The “golden age” of synesthesia inquiry in the late nineteenth century (1876–1895)

ABSTRACT

Synesthesia is a rare neurological trait that causes unusual, often cross-sensory, experiences (e.g., seeing colors when listening to music). This article traces the history of synesthesia in the period 1876 to 1895. In this period, there was considerable debate over the nature of synesthesia, its causes, and how it should be named. The issue also attracted the leading thinkers of the time and, within a few years, the number of reported cases of synesthesia jumped from around ten to more than 100. For this reason, this period can be regarded as the “golden age” for synesthesia research in the nineteenth century. In this time, scientists debated whether synesthesia was a form of pathology or an alternative manifestation of intelligence. The differing roles of heredity and environment were contested, and there were several explanations proposed as to its neural basis. These enquiries went to the heart of the debate as to whether synesthetic experiences are special in any way or, instead, a more vivid manifestation of a more general capacity for forming associations.     

The evolution of the concept of synesthesia in the nineteenth century as revealed through the history of its name

ABSTRACT

Synesthesia is a rare perceptual condition causing unusual sensations, which are triggered by the stimulation of otherwise unrelated modalities (e.g., the sensation of colors triggered when listening to music). In addition to the name it takes today, the condition has had a wide variety of designations throughout its scientific history. These different names have also been accompanied by shifting boundaries in its definition, and the literature has undergone a considerable process of change in the development of a term for synesthesia, starting with “obscure feeling” in 1772, and ending with the first emergence of the true term “synesthesia” or “synæsthesiæ” in 1892. In this article, we will unpack the complex history of this nomenclature; provide key excerpts from central texts, in often hard-to-locate sources; and translate these early passages and terminologies into English.     

Herds for the Gods? Selection Criteria and Herd Management at the Mass Sacrifice Site of Huanchaquito-Las Llamas During the Chimú Period,Northern Coast of Peru

ABSTRACT

The discovery of the sacrificial remains of 140 children and 206 camelids sacrificed at the site of Huanchaquito-Las Llamas, on the northern coast of Peru, has provided new data on mass sacrifice practices during the Chimú period. The exceptional state of preservation of the camelids, including the presence of coats and hides, opens new research perspectives on the utilisation of animals in ritual contexts. This article will focus on the results of the zooarchaeological analysis, particularly of mortality profiles and coat colour, to address the criteria used to select the sacrificial victims. Young individuals were exclusively selected, and while there is a majority of brown coats, three colours that are present in modern herds are absent at Huanchaquito. This reveals the preferential choice made by the Chimú officiants for this sacrifice. A spatial analysis did not reveal preferences in the organisation of the deposits. The killing of the youngest cohort of the livestock probably had an impact on the whole livestock. This suggests the existence of large herds that were controlled by the Chimú empire. Our results provide additional insights into the management of camelid herds and show the complexity of pastoralism on the pacific coast during pre-Hispanic times.     

Feminist geographies in Aotearoa New Zealand: cultural,social and political moments

Abstract

Aotearoa New Zealand is a nation of promise, potential and enigma: it was the first country in the world where women gained the vote in 1893 and now boasts the youngest woman world leader in 2017. It is also a postcolonial nation where structural racism, homophobia, and sexism persist, yet it has also given legal personhood to a river. Our Country Report foregrounds Aotearoa New Zealand feminist geographic scholarship that responds to, reflects, and sometimes resists such contrasts and contradictions at the national scale. We employ the lens of the 2017 national election to critically engage with current gendered and indigenous politics in the country. Analyzing these politics through three ‘feminist moments,’ our paper highlights the breadth and scope of current Aotearoa New Zealand feminist geographic scholarship and directions.     

天然染料苏木的光褪色机理研究

有机质文物如书画和纺织品在修复保护过程中常常遇到褪色问题,对于染料分子是一种不可逆的损伤,因此有必要采用一定的科学方法对原因机理进行研究。苏木在文化遗产领域常作为天然染料用于纺织品染色,但色牢度较差。通过溶液动力学模拟实验借助紫外光老化过程推测降解副产物,追踪了对曾经在文物中检测到的有效化学组分巴西苏木素和原苏木素B在N,N-二甲基甲酰胺基质里光催化老化代谢过程,分别获得20组不同老化程度的紫外老化的标准品。实验表征手段主要采用紫外可见漫反射光谱、超高效液相色谱四极杆飞行时间质谱联用及核磁共振氢谱对颜色变化趋势和老化过程进行分析。通过苏木染色及丝织品光老化实验,得到17组不同褪色程度的纺织品样品。采用液质联用在负离子模式下结合化学计量学统计分析差异代谢物及老化机制,巴西苏木素、苏木红素及原苏木素B可能的转化及降解产物分别得到一定的推论。结果显示褪色纺织品随着光老化的发生反射光谱最大波长总体发生蓝移。巴西苏木素季碳羟基容易发生脱水反应产生一系列变化,原苏木素B光老化过程容易转化成原苏木素C、尿石素C等化合物。苏木染褪色纺织品总体可分为两类组间差异,通过主成分分析出差异代谢物巴西苏木素、原苏木素B以及C等多种老化产物,这些总体因素造成体系的光老化颜色变化。这些探索性发现期待为今后天然染料的相关研究提供启发,助力提升有机质文物的科学价值认知。