Rising and Narrowing: 16th-Century Geometric Algorithms used to Design the Bottom of Ships in Portugal

Methods of designing the bottom of ship's hulls were only a small part of the process of building a frame-based ship in Portugal in the 16th and early 17th centuries, but they deserve a careful look. Using a number of geometric algorithms that were already well-known to Italian shipwrights of the 15th century, Portuguese shipwrights obtained the co-ordinates of the turn of the bilge points of the central, pre-designed, frames without the need for making drawings.
© 2006 The Author     

Evidence of Stress Fracture in a Homo antecessor Metatarsal from Gran Dolina Site (Atapuerca,Spain)

We present the palaeopathological analysis of a right fourth metatarsal (ATD6‐124) recovered from the Atapuerca–Gran Dolina site (Spain). This fossil, ca. 1 Ma, belongs to Homo antecessor, the earliest known European hominin species. The metatarsal exhibits a proliferative lesion on its medial periosteal surface. Periosteal reaction can be the bone response to a wide number of injurious processes. We describe a lesion on the basis of macroscopic and microscopic analyses, including microtomography and scanning electron microscopy. Externally, the osteoblastic lesion presents a highly porotic and disorganised morphology. Internally, we observe a series of micro‐fractures on the compact bone that do not affect the medullary canal. We provide a differential diagnosis and suggest that the ATD6‐124 lesion could correspond to a pedal stress fracture, also known as fatigue or march fracture. Stress fractures have been related to a load increase and muscular fatigue. This type of fracture has been widely reported in the foot of soldiers and athletes, which are usually engaged in strenuous, excessive or prolonged locomotive activities. Despite its high frequency in these groups, stress fractures have not been reported as such in fossil collections, with the exception of a metatarsal belonging to the Sima de los Huesos site (Atapuerca). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nationalising indigenous peoples,legalising indigenous lands: a (post)colonial critique of the land demarcation process in Brazil by the analysis of the Guarani-Mbyá case

The Brazilian 1988 constitution recognises indigenous peoples as ‘first and natural owners of Brazilians land’ and the 231st Article ensures their right to special territories where they could live their culture and traditions without colonising presence. The authentication of these territories, however, requires Public Power promotion, which lies on colonising, juridical accounts and depends on anthropological, scientifically historical research. Our argument here is that the bureaucratisation of the land demarcation process is only possible within a context of epistemological advantage of science, i.e. modernity, which ignores indigenous territory and time conceptions. We will also argue that this bureaucratisation has been contributing to the (neo)colonisation of the territory by retarding the recognition and protection of indigenous rights.     

Local meetings and meeting places in early medieval León

This article explores the written evidence for local meetings and meeting places in early medieval León between the tenth and early eleventh centuries. It considers the functions of local meetings, as well as the role they played in the negotiation of social relations within the localities. The analysis of meeting places – among which churches feature prominently in the record – provides further insight into the ways in which links between the localities and the overarching social and political framework developed, and reveals the different forces that could lead to the institutionalization of local meetings.     

Multi-Image Photogrammetry to Record and Reconstruct Underwater Shipwreck Sites

Methods to record shipwreck sites have evolved considerably in the past two decades. Digital technology and marine robotics regularly present faster and more precise ways to excavate, clean, tag, and record ship remains, while computers simplify many of the steps involved in the reconstruction of ships from their archaeological remains. At the same time, the internet is creating opportunities to share primary data in real time and on a wide scale. This paper presents a methodology used by the authors to record and reconstruct the wooden structures of a 19th-century shipwreck in southern Brazil (Lagoa do Peixe site) and of a 16th-century shipwreck in Croatia (the Gnali? shipwreck).     

Topoiesis del espacio textual

ABSTRACT

The concept of topoiesis of textual space addresses an analysis of the spatial elements that tend to provide a meaning to the literary text. Based on textual semiotics where there is an organized relational system of meanings, in this article we propose that it is possible to determine the function of space as a meaning issue from three different literary text instances (event or motive; character; and object). This distinction will permit a deeper interpretation of the sense of space in the literary text.     

Arade River Archaeological Complex: Dredges and Archaeology

Situated on the southern coast of Portugal, the Arade River mouth has been visited and inhabited for over three millennia. Dredging operations, in the first and last decades of the 20th century, brought up the importance of Arade's cultural heritage and triggered a large-scale project of study, survey, and archaeological excavation. This project is conducted by Centro Nacional de Arqueologia Náutica e Subaquática, the Portuguese agency for nautical archaeology, under the direction of Francisco Alves, and with the support of both local and state authorities. This paper is a preliminary assessment of the finds made so far.
© 2005 The Nautical Archaeology Society     

Loading and stability of a late 16th century Portuguese Indiaman

The stability characteristics of 16th century ships are not known with certainty, but safety issues related to floatability, stability and overloading were a cause of concern at the time. The aim of the paper is to advance knowledge in this field by developing a set of loading conditions for a typical Portuguese ship of this epoch, for both the voyage from Lisbon to India and the return voyage. This allows testing the reconstruction of the presumable Nossa Senhora dos Mártires as well as to use this reconstruction to bring a better understanding of safety and loading issues on the Portuguese East India route. Given the uncertainties about the loading conditions, several hypotheses are tested, varying the amount of ballast, the degree of overloading and the distribution of weights on board, and allowing the development of a range of plausible loading arrangements. The stability of the ship is then assessed using modern tools to develop the limit KG curve for compliance with a modern stability criterion applicable to large sailing vessels. The case study ship is a plausible reconstruction based on the analysis of nautical archaeological remains, contemporary documents and the use of modern naval architecture methods.     

Spirits of being,spirits of becoming: Bororo shamanism as ontological theatre

Crocker, John Christopher. Vital Souls: Bororo Cosmology, Natural Symbolism, and Shamanism. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1985. xiii + 380 pp. including photographs, appendices, bibliography, and index. Foreword by David Maybury‐Lewis. $29.95 cloth.