Projectile points,people, and Plains Paleoindian perambulations

Archaeologists generally agree that Paleoindian residential groups moved regularly over extremely large ranges. However, on the Great Plains, this argument depends substantially on datasets derived largely or entirely from projectile points rather than from systematic analysis of a wide range of artifacts. This paper argues that projectile points differ from most Paleoindian tools in ways that make such datasets unlikely to be reliable sources of information on range sizes. Furthermore, evidence from Paleoindian tool caches and the condition of discarded points suggest strongly that the raw material used to produce projectile points at least sometimes moved across the Plains independently of material used to make most other kinds of flaked stone tools. This, in turn, implies that not all stone used during Paleoindian times was procured by visits of whole residential groups to raw material sources, raising serious questions about the validity of widespread views of Paleoindian mobility.     

Using multivariate statistics and fuzzy logic system to analyse settlement preferences in lowland areas of the temperate zone: an example from the Polish Lowlands

The influence of relief, as well as other environmental features such as soils or the hydrological regime, on prehistoric settlement patterns is commonly accepted. Settlement patterns and preferences changed over time in different areas, so it is difficult to formulate general rules of human behaviour throughout history. In lowland areas of the temperate zone, which lack radical relief changes and have widespread access to water resources, specific settlement preferences and significant changes in these preferences are difficult to interpret.New methods developed to address the problem of the settlement transformations as a result of prehistoric settlement and economic processes using multivariate statistics have been adapted for the middle part of the Great Poland Lowland. In this region, data from the Polish Archaeological Record Project database have been used.Models of the dependence between geomorphological features and settlement intensity form the basis for estimating changes in prehistoric settlements. The degree of preference (or avoidance) is a nonparametric function of the number of archaeological sites observed in the area relative to the number of sites expected from a completely random pattern. The most crucial factors for settlement are distance to plateau edges, distance to water bodies, and the wetness index. The results show that the entire investigated area is more or less suitable for settlement, but the most occupied terrains are the areas near plateau edges.     

The painting of the Etruscan “Tomba della Quadriga Infernale” (4th century BC), in Sarteano (Siena, Italy): technical features

This work presents the results of an investigation of the painting technique used in the Etruscan tomb “Tomba della Quadriga Infernale”. This tomb was discovered in Sarteano (Siena, Italy) in October 2003 and dated back to the second half of the 4th century BC. Red, dark red, pink, yellow, white, black, and grey colours were used in the tomb in order to create paintings, which now represent a very precious record of the Etruscan art of wall painting in a hypogeal environment. The technical features of the painting were revealed by stratigraphy using optical and electronic microscopy. The components and preparatory layers of the painted areas were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). XRD, SEM-EDS, and optical microscopic techniques were also used for mineralogical analysis of the rock substrate. The SEM-EDS and FTIR analyses showed that red and yellow ochre, calcite, and vegetable charcoal were used to paint the walls of the tomb: the pigments, either alone or mixed together, were utilized to produce pure colours (red, yellow, white, and black) and intermediate tonalities (pink, dark red, and grey). SEM-EDS, FTIR, and XRD highlighted that the painting was made on a preparatory layer of calcite, applied onto a levelling material made up of calcite, clay minerals, quartz, and iron oxides. GC/MS analyses revealed that egg was used as an organic binder to disperse the pigments.     

略论《明书》的史学价值

《明书》是清初史家傅维鳞(1608—1667)任翰林院编修时所纂纪传体明史,因《四库全书》仅列其入存目,并加以否定,学界对《明书》多有误解与轻视。本文由反驳《四库全书总目》对《明书》的批评入手,从《明书》对官修《明史》的影响、对明史研究的价值以及作为第一部明代全史的史学地位等方面,对《明书》做了相对全面、客观、公允的评价。     

明末清初文人命运之管窥——侯方域生平考

侯方域是明末清初著名的文人之一,他出生于名门望族,受过良好的教育,很早就名满天下。他早年交游广阔,与当时的一帮名士朝夕对酒作诗,品评当世人物,颇有济世之志。后来,因得罪了小人,自己落得四处飘零,又由于农民战争及清军的蹂躏,他的大部分好友都散去或死去;明清易代,他又成了夹缝中的遗民。他虽然英年早逝,但短暂的一生却历经巨变沧桑。     

清代塞外围场格局与动物资源盛衰

清代的塞外围场,建于山深林茂之区,有丰富的动植物资源,地域相连,功能各异,政治军事地位十分重要。清皇室决定着围场资源的利用方式和占有形式,康乾时期不间断的军事演练式的行围对围场动物资源衰减有重要影响,嘉道停围后,骑射演武的军事功能荡然无存,但动物资源衰减依旧势不可遏。塞外围场分布格局、资源存在结构及分配形式改变,围场体系完结。     

试论明至清前期黔中城镇的发展与特点

中国经济史的研究领域重点,多集中在中原、江南、口岸等城市,不关注西部民族地区城镇的历史状况,因此很难形成对中国城市发展起源、类型、特征总体的科学总结。笔者在日常文化遗产调研的业务工作中,发现贵州城镇中保留下来可供我们作为文化遗产观察、分析和研究的古代城市建筑物、街区、城垣等遗产已所剩不多,而究其原因是因为人们对城市发展的历史,对城镇历史遗物的文化价值、社会意义所知甚少。本文拟就明至清前期黔中地区的城镇发展史做一点粗浅论述,以引起专家学者对这一问题的关注。     

安邦彦围贵阳城明政府解围后的善后措施

明朝后期,随着专制统治的日渐腐败,明王朝阶级矛盾、民族矛盾、中央与地方矛盾日益尖锐,天启二年终于酿成贵州地区的安邦彦反明事件。贵州宣慰同知安邦彦挟其侄贵州宣慰使安位起兵反明,率土司军队包围贵阳城。由于明政府推行＂重辽轻黔＂的战略,对安氏反明事件重视不够,导致安氏包围贵阳城达十月之久。1622年12月明朝调集大军驰援解围,使贵阳城终得保全。     

湖北武当山遇真宫西宫建筑基址发掘简报

武当山遇真宫是南水北调中线工程文物保护工作中唯一涉及的世界文化遗产。为全面掌握遇真宫整体布局及历史信息,提供遇真宫文物保护方案的科学依据,2005年12月至2006年3月,湖北省文物考古研究所对遇真宫西宫建筑基址进行了考古发掘,整体揭露面积约9600平方米,比较完整地揭示出遇真宫西宫的建筑布局与结构特点。     

《明代驿站考》陕西驿站补正

本文对杨正泰《明代驿站考》"陕西部分"驿站中存在的一些设置时间空白、错误或不清楚等问题,在可能的范围内加以补正或辩正,对尚未列入《陕西驿站考》中的一些漏考驿站,加以补考。文中共补正或辩正驿站27个(含设置时间),除补正中考出相关驿站的设置时间外,又考出33个驿站设置的时间,补充漏考驿站26个。