Kites — new discoveries and a new type

The stone structures known as kites and found widely in ‘Arabia’, are one of the more intriguing archaeological traces in what are often arid and bleak landscapes. They were first reported from the air in 1927, and by 1995 — largely through interpretation of old aerial photographs — c.500 had been identified. Now (2012), remote‐sensing techniques of various kinds have produced a huge increase, to over 3000. Recent work has also extended the geographical spread of kites in ‘Arabia’, from south‐eastern Turkey and north‐western Iraq to central Yemen. Much detailed work will be required to develop and refine a typology for kites as a whole and to digest and present data from remote sensing on which specialists may build interpretations and explanations. Current tabulation and mapping, however, already reveal patterns, and the discovery of an unusual form in the desert between Damascus and Palmyra in Syria deserves special attention.     

Temporal nature and recycling of Upper Paleolithic artifacts: the burned tools from the Molí del Salt site (Vimbodí i Poblet,northeastern Spain)

Recent research in Paleolithic archeology has stressed the importance of temporal issues in assemblage interpretation. Archeological assemblages are temporal constructs, formed by the addition of an unknown number of depositional events. This temporal dimension is also evident at the artifactual level, since single artifacts may undergo different events of modification and/or uses over time. The recycling of previously discarded blanks for tool production is one of the best examples of the temporal nature of artifacts. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the importance of recycling in a Late Upper Paleolithic site, examining a type of artifact – burned tools – that has up to now been little used to approach this issue. Our results suggest that recycling was probably a significant component of Upper Paleolithic provisioning behavior, with important implications in site formation processes and the typological variability of assemblages. The expedient or curated character of recycling is also discussed.     

“偃师邢渠孝父画像石”研究

"偃师邢渠孝父画像石"是流失海外、现藏美国波士顿美术馆的一块东汉画像石。该石图文内容丰富、画像精美生动,从当朝民间孝行事迹的记述,到函谷关关楼建筑结构的绘制,皆是难得珍贵的史料。本文解读了画像石上五则孝行故事和关楼图像,对画像石镌刻年代、用途性质、装配位置、墓主身份、关楼及出行图与人物的关系、画像石的出土时间和地点作了初步探讨。     

内蒙古丰镇市双台山“大明洪武二十九年”石刻考释——兼论明代早期北边防御体系的转变

2007年,内蒙古长城资源调查队在调查乌兰察布一呼和浩特段明长城大边时发现一处石刻,刻于明洪武二十九年(1396年),主要记述了兴筑石刻附近长城的时间、修筑者、所修长城的起止位置及长度等,为研究这段明长城的修筑史提供了一份价值极高的文字资料。同时,明代洪武年间北边防御体系的建立与这段长城关系密切,长城与沿边卫所共同构成了点线结合的综合防御体系。永乐时期,明朝调整了北边防御战略,北边防线南撤,这段长城的作用逐渐减弱。     

南阳汉画像石的档案学价值

汉画像石涵盖了汉代政治、经济、民俗、社会生产、思想、文化艺术等多方面内容,是一种独特的档案载体。南阳是画像石的重要产区,不仅可以补史书之阙,而且重现了汉代的社会生活和民俗,直观展示了汉代文化艺术,具有重要的档案学价值。同其他画像石产区相比,南阳最早把画像石作为一种石刻档案进行建馆保存,南阳画像石中神话、升天、天文题材的画像比较丰富,具有独特的档案学价值。     

南阳汉画像石的浪漫主义精神

南阳汉画是汉文化的载体,展现了瑰丽奇异的浪漫主义世界。汉画中的神仙世界充满了深刻的寓意和神秘的象征,反映了汉人浓厚的升仙思想,神灵大都以人兽同体的形象出现;人神杂处的世界是一个怪诞奇异、富于幻想的世界;对世俗生活的描绘透露出汉人积极乐观的生活态度。南阳汉画艺术与远古图腾、原始歌舞、商周文明、楚文化等一脉相承,密不可分。     

河南境内出土早期玉器初步研究

综合利用PIXE、XRD和Raman三种无损分析方法,准确判明了河南出土新石器时代至东周90余件玉器的质地,这些玉器的玉材种类非常丰富,并具有时代和地域特色。新石器时代至夏代,河南透闪石型玉器很少而绿松石占绝大多数,商代开始透闪石激增并占据主体地位。根据绿松石的类质同像、伴生矿物或围岩成分及透闪石所舍微量元素,探讨了玉...     

安阳曹操高陵出土石刻铭文的几个问题

安阳曹操高陵出土随葬品中有带"魏武王常所用格虎□□"刻铭的石牌,以及记载随葬品数量名称的"遣策".本文对这两种石牌的刻铭和圭、壁的用途、冥币的使用,以及随葬香囊是否与曹操颁布的遗令相矛盾等进行初步探讨.     

论“约束”——从汉代有关“约束”的几件石刻谈起

1931年河南偃师出土一件汉代石刻东乡通利水大道约束刻石,而铭文长期未得通读。本文从考释该石刻文字入手,对有关汉代"约束"文书的几件石刻及简牍材料铭文进一步确释,并予以综合研究,梳理"约束"在古代的缘起与存续过程,指出"约束"这一文书形式与民间民众组织的密切关系,说明类似石刻材料是研究古代基层社会的重要资料。