Saharan prehistoric basketry. Archaeological and archaeobotanical analysis of the early-middle Holocene assemblage from Takarkori (Acacus Mts., SW Libya)

The paper presents the large set of basketry and other worked fibre artefacts constituting the perishable artefacts assemblage from the Takarkori rock shelter. This site is located in southwestern Libya, central Sahara. Its well-preserved Holocene stratigraphy testifies to human occupations by foraging groups (Late Acacus culture; ca. 9000–7400 uncal years bp; ca. 8300–6100 BCE) and herders (Pastoral cultures; ca. 7400–4500 uncal years bp; ca. 6400–3000 BCE).     

Study of stafne's defects in Late Neolithic,Late Roman,Medieval and Modern skeletal samples from Portugal

Lingual mandibular cortical defects (Stafne's defects) are relatively uncommon in recent as well as past populations, but while this condition is often discussed in clinical reports, they are rarely the subject of anthropological research. In this paper, the prevalence of Stafne's bone defects in skeletal samples from Late Neolithic, Late Roman, Medieval and Modern Portugal is investigated (N = 704 complete mandibles and 111 incomplete mandibles). The aims of this paper are threefold: (1) to present and analyse for the first time in Portuguese osteological record prevalence data on Stafne's bone defect, (2) to analyse variations in defect prevalence between skeletal samples from a wide temporal array and (3) to verify if more tenuous lesions in which resorption of the lingual cortex was not yet extensive had the classic radiographic appearance described by Stafne in order to validate the hypothesis that lesions are present clinically in many more cases than published figures indicate. In all cases, differential diagnosis against other conditions that mimic Stafne's defects, namely odontogenic lesions, cysts and neoplasms, was done. In all samples, the evidence of Stafne's defect occurred in 12 individuals (1.7%), and males (2.84%) were more frequently affected than females (0.61%). When incomplete mandibles were considered, only one left fragment (0.90%) exhibited Stafne's defect. Accurate identification of all examples of Stafne's bone defects in antiquity is thought to represent an important contribution to elucidate which factors may be responsible for this trait's cultural, ecological, temporal and geographical patterning. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Problems of TL dating of the Mesopleistocene loess deposits in the Podillya and Pokuttya regions (Ukraine)

In many papers different authors was described problem of systematic underestimation of TL ages for sediments older then 100 ka. We presented the results which probably are not significantly rejuvenated. This is another example of the TL dates made in Lublin laboratory which are likely in agreement with the stratigraphic interpretation. In 2002 Kusiak et al. published the TL ages ranging from 200 to 800 ka for the Zahvizdja loess profile in Ukraine. These first promising results of TL dating of so old deposits encouraged us to undertake further studies. In next years were discovered other Ukrainian loess profiles with the Middle and Lower Pleistocene deposits, among others in the Skala Podils’ka, Mamalyha and Vendychany sites. The thermoluminescence dating made for these profiles in the Lublin laboratory gave the next, after Zahvizdja, series of 15 TL ages ranging from 200 to 700 ka. This way we confirmed the possibility of TL dating of the deposits older than 400 ka BP.     

Book reviews

A. K. Ogloblin. Madurskiy yazyk i lingvisticheskaya tipologiya. 200 pp. Leningrad: Izdatel'stvo Leningradskogo Universiteta, 1986.

Rahmah Bujang. Boria: a form of Malay theatre. xv, 165 pp. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, [1987]. (Local History and Memoirs.)

J. van Baal and others. West Irian: a bibliography. [By] J. van Baal, K. W. Galis, and R. M. Koentjaraningrat. xiv, 307 pp. Dordrecht; Cinnaminson: Foris Publications, 1984. (Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal‐, Land‐ en Volkenkunde. Bibliographical series, 15.)     

Multi-analytical techniques for the study of pre-Columbian mummies and related funerary materials

Due to a paucity of original written information, we base our knowledge of the pre-Columbian civilizations of Latin America on archaeological and archaeometric analysis. Particularly, the analytical study of funerary materials collected by conquerors in historical times and archaeologists nowadays during their travels and expeditions contributes to a better understanding of religious practices and social organisation. In the present study, a multi-analytical approach is presented which was used for the characterisation of red and blue organic dyes, inorganic pigments and embalming materials in various archaeological finds from the necropolis of Ancòn (Peru). These included the funerary clothes belonging to a set of three mummies, dated between the 11th and the 13th century AD. Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques were used: high performance liquid chromatography with UV-Visible detector (HPLC-UV-Vis) for identifying organic dyes, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) for recognising pigments, and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC/MS) for analysing organic embalming materials. This multi-analytical approach enabled us to characterise a range of materials. The presence of red anthraquinoid dyes and blue indigoid ones was assessed, although it was not always possible to identify the original source with certainty. Cinnabar was identified as the colouring material applied to one mummy's hair. The molecular markers of conifer resin were detected in the bandages. The analytical results highlighted the use of a number of hitherto unknown dyes and embalming materials in Peruvian funerary rituals.     

库库提尼文明——新石器时代彩陶研究资料库的建立

库库提尼的新石器时代陶器距今约5000年,它是Ariusd-- CucuteniTripolie古人类活动带的一部分,位于欧洲东南部。对这种三色彩陶器的研究是法国和罗马尼亚的合作项目,基金来源是Brancusi项目提供,研究方向是制陶的黏土成分、烧制温度、用于涂彩的颜料层（白、红、黑）,陶器式样模型材料等。库库提尼文化是19世纪末第一个被发现的,它经历了约120年的流逝,由于过去对它的研究主要为考古调查,处于对它特殊性的好奇,才带出了本课题。本文报道了用岩相学分析的结果,通过对陶质材料进行SEMEDX,XRF检测,得到了库库提尼从A期、AB期到B期的不同进化阶段的岩相学陶层资料,现已发现的Scanteia,TarguFrumos,Ruginoasa,Cucuteni,Isaia,Poienesti考古遗址也符合这种进化阶段。本项目的目的是创建一个基础数据库,使有关库库提尼的资料数据能完整统一地输入古代欧洲研究数据库。     

Free trade, feudal remnants and international equilibrium in Gaetano Filangieri's Science of Legislation

In his main work, The Science of Legislation (1780–1783), the Neapolitan Gaetano Filangieri proposed a set of extensive political and cultural reforms. These reforms were necessary to free eighteenth-century societies from the remnants of feudal institutions that obstructed international peace and economic growth. Filangieri's ideas were shaped by the international political climate between the seven Years’ War and the eve of the French Revolution. Reinterpreting Montesquieu and Genovesi through the influences of French radical and Enlightenment thought (Helvétius, Raynal, l’Encyclopédie), as well as the economics of Hume, Verri and the Physiocrats, he concluded that European modernity was inherently contradictory.From this perspective Filangieri set out to force a clean break between the technical horizons of mercantilism and enlightened absolutism and a society based on civil rights, a fair distribution of wealth and resources, and free trade. Proper ‘scientific’ knowledge of the rules and principles of legislation would allow governments to balance out the natural and cultural factors that characterise individual states, and to identify the appropriate model for social and economic development. If all states acted on their proper interest, international free trade and peaceful competition between states would emerge and the potential for general economic growth be materialised. Thus, the natural equilibrium and ‘universal consensus’ among nations could be restored.