THE COLOURED TESSERAE DECORATING THE VAULTS OF THE FARAGOLA BALNEUM (ASCOLI SATRIANO,FOGGIA, SOUTHERN ITALY)

Twenty‐six tesserae (red, orange, yellow, light amber, green, blue and white) from the balneum of the villa at Faragola (Ascoli Satriano, Foggia) have been examined by colorimetry, ICP–MS, ICP–OES and SEM–EDS. Different types of calcareous sands have been used as the source of silica (network former), also providing the stabilizing agent. A natron‐type soda source served as the network modifier; however, the use of a sodium‐rich plant ash and the recycling process have been hypothesized for the production of two tesserae (FT 1 red and FT 3 orange). The colouring and opacifying agents were Cu oxide (cuprite, orange), metallic copper (red), Pb antimonates (yellow), Ca antimonates (white), a mixture of copper (Cu²⁺) and Pb antimonates (green), a mixture of cobalt (Co²⁺) or copper (Cu²⁺) and Ca antimonates (blue). The light amber tesserae should owe their colour to iron (Fe³⁺) alone or associated with sulphide (S^2?) and Ca antimonates. It is likely that the Faragola tesserae were locally produced in a secondary glass workshop.     

SELECTION AND HEATING OF COLOURING MATERIALS IN THE MOUSTERIAN LEVEL OF ES‐SKHUL (c. 100 000 YEARS BP,MOUNT CARMEL,ISRAEL)

The transformation of yellow goethite into red hematite by heating has long been assumed for Palaeolithic red artefacts excavated close to fireplaces. However, this transformation is extremely rare. Using SEM–FEG–EDX, PIXE–PIGE, TEM and μXRD, we characterized the mineralogical and chemical compositions of four microsamples of colouring materials from the Mousterian layer B in the es‐Skhul rock‐shelter, from about 100 kya ago. For some colouring materials, the Mousterian people of es‐Skhul chose to gather remote yellow lumps for heating. Their significant transport distance provides evidence of the possible high cultural value of these colouring materials for transformation into red pigments.     

An Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna From The Pakhomovskaya Population Of The Late Bronze Age,Western Siberia

This article presents the results of an analysis of mitochondrial DNA extracted from bone samples from Stary Sad – a burial ground representing the eastern variant of the Late Bronze Age Pakhomovskaya culture in the Baraba forest-steppe, Western Siberia. Comparison with mitochondrial DNA data from earlier populations of the region and also with archaeological facts, points to the origins of the Pakhomovskaya people. Certain components of their gene pool were evidently derived from the local pre-Andronovo populations, others from the actual Andronovo (Fedorovka) population and also from later immigrants. In this article an integrative reconstruction based on biological and cultural facts is proposed.     

早商时期经营四土之考古学新证

早商时期,商族在推翻夏朝统治的同时,迅速据有夏的故土并极力向外开拓,夏、商两大族群及其周边各族之间的迅速渗透、融合,初步奠定了商代早期四土政治地理与民族格局的基础。     

鸱尾起源考

当前,学术界对鸱尾起源问题的研究,主要有三种观点。第一种观点为西汉起源说。持此观点的学者为著名建筑史学家刘敦桢和吴庆洲[1]。刘敦桢最先提出鸱尾创于西汉[2],其主要依据为《陈     

中华书局点校本《郘亭书画经眼录》补正

张剑点校的晚清莫友芝所著《郘亭书画经眼录》一书,作为中华书局列为＂书目题跋丛书＂之一,于2008年1月正式出版。笔者因研究所涉,曾于贵州省博物馆访见莫氏＂书画经眼录＂残稿一轴,此稿于张氏校本中未曾见录。兹将二种相核,见所异处,略检其要,按目列叙,姑补版本之阙,以裨校正之用。     

汉画中“捞鼎”的社会意义及其生死象征

汉画像石中的“捞鼎”图像具有丰富的内涵和重要的意义,它不仅表现的是王权的更迭,更是两汉时期社会信仰意识的集中体现。画像中“鼎”的捞起与失落这一过程反映了生命的意义,具有灵魂重生和生命复出的隐喻。捞鼎画像在一定程度上反映了董仲舒的天人感应思想、汉代民间的宗教信仰以及汉人的生死观。     

樽奁考辨

文献中,樽与奁这两种器物常常被混淆。"奁"是主要用来存放与梳妆相关的器物,战国时为单层,汉代的时候出现双层奁同时流行多子奁。奁以圆形为主,带盖,常集彩绘、嵌扣、贴金银箔等多种工艺为一体。"樽"则为战国时期出现的日常实用酒器,分盆形和筒形两大类,胎骨多为铜胎或木胎,分为有盖和无盖,底下常有三足。     

A PROVENANCE STUDY OF FRENCH LIMESTONE BASED ON VARIABLE SELECTION FROM COMPOSITIONAL PROFILES

The present study shows how multivariate analysis and variable selection techniques can be used in archaeological provenances studies to improve classification performances. Neutron activation analysis (NAA), in combination with stepwise linear discrimination analysis (SLDA) (capable of simultaneously performing variable selection and classification), was applied to differentiate among limestone samples from different quarries across the north of France based on their compositional fingerprint. A hierarchical classification approach was followed, aimed at progressively assigning limestone samples to more specific sources of origin, from the broadest classification units (French regions) to the narrowest ones (individual quarries). The application of the stepwise variable selection procedure to extract the most discriminating compositional variables prior to each classification development allowed us to obtain a perfect separation between the limestone categories considered at every classification stage (all samples were correctly classified and predicted in all cases). The high‐quality results obtained were even more remarkable considering the relatively small number of significant variables selected in each case using the SLDA method. An illustrative example was provided in order to demonstrate that the classification strategy proposed can actually allocate an unknown sculpture to a particular quarry of origin.     

ASSESSING NATURAL CLAY COMPOSITION IN THE VALLEY OF OAXACA AS A BASIS FOR CERAMIC PROVENANCE STUDIES

The Oaxaca Clay Survey was initiated to provide baseline data on clay composition within the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, to assist in provenance determination of prehistoric ceramics. Natural clays were sampled from 135 locations throughout the valley, and analysed using INAA in combination with ceramic petrography. Observed geographical trends in trace‐element and mineralogical composition confirm that while parent material (surficial geology) strongly affects clay composition, a continuum of variation exists within the valley. The study develops and tests a continuous spatial model of clay composition that provides greater resolution in ceramic sourcing than bedrock alone. By establishing a regional framework for Oaxaca Valley clays, the survey will support significant advances in our understanding of pottery production and exchange within the valley, and provide a more robust means for monitoring exchange between the valley and neighbouring regions.