A Dog Skin from Asthall

A group of associated dog bones recovered from a Romano-British burial, probably late, has been examined in the course of the analysis of the full bone assemblage from this settlement site. The clarity of the deposition, the interpretation of the relationship between the human and animal bone, and the wider background of whole animal skins in archaeological contexts is discussed.     

Creating Ecologically Based Land Use and Habitat Maps Quickly and Cheaply to Support Conservation Planning at Local Scales: A New Zealand Example

Effective planning to support and enhance ecological values in sites of conservation interest requires accurate, comprehensive and detailed ecologically based maps and data, not only for the conservation site but for the wider landscape in which such sites are situated. In this paper we present an efficient and low cost method for combining appropriate technologies and available data to produce such maps at a landscape level. This method is described and evaluated using a case study of a land use and habitat map, with an associated geographic information system (GIS). The map was created for the district of Dunedin, New Zealand, an area of approximately 3340 km². This paper demonstrates how the map can be adapted for use by small, locally based conservation organisations that typically do not have the resources to obtain detailed, consistent and comprehensive spatial data for the areas they manage. The example of Orokonui Ecosanctuary is used to illustrate the potential applications of the map including mapping assets and habitats within a site and for exploring the relationship between the Ecosanctuary's internal and external habitats. External habitats can form a vital habitat network for many of the endangered species being reintroduced into the Ecosanctuary as well as a source of threats through potential reinvasion by pests and land use change. Though the mapping method presented in this paper is not necessarily new, it demonstrates the potential for utilising advances in mapping techniques and available data sets to offer a pragmatic support mechanism of practical value for small conservation organisations.     

THE SUPPLY OF CAMPANIAN‐MADE SIGILLATA TO THE CITY OF POMPEII

Pompeii is an important temporal reference in the study of Roman ceramics, yet until now the origins of red slip tableware or sigillata found in the city have largely been classified by visual evaluations of the pottery. This investigation employs petrographic and elemental analyses to establish the provenance of sigillata found in two pre–ad 79 contexts of Pompeii. In contrast to previous studies, the results suggest that pottery workshops in the vicinity of Somma‐Vesuvius played a vital role in the supply of sigillata to the city.     

PROBLEMS OF THE RADIOCARBON CALENDAR AND ITS CALIBRATION

Both the growing body of literature on the tree-ring calibration of radiocarbon dates, and the variety of statistical approaches used, make it appropriate to review the basic principles involved in the construction of a calibration curve. While its ultimate validity is in part a geophysical problem, the appropriate form for the calibration function, given a specific body of data, is a statistical question centering upon the analysis of the measurement errors involved. The relationship between the calibration function and the inverse calibration function is examined, and the shortcomings of the available published calibration curves considered in the light of this examination. It is concluded that there is no reason to doubt the general principles on which the calibration is based, but a need exists for a more critical handling of the measurement data with a statistical treatment of the errors involved. The quality of the data could itself be improved by the use of replicate samples for inter-laboratory projects specifically designed to investigate the magnitude of measurement error.     

LANGUAGE POLICY AND THE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF TERRITORY: A CANADIAN DILEMMA

Within the Official Languages Act of Canada, 1969, a territorial concept was incorporated to facilitate the extension of federal services in English and French and attend the spirit and purpose of the act. This was to be accomplished through the designation of bilingual districts. In spite of the recommendations of two commissions, however, no districts have been designated in Canada. Elements that have tended to prevent the application of this concept are therefore analysed, and an alternative form of application to accommodate the act is suggested.
Lorsque l'Acte des Langues officielles du Canada fut formulé (1969), il y avait considérablement de confiance dans le concept du territoire bilingue, ce qui devait faciliter l'accroissement de service fédéral en anglais et en français. II était anticipé que l'essence ou l'esprit de l'acte serait réalisé par la désignation des districts bilingues. En dépit des recommendations de deux commissions aucun district n'a été designé. L'objet de la présente communication est d'analiser les éléments qui ont eu tendance à empêcher l'application du concept de tels districts et de suggérer une autre forme d'application de l'acte.     

Dimensions of Global Economic Restructuring and the Idea of Decentralisating Labour Relations in Australia

Though always more exposed than many other countries to the vicissitudes of international competition, Australia seems to have become increasingly vulnerable to the pressures accompanying global restructuring. This much is evident in the pattern of foreign debt, the balance of payments and trade, and fluctuations in our exchange rate. Media paranoia over the day-to-day pegormance of macro-indicators obscures, however, the pressures global restructuring has brought against the integrity and efficacy of our major institutions Not only have there been serious questions raised about the usefulness of the centralised arbitration system in the context of global restructuring, the Australian labour movement itself faces an uncertain future. Notwithstanding the claimed virtues of an enterprise-based labour relations system, there are good reasons to suppose that a decentralised system would have its own problems in accommodating rapid economic change. In this respect, the search for an American-style decentralised institutional regime may be ill-advised; more useful may be an enhanced capacity to adjust within the current framework of Australian labour relations.