Provenance studies of Esie sculptural soapstone from southwestern Nigeria

A group of soapstone statues found near the village of Esie in southwestern Nigeria is one of the largest collections of prehistoric sculpture found in sub-Saharan Africa. The statues were found at Esie by people of the Igbomina sub-grouping of the Yoruba ethnic group when they settled in the Esie area some 300 years ago. The origin of the statues remains unknown. Several areas of soapstone in the Nigerian Schist Belt are considered as potential source areas for the Esie statues. Mineral assemblages, textures, and compositions of talc, cummingtonite, and chlorite from some of the statues suggest a source for the statue soapstone from the Agbonda area, the closest proposed source area to Esie. However, mineralogic data from one of the statues are unlike any of the proposed source areas. The result of our study, together with earlier studies of Stevens, Hambolu and Onabajo provides strong evidence that the soapstone statues were carved from local ultramafic rocks from Esie area.     

基于多元统计分析方法对一批中国南方和西南地区的古玻璃成分的研究

采用多元统计方法对四川、重庆、贵州、广西、广东地区出土的100余个古玻璃样品的化学成分数据进行了分析处理。结果表明:中国南方和西南地区的古玻璃制品主要由具有中国特色的铅钡硅酸盐玻璃和钾硅酸盐玻璃组成,可细分为五大系统类别:K2O CaO(~10wt%)SiO2系统、K2O SiO2系统、PbO BaO SiO2系统、PbO(~25wt%)BaO SiO2系统、CaO PbO(~40wt%)BaO SiO2系统。用因子分析探讨了我国汉代南方和西南地区的玻璃本地生产情况,表明该地区在汉代已经拥有自主生产古玻璃的能力。实验结果和实验数据处理方法对研究古代丝绸之路上古玻璃的生产和技术交流提供了新途径。     

Compositional Analysis of Ceramics from Goguryeo Fortified Sites in Central Korea

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the ceramics from the Goguryeo fortified sites of the Han River region in central Korea were manufactured and consumed locally during the southern expansion of the Goguryeo State (475–551 ce ). For this research, 88 ceramic samples from seven contemporary sites in the southern territories of Goguryeo were sampled and analysed by ceramic thin‐section petrography and neutron activation analysis (NAA). In addition, to establish a possible chemical fingerprint at Hongryeonbong Fort 2, five clay specimens were also gathered and analysed from the pottery firing structure. The results of this analytical study indicate that the majority of the ceramics from the Goguryeo fortified sites of central Korea were produced and circulated within this newly acquired region. In addition, it is highly probable that Hongryeonbong Fort, which contains the remains of what may be ceramic firing architecture, is the place of production for the ceramics.     

利用同墓葬出土泥芯、陶器示踪青同器铸造地初探 一以湖北襄樊部分东周墓为例

为研究出土墓葬青铜器铸造地,利用X射线荧光光谱法对湖北襄樊的余岗、沈岗、团山、陈坡四处墓地出土的部分青铜器泥芯、陶片进行测试分析,试验结果与山西侯马、武汉盘龙城遗址进行比较分析。对比研究显示,襄樊地区泥芯与当地墓土、陶片在常量元素上具有高度一致性,而与黄河流域的侯马和长江中下游的盘龙城有明显区别,说明襄樊地区这部分铜器应为本地铸造,暗示江汉流域存在自己特有文化。本项研究工作首次尝试利用同墓葬陶器化学成分探索青铜器铸造地,是泥芯研究青铜器铸造地的重要补充,泥芯和陶器相互配合,为青铜器铸造地研究提供了一种新思路。     

益门二号墓出土红色粉末的化学与矿物学性质

为了解宝鸡益门二号墓出土的红色粉末的化学组成及作用,使用X射线衍射仪和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)以其配备的能谱仪(EDS),对它们进行了分析研究。结果表明,此红色粉末为纯朱砂。它对墓藏中的尸体和棺木有防虫防腐的作用。     

宝鸡益门出土金柄铁剑镶嵌宝石的化学与矿物学特性

用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）及所配备的能谱仪（EDS）、X－射线衍射仪（XRD）对出土的三块宝石的化学及矿物学性质进行了分析研究,结果表明,其中两块宝石为金柄剑镶嵌宝石,其化学组成为绿松石,另一块宝石并非来自铁剑镶嵌物,具有正长石和钙长石的衍射谱图特征;绿松石加工制作过程曾使用了青铜工具进行表面打磨处理,说明我国在春秋时期已经开始使用青铜打磨工具。     

Chemical and lead isotope analysis of some lead-barium glass wares from the Warring States Period,unearthed from Chu tombs in Changde City,Hunan Province,China

In the context of the present study, we have conducted chemical and lead isotope analyses on twelve ancient glass samples unearthed from Chu tombs in Changde City, Hunan Province. The results of the chemical analysis of these samples show that all samples are PbO–BaO–SiO₂ glasses, thus indicating that they are all traditional ancient Chinese glasses. The chemical results also suggest that all Bi wares may either share a common source or were produced according to similar recipes. In turn, the eye beads are different from the Bi wares for their distinct chemical composition. The chemical results indicate that silica, lead-bearing material, barium-bearing material, and sodium/lime-bearing material are the main independent components of the raw materials employed in the production of these glass wares.