International audienc

Research A first absolute chronology for Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age Myanmar N 0 km 4000 Nyaung'gan Late prehistoric archaeological research in Myanmar is in a phase of rapid expansion. Recent work by the Mission Archéologique Française au Myanmar aims to establish a reliable Neolithic to Iron Age culturehistorical sequence, which can then be compared to surrounding regions of Southeast Asia. Excavations at Nyaung'gan and Oakaie in central Myanmar have provided 52 new AMS dates, which allow the creation of Myanmar's first reliable prehistoric radiometric chronology. They have also identified the Neolithic to Bronze Age transition in central Myanmar, which is of critical importance in understanding long-range interactions at the national, regional and inter-regional level. This research provides the first significant step towards placing late prehistoric Myanmar in its global context.

Earnscleugh Cave, near Alexandra in Central Otago, was excavated in order to recover and date faunal and floral remains and to provide a palaeoenvironmental analysis. The pollen analysis showed that a complex vegetation community, comprising a dense scrub with local stands of podcarps, grew around the cave during the late Holocene and before Polynesian deforestation. The results from Earnscleugh Cave suggest that at this time permanent water-courses on the flanks of Central Otago ranges supported diverse and rich plant communities of forest and shrubland. The cave fauna included moas Euiyapteryx geranoides. Emeus crassus and Dinornis giganteus, goose Cnemiornis calcitrans, Finsch's duck Euryanas finschi, kea Nestor notabilis, rifleman Acanthisitta chloris, robin Petroica austrailis, tuatara Sphenodon sp. and greater short-tailed bat Mystacina cf. robusta.

No abstract

Objectives: Colonial period New Zealand was lauded as a land of plenty, where colonists could improve their station in life and secure a future for their families. Our understanding of colonial experience, however, is often shaped by historical records which communicate a state-sponsored version of history. This study aims to reconstruct the lives of settlers using isotopic evidence from the colonial skeletons themselves. Materials and Methods:We use skeletal remains from recently excavated colonial sites in Otago (South Island, New Zealand) to illustrate the information that can be gleaned from the isotopic analysis of individuals. We use 87 Sr/ 86 Sr to identify European settlers, and δ 13 C and δ 15 N from collagen and hair keratin, as well as dental enamel carbonate δ 13 C to trace dietary change over their life-courses.Results: Strontium isotope analysis shows that all adults in our sample are non-local.Dietary isotopes show that while most individuals had relatively consistent childhood diet, one individual with more rural origins had seasonal use of resources during 2 childhood. While some members of the population seem to have increased their meat intake in the new colony most do not have clear evidence for this. Discussion:We show the diversity of human experience in first generation New Zealanders both prior to emigration and in the new colony. Despite colonial propaganda claiming that circumstances in New Zealand were improved for all settlers, we have little evidence for this, aside from among individuals of potentially high status.