Morphometric distinction between bilobate phytoliths from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Panicum miliaceum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Setaria italica</Emphasis> leaves

The development of identification criteria for crop plants based on phytoliths is of high relevance for archaeology, palaeoecology and plant systematics. While identification criteria are available for major food crops, these are mostly based on phytoliths from inflorescences, while other plant parts remain undetected. This paper focuses on bilobate phytoliths from leaves of Panicum miliaceum L. (common millet) and Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. (foxtail millet), two taxa that co-occur in regions of Asia and Europe since prehistory and regularly occur at archaeological sites in Eurasia. Leaves of the investigated taxa were systematically sampled to explore the variation of short cells and to collect 27 morphometric variables of bilobate phytoliths with newly developed open-source software. The data was analysed by discriminant analysis, analysis of variance and multiple comparison tests. The resulting morphometric data from five populations per species enables a distinction between the bilobate phytoliths of P. miliaceum and S. italica. Observed differences between populations within species affect only few parameters. This possibility to classify populations of bilobate phytoliths from P. miliaceum and S. italica leaves offers a new method for the detection and identification of these taxa in archaeology, amongst others.     

Stable isotope analysis on human remains from the final Early Holocene in the southern Puna of Argentina: The case of Peñas de las Trampas 1.1

In this work are presented the results of isotopic analyses made on bone remains of human individuals (n?=?6) from the southern Puna of Argentina dated to the final Early Holocene (ca. 8230–8000 BP). They were found in structures located in Peñas de las Trampas 1.1, a rockshelter at 3582 m.a.s.l. in Antofagasta de la Sierra, in the southern Argentinian Puna. They contain multiple secondary burials. Bone fragments were recovered from at least six individuals, three in each structure. Stable isotopes of Carbon (δ¹³C) and Nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) analysis were aimed at defining aspects related to the palaeodiet of the six individuals within the palaeo-economic subsistence spectrum typical of hunter–gatherers. It is worth noting that these human remains are among the earliest from North-Western Argentina, where funeral practices are related with the transportation of certain anatomical parts. The palaeodietary inference considers, on the one hand, the extreme aridity of this geographical area and its impact on the isotopic ecology. And, on the other, it takes into account the fact that four of the six individuals under study were breastfed infants. The results are in agreement with the expected values of the period, which has been characterized as the beginning of the arid Altithermal.     

Modeling and Seismic Response Analysis of Italian Code-Conforming Reinforced Concrete Buildings

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the seismic response of reinforced concrete buildings designed according to the current Italian building code. Number of stories, site hazard, presence and distribution of masonry infill panels, and type of lateral resisting system are the key investigated parameters. The main issues related to design and modeling are discussed. Two Limit States are considered, namely Global Collapse and Usability-Preventing Damage. The main aim of the study is a comparison between the seismic response of the buildings, investigated through nonlinear static and dynamic analyses. Irregularity in the distribution of infill panels and site hazard emerge as the most influential parameters.     

In situ desalination of a granitic column by the electrokinetic method

Desalination of rocks used in monuments is a common strategy to reduce the possibility of deterioration by soluble salt crystallization processes. In the last years, some laboratory studies have demonstrated that the application of electrokinetic techniques allow to achieve higher desalination effectiveness, overcoming most limitations of the traditional methods. However, to our knowledge no studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of this technique for in situ desalination of granite. The present study is aimed at filling this gap. The results of an in situ desalination intervention using electrokinetic methods, on a column highly contaminated with salts are presented. The desalination method was optimized to desalinate large in situ structures, trying to establish the necessary protocols (buffering system, irrigation system, setup, etc.) to obtain results as satisfactory as those obtained in laboratory. The results demonstrated the high effectiveness of this method in terms of total salt extraction and depth of salt extraction. The concentration of anions in the column was decreased by more than 80% after 55 days of treatment. No mineralogical and aesthetic damages on the stone were detected after the treatment, confirming the reliability of this method to be applied in situ on granitic rocks.     

The Gender of Militancy: Notes on the Possibilities of a Different History of Political Action

Departing from some texts that examine women's participation in clandestine organisations in Brazil and Argentina during the 1960s and 1970s, the author discusses possibilities of a different approach towards the historiography of political action, particularly focusing on left-wing parties. Oral history contributes towards recovering subjectivity, a dimension little explored in political historiography. This dimension is usually confined to a private sphere that appears as radically severed from the public sphere. The articulation of these two spaces as well as tensions, conflicts and complementarities between masculine and feminine roles take the history of women away from the ghetto, allowing this new perspective to analyse political action in a complex way     

Domestic Impact of the Korean War

Book reviewed in this article:
Paul G. Pierpaoli, Truman and Korea: The Political Culture of the Early Cold War     

Sasanian glass from Veh Ardašīr: new evidences by ICP-MS analysis

Forty-seven glass fragments excavated at Veh Ardašīr, in central Iraq, were analysed by ICP-MS, determining 38 chemical elements; the samples represented finished objects as well as waste and raw glass. The obtained data point to the use of sodic plant ash for the production of glass in the entire Sasanian period (third–seventh century AD), strengthening previous results from another set of fragments from the same site. Magnesium and phosphorus contents give further evidence of the possible use of different kinds of plant ash, while trace element levels and some element correlations suggest the recourse to different silica sources. As a whole, the obtained results allow one to recognize three main glass compositions, related to the use of different silica sources combined with different kinds of plant ash. The occurrence of waste and raw glass in all groups of composition confirms that at least glass working took place in Veh Ardašīr.