Facing two seas: Mediterranean and Atlantic contacts in the north-west of Iberia in the first millennium BC

Summary.  Despite the marginality of the region, the Later Bronze Age and Iron Age communities of the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula were engaged in active relationships with both Atlantic and Mediterranean peoples. Unlike other Atlantic regions, the area maintained direct contacts both with Mediterranean sailors and with the communities of the British Isles and north-western France simultaneously. The social relevance of these interactions and the range of imported goods transported varied throughout the first millennium BC. New evidence shows an intense involvement in Mediterranean trade from the fifth century BC onwards, while Atlantic contacts increased from the late second century BC, to reach a climax under Roman rule (first–second centuries AD).     

Ontology of the self and material culture: Arrow-making among the Awá hunter-gatherers (Brazil)

The Awá are a group of hunter-gatherers in transition to agriculture living in the Brazilian Amazon forest. After contact with mainstream society from the 1970s onwards, their culture, and especially their material culture, has undergone important transformations. Many traditional technologies and artifacts have been lost, especially those related to women. In this context, the persistence of arrow-making, although threatened by the spread of shotguns, is remarkable. During ethnoarchaeological work conducted between 2005 and 2009, we have been able to observe that the everyday making and use of arrows cannot be explained in neither functional nor symbolic terms alone. From our observations, we conclude that making and using arrows is indissolubly woven with the self of Awá men and, for that reason, we consider that only a relational-ontological approach can help us understand the deep relationship between men and arrows. Finally, we argue that the Awá case offers new possibilities to investigate technologies of the self in other non-modern societies.     

A graph-based analysis for generating geographical context from a historical cadastre in Spain (17th and 18th centuries)

Abstract

The cabreves are notarial documents prepared between the 13th and 19th centuries in the Catalan and Valencian regions of Spain. These historical records were published before the first cadastral maps and contain geographical information that could help spatially reconstruct historical landscapes. However, these documents have not been used to their full potential mainly because of their semi-structured and complex nature. In this article, we propose a new graph-based interactive methodology for partially reconstructing historical landscapes. We have successfully applied this methodology for reconstructing the historical landscape of the Barony of Sella in the 18th century and the methodology has also helped us locate “El Poblet,” a previously unknown archeological site abandoned after the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609.     

Multi-Component Seismic Response Analysis – A Critical Review

Issues related to multi-components seismic response analysis are critically reviewed and their implications with respect to the current codified approaches are studied. The issues specifically addressed are: (1) the directions of earthquake forces to excite a structure when the direction of the potential epicenter is known; (2) different commonly used combination rules to obtain the critical response when responses are available in different directions; and (3) the applicability of the combination rules for elastic and inelastic analyses. Based on an extensive parametric study consisting of three-dimensional 1-, 3-, 8-, and 15- story buildings made of moment-resisting steel frames and 20 recorded earthquakes, it is observed that the principal components produce larger responses than the normal components. The 30% and SSRS rules generally underestimate the axial loads in columns. The 30% combination rule is slightly better than the SSRS rule. For both rules, the uncertainty in the estimation of the axial loads in terms of COV is very large (about 25%). The statistics obtained for axial loads and total base shear indicate that the combination rules are applicable for both elastic and inelastic cases. The critical response could be obtained for an orientation different from that of the principal components. The differences are found to be slightly greater for the scaled earthquakes producing a considerable inelastic behavior. Considering the enormous amount of efforts needed to address the directionality effect, it is believed that the responses obtained by the principal components will be acceptable in most cases; however, for critical structures the components should be rotated to obtain the critical responses.     

Experimental Dynamic Behavior of Free-Standing Multi-Block Structures Under Seismic Loadings

This article describes the dynamical behavior of free-standing block structures under seismic loading. A comprehensive experimental investigation has been carried out to study the rocking response of four single blocks of different geometry and associations of two and three blocks. The blocks, which are large stones of high strength blue granite, were subjected to free vibration, and harmonic and random motions of the base. In total, 379 tests on a shaking table were carried out in order to address the issues of repeatability of the results and stability of the rocking motion response. Significant understanding of the rocking motion mechanism is possible from the high quality experimental data. Extensive experimental measurements allowed to discuss the impulsive forces acting in the blocks and the three-dimensional effects presented in the response.     

A Novel Procedure for Simplified Nonlinear Numerical Modeling of Structural Units in Masonry Aggregates

ABSTRACT

Historical centers are always composed of masonry building aggregates often designed without respecting seismic design criteria. The current seismic Italian code does not foresee a clear calculation method to predict their static nonlinear behavior. For this reason, in this article the seismic response of structural units into masonry aggregates has been predicted through a simplified modeling approach. The implemented procedure has been calibrated on the results of a numerical model performed by using the Equivalent Frame Method (EFM), implemented within a Finite Element Method (FEM) calculation program, used to investigate a basic building compound representative of the constructive techniques developed in the past decades in the Southern Italy.

First, the whole aggregate has been modeled and analyzed in the nonlinear static field in order to evaluate the seismic behavior of both intermediate and head structural units.

Later on, the seismic response of these structural units, considered as isolated structures, has been assessed by considering in simplified way their position in the aggregate, as well as the influence of other constructions.

Finally, the achieved results on the above single analysis cases have been compared with those deriving from the investigation of the whole building compound, allowing to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed novel analysis procedure.     

Genealogies of Destruction: An Archaeology of the Contemporary Past in the Amazon Forest

In this article we look at the destruction of the Amazon forest through an archaeological lens. We describe the devastation brought about by illegal loggers and ranchers to the last remaining old-growth forests of Maranhão (NE Brazil), where the Awá hunter-gatherers live. We argue that archaeology can provide an alternative and more critical look at global consumerism by manifesting the crude materiality and abject violence that lurks behind the goods consumed in the West. We followed the tracks of a group of loggers deep inside the forest and report what we saw.     

Roman amber identified as Siegburgite

A small amber fragment from the period of Roman occupation of Numantia (Garray, Spain) was characterised by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The material was found to be a polystyrene-like material, which is a very rare fossil resin known as Siegburgite or class III amber. Until now, this material was found in Europe only at two sites, both localised in Germany, and it is the first time that this type of amber was identified in wrought archaeological artefacts. The discussion includes the applicability of the method to distinguish false from true and amber of different origins, its use and trading as well as a hypothesis for a transport route. The study highlights the need for a more systematic study of archaeological amber remains. The finding also proves the exploitation and trading of local, non-Baltic amber deposits throughout the Roman Empire.