The cultural and chronological context of Kibiro, Uganda

During fieldwork in 1994, 53 surface collections were made in the archaeologically unknown area of Uganda between Kibiro on Lake Albert and the north bank of the Victoria Nile below the Murchison Falls. Analysis of the collected material revealed a general similarity in the pottery roulettes in use in this area during the past millennium, in spite of some local differences in pot forms and decoration. This suggests the existence of a widespread cultural homogeneity that would have formed part of the background to the growth of the state of Bunyoro. Also found, however, were sherds of Urewe and Chobi ware, as well as of an associated pottery that it is proposed to call “Fajao ware.” These are presumed to belong to the first millennium AD and to suggest the settlement by foodproducers of the lower Victoria Nile, and to a lesser extent the NE margins of Lake Albert, before the appearance there of rouletted pottery. In addition, sites along both the river and the lake produced numerous stone artifacts that indicate the presence of hunter gatherers in the area during the later Pleistocene and early Holocene.

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Résumé  Au cours de recherches sur le terrain en 1994, on a recueilli en surface 53 pièces dans la région de l’Ouganda archéologiquement inconnue située entre Kibiro sur le lac Albert et al rive nord du Nil Victoria en aval des Murchison Falls. L’analyse des matériaux recueillis a révélé une similarité générale parmi les roulettes à poterie utilisées dans cette région au cours du dernier millénaire, malgré quelques différences locales dans la forme des pots et la décoration. Cela laisse supposer l’existence d’une homogénéité culturelle étendue qui aurait été en partie à l’origine de la croissance de l’état de Bunyoro. En outre, des tessons d’objets Urewe et Chobi ont également été trouvés, ainsi qu’une poterie associée qu ’il a été proposé d’appeler “objet Fajao.” On présume que ces objets appartiennent au premier millénaire après J.- C. et qu ’ils laissent supposer le peuplement de la vallée inférieure du Nil Victoria par des producteurs de nourriture et, dans de moindres proportions, des rives NE du lac Albert, avant l’apparition dans cette région de la poterie décorée à la roulette. De plus, de nombreux objets en pierre ont été découverts sur des sites le long du fleuve et au bord du lac, indiquant la présence dans la région de chasseurscueilleurs à la fin du pléistocène et au début de l’holocène.

     

Institutions in context: Reconstructing Aristotle's defence of cultural studies

Within political science, there are two alternative approaches to understanding political institutions: traditional ‘institutional studies’ and the newer ‘cultural studies’. Each approach tends to go its own way, with little debate between the two. The former explains institutions by reference to their independent behaviour which has a formative influence on political culture. The latter explains institutions by reference to their dependent behaviour which reflects the formative influence of political culture. This paper proposes a synthesis between the two approaches, offering a third alternative based on a reconstructured application of Aristotle's ‘regime analysis’, along lines experimented with by J.S. Mill. My primary aim is analytical rather that historical: to reconstruct an approach to institutional analysis which better relates institution and culture.     

Understanding cultural heritage in Turkey: institutional context and organisational Issues

This paper explores Turkey’s cultural heritage system from the perspective of the ‘Heritage Chain’, which sees the heritage sector as an interconnected series of relationships and activities including protection and conservation, archaeological activity, research and museum presentation. By reviewing quantitative data along each step of the chain, we construct a holistic perspective that shows interrelationships between activities and illustrates which parts of the system are underdeveloped. By demonstrating the effects of Turkey’s distinct combination of bureaucratic fragmentation and centralisation on professional practice among conservators, archaeologists and museums, we argue for increased attention to administrative issues within heritage studies.     

The impact of gender,ethnic and cultural studies on colonial Latin American research

Mujer y cultura en la colonia hispanoamericana. Edited by MABEL MORAÑA. Pittsburgh: Biblioteca de América, 1996. Pp. 330.

Las colonias del Nuevo Mundo: Cultura y sociedad. Edited by CARMEN PIRILLI. Tucumán: Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, 1995. Pp. 190.

Amor y violencia sexual: Valores indígenas en la sociedad colonial. By WARD STAVIG. Lima: IEP/University of South Florida, 1996. Pp. 94.     

Open space preservation in an urbanization context

The objective of this paper is to address the question of open space preservation in an urbanization context. We study the possibility of preserving two different types of open spaces, namely, large open spaces at cities’ outskirts and small intraurban open spaces. Thus, we contribute to the debate of land sharing versus land sparing in an urban context. We analyze these questions by way of a theoretical microeconomic framework that takes into account both households’ preferences for open space and regulators’ interest in the preservation of natural habitat for biodiversity. We compare land use patterns at private equilibrium and when the social planner maximizes social welfare.     

The meaning of sedentism and mobility in an archaeological and historic context

Sedentism is a commonly used concept in settlement pattern analysis. In a recent review of this concept Rafferty (1985) found “sedentary” to be related to both settlement permanence and site size. Both space and time are fundamental aspects of sedentism. While maintaining permanence as a central factor, this paper discusses further aspects of sedentism primarily in relation to the use and meaning of space. A case study based on archaeological and historical materials on Sami and Norwegian settlements in arctic Norway is used as an illustration. In arctic Norway prehistoric maritime settlements have often been interpreted as being either transhumant or sedentary. The prehistoric case of sedentism is then viewed in relation to the historically known differences in settlement permanence in space and time for Norwegian and Sami populations in the same area of arctic Norway. It is proposed that models of sedentism should not only be based on ecological, economic, and adaptational considerations but should also include the importance of the meaning of place in the relationship between human populations and landscape.     

Embodied colonialism: the cultural meaning of silver in a Swedish colonial context in the 17th century

Abstract

Silver had an emblematic position in the 17th-century Atlantic world. After the Spanish had discovered silver ores in America, the metal’s meaning became symbolic of colonial dominion, of great wealth and providential fortune. Sweden too initiated a colonial project to obtain silver in the mountainous regions of Lapland. Silver-works were founded in order to refine the metal, and the industry borrowed many ideas from the American plantation system as mediated through Dutch entrepreneurs. This process led to the increased importance of silver, seen in royal dress and furniture amongst other products associated with the colonial world.     

Science as culture and leisure: cultural policy,industry and scientific culture in the Canadian context

Government ministries of industry have long been promoters, co‐producers and even sometimes producers of cultural policy – from local and regional development strategies to initiatives that fund cultural organizations to support emerging fields such as the technological arts. This article explores the relationship between cultural policy‐making, science museums and industry ministries in Canada. More specifically, this article investigates the emergence and institutionalization of scientific culture policy as a result of advocacy by science centres in the 1980s. Beyond the delineation of scientific culture as a field and of the contribution of industry ministries to cultural policy, this article highlights the entrepreneurial strategies of cultural organizations and their impact on policy and facilities, thus suggesting that cultural organizations are not just passive instruments of social regulation and reform.