ON THE NUMBER AND SIZES OF ANIMALS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL FAUNAL ASSEMBLAGES

This paper presents a method for dealing with unpaired skeletal elements in order to approach the questions of (1) how many animals are represented in an assemblage; and (2) how large these individuals were. The method is designed for use with fish remains and can easily be extended to paired elements. It is shown how the interplay between the data appropriate to the solution of both problems may be compared in order to provide a method of verification of the results arrived at by standard methods of assessment of the minimum number of individuals.     

PHOSPHORUS ANALYSIS AT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: AN OPTIMIZATION OF THE METHOD AND INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS

The application of phosphorus analysis to archaeological contexts can be considerably improved through ultrasonic extraction and the statistical evaluation of results through an analysis of variance. Such tools make the archaeological application of phosphorus analysis faster as well as more economical and coherent. This paper describes the features of these tools and provides a practical case: the Late Neolithic—Early Copper phase of the site ‘Polideportivo’in Martos, southern Spain.     

徐国青铜器群综合研究

目次一徐国铜器铭文研究二徐国青铜器的组合、形制与纹饰特点三徐国青铜器的特点一徐国铜器铭文研究由于徐国史料的匮乏,徐国铜器铭文作为第一手资料,对研究徐国的历史文化有着至关重要的作用。20世纪30年代,郭沫若对徐国铜器铭文作了初步整理〔1〕,其《两周金文辞大系图录考释》收录七件具铭徐器。1990年代初,董楚平对徐国铜器铭文作了较系统的整理〔2〕,其《吴越徐舒金文集释》收录二十三件具铭徐器。两先生对徐国铜器铭文的整理工作值得充分肯定,但因相关条件的制约,他们未能充分利用考古学方法对徐     

NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS: AN OVERVIEW OF THE ITN NAA LABORATORY,PORTUGAL

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been applied to archaeological samples at the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI) since 1973, and the number of samples analysed has increased steadily since the mid‐1990s. Archaeometric applications of INAA at RPI include the analysis of archaeological ceramics and the stones used in monumental architecture (menhirs) and other historical monuments. A programme of analysis also exists for measuring the precision of and contributing to the certified values of geochemical reference samples. In addition, the study of interference factors is performed to obtain better accuracy in the determination of concentrations of some elements (e.g., corrections for spectral interferences from uranium fission products in the determination of barium, rare earth elements and zirconium).     

A FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL MODELING AND IMPACT ANALYSIS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY BY LARGE MUNICIPALITIES IN ONTARIO,CANADA*

ABSTRACT. We propose a mixed fixed and random coefficients framework for regional modeling. The framework allows the presence of both the region-specific effects and commonality of responses across regions. Bayes solutions for estimating parameters of interest and for generating predictions are derived. Within a Bayesian framework a predictive density approach to evaluate the impact of changes is suggested. We apply the methodology to evaluate the impact of new rate structures on Ontario regional demand for electricity.     

A LOW DILUTION,WAVELENGTH-DISPERSIVE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE PROCEDURE FOR THE ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL ROCK ARTEFACTS

A method is described for the analysis of archaeological rock artefacts which provides major and trace element data. Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) analysis of 2:1 fusion beads permits the accurate and precise measurement of a wide range of elements. Accuracy and precision are nominally 1-5% for elements having concentrations above 3 times the detection limit. The method requires a much smaller sample size than conventional WDXRF procedures and has been successfully used to characterise early millstones; a number of other applications in archaeology are suggested here.     

A NOTE ON THE DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL CERAMICS

Evidence is presented that the clay in ancient ware fired at a temperature below 700–800°C becomes rehydrated over the millennia, such that it behaves somewhat like an unfired clay, rendering DTA a useful tool in identifying the clay minerals present. More recent samples can be artificially rehydrated by heating in a steam autoclave.     

GEOMETRICAL FACTORS IN THE NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

In the neutron activation analysis of museum specimens, for which sampling is not permitted, corrections must be applied to measured activities to take into account the sample shape and its position relative to the detector. Correction factors are derived for samples of cylindrical shape such as segmented faience beads and a model technique is suggested for those of irregular shape such as flint and obsidian implements. These techniques used in gamma-ray spectrometry with lithium-drifted germanium detectors enable elemental concentrations to be determined from the measured count rates.     

THE HISTORY OF THE LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS PROGRAMME FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory pottery provenance group developed standards and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) methods that are used at many archaeometry laboratories around the world. The background and development of ‘Standard Pottery’ and of methods for INAA are described. Early pottery provenance studies are described, and other research programmes, involving obsidian and magmatic mixing, the origin of the stone used for the Colossi of Memnon, and the ‘Plate of Brass’, are mentioned. Research work by the Laboratory included the discovery of the world‐wide iridium anomaly and extensive subsequent research on what has come to be known as the ‘Asteroid Impact Theory’. Characteristics of the analytical programme for pottery provenance work, including overall aims, precision and accuracy, intercalibration, and irradiation and measurement protocols, are discussed. New research areas developed in the past 15 years, to broaden the usefulness of chemical compositional data for archaeological investigation, and examples of recent work, are described. This research, which makes use of high‐precision X‐ray fluorescence analysis in addition to INAA measurements on sample splits, includes distinguishing the products of different workshops located at the same production site, studies on the significance of the distribution of silver in archaeological pottery and the use of high‐precision chemical compositional data as an aid for making chronological distinctions.     

中国早期黄金制品的考古学研究

一引言黄金系人类较早利用的金属之一。它的出现稍迟于红铜和青铜,但早于白银。在金属中质料最为柔软。黄金比重19.32,硬度2.5-3,熔点1063C。因此它不像铜、铁那样,能够制造实用的兵器或工具。由于它本身的美观珍贵,光泽耐久不变,具有延展的特性,并易于加工,所以从上古以来便在世界范围内被视作神秘的贵重物品,主要用在装饰方面,或作为财富、权力的象征以及货币流通的价值尺度。     

EVALUATION OF THE APPLICABILITY OF CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR THE CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF WATERLOGGED ARCHAEOLOGICAL WOOD

A series of 112 waterlogged archaeological wood samples of different provenances, wood species, burial times and states of preservation were analysed with the aim of assessing the validity (in terms of limits and reliability) of procedures conventionally used in the pulp and paper industry, to evaluate the state of preservation of decayed wood. In particular, the extent of any damage wrought on decayed wood tissue by the repetitive cycles that characterize these procedures was evaluated as a function of the degradation of the samples. The results indicated that standard methodologies give reliable measurements regardless of the extent of wood decay. However, it is essential to compare these data with those of non‐decayed wood that has been measured using the same procedures to take account of the errors that are inherent in these methodologies and that affect measurements.     

QUANTIFICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF LIPID IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL CERAMICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR SAMPLING POTSHERDS FOR ORGANIC RESIDUE ANALYSIS AND THE CLASSIFICATION OF VESSEL USE

Organic residue analysis has been performed on 62 reconstructed vessels from a single archaeological site (Rounds, Northamptonshire, U.K.). In order to establish regions of lipid accumulation within a vessel, sherds were sampled from different parts of a vessel, for example base, body and rim, and submitted to lipid extraction procedures. The techniques of high-temperature gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were then used to analyse the sherd lipid extracts. The quantitative results obtained show differential accumulation and preservation of lipid in various parts of the same vessel. This latter observation has serious implications for the sampling of potsherds for organic residue analysis. Furthermore, the amount of absorbed lipid varies quite considerably between vessel types. On this basis, a new method is proposed for classifying vessel use by comparing the concentration of lipid present in different parts of individual vessels.     

AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF GEOTECHNICAL SOUNDINGS UNDER THE METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL,MEXICO CITY

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City has undergone alarmingly large differential settlings. An extensive geotechnical investigation programme was performed in its subsoil, as part of the studies required in an ongoing salvage project. The results of many of the soundings performed can be interpreted from the viewpoint of the archaeologist. This paper shows, based upon the framework provided by previous archaeological research performed in the cathedral, that the geotechnical investigations allow the unique opportunity of establishing hypotheses regarding the extent and distribution of some of the structures that existed in the ritual precinct of Tenochtitlan, as well as of its foundation.     

EVIDENCE FOR THE MIXING OF FATS AND WAXES IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL CERAMICS

Lipid residues from two Late Saxon/early medieval ceramic vessels recovered from excavations at West Cotton, Raunds, Northamptonshire, U.K., have been investigated by high-temperature gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The solvent extracts of sherds sampled from different points on each vessel (i.e., base, body and rim) were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively and compounds were identified which were characteristic of beeswax and animal fat. Furthermore, by determining the sites of accumulation of the specific lipid types and their concentrations in different parts of the vessels it can be inferred that the beeswax was added to the vessels prior to the addition of the fat. It was concluded that the two vessels performed different functions in antiquity.