Recent Research on Chaco: Changing Views on Economy, Ritual, and Society

Current research on Chaco Canyon and its surrounding outlier communities is at an important juncture. Rather than trying to argue for the presence or absence of complexity, archaeologists working in the area are asking different questions, especially how Chacoan political, economic, ritual, and social organization were structured. These lines of inquiry do not attempt to pigeonhole Chaco into traditional neoevolutionary types, but instead seek to understand the historical trajectory that led to the construction of monumental architecture in Chaco Canyon and a large part of the northern Southwest in the 10th through 12th centuries. This review discusses the conclusions of current research at Chaco including definitions of the Chaco region, recent fieldwork, histories of Chaco archaeology, chronology, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, demography, political organization, outlier communities, economic organization, social organization, ritual, violence, and the post-Chacoan reorganization. Although many issues are hotly debated, there is a growing concensus that power was not based in a centralized political organization and that ritual organization was a key factor in the replication of Chacoan architecture across a vast regional landscape. Exactly how ritual, social, and political organization intersected is a central question for Chaco scholars. The resolution of this problem will prove to be of interest to all archaeologists working with intermediate societies across the globe.     

祭器、礼器、“邵局”——关于南宋官窑的几个问题

作者在多年积累的考古实物资料的基础上,结合历史文献,探讨了与南宋官窑密切相关的诸问题：如南宋陶质祭器的使用与特征,王晋锡、邵谔与礼器局、邵局、修内司官窑的关系,南宋官窑生产的仿青铜礼器瓷的性质与用途等。作者认为,王晋锡之陶质祭器的烧造与邵谔之修内司官窑的建立,是先后发生在南宋绍兴年间的两件不同的事件,两者之间并无直接或间接的关系,南宋陶质祭器与官窑仿青铜礼器瓷在形制及用途上有本质的区别。     

Changing models of settlement,economy, and ritual activity: Recent research in late prehistoric central Europe

Recent research in central Europe is changing our understanding of the role of centers in economic and social systems of late prehistoric times. Increased attention to smaller, more typical settlements shows that they engaged in economic activities similar to those at the large, fortified complexes. Abundant new evidence pertaining to ritual activity indicates that ritual was often integrated into daily life at settlements. The evidence from the exceptionally rich data on late prehistoric central Europe can be of substantial value for developing models applicable to contexts in other parts of the world.     

郑国青铜礼乐器祭祀坑相关问题讨论

新郑祭祀遗址出土青铜礼乐器作为祭祀重器,是春秋中期郑国特殊祭祀文化的具体表现.不同遗址出土器物组合的差异,从器物层面体现了当时郑国高等级贵族间的微妙关系,轮流执政的卿大夫已经掌控了包括土地所有权在内的多项国家权力,拥有和国君同等级的礼器、乐器使用权,仅在用鼎数量方面存在着差异.作为祭器的祭祀坑出土青铜礼乐器和同时期墓葬出土器物有着本质上的区别,表明当时祭祀礼仪仍然严格遵循着传统礼制,也正是由于这个原因,不能将遗址出土青铜乐器与"郑卫之声"简单地等同分析.     

清代瓷质祭礼器略论

本文通过对故宫博物院藏瓷器实物的考察,并结合《皇朝礼器图式》、《备物昭诚》等内府彩绘本清代典制书籍,考述了礼书记载的各式瓷质仿古礼器在乾隆时期确有生产,且嘉庆、道光、咸丰、同治、光绪朝都有补做。同时,因清代礼制规定国家诸祀和内廷诸祀的行礼场所和受祭对象不同,导致瓷质祭礼器的生产制度、造型与种类也有所差别。     

Time‐bubbles of nationalism: dynamics of solidarity ritual in lived time

The growth of modern nationalism can be attributed to structural causes, especially the growth of the strong bureaucratic state that penetrates society, creating cultural uniformity and national identity. But structurally based nationalism need not be very intense, or constant; even when institutionalised in periodic formal rituals, it can be routine, low in emotion – even boring. We need to explain sudden upsurges in popular nationalism, but also their persistence and fading in medium‐length periods of time. Nationalist surges are connected with geopolitical rises and falls in the power‐prestige of states: strong and expanding states absorb smaller particularistic identities into a prestigious whole; weaker and defeated states suffer delegitimation of the dominant nationality and fragment in sudden upsurges of localising nationalities. Passing from macro‐patterns to micro‐sociological mechanisms, conflict producing solidarity is a key mechanism: dramatic events focus widespread attention and assemble crowds into spontaneous ‘natural rituals’ – mass‐participation interaction rituals, as distinct from formal rituals. Evidence from public assemblies and the display of national symbols following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 (9/11) shows an intense period of three months, then gradual return to normal internal divisions by around six months. Spontaneous rituals of national solidarity are produced not only by external conflict but by internal uprisings, where an emotional upsurge of national identity is used to legitimate insurgent crowds and discredit regimes. Although participants experience momentary feelings of historic shifts, conflict‐mobilised national solidarity lives in a 3–6‐month time‐bubble, and needs to institutionalise its successes rapidly to have long‐term effects.     

中国礼乐文明之源--以史前乐舞遗存为例

前仰韶时期的乐舞遗存仅作为日常生活用品,至仰韶时代晚期陶鼓乐器已为少数权力阶层拥有,龙山时代以鼓磬为组合特征的乐舞遗存标志中国礼乐明的基本形成。