山东高青陈庄遗址炭化种子果实研究

通过对山东高青陈庄遗址灰坑等遗迹中出土的炭化植物种子果实进行鉴定和统计分析,探讨了该聚落人类与植物的关系:(1)遗址中出土的丰富的粟、黍和草木犀属植物遗存,可能与马的喂养有关;(2)陈庄聚落西周时期农业是主要的食物来源,农作物包括了文献记载的"五谷",就是粟、黍、小麦、大豆和稻,粟和小麦等旱地作物占的比重最高,水稻可能较少,牛筋草等杂草可能是收获等过程中带入聚落内的;(3)常见的野生植物如野大豆、枣、葡萄以及动物遗骸等可能反映狩猎捕捞仍然作为食物的补充。     

Pottery wall thinning as a consequence of increased maize processing: a case study from central New York

The histories of maize in northeastern North America are not well understood at the subregional level. The complexity of formation processes for various lines of evidence for maize use requires the application of many analytical methods and techniques to produce data on subregional maize histories. The present analysis uses bulk δ¹³C values on directly dated charred encrusted cooking residues to provide the first direct correlation of water-based maize cooking to trends in pottery wall thinning. The results add to the growing body of evidence for the history of maize use in central New York.     

中国的近代化与国情

中国近代化面临的特殊国情主要有二：一是近代化因素的积累严重不足;二是封建专制政治制度对近代资本主义因素的顽固排拒。任何致力于近代化事业的有识之士都必须正确认识这种特殊国情,对清政府和专制政治心存幻想注定不切实际,对近代化因素的积累水平估计过高也注定要走弯路。但在自鸦片战争至五四运动前的近百年时间里,有识之士们在对国情的认识上恰恰存在以上两种误区。正是这种认识上的误区,导致了有识之士们在近代化道路的选择和近代化具体操作过程中的种种错误决策,并因而延缓了中国近代化的进程。     

Improved methodology for extraction and amplification of DNA from single grains of charred wheat

Comparisons were made between two commonly used methods for the extraction of ancient DNA from charred plant remains. Using artificially charred wheat seeds, we show that silica-binding is the most efficient method for extraction of DNA. We describe a improved silica-binding procedure, including pre-incubation with N-phenacylthiazolium bromide and increased washing of bound DNA, which yields amplifiable DNA from seeds heated at 200 °C for up to 8 h, conditions which promote the formation of Maillard products which often copurify with aDNA and inhibit subsequent PCRs. We believe that this method will be effective in ancient DNA extraction with most types of charred archaeobotanical material. Both cold- and hot-start PCR procedures gave good amplicon yields with extracts prepared in this way, but cold-start PCRs also resulted in synthesis of short artefact products. Addition of bovine serum albumin to PCRs, an inert carrier substance thought to enhance amplification efficiency by binding contaminants, had no advantageous effect and in fact reduced amplicon synthesis.     

Chenopodium Seeds in Open-Air Archaeological Sites – How to Not Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater

ABSTRACT

Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for some taxa (here fat-hen, Chenopodium album type) can be very problematic. Recognition of the preservation state is obviously crucial for archaeobotanical data derived from dry, open-air sites. Fat-hen as a common weed, is also one of the most important components of a persistent soil seed bank. It is also a well-known food plant, gathered or cultivated. Numerous findings of fat-hen seeds in unclear states of preservation were noted in the Early Neolithic sites of the Linear Pottery culture in Kuyavia (N Europe). In previous studies such specimens were omitted as probably uncharred. Re-examination of Neolithic finds of fat-hen from that region showed the link of their abundancy with the earliest phases of the Neolithic occupation. The plant probably played an important role in the diet of the early Neolithic settlers there. It may indicate intensive use of local, open, fertile, probably alluvial areas. Distinguishing between ancient and modern specimens of that common weedy plant, producing large amounts of small, black, resistant seeds is thus very important, holding a great potential to shed new light on the origins of agricultural societies in this part of northern Europe.     

Sampling seeds

Problems of sampling carbonized plant material are discussed. Firstly, the problem of actually selecting a sample in the laboratory is considered, and some experiments which investigate various procedures are described. Secondly, the statistical aspects of determining optimal sample sizes are considered. Formulae are given for calculating optimal sample sizes and confidence intervals. Upper bounds, which are independent of the total population size, are provided for the sample size required to achieve any desired accuracy.