The Belgammel Ram,a Hellenistic‐Roman Bronze Proembolion Found off the Coast of Libya: test analysis of function,date and metallurgy,with a digital reference archive

The Belgammel Ram was found off the coast of Libya in 1964, and examined during 2008–9. The following techniques were used: surface non‐contact digitizing using a laser scanner, reflectance transformation imaging using polynomial texture mapping and hemi‐spherical harmonics, digital photogrammetry with dense surface modelling, structured light optical scanning, and X‐ray fluorescence analysis. For internal structure the ram was examined by X‐radiography and 3‐D X‐ray tomography. Metallurgical composition was studied by micro‐drilling and subjecting the samples to scanning electron microscope X‐ray micro‐analysis, micro X‐ray fluorescence and X‐ray backscatter. The lead isotope composition was analysed. The alloy has average percentage composition Cu = 86.9, Sn = 6.3, Pb = 6.6, and Zn = < 0.10. The Belgammel Ram is probably a Hellenistic‐Roman proembolion from a small military vessel or tesseraria. The archived data are at the Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Engineering Sciences, Material Data Centre, University of Southampton ( muvis@soton.ac.uk ).     

Reviews

NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION. THE TREATY AND AFTER. Michael E. Sherman. Toronto, Canadian Institute of International Affairs, 1968.. Pp. 98. $3.50 (Canadian).

CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1968. REFORM, REPRESSION AND RESISTANCE. Philip Windsor and Adam Roberts. London, Chatto & Windus, 1969. Pp. viii + 200. 15/‐ (stg.).

COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBERSHIP IN THE USSR, 1917–1967. T. H. Rigby. Princeton University Press, 1968. Pp. 573. $15.00.

GENERAL GIAP, POLITICIAN AND STRATEGIST. Robert J. 0'Neill. Melbourne, Cassell Australia, 1969. Pp. 219. $5.50.

CANBERRA PAPERS ON DEFENCE AND STRATEGY. Canberra, Australian National University Press, 1968–9.

No. 1 OIL SUPPLY IN AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCE STRATEGY. Alex Hunter. Pp. 50. $1.50.

No. 2 THE STRATEGIC SITUATION IN THE 1980's. Geoffrey Jukes. Pp. 20. $050.

No. 3 AUSTRALIA AND THE NON‐PROLIFERATION TREATY. J. L. Richardson. Pp. 24. $050.

No. 4 AN AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR FORCE. Ian Bellany. Pp. 16. $050.

No. 5 EDUCATING FOR THE PROFESSION OF ARMS. P. H. Partridge. Pp. 18. $050.

THE FUTURE OF THE OVERSEAS CHINESE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. Lea E. Williams. New York, McGraw‐Hill Book Company, 1966. Pp. xi + 143. $5.50 (U.S.).

THE COMMONWEALTH IN SOUTH ASIA. S. P. Aiyar. Bombay, Lalvani Publishing House, 1969. Pp. 409. Rs 30.00.

A SHORT HISTORY OF INDIA. Ian W. Mabbett. Melbourne, Cassell Australia, 1968. Pp. ix + 259. $4.75 hard cover, $3.25 paperback.

A SHORT HISTORY OF INDONESIA. Ailsa Zainu'ddin. Melbourne, Cassell Australia, 1969. Pp. xi + 290. $4.75 hard cover, $3.25 paperback.

TRADE AND AID IN SOUTH EAST ASIA. VOLUME I. MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE. Sumitro Djojohadikusomo. Melbourne, F. W. Cheshire, 1968. For the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Pp. ix + 311. $10.     

Uranium-series dating rock art in East Timor

At many sites throughout the world rock art paintings have been covered by naturally deposited calcite laminations, which we demonstrate can be individually dated by recently improved uranium-series methods. Here we report the application of multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to measure the ages for carbonate coatings that bracket red pigment at Lene Hara cave, East Timor, which could be evidence of human painting. These analyses establish the feasibility of dating milligram samples of finely layered calcite deposits associated with archaeological evidence of human occupation. In addition to confirming an age of less then 6300 years for the visible red paintings on the carbonate surface we also report a substantially older age of 24,000 to 29,300 years for a similar, older red pigment lamination providing possible evidence for an earlier painting episode.     

Books Received

This article is an analysis of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges's short text “Kafka and His Precursors.” Although appearing to be an example of literary criticism, Borges's essay is in fact the exploration of a certain logical paradox. It is a paradox that is to be found throughout Borges's work, with the result that “Kafka and His Precursors” can be read as a disguised literary manifesto on the part of Borges. I also explore the consequences of Borges's essay for thinking about questions of cultural transmission. I argue that Borges’ work lives on—like those literary, religious and philosophical traditions he admires—because its most profound subject is the relationship it has with the person who reads it.     

Book reviews

THE CAUSES OF WAR. Geoffrey Blainey. Macmillan, London, 1973. 333–14199–7. 278 pp. $9.50.

THE BASES OF INTERNATIONAL ORDER. Alan James (ed.) Oxford U.P., London, 1973. 0–19–215801–5. 218 pp. $10.10.

THE ABERYSTWYTH PAPERS: INTERNATIONAL POLITICS 1919–69. Brian Porter (ed.). Oxford University Press, London, 1972. 019 2151932. 390 pp. $17.10.

THE STUDY OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: ESSAYS IN HONOUR OF KENNETH YOUNGER. Roger Morgan fed.). Oxford University Press, London, 1972. 019 214989X. 309 pp. $15.60.

FOREIGN POLICY FOR AUSTRALIA: CHOICES FOR THE SEVENTIES. Australian Institute of Political Science (Proceedings of the 39th Summer School). Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1973. 198 pp. $3.50.

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE RED BANTENG: INDONESIAN COMMUNISTS BETWEEN MOSCOW AND PEKING 1959–65. Antonie C. A. Dake. Mouton & Co., The Hague, 1973. 73–75520. 479 pp.

CANADA'S MARITIME FORCES. C. S. Gray. Wellesley Paper 1, Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Toronto, 1973. 79 pp. $2.00.

CANADIAN MILITARY PROFESSIONAL: THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY. R. B. Byers and C. S. Gray (eds.). Wellesley Paper 2, Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Toronto, 1973, 84 pp. $2.00.

DEFENCE PERSPECTIVES. Ken Keith (ed.). Price Milburn, Wellington, for the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, 1972. 133 pp. 0–70 55367–4. $NZ2.00.

KOREA AND MANCHURIA BETWEEN RUSSIA AND JAPAN, 1895–1904: THE OBSERVATIONS OF SIR ERNEST SATOW, BRITISH MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY TO JAPAN (1895–1900) AND CHINA (1900–1906). Selected and Edited with a Historical Introduction by George Alexander Lensen. Sophia. University Tokyo in cooperation with The Diplomatic Press, Tallahassee, Florida, 1968. 296 pp. $US12.50.

JAPANESE FOREIGN POLICY ON THE EVE OF THE PACIFIC WAR: A SOVIET VIEW. Leonid N. Kutakov. Edited with a Foreword by George Alexander Lensen. The Diplomatic Press, Tallahassee, Florida, 1972. 241 pp. $US15.00.

PORTRAITS OF THAI POLITICS. Jayanta Kumar Ray. Orient Longman, New Delhi, 1972. 225 pp. RS. 20.

HET EKONOMISCH BELEID IN NEDERLANDSCH‐INDIE, CAPITA SELECTA (Economic Policy in the Netherlands Indies, Selected Subjects), Part I. P. Creutzberg (ed.). Publication No. 5 of the ‘Committee for the Publication of Primary Sources Concerning the History of the Netherlands‐Indies 1900–1942’, Wolters‐Noordhoff, Groningen, The Netherlands, 1972. 756 pp.

MODERNIZATION IN EAST MALAYSIA 1960–1970. James P. Ongkili. Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1972. 123 pp. $4.80.

FOCUS ON WEST BENGAL. Shiresh Bhattacharyya (ed.). Samatat Prakashau, Calcutta, 1972. 207 pp. Deluxe Rs. 30.00, Popular Rs. 20.00.