Rehabilitation Techniques for Walls during the 18th Century in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia)

ABSTRACT

Although it may be thought that the rehabilitation of historical structures is a concern of modern engineering, studies on intervention processes from the past allow us to understand that this is a work carried out frequently and sometimes as a solution to low budgets for the construction of new buildings, or the need to offer quick practical solutions. The objective of this article is to show the way in which during the second half of the 18th century several important architectural and structural rehabilitation works were carried out in the walls of Cartagena de Indias, in view of the damage caused by the enemy attacks to the city as well as continuous impact by nature. By making use of primary sources (plans and original reports), the way in which two of the interventions were executed can be reconstructed: one on the Muralla Real, and another on the San José bastion, gathering information that helps explain their current state of conservation.     

Sonic Tomography for Masonry Walls Characterization

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, Sonic Pulse Velocity tests (SPV tests) are widely applied for detecting the morphology, hidden defects, and voids within structural elements. This technique, largely applied because non invasive and easy to perform, reveals particularly adapt in the case of ancient buildings, where usually any damage is not tolerated due to the historical preservation requirements. Moreover, recently the SPV tests have been also applied with tomography technology to obtain images of sonic speeds from which it is possible to rapidly reconstruct the internal elements morphology.

In this article, the results of some SPV tomographies regarding masonry elements are presented. The tests are carried out with the aim of establishing consistency and accuracy of this technique in determining the morphology of the investigated elements. The influence of investigation points number and noise smoothing is taken into account, too. At first, the results of a tomography derived from synthetic data of an ideal section are shown. Then, the SPV tomographies of some masonry specimens and of elements sections of a real case study are illustrated and compared among them.     

An extremely large saber-tooth cat skull from Uruguay (late Pleistocene–early Holocene,Dolores Formation): body size and paleobiological implications

Abstract

Among the three recognized species of Smilodon, S. populator is the largest in size and has the widest distribution across South America. The present contribution describes an almost complete skull assigned to the aforementioned felid. The material was recovered from sediments of the Dolores Formation (Lujanian Stage/Age) from the southern part of Uruguay. This specimen is remarkable for its unusual craniodental measurements, indicating that it is one of the largest known specimens of the genus. Estimates of body mass indicate that this individual weighed over 400?kg. In addition, maximum prey size estimation greatly surpasses 1 t and approach nearly 3 t. Based on this, aspects of the paleobiology and paleoecology of S. populator are discussed. Undoubtedly, this kind of carnivorous mammal was at the top of the food chain, with clear adaptations for feeding upon the largest available herbivores, which potentially includes several megafaunal mammal species found in South America during the late Pleistocene.

Aldo Manzuetti [aldomanzuetti@adinet.com.uy], Facultad de Ciencias (UdelaR), Iguá 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay; Daniel Perea [perea@fcien.edu.uy], Facultad de Ciencias (UdelaR), Iguá 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay; Washington Jones [wawijo@yahoo.com.ar], Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, 25 de Mayo 582, CP 11000, Montevideo, Uruguay; Martín Ubilla [ubilla@fcien.edu.uy], Facultad de Ciencias (UdelaR), Iguá 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay; Andrés Rinderknecht [apaleorinder@yahoo.com], Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, 25 de Mayo 582, CP 11000, Montevideo, Uruguay.     

From Pre‐Roman Bailo To Roman Baelo: Long‐Term Landscape Dynamics In The Straits Of Gibraltar

The Straits of Gibraltar have been historically an important maritime axis of connection between the Mediterranean and Atlantic areas of the Iberian Peninsula. For this reason, most of the archaeological research has focused on the coastal settlements, but its broader archaeological landscape remains mostly unknown. In this paper, we present recent intensive surveys in which a wide range of sites was detected, dating from the eighth century BC to the fourteenth AD. The ancient landscape is thus reconstructed over a long‐term perspective. Prior to the Roman expansion, the earlier Bailo‐La Silla del Papa was an urban central place that supported a dense network of subordinate settlements. Later on, the central settlement was transported from inland to the coastal town of Baelo Claudia, but the territorial structure remained based on a similar pattern.     

A review of Australia’s Mesozoic fishes

Abstract

The Australian Mesozoic fish fauna is considered to be depauperate in comparison with fish faunas in the Northern Hemisphere. However, due to its geographical location as a potential radiation center in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia’s Mesozoic fish fauna is important for understanding fish radiations. Most of the modern fish groups originated during the Mesozoic, but the first records of a modern fish fauna (freshwater and marine) in Australia does not occur until the lower Paleogene. Here, we review all known fossil fish-bearing localities from the Mesozoic of Australia, to improve the understanding of the record. The apparent low Australian Mesozoic fish diversity is likely due to its understudied status of the constituent fossils rather than to a depauperate record. In addition, we review recent work with the aim of placing the Australian Mesozoic fish fauna in a global context. We review the taxonomy of Australian fossil fishes and conclude that the assignments of many actinopterygians need major revision within a modern phylogenetic context. The vast majority of chondrichthyans are yet to be formally described; to the contrary all of the known lungfish specimens have been described. This study considers the microscopic and fragmented remains of Mesozoic fish already found in Australia, allowing a more complete view of the diversity of the fishes that once inhabited this continent.

Rodney W. Berrell [r.berrell@postgrad.curtin.edu.au], School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia; Catherine Boisvert [Catherine.Boisvert@curtin.edu.au], School of Molecular and Life Sciences (MLS), Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia; Kate Trinajstic [K.Trinajstic@curtin.edu.au], School of Molecular and Life Sciences (MLS), Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia; Mikael Siversson# [mikael.siversson@museum.wa.gov.au], Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, Western Australia, 6106, Australia; Jesús Alvarado-Ortega [jalvarado@yahoo.com.mx], Instituto Geologia Cd universitaria, Circuito de la investigacion, Del. coyoacan, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, México; Lionel Cavin [lionel.cavin@ville-ge.ch], Section of Earth Sciences, Muséum d’Histoire naturelle de la Ville de Genèeve, CP 6434, 1211 Genève 6, Switzerland; Steven W. Salisbury [s.salisbury@uq.edu.au], School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia; Anne Kemp [annerkemp@gmail.com], 9 Hampton Grove, Norwood, Adelaide, South Australia 5067, Australia. #Also affiliated with: School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.     

Open Warfare or the Odd Skirmish? Bell Beaker Violence in the North‐Eastern Iberian Peninsula

Archaeological examples of violence in prehistory have increased in recent years. The evidence, methodology employed and interpretation of the data have been diverse, but in each case the myth of the ‘peaceful past’ is questioned. This work provides new data on the issue from the north‐eastern Iberian Peninsula, associated with the Bell Beaker culture (c.2800–2350 cal BC). Material from two megalithic tombs, Can Gol I and Can Gol II (Barcelona Province), in particular a set of flint arrowheads, has been revisited. Use‐wear analysis on the arrowheads confirmed the presence of impact fractures. This indicates that the arrowheads were not funerary offerings, but that they entered the graves lodged in the bodies of the deceased. The data from the only site with evidence of massive death by violence in the neighbouring region (Costa de Can Martorell) reinforce the hypothesis of episodes of conflict and violence during prehistory. However, the interpretation of the nature of such violence remains open to debate: was it an act of warfare or an occasional skirmish? And is the image of the Bell Beaker warrior identified in other European contexts also applicable to this area?