Verònica Martínez Ferreras

Remote sensing has become a key non-invasive tool in archaeological prospection, particularly in regions where logistical constraints limit sustained fieldwork. This study presents the results from Zar Tepe (1st–5th centuries AD), in the Surkhandarya province of southern Uzbekistan, within northwestern Bactria. The research aimed to document the site’s urban layout, accurately relocate Soviet-era excavation sectors within the present-day topography, and refine the interpretation of earlier interventions that were only partially documented and lacked precise georeferencing. A multiscale and multitemporal methodology was applied, integrating CORONA and WorldView-3 satellite imagery, UAV and terrestrial photogrammetry, GNSS Precise Point Positioning, magnetic prospection, and targeted archaeological verification. The workflow followed an iterative laboratory–field sequence, combining remote-sensing analysis, field checks, data refinement, and systematic ground-truth validation. Fieldwork was conducted during two contrasting phenological periods, in June 2024 and December 2025, to assess seasonal variability in surface and subsurface visibility. The integrated approach enabled the accurate spatial fitting of legacy excavation sectors and supported the cross-validation of optical and salt-efflorescence-related anomalies with geophysical evidence. These results provide a stronger basis for the cautious interpretation of buried architectural features and for refining hypotheses concerning Zar Tepe’s urban organization and occupational dynamics.

Remote sensing has become a key non-invasive tool in archaeological prospection, partic-ularly in regions where logistical constraints limit sustained fieldwork. This study pre-sents the results from Zar Tepe (1st–5th centuries AD), in the Surkhandarya province of southern Uzbekistan, within northwestern Bactria. The research aimed to document the site’s urban layout, accurately relocate Soviet-era excavation sectors within the pre-sent-day topography, and refine the interpretation of earlier interventions that were only partially documented and lacked precise georeferencing. A multiscale and multitemporal methodology was applied, integrating CORONA and WorldView-3 satellite imagery, UAV and terrestrial photogrammetry, GNSS Precise Point Positioning, magnetic prospection, and targeted archaeological verification. The workflow followed an iterative laboratory–field sequence, combining remote-sensing analysis, field checks, data refinement, and sys-tematic ground-truth validation. Fieldwork was conducted during two contrasting phe-nological periods, in June 2024 and December 2025, to assess seasonal variability in sur-face and subsurface visibility. The integrated approach enabled accurate spatial fitting of legacy excavation sectors and cross-validation of optical and salt-efflorescence-related anomalies with geophysical evidence. These results strengthen the interpretation of buried architectural features and provide a robust basis for reconstructing Zar Tepe’s urban or-ganization and occupational dynamics.

Between the 5th and 8th centuries AD, several (semi-)nomadic populations invaded ancient Tokharistan (Central Asia), introducing political, socio-economic and cultural changes that also affected pottery production. The study of ceramic materials thereby represents a useful tool for shedding light on the transformations related to such historical events. Unfortunately, no systematic research on ceramics from this region and this period has been conducted to date, and the information available mostly concerns the formal characteristics and imprecise relative chronologies. Aiming to contribute to the knowledge of Early Medieval pottery production in the territory north of the Amu Darya, we present a preliminary investigation on tableware and common wares recovered in the settlements of Khosijat Tepe, Shurob Kurgan, Balalyk Tepe and Dabil Kurgan. This paper provides new data on the vessels’ morphological/stylistic characteristics and relative chronologies, allowing their contextualisation and categorisation. In order to explore the manufacturing processes and their provenance (production areas), a multidisciplinary approach that combines WD-XRF, powder XRD and thin-section optical microscopy was carried out, allowing us to determine the chemical, mineralogical and petrographic compositions, respectively. The results suggest that most vessels consist of local/regional products. The choice and processing of the raw materials are broadly similar. However, slight variations are observed among the ceramics from distinct sites, related to the procurement of clayey sediments from different sources. Although a certain degree of morphological and technological continuity regarding the preceding Kushano-Sasanian pottery tradition is attested for some functional categories, new shapes and decorations appear, confirming the introduction of new practices in the region.

Thanks to recent archaeomagnetic studies, it has been observed that the intensity of the magnetic field undergoes abrupt variations in different eras and regions of the planet. In particular, the Levantine Iron Age Anomaly (LIAA), first observed in Israel, has been studied. This phenomenon is characterised by reaching exceptionally high levels of intensity in a short period of time, followed by a rapid decline. Despite the importance of this anomaly, the geographical limit of the LIAA to the east is poorly constrained, with very few studies from Central Asia. The aim of this work is twofold: first, to provide the first high-quality archaeointensity data for the 2nd millennium BC in Central Asia. For this propose, 76 potteries sherds, collected from three different archaeological sites in Uzbekistan date between 2000 and 300 BC, were analysed by Thellier-Thellier method. The second objective is to present a first paleosecular variation (PSV) intensity curve for the last 4000 years, which allows a detailed understanding of the magnetic intensity behaviour in Central Asia. This work not only deepens our understanding of the LIAA and its magnetic implications, but also contributes to the global understanding of variations in the Earth's magnetic field over time.

Unraveling the short‐term behavior of the Earth's past geomagnetic field at regional scales is crucial for understanding its global behavior and, thus, the dynamics of the deep Earth. In this context, obtaining accurate full‐vector geomagnetic field records from regions where archeomagnetic data are absent becomes essential. Here, we present the first full‐vector archeomagnetic data from Central Asia, derived from the analysis of nine archeological kilns sampled in South Uzbekistan, dating back to the period between 200 BCE and 1429 CE. To obtain these new data, we conducted thermal and alternating field demagnetization procedures, along with Thellier‐Thellier paleointensity experiments, including partial thermoremanent magnetization checks, thermoremanent magnetization anisotropy and cooling rate corrections. The comparison between the new data, previous selected data from Central Asia, and available global models reveals important differences between approximately 400 BCE and 400 CE, especially concerning the geomagnetic field intensity element. In order to investigate this in detail, we have developed a regional update of the SHAWQ global models family by incorporating, for the first time, high‐quality data from Central Asia. The results suggest that this deviation is linked to non‐dipolar sources of the geomagnetic field in Central Asia reaching a maximum contribution around the first century BCE. According to the updated global paleoreconstruction, this non‐dipole feature, manifested at the Earth's surface as low intensities, is associated with the presence of a reversed flux patch at the core‐mantle boundary beneath this region.

Au sud de Port-Vendres (Pyrénées-Orientales), l’épave Cap Béar 3 illustre la transition entre le commerce italique et nord-hispanique qui s’opère à partir du milieu du i^er s. av. J.-C. Sa cargaison associe des amphores vinaires Dressel 1B, Tarraconaise 1 et Pascual 1 ainsi que des Dressel 12 dont certaines contenaient encore des restes de poissons. Une nouvelle étude de cet ensemble permet d’aboutir à la conclusion que les Dressel 1B et Dressel 12 sont des imitations produites dans le nord-est de l’Hispanie Citérieure. Les données archéométriques confirment et précisent que les amphores Dressel 1, Tarraconaise 1, Pascual 1 et Dressel 12 de ce chargement sont fabriquées dans divers ateliers de Léetanie ainsi que la prédominance des productions de cette région dans le commerce maritime vers la Gaule. La diversité des formes pour un même atelier est aussi à souligner.

The archaeological site of Ancient Termez is located in southern Uzbekistan. Despite the arid environment, the city benefited from its strategic position near two rivers, the Amu Darya and the Surkhan Darya. Its significance was mainly related to the expansion of trade routes connecting Eurasia. The city comprises several enclosures that attest long-term human-environment interactions. In order to identify the adaptive dynamics of the settlement models during an extended chronology covering the period from c. 300 BCE to c. 1220 CE (Greco-Bactrian/Yuezhi, Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Islamic periods), a multidisciplinary study has been carried out, which includes: (1) archaeological excavations in several areas of the urban complex; (2) pedestrian surveying inside some enclosures and in the urban periphery; (3) an aerial survey based on high-resolution satellite imagery; (4) AMS dating of charcoal and bone samples; (5) archaeobotanical investigation through anthracological analysis; (6) zooarchaeological studies. The results point to variations in the development of the inhabited spaces, in which abandonment and occupation took place. The zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical data demonstrate the exploitation of natural resources in different environments (i.e., arid areas and irrigated land) and a certain evolution during the period considered.

Se presenta un estudio de los alfares del ager Saguntinus en época romana a partir de los resultados de una campaña de prospecciones superficiales realizadas en el año 2018, con el objetivo de reubicar y documentar una serie de alfares conocidos de antaño, y poder llevar a cabo una primera aproximación a la caracterización tipológica y arqueométrica de sus producciones, en especial de las ánforas. Esta actuación se ha centrado, concretamente, en tres figlinae conocidas como Els Arcs (Estivella), Sabató II (Torres Torres) y Pla d’Orlell I (Vall d’Uixó), y ha permitido ampliar el conocimiento de las producciones cerámicas manufacturadas en dichos centros de producción. Entre otros aspectos, el estudio muestra la relevancia productiva y comercial del vino de Saguntum y contribuye a ampliar el conocimiento sobre su economía en época altoimperial.

This paper presents a preliminary use of satellite imagery from the CORONA program in the reconstruction of thearchaeological landscape of two different sites: Ancient Termez (southern border of Uzbekistan) and Khatm Al Melaha(eastern coast of United Arab Emirates in Kalba area). This analysis constitutes the first step of the work carried out in thefield since 2018 at both sites for an analysis of the syntactic interoperability of multi-scale geospatial data for archaeologicalheritage. The aim of this work was to establish an approach for the use of CORONA satellite imagery for archaeologicalDEM reconstruction. The objectives of the reconstruction were conditioned for different reasons: in the case of Termezprior to the anthropic transformation of the site in the Soviet - Afghan War and in the case of Khatm Al Melaha prior to theurban, coastal and road transformation. The results have provided uneven data due to the characteristics of the existingimagery: mission, resolution, overlap, orography and different ground control point distribution. This methodology opens adoor to the reconstruction of archaeological landscapes that have suffered evident deterioration for different reasons bymeans of historical aerial imagery in the last 60 years, practically, in some cases, as a primary and unique source foranalysing this type of change from the past.