The Analysis of Late Bronze Age Glass from Nuzi and the Question of the Origin of Glass‐Making

This paper re‐analyses a considerable corpus of glass from the Late Bronze Age site of Nuzi, found near Kirkuk in Iraq. SEM–WDS and Sr and Nd isotopic analysis were applied, in addition to cataloguing the glass. The work showed that the glass technology at Nuzi was subtly different from contemporary Egyptian sites, using different ways of opacifying and working glass. At least two, perhaps three, Near Eastern production sites are postulated. The range of glass colours and the skill of their application at Nuzi was perhaps not on a par with the Egyptian sites. This led to a reconsideration and review of the accepted wisdom that the Near East is the source of the innovation that is glass‐making. This opinion is based on limited textual and iconographic sources and is dominated by an erroneous early date for a very developed Nuzi glass industry along with a few finds of glass vessels in early contexts. Some of this evidence has now been at least questioned, suggesting that glass‐making in Egypt, at least as early as the middle of the 15th century bc , and probably earlier, is no later than that in the Near East. It is argued that it is far from clear that the Near East was the source of the innovation and that a more cautious approach would better fit the evidence.     

Investigating Human Migration and Horse‐Trading in Yelang (夜郎) Through Strontium Isotope Analysis of Skeletons from Zhougshui Sites,South‐West China (1300 bc – ad 25)

Yelang (夜郎), a mysterious state located in the south‐western area of early China and dating from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age (1300 bc – ad 25), is a cultural interactive junction between the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and the Yangtze River Basin. The Zhongshui Basin in Weining County, Guizhou Province, was one of the important distribution areas of the Yelang civilization. This area, which includes sites at Jigongshan (鸡公山; 1300 – 800 bc ), Hongyingpan (红营盘; 700 – 400 bc ) and Yinzitan (银子坛; 400 bc – ad 25), has provided a very integrated chronology, spanning from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age in the eastern Yunnan – western Guizhou area. To investigate human migration and horse‐trading at these Yelang sites, we conducted a strontium isotopic analysis on the teeth enamel of humans and horses unearthed from these three sites. The results indicated the following: (1) people at the earlier sites (Jigongshan and Hongyingpan) were all indigenous, whereas in the Yinzitan cemetery, there was a more immigrant population, and all the people who were buried in an upper limb flexed supine position were non‐local; and (2) most of the horses found at the Jigongshan and Yinzitan sites show different provenances, probably related to the famous Dian (滇) and Zuo (筰) horses recorded in historical documents, providing more clues for further study on horse‐trading in South‐West China during the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age.     

天然氧化铜矿与铜制品腐蚀产物区别的探讨

在一些新石器时代的遗址中经常会出现一些铜渣、小块孔雀石等与炼铜有关的遗物。为探究这些孔雀石到底是天然的氧化铜矿还是铜制品的腐蚀产物,本工作对天然氧化铜矿和青铜器腐蚀产物进行岩相分析和元素成分分析。结果表明,天然氧化铜矿大都具有一些特殊的结构构造,而在铜制品的腐蚀产物中却很难发现这些结构构造;同时,二者在元素成分上也有显著不同,Bi、Sb、As、Fe、Mo、Co、Mn等微量元素可以作为区分天然氧化铜矿和青铜器腐蚀产物的一个判别标志。结合岩相分析和成分分析,可以确定一个遗址出土的孔雀石或蓝铜矿是天然氧化铜矿还是铜制品的腐蚀产物;同时,可进一步判断是红铜的腐蚀产物还是青铜的。这一结论对探讨铜冶金的起源有重要意义。     

《管子·轻重篇》粮价考略

<管子·轻重篇>有不少战国秦汉时期粮价的记载,但很少有人重视.本文对<管子·轻重篇>所载的粮价进行了较系统的考证,将之与其它文献和考古资料互相比照,发现<管子·轻重篇>反映的粮价,无论是低价、平价还是高价,都与有关文献和简牍资料的记载基本一致.因此,本文作者认为<管子·轻重篇>所记载的物价是有重要研究价值的.     

古村落旅游地居民综合感知及差异分析——以陕西韩城党家村为例

本文以陕西韩城党家村为例,采用问卷调查和现场访谈相结合的方式,运用EXCEL、SPSS等软件对调查结果进行数理统计,分析了居民对当地旅游开发的感知态度及差异,探讨了有关居民旅游感知的影响因素;并运用旅游发展阶段理论、社会交换理论等分析了党家村旅游开发的现状,认为目前党家村的旅游开发处于良好的状态,当地居民对旅游开发和旅游者持欢迎态度,处于融洽阶段。     

明代贵州开发的心理准备

明代贵州得到前所未有的开发,中央政府既有大同思想,对贵州各民族施行怀柔政策,希望天下归心,形成四海一家的气象,又有明显的等级观念和大汉族主义情结,坚持汉族正统地位,“明华夏之别”、“谨夷汉之防”。外来移民到贵州求生存谋发展而又疏高贵州,生活在贵州却又有着强烈的故乡情怀;依托贵州而又有傲慢之态,与贵州少数民族相依相偎而又心存排斥。贵州土司迫于政治形势接受开发,却又竭力维护既得利益;下层广大民众热心学习中原封建文化和生产技术,但是在基本生存权力得不到保障时被迫反抗。矛盾的心理一方面推动着贵州的开发进程,另一方面又使开发出现停滞或破坏。     

Domestic Economy and Daily Practice in Guadeloupe: Historical Archaeology at La Mahaudière Plantation

Archaeological research has made significant contributions to the study of the African Diaspora in the Caribbean, but until recently researchers neglected the French islands. This paper reports on archaeological fieldwork at Habitation La Mahaudière in Guadeloupe, focusing on the economic and social lives of plantation laborers and exploring articulations between local realities at this sugar plantation and broader historical process of the Caribbean region and the French colonial world.     

三年经济困难时期的紧急救灾措施

1959～1961年三年困难时期,党和国家认真总结经验,注意纠正错误,全力领导人民进行了救灾斗争,采取了精简城市人口、降低粮食征购量、紧急调运和进口粮食、节衣缩食"瓜菜代"、提高粮食收购价、大办农业等一系列措施,逐步扭转了局面,保持了社会秩序的相对稳定。     

Multitemporal analysis for preservation of obsidian sources from Melka Kunture (Ethiopia): integration of fieldwork activities,digital aerial photogrammetry and multispectral stereo-IKONOS II analysis

An integrated analysis of recent satellite imageries and dated aerial photos demonstrated to be a good investigation tool (Gallo et al., 2009) for the identification of new sites and for the assessment of landscape changes of wide archaeological areas in Ethiopia.     

Stable isotope analysis of prehistoric populations from the cemeteries of the Middle and Lower Dnieper Basin,Ukraine

This paper presents the results of new stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen) analysis of human, faunal and fish remains from thirteen cemeteries from the Middle and Lower Dnieper Basin, Ukraine. The results are integrated with earlier analyses, undertaken solely on human samples, in order to provide a comprehensive overview of subsistence across the Upper Palaeolithic through to Eneolithic periods in this region. This is the first time that a combined sample of human, faunal and fish remains has been studied in order to interpret subsistence strategies across these periods in Ukraine. The total dataset comprises 113 samples of human, faunal and fish remains, 59 of which include new analyses of faunal and fish remains that have not previously been made available for study (Table 1). The analysis of the faunal and fish remains allows for a consideration of trophic levels which indicates that the consumption of freshwater fish occurs from the Epipalaeolithic period onwards. Whilst the majority of the cemeteries and the individuals therein cluster in relatively tight groups, there is a significant offset between the human and faunal samples due to the consumption of freshwater resources. The fish samples analysed in the study appear to exhibit a relatively random distribution when compared to the other samples analysed. In general, freshwater resources remain significant through until the end of the Neolithic period and into the Eneolithic period at the sites investigated.