The article outlines the history of Polish pharmacy museums in the broader European context. The first efforts to establish such an institution date back to the second half of the 19th century, when, despite the lack of a Polish sovereign state, Polish pharmacists, passionate about their trade, called for the creation of a pharmacy museum. Their continued efforts faced multiple obstacles, with the two World Wars being the worst of them. During the inter-war period, multiple collections were assembled, but the first Polish museum of pharmacy was established only after the Second World War, in 1946, in Kraków, thanks to Dr Stanisław Proń. In the 1970s, a number of smaller museums were established in other Polish cities, including Lublin, Warsaw, Poznań, Bydgoszcz, and Gdańsk. The transformation following the collapse of the Iron Curtain caused a temporary crisis for pharmacy museums in Poland, with some establishments being liquidated due to the withdrawal of funding. However, soon after Polish society became accustomed to the new realities, a number of museums were restored, and even new ones were established, some as part of municipal museums (Warszawa, Bydgoszcz), some within universities, and some even funded by private companies (Lublin, Łódź). The article illustrates the richness and distinctiveness of the field of Polish pharmaceutical museology, while also observing its connection to wider European realities.
This article examines a controversy over a nuclear-energy gallery at the Science Museum, London, in the early 1980s. It uses this case to explore the wider politicization of museums at this time, and thus the politicization of the display of science and technology. It argues that cultural changes in train since the 1960s, coupled with a museological turn towards 'social history' as the proper vehicle for exhibiting science and technology, led to the museum becoming newly subject to widespread critical scrutiny. That scrutiny had contradictory effects. On the one hand, it reinforced the image of the museum as a bastion of official culture and knowledge. On the other, it undermined this image, by exposing the ideological nature of the museum's authority. This double movement laid the groundwork for the crisis of confidence that culminated in the 'New Museology' of the later part of the decade. Attending to this controversy thus suggests a need to revise prevailing scholarship on the 'politics of display', which often takes for granted an overly straightforward connection between museums and power.
Rangitāhua is a tupuna to Ngāti Kuri and represents the iwi's geographic and ancestral connection to the Pacific. Despite this millennium-long ancestral tie, Ngāti Kuri's access to Rangitāhua has been severed for two centuries. Meanwhile, many European expeditions visited the islands, extracting and distributing natural history taonga across institutions, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. In this context of disconnection, Ngāti Kuri engaged partners to reclaim research leadership over Rangitāhua, leading to the Indigenous-led Te Mana o Rangitāhua program, embedding Māori values and tikanga within the environmental wellbeing research project. This study is part of the program and documents our collaborative approach to identifying expeditions to Rangitāhua, mapping where their taonga and data are held worldwide, and examining institutional responses to our data requests. We identified 127 expeditions that distributed 1.73 million objects across 88 institutions. Our provenance mapping successfully cross-linked specimens to the expeditions that collected them and the institutions that house them today. However, our research also revealed ongoing institutional barriers to data access, emphasizing colonial gatekeeping practices embedded in contemporary museology systems. We stress the urgent need for accessible and reciprocal data request systems if museum practitioners hope to advance the ultimate goal of Indigenous data sovereignty.
Medical museums are increasingly challenged to balance accessibility, educational effectiveness, and ethical responsibility, particularly when displaying human remains. Despite growing interest in digital museology, limited attention has been paid to its application in contexts involving culturally sensitive materials. This study presents a qualitative case study of the renovation of the Morgagni Museum of Human Anatomy (University of Padua), focusing on the integration of digital tools, including quick response codes, augmented reality (AR), and virtual itineraries. The project aimed to enhance accessibility and public engagement while preserving the scientific and ethical integrity of the collection. The results, based on observational data collected during guided visits and educational activities, indicate that hybrid interpretive strategies combining digital and traditional tools improve visitor engagement, support layered learning, and foster a more informed interaction with anatomical and pathological specimens. In particular, the use of AR and digital content was associated with increased student participation and enhanced observational skills. This case study demonstrates that digital technologies, when embedded within a coherent curatorial framework, can strengthen rather than diminish ethical engagement with human remains. The Morgagni Museum provides a model for the sustainable and responsible reinterpretation of historical medical collections in contemporary educational contexts.
To trace the history of human-cat interactions and the arrival of domestic cats (Felis catus) in East Asia, we analyzed 22 small felid bones excavated from 14 archaeological sites across China spanning 5,000 years. Genomic and radiocarbon evidence revealed that commensal leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) appeared in anthropogenic environments at least 5,400 years ago and persisted until 150 CE. After a gap of several centuries, the earliest known domestic cat in China (c. 730 CE), reconstructed as a fully or partially white cat, was identified in Shaanxi during the Tang Dynasty. Genomic analysis combining 130 modern and ancient Eurasian cat specimens suggested an origin of Chinese domestic cats from the Levant and a likely merchant-mediated dispersal via the Silk Road. Commensal leopard cats and domestic cats once independently inhabited ancient human settlements in China but followed divergent sociocultural paths with only domestic cats becoming fully domesticated and globally introduced.
Ningxia, located at a key crossroads between the Eurasian Steppe and East Asia, was an important corridor for cultural exchange and human migration, yet its genetic history has remained poorly understood. In this study, we sequenced 89 individuals from 23 archeological sites in Ningxia, dating from 4245 to 301 BP. Our findings show that late Neolithic inhabitants of Ningxia possessed ancestral components from the Yellow River, Ancient Northeast Asia, and the Tibetan Plateau. Over time, the region experienced major genetic shifts associated with historical migrations and political change. During the Western Zhou and Han periods (3.0-1.7kBP), expansions of Central Plains polities promoted the movement of Yellow River populations into Ningxia, influencing Ningxia's genetic structure up to the Ming-Qing period (582-301BP). Individuals associated with the Eastern Zhou Northern Bronze Complex (2.7-2.0kBP) show mixture between Eurasian Steppe and Yellow River populations. In the Northern Dynasties and Sui-Tang periods (1.6-1.0kBP), Western Eurasian ancestry increased markedly, likely reflecting Silk Road mobility. Tangut groups of the Western Xia show close genetic ties to Di-Qiang-related populations from the upper Yellow River. Reconstructing the genetic history of Ningxia from the late Neolithic to Qing dynasty (4.2k-301BP), evidencing complex genetic dynamics shaped by historical processes.
The Paleolithic-to-Neolithic transition (PNT), which coincided with the Holocene warming trend after the last Ice Age, significantly transformed human cultural and genetic landscapes around the world. However, the genetic dynamics of this transitional period in northern East Asia have yet to be fully investigated. Here, we reported mitochondrial genomes from three individuals and genome-wide data from two individuals from the Donghulin site located in western Beijing, China (∼11-9 thousand years ago). This represents the earliest genetic evidence, together with archaeological context, of Neolithization in northern East Asia. We identify a newly discovered deep northern East Asian (nEA) lineage represented by the ∼11,000-year-old DHL_M1, which diverged early in the Late Pleistocene. We also identify the genetic changes at the Donghulin site over approximately 2,000 years during the post-glacial warming period. These findings highlight the genetic diversity and complex population dynamics during the Neolithization process in northern East Asia, indicating a unique PNT trajectory in this region.
To evaluate pathological changes identified in a skeleton of a horse from Roman-period Gerulata, Slovakia. The remains consist of a partially preserved, articulated skeleton of an adult horse from today's southern urban district of Bratislava-Rusovce in southwestern Slovakia. The specimen underwent macroscopic analysis to assess taxonomic identification, biological profile, and pathological changes. Thoracolumbar lesions were further evaluated using computed tomography (CT). Radiocarbon dating determined the absolute age of the remains. Species determination indicates that the remains, radiocarbon dated to 21-133 cal CE (90.1% probability), belonged to a male domestic horse that died between 9-10 years of age. Key pathological features include flowing ossification corresponding to the ventral longitudinal ligament, as well as signs of active bone remodeling. Complete bridging was observed between T11-T12, and near-complete bridging in the T10-T11 and T12-T14 segments. Recorded changes at T10-T14 are most consistent with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). The interpretation of lesions in non-contiguous segments (T16-T17, L3-L4) remains ambiguous. This case highlights diagnostic challenges in distinguishing DISH from spondylosis in horses and demonstrates structural limitations of current criteria derived from human and veterinary medicine. The skeleton was incompletely preserved due to post-depositional disturbance, and the vertebral arches in the affected segments (T10-T13, and partially T14) were not recovered. Future work should focus on standardizing diagnostic criteria for equine spinal pathologies, aligning them more closely with current human medicine standards.
The conservation of historic earthen structures requires repair materials that are both high-performance and historically appropriate. While archaeological evidence indicates that the historical use of blocky quicklime to make lime-soil materials, modern research and conservation practice often focus on its powdered counterpart, creating a knowledge gap. Thus, this work systematically evaluated the physical properties, microstructure, and composition of lime-soil materials prepared with blocky quicklime, powdered quicklime, and hydrated lime (at 10-20% content). The results demonstrated that hydrated lime yielded inferior strength and durability. Although both types of quicklime enhanced performance, they functioned through distinct mechanisms. Powdered quicklime provided consistent, dosage-dependent improvement, making it reliable for high-performance requirements. In contrast, blocky quicklime exhibited a pronounced optimum at 15% content; beyond this, performance declined due to expansion stresses from excess, partially hydrated cores, as identified by FT-IR spectroscopy. This study concluded that the choice of lime form was critical: powdered quicklime was recommended for predictable, broad-spectrum enhancement, whereas blocky quicklime could be effective but required strict dosage control to harness its unique potential and avoid damage. These findings provided a scientific basis for selecting and applying lime materials in the repair of earthen architectural heritage.
The transformation of the Roman world [fourth to ninth centuries common era (CE)], culminating in the Western Roman Empire's fall, marked a fundamental transition in European history. Key questions persist regarding the regionally specific nature of this transformation. We generated a paleogenomic dataset to reconstruct post-Roman organizations in the Little Hungarian Plain at microregional resolution. Genetic and archaeological analyses of two Roman (n = 68) and five post-Roman (n = 246) sites reveal a rise in Northern European ancestry, reflecting large-scale population movements into this region. Moreover, despite post-Roman sites sharing similar genetic profiles, material culture, and burial practices, they show distinct social structures, especially regarding the role played by biological relatedness. These findings highlight local hierarchies and reveal the making of a post-Roman polity.
Dajue Temple, a representative ancient architectural heritage in North China, houses numerous lacquered wooden components of exceptional historical and artistic value. Prolonged environmental exposure causes severe dark discoloration and black spotting on lacquer surfaces, threatening their structural integrity. This first investigation into the damage identifies the spots as microbial in origin, with Cladosporium spp. as the primary agent driving deterioration and possessing wood-degrading capabilities. Antifungal tests show that thymol, clove essential oil, and nano-silver gel are all effective inhibitors. We proposed targeted, relic-friendly microbial control strategies tailored for ancient lacquered wooden components. These findings provided scientific guidance for the sustainable conservation and restoration of lacquered architectural elements in historic temples and comparable cultural heritage sites. In future work, environmental monitoring and the biocides' compatibility should be involved, which will help to clarify microbe-environment interactions, enable early warning of biodeterioration risks and explore the wood-friendly biocides.
Multiple Late Pleistocene hominin fossils have been discovered at Maludong, southwestern China, which exhibit a mosaic of archaic and modern human traits, revealing high hominin diversity. To further investigate the regional variation of hominins during the Late Pleistocene in East Asia, this study presents a 3D geometric morphometric analysis of the Maludong frontal bone and mandibles. CT-scanned 3D models of Maludong frontal bone (MLDG 1704) and mandibular (MLDG 1679/1706) fossils were analyzed using 3D geometric morphometrics, alongside comparative 3D models of Pleistocene hominins and fossil/extant modern humans. The Maludong frontal bone and mandibular shape variation (MLDG 1706) fall within the range of variation observed in Late Pleistocene Homo sapiens and modern humans, exhibiting distinct modern human-like traits. Specifically, the frontal bone shows a reduced supraorbital ridge and a broad, globular frontal squama with greater curvature. The mandible displays a more vertical symphysis and a more elongated ramus. However, the MLDG 1679 mandible falls within the morphological range of Late Pleistocene Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, characterized by a shorter and more robust ramus. These findings indicate that the Maludong hominins share biological affinity with Homo sapiens, potentially reflecting broader evolutionary trends in modern human morphology. Meanwhile, the robusticity observed in these and other Late Pleistocene East Asian fossils highlights the wide regional craniomandibular diversity of East Asian hominins during the Late Pleistocene. This study thereby contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the morphological diversification and the complex evolutionary history of Late Pleistocene hominins in East Asia.
Ethnographic museums are increasingly visited as cultural tourism destinations, yet their exhibition design remains predominantly visual, overlooking the potential of smell to shape tourists' emotional engagement, memory, and well-being. While smellscape research has grown in environmental psychology, a process-oriented model explaining how visitors perceive and interpret culturally-coded odors in museum settings is still lacking. This study aims to investigate the cognitive-affective process underlying tourists' smellscape perception in an ethnographic museum and to construct a theoretical model that explains how olfactory experiences influence cultural meaning-making and behavioral responses. Adopting a constructivist grounded theory approach, we integrated participatory smell-walks with in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from 120 visitors at the Yunnan Ethnographic Museum (China). All participants completed a smell-walk and survey; 30 participated in follow-up interviews. Analysis followed open, axial, and selective coding using NVivo, with member-checking and researcher triangulation ensuring rigor. The analysis yielded a five-category theoretical model: (1) Smell Perception-detection and description of odors; (2) Smell Association-cognitive links to behaviors, memories, and environments (behavioral, subjective, perceptual, environmental); (3) Smellscape Evaluation-assessments of intensity, appropriateness, preference, safety, and harmony; (4) Environmental Expectation-desires for authenticity, atmospheric resonance, and emotional engagement; and (5) Cultural Export-potential for heritage innovation and enhanced tourist experience. The model delineates a dynamic pathway from sensory input to meaning-making and behavioral outcomes. This study provides the first grounded theory model of smellscape perception in an ethnographic museum from a tourism perspective. It advances sensory tourism research by demonstrating how strategically curated smellscapes can deepen emotional engagement, strengthen cultural memory, and enhance visitor well-being. The findings offer an evidence-based framework for designing multisensory heritage experiences that move beyond visual-centric practices, with direct implications for museum management and destination marketing.
The isotopic composition of strontium n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) provides important information relevant to earth, life, food, archaeological and anthropological sciences. To determine accurate n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) isotope ratios, it is necessary to perform instrumental isotopic fractionation (mass bias) correction, which is a popular metaphor for isotope ratio calibration. Despite the importance of calibration in n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) analysis, experimental studies which critically evaluate the accuracy of conceptually different calibration methods remain scarce. Therefore, this work 1) investigates if n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) isotope ratios differ depending on the calibration method used and 2) discusses whether these differences might impact the outcome of a study on past human mobility. This work compares n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) results of the same physical sample, which were determined using internal calibration (internal mass bias correction) and external calibration (standard-sample-bracketing) in a large sample set. Reference materials and environmental samples showed consistent results, while 66 % of investigated tooth enamel samples showed significantly different n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) isotope ratios depending on the calibration method used. In-depth evaluation ruled out sample preparation or measurement errors. Instead, internal calibration delivered biased results, because the δ(88Sr/86Sr)SRM987 values in the affected samples deviated by more than -0.60 ‰ from the - assumingly constant - reference value. The bias amounted up to 0.00043 and was 2-times larger than theoretically predicted. Ultimately, using internally calibrated n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) data, led to false classification of 6 % of individuals in a provenance study focusing on past human migration. In contrast, external calibration yielded accurate data leading to classification results that were in alignment with existing knowledge on the population under investigation. This work empirically confirms theoretical considerations that the traditionally used calibration method in n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) isotope ratio analysis i.e.; internal calibration can produce significantly biased data. Moreover, it shows for the first time that the choice of calibration method has an impact on the outcome of a provenance study. Therefore, future investigations should use a more reliable calibration method in case high accuracy n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) isotope ratios are needed. External calibration via standard-sample-bracketing represents an attractive option.
Understanding the role of microbiota on stone surface is essential for developing effective grottoes conservation strategies. However, the ecological feature of microbial communities on stone surfaces has been rarely investigated systematically. In this study, we explored diversity, assembly, and functional profiles of microbial communities on the red sandstone surface of the Leshan Giant Buddha from a microbial ecology perspective. The results show that Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Ascomycota are the dominant phyla. Fundamental metabolic pathways are maintained during the formation of visually distinguishable microbial communities, but gene profiles vary across microbial communities of different colors. Ecological modeling suggests that selective pressure from the harsh stone surface environment fostered the interplay of dispersal limitation and heterogeneous selection during community assembly. The assembly of visually distinct microbial communities is linked to a narrower ecological niche, a higher proportion of habitat specialists, and a sparser network structure. Microbial-mediated ammonium assimilation and nitrogen mineralization might be the two prominent processes that contribute to stone biodeterioration. This study deepens our understanding of the assembly mechanisms and functional potentials of microbial communities on stone cultural heritage surfaces, provides microbial ecological insights for the conservation of these cultural treasures.IMPORTANCEMinimal systematic research on the ecological interpretation of stone biodeterioration. This study reports dispersal limitation and heterogeneous selection shape the microbial community assembly responsible for the biodeterioration of red sandstone. Furthermore, fundamental metabolic processes of microbial communities, such as ammonium assimilation and nitrogen mineralization, are identified as contributors to stone biodeterioration. This study improves our understanding of microbial community assembly and their functional roles, providing a microbial ecological basis for developing effective strategies for the conservation of stone cultural heritage.
Fiber technology-including the making of cordages, mats, baskets, and textiles-holds a crucial place in human history. However, uncovering archaeological evidence of early fiber products proves challenging due to their rapid decay. To address preservation hurdles, we employ a multi-disciplinary approach to interpret microfiber remains, drawing on microfossil remains, usewear traces, ethnographic observation, and experimental archaeology, to study artifacts from two Upper Paleolithic Shizitan (SZT) site localities on the North China Loess Plateau, dating 28,000-18,000 cal BP, encompassing the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), on which we identify microremains of hemp and flax. Analyses of microfossil remains (microfibers, phytoliths, and fungi) and usewear traces on stone tools potentially reveal stages of bast fiber production, such as cutting stalks, retting, pounding fiber ribbons, and scraping to remove impurities. Such pounding and scraping are commonly associated with textile production in ethnographic accounts, and parallel evidence has also been observed on Neolithic stone tools in North China. Observations of colored fibers suggest SZT people may have extracted plant-based dyes and hematite pigment to color fibers. The cold-dry conditions of the LGM, which likely led to the depopulation of regions north of SZT, also may have driven increased fiber production, aligning with previously recognized shifts toward microblade production, broader interregional interactions, ritual activities, and broad-spectrum subsistence, including early wild millet use. This research provides new evidence for the deep history of fiber production in Upper Paleolithic China and demonstrates the value of usewear and microfossil analyses for studying ancient fiber technology.
This study aims to provide new insights into the morphological, biomechanical, and ecological adaptations of early modern humans in Northeast China through an integrated analysis of an Early Holocene humerus from Heilongjiang Province. A multidisciplinary approach is employed to assess the humeral structural and functional characteristics and to infer aspects of the individual's subsistence strategy. The partial humerus (specimen 23HLJ-H-Hm03) was analyzed using traditional osteometric measurements, computed tomography-based analysis of cross-sectional geometry, morphometric mapping of cortical bone thickness and second moments of area, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. The Heilongjiang humerus exhibits a relatively robust midshaft structure comparable to that of contemporary human fossils, along with diaphyseal and epiphyseal morphology features of anatomically modern humans. Morphometric mapping reveals diaphyseal reinforcement patterns aligned with those of other East Asian Upper Paleolithic humans, though the overall magnitude of reinforcement falls within the upper range of Late Upper Paleolithic modern human variation. Stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) indicate a predominantly C3-based diet derived mainly from terrestrial herbivores. The Heilongjiang humerus exhibits morphological affinities with Late Upper Paleolithic modern humans. Its relatively greater robusticity, coupled with isotopic evidence, supports the inference of a physically demanding hunter-gatherer lifestyle. This study enhances our understanding of modern human variation in East Asia during the Late Upper Paleolithic and offers preliminary insights into the biological and behavioral transitions across the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary in Northeastern Asia.
This study investigated the relationship between health information-seeking behavior (HISB), digital health literacy, and fear of COVID-19 among Greek nursing staff during the pandemic. Utilizing a cross-sectional design grounded in Wilson's Model of Information-Seeking Behavior, a structured questionnaire was administered to 120 licensed professionals at a regional general hospital. The primary objective was to examine how informational needs and literacy levels correlated with psychological responses, specifically the fear of the virus. Results indicated that nursing staff were highly motivated to seek information regarding COVID-19 treatments and patient protocols. Younger and less experienced staff favored official sources, such as journals and formal training. While overall levels of fear of COVID-19 were generally low, significant variations emerged based on demographics; male staff and those aged over 51 reported higher anxiety. Furthermore, fear of COVID-19 was found to be negatively correlated with satisfaction with available information. These findings emphasized the necessity of empowering digital health literacy and tailoring informational resources to mitigate fear and enhance professional preparedness during public health crises.
Stable isotope analysis has long been a key approach for reconstructing ancient human and animal diets and mobility in archaeology. Over the past four decades, and particularly during the past decade, isotopic datasets in China have expanded rapidly, creating a clear need for timely updates to comprehensive compilations. Existing compilations primarily focus on human bone carbon and nitrogen isotope data, while omitting animal and plant multi-isotope datasets, as well as strontium isotope records. In this study, we present the Isotope Dataset for Archaeological Biological Remains in China, the most comprehensive dataset to date. It compiles nearly 20,700 isotope measurements (1984-2026) spanning the Palaeolithic to historical periods across major cultural regions. The dataset integrates multi-isotope data (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, δ34S, and 87Sr/86Sr) from human and animal tissues (e.g., bone, dentine, enamel, hair) and plant remains, alongside archaeological, chronological, and geographic data. Chronological control is provided by radiocarbon dates, cultural chronology, and stratigraphic information; quality indicators (collagen yield, %C, %N, %S, C/N ratios, C/S ratios, N/S ratios) are recorded where available. Hosted on the open-access Zenodo platform, the dataset provides an up-to-date resource for cross-study and cross-regional comparisons of archaeological isotope data in China, supporting future sampling strategies.
The Yan Mountain Region (YMR), a transition zone between the Mongolian Plateau and northern China, played a pivotal yet understudied role in shaping the prehistoric East Asian genetic and cultural landscapes. Analyzing 42 ancient genomes (7700-4300 before present (BP)), focusing on the Early Neolithic Sitaimengguying (STM_EN) and Late Neolithic Jiangjialiang (JJL_LN) sites, we reveal the fine-scaled population history of the Neolithic YMR. We genetically link Early Neolithic YMR groups (Yumin and STM_EN) to the Early Neolithic Lake Baikal groups, in line with similar burial practices in the Lake Baikal region. JJL_LN individuals who belonged to the Late Neolithic Xiaoheyan culture were genetically heterogeneous reflecting an admixture between STM_EN-related groups and Yellow River farmers, and filled in an ancient genome sampling gap between the Hongshan and Lower Xiajiadian cultures. This study consolidates the idea of pre-pastoralist contact between the Eurasian steppe and northern Chinese agricultural societies and highlights the YMR as a key interaction sphere between the Yellow and West Liao River regions.