The earliest cylinder seal in the Arabian Peninsula

A cylinder seal of Late Uruk (late fourth millennium BC) type from Abu Dhabi is presented and analysed. Comparisons with excavated finds from elsewhere in the Near East are discussed. An inventory of cylinder seals from sites in the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman shows that cylinder seal use, while not unknown in the region, was never very great. The ways in which the seal may have arrived at its eventual place of discovery are described and the significance of the seal is assessed.     

方寸之美——从提卡遗址出土的赫梯印章辨析古代两河流域文化交流

“‘叙’写传奇——叙利亚古代文物精品展”中有一枚发现于提卡遗址的戳印,年代为青铜时代中期（公元前2000年—前1600年）,在该遗址另发现两枚巴比伦风格的滚印,同样属于青铜时代中期。本文从考古学、文献材料、印章工艺等方面对这枚戳印的遗址信息、功能形制、图像结构、历史背景进行研究,由此探究距今约4千年前,提卡、赫梯、古巴比伦文明之间的交流与往来,进而解读古代两河流域地区的文化演进。     

A EUBOEAN WARRIOR TRADER

Summary A recently discovered burial in the Toumba Cemetery at Lefkandi, Euboea, differs from others previously found there in the shape of the tomb and the method of burial, which is a cremation contained in a bronze cauldron. The offerings, which include a sword, spearhead and iron arrowheads, make it certain that it is the burial of a warrior, but others, such as a series of stone weights, a N. Syrian cylinder seal and vases from Cyprus and Phoenicia indicate that he was a trader as well. In this preliminary acount, these and other aspects of the burial are considered.     

METHODS OF ENGRAVING MESOPOTAMIAN CYLINDER SEALS: EXPERIMENTAL CONFIRMATION*

Previous observations of the intaglios on quartz cylinder seals from Western Asia suggested that they had been engraved by one or more of four basic techniques, that is, micro-chipping, filing, drilling and wheel-cutting. In this paper we test our earlier observations and interpretations experimentally. Examination and comparison of experimentally engraved features with the seal intaglios was made directly with a binocular microscope and also by examination of impressions with a scanning electron microscope. Successful replication was achieved using tools of flint, chalcedony, copper, bronze and iron together with quartz and emery abrasives.     

Communication between overpressured compartments

Overpressure build‐up in compartments, and communication between overpressured compartments across faults are studied with simple analytical and numerical models. It is shown that the excess pressure in a (vertical) one‐dimensional, one‐compartment model can be written as the sum of the excess pressure generated in the seal above the compartment, and a second part, which is due to the expulsion of fluid from the compartment and the rocks below. The one‐compartment model is generalized to a two‐compartment model, which accounts for the fluid communication between the compartments through a fault zone. The volume rates of flow through the seals and the fault zone are shown to be the weighted mean of the volume rates of the one‐dimensional, one‐compartment model. The normalized weights are given by dimensionless numbers, called fault–seal numbers, which control the communication between the compartments. A fault–seal number much less than unity implies that the fault is a stronger barrier for the fluid flow than the seal. A fault–seal number larger than unity implies the opposite: that the seal is a stronger barrier than the fault. The conditions for isolated compartments and other regimes are identified in terms of the fault–seal numbers. It is discussed how the compartment fault–seal numbers can be computed when the permeability is given in the fault zone. The results given by the analytical compartment models are demonstrated and validated with two‐dimensional numerical (finite element) simulations.     

Hydrodynamics and membrane seal capacity

The impact of hydrodynamic groundwater movement on the capacity of seals is currently in debate. There is an extensive record of publication on seals analysis and a similar history on petroleum hydrodynamics yet little work addresses the links between the two. Understanding and quantifying the effects of hydrodynamic flow has important implications for calibrating commonly used seal capacity estimation techniques. These are often based on measurements such as shale gouge, clay smear or mercury porosimitry where membrane sealing is thought to occur. For standard membrane seal analysis, seal capacity is estimated by quantifying capillary pressure‐related measurements and calibrating them with a large observational database of hydrocarbon column heights and measured buoyancy pressures. The seal capacity estimation process has historically been adjusted to account for a number of different generic trapping geometries. We define the characteristics of these geometries from a hydrodynamics viewpoint in order to fine‐tune the seal capacity calibration process. From theoretical analyses of several simplified trapping geometries, it can be concluded that generally, the high pressure side of the seal should be used as the water pressure gradient with which to calculate buoyancy pressure. Secondly, trap geometries where hydrocarbon is reservoired on both sides of a fault are not useful for estimating across fault seal capacity.     

传国玉玺与清朝正统论的几个问题

制诰之宝在明清易代之际扮演了重要角色。当时皇太极君臣视该玺为秦玺,故其继统乃来自汉唐以来诸王朝。当得玺的消息传出,还出现该玺为掌教符印之说,并为清朝所接受。入关后清朝淡化该玺之重要性,并视之为元玺,乾隆皇帝更称大清得统在德不在玺,并毁坏该玺,但却在多年后又予重制,以免显得清初得统不正。当蒙古王公献上同名玉玺,皇帝面对蒙古仍打算利用之。从传国玺能见清朝正统论在不同阶层、时段、文化中的调整及影响。     

古印中一枝奇葩 --湖北省博物馆馆藏汉印

汉铜印以其规范模式、艺术成就与风格奠定其历史地位。汉官印字是一种从篆书向隶书过渡。汉官印的特色：严谨中见生动、规矩中见流畅,自有刚毅雄强之气。汉私印则形式自由,款式灵活,丰富多样,印幅面较小,制作精细。从这些古印中可窥测到汉代铜印艺术特色与风格。     

“夜郎王印”刍论

夜郎王印与滇王印同是西汉＂郡县与封国并行＂制度的产物,但对西汉王朝而言,两枚王印颁赐的政治考虑是有区别的。在夜郎问题研究中,夜郎王印的重要性,在于它是还原夜郎古国历史必不可少的条件,有助于判定古夜郎的中心区域、夜郎国首府、传承世系、历代夜郎统治者的墓地位置等,在开发利用文化资源热潮中,＂夜郎＂成为一块炙手可热的文化品牌,出现了民间屡屡发现夜郎王印的现象。要判定某些民间发现的夜郎王印的真伪,首先必须对汉代赐边方国印授的形制、质地、印文格式等有所分析。夜郎与滇同于西汉武帝时获赐王印,因而,滇王印应是夜郎王印的很好参照。破解夜郎王印之谜的途径,是以严谨的学风、科学的精神、持之以恒的态度去寻求答案。     

马鞍山市马钢二钢厂东晋谢沈家族墓群发掘简报

马鞍山钢铁总公司第二钢铁厂东晋谢沈家族墓群位于六朝墓地富集地马鞍山东麓,出土文物丰富,文物类别较多,时代特征明显,特别是M3出土的六面印,明确了墓主身份,为研究六朝时期文人学士和书法史提供了实物资料。     

Cylinder seals and their use in the Arabian Peninsula

Cylinder seals were used in the ancient Near East from the fourth to the first millennium BC. Although the numbers known from sites in the Arabian Peninsula seem relatively small, more have been found there than is generally recognised. A comprehensive overview of the cylinder seals of Arabia is presented, and the cylinder and stamp sealing traditions of the region are discussed.     

渭南市博物馆藏金代“总领军马都提控印”考释

渭南市博物馆收藏一方20世纪80年代出土于陕西省渭南市大荔县的金代官印,此方官印除印文外,背面和两侧阴刻铸印机构、铸印时间等款识。此印作为特殊的文献资料,真实记录了金代后期招募义军的历史,同时也侧面反映了金代官制、官印的变迁,蕴含了丰富的历史信息。本文借鉴前人的研究成果,结合《金史》的相关记载,从官职、铸印机构、品阶三个方面对该印进行考释。     

新见李自成时期两方官印及其相关问题

最近在陕西发现的李自成政权官印中,"汲县之契"为最早铸印,"鲁山县信"为最晚铸印,此二印俱与河南有关,可全面代表李自成政权颁铸官印的自名特点、尺寸规制、款识流变等。这两方原属河南的李自成政权官印遗落在陕西,与李自成由北京退回陕西后,局势的迅疾糜烂密不可分,折射了李自成起义由盛而衰的历史轨迹。     

Prehistoric Seal Hunting on Lake Baikal: Methodology and Preliminary Results of the Analysis of Canine Sections

A number of archaeological sites on Lake Baikal revealed evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age seal hunting. A collection of 35 canines from four sites was used to develop a methodology for analysing growth increments of canine dentine for the purpose of examining aspects of prehistoric seal hunting. Results from this preliminary analysis indicate that seal hunting at these sites was a seasonal activity confined to spring and early summer. Baikal seals were probably hunted in early spring for their meat, blubber and furs, and later in the season for their meat and skins.     

Prehistoric seal carcass exploitation at the Shag Mouth site,New Zealand

Seal populations in New Zealand declined dramatically during the prehistoric period. The loss of this important resource significantly affected the foraging practices at the Shag River Mouth site. Previous research documented substantial changes to the diet with the decline of seals and the corresponding decline in foraging efficiency. In this study, I examine how New Zealand foragers altered their use of seal carcasses as the availability of these marine mammals declined. Otariid seal data from the Shag River Mouth site in southern New Zealand are analyzed to test changes in butchery/transport and skeletal element breakage patterns expected with resource depression and declining foraging efficiency. This research shows that at Shag Mouth, seal carcasses were used more intensively over time. However, bone breakage patterns showed little change in the exploitation of within-bone nutrients.     

大朝国师印考

西藏自治区文管会珍藏的“大朝国师统领诸国僧尼中兴释教之印”是具有极高历史价值的国宝级文物。但是,它长期被误读,并认为是复制品而遭到冷落。实际上“大朝”是忽必烈正式建国号“大元”之前的蒙古汗国国号,国师是当时最高僧官,具有“统领诸国僧尼中兴释教”的职权。此印是蒙哥大汗赐予那摩国师的封印。本文揭示了该印重要的历史价值和文物价值,对于元史、蒙古史的研究都有重要的参考价值。     

A REDISCOVERED LOST SEAL FROM GEZER

Abstract

A carnelian pebble stamp seal excavated by Macalister at Gezer and believed lost, and a seal kept today in the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem, are one and the same. A cast of the original kept by the Palestine Exploration Fund in London proves to be identical to the seal in Jerusalem. The unique iconography of the seal showing a man in a cultic gesture in front of a griffin, as well as its stylistic details, show it to be an Assyrianized product of the late eighth or seventh century bc, possibly of local production.     

篆刻艺术随笔（之四）——闲话刻技

篆刻是一门艺术,艺术要靠技术的精熟作支撑。因此,为须掌握字法和篆法。印章的章法,刊刻的刀法,各门精深熟练,才可能创作出佳品。     

Seal dies from the National Museum of Slovenia: Non-destructive analyses of medieval and early modern copper alloys

A representative group of seal dies made of copper alloys from the collection of the National Museum of Slovenia was investigated by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF). Chronologically, the artefacts date from the early 13th century to the present. Non-destructive EDXRF screening of elemental fingerprints of Cu, Zn, Pb, Ag, Sn and Sb was performed on 95 seal dies, and the obtained elemental data set was further processed by chemometric tools such as principal component analysis (PCA). The relationships between the elemental composition of analysed seal dies, type of alloy applied and their historical context—date, location of manufacture and, possibly, social rank of the owner—were examined in detail.