The phenomenon of lithic miniaturization during the Late Pleistocene at times coincided with increased artifact standardization and cutting edge efficiency-likely reflecting the use of small, sharp artifacts as interchangeable inserts for composite cutting tools and hunting weapons. During Marine Isotope Stage 2, Upper Paleolithic toolmakers in northern East Asia specifically used pressure techniques to make small, highly standardized lithic artifacts called microblades. However, little is currently known about how microblades affected the cutting edge efficiency of the toolkits they were a part of. We applied three methods of analyzing cutting edge efficiency to two Upper Paleolithic assemblages recently excavated from Tolbor-17, Mongolia, that document the periods before and after the introduction of microblade technology to the Tolbor Valley. A model incorporating allometric relationships between blank cutting edge length and mass suggests no difference in efficiency between the two periods, while two more conventional approaches both indicate a significant increase. The potential for improved cutting edge efficiency is only observed when the microblade sample is artificially inflated via simulation. Our results highlight challenges related to detecting and interpreting archaeological differences in cutting edge efficiency at the assemblage level.

The Neolithic (i.e., farming and stockbreeding) spread from the Near East across Europe since about 9000 years before the common era (BCE) until about 4000 yr BCE. It followed two main routes, namely a sea route along the northern Mediterranean coast and an inland one across the Balkans and central Europe. It is known that the dispersive behavior of farmers depended on geography, with longer movements along the Mediterranean coast than along the inland route. In sharp contrast, here we show that for both routes the percentage of farmers who interbred with hunter-gatherers and/or acculturated one of them was strikingly the same (about 3.6%). Therefore, whereas the dispersive behavior depended on the proximity to the Mediterranean sea, the interaction behavior (incorporation of hunter-gatherers) did not depend on geographical constraints but only on the transition in the subsistence economy (from hunting and gathering to farming) and its associated way of life. These conclusions are reached by analyzing the clines of haplogroup K, which was virtually absent in hunter-gatherers and the most frequent mitochondrial haplogroup in early farmers. Similarly, the most frequent Y-chromosome Neolithic haplogroup (G2a) displays an inland cline that agrees with the percentage of interbreeding reported above.

An archaeologist reveals the equine\'s outsized role in human history.

A stratigraphic sequence from Ghar-e Boof, a cave site in Iran, covering a period of c. 80,000-30,000 BP and containing more than 20,000 seed and chaff remains, allows a detailed study of the use of annual seed species of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherer groups and its evolution under the influence of changing environmental conditions. Taxonomic changes in the archaeobotanical assemblage and the stable carbon isotope data of pistachio support a considerable change in environmental conditions over the sequence from MIS 5a to MIS 3. The exceptional dominance of wild ancestors of modern crop species, including glume wheat and large-seeded legumes from Middle Palaeolithic layers AH VI (OSL ranges 72-81 ka BP), coincides broadly with the transition from MIS 5a to MIS 4. With the beginning of MIS 4 these taxa are strongly reduced, corresponding with a strong decrease in global CO2 concentrations and in the Δ13C values of Pistacia khinjuk/atlantica from the site. Wild glume wheat completely disappears after Middle Palaeolithic AH Vb and never reappears at the site. We hypothesize that the Middle Palaeolithic niche that allowed the harvesting and consumption of wild cereals and legumes ended with a destabilization of the vegetation in early MIS 4.

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The Dragon Gate Stone Inscription prescriptions are the earliest surviving stone inscriptions of medical formulas in China, covering various departments such as internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics and ophthalmology. By reviewing 28 moxibustion prescriptions recorded in the Dragon Gate Stone Inscriptions, the following application characteristics are summarized: moxibustion mainly treats acute diseases such as mania, deficiency-cold syndrome, and jaundice; in terms of point selection, specific points such as the thirteen ghost points, eight influential points, and front-mu points are used, emphasizing the extraordinary meridians such as governor vessel and conception vessel, as well as specific single acupoints with unique therapeutic effects; in clinical application, it follows the principle of treating according to syndrome differentiation, uses multiple acupoints simultaneously, employs food-medicine homology, and adjusts the moxibustion dosage according to individual conditions. The Dragon Gate Stone Inscription prescriptions reflect that the application of moxibustion therapy during the Northern Wei to Tang Dynasty period had already reached a relatively mature level, indicating a high level of proficiency in moxibustion techniques during that time.
龙门石刻药方是我国目前现存最早的石刻药方，其所治病证涉及内、外、妇、儿、五官等科，通过梳理龙门石刻药方所载的28首灸方，总结具有以下应用特点：癫狂病证、虚寒病证以及黄疸等急性病证是其主治病证；选穴方面，针灸并用十三鬼穴、八会穴、募穴等特定穴位，重视督脉、任脉等奇经以及具有独特主治作用的单穴；临床应用遵循辨证施治原则，多穴并用、使用药食同源之品、灸量上因人制宜施灸。龙门石刻药方反映了北魏至唐这一时期对灸法的应用已经相对成熟，灸法已经有了较高的应用水平。.

Currently in NW Europe little is known about the human response to the extensive cold reversal at the end of the Pleistocene, the Younger Dryas (ca. 12,850 till ca. 11,650 cal BP), mainly due to the poor chronological resolution of the archaeological sites belonging to the Ahrensburgian Culture. Here we present a series of 33 radiocarbon dates performed on the seminal cave site of Remouchamps, situated in the Belgian Meuse basin. Combined with a revision of the available radiocarbon evidence along the southern North Sea basin (Belgium, southern Netherlands, western Germany), it is suggested that the first half of the Younger Dryas, characterized as extremely cold and wet, faced a significant population reduction. Repopulation started around the middle of the Younger Dryas, from ca. 12,200 cal BP onward, probably in response to a slight climatic improvement leading to somewhat warmer summers. This might be considered a prelude to the subsequent population boost of the Early Holocene (Mesolithic).

The cult of saints in Western Europe developed during the late period of antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Their importance to European society was undeniable; holy medicine was the only hope for people, because there were no doctors. The number of saints had increased over the years, and people sought medical help from them through prayer and other religious practices. Some of the saints became \"specialized\" in treating various wounds and dermatologic diseases. During our research, we tried to determine whether the cult of saints led to the develop-ment of hospitals that treated skin diseases, as discovered in the Hospital Brother of Saint Anthony. A large number of saints who were patrons of wounds and skin diseases were collected in three studies. In the first report, we presented a great number of saints who were patrons to treat animal bites. The second report presented patron saints of wounds, ulcers, burns, and frostbites; and the third report decsribed saints who treated contagious diseases (such as ergotism, leprosy, and scabies). The phenomenon of holy medicine is part of the history of dermatology and is important due to \"specializations,\" which refer to an understanding of skin diseases and the methods of treating various wounds and dermatologic diseases.

Ancient infectious diseases and microbes can be used to address contemporary disease.