An Initial Assessment of Prehistoric Ceramic Production and Exchange in Northern Yoruba,North Central Nigeria: Results of Ceramic Compositional Analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was employed on 201 ceramic and clay samples fromthe Igbomina region of northern Yoruba in Nigeria. Ceramic data were obtained from 13 settlement sites spread over four Igbomina localities whose dates range between A.D. 1400 and A.D. 1800, and five raw clay samples from riverbeds and modern potters located in the Igbomina culture area. Quantitative analysis of the INAA data resulted in identification of four ceramic compositional groups that can be attributed to specific locales within the region. These results indicate that ceramics were moved within and among various Igbomina geographic areas and villages as well Ilorin (a Yoruba center located northeast of Igbomina).Results generated from this analysis indicate the tremendous potential for examining regional interaction in Yorubaland immediately before and during the Old Oyo period (fifteenth to the eighteenth century A.D.), a time of sociopolitical and settlement change. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) a été utilisé sur 210 échantillons de céramiques et d'argiles provenant de la région Igbomina située au nord de Yoruba au Nigeria. Les données sur les céramiques proviennent de treize villages situés dans quatre endroits dans Igbomina dont les dates varient entre 1400 A.D. et 1800 A.D., et cinq échantillons d'argiles crues provenant des fleuves et des potiers modernes situés dans la zone culturelle d'Igbomina. L'analyse quantitative des données de l'INAA a pu identifier quatre composition de groupements céramiques qui peuvent être attribués à des endroits dans la même région. Ces résultats indiquent que les céramiques avaient été déplacées dans l'enceinte et parmi les différents villages et régions d'Igbomina aussi qu'en Ilorin (centre Yoruba situé au nord d'Igbomina). Les résultats obtenus de cette analyse indiquent le potentiel énorme d'un examen minutuex des interactions régionales dans le pays Yoruba dans les temps antérieurement et durant la période de l'Ancien Oyo (15ème au 18ème siècle A.D.), une période marquée par des changements socio-politiques.     

The Diet of Three Medieval Individuals from Caravate (Varese,Italy). Combined Results of ICP‐MS Analysis of Trace Elements and Phytolith Analysis Conducted on Their Dental Calculus

Teeth are in close contact with foodstuffs: phenomena such as caries and wear of the crowns are precious keys to gather information on diet and cooking techniques. Phytoliths are granules of hydrated amorphous silica, which are deposited in the oral cavity while chewing fruit and vegetables and incorporated into dental calculus during its formation. In diet investigation, different plants may therefore be related to specific phytolith shapes. Analysis of chemical trace elements, incorporated in dental calculus from ingested food and replacing small percentages of calcium in normal processes of resorption and redeposition, can further enrich the research on ancient diet. The aim of our work was to set up an analytical protocol, focalised on phytoliths and the inorganic elemental composition of dental calculus, on samples coming from medieval skeletons excavated in Caravate (Varese, Italy). The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analytical technique proved to be particularly suitable for such studies. The results suggested a diet based both on the consumption of carbohydrates (dicotyledons and monocotyledons such as the Poaceae, also known as Gramineae; and Coniferae) and on proteins, mostly derived from fish. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Marginalized Potters and Ceramic Compositional Groups: Neutron Activation Analysis of Contemporary Pottery from Tigray,Northern Highland Ethiopia

The study presents the results of neutron activation analysis (NAA) of contemporary pottery from Tigray Regional State, northern highland Ethiopia. This is the first regional-scale study of ceramic composition of Tigray’s pottery and is part of an ethnoarchaeological study of the material and social contexts of pottery production and consumption in Tigray’s Eastern (Misraqawi), Central (Mehakelegnaw), and North-western (Semien Mi’irabawi) zones. The analysis identifies clear compositional groups with strong regional patterns, an encouraging result for the use of NAA to study Tigray’s ancient pottery trade. Significantly, the study further contributes to discussions of how mutually constituted social identities of potters and consumers affect compositional patterning in the distribution of pottery in market networks.     

Decision-Making on Transport Infrastructure and Contested Information: A Critical Analysis of Three Approaches

Information is highly contested in virtually all decision-making processes on large infrastructure projects, leading to the delay or cancellation of projects. Contested information has two characteristics: uncertainty and ambiguity. The uncertainty of information refers to the lack of reliable knowledge about the characteristics and future effects of infrastructure projects. The ambiguity of information means that different actors have different (legitimate and valid) perspectives on the characteristics and effects of infrastructure projects. Information is contested if both uncertainty and ambiguity apply. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework based on different perspectives on rationality and the role ascribed to information in decision-making. We then use this framework to analyse three approaches aiming to deal with the contested nature of information. The analysis shows that none of the approaches can fully deal with the contested nature of information, because no practically feasible approach has yet been developed to effectively address the ambiguity of information. We end with a brief discussion of the possible responses to this finding.     

Choosing Not to Choose in Comparative Policy Research Design: The Case of the Research Network on Gender, Politics, and the State

This research note presents the research design for an in -progress comparative study on women's policy offices being conducted by the Research Network on Gender. Politics. and the State. The goal of this article is to examine how this project has been integrating a combined approach into its core research design. It argues that rather than conceptualizing the research design enterprise in terms of a zero-sum game, where a decision to use either quantitative or qualitative methodology compromises potential research findings, researchers may want to combine the strength of each approach in a single project.     

The Role of Theatre in Society: A Comparative Analysis of the Socio-Cultural Theories of Brecht,Benjamin, and Adorno

Abstract

This article analyzes the socio-cultural theories of Adorno, Benjamin, and Brecht through the lens of the theatre, most especially as it pertains to the work of actors. It explores the forces of capitalism that determine how art is produced, distributed, and consumed. Following Adorno’s reading of Marx, actors are here posited as commodities whose labor is separated from the product they create for public consumption. This commodification raises various questions: How does a market economy shape the production and consumption of art? What is technology’s function in the commodification of art? What is art’s sociopolitical role and how does it apply to theatre? To address these questions I juxtapose the cultural theory of Adorno and Benjamin with Brecht’s epic theatre. This comparison exposes the ritualistic potential of the theatre to bring an audience together as a community through sharing a socially enriching event.     

Stable Isotopic Analysis of Human Skeletons from the Sunhung Mural Tomb,Yeongju, Korea: Implication for Human Diet in the Three Kingdoms Period

This study reports the results of stable isotope analyses (carbon, nitrogen and sulphur) of human bone collagen from the Sunhung mural tomb from the Three Kingdoms Period of Korea (AD 300–668). The stable isotope data indicate that the main source of protein in the diet of the interred seven Sunhung individuals came from C₃‐based terrestrial resources, and there was an isotopic variation between individuals at this site. To investigate dietary patterns in the Three Kingdoms period, we compared our results with reported isotopic data from other southeastern Three Kingdoms sites (Imdang‐dong, Songhyeon‐dong and Yean‐ri). We found that the Sunhung individuals had similar isotope ratios to the people from these other sites. However, there was noticeable isotopic difference among individuals from each study site, although much of the dietary protein in each site was mainly from terrestrial sources. We propose that the most parsimonious explanation for this isotopic pattern is variation in social status during this time period. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Medieval/Early Modern Alpine Population from Zweisimmen,Switzerland: A Comparative Study of Anthropology and Palaeopathology

To date, anthropological comparative studies from Switzerland are rare. Therefore, this research aims to make a comparison between the alpine individuals from Zweisimmen (ca. 14th–19th), and 17 other rural and urban populations from Switzerland all dating to the medieval and early modern period. An osteoarchaeological analysis was carried out on the rural population of Zweisimmen, consisting of 134 skeletons. For each individual, the arm position and orientation were observed in the field, while preservation, representation, sex, age, stature, trauma and pathologies were recorded in the laboratory. These results were compared with data from published and grey literature in order to gain a better understanding of chronological and regional patterns in Switzerland. A chronological development was observed in the orientation, arm position and use of a coffin, which suggests a change in burial practices and beliefs throughout time. The demographic profile represents a natural mortality; however, children and especially neonates are underrepresented in this sample. Some individuals were buried in groups, suggesting simultaneous burial during a period of increased mortality. The palaeopathological findings suggest that the living conditions in rural alpine Zweisimmen were similar to those of other contemporaneous populations, as well as those living in an urban setting. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three statistical methods for sex determination in extant and fossil caprines: assessment of the Rupicapra long bones

Sex determination of fossil remains in archeopaleontological contexts is a necessary step in order to gain insights in archaeological and paleobiological parameters such as prey selection and sexual dimorphism. Species with higher sexual dimorphism are more reliably sexed while the sex determination of less dimorphic animals is not attempted. In this study, we compared the accuracy of three different methods in the sex determination of a modern known-sex sample of chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva) from the Cantabrian range (Northern Iberian Peninsula), which is a small-sized ungulate with low sexual dimorphism when compared to other animals in which sex determination has been attempted (i.e., Ursus spelaeus, Capra pyrenaica). The three methods applied were mixture analysis (MA), cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Within CA we applied three different analysis: one agglomerative hierarchical method (AH) and two optimal partitioning methods (k-means and robust k-means); and within PCA we applied normal and robust variants of the analysis.     

岭南铜提筒与江东原始瓷筒形器的比较研究——兼论百越文化视野下的提筒形器

岭南地区秦汉时期的铜提筒在当地越文化中具有代表性。江东地区西周春秋时期的墓葬或遗址中常出土一类带提耳的原始瓷筒形器,其造型独特,纹饰繁复,在尺寸、器形等方面与铜提筒多有相似之处。从浙江德清火烧山原始瓷窑址出土的一批标本器入手,对这一类筒形器重新进行类型学分析,然后就其主要的功能性因素与岭南铜提筒进行比较研究,可以明确二者的相关性,进而归纳出此类提筒形器在春秋以后南方各地出现的规律。该形制可能并非被动传播的文化因素,而是百越文化背景下各地的统治阶层在特定的社会历史环境中,为凝聚族群认同,维护统治利益,而对文化因素和器物形制作出主动选择和"策略性操控"的产物。     

规制缓和、结构调整与竞争效率——中日韩电力体制改革比较

本文以中国、日本、韩国电力体制改革实践为比较对象,从改革的起点、目标的选择、引入竞争的方式、电力监管、电力民营化、改革的成效几个角度进行了分析,力求得到一些对深化中国电力市场化改革有意义的启示。     

Sequencing Analytical Methods for Small Sample Dating and Dye Identification of Textile Fibers: Application to a Fragment from Seip Mound Group,Ohio

Examination of fibers from a colored fabric fragment from Seip Mound Group, Ohio, demonstrates the utility of sequencing analytical techniques: (1) minimally destructive pretreatment to remove humic acids followed by plasma-chemical oxidation, in preparation for accelerator mass spectrometric determination of radiocarbon age and (2) direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) of the pretreatment solution, for the determination of red colorants. Pretreatment followed by plasma-chemical oxidation provided the opportunity to date 3?mg of fiber using just 200?mcg of carbon. Examination of the pretreatment solution by DART-MS confirmed the composition of anthraquinones consistent with those from bedstraw root (Galium sp.). The date determined (1,805?±?35 B.P.) places the textile in the midrange of radiocarbon dates previously obtained for the Seip earthworks; identification of the dye plant shows that the Hopewell possessed a sophisticated knowledge of plants and their uses.     

三国西晋时期越窑青瓷的生产工艺及相关问题——以上虞尼姑婆山窑址为例

三国西晋的越窑青瓷,品质、器类、装饰皆臻于顶峰。同时,生产工艺也达到极高的水准。文章以尼姑婆山窑址为例,从龙窑与窑具、装饰、成型、修坯、上釉、烧成等多个方面,论述了越窑青瓷的生产工艺,认为装饰、模制成型工艺最能代表当时的水平。这些复杂工艺在东晋以后失传,与北人南迁破坏了当地的制瓷传统,从而导致窑业萎缩的历史背景密切相关。     

流官群体与十九世纪民族地方志描述视角的变迁--以乾隆、道光、光绪本《凤凰厅志》比较研究为例

19世纪是中南、西南许多少数民族接受流官统治100余年之后的一个世纪,也是少数民族调整文化结构、迎接新世纪挑战的一个世纪.在这很关键的一个世纪中,这些流官(中央派来的社会精英群体),他们对少数民族的看法发生了什么样的变化?他们又有着怎样的社会抱负?他们又将把少数民族导向何方?本文通过对19世纪民族地方志描述视角变迁的叙述,试图从一个侧面为这几个问题提供一些答案.     

Variability of Ceramic Production and Consumption on the Greek Mainland During the Middle Stages of the Late Bronze Age: The Waterpots from the Menelaion,Sparta

The article examines pottery groups manufactured in non‐Mycenaean traditions from the site of the Menelaion in Laconia (southern Peloponnese, Greece) during the middle stages of the Late Bronze Age. Pottery traditions are first defined using macroscopic study of surface and break features. Two distinct handmade traditions, and another one employing the wheel but with some links to traditional handmade pottery manufactured on the island of Aegina, were recognized and subjected to petrographic analysis. Its results confirmed that potters’ choices regarding clay preparation were different in the case of each identified tradition, being most distinct for the largest group of handmade undecorated water jars. The study highlights survival of pottery traditions with roots in the Middle Helladic period well into the Late Bronze Age, a fact that has not received appropriate attention in the scholarly discourse. It captures the very last stage of their existence, as just a few decades later the production and consumption are entirely dominated by Mycenaean pottery.     

重新审视中西比较史——《大分流：欧洲、中国及现代世界经济的发展》述评

一、标新立异《大分流》美国学者彭慕兰 (KennethPomeranz)的新著《大分流 :欧洲 ,中国及现代世界经济的发展》一经出版 ,即在学术界引起轰动 ,2 0 0 1年获得美国历史学会的费正清奖和世界历史学会年度奖 ,在国外 ,围绕着这本书和其他一些对中国史和世界史进行再评价的史学新著开展过多次讨论 ,在中国 ,这本书也正在引起越来越多的关注。何谓大分流 ?大分流的英文原文是“GreatDivergence” ,它有多种译法 ,已见之于报章的就有大分流、大分岔、大歧变、大裂变等 ,译者在听取学术界同仁意见后最终选定了“大分流”。1 8世纪在西欧发生的工…