THE REMANENT MAGNETIZATION OF ANCIENT STRUCK COINS

Magnetic and other measurements are reported for the Guehenno II Gallo-Roman hoard (56-France) which, amongst several thousand Tetricus antoniniani, contains 275 coins struck with the same dies. The orientation of the remanent magnetization is systematically directed outwards from the obverse confirming the identity of the anvil die with the obverse. The magnetization vector is statistically distributed around the vertical axis giving no indication of the geomagnetic inclination at the time of striking. Consequently ancient struck coins cannot be used for dating. The origin of the remanent magnetization was also investigated.     

IRON IN ANCIENT COPPER

Analysis of early copper-base artifacts invariably reveals traces of iron. Iron enters the copper during the smelting process and the level of iron in the metalwork is an indication of the smelting technology. In areas such as Western Europe where prehistoric slag heaps are absent even in the proximity of undoubted ancient mines, the iron content is low reinforcing the link between smelting technology and iron content. Very occasionally the iron content was deliberately encouraged and alloys containing between 30% and 50% of iron in copper were made, mainly for use in currency. These alloys are without modern parallel and their metallography and method of production are considered in some detail here.     

Book Reviews

Understanding the Southern African Crises

Paul Keal, Unspoken Rules and Superpower Dominance. Macmillan, London, 1983, pp.262. $48.00

Roger Hilsman, The Politics of Policy Making in Defense and Foreign Affairs: Conceptual Models and Bureaucratic Politics. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1987, pp.ix,326. $42.50.

Benjamin B. Ferencz, A Common Sense Guide to World Peace. Oceana, New York, 1985, pp. xvi + 112. $US15.00.

United Nations, Department of Public Information, The Blue Helmets: A Review of United Nations Peace‐keeping. United Nations, New York, 1985, pp. 361. $US8.96.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, The History of UNCTAD 1964–1984. United Nations, New York, 1985, pp. 294.$US5.00.

United Nations, Department for Disarmament Affairs, Co‐ordination and World Disarmament Campaign Section, The United Nations and Disarmament: 1945–1985. United Nations, New York, 1985, pp. 166.$US16.95.

Chris Bellamy, The Future of Land Warfare. Croom Helm, London and Sydney, 1987, pp.xv+326. £29.95.

John Prados, The Soviet Estimate: U.S. Intelligence Analysis & Soviet Strategic Forces. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J., 1986, pp.xvi+391. $24.00.

J.W.C. Cumes, The Reconstruction of the World Economy. Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1984, pp. 181 $6.91.

Commonwealth Secretariat, Towards a New Bretton Woods: Challenges for the World Financial and Trading System, Report by a Commonwealth Study Group. Longman for the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, 1983, pp. xii + 148. $ 12.95.

Peter Hayes, Lyuba Zarsky and Walden Bello, American Lake. Penguin Books, Ringwood, Victoria, 1986, pp.xiv, 529. $14.95.

A.G. Milner and Trevor Wilson (eds), Australian Diplomacy: Challenges and Options for the Department of Foreign Affairs. AIIA Occasional Paper No. 5, August 1987, pp. 90. $4.50.     

LIPIDS FROM SAMPLES OF SKIN FROM SEVEN DUTCH BOG BODIES: PRELIMINARY REPORT

A combination of micro-analytical techniques including thin layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC). and combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCIMS) have been employed to study the lipid compositions of samples of skin from seven Dutch bog bodies. TLC showed that, while phospholipids have been degraded, other acyl lipids, for example triacylglycerols and steryl esters, may remain intact. GC and GC/MS analyses, following treatment of the total lipid extracts with acidified methanol, showed the presence of abundant fatty carboxylic acids and sterols. Molecular analysis by GC/MS allowed distinctions to be drawn between components originating from the bog body and the surrounding peat. Additionally, substances derived from microbial alteration of endogenous skin lipids and from the lipids of the micro-organisms themselves can be distinguished.     

ROMAN POTTERY FROM AUGUSTA PRAETORIA (AOSTA,ITALY): A PROVENANCE STUDY

Forty-five sherds of Roman pottery, 21 terrae sigillutae and 24 common wares excavated in Augusta Praeroria, were analysed for 12 elements by atomic absorption and emission spectroscopy. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and non-linear mapping were performed on the analytical data in order to classify the objects in groups which could account for different provenances; soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) and K nearest neighbours (KNN) were used for solving doubtful assignments. The classification results indicate that local productions of terra sigillatu can be easily distinguished from the imported ones, and that common wares have compositional patterns which differ from those of both local and imported terrae sigillatue.     

LES VERRES ANCIENS: LA QUESTION DE LA DATABILITÉ PAR THERMOLUMINESCENCE

La plupart des échantillons de verres archéologiques ne sont pas datables par thermoluminescence. Une analyse des causes limitant l'extension de la datation par thermoluminescence aux verres anciens montre que celles-ci sont directement issues de caracteristiques de l'etat vitreux. Toutefois. dans certains cas particuliers, la datation est possible. Most archaeological glass samples cannot be dated using thermoluminescence (TL). An analysis of the causes which limit the extension of the TL dating method to ancient glass shows that these causes come from the vitreous state characteristics. Nevertheless in some cases, dating is still possible.     

FORECASTING TURNING POINTS IN METROPOLITAN EMPLOYMENT GROWTH RATES USING BAYESIAN TECHNIQUES

In this paper, I adapt to the regional level a Bayesian approach developed by Zellner, Hong, and Min (1990) to analyze forecasts of turning points in a multicountry setting. The techniques applied to a regional setting treat the individual metropolitan areas in the same way that Zellner, Hong, and Min treated countries. The findings in this study indicate that the techniques and models employed by Zellner, Hong, and Min work just as well at the metropolitan-area level as they did in the multicountry setting. The best models, from those studied here, forecast around 70 percent of the downturns and 80 percent of the upturns correctly, which compares favorably to the performance of the same techniques in Zellner, Hong, and Min.     

Women and children last: the poverty and marginalization of one-parent families

The spatial distribution and socioeconomic status of one-parent families in Great Britain and Australia are described, and reasons for the increase in this type of family are analyzed. The author finds that "one-parent families, largely composed of women and children, constitute one of the most rapidly-growing family types. Evidence from Britain and Australia reveals their extreme marginalization in the labour market, and their concentration into public housing. These problems are related to patriarchal structures within society, particularly the expectations of traditional gender roles and the segregation of women's job opportunities."