Is the circumference at the nutrient foramen of the tibia of value to sex determination on human osteological collections? Testing a new method

This paper tests the validity of the circumference at the nutrient foramen of the tibia for sex determination on two human osteological collections: the Lisbon Collection of Identified Skeletons (n = 160) and the São Martinho medieval archaeological collection from Leiria, Portugal (n = 57). The methodological approach chosen to conduct the test was the sectioning point method. The overall accuracy (males and females combined) in the Lisbon Collection was 78% and in the São Martinho Collection it reached 90%. In both series, females were more accurately classified than males. This paper advocates the importance of developing and using sample specific methods for sex determination in modern and in archaeological human osteological assemblages. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

氯离子选择性电极测定铁器碱性脱盐溶液中氯离子的含量

在铁质文物的保护过程中,脱盐是重要的保护程序之一。通常铁器的脱盐溶液为碱性。本工作主要研究氯离子选择性电极法在测定碱性脱盐溶液中的氯离子含量时,溶液pH值和复配溶液中的表面活性剂对测定结果的影响。实验结果表明:(1)用氯离子选择性电极法测定碱性脱盐溶液或复配碱性脱盐溶液中的氯离子浓度是可行的;(2)溶液的pH值对测量结果有一定的影响,当溶液pH值在2～7范围内时,其对电位值影响不大;(3)表面活性剂对测量结果影响较小,在实际应用中,应配制与待测溶液组分相同的氯离子标准溶液,后期数据处理并绘制标准曲线,以使测量结果尽可能接近实际值。精密度和回收率实验表明,该方法准确度满足定量分析的要求。由此可见,当脱盐溶液为碱性NaOH或复配碱性NaOH溶液时,用氯离子选择性电极实时监测脱盐溶液中的氯离子含量能较好地反映器物脱盐程度。     

The use of soil chemistry data to address post-mortem diagenesis in bone mineral

The soluble and exchangeable ions for a soil profile from the Roonka archaeological site. Lower Murray Basin, South Australia, are compared with the total elemental content of the soils. Since the chemical composition of post-mortem ionic substitution phases and secondary minerals in archaeological bone will depend on the availability of ions to the soil solution under field conditions, it is suggested that models addressing diagenesis in bone employ soluble and exchangeable ions rather than total elemental soil data.     

Commercial developments and their impact on maritime heritage: the Northern Ireland experience

This paper refers to the body of international, national and regional legislation that exists to protect submerged cultural heritage sites. It advocates the use of the consultation process available through current legislation to protect submerged sites through preservation or through record by archaeological mitigation. It reviews the main types of commercial seabed developments and opens discussion on the appropriate archaeological response.