Managing a Monitor — the Case of HMVS Cerberus in Port Phillip Bay: Integration of Corrosion Measurements with Site Management Strategies

Abstract

The hull of the former HMVS Cerberus (1926) collapsed two metres during gales in December 1993, leaving the vessel half-submerged. Sunk as a breakwater in 1926, the vessel is one of the few remaining and accessible twin-turret Monitor-style warships from the 1870s. This paper presents the complex history of attempts to stabilize the site and to preserve the wreck. A series of in situ corrosion studies of corrosion potentials, pH, and residual metal thickness have provided a special insight into the processes of decay and have paved the way for future site stabilization. Removal of the four 16-tonne 10 inch Armstrong rifled muzzle loading guns and their in situ treatment alongside the wreck have assisted in relieving some of the stress on the remaining structure. The paper reports on correlations between the corrosion rate and the formation of concretions and how to determine the end point of an in situ treatment for cannon.     

再论"失蜡工艺不是中国青铜时代的选择"

本文从技术史的理论角度论述了"没有需求就没有发明(No need,no invention)"、"没有需求就没有发展"等技术产生发展的客观规律,指出,中国古代(青铜时代)在发达而成体系的青铜范铸技术环境里是不可能孕育发展出"熔模铸造体系"的,并以曾侯乙尊盘的铸造工艺及相关的模拟实验结果作进一步的论证;同时,对中国古代"失蜡工艺"起源于商周青铜器"焚失法"的观点提出质疑,并指出,"失蜡工艺"是在佛教传入中国之后,为铸造"西洋风格"的佛像传入我国.     

The Thaikkal-Kadakkarappally Boat: an Archaeological Example of Medieval Shipbuilding in the Western Indian Ocean

Recent excavations at Kadakkarappally in Kerala, south-west India, have unearthed the remains of an iron-fastened boat, believed to predate the earliest known records for the use of iron in South Asian boatbuilding. The design departs significantly from the traditional view of Indian watercraft, although the use of locally available timber and the suitability of the design for use in the backwaters that characterise the region suggest that it was built and used in India. This is the first excavation of its type to take place in Kerala and contradicts the belief, widely held in Kerala, that the survival of organic remains has been negated by the tropical climate of the region.
© 2004 The Nautical Archaeology Society     

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.     

铁器文物腐蚀与保护的研究现状

影响铁器文物腐蚀的主要因素有氧化气氛、潮湿环境、土壤的酸碱性环境和可溶性环境.本文介绍了铁器腐蚀的主要产物以及研究铁器文物腐蚀的主要方法,综述了目前国内外对铁器文物腐蚀和保护研究的最新进展.     

上海青龙镇唐代铸造作坊遗址出土陶范的分析研究

上海青龙镇相传始建于公元746年,是上海地区最早的对外贸易重镇。2012年青龙镇的考古发掘中发现了 4座熔炉以及熔炉周围堆积的大量陶范、炉渣等,是上海地区首次发现的冶铸作坊遗址,遗址使用的主要年代是唐代晚期。为了解青龙镇唐代铸造作坊遗址出土陶范的制作技术,对遗址出土的陶范进行分析研究,以期揭示唐代青龙镇铸造作坊的制范技术。对陶范型腔面上残留的附着物分析主要元素是铁,表明陶范用于铸造铁器。经分析遗址中出土的陶范由三层组成:面层、背层和稻壳泥层。面层厚约1～2 mm,采用细颗粒泥料制作,致密,在铸造铁器时能确保陶范承受高温液态金属的充型压力,并得到表面光洁的铸件。背层厚约4～7 mm,该层羼入了粗颗粒物,这些羼和料可以减少陶范在干燥收缩和焙烧过程中的收缩变形。稻壳泥层厚约11～16 mm,该层羼入了一定量粗颗粒物,并羼入了大量的稻谷壳,陶范焙烧时谷壳烧失,在陶范上留下了大量的孔隙,便于铸造时型腔中气体的排出。三种不同的材质起到不同的作用,以保证成功铸造出铁器。在冶铸作坊废弃后在其上建造的一口水井内发现的铁釜、铁提梁鼎的形状与遗址中出土陶范所铸器物的形状吻合,应为该遗址所铸造器物。     

汉诸侯王陵墓出土铁器的比较

对徐州狮子山西汉楚王陵、永城保安山西汉梁王墓等7座汉王陵出土铁器的种类、材质、制作技术及功能进行了比较研究,探讨了汉代钢铁技术的发展状况、技术特征等问题。狮子山楚王陵5件炒钢制品的发现表明西汉早期(公元前2世纪中叶）已经发明了炒钢技术,是迄今为止最早的;块炼铁、块炼渗碳钢、生铁、铸铁退火、铸铁脱碳钢、炒钢、局部淬火、冷加工等多种钢铁冶炼和热处理工艺在西汉王陵出土铁器中都得到了广泛的应用,表明西汉时期钢铁技术有了较大发展,当时工匠对钢铁性能的认识提高到新的水平。     

江苏盱眙县泗州城遗址出土大铁锅的现场保护

江苏盱眙县泗州城遗址考古出土的大铁锅迅速发生锈蚀,需要采取现场保护措施。为此,经现场XRF检测并取样后进行铁锅材质金相分析、锈蚀物拉曼光谱(LRS)分析。结果显示,铁锅为灰铸铁铸成,锈蚀物主要成分为Fe_2O_3、Fe_3O_4、γ-FeOOH。由于不稳定锈蚀物的存在,铁锅有继续腐蚀的趋势。因此,在遗址现场,通过去锈、清洗、涂刷型磷化液缓蚀、微晶石蜡封护等措施对铁锅进行了保护。处理后的铁锅状况稳定,没有出现继续腐蚀。该现场保护措施,可为考古出土大型铁器的保护提供一定的借鉴作用。     

重庆万州大坪墓群出土文物的检测分析

采用自然科学手段,对重庆万州大坪墓群出土的部分青铜器、铁器、玉器样品进行了检测分析。结果显示青铜器样品均为铅锡青铜,铸造成形;铁器样品为亚共晶白口铸铁;玉器的主要矿物成分是透闪石。这一结果对了解大坪墓群的文化内涵和东周时本地居民的金属加工、玉器制作等手工业技术水平有一定意义。     

试论陶器生活遗存所见西汉铁器手工业作坊的性质——以邰城铸铁作坊为案例

汉代铁器手工业的组织形式,一直以来讨论较多,却未有定论。本文提出,手工业作坊出土的陶容器的组合,有助于讨论作坊工匠的居住与组织形式,提供解决上述问题的线索。本文以陕西邰城铸铁作坊为案例,首先利用类型学建立分期框架,探讨作坊可能的运营持续时间。经统计分析,本文发现邰城作坊中炊煮陶容器的比例甚少。这一现象在西汉时期其他县级手工业作坊中相对普遍,但与战国时期作坊工匠居住于作坊范围内的情况不同,进而提出这一现象可能与工匠的居住和工作模式密切相关。本文指出,作坊出土的陶容器组合情况表明工匠可能不在作坊区内长期生活;铸铁作坊中工匠的身份可能也为雇佣工人,家庭式手工业作坊生产者的可能性不高。