Fieldwork Methodology in South American Maritime Archaeology: A Critical Review

In archaeology, data obtained from the analysis of material evidence (i.e., the archaeological record) from extensive excavations have been a significant means for the ultimate development of interpretations about human life in the past. Therefore, the methodological procedures and tools employed during fieldwork are of crucial importance due to their effect on the information likely to be recovered. In the case of maritime archaeology, the development of rigorous methods and techniques allowed for reaching outcomes as solid as those from the work performed on land. These improvements constituted one of the principal supports—if not, the most important pillar—for its acceptance as a scientific field of study. Over time, the growing diversity of sites under study (e.g., shipwrecks, ports, dockyards, and prehistoric settlements) and the underwater environments encountered made it clear that there was a need for the application of specific methodological criteria, in accordance with the particularities of the sites and of each study (e.g., the research aims and the available resources). This article presents some ideas concerning the methodologies used in South American investigations that have exhibited a strong emphasis on the analysis of historical shipwrecks (the sixteenth to twentieth centuries). Based on a state-of-the-knowledge review of these research projects, in particular where excavations were conducted, the article focuses on the details of the main strategies adopted and results achieved. The ideas proposed in this article can be useful as a starting point for future activities of surveying, recording, and excavating shipwrecks.     

The ROMACONS Project: a Contribution to the Historical and Engineering Analysis of Hydraulic Concrete in Roman Maritime Structures

Since all long-distance trade in the Roman world travelled by water, Roman harbour design and construction have special importance. Harbour excavation must be supplemented by analysis of the components of the hydraulic concrete, structural analysis of the cementing materials, and consideration of the design of the wooden formwork. The authors have begun collecting large cores from concrete blocks at Roman harbours and other maritime structures, analysing the materials used, the method of placement, and the structural characteristics of the resulting concrete. These data have provided new information on the engineering properties of Roman concrete, the process of funding and execution, and the trade in the volcanic ash which was the crucial component of hydraulic concrete.
© 2004 The Nautical Archaeology Society     

东平县"说唱水浒叶子牌"调查

早就听说在山东省东平县有一种民间娱乐的纸牌是唱着打的,颇感新奇.于是,我利用2006年8月19日至23日在东平参加"罗贯中与《三国演义》、《水浒传》国际学术研讨会"的业余时间,对这个有趣的民俗事象进行了调查.     

桥头村制陶工艺调查报告

一、桥头村基本情况桥头村位于江西省中西部地区,与湖南的茶陵交界,隶属吉安市永新县才丰乡管辖。村庄离永新县城大概有七八里路程。村后有连绵的丘陵,丘陵后面紧接着与井冈山原始森林相毗连,森林资源丰富。村前是一块直径三华里左右的盆地,盆地四面环山,只有一条涧水从东面弯弯曲曲地流出去,1958年大跃进的时候才沿着涧水修了一条沙子路通向外面。村西不远的地方有一个中型规模水库——洞口水库,涧水从水库流出,环绕着村庄,滋润着土地,使当地不受水旱灾害影响。这里气候宜人,春秋两季短,夏冬两季长,日照充足,雨量丰沛,属亚热带湿润气候,农作物生长很快。     

Remarks on British and Roman Urns

The parish church of St Andrew at Irnham in Lincolnshire possesses a richly carved stone monument dating to around 1340 which bears the arms of Sir Geoffrey and Agnes Luttrell, associated with the celebrated Luttrell Psalter. The form, imagery and function of this monument are problematical and are discussed first in order to create a context for an unusual aspect of its architecture, namely that its inner vault is a miniature copy, unique in this part of England, of the main vault of the choir of Wells Cathedral, a so-called ‘net’ vault. Amongst the reasons for such an unusual citation may be the existence in Somerset, in the diocese of Wells, of one branch of the Luttrell family at the time this monument was raised.     

Practitioner Perspectives on the use of Technology in Fieldwork Teaching

During the last decade, technological developments in computer hardware, software and networks, combined with increasing pressures on staff and students, have led to a proliferation of Communication and Information Technology (C&IT) within the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) disciplines. This research investigates the role of C&IT within field courses, which in this paper are conceived of as a specific approach to teaching in the GEES disciplines. Through a national survey of field courses, the general level of usage of C&IT in the field was established. This was supplemented by an expert group analysis, which focused on the reasons behind the use of C&IT in the field. It was concluded that most use of C&IT in the field is driven by technological rather than pedagogic innovation.     

International Perspectives on the Effectiveness of Geography Fieldwork for Learning

Much geographical scholarship on teaching and learning details the intellectual, technical and personal benefits stemming from residential field course offerings, reflecting characteristics of constructivist active learning. With the sustainability of these offerings in question given logistical and political issues, there is greater demand for changes in field course delivery and structure. This paper seeks to expand the range of pedagogical tools, contexts and ways in which geographical field experience can take place. It does so by reconceptualizing ‘the field’ based on the idea of ‘everyday life’ as a meaningful entry point within a classroom context, and as a space of learning in which students construct knowledge for themselves. An empirical investigation of student learning experiences explores the possibility of re-creating the benefits of residential field course offerings in a classroom-based field course.     

近年来国内关于美国对华经济遏制史研究述评

美国对华经济遏制史是亚洲冷战史的一个重要组成部分,它从经济角度解读冷战时期美国如何对社会主义中国进行遏制以配合美国亚洲冷战战略,从而服务于其全球冷战战略。相对于亚洲冷战史中的政治对抗、军事对峙、意识形态对立等问题的研究而言,我国国内对冷战史中关于美国对华经济遏制战略制定及实施的研究则起步较晚。随着改革开放和中国学逐渐走出国门,我国学在利用20世纪90年代美国国内新解密的件和西方学术界已有的研究成果的基础之上,在最近10年内取得了相当多的成果。