The Icelandic medieval monastic garden - did it exist?

In the multidisciplinary project presented here, 12 known monastic grounds in Iceland were surveyed by a group of medievalists from different fields in the summers of 2009, 2010 and 2011. The aim of the survey was to increase knowledge of the Icelandic monastic garden and of the plants that were known and used there; to look for possible medieval cultural relict plants; to observe continental influence on the island; and to vitalize discussion and research. Landscape and plants were surveyed at the 12 monastic sites, and full botanical investigations made. Many of the plants found have a medieval past as medicinal and utility plants, and some of their properties may have been common knowledge to medieval Icelanders. An investigation of written sources and archaeological and archaeobotanical findings from excavated sites added to the investigators’ knowledge. So were there monastic gardens in Iceland in the Middle Ages? The answer is a rather confident yes. With all the evidence combined, the investigators were able to trace the deliberate use of medicinal, food and utility plants in the monastic contexts. Whether they were cultivated, tended in situ, gathered growing wild or imported is another matter. Continental influence was more evident than has previously been observed.     

Emerging Chinese Role in Shaping St. Petersburg's Urban Landscape: Interscalar Investment Strategies in the Development of a Residential Megaproject

The paper, by an American geographer, discusses the origin and development of a Chinese-financed residential megaproject (Baltic Pearl) located southwest of St. Petersburg's historical district. Viewing Baltic Pearl as reportedly the largest investment project undertaken outside China by a government-sponsored Chinese consortium, the author places it in the context of state-level Sino-Russian relations and Russian unease over the influx of Chinese migrants and culture. Reflecting the author's extensive field work in St. Petersburg and Shanghai, the focus of the paper is on the way the consortium was forced to adopt interscalar (i.e., both state and municipal/urban) strategies responsive to local conditions, providing a potentially useful precedent and model for Chinese and other investors seeking to penetrate Russia's urban markets.     

20世纪中国的社会转型与社会变革的两种思想和方式

在20世纪中国社会转型的过程中,革命与改良(改革)这两种变革思想和方式之间虽然有重大区别,但又是互补的,而且"你中有我,我中有你".两者在不同的历史时期各凸现其主导功能,也会相互转化,不可绝对地厚此薄彼,更不可只肯定一种而否定另一种.事实上,革命与改良是同一部乐曲的"双重变奏",两者的相生相克、相辅相成、交互辉映,共同组成了20世纪中华民族救亡图存、启蒙大众、革故鼎新的历史画卷,共同推进了中国社会的现代化.20世纪最后20多年的改革和发展趋势表明,中国尽管已从根本上摆脱了自我束缚的困扰,但进入新世纪后最需要的是居安思危,力戒盛世意识,增强忧患意识.     

The Dynamic Behavior of the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi Using Simplified Analytical Models

The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi endured stronger earthquakes for centuries before 1997 earthquake, which generated the collapse of the two vaults. Experts blame as possible reasons of collapse the damage cumulated from previous earthquakes and/or the retrofitting made to the structure over its lifetime. This article presents the history of the retrofit interventions of the Basilica through the centuries, focusing mainly on the roof, which has been subjected to three major restorations through its life. It is shown using simple analytical models that the cumulative effects of the changes made to the roof of the Basilica affected the structure’s dynamic behavior in a negative manner, increasing the seismic loads on the existing structural members. In particular, the numerical results show that the 1958 roof intervention has stiffened the structure, redistributing the seismic loads on the façade and the transept. This overload might explain the collapse of the two Gothic vaults during 1997 earthquake.     

法老时代的埃及妇女在家庭中的地位

Although many scholars have assert that the Egyptian women’s position in the family was high during the time of the Pharaohs, no research in China has made a comprehensive and systematic discussion over this issue so far. Based on both documents and archaeological materials, this article approaches this question in three aspects: (1) Egyptian women’s position in the family economy; (2) the affection between the husband and the wife; (3) the position and role of the mother. __________ Translated from Shijie Lishi 世界历史 (World History), 2004, (2): 11–20     

Determination of a kinship system using ancient DNA,mortuary practice,and historic records in an upper Canadian pioneer cemetery

Recovered and amplified ancient DNA (aDNA), from a historically documented 19th century Upper Canadian pioneer cemetery produced genotypes that were used to infer a past societal kinship system. While the results from multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) amplifications showed an unreliable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, a single locus HUMTH01 analysis yielded reproducible data and an allelic frequency pattern not statistically different from modern populations. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA HVR II data showed that a combined cemetery database exhibited reduced haplotype diversity indicators, as well as clusters of probable maternally related burials. The chronological persistence and replacement of mtDNA clusters approximately every two generations suggests a patrilineal/patrilocal kinship structure from a virilocal burial program for the Harmony Road cemetery. Through the integration of the aDNA analysis with archaeological material culture, historic records, and other ethnohistoric sources of information, this conclusion is supported. In this study persisting patrilineally inherited surnames act as a surrogate for aDNA Y‐chromosome haplotype analysis. These results suggest that aDNA applications on aggregate skeletal collections where sparse, or no ethnological or historical documentation exists, may result in incorrect population history inferences if the presence of a kinship interment bias is not considered. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

构建和谐社会与中国社会学的历史使命

对于中国的社会学来说,和谐社会并不是一个陌生的概念,而是他们一直持续追求的目标和现实理想,研究和谐社会形成的条件和机制是贯穿中国社会学始终的学术主题。今天,党和政府明确提出了构建和谐社会的历史任务．为和谐社会的建设提供理论支持,既是社会学的优势所在,也是历史赋予中国社会学的重大任务。社会学应该为此贡献自己的力量,同时抓住这个难得的机遇,提高自身的学术水平。     

晚期层叠式城市建筑遗址考古发掘中的地层学及相关问题

晚期层叠式城市建筑遗址的地层堆积和埋藏方式不同于其他类遗址,尤其与早期遗址差别很大,因而在发掘的方法上有一些特殊的要求。本文主要围绕考古地层学基本理论在此类遗址发掘中的运用展开讨论,兼谈其他一些相关问题。     

古代江南地区圩田开发及其对生态环境的影响

江南地区的圩田大致滥觞于三国之际,迅速发展于两宋,全盛于明清,是我国江南人民在长期治田治水实践中创造的农田开发的一种独特形式。文章以大量历史文献资料为基础,全面考察了江南地区圩田开发的历程与特点,研究了江南圩田兴盛的历史因素和自然条件,并简要分析了圩田的作用。在此基础上,具体探讨了圩田开发对生态环境所造成的影响,认为因过渡围垦破坏了江南地区原有的湖泊河流水文环境,造成“水不得停蓄,旱不得流注”的严重局面,这便给圩田大大增加了防患水灾的压力;历代地方政府在圩田管理方面也是各自为政,各地圩田缺乏相互间的协作,使因破圩而形成的局部水灾年年有之;大量构筑圩田,使湖泊面积大为缩小,影响其调节水量的功能,破坏了本地区的生态条件,致使灾害频频发生。此外,围湖特别是废湖以后,使众多的水生资源也遭到了严重破坏。     

论近代中国北方外向型经济的兴起

近代以后,我国北方广大地区的社会经济结构逐步由传统的农、牧、工、商业经济向现代外向型经济转变。这一嬗变与北方沿海港口尤其是天津港的开埠和发展,有着极为密切的关系。天津进出口结构的变化,则是北方社会经济这种变迁的主要体现。通过港口与腹地间经济的互动作用,近代北方外向型经济体系逐步架构起来。