青海的家羊和野羊

岁月进入21世纪的第二个羊年,人们又多了一份对羊的期盼,议论最多的是羊年的羊是绵羊还是山羊。在青海老百姓眼里,还有那些过着野外生活的黄羊。在青海高原,到处是羊的世界,有人类生活的地方,都有家羊的影子,在没有人类生活的地方,是野羊的天堂。青海这片古老的高原,家养羊的历史有五千多年了。青海是中国最早家养绵羊的地方。据中国社会科学院考古研究发现,距今约5600至5000年前,中国最早的家养绵羊出现在青海一带,以后逐渐向甘肃和黄河上游地区的东部传     

青藏高原观云记略——关于云的变幻和晴雨的回忆

积雨云——喇叭吹响蘑菇丛生 “这个野花叫‘Biu·Biu’,小时候经常玩,”藏族小伙尕玛对我说,“你看,把它揪下来可以当喇叭吹。”话音未落,那朵野花已经被尕玛叼在嘴里,用力吹响——名副其实的“Biu·Biu”,那声音不像喇叭一般嘹亮,而是沉闷干涩的响动。一朵路边的野花,先端如盘,末尾细长似管子——以植物学的视角看来,那是一种名叫“管花马先蒿”的植物,青藏高原常见的野花——不嘹亮的喇叭声吹响之后．藏族小伙抬起头望向天边,目光茫远。“小时候的玩具？”我问尕玛道,“就当喇叭吹吗？”“我阿爸不许我吹,我就偷偷吹,”尕玛回忆起往昔,脸上带着略显得意的神色,“这个,吹完以后会下雨的。阿爸说这个喇叭能把雨叫过来。”     

倾听古战场的悲鸣——讲述“楚河汉界”的前世和今生

广武涧就是中国象棋盘上的“楚河汉界”;也就是人们常说的、无法逾越的“鸿沟”。它真实的遗址,就在文物数量领先的河南。广武涧现宽800米、深200米,涧内有鸿沟村,西边是汉王城,东边为霸王城。汉高祖4年,刘邦和项羽以此为界,形成中分天下的局面。今天的黄河水,几乎将汉王城吞噬殆尽,并威胁着霸王城。隐藏在历史一角的广武涧,真的有些落寞。它和所依赖的广武山土丘,被飘忽不定的黄河水逼迫着,渐渐失去原有的领地。以致今天,当我临沟凭空,搜寻“鸿沟”曾经的宏伟和霸气时,才发现,黄沙遍野的天地间,惟独覆盖着黄河水气的苍莽,而脚下那条征尘满…     

瘦西湖水道的前世今生——兼谈地名层次和文化层次

<正>瘦西湖是一条水道,总长约4.5千米,水道窄处只有13米,最宽处仅116米。现在人们所说的“瘦西湖”还包括沿着这条狭长水道两岸建成的园林群。水道从明清扬州府城西北角城濠曲折绵延至北郊蜀冈,园林也随着曲折的水道“一路楼台直到山”。瘦西湖水道中含有邗沟的一部分,故自古以来与运河连通,被视为大运河的内城支流。2014年,瘦西湖作为中国大运河的一个遗产点,被列入世界文化遗产。     

论岷江上游石棺葬的文化性质

岷江上游位于四川西北部的阿坝藏族羌族自治州,属于青藏高原东部边缘地带。这一地区不但是西南地区石棺葬发现最早的地区,也是目前西南地区发现的石棺葬分布最为密集、数量最多的地区。如果要对西南地区的石棺葬进行深入研     

诗意自然——自然的人性和人性的自然

带着诗意的眼睛,看到的一定是美。很多天以来,我一直回味这句话。当我们走进普洱古茶园,诗意自然扑面而来。古茶园是美的,因了自然之性和人性的自然。从青藏高原发源,澜沧江一路奔跑,直抵老挝、泰国……汇入南海。就在高山深谷的中间地带,一片片原生树林郁郁葱葱、带着野性挥洒。与澜沧江一路奔跑的,还有来自高原的古羌族先民、世居本地的古濮祖先民,以及来自南方的古越先民。当他们最终停留在澜沧江两岸,他们就在森林里种下古茶树,并用了千年来守护古茶树的神性。     

生态环境对史前文化的影响和中国史前文化的三个过渡地带

一、生态环境对史前文化的影响中国地理形势的特征是西高东低,地形复杂多样。根据地形高度的变化,自西向东可以分为三级阶梯:青藏高原平均海拔4000米以上,是第一级阶梯;青藏高原以北、以东,地形下降到2000~1000米以下,构成了第二级阶梯;大兴安岭、太行山、巫山及云贵高原东缘一     

The Archaeology of Al-Andalus: Past,Present and Future

Abstract

THIS PAPER PRESENTS AN OVERVIEW of the archaeology of al-Andalus (the Arabic name for Islamic Spain and Portugal), from its beginnings in the late 1970s to the present day. Innovative approaches and challenging theoretical stances made the archaeology of al-Andalus the spearhead of medieval archaeology in Iberia between the 1980s and 1990s. A problematic, and often conflicting, relationship between archaeology and history has characterised medieval archaeology in Spain since its inception, however, and a new awareness of these problems is emerging. This paper reviews past and current attitudes to such challenges and reflects on the future needs of the discipline. It also reflects on the politics of archaeology and on the role of medieval archaeology in revealing social change, which has until now been underrated.     

British Muslims: Past,Present and Future

Abstract: Around the European Union, the implication by large sections of society is that there is something intrinsically different about Islam that makes it difficult to integrate Muslims into European societies. Some of these sections of society are non‐Muslim, and are reluctant to allow such integration to take place; others are Muslim. These sentiments raise a number of issues relating to plural identities and their compatibility with modern day Europe and Islam, with such issues finding variable expressions in member‐states. The British example represents an illustrative case study, having a long history of interaction with Muslims and being the home of a large Muslim population. History bears witness that in terms of religious diversity, the U.K. was never a monolithic society based on a monoculture. From the Middle Ages until the beginning of the twentieth century, there is strong evidence to show that there was, at the least, British contact with Muslims. In Britain, just as all over Europe, Islam has a long lineage: “For British Muslims, the past does not have to be ‘another country.’”     

Agency and Archaeology: Past, Present, and Future Directions

In light of the growing social scientific interest in agency theory, this paper sets out to examine and critically evaluate recent approaches to agency within archaeology. To this end, the paper briefly outlines the foundational theories of Pierre Bourdieu and Anthony Giddens before turning to discuss the central themes and issues that emerge from some of the more influential contemporary approaches to agency within archaeology. Drawing from these differing approaches, this paper seeks to establish conceptual clarity in archaeological thinking about agency through a discussion of the importance of distinguishing between intentions, consequences, meanings, and motives when seeking to understand the situated subjectivities of historical actors.     

Now the Wars are Over: The Past,Present and Future of Scottish Battlefields

Battlefield archaeology has provided a new way of appreciating historic battlefields. This paper provides a summary of the long history of warfare and conflict in Scotland which has given rise to a large number of battlefield sites. Recent moves to highlight the archaeological importance of these sites, in the form of Historic Scotland’s Battlefields Inventory are discussed, along with some of the problems associated with the preservation and management of these important cultural sites.     

Iraq: Past,Present and Uncertain Future: a Review Essay

Dancing with Saddam: The Strategic Tango of Jordanian‐Iraqi Relations. David Schenker. Lanham, MD Dark Victory: America's Second War against Iraq. Jeffrey Record. Annapolis, MD Ignorant Armies: Sliding into War in Iraq. Gwynne Dyer. The Gulf War Chronicles: a Military History of the First War with Iraq. Richard S. Lowry. The Iraq War: a Military History. William Murray and Major General Robert H. Scales, Jr. The Iraq War: Hidden Agendas and Babylonian Intrigue, the Regional Impact on Shi'ites, Kurds, Sunnis and Arabs. Raphael Israeli. The Modern History of Iraq, 2nd. ed. Phebe Marr. Boulder The New Iraq: Rebuilding the Country for Its People, The Middle East, and the World. Joseph Braude.