The pectoral fin spines of European catfish Siluris glanis; cultural artifacts or food remains?

The urban archaeological site of Nicopolis ad Istrum in north central Bulgaria, which has multiple periods of use and abandonment, has produced a large and varied ichthyofauna. A number of bones of the European catfish Siluris glanis have been identified and have been interpreted as both food remains and bone artifacts. It was found that a percentage bias in the distribution of S. glanis bones from the Roman period of occupation called for further analysis. The investigation attempts to identify the reason or reasons for the apparent overrepresentation of the pectoral fin spines of this species. Taphonomic factors are considered along with butchery and an actualistic study of butchery on modern S. glanis material. Studies from north Africa are used to illustrate the possible function of the spines. The conclusions drawn are that a high proportion of the pectoral fin spines were brought into the site, possibly as personal artifacts. Their use is open to debate; no clear functional use can be determined from the archaeological material, although it cannot be ruled out that they were used for medicinal purposes or as charms.     

1998年鹤壁市、淇县晚商遗址考古调查报告

1998年7月,中国社会科学院考古研究所等对淇县境内和鹤壁市直接管辖区域内的一批晚商遗址进行了调查,以期从考古材料出发,寻找殷都朝歌遗存的线索,为今后围绕朝歌这一期望的目标所进行的考古工作提供科学依据。调查发现有新石器时代、商周遗址,但没有找到商代朝歌遗址及其切实存在的证据。     

论长江中游地区新石器时代晚期的生计经济与人口压力

长江中游地区新石器时代晚期的主要生计方式是稻作农业,因渔猎所占比重不同而又可细分为山地型与平原型。水田稻作农业具有集约化程度高,产出也较高的特点。稻田耕作系统的形成与维护需要大量劳力,从而刺激人口迅速增长,结果造成人口压力。自然环境的数次波动更加剧了这种压力。因人口压力而引发的移民、战争和社会重组等,成为推动初期社会复杂化进程的主要原因。     

Two Unusual Benign Tumours in Skulls from the Ossuary at Křtiny (Czech Republic)

Among 554 skulls of adult individuals from the ossuary at K𝔯̌tiny, Moravia (late thirteenth to the mid-eighteenth centuryAD ), three (0.54 per cent) showed evidence of malignant tumours and two others (0.36 per cent) had changes suggestive of unusual benign tumours, which are described in the present article. The calvarium of a 20–25-year-old female has two osteoplastic overgrowths in the region of the left tuber parietale and in the left lateral part of the frontal bone. A macroscopic section showed a porotic structure with regularily arranged trabeculae. This was confirmed by radiographic examination, which detected two similar smaller shadows, and by histology and scanning electron microscopy, which showed the non-lamellar, unevenly calcified structure of these curious multiple osteomatous formations (osteomas, hyperostosis). A calvarium of a 40–50-year-old male showed a horseshoe-shaped excavation in the posterior part of the processi palatini of the maxilla, with destruction of the lower half of the nasal septum and the paramedial structures of the nasal cavity. These defects were well delimited macroscopically, radiographically and histologically, and seemed to be the result of pressure atrophy, perhaps from a slow growing benign tumour such as a fibroma or angiofibroma.     

晚清雨泽奏报制度在州县运行机制的研究——以循化厅档案为例

中国历代统治者都非常关注地方降水情况,要求各地定时向中央奏报雨泽,形成一种自下而上的雨泽奏报制度。本文主要利用循化厅档案资料考察晚清时期雨泽奏报制度在州县上的运行实态。州县雨泽奏报在程序上有旬报和月报之分,无论旬报还是月报,格式上均要逐日书写天气状况、降水起讫时刻和降水量多寡。除旬报和月报外,还存在另一种特殊的上报程序,即各属如遇夏雨冬雪要随时上报。统县政区和高级政区长官对州县雨泽上报格式、时限、人员、信息准确性等进行查核,是确保雨泽信息准确的重要保障。州县户房的书吏是具体负责雨泽信息收集并上报的人员,在此之外,农官上报也是雨泽、收成奏报的来源之一。     

Against War! Regional Identity Across a National Border in Late Medieval and Early Modern Scandinavia

During every war between Denmark and Sweden from at least 1505 to 1676 popular peace treaties were concluded by common men on both sides of the national border. These treaties were negotiated in contrast to the aggressive policy of the political leaders and to the nationalistic discourse of the elite. The aim of this article is to use archaeology to give an economic, social, and mental background to these treaties, and to the regional identity across the border that they presuppose. Above all a specific building tradition seems to have given the peasants a mental affinity across the border.     

On the Trail of the Oldest Domestic Cat in Poland. An Insight from Morphometry,Ancient DNA and Radiocarbon Dating

It is believed on the basis of archaeozoological research that the domestic cat appeared in Central Europe during the Roman Period. In Poland, the domestic cat is a common species in medieval deposits. Only a few finds of cat remains of pre‐medieval age have been reported from Poland to date, including several specimens from deposits older than the Roman Period, dated to the pre‐Roman Period and even the Bronze Age. To clarify the earliest history of the domestic cat in Poland, the paper presents a review of the available published cat remains and adds some data about newly discovered remains. Combined methods of morphometry and ancient DNA were applied to enable distinction of wildcats and domestic cats. The domestic cat remains were radiocarbon dated. In six cases of domesticated cat reported in the literature, five were positively taxonomically verified, both by morphology and by genetic analysis, and one was recognised as a European wildcat. According to radiocarbon chronology, the oldest studied find is dated to the fourth–third century bc and represents a wildcat. Only two individuals of domestic cat – skeletons from Łojewo and Sławsko Wielkie, both from Kuyavia region (central‐northern Poland) – represent the Roman Period (first–third century ad ), and they are the oldest confirmed domestic cats in Poland. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Morphometric Variability of Roman Dogs in Hispania Tarraconensis: The Case Study of the Vila de Madrid Necropolis

The size, body conformation and skull shape of Roman dogs from the ‘Vila de Madrid necropolis’ site, where 1480 dog remains were recovered, are described in this paper to provide evidence of the morphometric variability of Roman dogs in Hispania Tarraconensis. The individualized and detailed morphometric analysis of 10 individuals shows that the proliferation and explosion of the morphological variability already documented in different regions of the Roman Empire (Italia, Gallia, Britannia, Pannonia) are also noted here. The presence of very different individuals in terms of their shape and size, similar to the differences that can at present be noted between Pekingese and Doberman dogs, has been documented at the site. The reasons for the appearance of this morphological variability within those territories that were part of the Roman Empire are also discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

X‐ray Diffraction and SEM Investigation of Wall Paintings Found in the Roman Temple Complex at Horvat Omrit,Israel

In the present study, the fragments of wall painting found in the Roman Temple Complex at Horvat Omrit were analysed for the first time using the non‐destructive techniques of X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) equipped with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS). The application of these methods enabled unambiguous identifications of the pigments and plaster components of the samples. Quantitative information on mineral composition, crystallite size and elemental composition of each studied paint layer and plaster was collected. Based on the results of the XRD and EDS analyses, the green pigment was identified as celadonite. It was revealed that the Egyptian blue pigment does not contain impurities of tin and lead, and this excludes the use of bronze scrap in its synthesis. Comparison of the mineral composition of the paint layers indicates that a wider palette of colours was obtained by mixing the available mineral pigments. The study of cross‐sections of painted specimens revealed the usage of slaked lime for plastering. The obtained results give a new insight into the wall painting technique employed by ancient artists at Horvat Omrit, in northern Israel.     

Electron Microprobe Analysis of 9th–12th Century Islamic Glass from Córdoba,Spain

Twenty‐six samples from domestic assemblages of 9th–12th century Córdoba were subjected to electron microprobe analysis. The results reveal two main compositional types. The first, encountered in 13 of the samples, seems to result from the combination of plant ashes with high‐impurity sand, and has some contemporary parallels from Syria and Egypt. The second type is a lead–soda–silica glass, encountered in a relatively high proportion of the glasses (11 of the 26 sampled), possibly formed by the addition of lead metal to existing glasses and with very few known parallels. These are among a very small number of results available to date on the chemical composition of glasses from medieval Spain, and the presence of a high proportion of lead–soda–silica glasses is particularly interesting, possibly indicating a technological practice unique to, or originating in, the western Muslim world.