Activity Reconstruction of Post‐Medieval Dutch Rural Villagers from Upper Limb Osteoarthritis and Entheseal Changes

The first objective of this study is to reconstruct levels and types of physical activity and associated sexual and social differences using human skeletal remains from the predominately 19th century Dutch cemetery of Middenbeemster. For most individuals, life in the Beemster centred around dairy farming and was heavily based on manual labor, with a purported higher class of wealthier individuals performing less manual labor. Two skeletal markers of activity are examined in the upper limb of late young adult and middle‐aged adults of both sexes (26–49 years, n = 69): osteoarthritis (OA) and entheseal changes (EC). Results support the hypothesis that the majority of the population engaged in high levels of physical activity; however, a group with a clearly lower or different pattern of activity, possibly representing a higher, less active class, was not discernible. This may be due to a low number of less active individuals in the analysed sample and/or the heterogeneity of occupations and activities. A gendered division of labour was evident in the EC data with males having more pronounced muscle attachments in almost all sites, especially the biceps brachii, used primarily in lifting. Females had more pronounced triceps brachii, which may be due to activities that required pushing or pulling with the elbow in a flexed position. The prevalence and severity of OA did not differ between the sexes. While this could be interpreted to indicate men and women engaged in a similar level of strenuous activity, hormonal and anatomical differences limit the strength of the comparison. The second objective of this study is to evaluate the concordance of OA and EC as activity markers. The correlation between OA and EC is very low, illustrating their variable and complex etiologies. Etiological factors need further research for OA and EC to become more reliable activity markers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Note on the Demographic and Health Pattern of a Historical Sleeping Sickness Cemetery at Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital,Maun, Botswana

A part of a historical cemetery used to bury victims of sleeping sickness in Maun, Botswana, was recently uncovered by a water supply improvement construction project. The cemetery had become obliterated from the surface and from the memories of the people resulting in the use of the land for residential purposes. Twelve skeletons were excavated along the water supply trench and have since been buried at one of the new village cemeteries. There were eight males, two females and two individuals of unknown sex. They were young adults ranging in age from 18 to 35 years at the time of death. Dental modifications were used to estimate the cultural identities of two individuals. Some of the remains had been buried with body clothing such as belts and necklaces. Poor dental health was most probably associated with poor nutrition and poor oral hygiene among the population. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

从顾家坡墓地的发掘看史前时代文化交叉地带的部落冲突

顾家坡墓地是湖北省第一次完整揭露的一处史前时代的墓地 ,共发现墓葬 2 37座 ,时代为大溪文化晚期到屈家岭文化时期 (距今约 5 30 0年～ 4 6 0 0年 )。通过研究作者注意到 :一定数量的多人二次合葬墓 ;6 0 %左右的男性随葬有石钺 ,有的还同时随葬有骨镞 ,却没有见到石质生产工具用于随葬的情形 ;有的人可能是弓箭的受害者 ;可能存在猎头的现象。综合以上现象 ,以及与周围地区大致同时代的墓地的对比 ,作者认为 ,部落冲突的现象在史前时代是确实存在的 ,而文化交叉地带的部落冲突又远远激烈于文化中心地带。     

Sites of memory in the Holy Land: the design of the British war cemeteries in Mandate Palestine

British war cemeteries of WW1 form a world embracing system of cemeteries, scattered over a wide range of sites and landscapes wherever Imperial soldiers died during the war. Although recent interest in memory and commemoration has made the British war cemeteries of the Great War a much-studied subject, the spatial dimension of this enormous undertaking remains somewhat out of focus. The geographical context, however, is an important factor in shaping the meanings for each cemetery. In each, the memory of the war intersects and interacts with the historical memory carried by the site. Nowhere is this more evident than in the cemeteries of the Palestine campaign, above all in Jerusalem. The paper follows the history of the design of war cemeteries of the Palestine campaign, and examines the ways the cemeteries and their design relate to their particular geographical context, and the impact this context may have on their interpretation     

略论殷墟王陵制度的形成

无论是传世文献还是甲骨金文,均反映出晚商时期有一个嫡庶观念逐渐加强的过程,而这个过程与殷墟西北岗王陵区不断突出王墓的作法是一致的。两个方面均反映出晚商王权的逐步加强以及父死子继王位传承制度的逐渐巩固与最终确立。西北岗王陵西区是比较纯粹的王陵区,但东区埋葬的人员较为复杂,只能看作是一处高等级王室墓地。西北岗王陵区可能开启于殷墟文化一期偏早阶段,并可能一开始就大致划定兆域界限。武丁在位时期可能对王陵制度作过重大调整,即西区只葬殷王,其他成员只能葬在王陵东区、小屯宫殿宗庙区西南部墓地以及后岗西区墓地等处。殷王陵不奉行夫妻并穴合葬,王与后分处。但王陵东区有异姓陪葬的现象。殷王陵区有象征国家政权的一面,与殷墟其他普通族墓地有较大差异。     

秦楚丹阳大战与淅川吉岗楚墓

本文根据文献记载,记述了战国中晚期之际秦楚丹阳大战的情况,论证了丹阳的地望在丹淅会合处,进而认为,丹江口水库东岸的吉岗楚墓就是秦楚丹阳大战时楚国阵亡军士的墓地。     

襄樊余岗战国秦汉墓第二次发掘简报

1996年,在襄樊市团山镇余岗村北发掘了32座墓葬,墓葬分三区：墓子地、岭子上、卞营。墓子地和岭子上墓区的30座墓均为土坑竖穴墓,卞营墓区的2座墓为砖室墓,大部分随葬器物为陶器。这批墓葬可分为五期：战国晚期、秦统一至秦汉之际、西汉早期、西汉中期、东汉晚期。余岗墓地的发掘为研究襄北地区战国晚期至西汉中期墓葬的分期、年代、秦楚关系以及埋葬习俗、文化特征提供了相当丰富的实物资料。     

富弼家族墓地发掘简报

2008年,洛阳市第二文物工作队为配合基本建设抢救性发掘北宋中期宰相富弼夫妇及其家族墓地,墓地规划整齐,排列有序,层次分明.随葬器物除墓志外,仅出土有少量遗物和壁画.其中富弼墓志方1.41米,碑文近7000字,内容丰富,涉及北宋中期许多重大历史事件,文辞优美,书法兼备楷、行、篆、隶,是探讨北宋中后期的政治、经济、文化、艺术等方面的重要实物资料.     

北周莫仁相、莫仁诞墓发掘简报

2009年5月,陕西省考古研究院在西安市南郊的长安区韦曲街道夏殿村西发掘了北周宣政元年(578年)莫仁相墓及建德六年(577年)莫仁诞墓,莫仁相为莫仁诞之父。2座墓皆为长斜坡墓道多天井单室土洞墓。墓葬形制较为完整,属于北周时期的典型墓葬,虽遭盗扰破坏,随葬品多被毁损,但出土陶俑群组合关系完整、种类较为齐全,尤其是两合墓志的发现为北周时期高品秩官员家族及北朝史的研究提供了新的文献资料。