Ancient DNA in human bones from Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Greece and Crete

Attempts were made to detect ancient DNA (aDNA) in samples of 88 human skeletons from eight Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Greece and Crete. Ancient DNA was absent in specimens from Nea Nikomedia, Lerna, Karaviádena (Zakro), Antron Grave Circle A and Mycenae Grave Circle A. For each of three skeletons from Antron Grave Circle B that were sampled, polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) gave products for nuclear but not mitochondrial DNA, but amplicon yield was low and inconsistent with replicate PCRs failing to give reproducible results. With specimens from Mycenae Grave Circle B, evidence for mitochondrial aDNA was obtained for four of the 22 skeletons that were studied, and at Kouphovouno evidence for mitochondrial and/or nuclear aDNA was obtained with eight of the 20 skeletons that were examined. We conclude that, although aDNA might be present in some Eastern Mediterranean skeletons from later centuries of the Bronze Age, it is not commonly found in material from this period and is likely to be absent from older material.     

中国古代社会保障思想与实践初探

中国几千年所遗留下来的社会保障思想有许多精华值得我们挖掘和继承,特别是其中的大同均平思想、以民为本思想、兼爱交利思想和仓储后备思想及其实践,尤其值得我们学习和借鉴。吸收古代社会保障中这些行之有效的思想和方法,将有助于我们构建中国特色的社会保障制度,保障基本民生。     

Han Chinese,Manchu, and Western Spaces: The Changing Facade of Imperial Education in Qing Beijing

The physical spaces of imperial education during the Qing were carefully constructed sites of political architecture that sought to shape the behavior of princes, emperors, and their teachers while projecting dynamic images of power. This article examines a range of buildings associated with the Qing pedagogical apparatus. It argues that the changing spaces of imperial education drew on both classical ideals and international iconographies of power to create and disseminate a fluid vision of rule. In the eighteenth century, the Qianlong emperor ordered the construction of the Biyong Hall at the center of the Imperial Academy in Beijing for exclusive use by the emperor during the Imperial Lecture, combining classical Han Chinese and Manchu expressions of authority. Throughout the nineteenth century, heirs to the throne and young emperors were trained in classrooms filled with calligraphy penned by their ancestors. Aphorisms drawing on the Confucian classics, as well as Daoist and Buddhist texts, urged the young rulers to strive for dynastic renewal. Finally, at the start of the twentieth century as the Qing worked to transition to a constitutional monarchy, imperial classrooms around Beijing were infused with Western architectural styles, incorporating new strands of authority for the reforming Qing dynasty.     

Cats of the Pharaohs: Genetic Comparison of Egyptian Cat Mummies to their Feline Contemporaries

The ancient Egyptians mummified an abundance of cats during the Late Period (664 - 332 BC). The overlapping morphology and sizes of developing wildcats and domestic cats confounds the identity of mummified cat species. Genetic analyses should support mummy identification and was conducted on two long bones and a mandible of three cats that were mummified by the ancient Egyptians. The mummy DNA was extracted in a dedicated ancient DNA laboratory at the University of California - Davis, then directly sequencing between 246 and 402 bp of the mtDNA control region from each bone. When compared to a dataset of wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris, F. s. tristrami, and F. chaus) as well as a previously published worldwide dataset of modern domestic cat samples, including Egypt, the DNA evidence suggests the three mummies represent common contemporary domestic cat mitotypes prevalent in modern Egypt and the Middle East. Divergence estimates date the origin of the mummies' mitotypes to between two and 7.5 thousand years prior to their mummification, likely prior to or during Egyptian Predyanstic and Early Dynastic Periods. These data are the first genetic evidence supporting that the ancient Egyptians used domesticated cats, F. s. catus, for votive mummies, and likely implies cats were domesticated prior to extensive mummification of cats.     

几种防腐剂在古坑木中的吸收量固化率及抗流失性研究

不同类型的防腐剂由于化学性质不同,造成在古坑木中的吸收量、固化率及抗流失性有较大差别。为了筛选出适合于古铜矿遗址内古坑木的防腐剂,对木宝等几种防腐剂在古坑木中的吸收量、固化率、抗流失性进行了试验。     

珂罗版复制在书画文物保护中的作用

珂罗版印刷是一种古老而精妙的平面印刷技术,珂罗版印刷在印刷复杂的书画作品时,特别是在中国古代书画的笔触和墨韵表现上,可以最大限度地体现原作的艺术特色,达到其他印刷手段难以企及的艺术境界。珂罗版印刷与人工设色相结合,提高了人工临摹的工作效率使古老珂罗版印刷更具艺术生命力,成为复制书画文物的最佳手段。     

西汉早期柿园墓四神云气图壁画保护研究（一）——历史与现状调查

壁画保护研究,多集中在正面的保护以及揭取方法和材料的选用。对壁画揭取选用材料性能的系统研究甚少。而对已揭取壁画的破坏与保护的研究更少。已揭取壁画的破坏包含壁画原有的破坏和揭取所用材料蜕变引发的破坏。已揭取壁画具有结构体系的复杂性和破坏类型的多样性,其破坏类型往往是交织在一起的。对此类壁画的保护修复应建立在全面调查、系统研究的理论框架上。其研究内容涉及多学科以及多类型材料和方法的综合运用,其调查内容,也须从壁画制作工艺、材料、环境、破坏类型、原有保护材料以及材料相互作用等方面界定。本工作对西汉早期柿园墓四神云气图壁画的历史状况和现状进行了全面调查。调查结果无疑对后续的研究、对认识壁画的破坏形式和性质具有重要的作用,更有助于实施对古代壁画的科学保护和修复。     

一种新型古丝绸强度测定仪的研制

为了克服目前利用抗拉强度分析方法检测古丝绸老化强度的缺点,通过对古丝绸抗拉强度分析,利用电子天平的称量精度和记录、显示功能,结合控速、控力和固定试样的机械部件,对测定仪的机械、电路、软件部分进行了设计,研制出一种新型的古丝绸强度测定仪。用古丝绸强度测定仪对古丝绸进行了测试,结果显示古丝绸强度测定仪能很好地测定古丝绸的抗拉强度。该仪器为定量测定古代丝织品老化程度提供了一种较为精细的手段。     

安徽省图书馆藏《正德三年进士登科录》的修复

2013年初,为配合古籍数字化,安徽省图书馆开始修复馆藏《正德三年进士登科录》。通过分析破损现状、查找相关资料、咨询修复专家、制订修复方案、选配纸张、清洗书页、修补书页、书皮及托纸、修整书页、装订书册、残片修复与函套制作、完善修复记录,经精心修复,修复质量合格、效果满意。论文着重探讨了"古籍修复需要讲究依据"、灵活运用"修旧如旧"原则、保留修复资料等相关问题。此修复研究可为行业修复此类古籍提供相关借鉴。     

兰州城市建筑构成与空间分布研究

利用高精度卫星影象和大规模实地调查方法获取数据,采用GIS手段和数理统计方法,利用建筑占地面积和建筑面积两项指标,分别研究了兰州市及其各区、功能区、各组团圈层的现状建筑构成与空间分布特点和规律。研究结果表明了兰州市各圈层的各种建筑类型所占的地位及其差异、不同区不同圈层不同建筑类型建筑的年代构成和现代化趋势及其差异。