An interpretation of mosses found in recent archaeological excavations

Recent archaeological excavations at Vindolanda, Northumberland and at York have uncovered considerable quantities of bryophytic material. The mosses are considered here not in terms of their value to the archaeologist as indicators of prevailing environmental conditions but from an ethnological viewpoint. There is strong reason to believe that the mosses at both sites were deliberately harvested in large quantities and employed mainly for their bedding, packing, insulatory and absorbent qualities.     

Taphonomy and interpretation: An analytical framework for social zooarchaeology

Taphonomy is central to many attempts to address social questions from archaeological animal remains, especially where those questions relate to practices of consumption and deposition. Without a clear analytical framework for this purpose, however, results can verge on the anecdotal. Following a review of the structure of taphonomy, this paper presents just such a framework designed to isolate archaeologically relevant patterns of behaviour through a comprehensive, quantitative analysis of numerous taphonomic variables. The typical formation processes shaping zooarchaeological assemblages are grouped into five broad stages and considered in reverse chronological order, allowing the analyst to work backwards towards the ‘death assemblage’ while identifying evidence of cultural practices. Particular attention is paid to differences between taxa, context types, phases, etc., that cannot be explained in mechanistic terms. This process is illustrated with selected data from a wider study of the Vinča (late Neolithic) site of Gomolava, Serbia, tracing the identification of one particular set of depositional practices. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

汉阳陵馆藏“熊相胜胡”铜印印文的姓名学探析

本文通过对"熊相胜胡"铜印印文作姓氏与名两方面的考证,对此枚印章主人的籍贯和生活的时代有进一步的认识,为以后研究陪葬墓园的时代及墓主的身份,提供一定依据     

An alternative interpretation of the Ediacaran (Precambrian) chondrophore Chondroplon Wade

The genus Chondroplon, known from only 2 specimens worldwide, is re-interpreted as a deformed Dickinsonia.     

Household pottery disposal in the Maya highlands: An ethnoarchaeological interpretation

Depositional theory concerns the relationship between depositional behavior and material culture. The ethnoarchaeologist has the opportunity to study this relationship in ongoing communities. Some understanding of the content and spatial patterning of discarded material culture, in terms of the predictability of and major behavioral factors contributing to different disposal patterns, is of particular interest to the archaeologist, who must base most sociocultural interpretations on artifact assemblages composed primarily of discarded items. In terms of the Maya household, pottery disposal can be viewed as an evolutionary process, composed of sequentially derived assemblages. These assemblages comprise a use and reuse assemblage (i.e., the basic household inventory), a disposal assemblage, an abandonment assemblage, and finally an archaeological assemblage. Variability in the behavioral factors that affect assemblage change can significantly alter the spatial patterning and condition of the vessels in the pottery inventory of a given household unit. Emphasis is placed on the possible confusion of depositional patterning within household activity areas, and the nature of distinguishable feature-related, disposal patterns within household compounds.     

An interpretation of Finnish religious nationalism: the four topoi of theological depoliticisation

ABSTRACT. The topic of this article is the relation between ‘politicality’ and theology in the discourse of Finnish religious nationalism during the Winter War of 1939–40 and the Continuation War of 1941–44. I shall draw on the ideas of Kari Palonen and Anthony D. Smith in attempting to thematise theological depoliticisation as an intrinsic element of religious nationalism. Also, I will elaborate its political significance in the Finnish context, where the role of traditional religion in the general development of nationalist thought has been particularly important. The specific focus is on how prominent representatives of the Finnish clergy related to war and nationalist claims in general. My interpretation is that their arguments were drawn from what I call the topoi of theological depoliticisation, which, at the same time, rendered the discourse extremely political.     

Property and personal development: An interpretation of T.H. Green's political philosophy

This paper considers T.H. Green's theory of property in relation to recent studies of late nineteenth and early twentieth century liberal democratic thought. It is argued that neither the ‘Marxist’ spectacles worn by C.B. Macpherson nor the ‘Whiggish’ ones of Melvin Richter, Peter Clarke and Stefan Collini produce very clear or accurate images of Green's political philosophy. Macpherson's Green appears on close examination as yet another possessive individualist, while the ‘Whigs’ take a turn of the century standpoint and describe Green as holding positions that are ambivalent and fit awkwardly into the categories of individualism/ collectivism. In the remainder of the paper it is argued Green's property theory is best understood by focussing on his interest in the relationship between social life and personal development. By drawing on Green's published and unpublished writings it can be shown that Green's idea of personal development could be expressed in other language than that of economic individualism and that it cut across the individualist/collectivist categories in terms of which it is often discussed.     

对马克思主义时代化的深层解读

马克思主义是时代的产物,它所具有的实践精神、方法论的普遍意义和对人的终极关怀,使其能够超越时空的局限,实现马克思主义时代化。马克思主义时代化是一个动态的发展过程,呈现出坚持与发展的统一、世界性与民族性的交融等基本特征。     

The farmer interpretation of Danish history

This paper is an overview of the Anglo‐Icelandic fishery disputes from 1952–1976. Its main emphasis is on the negotiations between the British and the Icelandic governments but it also addresses other aspects of the disputes, such as the effects they had on Iceland's relations with NATO and the United States and the effect on the balance of power between the Eastern and Western bloc in the North‐Atlantic.     

The conundrum of castration in the archaeological record: An interpretation of Roman cattle horn-cores from Chelmsford,Essex

Current methods of sexing archaeological cattle bones, in particular the metapodials, are based upon past research into contemporary breeds and this work embraces a limited sample size, spread across a vast geographical area. Although the separation of cows and bulls is not in question, there appears a great deal of subjectivity in the literature concerning the identification of castrated beasts. Living bone is in a dynamic state of equilibrium with the rest of the body and responds to increased loading, that is, an increase in weight of the beast or stress/strain through strenuous movement, by remodelling. If cows and oxen are performing the same work, as for example in ploughing, then loading on the bones will be similar. These bones will thus respond by remodelling in corresponding fashion, and hence any morphological and metrical distinctions will be clouded. Horn-cores are less subject to these constraints, although in some cultures there may be loading on these bones, for example through attaching the harness to the horns for ploughing. The Chelmsford cattle horn-cores constitute waste from some industrial activity and it is argued in the text that horn-working is the most likely candidate, together with possibly tanning. Sexing of the bones strongly indicated male animals, with few females being present. A procedure for detecting castrated cattle (oxen) is presented, the results of which suggest an equivalent ratio of oxen to bulls.     

The challenges facing forest interpretation

Abstract

The article examines the development of forestry interpretation programmes in Cumberland State Park, near Sydney, Australia. The programme seeks to conserve the environmental resources by raising community awareness of the issues. The aim is to empower the greater community to take responsibility for its own actions and its effect on the environment.