The later prehistory of mainland Southeast Asia

Until the recent expansion of research into the prehistory of mainland Southeast Asia, the development of civilizations employing Indian religious and political concepts had been seen as a major fulcrum in the area's history. The prehistoric sequence in the area is reviewed, with particular attention being paid to evidence for ritual, display, exchange, and ranking behavior within lowland sedentary communities. These date to the two or three millennia preceding Indian contact. It is argued that already by the end of the prehistoric period, there were complex centralized societies with a long tradition of recognizing status differentials among individuals, affiliated groups, and communities. The sequence incorporates the exploitation of rice, and bronze and iron working. The chronology of these innovations is compared with that in China. It is not possible at present to argue for single or multiple origins, but the area of southern China is suggested as a crucial one in further research to resolve these issues.     

西周金文“佃人”身份考

西周铜器铭刻资料中习见的"佃人"一词,是指隶属于王朝或依附于贵族家族的农业人口,属于庶民阶层,而非传世文献中所记载的"甸师"、"甸人"与"田畯"之类的官师。这些"佃人",有他们自己的包括土地、生产工具和家畜在内的私产。他们在农官或私臣的带领和监督下,以耕作"公田"的劳役为形式,服务于大大小小的贵族阶层,受各级统治者的剥削。通过各方面的比较,他们的身份地位与当时的"仆庸"颇为相近,故"佃人"一词很可能就是"仆庸"的异称。     

释古文字中的“■”与“■”——兼释古玺中的“■”字

西周金文和战国晋系古玺中有一个从从世的字,旧有"朑"、"■"、"■"、"■"、"■"、"■"和"百世"合文等多种释法,莫衷一是。本文通过字形的比较分析,支持释"■"的观点,并进而指出"■"、"世"二字的古音相近,"■"实际上是一个两声字,是"世"字的异体。本文还通过对"■"字及与其形近诸字的形体辨析,指出战国齐系古玺中一个被释为"眅"的字应该改释为"■"。     

殷墟1004号王墓出土青铜胄研究

对商晚期都城殷墟遗址的1004号王墓出土的7件青铜胄进行了热电离质谱(TIMS)铅同位素比值分析和电感耦合等离子体发射光谱(ICP-OES)成分分析,数据显示铜胄的合金类型可分为两类——锡青铜和铅锡青铜,且其二者的铅同位素比值均处于高放射性成因铅范围。此研究结果为探索金属矿料的产地来源及此著名王墓的年代等问题提供了重要线索。     

《考工记》“戈体已倨已句二病”新探

戈体援与胡夹角之大小直接关系到戈、戟的使用功效,其变化是戈、戟形制演变的一个重要方面。《考工记》指出了援与胡夹角过大或过小对戈、戟功能的危害,并提出"倨句外博"的技术要求。本文运用力学分析的方法,对"戈体已倨已句二病"进行阐述,并对已有注释进行分析。《考工记》"戈体已倨已句"是指戈的两种功用对其形制的要求。也是对青铜戈、戟形制演变规律的技术总结。     

开封市博物馆收藏的几件商周有铭青铜器

本文对河南省开封市博物馆收藏的几件商周时期的有铭青铜器进行了介绍与考释,并就相关问题作了简单说明.     

成物祈求或技术控制——青铜时代铸铜祭祀功能再析

在中国青铜时代的王都、诸侯国的都城遗址或区域中心,有大量的铸铜祭祀遗存被发现。以往对铸铜祭祀的功能分析多是基于后世文献的相关记载,认为"女性投炉"是确保铸铜能够顺利进行的一种成物祈求。然而从仪式化生产的角度来看,这一时期铸铜祭祀的成物祈求作用并不突出,铸铜祭祀本身可能和铸铜技术一样,作为重要的知识体系为统治阶层所掌控,成为其权力控制的一种方式。     

中国古代青铜器淬火的初步研究

本文对我国古代青铜器淬火的情况进行了整理和研究,发现青铜淬火主要应用于锋刃器、容器、响器,且均为高锡青铜;各器采用的淬火等制作工艺和其合金配比及所需性能相关。淬火最主要的作用是改善高锡青铜的机械性能,即增加塑性和强度,降低硬度和脆性,一方面有利于后序的加工处理,另一方面使器物更富使用性能。另外,高锡的配比结合热锻、淬火和冷加工处理,使容器和响器具有明亮的类黄金的色彩和独特的音乐性质。     

A re-assessment of bronze age wool

Measurements of twelve new samples of Danish Bronze Age wool showed them to be hairy medium fleeces. Supporting evidence was obtained that a high proportion of fine fibres in a yarn results from the plucking of wool during the moult before the hairy fibres have been released from the skin. The fine fibres were closer in diameter to the underwool of the wild ancestor than to those of the Soay sheep (supposedly a Bronze Age survivor), indicating a more primitive fleece. The samples described include the first white Bronze Age wool. Those with natural pigmentation in every fibre could be black or brown, while those with pigmented and white fibres are thought to be a mixture of brown and white (by analogy with the Soay) rather than grey, which is unknown in the Soay.     

河南南阳市拆迁办秦墓发掘简报

2000年2月-8月,南阳市文物考古研究所为配合基本建设在南阳市拆迁办工地发掘秦基2座,出土秦代铜器数件,为南阳地区秦代埋葬风俗及秦文化的研究提供了宝贵的实物资料。