A STUDY OF CHINESE PORCELAIN RAW MATERIALS FOR DING,XING, GONGXIAN AND DEHUA WARES*

The raw material used largely determines the type and quality of porcelain produced. Twenty-three raw materials used for making Ding, Xing, Gongxian and Dehua porcelain bodies were studied using principal component analysis. Results show that for Dehua wares, only one raw material was used. For Ding wares, although there were many possible raw materials, the use of one alone is unlikely. Lingshan clay was the main raw material but it has to be mixed with other raw materials: Pinjiawa clay, quartz, feldspar and dolomite. The Xing pieces can be divided into three groups and Gongxian wares into two groups, which are discussed in detail.     

THE DESIGN OF EVALUATION OF ASSAYS OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN A FOSSIL BONE*

The flame atomic absorption spectroscopy method of analysis of trace elements (Mn, Sr, and Cu) in a mammoth's bone and the method of estimation of the data using regression analysis are described. The concentration fields of the single elements in a cross-section through the bone are well described by a fourth degree polynomial. The minimum values and their coordinates have been determined. A method of determination of the original concentrations of trace elements in fossil bones is described further. The approximating features of the regression exponential equations and of the diffusion functions of various shapes were determined and a method for calculating the concentrations and diffusion properties of the bones once deposited in the soil is suggested. The original trace element concentration can be estimated by extrapolation of a suitable exponential or diffusion function.     

Marital instability in a rural population in south-west Uganda: implications for the spread of HIV-1 infection

"The aim of this study was to examine people's beliefs about the causes of marital instability in a rural population cohort in south-west Uganda. Results from a baseline survey of HIV-1 infection in the cohort of over 4,000 adults (over 12 years old) showed a twofold increase in risk of infection in divorced or separated persons when compared with those who are married. A purposive sample of 134 respondents (seventy-two males, sixty-two females) selected to represent different ages, religions and marital status were asked in semi-structured interviews to comment on the reasons for continuing marital instability in their community. The most common reasons suggested for marital instability were sexual dissatisfaction, infertility, alcoholism and mobility....HIV infection was not mentioned as a direct cause of separation, but a small independent study revealed that seven out of ten couples separated on learning of a positive HIV test result of one or both partners. Marital instability is not uncommon in this population; there is evidence that HIV infection is making the situation worse." (SUMMARY IN FRE)     

Immigration,Ancestry and Residence in Sydney

The paper examines the ancestry of Europeans in Sydney and that of the two largest non European groups. Spatial divergence occurs between the English, Scottish and Irish, and divergence from those of Australian ancestry. Residential persistence across generations occurs with persons of Greek, Italian, Maltese and Dutch origins, but not spatial segmentation. While there is greater language persistence in Greek and Italian second and third settlement concentrations, few third generation persons speak their ancestral language at home. The Chinese and Lebanese are compared with Greek and Italian ancestry in their areas of strongest representation. First generation Chinese are evident in areas of both low and high socioeconomic status, but without third generation language persistence. An evolving ethnic mix in Sydney is indicated.     

A PILOT STUDY IN NON-CONTACT LASER PHOTOTHERMAL ARCHAEOMETRY OF ANCIENT STATUARY PEDESTAL STONES FROM CYPRUS

Several samples of geological stones from statuary pedestals found in various archaeological sites in Cyprus have been characterized using non-contact laser infrared photothermal radiometry. Thermal diffusivities and effective optical absorption coefficients were calculated using a one-dimensional thermal-wave model. The mean values and standard deviations were tabulated and comparisons were made with lithographic and petrographic studies of the samples. Good correlations were found, thus demonstrating that laser photothermal archaeometry is a promising methodology for the accurate, potentially non-destructive and convenient characterization of the origins of ancient stones in Cyprus and other geological and archaeological sites.     

NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF AD 1660–1930 EUROPEAN COPPER-COLOURED BLUE GLASS TRADE BEADS FROM ONTARIO,CANADA

Blue glass trade beads from well-dated late seventeenth- to early twentieth-century sites and collections have been analysed non-destructively by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The beads display enough variations in their elemental contents to allow us to characterize the different chemistries. The implication of these results is that similar chemical analyses of blue beads from undated archaeological sites may be used to help date the sites, since each bead chemistry has a specific earliest period.     

RADIOCARBON DATES FOR BEESWAX FIGURES IN THE PREHISTORIC ROCK ART OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages have been taken for a test suite of small samples of material removed from some of the ‘beeswax’art figures found in rock shelters in northern Australia. The results indicate that we can reliably date this unique form of rock art with no noticeable damage. We had not expected to find figures of any great antiquity, and so we were surprised to find that the ages obtained spanned the time period from the recent past to about 4000 BP.     

A MAGNETIC SURVEY OVER LA MAJA,AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN NORTHERN SPAIN

A Roman archaeological site in northern Spain (La Maja, province of La Rioja) includes pottery workshops, part of an important ceramic industry that developed from about the first century BC to the first century AD. A geophysical study was planned to determine the extent of the industrial complex in the vicinity of an excavated kiln. Magnetic observations were done on a grid of 30 × 36m, with a sampling interval of 1m. Two dipolar-shaped anomalies were found: one in the north-east and the other in the south-west of the area. Low-pass and band-pass filters were used in the Fourier domain to enhance the characteristics of the magnetic data and to remove noise and undesirable shallow features. Three-dimensional polygonal prisms were used to model the magnetic anomalies based on palaeomagnetic measurements performed over an uncovered kiln that helped to constrain the induced and remanent parameters of the magnetizing fields.     

INDUSTRIAL CENTERS AND REGIONAL GROWTH IN THE PRESENCE OF LOCAL INPUTS*

ABSTRACT. A large proportion of regional production takes place in nontraded goods and services. In addition, significant productivity increases can be observed in some segments of this sector. Starting from these two empirical observations we construct a model of growth in a two-region setting with factor mobility. The growth process is based on endogenous technological change in the nontraded input sector, whose output serves as an input in the production of one of the two final goods, the so-called industrial good. We consider two extreme cases, one with locally limited, the other with interregional knowledge spillovers. Conditions are established under which interior solutions with production of local inputs and steady-state growth in both regions result, and others under which we find a core-periphery pattern with growth concentrated in one region only. The stability of the equilibria is discussed by considering the transition processes. Finally, it is shown that catching-up as well as leapfrogging may occur, if new technologies become available.