The Absolute Speed of Change: Multidimensional Scaling and Innovation Rates

The evaluation of societal developments depends on a clear determination of the rate of change that occurs within societies. While many statistical approaches are able to indicate similarity/dissimilarity distances between archaeological assemblages, only a few can be linked to linear timescales. In the following approach, the advantages of non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) are described as a method that produces gradients for a quantitative measurement of cultural change on a linear timescale. Thus, the speed of innovations or the regression of cultural developments could be quantified. In consequence, a quantified proxy of societal developments on a linear timescale is provided. In two examples, the usefulness of such a proxy is described in relation to other data.     

Investigating Dietary Patterns with Stable Isotope Ratios of Collagen and Starch Grain Analysis of Dental Calculus at the Iron Age Cemetery Site of Heigouliang,Xinjiang, China

Here, we present δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N results for the dietary reconstruction of nomadic pastoralists from the Iron Age (ca. 1000 bc –8 ad ) site of Heigouliang. The human (n = 27) δ¹³C values range from −19.6‰ to −17.0‰ with a mean value of −18.5 ± 0.5‰, and the δ¹⁵N results range from 11.5‰ to 13.8‰ with a mean value of 12.4 ± 0.6‰. The results indicated that animals, like sheep, were part of the predominately C₃ terrestrial diet, but two individuals have values greater than −18‰ that is indicative of some input of C₄ foods in their diets. Because of a lack of faunal samples and to supply complementary information concerning plant consumption, teeth from four individuals were analysed for dental calculus microfossils. Starch grains were found to correspond to Triticeae and Poaceae, possibly including wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), highland barley (H. vulgare L var. nudum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and/or common millet (Panicum miliaceum). At the population level, no dietary differences were detected between burial owners and sacrificial victims, but variations were found when specific tombs were analysed. In particular, individuals with bone trauma associated with armed conflict also had distinct isotopic signatures possibly suggesting that some of the sacrificial victims could have been captured warriors that were sacrificed for the burial owners. While limited, the results are some of the first from an Iron Age population from Xinjiang and contribute to our understanding of the dietary patterns of this region. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stable isotope palaeodietary study of humans and fauna from the multi-period (Iron Age,Viking and Late Medieval) site of Newark Bay,Orkney

We report here on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements of human and faunal bone collagen from the Iron Age, Viking Age, and Late Medieval site of Newark Bay, Orkney, Scotland. We found a wide range of results for humans in both δ¹³C (−15.4‰ to −20.3‰) and δ¹⁵N (8.6‰–15.6‰) values. The enriched carbon and nitrogen values indicate the consumption of significant amounts of marine protein, which is very unusual for post-Mesolithic (e.g. 4000 cal BC) UK and European populations. Also of interest is a statistically significant difference in δ¹³C (t = −2.48, p = 0.011) and δ¹⁵N (t = −2.44, p = 0.011) values, and therefore diets, between adult males and females at this site, with males (δ¹³C = −17.8 ± 1.2‰, δ¹⁵N = 13.2 ± 1.6‰) having, on average, a higher proportion of marine protein than females (δ¹³C = −18.9 ± 1.1‰, δ¹⁵N = 11.8 ± 1.8‰). The weaning age of the sub-adults was difficult to interpret due to the large isotopic variation in the adult females, but nearly all individuals between birth and 1.25 years have elevated δ¹⁵N values indicating that they were breastfed to some extent.     

Stable isotope analysis of 14 individuals from the Mesolithic cemetery of Vasilyevka II,Dnieper Rapids region,Ukraine

Bone collagen extracted from 14 humans from the Mesolithic cemetery of Vasilyevka II was analysed for their δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N ratios. This cemetery is one of only two later Mesolithic cemeteries from the Dnieper Rapids region, being dated to 7300–6220 cal BC on the basis of three radiocarbon determinations. This analysis provides insights into the nature of the diet of the Dnieper populations at the very end of the Mesolithic period, prior to the adoption of pottery in the region, and the assumed shift towards the exploitation of domesticates in the economies of the populations of the Dnieper region, and considers these in relation to broader temporal indicators of diet in the region.     

《左传》记事终止时间辨正

关于《左传》的记事终止时间,现在流行的《中国文学史》和《古代汉语》教材中存在两种不同的说法:一种认为迄于鲁哀公二十七年,即公元前468年;一种认为迄于鲁悼公四年,即公元前453年。结合《左传》一书的自身性质、编写体例、行文风格、古书通例等因素综合考察,鲁悼公四年和有关战国预言史料并不能作为记事终止时间的根据。《左传》的记事年代是和《春秋》大体一致的,最终止于鲁哀公二十七年,即公元前468年。但在流传过程中也间杂有一些战国史料。     

Report on Underwater Excavation at the Phoenician Harbour,Atlit, Israel

Atlit is a small Phoenician settlement on the Carmel coast, with an artificial harbour, built during Iron Age II, before the Assyrian occupation, and used until the end of the Persian era. There are no remains of any later construction, in contrast to other Phoenician ports such as Sidon and Tyre. The study of Atlit harbour has therefore provided invaluable information on the positioning, planning and construction of Phoenician harbours in the Levant. This article is a summary of the most recent underwater excavation seasons at the harbour, and presents our conclusions on construction techniques and their historical implications. © 2009 The Author     

FROM SUSA TO ANURADHAPURA: RECONSTRUCTING ASPECTS OF TRADE AND EXCHANGE IN BITUMEN‐COATED CERAMIC VESSELS BETWEEN IRAN AND SRI LANKA FROM THE THIRD TO THE NINTH CENTURIES AD*

In contrast with artefactual studies of long‐distance trade and exchange in South Asia during the Prehistoric and Early Historic periods ( Ardika et al. 1993 ; Gogte 1997 ; Krishnan and Coningham 1997 ; Tomber 2000 ; Gupta et al. 2001 ; Ford et al. 2005 ), few scientifically orientated analyses have focused on artefacts from the region's Historic period. During excavations at the ancient city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, a number of buff ware ceramics with a putative organic coating on the interior were recovered ( Coningham 2006 ). Dated stylistically to between the third and ninth centuries ad , analysis of the coatings using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and stable isotope analysis (carbon and deuterium) confirmed that the coatings are bitumen—an organic product associated with petroleum deposits. There are no known bitumen sources in Sri Lanka, and biomarker distributions and isotopic signatures suggest that the majority of the samples appear to have come from a single bitumen source near Susa in Iran. The relationship between the bitumen coatings and the vessels is discussed, and it is suggested that the coatings were used to seal permeable ceramic containers to allow them to transport liquid commodities. This study enhances our knowledge of networks of trade and exchange between Sri Lanka and western Asia during Historic times.     

DETERIORATION ASSESSMENT OF WATERLOGGED ARCHAEOLOGICAL LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIAL VIA 13C CP/MAS NMR*

This study investigates the residual chemical composition of waterlogged archaeological lignocellulosic material found in Greece. Hazelnut pericarps and oak wood found in a 16th‐century wreck, along with endocarps of olives dated at 300 bc , were examined. ¹³C CP/MAS NMR was applied to compare fresh and waterlogged archaeological materials. Results show qualitative alterations in their composition. The virtual absence of peaks at ~21 ppm and ~173 ppm, corresponding to hemicelluloses in all archaeological materials, indicates that these constituents can be an important indicator in assessing the type and degree of deterioration.     

夏商周断代工程中的多学科合作

《夏商周断代工程》是由人社会科学和自然科学的专家联合实施的系统工程,以多学科合作方式联合研究攻关,取得了一系列重要成果。1)根据考古系列样品的年代测定,得出考古学的^14C年代框架。2)依古献的天象记录,天计算定出懿王元年为公元前899年：武王克商年为公元前1046年;武丁登基年为公元前1250年;均与^14C测年结果相合。3)根据西周青铜器铭的纪时词语,排出金历谱,在年代框架内排出西周王年表。4)根据殷墟的甲骨和化分期,商后期的周祭祀谱,武丁年代和献记载,在年代框架内排出商后期王年的大致情况。5)商前期主要根据郑州商城和偃师商城的考古分期与年代测定,结合献,估定夏商分界的年代。6)夏代主要是根据二里头化分期和年代测定,王城岗化分期和年代测定,以及结合献和参考夏代的五星连珠、仲康日食等的天推算,估定夏代的始年。     

Experimental chemical degradation compared to natural diagenetic alteration of collagen: implications for collagen quality indicators for stable isotope analysis

Stable isotopic ratios from archaeological bone collagen are valid palaeodietary indicators, but depend on sufficiently well preserved molecules and several collagen quality criteria have to be fulfilled (mostly collagen wt%, C%; N%, C/N molar ratio). For a reassessment of these quality criteria, and a better understanding of the chemical degradation of bone collagen, experimentally degraded modern bones and 54 archaeological human bones were investigated. In the course of the experimental degradation, alterations of isotopic ratios were paralleled by altered collagen quality criteria. The contrary was found in the case of the archaeological specimens. This implies that the commonly used collagen quality criteria may be insufficient and do not guarantee that stable isotopic values of the gelatine extracts will still represent the original biological signal.