Wild or domesticated: DNA analysis of ancient water buffalo remains from north China

Recent zooarchaeological studies on water buffalo (Bubalus sp.) remains from China and south Asia question the traditional view that water buffalo were first domesticated in Neolithic China over 7000 years ago. The results from several recent population genetic studies of modern domesticated buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) are not consistent with each other, placing the original center of buffalo's domestication in south Asia, southeast Asia, or China. This paper reports a study using an ancient DNA approach to analyze water buffalo remains from Neolithic sites in north China to investigate their affinities with modern domesticated water buffalo, and to shed light on the origin of modern domesticated water buffalo in China.A 169 bp fragment of D-loop mitochondrial DNA was successfully amplified and verified for 13 of 24 bone samples obtained from seven archaeological sites along the Wei River valley in Shaanxi Province, China. The bone samples which yielded positive DNA can be dated to 8000–3600 cal. BP. The phylogenetic analysis of the obtained DNA sequences along with modern water buffalo sequences indicated that the ancient water buffalos were not the direct ancestor of modern domesticated water buffalo. However, the phylogenetic analysis, along with BLAST searches of these ancient DNA sequences, did demonstrate their relatedness to water buffalo more so than to any other bovid species, confirming the existence of indigenous wild (but now extinct) water buffalo species (B. mephistopheles) in ancient China.The DNA analysis of these ancient remains failed to establish direct links between modern domesticated water buffalo (B. bubalis) and indigenous water buffalo (B. mephistopheles) from ancient China. If further DNA studies of more ancient remains from other regions of China confirm the observation of solely indigenous water buffalo species in ancient China, it would suggest modern water buffalo might not have been first domesticated in China.     

构建中国星级酒店竞争优势的途径--业务外包

本文认为中国星级酒店实施非核心业务外包,降低酒店总体成本,提高效率,进而推动整个旅游业的专业化分工协作,为真正实现集团化奠定基础。     

商代马车及其相关问题研究

殷墟发掘以来 ,曾多次发现商代车马坑。但在解放前 ,因受当时发掘条件所限 ,都未能将坑中的木质车子的遗迹清理出来。19 5 0年在河南辉县琉璃阁战国墓地 ,夏鼐先生带领数名技工 ,通过精心操作 ,剥剔出十几辆已朽为尘土的木车遗迹。后来 ,随着发掘经验的积累和发掘技术的提高 ,新中国考古工作者先后在大司空村、孝民屯南地、白家坟西地、郭家庄西南、刘家庄北地、梅园庄东南等处的商代车马坑的发掘中 ,经过精心细致剥剔清理 ,将数十辆殷代车子发掘出来 ,为复原商代车子提供了可靠的依据 ,也为研究商代车制及其相关问题提供了珍贵的科学资料。…     

江陵地区东周墓葬日用陶器年代序列

本通过大量已发表的资料,运用考古类型学方法,对学界中存在争议的江陵地区东周墓葬出土的日用陶器进行了年代排序。由于该地区东周墓葬中铜礼器和仿铜陶礼器的年代序列较为清楚且多取得共识,章选取铜礼器、仿铜陶礼器和日用陶器共存的墓葬为典型墓例和讨论的基础。作为一项基础性工作,本的研究成果将有助于楚化的深入探索。     

唐诗所见唐代铜镜的流通及与考古资料的印证

铜镜是观容照貌的用具,是古代人们生活中必不可少的物品.在唐代,即使是极为贫穷的家庭,也会拥有一面铜镜[1].它不仅可以满足人们装扮容貌、端正姿态、美化生活的需要,同时在照镜的过程中产生的对人生易老的感叹和爱情永存的渴望,又使铜镜成为人们情感的承载.     

岳麓秦简秦郡史料补议

秦郡问题历代聚讼纷纭,当下依然是研讨热点①。陈松长先生曾评介岳麓书院藏秦简若干涉及秦郡的律令条文②。综合纪年、避讳等因素,可大致认定岳麓秦简律令部分的抄写年代下限在秦二世时期③。本文采用法律史学研究方法阐释岳麓秦简若干秦郡史料,结合传世文献,在学界丰硕成果基础上试析秦定陶郡、陇西郡、泰山郡问题。     

中国古代的记年、记月、记日、记时法

"凡史之所记,以表年以系事."时间是记述历史不可缺少的一个重要的因素.那么,古人是如何记年、记月、记日、记时的呢?     

刘向校书同僚学行考论

西汉后期成、哀年间,刘向父子主持、领导了我国历史上第一次大规模的校书活动,前后长达二十餘年,成为中国学术史、文化史上不朽的盛事.这次校书活动的意义,首先在于将先秦、西汉间杂乱糅莒的典籍进行了系统的整理,使每一种书有了一个相对稳定的传本;其次,基于对典籍的考察,梳理了先秦、西汉间学术发展的源流和线索,并通过综合性的书目<别录>、<七略>体现出来;第三,在校书实践和叙录撰写的过程中,发现并宣扬了古文经学的优点,为古文经学的勃兴提供了条件,并由此进一步促使今文经学的逐渐衰落.