Self-reflection,Egyptian Beliefs,Scythians and “Greek Ideas”: Reconsidering Greeks and Barbarians in Herodotus1

This article addresses the debate between Afrocentrists like Martin Bernal and classical scholars such as Mary Lefkowitz and Robert Palter concerning the origins of ancient Greek civilization. Focusing on the first half of Herodotus’ Histories, I argue that, although Greek cultural developments can be attributed to the Greeks themselves, Herodotus indicates that the conditions that made these developments possible were due to the prior Greek absorption of important aspects of Egyptian religion. Herodotus shows that the Greeks learned from the Egyptians to individualize their gods and to appreciate the humanity of women. This Egyptian influence, Herodotus suggests, is what allowed the Greeks, in contrast to the Scythians, to become an object to themselves within the context of stable city life. I conclude that this habit of self-reflection is the source of the uniquely Greek contribution to the art, philosophy, science and politics of the West.     

The composition of the copper alloys used by the Greek,Etruscan and Roman civilizations 1. The Greeks before the archaic period

This paper is the first of four parts dealing with the composition of copper alloys used in the classical world. In this paper there is a discussion of previous analytical work and the use to which the analytical data may be put.For published compositional analyses to be of use it is essential that details of the sampling, analytical procedure and standard deviation of the results be reported. The reasons for this are discussed in detail with examples from literature where failure to do this has made the interpretation of the reported analytical results difficult if not impossible.In this part of the work the composition of about 300 Bronze Age and Geometric Greek bronzes are reported. The data are arranged chronologically within broad limits, and further subdivided typologically. There is a discussion of the results of each group from which it is possible to discern trends in metal composition. The composition of individual objects is also discussed where it is of importance or unusual.     

From commodity to money: The rise of silver coinage around the Ancient Mediterranean (sixth–first centuries bce)

The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. The clear relationships observed between ¹⁰⁹Ag/¹⁰⁷Ag and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb reflect the mixing of silver ores or silver objects with Pb metal used for cupellation. The combined analysis of Ag and Pb isotopes reveals important information about the technology of smelting. The Greek world extracted Ag and Pb from associated ores, whereas, on the Iberian Peninsula, Carthaginians and Republican‐era Romans applied Phoenician cupellation techniques and added exotic Pb to Pb‐poor Ag ores. Massive Ag recupellation is observed in Rome during the Second Punic War. After defeating the Carthaginians and the Macedonians in the late second century bce , the Romans brought together the efficient, millennium‐old techniques of silver extraction of the Phoenicians, who considered this metal a simple commodity, with the monetization of the economy introduced by the Greeks.     

Rediscovering famous assemblages: A rare Bronze Age crucible from El Argar,Spain

A rare open shallow crucible from the British Museum collection, excavated at the Bronze Age site of El Argar in south-east Spain by Louis and Henri Siret, was studied using X-radiography and scanning electron microscopy. The crucible has relatively thick walls, a spout and a non-refractory fabric. It was used for melting copper alloys for various possible purposes, such as alloying, refining, recycling or before casting, at around 1100°C. Both arsenic and tin were detected in various places and concentrations in the analysed specimens. This crucible could have been used during the period of transition from arsenic-rich copper to tin bronzes in the El Argar culture, or used for the recycling of arsenic-rich copper artefacts being alloyed with tin to produce tin bronzes. This melting crucible is a rare example of its kind to have been investigated scientifically, as most crucibles from contemporary sites on the Iberian Peninsula are generally associated with smelting. This study has also crucially shed more light on the types of alloys and variety of activities undertaken during that transitional period between the use of arsenical copper and tin bronzes in this region.     

Vagantibus Graeciae fabulis: the North African wanderings of Antaios and Herakles

The myth of Antaios and Herakles emerged from the encounter between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean. This article explores two parallel courses of the myth's progressive development. One is geographical, with the myth travelling from east to west (from Kyrenaika, through Tunisia, to Tangier). The other unfolds within the plot itself: at first Herakles stands for the Greeks (and later the Romans), while Antaios embodies the indigenous Libyans. However, shifting political circumstances also allow for the (conjectural) identification of Greeks with the figure of Antaios, and a (certain) equation of Libyans with Herakles. On the whole, the history of the myth from the seventh to the first centuries BCE reflects the development of a politically and culturally coherent Mediterranean over the same period, from the first Greek settlers in Libya to the Mediterranean empire of Augustus.     

咸阳龚西战国秦墓出土铜壶制作工艺研究

咸阳龚西战国秦墓出土的青铜器为研究战国时期秦青铜容器的铸造技术提供了重要实物资料。本文对龚西战国晚期秦墓M8出土的两件铜壶,通过表面观察结合X光摄像考察其制作工艺痕迹,利用金相显微镜、扫描电镜能谱分析等手段开展成分及显微结构分析,揭示两件铜壶壶身及表面装饰的制作工艺、材质特征。结果显示,两件铜壶均为铸造,器底和铜环预先铸好后置于范中,与器身铸为一体。器身和器底均为铅锡青铜(铜锡铅三元合金),但成分有一定差异,镶嵌的装饰金属片为高铅青铜。铜壶的器底分铸工艺和高铅青铜镶嵌工艺为古代青铜器制作工艺研究提供了重要的新材料。     

Heirs to Byzantium: identity and the Helleno-Romaic dichotomy amongst the Istanbul Greek migrant community in Greece

Abstract

The Istanbul Greek migrant community resident in Greece exists in the space between two homelands and two identities, expressed in the dichotomy between the Hellenic and the Romaic. The migrants exploit this flexibility and ambivalence in Greek identity to contextually navigate a range of social pressures – diaspora, discrimination, alienation, and even financial collapse. At times they pursue assimilation with their host population as the most Hellenic of the Hellenes, whilst at other times they assume a Romaic identity to distinguish themselves from the mainland Greeks. Deploying an identity rooted in Byzantium, the Istanbul Greeks are able to be Greek but more than simply Hellenic.     

The Technology of the Early Oakhurst Lithic Techno-Complex from Klipdrift Cave,Southern Cape,South Africa

The analysis of the lithics recovered from the layers dating between cal bp 10,700 and cal bp 13,700 at Klipdrift Cave, southern Cape, South Africa, provides new information on the Oakhurst techno-complex. A comparison with contemporary sites such as Matjes River Rock Shelter indicates not only technological similarities, but also unexpected differences. The Klipdrift Cave Oakhurst shares many characteristics typical of this techno-complex from the southern Cape, for example, in the dominance of quartzite, irregular and unstandardised flakes; the occurrence of irregular cores; and typical large side and end scrapers. It differs from most coastal Oakhurst sites however, in the more intensive exploitation of quartz, and the presence of a blade component, especially in the lowermost layers. Palaeoenvironmental data, derived from stable isotope analysis of ostrich eggshell, suggest that it was dry in this region during this time period. This was partially a result of the colder conditions that prevailed during the Younger Dryas. The lithic technological production techniques are stable at Klipdrift Cave during the period that the site was occupied from cal bp 13,700 to cal bp 10,700. Our data suggest that the lithic technology did not change in response to possible climatic variability.     

Fuel Efficiency of Ancient Copper Alloys: Theoretical Melting Thermodynamics of Copper,Tin and Arsenical Copper and Timber Conservation in the Bronze Age Levant*

The melting of pure or alloyed copper, tin and arsenical copper ingots or recycled objects was a drain on the timber and dung fuel resources of many cultures. This paper suggests formulae grounded in thermodynamic principles in an attempt to estimate the energy requirements necessary to melt copper alloys common to both Old and New World cultures, with the goal of identifying consumption and conservation patterns. It has been suggested that tin bronze metallurgy was first adopted in the Levant during the Early Bronze Age (EB) IV, at the onset of the Late Holocene climate episode (c.2300–2000 bc ), becoming the most desired alloy by the Middle Bronze Age (MB) II (2000–1530 bc ) due to the ease of melting tin. To test this hypothesis, the formulae are applied here to all published Levantine EB IV – MB II copper alloys. Fuel conservation rates are proposed based on the thermodynamic formulae. Tin bronze is demonstrably more fuel efficient than pure copper. Due to the inherent difficulties in predicting the behaviour of arsenical copper compounds, it is suggested that melting experiments with representative alloys are conducted to further test and refine these energy relationships.     

Late horizon silver,copper, and tin from Machu Picchu,Peru

Analyses of silver–copper alloy artifacts from Machu Picchu show silver contents ranging from 24 to 81%. The tin present, ranging up to 3%, originated with the copper, perhaps from admixture of recycled bronze. The presence of 0.4–0.9% lead in the silver-rich phase indicates use of silver prepared by cupellation. All the objects had been forged after casting, some extensively. All have surface enhancement of the silver arising from depletion of the copper-rich phase. Some of the tin found at the site contains inclusions of hardhead (FeSn₂) and of a nickel–arsenic–copper compound. Forming trials with duplicate silver–copper alloys show that intermediate anneals at temperatures between 500 and 600 °C facilitate making thin sheet artifacts. Mechanical tests show that the most commonly used alloys, containing 25–30% silver, are particularly well adapted to forging because of their uniform work hardening during plastic deformation. Annealing of the laboratory-made alloys in air followed by boiling in salty weak acid creates a silver-rich surface layer comparable to that found in the artifacts. Depletion forms a dense silver surface on the alloy containing more silver than the eutectic composition, but a porous surface layer on the 25% silver alloys.     

Sewn hulls and self-defence

Evidence is mounting, with wrecks and representations of the 6th and 7th centuries BC, to suggest that EtruscanlItalian maritime traditions were different from those practiced by the Greeks. This technology affected both the design and assembly of inechant vessels, and also modes of naval armament. While some vessels of the 7th century already carried foresails others were built with a high-set, knife-like ram on the prow to counter the waterline rams of Greek longships.     

山东新泰出土同心圆剑首连接技术研究

山东新泰周家庄出土了东周时期大量带有吴国特征的兵器,其中尤以青铜剑最具特色。为探讨东周同心圆剑首与剑茎的连接方式和连接结构,采用X射线探伤机、CT检测了3把同心圆首剑。检测结果显示3把同心圆首剑采用了2种铸造技术,即浑铸技术、铸接技术。其中2把铸接的同心圆首剑分别用2段式和3段式铸接成形。文章首次用CT清晰地展示了2把铸接的同心圆首上设置的榫头形状及分布状况。讨论了古代同心圆剑首连接技术的多样性、灵活性,说明了当时青铜连接技术已经非常娴熟、高超。     

重庆彭水徐家坝遗址出土商周时期的船形杯功能研究

2009年,重庆彭水徐家坝遗址出土了一件船形杯,其用途到底是什么?学术界一直未有一个定论。本工作利用检测手段,从物质成分和结构方面揭示出徐家坝遗址出土船形杯的用途。扫描电镜能谱分析显示船形杯体中含有大量的Cu和Pb以及微量的Sn,杯体表层分离出来的铜块为Cu、Sn和Pb三元合金的铸造组织结构。同时,杯体表面青灰色残留物的X-射线衍射分析显示其中含有锡石(SnO2)、氧化铜(CuO)和碳(C)。实验数据表明巴人在商周时期已经了解到了青铜合金的性质,掌握了青铜冶铸技术,有力证实船形杯可以作为冶铸工具坩埚的观点。     

从奥林匹亚赛会看古希腊人的平等观念

平等的观念是古希腊人创办奥林匹亚赛会的基本理念之一,同时,奥林匹亚赛会也是这种观念在希腊社会生活中最集中的实现和展示。然而,我们发现,在奥林匹亚赛会的举办过程中,既表现出平等的一面,也存在着十分明显的不平等的一面。那么,这两个相互矛盾的方面之间是一种什么关系?二者为什么能够有机地结合在一起?本文以奥林匹亚赛会为主要参照系,结合希腊哲学家柏拉图和亚里士多德关于两种平等的思想,对其平等观念的内部结构做了一些尝试性的分析和思考。     

南诏大理国金属佛像制作工艺初探

为研究南诏大理国金属佛像的制作工艺,对部分金属佛像进行了科学分析,表明制作各种铜佛像时,主要使用失蜡铸造工艺,已使用多种金属元素作为材质,阿嵯耶观音像和其他铜像是以含砷的铜合金为特征,金质佛像的材质主要用金银合金,铸造小铜佛像则采用复杂的合金成分配比。根据铭文和绘画资料分析,这些金属佛像主要是大理本地的工匠制作。     

山东莱芜嬴城遗址炼铜渣初步研究

为了解山东地区早期冶金技术的发展情况,采用扫描电子显微镜分析等方法,对莱芜赢城冶炼遗址出土的3件炉渣进行了检测。结果表明其中2件为红铜还原渣,1件为砷铜熔炼渣。由此推测该遗址铜的还原可能存在两种工序,并且掌握了利用含砷矿物"点炼"铜液得到砷铜的技术。遗址所利用的铜可能来自于北江水铜矿,砷可能来自于鲁中山区,炉渣所属的时代应与遗址出土的商周青铜器年代相近。     

Greek Trade in Iberia: The Extent of Interaction

Traditional research has looked at Greek trade in Iberia from a diffusionist standpoint: the Greeks would have been the major agents of cultural change. It was still accepted that this constituted a direct, inevitable, substantial and transformative action on an eminently receptive and passive society. In this paper we question the true extent and weight of Greek trade in the cultural transformations which occurred in Iberia during the 6th to 4th centuries BC. Our proposition in this paper is to define and determine the extent of the process of interaction brought about by Greek trade. In our opinion, there was never absolutely decisive Greek-Iberian interaction in the development process: it was led by internal forces.     

The Translation of the Scriptures and the Ecumenical Patriarchate: The Translation Efforts of Hilarion of Tirnovo

Abstract

In the beginning of the nineteenth century, Constantinople continued to be the intellectual and religious centre of the Greeks despite rival flourishing educational and economic centres in such cities as Smyrna, Kydonies (Aivali), and Chios. Moreover, it was the ‘national’ centre of the Greek people. It was natural, therefore, that the subject of a new translation of the Scriptures, a project affecting all Greeks, should have arisen once more in the Ottoman capital.     

Entangled allegiances: Ottoman Greeks in Marseille and the shifting ethos of Greekness (c. 1790–c. 1820)

Abstract

An attempt is made here to consider ‘the Greek experience of Ottoman rule’ beyond the frontiers of the Empire itself, by focusing on the resilience of the Ottoman aspect of collective identity among the Greeks in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Marseille. Beyond the classic questioning of political, social and cultural categories and labels, this article makes a plea for taking this resilience seriously, as part and parcel of a broader process of identity formation in a diaspora context. Making the case for a richer and more complex analysis of the phenomenon of ‘entangled identities’ among the Greeks in Marseille, some suggestions are made for what this claim might bring to the analysis of identity formation in the context of diaspora communities.     

The Interplay of Spirit in Greek Island Dancing

Values of honourable courtship are expressed in dance and this paper is an ethnographic reconstruction of a Greek island dance called the sousta practised on the Dodecanesian island of Rhodes during the interwar period (1925–1940). Its performance was a dynamic interplay of gender roles that mediated romance and moved the performers toward the resolution of marriage. The aim of the paper is to elaborate on values ascribed to men and women during the occasion of dancing at a village wedding in southern Rhodes. The interplay of grace (hari) and honour (timi) will locate why and how men reveal through hari and why women are concealed through timi during the dance performance.