Slaves to Sailors: the archaeology of traditional Caribbean shore whaling c.1850–2000. A case study from Barbados and Bequia (St Vincent Grenadines)

The archaeology of the post‐Emancipation Caribbean remains relatively understudied. The collapse of the industrial‐scale sugar plantation systems of the islands in the early 19th century saw a radical re‐organization of socio‐economic life. A new corpus of consumers was created, eking out a living on the margins of island society, but never quite liberated. This period sees the emergence of an Afro‐Caribbean maritime culture focused upon shipbuilding, fishing, turtling and whaling, the latter a particular feature of the eastern Caribbean (Windward Islands). The archaeology of whaling communities, is relatively well understood from the perspective of North America, Australasia and Europe, but less so in the Caribbean. Using two case studies based upon recent excavation and survey work, this paper sheds light on a distinctive maritime cultural response in the post‐emancipation Eastern Caribbean world.     

汉文化为中心的唐代文化大融合

唐文化是我国传统文化发展的高峰,也是居于当时世界的领先地位。它有着其独特的色彩和先进性。本文着重从地理环境的高度来分析唐代文化生态及文化融合,分析文化与地理环境内在的机制和规律。从而在面对现代外来文化冲击的情况下,更理性地安排人类文化活动空间,并用以改造环境,丰富本土文化,为文化发展创造一个良好的环境。     

The potential of bird remains for environmental reconstruction

Until relatively recently, studies of bird remains have been regarded as peripheral to mainstream research on early archaeological and palaeontological sites, rather than a potentially crucial factor in the reconstruction of the past environments in which hominids and other larger mammals were present This paper sets out to define the range of ecological information for a site which can be gained through study of the bird bones, using as an example the bones recovered in the excavations at Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An investigation of historical and archaeological evidence for age‐related bone loss and osteoporosis

A growing awareness of the problems caused by osteoporosis‐related fractures has led to increased investigation of the condition in past populations. The present study seeks to examine the ways in which osteoporosis‐related fractures may be explored through different approaches; modern clinical information, historical records of fractures and analysis of archaeological bone may provide fuller information on the condition. The three types of fractures upon which this study focuses are fractures of the femoral neck, Colles' fractures and vertebral compression fractures. The results of the investigation clearly demonstrate the way in which the various sources produce a slightly different picture of the condition. The archaeological significance of the different types of fractures was found to be the reverse of that which would be suspected in the light of information derived from historical sources and the clinical literature. To date vertebral crush fractures have been the most commonly found osteoporosis‐related fracture in archaeological material, but their significance to people in the past is likely to have been minimal. In contrast hip fractures have rarely been reported from archaeological bone material, but historical information makes it clear they were well known, and knowledge derived from clinical sources emphasizes the serious consequences of such a fracture for the affected individuals. The results indicate the value of undertaking a multi‐disciplinary approach where possible. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

神话与宗教中理想景观的文化地理透视

神话与宗教是原始的哲学和宇宙观,理想景观是其中一个重要组成部分。根据文化圈的不同,世界神话与宗教可划分为三种地域类型:中国式、希腊式和希伯莱式。它们各有其不同的理想景观类型。理想景观是人们对于环境的选择和改造,它的形成受自然环境和文化的双重作用,其中自然环境的作用是潜在的、基础性的,而文化的作用是直接的和本质性的。不同的文化通过神话和宗教中的理想景观类型来表达自己的景观理想,又依据这些理想,通过地理回归在现实中使其物化,实现对地理环境的影响。     

牛肃《纪闻》及其史料价值探讨

牛肃所撰《纪闻》系唐代第一部小说集,所记多开元、天宝时事。原书大约宋以后亡佚,惟《太平广记》、《太平寰宇记》等存有120余条。《纪闻》中的人物传记、僧侣传记、鬼怪幽冥故事等对盛唐时期的社会生活、政治事件等多有直接反映,其中一些材料还为《新唐书》、《资治通鉴》、《宋高僧传》等所采用,故而具有极高的史料价值。     

论荀悦的历史认识论

荀悦在前人的基础上 ,对历史认识的目的、方法、思维方式、检验标准等提出了许多有价值的见解。他阐明以史为鉴的必要性 ,将历史认识与取鉴资治有机结合起来 ;强调认识历史要透过现象看本质 ,通过区分类例 ,由此及彼 ,知微察著 ,去伪存真 ,获得对历史的理性认识 ;指出应以发展变易的观点审视历史 ,不能墨守成规 ,应当因时立制 ,分析事物时应看到其内部相互对立而又相互联系的不同方面 ;要求以儒家思想作为考察历史的理论原则 ,将主观认识与客观事实相参验 ,以真实作为检验历史认识的标准。荀悦的历史认识论值得认真加以总结     

历史事实:史学家建构过去的图景

中外历史哲学界对“历史事实”存在严重的争论,主要问题是关于历史事实的应用范围与含义上的分歧。其实,“历史事实”只能限制在历史认识论的范围内才有意义,而历史事实与史料中的事实也不能等同。从历史学家与“历史事实”的关系来看,历史事实依历史学家的存在而存在,“历史事实”是史学家建立的关于过去的图景,是一个关于过去历史实际的知识体系。