Characterization of Glass,Shell, and Fishbone Beads on Ibo Island (Northern Mozambique) in the Context of the Indian Ocean Trade

African Archaeological Review - A set of beads made of glass, gastropod mollusk shell, and fishbone from a Swahili occupation level on Ibo Island (northern Mozambique) is dated to the eleventh and...     

The Phoenicians and the Ocean: trade and worship at La Caleta,Cadiz, Spain

The area of La Caleta, north‐west of Cadiz, is a key location for studies of the relationship between the Phoenician city of Gadir and the ocean. The port channel and the small islets that characterize the area was one the busiest sectors of the city, and there are abundant underwater remains attesting to past commercial activities. The area also had an important religious role: two sanctuaries were located at the western end of the rocky promontories that surround the channel, and many items identified as offerings have been found. This article synthesizes previous research and provides an overview of the results of a recent project (2008–2010), which enables a thorough review of the development of the seascape and its use during the 1st millennium BC.     

Colonialism in the periphery: Spanish linguistic policy in New Granada,c. 1574–1625

This article examines how the Spanish Crown's attempt to implement a systematic linguistic policy across the New World from the last quarter of the sixteenth century failed in the New Kingdom of Granada. Based on the ambiguous and problematic idea of ‘general languages’ that had arisen in Mexico and Peru, this one-size-fits-all policy was wholly unsuited to even the Muisca heartlands of the archdiocese of Santa Fe. Instead, local authorities settled on the use of bespoke translations of catechetical and pastoral texts into individual local languages, even at parish level, thereby reinforcing linguistic particularism—but availing themselves of the disciplinary and procedural framework of the legislation to support their strategy. In doing so, the article seeks to challenge established assumptions about the treatment of indigenous languages in New Granada in this period, and to throw new light on unanswered questions about the Spanish response to the region's linguistic heterogeneity.     

The Spatial Distribution of the Internet in the European Union: Does Geographical Proximity Matter?

This paper examines the spatial distribution of the Internet in the European regions. To achieve this aim, our analysis combines a set of non-parametric techniques proposed in the context of the economic growth literature, with various spatial econometric instruments. The results reveal that regional disparities in Internet adoption are greater than territorial inequalities in gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. In addition, our findings show that the distribution under consideration is characterized by the presence of positive spatial dependence, which implies that physically adjacent regions register a similar degree of Internet adoption. Finally, the analysis carried out allows us to assess the role played by variables such as GDP per capita, unemployment rate, stock of human capital and population density, in explaining the spatial distribution of the Internet in the European Union.     

3D electrical prospection in the archaeological site of El Pahñú, Hidalgo State,Central Mexico

The implementation of a 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT-3D) survey was carried out in El Pahñú archaeological site, Hidalgo State, Central Mexico. A combination of a new ERT arrays allowed studying the subsoil beneath the Main Pyramid built near the edge of a plateau, along with another important structure (the Tecpan), which was a smaller structure that lodged the governmental council in pre-Hispanic times. The recorded information was acquired through the combination of several electrodic designs: L-Corner (LC), Equatorial (Eq), and Minimum Coupling (MC). For the Main Pyramid, the electrodes were set up around the perimeter of the structure, since they were not permitted to be inserted over the edifice, thus preventing damages to the architectonic elements. The second structure allowed inserting electrodes on selected spots within the architectonic space. The combination of the different arrays made possible the acquisition of 1204 apparent resistivities beneath the Main Pyramid and 2460 resistivity data beneath the Tecpan. The apparent resistivity data were inverted to obtain a three dimensional display of the subsoil electrical resistivity beneath the archaeological structure. The interpreted resistivity model under the Main Pyramid displayed a highly resistive structure towards its northern face that could be associated with infill. Such material was employed by the ancient constructors to level the terrain close to the edge of the cliff. Another interesting anomaly was found towards the central portion of the structure that could be associated to a foundation offer. The interpretation of data beneath the Tecpan identified the structural foundations and other interesting anomalies related to the different occupational times. The investigation supported the archaeological investigation of the site, suggesting areas of potential geological risk and of archaeological interest. For example, the Main Pyramid presents serious stability problems, indicating that the infill has weakened, producing cracks threatening long-term pyramid integrity.