Low-Level Food Production

Societies with low-level food production economies occupy the vast and diverse middle ground between hunting–fishing–foraging and agriculture. Efforts by Ford, Harris, Rindos, Zvelebil, and others to characterize this in-between territory are discussed, and a new conceptual framework is proposed. Domestication, the central landmark of this middle ground, is situated well away from the boundaries with hunting–gathering and agriculture, and separates low-level food production economies into two broad categories. Key issues and questions concerning societies with low-level food production, both with and without domesticates, are discussed. Hunter–gatherer and agriculture boundary zones on either side of the middle ground are considered, as are the developmental pathways that traverse them.     

Artisan dynamics in the age of colonialism: the social history of Moroccan Jewish goldsmiths in the inter-war period

The article highlights the social history of Jewish goldsmiths in French Morocco between the two World Wars, a period in which the global capitalist system challenged their historical monopoly over production and commerce. Continued external intervention (Moroccan commercial treaties with European capitalist markets), direct competition (the import of cheap industrial products and an influx of entrepreneurs), the mechanisation of local manufacturing, the encouragement of individualism resulting in the breakdown of Jewish social cohesion and the taking over of political institutions by France (the Makhzen) and its local agent (the Muhtaseb) had all eroded the Jewish monopoly of the precious-metals industry and created an unexpected atmosphere of strong economic, political and judicial pressures on Jewish goldsmiths. In order to explore the struggle and survival of Jewish goldsmiths in the new economic order, the article addresses the following key questions: (1) What was the influence of various forces, both external and internal, on the Jewish goldsmiths' industry?; (2) How did the artisans respond to and cope with these new economic conditions?; and (3) Why did the Protectorate revert back from liberal economic policy to that of local producers' protection?     

改革开放前广东省出口商品生产基地建设的历史考察

建立出口商品生产基地,是改革开放前党和政府为了解决出口货源问题、促进对外贸易的发展而采取的一项方针政策,多次载入中央的文件,相关政策沿革和实践发展有一个从探索到推广,在受冲击和破坏后恢复与发展的历程。在中央作出决策和进行全国性规划之前,毗邻港澳、供应港澳市场任务重的广东省,初步探索并建立了一些出口商品生产基地;基地建设工作在全国范围内铺开后,广东省继续承担探索实践的角色和发挥主力军作用。透过对广东省的个案研究,可以从一个局部观察中国出口生产基地的历史发展,并有望深化对相关历史问题的认识。     

唐三彩的仪器中子活化分析其在两京地区发展轨迹的研究

本文采用仪器中子活化分析技术测定四个主要的唐三彩窑遗址(河南黄冶窑、陕西铜川黄堡窑、长安礼泉坊窑、河北邢窑)以及墓葬、建筑遗址出土唐三彩胎的元素组成,分辨了不同产地唐三彩胎的元素组成差别。而且,本文综合考古资料、实验数据的统计学处理结果,将唐三彩在盛唐时期的发展历程划分为两个阶段,大约以公元705年(武则天退位)为界。前一阶段的唐三彩属于白胎类型,制作中心集中在洛阳地区,唐三彩器主要由黄冶窑制造,大型唐三彩俑由洛阳地区(包括黄冶附近)未被发现的窑场制作。后一阶段唐三彩的制作中心向长安地区转移,该中心的重要产品是红胎唐三彩,同时可能采用外来的原料制作白胎唐三彩,洛阳地区作为唐三彩的另一个制作中心同时存在。进而论证唐三彩器和唐三彩俑存在两个相对独立的发展轨迹。     

Post-Roman crop production and processing: Archaeological evidence from Goldthorpe,South Yorkshire

The remains of a ditched field system dating from the late Iron Age to the early post-Roman period, and two associated corn drying ovens (dating to the 5th–6th centuries AD) were revealed during archaeological excavations at Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire. The site was excavated during 2012 and 2013, during which bulk environmental samples were taken in order to retrieve any surviving botanical remains from deposits associated with the corn drying ovens, and other features across the excavated area. Early post-Roman occupation is under-represented in the archaeological record, especially in northern England, as such human activity and subsistence during this period are currently not well understood. This paper combines evidence for the field system, the physical remains of the corn drying ovens and their associated botanical remains to further understand early post-Roman change and continuity in landscape use and crop production and processing practices.     

山东寿光机械林场东周盐业遗址发掘简报

2017年,山东寿光机械林场遗址Ⅰ区、Ⅲ区共清理各类遗迹30余处,包括灰坑、盐井和盐灶等。出土器物有圜底瓮、鬲、豆、盆、罐、瓦等,绝大部分为残片,以圜底瓮残片为大宗,器物年代集中于战国早中期。初步判断该遗址为战国时期一处煮盐作坊。     

社会空间视角下大遗址区乡村地域功能结构研究——以关中5处大遗址区为例

新时期国家大力推进遗产“活化”与遗产旅游,大遗址保护与利用过程既影响区域空间功能重构又涉及深刻的社会关系调整。研究选取大遗址数量多、分布密集的关中地区中5处大遗址区为案例,从社会与空间维度构建指标体系,采取因子生态分析划定社会区,以“社会—空间”综合交互视角解析乡村地域功能结构特征。研究发现大遗址区乡村社会空间存在文保限制因子、旅游带动因子、工业与商贸因子等8个主因子,各主因子空间分布体现典型的分异特征,并呈现出6种功能属性的片区。其地域功能结构特征表现为：①保护区划产生圈层式地域功能格局,②高附加值功能空间沿交通线嵌入,③核心与边缘区功能构成与遗址影响力及城乡区位相关,④各功能片区并未形成产业联动。在此基础上,进一步剖析了大遗址区乡村非均衡发展成因及优化路径。     

Pottery Production in the Buddhist Communities in Central Asia: The Kushan‐Sassanian Pottery Workshop of Kara Tepe (Termez,Uzbekistan)

We present the first full archaeometrical study of Kushan‐Sassanian pottery from the Buddhist monastic complexes at Kara Tepe (Termez, Uzbekistan), recovered both in the pottery workshop and in the monastery, using a combination of analytical methods (XRF, XRD, SEM–EDS and OM). The study allowed the identification of the reference group, the correspondent fabric, the raw materials used for its productions, some of the technological processes involved in manufacture and several weathering processes. All the results confirm that the kiln was supplying the religious community of the monastery with pottery, made using local raw materials, and highlight the possibility that the kiln could have supplied the nearby monastic complexes, where no kilns have been found. Further archaeological evidence indicates the existence of specialized potters working itinerantly at the broader Bactrian area.     

Gender and food security in Bangladesh: the impact of climate change

Food security remains a critical global issue, made more difficult because of the rising world population, climate challenges affecting food production and a focus on market-based solutions that undermine subsistence production in vulnerable rural areas. Particularly affected are countries across Asia where poverty, hunger and malnourishment affect a significant proportion of the population. Drawing on Sen’s entitlement theory, we argue that a shift in focus from national food production to intra-household food access enables a critical reflection on consumption smoothing strategies adopted at this level. In particular, we draw attention to the tendency for women and girls to eat less as an intra-household adaptation strategy. We present findings from our research in rural areas of Bangladesh and note that adaptation strategies adopted by households in response to food insecurity. We note that strategies designed to address food insecurity must include gender mainstreaming to ensure that women and girls are not taking a disproportionate responsibility for intra-household food security.