ARCHAEOMETRIC ANALYSES ON ‘CORINTHIAN B’ TRANSPORT AMPHORAE FOUND AT GELA (SICILY,ITALY)*

The aim of this work is to throw light on the archaic production of ‘Corinthian B’ amphorae, which are widely diffused in the Western Mediterranean basin and are also present in Greece, but whose geographical provenance is still under discussion. We analysed a group of 37 samples belonging to different ceramic classes dated to the sixth and fifth centuries bc . In particular, there were 19 sherds of trade amphorae of the so‐called archaic ‘Corinthian B’ type, from archaeological excavations in Gela (Sicily, Italy). As a comparison, we also investigated 18 samples of tiles and local coarse pottery from Sibari (Calabria, Italy). The samples were analysed using different techniques, such as optical analysis with a polarized‐light microscope (OM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform–infrared absorption (FT–IR) and inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP–OES). The combination of these complementary analytical methods allowed us to characterize the samples, determine their firing temperatures and identify the probable provenance. The study of thin sections of sherds by OM allowed us to divide the investigated amphorae into two main groups: the first was characterized by a composition that suggested a Western provenance, in particular from the Calabrian–Peloritan region; the second one was very similar to the ‘Corinthian B’ amphorae that come from Corinth and have been classified as ‘fabric class 1’ by Whitbread (1995 ). The XRD and FT–IR results permitted us to determine the mineral composition of the findings and to estimate their firing temperature. The ICP–OES technique was particularly useful in identifying the production centres. In fact, in the studied pottery, this analysis revealed Ni and Cr values that were noticeably different between Greek and southern Italian production.     

ON STATISTICAL APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF CERAMIC ARTEFACTS USING GEOCHEMICAL AND PETROGRAPHIC DATA*

The scientific analysis of ceramics often has the aim of identifying groups of similar artefacts. Much published work focuses on analysis of data derived from geochemical or mineralogical techniques. The former is more likely to be subjected to quantitative statistical analysis. This paper examines some approaches to the statistical analysis of data arising from both kinds of techniques, including ‘mixed‐mode’ methods where both types of data are incorporated into analysis. The approaches are illustrated using data derived from 88 Late Bronze Age transport jars from Kommos, Crete. Results suggest that the mixed‐mode approach can provide additional insight into the data.     

GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL LIME MORTARS: PROVENANCE INPUTS*

Chemical and mineralogical analyses were carried out on historical lime mortars from the parish church of Santa María La Real (Guipúzcoa). The study included various periods ranging from Roman to modern times and allowed the identification of various types of raw materials. In order to obtain pure binder, free of carbonate aggregates and charcoal particles, an innovative binder separation method was implemented. The chemical composition of the binder allows discrimination of different provenance areas for the raw materials, although those areas do not correlate with specific historical periods. In addition, the influence of burial processes on the primeval chemical features has been assessed and reveals that modern mortars display greater chemical modification than the Roman mortars.     

长江中游地区楚墓中出土的青铜箭镞的锈蚀现象及锈蚀机理研究

青铜箭镞是古代制造量最大、一次性使用的兵器,与要求甚高的青铜剑和青铜礼乐器等相比,在选材和表面处理等方面有很大的不同,其锈蚀过程最能反映材料在经过数千年后所产生变化。长江中下游地区环境潮湿,埋藏条件复杂,本研究利用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、能谱仪（EDS）、X-射线衍射仪（XRD）、显微硬度等分析测试技术,从材料科学的角度对长江中游地区战国晚期古墓中出土的青铜箭镞的锈蚀现象和锈蚀机理进行了全面的研究和分析,以期为古代青铜器的保护提供更准确的信息和资料。结果表明,青铜箭镞的组织结构可分为完全矿化层、过渡层和心部原始材料等三个特征层,不同特征层具有不同的显微组织、化学成分、致密性,以及显微硬度等;并沿横截面观察和分析了锈蚀层中的微裂纹的性质和产生原因,即,平行于表面的裂纹是由矿化层氧化物膨胀引起的剥离开裂,其进一步发展将形成“粉状锈”,而垂直于表面呈放射状的裂纹是当圆柱形箭镞杆膨胀时,矿化层的塑性差,抗变形能力低而产生的开裂;锈蚀机理研究认为青铜器的锈蚀过程是环境中杂质元素通过过渡层沿界面能较高的α固溶体和（α＋δ）共析体晶界或孔隙等缺陷逐步向内部扩散的结果。     

A case of multiple metastasis in Late Holocene hunter‐gatherers from the Argentine Pampean region

Chenque I site is a prehistoric cemetery located in Lihué Calel National Park (La Pampa province) in the Western Pampean region of Argentina. Hunter‐gatherer societies made use of this site during the Final Late Holocene for at least 700 years (1030–370 BP). Currently 41 burial structures have been excavated, and more than 150 individuals have been recovered. There is great variability in mortuary patterns at the site (simple, multiple, primary, secondary burials, and also a variant not previously observed in the region). The life‐ways of this population have been investigated through the evaluation of several biological and cultural factors. Several pathological conditions have also been identified in this cemetery. Burial no. 12 contains a skeleton of an adult male that shows multiple pathological lesions, compatible with a neoplastic disease. These lesions have been analysed using several methodological strategies: macroscopic, radiological and microscopic. This is the first time that this kind of disease has been identified from a prehistoric burial in Argentina. In this paper the location and characteristics of the lesions are evaluated, and the different neoplastic diseases that could have produced them are discussed. Since the people buried in this cemetery belonged to highly mobile societies, a key issue is to infer the consequences that this disease would have had on the dynamics of the group in which this person lived, because of the gradual deterioration of his health and physical strength. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Where is Chinese nationalism? The political geography of a moving project

ABSTRACT. Since the rise of Chinese nationalism at the end of the nineteenth century, different political groups have sought to mobilise regional support by identifying with the national agenda of regional preferences. There have been changing contestations appealing to north, south, center, west and east. By analysing these moving identities, one can escape a misleading homogenisation of actual multi‐strandedness and better understand the nature and potential consequences of ongoing political struggles using conflicting nationalisms on behalf of diverse political agendas, some more war‐prone than others.     

The lenses of nationhood: an optical model of identity

ABSTRACT. This paper tries to make the case for a model of political identity based on an optical metaphor, which is especially applicable to nations. Human vision can be separated into sentient object, lenses and inbuilt mental ideas. This corresponds well to identity processes in which ‘light’ from a bounded territorial referent is refracted through various lenses (ideological, material, psychological) to focus in certain ways on particular symbolic resources like genealogy, history, culture or political institutions. Distinguishing between referent, lenses and resources helps us more precisely situate many hitherto disparate problems of national identity. These include the ‘ethnic‐civic’ dilemma, the mystery of national identity before nationalism, and the relationship between local and national, and individual and collective, identities. The model also clarifies the place of universalist ideology, which currently fits poorly within the leading culturalist and materialist theories of nationalism.     

Heat transport at boiling,near‐critical conditions

Two‐phase flow and near‐critical phenomena are likely to enhance energy transport in high‐temperature hydrothermal systems. We present a series of two‐dimensional simulations of two‐phase flow of pure water at near‐critical conditions. The results show that at near‐critical conditions, two‐phase convection can be more efficient in transporting energy than single‐phase convection. The highest heat fluxes are attained when two‐phase heat‐pipes form near the bottom boundary, recharging the root of the upflow zone and thereby enabling the formation of broad upflow regions. When the system becomes more vapor‐dominated, it loses this ability, upflow zones become narrower and the energy efficiency drops to more moderate values.     

Role of Infragravity Energy in Bar Formation in a Strong‐Wind Bay: Observations from Seaford Beach,Port Phillip Bay,Australia

Measurements of the surf zone wave field and morphology were obtained from a multi‐barred beach in a fetch‐limited, strong‐wind bay (Seaford, southeastern Australia) during both low‐ and high‐energy conditions. Analysis of the infragravity energy present during high‐energy events (onshore winds >7 ms^?1) revealed that it was broad‐banded, consisting of a mixture of standing and progressive motions and displaying daily variations in standing wave length scales. Infragravity standing waves were therefore not considered significant to the formation and migration of bars at Seaford during this study, with bar behaviour during high energy events potentially attributable to either breaking wave‐bed return flow and/or self‐organisational mechanisms.     

The Work‐Life Balance: Geographical Perspectives on Lifestyle,Leisure, Stuff and the FuturePresidential Address to the Institute of Australian Geographers’ Conference,Hobart, July 20081

The work‐life balance is a pressing social issue in Australia but one on which geographers have been relatively silent. Predictions of ‘a leisure society’ have not been fulfilled. Instead, work has come to dominate life in Australia and in many other advanced western societies. The reasons for this are explored. Materialism is at the heart of the work‐life imbalance. There is, however, evidence of a changing work ethic and the emergence of leisure‐orientated lifestyles, albeit with ‘leisure’ interpreted as ‘freedom to’ undertake gratifying activity rather than simply ‘freedom from’ obligatory commitments. Despite the supposed homogenising influence of globalisation and the internet, place will become increasingly important in a leisure‐orientated lifestyle‐led future.