Extinct species identification from late middle Pleistocene and earlier Upper Pleistocene bone fragments and tools not recognizable from their osteomorphological study by an enhanced proteomics protocol

Ancient preserved molecules offer the opportunity of gaining a deeper knowledge on their biological past. However, the development of a proteomic workflow remains a challenge. The analysis of fossils must involve a low quantity of material to avoid damaging the samples. In this study an enhanced proteomic protocol was applied to 5-milligram samples of about 130,000-year-old mammalian bones ranging from the end of the Middle Pleistocene up to the earlier Upper Pleistocene, excavated from Scladina Cave (Sclayn, Belgium). Using sequence homology with modern sequences, a biological classification was successfully achieved and the associated taxonomic ranks to each bone were identified consistently with the information gained from osteomorphological studies and palaeoenvironmental and palaeodietary data. Amino acid substitutions on collagens were identified, thus providing new information on extinct species sequences and helping in taxonomy-based clustering. Considering samples with no osteomorphological information, such as two fragments of bone retouchers, proteomics successfully identified the families providing paleontologists new information on these objects. Combining osteomorphology studies and amino acid variations identified by proteomics, one of the retouchers was potentially identified as belonging to the Ursus spelaeus species.     

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。     

Analysis of ancient Japanese society through mitochondrial DNA sequencing

In this study, DNA was extracted from human bones recovered from a 2000-year-old archaeological site located in northern Kyushu in southwestern Japan. Part of the mitochondrial control region was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction. Mitochondrial DNA sequences determined from 55 individuals were classified into 16 different types. Comparing the location of the burial site and the sequence types, people buried at separate sites were shown to have different maternal lineages. Our palaeomolecular biological findings strengthen the opinion that social differentiation began during this period in Japan, a fact that is generally accepted among archaeologists. The results of this study show that intensive analysis of ancient DNA from archaeological sites is a useful tool for investigating the social systems of vanished populations.     

《诗》篇新证

传统《诗经》研究,由于局限于材料,往往在名物训诂、义理文意等问题上各持一端,纠缠不清。但随着考古学与古文字学的发展,将新出土材料与传统文献结合,进行整合性研究的条件已经具备。在此基础上,运用“二重证据法”,分别针对《诗·叔于田》的诗序;《诗·大叔于田》的成诗年代;以及《诗·大叔于田》、《诗·小戎》等诗篇中的具体问题,结合历史背景,驳斥前论谬说,梳理诗中名物,还原诗旨文意,以求做到实物与诗互证、诗与史相映。     

周原甲骨灼烧状况与风化原因研究

为了研究周原出土甲骨的灼烧状况与风化原因,用测色色差、X射线衍射、热重、扫描电镜和显微红外等多种分析手段对九种周原无字甲骨样进行了分析。结果表明,被分析样品都曾经受不同温度的灼烧,造成有机质丢失与骨头结构的破坏,这是导致甲骨风化的主要原因。出土后用酸浸泡清洗水垢,可能是导致甲骨风化的另一原因。在用于研究甲骨灼烧状况的诸多方法中,X射线衍射与扫描电镜分析两的作用突出。     

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.     

Traumatic bowing deformities in tubular bones

Is bowing in long bones from an archaeological context representative of postmortem damage or genuine antemortem pathology? Bowing deformities (also known as traumatic bowing deformities, plastic bowing deformities, plastic bowing fractures and acute bowing fractures in the clinical literature) are true pathological entities that have only recently been recognized by clinicians. Bowing in long bones results from a force that exceeds the elastic properties of a given bone, producing a new plastic (bowing) response phase. These subtle deformities commonly affect the radii and ulnae in children and less frequently other tubular bones of the skeleton. Traumatic bowing should be considered as a possible diagnosis whenever abnormal curvature of a long bone is observed. This presentation illustrates two cases of traumatic bowing isolated from two ossuary populations from Ontario, Canada and addresses differential diagnostic concerns. © 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.     

On the post-mortem accumulation of lead by skeletal tissues

Lead concentrations in a number of bones and soil samples taken from the same graves at the site of Bordesley Abbey were significantly correlated. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that 59% of the variation in the bone lead concentrations was due to contamination from the soil.A study of the distribution of lead in a tooth from the Romano-British site at Cirencester by fast particle activation analysis indicated that virtually all the lead was on the external surface, indicating post-mortem absorption.These results strongly suggest that lead is absorbed by skeletal tissue after death even in soils which have an alkaline pH. In the light of these findings, suggestions are made for the strategies which might be adopted for further research in this area.     

A Roman cat skeleton from Quseir on the Red Sea coast

During excavations at Quseir el-Qadim on the Red Sea coast, the body of a Roman cat was recovered. The skeleton is nearly complete and remains of the fur, stomach, and lower intestinal tract are also preserved. This animal was a very large and heavily built male domestic cat. Shortly before his death, the cat had eaten at least six rats (Rattus rattus), remains of which were found in the stomach and in the dung balls.