News Notes

The paper surveys the Russian aluminum industry during the turbulent transition years of the 1990s, and updates developments to the current period. The focus is on primary aluminum production, with emphasis on the key topics of ownership and governance, output and performance, costs of production (dominated by energy and transportation), investments, technology, and alumina and bauxite inputs. Considerable attention is devoted to elucidating the corporate strategies of the two dominant Russian aluminum companies emerging by the end of the period—Rusal and SUAL. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F21, L61, L72. 1 figure, 4 tables, 79 references.     

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Abstract

Most parts of Israel were excavated intensively, and most of the country was also covered by surveys. Our knowledge of settlement patterns and distribution during the various periods is very comprehensive — probably more so than in any other region in the world. Using data from the numerous excavations and from the detailed surveys, many studies have made use of various and sundry methods, in order to learn about the settlements and the population of the country, about changes in settlement patterns and distribution, and about periods of crises, decline, or growth.

Past studies, however, have ignored an entire array of findings that could have improved, refined, and even changed the familiar picture of the settlement history of ancient Israel. Thousands of salvage excavations ('rescue digs') were carried out over the years, and especially in the last decade, but these have not been dealt with systematically. These excavations provide comprehensive and reliable information, which is likely to change the picture of the history of settlement in some periods. While a comprehensive project of collecting and analysing the published data on these excavations is now in progress, the present article aims at drawing attention to this neglected source of information. We will demonstrate the advantages of this analysis as compared to other sources of information, and will show how this information, when combined with other sources of information, is changing our understanding of the settlement history of certain periods, including the transition from the Iron Age I–II and the formation of the Israelite monarchy, the nature of the Neo-Babylonian period, and the outcomes of the Jewish revolts against the Romans. The paper ends with a discussion of the advantages and limitations of the various sources of information, i.e., planned excavations, surveys, and salvage excavations.     

Notes and News

Abstract

In 1925 a key piece of evidence, a fragment of Sheshonq I's victory stela, was discovered at Megiddo during the preparations for the excavations of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. Unfortunately it was found on the surface, on one of the spoil heaps of the previous German excavations. The Chicago team tentatively assigned the fragment to the lowest level reached in the area, initially called Stratum IV, but said little more about it. In recent years, fresh information concerning both the location and the circumstances of the discovery has been published, which, in the author's view, makes it possible to locate the context in which the stela fragment was found, both horizontally and vertically. It is now clear that the lowest level reached in the area was Stratum V, and the author suggests below that the fragment was reused in Stratum VA, the stela having originally been set up in Stratum V B, dated to the 9th century BC by the current excavators.     

Notes and News

FESTSKRIFT TILLEGNAD EDVARD WESTERMARCK. I anledning av Hans Femtivårsdag Den 20 November 1912. Helsingfors: J. Simelii Arvinjars Boktryikeriaktiebolag, 1912. 8vo, pp. vii + 304. Reviewed by H. J. Rose.

LAOGRAPHIA: The organ of the Greek Anthropological Society; Vol. iii.–Vol. iv. 1–2, 1911–13. Athens: P. A. Sakellarios. Reviewed by H. J. Rose.

DRACHEN UND DRACHENKÄMPFER. Von GÉZA RÓHEIM. (An off-print, with enlargements, from Jung-Ungarn, 1911.) Berlin, 1912. 4to, pp. 56. Reviewed by H. J. Rose.

[GREEK POPULAR SONGS ON ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON.] Reprinted from Laographia, vol. iv. By N. G. POLITES. Athens, 1913. Reviewed by H. J. Rose.

DESPRE CIMIUTURI. By G. PASCU. Part I., Philological Study. Jasi, 1909. 8vo, pp. xi + 276. Part II, Folkloric Study. Bucharesti, 1911. 4to, pp. 220. Reviewed by M. Gaster.

HAUSA FOLK-LORE CUSTOMS, PROVERBS, ETC. By R. SUTHERLAND-RATTRAY. Preface by R. R. MARETT. 2 vols. Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1913. 8vo, pp. xxiv. + 327, 315. 30s. n. Reviewed by E. Sidney Hartland.

HAUSA SUPERSTITIONS AND CUSTOMS. An Introduction to the Folk-Lore, and the Folk. By Major A. J. N. TREMEARNE. John Bale, Sons and Danielsson, 1913. 8vo., pp. xv + 548. Map + 41 pi. + 200 text figs. 21s. n. Reviewed by J. H. Weeks.

MYTHS OF THE MODOCS. By JEREMIAH CURTIN. Sampson. Low, Marston, &; Co., 1913. Cr. 8vo, pp. viii + 389. 12s. 6d. n. Reviewed by H. J. Rose.