanthropological information based on the study of caries, hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia and dental abscess frequencies. This study shows a large variability in the significance of C4 resources (e.g. maize) during the last 25…
Stable isotopes and archaeology in central Chile: Methodological Insights and Interpretative Problems for Dietary Reconstruction
This paper discusses the problems faced when making interpretations of human stable isotope values due to the various explanatory alternatives that arise when reading archaeological data. These interpretative issues are analysed and discussed using the isotopic results for approximately 100 human individuals from archaeological contexts spanning from 5000 BC to 1540 AD in central Chile, supported by data for more than 50 plant and animal samples …
A Fisk patent metallic burial case from Western Missouri: An interdisciplinary and comprehensive effort to reconstruct the history of an early settler of Lexington, Missouri
Stable isotopes and human diet in central western Argentina
Dietary adaptation during the Longshan period in China: Stable isotope analyses at Liangchengzhen (southeastern Shandong)
Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (72 works) · Archaeology (70 works) · Geography (69 works) · Geology (38 works) · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies (35 works) · Biology (23 works) · Ecology (21 works) · History (21 works) · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology (20 works) · Bronze Age (19 works)