Analysis of adhering organic residues of two “coupes-à-socles” from the Neolithic funerary site “La Hougue Bie” in Jersey: evidences of birch bark tar utilisation

The “coupes-à-socle” (footed cups) are ceramics which can be found in domestic Neolithic contexts in Brittany (Castellic, Auzay-Sandun), but more generally in non-domestic areas. Their ceremonial function has often been evoked, in particular as a perfume burner. The analysis by GC and GC/MS of two samples from the “Hougue Bie” (Jersey) passage graves showed the presence of vegetable fatty acids, degraded n-alkanes and terpenoïds, biomarkers of birch bark tar. The presence of such substances could be explained either by the use of the “coupes-à-socle” for burning birch bark tar as an odoriferous product or their use as an everyday vessel for heating and increasing tar plasticity. However, the limited occurrence of this type of ceramic in habitat sites supports the former utilisation. This first report of the presence of birch bark tar in “coupes-à-socle” thus suggests use of this tar as an odoriferous product, in addition to its numerous, previously recognised, more technical uses.     

Nitrogen isotopes and the trophic level of humans in archaeology

Human and domesticate animal bone collagen δ¹⁵N values in prehistory differ generally by 3‰ or more from Neolithic to post- Roman times in Northwest Europe, leading to an assumed dietary animal protein fraction of 60–80% using a standard interpretation of δ¹⁵N values. We examine the assumptions on which this model rests and the limitations of our knowledge in the analysis of δ¹⁵N values in archaeology. We have developed a set of models which, with small changes made in assumptions (on the order of 1‰), can produce substantially lower estimates of the dietary animal protein fraction for given δ¹⁵N values. We consider the implications of various dietary animal protein fractions on agricultural carrying capacities and human population densities in prehistory.     

改革开放以来我国人文地理学译看出版的特征、问题与建议

国外人文地理学著作和教材在我国的翻译出版主要是1990年代以来的事,商务印书馆作为出版大户在改革开放之初就出版了大规模的世界区域地理译著,其后所译著作多为受到好评的欧美论著或教材,但与原版书出版的时滞较长。相关译作缺乏规划、质量参差不齐、对教科书重视不够、学科分布不均衡等成为主要问题。加强有关译作的规划、提升翻译作品在学术评价中的地位、加强翻译队伍建设、重视教材的翻译和引进、加强薄弱学科著作和教材的引进和翻译等是今后发展的主要建议。     

华沙渠道与中美关系解冻:华盛顿决策内幕

在冷战的国际大背景下,尼克松政府对苏实施的“缓和”战略使得华盛顿打出“中国牌”,致力于改善同北京的关系。而1969年3月中苏边界武装冲突则为美提供了一个契机。在寻求同中国对话的渠道上,华盛顿首先想到的是华沙渠道,即第135次和136次中美大使级会谈,并为此做了充分的准备。尽管史实证明:华沙渠道的进展不像华盛顿期望的那样顺利,但基本上完成了预期的任务:表达了改善对华关系的愿望,并阐明了不会同苏联合作主宰东亚事务的立场。在华沙渠道完成了既定任务之后,华盛顿又将同北京的联络转为巴基斯坦渠道。     

Neither ‘America’ nor ‘Québec’: constructing the Canadian multicultural nation

ABSTRACT. Although researchers have deconstructed the myth of stark social differences between the various North American sub‐societies, an assimilating American melting pot and an ethnically oppressive monocultural Québec are still popular representations within Canadian majority discourses, such as the English‐language mainstream media and parts of academia. In this paper, I argue that images of ‘America’ and ‘Québec’ play important roles for the multicultural reconstruction of Canadian nationhood. Examining selected op‐ed articles from two Toronto‐based mainstream newspapers during the 1990s, I develop and exemplify a theoretical understanding of how national identities are constituted and transformed within inter‐ and intra‐national relations of power and alterity. I pay special attention to the particularisation of Canada through the confrontation with American nationhood, the ambiguities of recognising the distinctiveness of Québec inside Canada, and the consequences of projecting Québec's supposedly ‘ethnic’ nationalism outside the boundaries of Canadianness.     

Different Preparation Techniques – Similar Results? On the Quality of Thin‐Ground Sections of Archaeological Bone

Palaeohistology as a valuable diagnostic instrument is dependent on the production of high‐quality thin‐ground sections from dry bone. The objective of this study was to consider technical differences and assess the qualitative outcomes of five techniques for preparing thin‐ground sections from dry archaeological bone. Established techniques with long follow‐up times and excellently documented results were compared with simpler and cheaper time‐saving techniques. Evaluations were made of the quality of thin sections obtained by one classical machine‐based embedding technique, two revised versions of the same technique, one manual moulding technique based on Frost's rapid technique and one manual hybrid technique. Five osteological specimens of differing quality were prepared following the manuals for these five techniques and examined microscopically with respect to a list of standardised histological and diagenetic parameters. Alterations in the specimens attributable to preparation effects were recorded, and observations were scored with reference to three criteria: section quality, technical quality and staining. The results show that embedding techniques are to prefer. Superglue should not be used as a mounting or embedding medium. Manual grinding comes with several limitations, and machine cutting and grinding are preferred. Haematoxylin staining can be successfully applied to embedded specimens, giving more information on microscopic diagenetic processes. A stepwise manual for a revision of the classical embedding technique is presented. The time required for producing sections using classical embedding techniques is shortened from 6 weeks to 3.7 days by refining the preparation/polymerization processes involved with no loss of osteological data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Case of Ancient Bladder Stones from Oluz Höyük,Amasya, Turkey

A biological object was recovered from the pelvic region of an adult woman coded to SK13 unearthed from Oluz Höyük in Amasya, Turkey. The skeleton was dated to the medieval period on the basis of the burial customs and the calibrated ¹⁴C dates. The find was identified as a bladder stone on morphological, radiographic and chemo‐analytical grounds with the help of X‐ray diffraction, polarised energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy, confocal Raman spectroscopy, and microscopic techniques. The mineralogical composition of urinary stone was found to be as calcium phosphate (apatite). Bladder stone disease is endemic in poor agricultural regions where the typical diet is mostly based on grain carbohydrate consumption with scarce intake of animal protein. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

流动性视角下中国流行菜系的空间扩散格局及其文化地理逻辑

流动性的增强不但意味着人口、信息、资金流动强度增加,也意味着流动范围的扩大。在此背景下,以稳定的人口构成为基础的传统地域饮食文化区的边界也开始发生变化。同时,流动性也使多元地方饮食文化在空间扩散的基础上展开了互动与交融。本研究将除港澳台地区以外的中国全域作为研究区域,基于海量餐饮服务设施POI数据,运用核密度分析方法分析中国目前的流行菜系空间扩散格局并描述其特征,并从流动性视角阐释其形成与扩散的文化地理逻辑。研究发现,中国现流行的菜系主要包括川菜、湘菜、粤菜、东北菜、徽菜、云贵菜、西北菜、鲁菜;中国流行菜系的空间扩散格局具有差异明显、多中心发展的特点。其中,川菜、湘菜、粤菜数量多分布广;鲁菜、徽菜分布集中,扩散较少;东北菜、云贵菜、西北菜数量较少但分布范围广。这种流行菜系空间扩散格局背后的文化地理逻辑与流动性密不可分,人口、资金等的流动促使地方饮食文化在空间内扩散,同时也带来了地方饮食文化间的交融互构。     

消费地理学研究述评与展望

随着全球化与经济一体化的推进,中国社会已经从生产型社会进入消费型社会,生产与消费的关系也逐渐成为地理学绕不开的研究话题。消费活动以超出我们想象的方式将地方与我者、他者联系起来。消费实践如何与在地化的商品实现连接与互动,是作为人文地理学的子学科消费地理学需要回答的问题。消费地理学是通过消费与其他空间相联系的内在逻辑来解释地方中蕴含的复杂含义。本文回顾了消费地理学的源起与研究脉络,借助消费地理学关于消费空间性、主体性、社会性的分析框架回顾了西方消费地理学的研究概况,并梳理了我国消费地理学的学科基础与研究框架,最后提出了从地理学视角解读消费研究热点话题的新思路与研究范式。     

明清时期广东五邑地区政区变迁研究

广东五邑地区以潭江流域为中心,是一个相对独立的地理单元,但该地的政区边界却打破了自然山川的界限。从明代到清初顺治年间,为了应对以民变为首的地方政治危机,朝廷先后在潭江流域设置了恩平、新宁、开平三县。这些县级政区的边界大致与潭江流域的地理分界线重合,地理单元的独立性开始作用于政区划界中。清代雍乾年间,形成了新会、鹤山、新宁、开平、恩平五县分治潭江流域的格局。同时,随着新会县核心政区地位的巩固,流域内各县整合为一个统县政区的倾向开始加强,为后世潭江流域的政区整合奠定基础。明清时期潭江流域的政区变迁体现了地理环境和地方政治局势在政区格局形成过程中的根本性作用。