Palaeolimnological impacts of early prehistoric farming at Lough Dargan,County Sligo,Ireland

This study provides a unique method of inquiry for archaeological investigation with an aim to assess the intensity and effects of Neolithic and Bronze Age farming practices at Lough Dargan, northwest Ireland, through a multi-proxy analysis of a lake sediment core. Chironomid (non-biting midge fly) subfossils and lake sediment geochemistry (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C:N ratios) were used to assess changes in limnological conditions through time. The limnological data were compared with macroscopic charcoal concentration and pollen data to examine the potential influence that early farmers had on a freshwater lake system within a prehistorically active catchment. Results from the chironomid analysis show that the first substantial period of agricultural activity in the early Neolithic (c. 3730–3190 BC) resulted in a temporary shift to more eutrophic lake conditions. There is evidence of animal husbandry with substantial levels of animal waste reaching the lake, leaving an imprint in the geochemical record of increased δ¹⁵N values and decreased δ¹³C values and C:N ratios during this time. The chironomid community reverted back to its pre-impacted state c. 3190 BC in response to a period of reduced farming (c. 3390–3000 BC) which eventually led to a distinct lull in activity, with possible cessation of farming from 3000 to 2700 BC. A return to eutrophic conditions coincided with the gradual return of agriculture, with more permanently altered lake conditions dominating from 2400 BC, even during a 250-year period of reduced human activity commencing at c. 1440 BC. Increased sedimentation rate, along with increases in δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C:N, the presence of chironomid taxa indicative of erosion, more eutrophic lake conditions and high concentrations of macroscopic charcoal all point to more intensive land use practices during the Bronze Age. Palaeolimnological data exhibited an immediate response to intensified farming during this time, and were especially responsive to pastoral farming due either to scale of activity or proximity to the lakeside. The success of this study demonstrates the effectiveness of palaeolimnological analysis in the investigation of prehistoric farming. This approach will help inform Neolithic and Bronze Age land-use practice and human–environment relations in the region, and highlights the potential for chironomid-based archaeological research.     

New models of North West European Holocene palaeogeography and inundation

This paper presents new 500 year interval palaeogeographic models for Britain, Ireland and the North West French coast from 11000 cal. BP to present. These models are used to calculate the varying rates of inundation for different geographical zones over the study period. This allows for consideration of the differential impact that Holocene sea-level rise had across space and time, and on past societies. In turn, consideration of the limitations of the models helps to foreground profitable areas for future research.     

殷墟车子遗迹及甲骨金文中的车字

商代甲骨文、金文中“车”字的几种字形及有关的记载,对我们发掘、研究殷墟出土的车子遗迹很有帮助,如曲衡马车的发现、车试及不同形式车厢的清理、车辙的研究等,都是受到甲骨文、金文中“车”字资料的启发,而使发掘与研究工作取得了更好的效果。     

From Traditional Farming in Morocco to Early Urban Agroecology in Northern Mesopotamia: Combining Present-day Arable Weed Surveys and Crop Isotope Analysis to Reconstruct Past Agrosystems in (Semi-)arid Regions

ABSTRACT

We integrate functional weed ecology with crop stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to assess their combined potential for inferring arable land management practices in (semi-)arid regions from archaeobotanical assemblages. Weed and GIS survey of 60 cereal and pulse fields in Morocco are combined with crop sampling for stable isotope analysis to frame assessment of agricultural labour intensity in terms of manuring, irrigation, tillage and hand-weeding. Under low management intensity weed variation primarily reflects geographical differences, whereas under high management intensity fields in disparate regions have similar weed flora. Manured and irrigated oasis barley fields are clearly discriminated from less intensively manured rain-fed barley terraces in southern Morocco; when fields in northern and southern Morocco are considered together, climatic differences are superimposed on the agronomic intensity gradient. Barley δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values clearly distinguish among the Moroccan regimes. An integrated approach combines crop isotope values with weed ecological discrimination of low- and high-intensity regimes across multiple studies (in southern Morocco and southern Europe). Analysis of archaeobotanical samples from EBA Tell Brak, Syria suggests that this early city was sustained through extensive (low-intensity, large-scale) cereal farming.     

Animal Exploitation in the Early Prehistory of the Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands were the last large islands in the Mediterranean to be settled, with colonization not occurring until the third millennium cal BC. The richest assemblages of zooarchaeological data for reconstructing patterns of animal exploitation and management come from Mallorca, Menorca, and Formentera and date to the late third and second millennia cal BC. In this article, I consider these exploitation and management strategies from the perspective of human ecodynamics. In general, the early settlers of the Balearic Islands adopted economic strategies which remained very conservative throughout the Early and Mid Bronze Age (i.e., 2500/2300–1200 cal BC). On Mallorca and Menorca, animal resources were derived mainly from domesticated fauna, with the evidence supporting a mixed-farming model wherein cultivation is complemented by small-scale and relatively unspecialized animal husbandry. In contrast, on Formentera there is a diversification of the faunal economy, with fish and wild birds providing an important contribution to the diet; this probably relates to the extreme marginality of the Formenteran environment. This case of initial human settlement and flexible adaptation to the Balearics highlights one of the core aspects of human ecodynamics: the ability for colonizing populations to both uniquely respond to and affect ecological conditions in island environments.     

祥云地区出土铜器pXRF成分分析——昆明夷铜器工艺类型初探

为探究滇西地区青铜文化及相关铜器的制作技术,本研究使用便携式X射线荧光光谱(p XRF)对滇西祥云县大波那墓地、检村石棺墓和红土坡古墓群出土357件铜器进行了成分分析。结果表明,p XRF可在无损、原位的情况下,基本做到铜器合金成分的定量分析。铜器材质均以红铜和锡青铜为主,铅锡青铜和砷铜居少量。三处墓地铜器Sn、Pb配比模式高度一致。铜矛、铜剑等兵器中出现少量高锡青铜。这些现象反映出祥云地区各时期铜器的制作工艺高度一致,可称之为昆明夷铜器工艺类型。大波那墓地铜器基本不含铁,其余墓地存在较多高铁铜器,大波那地区的先民应该采用了不同的冶炼技术。砷铜全部出自红土坡古墓群,初步推测晚期墓葬出现的砷铜乃至砷铜工艺很可能是沿着"半月形文化传播带"由西北地区传入祥云地区的。     

在SO2存在下青铜腐蚀与相对湿度的关系

采用光度法和亚硫酸氢钢静态分解法研究了不同相对湿度0．1％SO2存在条件下,仿古铜-锡-铝合金的腐蚀情况。在无可溶性氯离子存在下,青铜腐蚀的第一和第二临界相对湿度值分别为50％和65％左右;在有可溶性氯离子存在下,其两个临界相对湿度值均有所降低。从而给出了青铜保存的最佳湿度范围。     

东周时期青铜剑首同心圆的制作技术研究

东周时期盛行佩剑之风,在剑上集中了多项杰出的装饰技术,其中位于青铜剑首端部的同心圆装饰以其精湛的制作技术引起了科技史界的关注。剑首同心圆由多圈高同心度、高凸起、薄壁状凸棱组成。对东周时期的多件剑首同心圆的考察表明剑首同心圆应用了类似轮制法成形工艺,预先单独铸造成形,后与剑茎铸接成一体。通过对车削法、石范铸造、失蜡铸造、陶范铸造等剑首同心圆可能的成形方法的分析,推测古人很可能不预制陶模,而是用轮制法直接车制出具有同心圆的剑首陶范,以陶范铸造法铸造剑首同心圆,此法是东周时期最可行的成形方法．其基础是新石器时代已采用的轮制法制陶技术及商周时期成熟的陶范处理技术。通过模板轮制法的模拟试验．成功地复制了青铜剑首同心圆。其过程为配制极细的泥料、制作带齿的模板、采用轮制法制作同心圆陶范并在相应的凸棱上刻下绳纹、焙烧陶范与浇注青铜液。     

青海民和县寺沟峡岩画调查简报

2019年,丝绸之路南亚廊道调查队在青海省民和县寺沟峡内发现了4幅6组个体102个岩画,并对岩画进行了详细的调查、测绘和数字化扫描。从整个岩面的制作技法来看,有直接磨刻法和敲凿法。岩画主要以抽象图案为主,有少量人像、持物人物、鸟等具象形象。其形象与新石器晚期至青铜时代彩陶图案纹饰相似度较高,与中原地区岩画有着密切关系,为研究官亭盆地早期文化提供了新的突破口。     

从殷墟出土铜铙看南方铜铙的年代

铜铙在我国南方地区发现较多,类型也很复杂。关于南方铜铙的年代,最早的一般断为商代,晚的为西周,也有一律断为春秋者。笔者认