Lead concentrations in bones from a Neolithic long barrow

Lead concentrations were determined in ribs obtained from the Neolithic long barrow at Hazelton and compared with those in a series of modern bones. The mean lead concentration in the neolithic material was about two-and-a-half times less than the contemporary mean indicating that human activity has considerably increased the human body burden of lead.     

Can trace elements in fossils provide information about palaeodiet?

The main aim of this study is to try to see if, despite the diagenetic changes undergone by the fossil bones buried in Venta Micena (Orce, Spain), the concentration of trace elements permits the differentiation of particular groups. It is possible that some chemical elements allow us to identify different dietary groups in accord with their archaeological context. Different multivariant methods—correlation, principal component analysis and cluster analysis—were applied to the data, and in all cases the results show that two elements (Ba and Zn) seem able to discriminate between groups with different diets. In this sense, diagenesis cannot explain all the variability found in the concentrations of trace elements in fossils from the Orce region. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predicting Grey Triggerfish Body Size from Bones

The present study presents a method for predicting triggerfish body size (standard length and body mass) from bones recovered from archaeological sites. Regression equations were calculated from 42 fresh triggerfish. The following seven measurements were used as best predictors for body size based on the regression coefficients, reliability of the measurements and survivorship of the bones in archaeological material: width of ethmoid, width of vomer, width of first dorsal spine, width of dorsal postcleithrum, width of atlas, width of sixth vertebra, and greatest height of basal pterygiophore. These equations enabled us to assess the contribution of fish to the economy and aided us in identifying various fishing methods. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol., 7 : 150–156 (1997) No. of Figures: 8. No. of Tables: 4. No. of References: 48.     

甲骨卜辞所见之巫者的医疗活动

古代巫医不分,由于人类将疾病致因视为鬼魂作用,故以巫者充当人鬼间的中介,寄希望于巫术行医、安抚死神从而达到消除疾病的目的。正因基于此观念,医与巫、医疗与巫术、药物心理与巫术心理取得了自然的结合,求药及求巫两者皆统一于医疗活动之中。商代的医疗知识仍然处于中国医学的萌芽状态,具有迷信性质,常与巫教信仰交织在一起。即使如此,此时的巫医也开拓壮大了医学的先河。除利用药材之外。商人亦知运用针刺方法以治病,此种针砭医疗器具,在各地遗址时有发现。在医疗方面的巫术的具体活动,则主要包括二种:一为医疗巫术,二为逐疫除凶。     

山东沭河上游出土人骨的食性分析研究

本研究通过对山东沭河上游大汶口文化晚期及春秋战国时期 2块人骨的碳、氮同位素分析和无机成分的锶、钡、钙等微量元素分析 ,恢复了当时人的食物结构。结论有以下两点 :1 由同位素分析可知 ,本地区贫民老百姓的食物在大汶口晚期时以C4植物为主 ,大约占 6 5 1 %的比例。此时期的食物结构存在贫富差异 ,富有者的食谱主要以C3植物为主 ,大约占 6 6 4 %的比例。 2 通过对小朱家村遗址出土的 1块人骨样品的微量元素分析 ,反映出同位素分析所表明的C3植物 ,除了少量种植的稻米外 ,可能还包括胡桃属、榛属、栗属、豆科等采集植物。