London-Bahrain Archaeological Expedition: 1994 and 1995 excavations at Saar, Bahrain

The long-term aim of the project is to excavate the entire central area of the Dilmun settlement. During the 1994 and 1995 seasons a further twelve buildings were excavated, most of them located along the main arteries of the settlement. A resistivity survey, followed by selective excavation, determined the size and extent of the site. A well excavated on the eastern flank provided valuable information about the level of Bahrain's aquifers in the Early Dilmun period.     

Human and Natural Controls on the Accumulation,Acidification and Drainage of Pyritic Sediments: Pearl River Delta,China and Coastal New South Wales

There is increasing concern about environmental impacts of acidic drainage from acid sulphate soils on Holocene estuarine flood plains. Acidity derives from oxidation of iron pyrite in the sediments. Natural factors determine concentrations and distributions of pyrite accumulations, but human activities have reduced pyrite accumulation in the Pearl River Delta with land use practices increasing terrestrial sediment discharge. Large freshwater discharges and management techniques have enabled sustainable use of these soils. High concentrations of pyrite occur in many estuarine flood plains of Australia because of relatively greater marine inputs. Drainage of these soils enhances pyrite oxidation and estuarine acidification, which is associated with fish-kills. For sustainable development, the problems of acid sulphate soil drainage must be recognised and overcome.     

PUNIC INFLUENCE IN THE DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF ROMAN VOLUBILIS (MOROCCO)

Roman archaeologists in North Africa have assumed that there is a generic Romano-African house, imitating the style in Rome, but perhaps with Greek influence. I argue here that at Volubilis we can detect a local tradition, drawn from a Punic heritage, which developed alongside the acceptance of Romanitas. That Volubilis appears distinct may be a product of our sample of data and other regional traditions may await identification. The relationship between architecture and action is discussed, especially in relation to seclusion. I suggest that further excavation of Punic houses in the western Mediterranean will reveal links between developments in Greek and Punic domestic architecture.     

The limits of objective interests

Jack L. Goldsmith and Eric A. Posner are influential academics in American debates on international law. Their recent book, The limits of international law, is appraised in this review article. It discusses the exclusion in their analysis of the possibility that states have a real or perceived interest in complying with international law per se. It explains that this is at odds with the authors' subjective approach to state interests, and essentially guarantees their conclusion that international law compliance is solely instrumental. Furthermore, the article discusses the problem that the authors fail to engage with relevant scholarship that provides a counterpoint to theirs, in particular with regard to constructivism. On the basis of these critiques the review concludes that the book is flawed and cannot be considered to have made its case.     

AN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER (BUT NO PAPYRUS) IN CELTIC BRITAIN

Summary. This article discusses the coin-making methods used in Iron Age Britain, specifically those used to manufacture the cast bronze coins of Kent. The distinctive markings that appear on the coins reveal a series of mould-making experiments that optimized the casting process. The spirit of experimentation and innovation is somewhat akin to that of modern day industrial engineering, and shows Celtic metal-working technology at its best. The hypothesis that papyrus was used in the mould-making procedures is refuted by an analysis of the striations that occur in the fields of some of these coins.