A
s a harbinger of spring, the magazine’s editors have prepared “The Archaeology of
Gardens” (page 32 ). This special section surveys evidence of the many ways in which
people throughout history have chosen to work the soil in their immediate environs.
From small, ancient vineyards to medicinal plots, from gardens meant for botanical study to
those for royal enjoyment—all add to the story of the long-standing human need to cultivate
a relationship with nature.
“Imaging the Past” (page 42 ), by contributing editor
Andrew Curry, begins with the consideration of the earli-
est stone tools, created some 3. 3 million years ago, and the
theories about what kinds of creatures made them. Curry
next examines the work of researchers using the latest brain
scanning techniques on modern subjects to speculate on what
defines human behavior. Finally, he asks whether our ability
to craft tools is tied to our ability to speak. The answers to
these questions are both intriguing and surprising.
Early human activity in the Caribbean is the subject of
“Entombed in Asphalt” (page 46 ), by Megan Gannon. Pitch
Lake in Trinidad—one of the largest tar pits in the world—is
known to have had mythical importance to the island’s early
Arawak residents. Archaeologists are now analyzing evidence
there, dating to the fourth millennium b.c., of the region’s aboriginal cultural identity long
before colonial occupation.
Oftentimes, the relationship between people and the environment is a fraught one.
Such was the case for a little-known culture called the Casma, inhabitants of Peru’s Casma
Valley. “How to Survive Climate Change” (page 26 ), by Lizzie Wade, outlines evidence of
extraordinary adaptation to severe weather caused by El Niños. The Casma’s predecessors,
the Moche, attempted to control both nature and the populace through violent ritual. In
contrast, between 700 and 1400 , the Casma provided economic stability through trade and
practices that forged community cohesion.
Viking raiders are widely known to have targeted the English coastline in hit-and-run raids
since at least 793 , when they attacked the monastery at Lindisfarne. But now archaeologists
are realizing that by the late ninth century, Vikings arrived by the thousands with designs on
the land itself. “The Viking Great Army” (page 50 ), by senior editor Daniel Weiss, explores
evidence at several sites that shows that Vikings settled in England and ultimately became a
vital part of the country’s fabric in ways that can still be seen today.
And do not miss “Letter from Hungary: The Search for the Sultan’s Tomb” (page 57 ), by
Sara Toth Stub, who reports on efforts to discover the resting place of the Ottoman sultan
Suleiman the Magnificent.4 ARCHAEOLOGY • March/April 2018EDITOR’S LETTER
Editor in Chief
Claudia Valentino
Executive Editor Deputy Editor
Jarrett A. Lobell Eric A. Powell
Senior Editor Associate Editor
Daniel Weiss Marley Brown
Editorial Assistant
Malin Grunberg Banyasz
Creative Director
Richard Bleiweiss
Contributing Editors
Roger Atwood, Paul Bahn, Bob Brier,
Andrew Curry, Blake Edgar, Brian Fagan,
David Freidel, Tom Gidwitz, Andrew Lawler,
Stephen H. Lekson, Jerald T. Milanich,
Heather Pringle, Kate Ravilious, Neil Asher
Silberman, Julian Smith, Nikhil Swaminathan,
Jason Urbanus, Zach Zorich
Correspondents
Athens: Yannis N. Stavrakakis
Bangkok: Karen Coates
Islamabad: Massoud Ansari
Israel: Mati Milstein
Naples: Marco Merola
Paris: Bernadette Arnaud
Rome: Roberto Bartoloni,
Giovanni Lattanzi
Washington, D.C.: Sandra Scham
Publisher
Kevin Quinlan
Director of Circulation and Fulfillment
Kevin Mullen
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Gerry Moss
Account Manager
Karina Casines
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Jeff Posner
PRI Communications Inc.
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For production questions
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Editorial Advisory Board
James P. Delgado, Ellen Herscher,
Ronald Hicks, Jean-Jacques Hublin,
Mark Lehner, Roderick J. McIntosh,
Susan Pollock, Kenneth B. TankersleySubscription questions and address
changes should be sent to Archaeology,
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tel 718-472-3050 • fax 718-472-Claudia Valentino
Editor in ChiefHANDS TO WORK
Fresco, Villa of Poppaea