Investigation of past archaeological landscapes using remote sensing and GIS: a multi-method case study from Mount Ida,Crete

Spatial analysis in geoarchaeological applications can be improved by implementing a wider set of geoecological parameters, in order to provide more precise results. The aim of the paper is to show how geoscientific ground-truth and techniques can be adopted for detailed archaeological studies using a comprehensive set of environmental variables that might have influenced ancient settlement patterns. The project focuses on spatial patterns of archaeological sites as well as Bronze Age communication paths in Central Crete by applying a multi-method approach (surveying, remote sensing, DEM analysis, least-cost analysis, candidate site detection, predictive modelling, etc.). In contrast to conventional archaeological GIS applications this enhanced strategy offers promising prospects regarding landscape and settlement modelling.     

Imperial Intersections: Archaeologists, War and Violence—Comments

This is a commentary on a series of papers presented in the Imperial Intersections: archaeologists, war and violence session at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The session addressed issues surrounding archaeology, war and violence and the ethical responsibilities of archaeological practitioners. The papers in this volume have created more questions than answers, but as with all ethical scenarios, I was inspired to think and to examine critically aspects of archaeology that may have eluded past contemplation. In attempting to find commonalities and themes in the submissions I realized that almost every paper is concerned with the production of knowledge—how much access should there be; who should have access to knowledge; how should knowledge be disseminated; and when and if the knowledge should be reproduced. The central debate of “in whose best interest is this knowledge produced” is also explored in this review?     

Archaeological Collections, Government Warehouses, and Anxious Moderns: The Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

This paper focuses on archaeological curation repositories and their role as more than mere storage facilities. Archaeological collections are increasingly marshaled to confront anxieties about a seemingly ‘vanishing past’ and to arrest its disappearance. In Maryland, the state has invested heavily in a ‘state-of-the-art’ facility to protect and study archaeological collections in its custody. The facility has become the proxy for the collections and a form of cultural property itself, becoming part of the ongoing process that serves to recast this portion of the state as a place rooted in the past.     

“中国社会科学院考古学论坛·2011年中国考古新发现”纪要

2012年1月6日,"中国社会科学院考古学论坛·2011年中国考古新发现"在中国社会科学院成功举行。内蒙古鄂尔多斯市乌兰木伦旧石器时代遗址、内蒙古科左中旗哈民忙哈史前聚落遗址、湖北随州市叶家山西周墓地、江苏盱眙县大云山西汉江都王陵、山东定陶县灵圣湖西汉墓和西藏定结县恰姆石窟作为今年入选的六个项目,在论坛上进行了集中发布。国家文物局副局长童明康,中国社会科学院副秘书长、科研局局长晋保平等领导,以及国家文物局文保司、中国社会科学院国际合作局、科研局以及相关研究所、国家博物馆、故宫博物院、中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所、北京大学、中国人民大学、     

从出土东周带扣看其起源与传播

一、带扣的型式划分及用途分析以往的研究,对带扣进行分型定式主要是依据扣环来分,但是出土的带扣除了扣环有区别外,扣尾也有很大的区别。有的有扣尾,有的没有,有的则不分扣环和扣尾,整个为饰浮雕动物纹的牌状扣身,这就决定了它们的使用方法不     

Correcting temporal frequency distributions for taphonomic bias

In this paper, we expand upon a prior study [Surovell, T.A., Brantingham, P.J., 2007. A note on the use of temporal frequency distributions in studies of prehistoric demography. Journal of Archaeological Science 34, 1868–1877.] that explored the problem of taphonomic bias. Taphonomic bias refers to the tendency for younger things to be over-represented relative to older things in the archaeological record due to the operation of destructive processes like erosion and weathering. Using a database of radiocarbon dated volcanic deposits from Bryson, R.U., Bryson, R.A., Ruter, A. [2006. A calibrated radiocarbon database of late Quaternary volcanic eruptions. Earth Discussions 1, 123–124.], we develop an empirical model of taphonomic bias. In contrast to our prior study in which we modeled taphonomic bias as an exponential function wherein the likelihood of site loss remains constant through time, we argue that the probability of site destruction actually decreases with site age. We further demonstrate how this model can be used to correct temporal frequency distributions and extract demographic histories. We illustrate this approach using databases of radiocarbon dates from rockshelter and open-air sites in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA, and mammoths and humans in Siberia, Russia.     

Three-dimensional laser scanning: potential uses for museum conservation and scientific research

Recent technological advancements have made a tremendous impact in the fields of biological anthropology and archaeology. Although advancements in DNA analysis have overshadowed other areas of progress in the subfields of biological anthropology, bioarchaeologists are now utilizing many other new forms of technology in their work. In particular, three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning offers a sophisticated method of documenting and studying prehistoric human skeletons. In recent years, portable laser scanning devices capable of creating high resolution images have become available, enabling researchers to scan and archive skeletal collections from archaeological sites and museum collections around the world. 3D laser scanners are inexpensive, simple to operate, and completely non-destructive to human skeletal material. A major benefit is that they offer a cost-effective method of creating a digital record of skeletal collections for museum archives. Since published research using 3D methods typically focuses on sophisticated analyses used to analyze 3D data that are difficult for the novice user to follow, in this paper we provide a simple and straightforward overview of 3D scanning methods aimed at non-specialists. We discuss how these methods can be used to preserve and document osteological material in museums, develop research ideas in the subfields of biological anthropology, and increase the potential for scholarly collaboration.     

黄文弼与西北边疆史地研究

我国西北边疆史地的研究有着悠久的历史 ,清代中后期达到极盛 ,二十世纪初年 ,利用敦煌、楼兰等地出土的文书、木简等新材料 ,又掀起了一股西北边疆史地研究的热潮。黄文弼继承了前人的研究成果 ,并有所创新 ,他运用简牍新资料 ,结合文献记载 ,加上实地考察所得 ,对西北边疆史地中的一些问题 ,如高昌国历史、罗布泊位置、塔里木盆地南河以及东西方文化交流等作了详细考证 ,开创了西北边疆史地研究的新局面。     

大遗址保护管理体制与机制研究综述

本文试对近年来就大遗址保护管理层级、管理机构、管理人员、规章制度、经费以及其他大遗址管理相关主题展开讨论的学术会议、科研课题及论文进行梳理,以期管窥大遗址保护管理体制与机制研究现状,为更深入、系统地开展相关研究奠定基础.     

铜仁锦江流域先秦时期遗址发掘的主要收获

2010年3～5月,贵州省文物考古研究所等单位对贵州省东部铜仁市锦江流域的磨刀湾、笔架冲、方田坝等遗址进行了发掘和试掘,此次工作是建国以来在贵州省锦江流域首次进行的系统考古发掘工作,获得了一批夏商、西周、两汉和宋明清时期的考古资料,具有重要的学术意义.本文着重介绍此次考古发掘中先秦时期遗存的主要收获,并对其学术意义展开初步讨论.