双墩遗址黑陶渗炭工艺初探

双墩遗址是淮河流域新石器时代中期的一个重要遗址。该遗址出土了相当数量的黑陶,黑陶的制作工艺有多种,为探明双墩遗址黑陶的制作工艺,采用了XRD、喇曼光谱、重烧试验、显微、岩相、SEM和EDS探针等技术,对双墩遗址出土黑陶和局部发黑陶器进行了综合的测试分析。结果指出,陶器整个表层的黑色物质是炭黑。碳元素沿剖面的分布为:内外表层高而中间低,而内外表层0.6mm范围内炭含量的分布不甚均匀,存在明显的高低起伏,表明双墩遗址主要采用渗炭工艺制作黑陶。     

Identification of pastoral sites using stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes from bulk sediment samples: a case study in modern and archaeological pastoral settlements in Kenya

The identification of pastoral sites in the East African archaeological record is problematic. Recently, a method for the identification of degraded livestock enclosure sediments had been developed that takes into account the geoarchaeological indicators of micromorphology, phytolith concentrations and the mineral assemblages. This suite of indicators may not always be present in degraded livestock enclosure sediments. This study presents an additional indicator by which degraded livestock enclosure sediments may be identified, namely the isotopic composition of organic nitrogen measured on bulk sediment samples. We studied a highly controlled ethnoarchaeological sequence of abandoned Maasai livestock enclosure sediments sampled in Rombo area, southern Kenya. The results were compared to archaeological sediments from the Elmenteitan Pastoral Neolithic site of Sugenya, southwestern Kenya, radiocarbon dated to ca. 2000 BP (uncalibrated). The sediments from both sites were studied using all four types of analyses, i.e., micromorphology, mineralogy, phytolith concentrations, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions on bulk sediment samples. The results show that in abandoned livestock enclosure sediments of known ages a significant enrichment in the heavy nitrogen isotope (¹⁵N) occurs, and that carbon isotopic compositions may be useful for differentiating cattle from caprine enclosures following their dietary preferences (i.e., grazers vs. browsers). A similar pattern of ¹⁵N enrichment is observed in sediments sampled within the site of Sugenya while sediments sampled outside the site's perimeter are generally depleted in ¹⁵N. The micromorphological, mineralogical and phytolith analyses support the conclusion that the sediments from within the site of Sugenya represent degraded livestock enclosure sediments. The carbon isotopic composition from the degraded dung deposits strongly suggests that livestock kept at Sugenya were cattle. Overall, this study presents new empirical data that can be used for the identification of livestock enclosures, and shows that the isotopic signatures and geoarchaeological indicators can preserve for at least two millennia.     

Changing growing conditions for crops during the Near Eastern Bronze Age (3000–1200 BC): the stable carbon isotope evidence

The analysis of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ¹³C) in crop plant remains from seven Bronze Age sites in northern Mesopotamia and the Levant shows clear differences in water availability between the different geographic areas and throughout the different periods (3000–1200 BC). Amongst the different moisture variables modelled precipitation minus evaporation (P-E—using a macrophysical climate model (MCM)) results in very high correlation (0.74) with Δ¹³C values in barley, supporting the significance of climate parameters (effective moisture) in carbon fixation in this species. The comparison of Δ¹³C values of different crops in different periods confirms increased aridity during the Middle Bronze Age (2000–1600 BC), compared to the later Early Bronze Age (2700–2000 BC) particularly in the north-eastern Syrian territory with generally lower Δ¹³C values during the Middle Bronze Age, as has been documented in palaeoclimate proxies, and in agreement with the MCM. Standard deviation in Δ¹³C values from grains or seeds of one species originating from different samples of an individual site may be understood as variability in moisture conditions during the grain-filling period around the considered location. Large standard deviations occur preferably in sites with low mean annual precipitation (e.g. at Emar) and suggest that in these sites, at least some of the crops were irrigated.     

The use of stable isotope ratio analysis to distinguish multiple prey kill events from mass kill events

Archaeologists working with prey animal bonebeds are interested in determining whether the animals were obtained through a single, mass kill event or instead accumulated over time from multiple hunting events. This is often difficult to determine. The author investigated the use of stable isotope ratio analysis to distinguish accumulations of individuals derived from multiple populations from mass kills of individuals from a single population. Carbon, oxygen and strontium stable isotope ratios were measured in tooth enamel from modern pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) with known mortality circumstances. These ratios were then analyzed using basic statistical methods as well as a scaled distance technique that permits integrated analysis of multiple isotopes and multiple samples, and a bootstrap subsampling approach was used to quantify differences among populations. It appears that, in some circumstances, stable isotope analysis can contribute to distinguishing bonebeds originating as accumulations of individuals derived from multiple populations from mass kills of individuals from a single population. Three-element isotope ratio distance measures provide the best isotopic indicator of pronghorn bonebed population origins, especially when bootstrap subsampling is used to compare to sites of known pronghorn population composition.     

Seasonality and paleodiet in the Chiribaya polity of southern Peru

In the Andes, the complex Chiribaya polity, or señorío, was composed of economically specialized groups. Previous carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of archaeological human bone from Chiribaya-affiliated sites have effectively demonstrated socioeconomic specialization and variability in paleodiet among different Chiribaya-affiliated sites. The present study complements earlier paleodietary analyses of Chiribaya populations by supplementing them with carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of archaeological human hair from the two Chiribaya-affiliated sites of Chiribaya Alta and El Yaral. These new data demonstrate that seasonal variability in the consumption of marine products and C₄ plants such as maize was quite high for some individuals buried at Chiribaya-affiliated sites. In addition to elucidating the complex patterns of Chiribaya seasonality, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge of archaeological analyses of human hair for paleodiet.     

Evaluating bone collagen extraction methods for stable isotope analysis in dietary studies

The specific purpose of this study was to compare three different collagen extraction methods commonly used in isotope laboratories conducting dietary studies. We evaluated their resultant differences in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N, collagen quality and collagen yield. Our study was based on well-preserved skeletal material from the medieval period in Denmark. Our study shows that there is a systematic significant difference in the yield and the δ¹³C values between the three methods. Using the method of DeNiro and Epstein [DeNiro, M.J., Epstein, S., 1981. Influence of diet on the distribution of nitrogen isotopes in animals. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 45, 341–351] with NaOH as cleaning agent, will, according to our study, give δ¹³C values that are on average ±0.32‰ more positive than using the ultra-filtration method [Brown, T.A., Nelson, D.E., Vogel, J.S., Southon, J.R., 1988. Improved collagen extraction by modified Longin method. Radiocarbon 30 (2), 171–177, modified in Richards, M.P., Hedges R.E.M., 1999. Stable isotope evidence for similarities in the types of marine foods used by late Mesolithic humans at sites along the Atlantic coast of Europe. Journal of Archaeological Science 26, 717–722]. The third method, which is a modified version of the second method, excluded the ultra-filtration step. This method seems to give δ¹³C values that lie in between the other methods. Our study did not show any significant difference in δ¹⁵N values. Although the differences between the methods are very small, we conclude that the use of stable isotope analysis in food determination studies requires adherence to routine methods for preparing and measuring samples.     

Stable isotope evidence of human diet at the Nukdo shell midden site,South Korea

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was undertaken on bone collagen extracted from archaeological human (n = 48) and animal (n = 45) skeletons from the Nukdo site, Location I C, South Korea. This shell midden and grave site is dated from the late Mumun (550–300 BC) to early Iron Age (300 BC-1 AD) periods. The herbivorous mammals fell within the range of C₃ consumers, with average values of δ¹³C = −21.0 ± 0.5‰ and δ¹⁵N = 3.6 ± 0.5‰ for deer (n = 16) and δ¹³C = −20.6 ± 0.5‰ and δ¹⁵N = 4.5 ± 2.0‰ for wild boar (n = 17). Humans from this site averaged δ¹³C = −18.3 ± 0.4‰ and δ¹⁵N = 11.2 ± 0.7‰ for adults (n = 15) and δ¹³C = −18.7 ± 0.7‰ and δ¹⁵N = 12.5 ± 1.1‰ for juveniles (n = 33). These δ¹³C values indicate that there was no significant input of C₄ plants in the human diets and this may be associated with the spread of rice agriculture in the Mumun period. Human bone collagen δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values indicate that there was some consumption of marine foods, although the main protein sources were from terrestrial foods. The isotope data demonstrate that the humans at Nukdo had mixed diets that included marine and terrestrial protein, including C₃ plants such as rice. Finally, the isotope results from the juveniles indicate that weaning occurred before the age of 1.5 years in this period.     

Analysis of Carbon Fiber Sheet-Retrofitted RC Bridge Columns Under Lateral Cyclic Loading

In recent years, the use of carbon fiber sheet (CFS) to provide lateral confinement for enhanced ductility and strength of reinforced concrete bridge columns has been increasing. While the monotonic behavior of CFS-confined concrete has been studied extensively, its cyclic response has not been fully understood. Most of the available studies are experimental investigations, hence there is a need to develop an analytical model to simulate the experimental results. Analysis of the hysteretic behavior of CFS-retrofitted circular columns is presented in this article using the fiber element that is based on cyclic constitutive models of longitudinal reinforcement and concrete confined by both CFS and tie reinforcement. The analysis was verified based on available cyclic test data and the analysis provides good agreement with the experimental results. Results show that flexural strength and ductility of columns wrapped with CFS increases as CFS ratio increases. However, as tie reinforcement ratio increases, there is no much difference on the hysteretic response for low tie reinforcement ratios. Using the fiber element analysis, the effect of CFS retrofit on the seismic response of a 7.5 m tall prototype pier built in the 1970s to 1980s is also clarified.     

Food for Rome: A stable isotope investigation of diet in the Imperial period (1st–3rd centuries AD)

During the Empire, the population of Rome was composed mostly of lower-class free citizens and slaves. Viewed from historical records, the Roman diet included primarily olives, wine, and wheat, but poor and enslaved Romans may have eaten whatever they were able to find and afford, leading to significant heterogeneity in the Roman diet. Previous carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of skeletons from Imperial Italy have begun to reveal variation in diet, but little is known about what people ate in the capital city. This study complements previous work by adding new isotope data from human skeletons found in two Imperial-period (1st–3rd centuries AD) cemeteries in Rome. These data suggest that urban and suburban diets differed, most notably in the consumption of the C₄ grain millet. Comparing these new data with all published palaeodietary data from Imperial Italy demonstrates that significant variation existed in the diet of the common people.     

Ascetic or affluent? Byzantine diet at the monastic community of St. Stephen’s,Jerusalem from stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone collagen in skeletons from the Byzantine (5th–7th century AD) monastery of St. Stephen’s in Jerusalem were examined in conjunction with a review of historical sources detailing dietary practices during this period in the Levant. Relatively low δ¹³C ratios (−19.0 ± 0.5‰, 1σ) indicate a diet consisting primarily of C₃ sources and display continuity with textual records describing monastic daily life. Conversely, human δ¹⁵N values (9.6 ± 1.2‰, 1σ) are enriched in ¹⁵N relative to local fauna (7.3 ± 1.1‰, 1σ) and point to the contribution of animal protein to the diet, an unexpected result based on both the rarity and expense of these luxury food items as well as dietary prohibitions associated with an ascetic monastic lifestyle. No sex-based differences in diet were detected for either δ¹³C or δ¹⁵N values, suggesting that men and women consumed isotopically similar foods. As the vast majority of monastic communities in the ancient Near East were located in the desert, the urban setting of St. Stephen’s monastery allows for a unique glimpse into a rarely-explored facet of Byzantine life.