Limited yet informative: pathological alterations observed on human skeletal remains from third and second millennia bc collective burials in the United Arab Emirates

While syntheses of palaeopathological studies have been undertaken in many parts of the world, until recently little was known about human health in the past in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Focusing on skeletal pathologies, this paper documents the results of the first synthetic palaeopathologlcal study for this country. The collections of archaeological human skeletal remains come from three sites dating to the third and two sites dating to the second millennia bc and consist predominantly of disarticulated, partially fragmented and often cremated remains. The paper initially discusses potential explanations for the neglected study of human skeletal remains from the UAE. This discussion is followed by an outline of the types of burial practices employed in the past in this region and their effects on preservation. The nature of the collections and the methodology employed in their study are described. Using specific headings, the pathological findings are then documented, followed by a discussion of the results of the skeletal analysis in light of the available archaeological evidence. Finally, it is shown that although limited by preservation, analyses of human skeletal remains provide valuable details about the types of diseases that affected people in the past in the UAE. While less detailed than some palaeopathological syntheses, the results presented in this paper lay the foundations for further work on humans in the past in eastern Arabia. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

秦子姬簋盖初探

珍秦斋藏秦子姬簋盖是新发现的春秋早期秦铭文材料。本文解释了铭文词句,又根据《史记·秦本纪》的有关记载,并参考宝鸡太公庙出土秦武公及王姬钟铭文的研究,认为铭文中的“秦子”是指秦出子,“秦子姬”乃是其生母“鲁姬子”。这对于讨论青铜器铭文研究中的“秦子”问题以及秦国早期历史的探索,有一定的参考价值。     

湖北老河口杨营春秋遗址发掘简报

杨营春秋遗址位于湖北省老河口市南郊杨寨村一组,1994年10～12月,湖北省文物考古研究所和老河口市博物馆联合对该遗址进行了发掘,获得了一批重要的春秋时期的遗迹和遗物。主要遗迹有灰坑、水井等,遗物有陶、铜、铁、石器等,其中所出土的春秋晚期铁器,数量较多,品种较齐全,为研究我国特别是楚国铁器的出现和使用提供了极其重要的考古资料。     

新郑铁岭墓地M550发掘简报

铁岭墓地是郑韩故城西北方向一处面积巨大的邦墓地,2009年郑州市文物考古研究院在此发掘了14座铜器墓,多数配有车马坑,其中3座墓铜器得以保留。这些铜器,从器型及纹饰来看有演变关系,对认识铁岭墓地的年代跨度有重要意义。     

中国财税博物馆藏滕侯赇之歌钟考

2002年前后,中国财税博物馆征集入藏一套4件春秋晚期的编镈,其中一件钲部有清晰的滕侯赇之歌钟6字铭文,揭示了一个史料无载的滕国国君名,填补了滕国历史研究中的一个空白。这组青铜镈器形规整,铸造精良,但没有调音结构,可能是为滕侯赇下葬专门铸造的。     

Tales of Two Fijis: early 1960s Japanese travel writing by Kanetaka Kaoru and Kita Morio

ABSTRACT

This paper analyses impressions of Fiji in 1961, recorded by two well-known Japanese travel writers: travel journalist Kanetaka Kaoru and writer Kita Morio. Their comments on ethnic Fijians' attitudes to work and on encounters with a variety of Indigenous Fijians, including ratu (hereditary chiefs), made the observed people ‘others' informing the travellers' views on post-war colonial Fiji in an era when little was known about Fiji in Japan. Differing views on colonialism underpinned the two authors' views. At the time, Kita and Kanetaka revised but replicated the assumptions of pre-war Japanese writing about Nanyō (the South Seas) and of Western travelogues on the Pacific Islands. While Kita passed blunt and prejudiced judgements, he demonstrated an awareness of colonialism's adverse effects and of concerns also felt by the colonial administration about the place of Indigenous Fijians in the modern world. Kanetaka, seemingly without awareness of her latent prejudice, praised Fiji as a near-perfect colony that benefitted from colonialism.     

Time‐bubbles of nationalism: dynamics of solidarity ritual in lived time

The growth of modern nationalism can be attributed to structural causes, especially the growth of the strong bureaucratic state that penetrates society, creating cultural uniformity and national identity. But structurally based nationalism need not be very intense, or constant; even when institutionalised in periodic formal rituals, it can be routine, low in emotion – even boring. We need to explain sudden upsurges in popular nationalism, but also their persistence and fading in medium‐length periods of time. Nationalist surges are connected with geopolitical rises and falls in the power‐prestige of states: strong and expanding states absorb smaller particularistic identities into a prestigious whole; weaker and defeated states suffer delegitimation of the dominant nationality and fragment in sudden upsurges of localising nationalities. Passing from macro‐patterns to micro‐sociological mechanisms, conflict producing solidarity is a key mechanism: dramatic events focus widespread attention and assemble crowds into spontaneous ‘natural rituals’ – mass‐participation interaction rituals, as distinct from formal rituals. Evidence from public assemblies and the display of national symbols following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 (9/11) shows an intense period of three months, then gradual return to normal internal divisions by around six months. Spontaneous rituals of national solidarity are produced not only by external conflict but by internal uprisings, where an emotional upsurge of national identity is used to legitimate insurgent crowds and discredit regimes. Although participants experience momentary feelings of historic shifts, conflict‐mobilised national solidarity lives in a 3–6‐month time‐bubble, and needs to institutionalise its successes rapidly to have long‐term effects.     

淅川吴营遗址春秋墓发掘简报

吴营遗址位于淅川县西南丹江水库区东岸。2008年7~8月,为配合南水北调中线工程的建设,郑州大学历史学院考古系对该遗址进行了抢救性发掘,清理出春秋时期墓葬6座,为该地区西周至春秋时期考古学文化及其相关问题的研究提供了新资料。     

南京江宁陶吴春秋时期大型土墩墓发掘简报

2008年,南京市博物馆在南京市江宁区横溪街道陶吴社区清理了一座春秋中晚期的大型土墩墓。墩内发现2座小型土墩,发掘了3座墓葬,还发现有沟槽、柱坑、祭台、封门和类似门槛的遗迹及6座器物坑,出土了大量随葬器物。此次发掘的土墩墓规模巨大、遗迹和遗物丰富,推测墓主应是具有较高地位的贵族。     

The symbolism of the Arab flag in modern Arab states: between commonality and uniqueness*

ABSTRACT. The national flag, anthem and emblem are the three symbols through which an independent country proclaims its identity and sovereignty. Although each state has its distinctive flag, there are similarities in the flags of certain countries, such as in Scandinavia (the cross) and Africa (colours). These symbolise certain propinquity in terms of ideology, culture and history. Similarity is also to be found in the flags of the Arab countries: out of the twenty‐two current members of the Arab League, ten share the same colours on their flags (green, white, black and red), while a certain Islamic symbol (eagle, star) in some flags represents the uniqueness of that country. Of the other twelve countries, most rely on one colour of the four (usually red or green) while nine use Islamic symbols (stars, crescent and sword) on their flags. In spite of the importance of this national symbol, the study of the modern Arab flag is almost non‐existent. This article explores the modern evolution of the Arab flag and the reasons for the similarities in many Arab flags. In particular, it will deal with the pan‐Arab flags of the Hashemites Kingdom of the Hijaz (1916–26), Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Egypt.