湖北随州市黄土岗遗址新石器时代环壕的发掘

2005年,在湖北随州市黄土岗遗址发现一处新石器时代环壕,整体近似椭圆形,南北长约316、东西宽约235米。壕沟平均宽度15～20、平均深度2.5～3米,最深处超过3.8米。沟内的出土遗物均为陶器。壕沟的形成年代应不晚于屈家岭文化晚期,延用至石家河文化早期,可能具有防御功能。     

内蒙古赤峰市康家湾遗址2006年发掘简报

2006年,对内蒙古赤峰市康家湾遗址进行发掘。该遗址以夏家店下层文化遗存为主体,遗迹有房址、墓葬、灰沟、灰坑、灶等,出土较多陶器、石器、蚌器、骨器等。该遗址不属于石城址,房址均为土坑半地穴式。它的发现,为研究阴河中下游地区夏家店下层文化的聚落形态及建筑形式提供了重要资料。     

宜兴西溪遗址试掘简报

西溪遗址文化遗存可分为早、晚两个时期,早期时代相当于马家浜文化早期,晚期相当于马家浜文化向崧泽文化的过渡阶段,其资料证明太湖西部地区史前文化有着自身独特的内涵。     

湖北秭归何家坪遗址发掘简报

何家坪遗址位于湖北省秭归县郭家坝镇楚王井村11组。1996～2000年,湖北省文物考古研究所分三次对遗址进行了发掘。三次发掘面积1600平方米,清理新石器时代至明代墓葬5座、灰坑3个、窑址1处,出土了陶、石、瓷、银、铜、铁等不同质料的文化遗物百余件。该遗址年代跨度长,遗存特征比较典型,是三峡地区一处比较重要的考古发现。     

重庆云阳乔家院子遗址唐宋时期遗存

重庆市云阳乔家院子遗址是三峡库区需要抢救发掘的重要遗址之一。本着重报道了该遗址第四次发掘的唐宋时期遗存,其中以唐代瓷器和建筑材料为主。特别是瓷器,其形制与釉色兼具当地和北方地区特色,既反映了当时该地区的制瓷水平,也反映出大一统化面貌下的地区化交流。大量的唐代遗存证明,乔家院子遗址在这个时期是一个较大村落,对于当时的村镇聚落考古研究有非常重要的意义。     

The Politics of Chivalry: Sir Robert Walpole,the Duke of Montagu and the Order of the Bath

This article explores the complex circumstances surrounding the foundation of the order of the Bath in 1725, and seeks to correct the commonly‐held view that it was initiated by Walpole simply to augment the patronage available to his supporters in parliament. The proposal for a new order of chivalry based on the medieval ‘knighthood of the bath’ in fact emanated from the court, having been prompted by one of its central figures, the duke of Montagu. Walpole and his colleagues were by no means oblivious to the practical political value of such a move, but having only lately consolidated their position at court, their main priority was to seize a unique opportunity to flatter the new royal dynasty and garner popularity for it through the medium of the order's rediscovered history. The ministers selected the order's 36 founder‐knights with considerable input from senior courtiers, but ensured that those nominated were mostly peers and MPs who could evince ministerially useful connections between court and parliament. Though the order was later derided as a symptom of Walpoleian corruption, its foundation can be regarded as something of a turning point in Walpole's rise to power.     

Molluscan calendars: The use of growth-line analysis to establish seasonality of shellfish collection at the Mesolithic site of Morton,Fife

The technique of growth-line analysis is used to examine seasonal growth patterns in modern specimens of the edible cockle, Cerastoderma edule L. The modern control work provides a basis for the interpretation of seasonal collection in archaeological cockles, and is applied to shells from the Mesolithic site of Morton, Fife. The seasonal use of the site is shown to be clearly related to site function.     

The Office of Housekeeper of the House of Lords

This note illustrates one aspect of the process whereby the palace of Westminster evolved from a royal residence into the seat of parliament, explains how the housekeeper of that palace came to be associated with the house of lords and lists the holders of the office from the 16th to the 19th century.     

Fish and crayfish from the Washpool Midden site,New Zealand: Their use in determining season of occupation and prehistoric fishing methods

A method is suggested whereby modern ecological information on fish behaviour and distribution, together with commercial catch figures, may be used to assess season of occupation of archaeological sites. Monthly catch probabilities for each species are scaled by minimum numbers from prehistoric osteological assemblages to yield an overall likelihood of the fish being caught at different months of the year. A test case on two assemblages from Palliser Bay, New Zealand, suggested year-round habitation, and this was consistent with individual qualitative seasonal markers. The fishbone evidence can also be used to comment on aspects of prehistoric technology connected with marine foods, such as the use of canoes, baited traps, long line hauling, rock fishing and seine netting. In addition, the fish information substantiated subtle environmental changes which are believed to have taken place in this region.     

The Parliamentary Organisation of the Whig Junto in the Reign of Queen Anne: A Further Note

The parliamentary organisation of the whig Junto in the reign of Queen Anne was far superior to that of the tory party. At the centre were the meetings in which three or four of the five members of the Junto were present together with some of their followers. Evidence of such meetings is rare but here is presented a letter giving the details of a meeting of all five in April 1713 at the home of Lord Somers, together with their ally, the tory earl of Nottingham, probably to discuss the forthcoming peace proposals, to end the war of the Spanish Succession, and the protestant succession to the British throne.