New excavations at the Barbar Temple, Bahrain

In 2004 excavations at the Barbar Temple dating to c. 2000 BC established that the function of the southeastern subterranean channel connected to the temple pool was to supply the pool with water and not to divert water away from the pool. North and west of the temple the oval terrace wall of its third phase was located. In the centre of the Northeast Temple the remains of a shaft-stairway leading down to a well-chamber was uncovered and shown to be furnished with two subterranean channels leading water into the chamber. South of the Northeast Temple a house with late pottery was excavated. Two stamp seals and two seal-impressed tokens were found.     

Social spaces of little people: The experiences of the Jamisons

Dwarfs, midgets, even freaks, are the terms that have been used to label little people. Little people are individuals who for genetic or hormonal reasons grow to a height of less than 4 feet 8 inches (1.42 m). While little people face similar issues of access to those of other physically disabled groups, they live in spaces that are designed, both physically and socially, for people of 'average height'. In addition, little people face unique stigmas that are historically rooted in mythology, idealized body types, and the commodification of body difference for profit. This paper draws upon the spatial conception of Henri Lefebvre and the premise that social spaces are produced. Specifically, this paper offers the term, staturized space, to describe how the material environment produces relative stature in common representations of space. Furthermore, it identifies the ways in which dwarfism affects social relations as they are played out in spaces intended for average-height people. Finally, this study describes the ways little people's homes and meetings of the organization Little People of America are re-staturized spaces both physically and socially. The production of such alternative social spaces produces enabling and normative environments for little people. These issues are explored through in-depth interviews and participant observations with a married couple in which both individuals are little people. The case study of the Jamisons is part of a larger project which seeks to reveal aspects of the social spaces of a population that is difficult to access and frequently misunderstood. Geographers can benefit from the perspectives of little people by becoming increasingly sensitized to discourses of height and their material implications in the production of public and private spaces.     

Why does the god have a cup in his hand?

Abstract

In my analysis of the Ahiram Sarcophagus I focus on the figurative expression in connection with the sitting deity at one side of the sarcophagus. The drinking vessel in the hand of the deity is an expression belonging to the sphere of the cultic. It is very likely that the deity's holding the drinking vessel should be interpreted as a religious epithet. Without necessarily being tautological the expression could mean the deity is divine. Apparently, however, this phrase gets a more profound meaning when the drinking vessel is seen in the cultic context. The more so as the figure with the drinking vessel carries the meaning of a ritual act. One question could be why is a drinking vessel divine? It appears that information about the liquid sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible and its surrounding cultural world, especially the Anatolian, can contribute to answering this question. Recalling a hidden motive, the comparative ritualistic approach makes possible a better‐informed interpretation of the sarcophagus.     

Narrating intersections of gender and dwarfism in everyday spaces

Dwarfs, midgets, even freaks, are among the terms that have been used to label little people. Feminist theorists have argued that discursive identities of women prevent any meaningful essentialised analysis of their experiences. Similarly, disability researchers have argued against generalising the experiences of disabled individuals. This paper explores the intersection of gender and dwarfism through the narratives of four women who are little people. Findings suggest that the ways women, who are little people, negotiate public spaces are affected by discourses of gender, disability and common conceptions of what is physically normal. Furthermore, these discourses have material implications in the everyday lives of these women. A brief historical overview of dwarfism is followed by narratives that describe experiences in public spaces, perceptions of height related to age and capability, gendered spaces and sexual stereotypes, uncomfortable spaces, violations of personal space and transportation. This paper provides a partial perspective on how discourses of dwarfism are manifest in social spaces and the built environment. Despite these significant commonalities that little people shared with other disabled people, there are socio‐spatial experiences that appear to be unique to people with dwarfism .     

An Asian compound archaeocyath

Material from the Jindingshan Formation (Tsanglangpu stage) at Jindingshan, Guizhou province, China, confirms that Agastrocyathus grandis Yuan & Zhang is a massive compound archaeocyath with chaetetide architecture. A new genus Zunyicyathus includes this species and Z. pianovskajae from Central Asia.     

Biostratigraphic potential of Middle Cambrian hyoliths from the eastern Georgina Basin

Fourteen hyolith taxa are documented from the Middle Cambrian (Templetonian to Floran) of the eastern (Queensland) portion of the Georgina Basin, Australia, as a contribution toward a prospective Australian Cambrian hyolith biozonation. The described fauna is from the Beetle Creek Formation (including Monastery Creek Phosphorite Member) and Gowers Formation. Additionally, the enigmatic Cupittheca and some indeterminate hyoliths are figured to illustrate aspects of hyolith morphology. Guduguwan hardmani, widespread in Ordian-early Templetonian strata of northern Australia, is here recorded from the early Templetonian of the eastern Georgina Basin. A new family Gakidae is established for sulcavitide hyolithomorphs with a conch of pentagonally tabernacular transverse section, to include Gaka, Kalkatungu gen. nov. and possibly Dorsolinevitus. New genera are the hyolithid Yalarrnga mara gen. et sp. nov., sulcavitid Kulangarra kutjurru gen. et sp. nov., gakid Kalkatungu murlu gen. et sp. nov. and angusticornid Yuku tjurtu gen. et sp. nov.; new species are Loculitheca kunka sp. nov., Carinolithes tjikilirri sp. nov., ?Sololites kankari sp. nov., ?Shandongolithes thakal sp. nov., ?Gerkella thuka sp. nov. and ?Yacutolituus rakatju sp. nov. Taxa in open nomenclature are Foersteotheca cf. dubecensis, ?Holmitheca sp. and ?Dorsojugatus sp. On present knowledge, the potential for an Australian Cambrian hyolith biozonation is limited in the Early Cambrian, but for the Middle Cambrian, G. hardmani is a widespread Ordian-early Templetonian indicator, while hyolith distribution in the Monastery Creek Phosphorite Member suggests a faunal turnover at or about the incoming of Acidusus atavus which may provide a basis for biozonation in the Floran stage.     

New Archaeocyatha from the Early Cambrian of the Mt. Wright area,New South Wales

An archaeocyathan fauna from a single limestone lens in the upper Cymbric Vale Formation at Mt. Wright shows species in common with the historic Ajax Mine fauna of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The Cymbric Vale fauna is considered equivalent to the lower Sanashtykgol ‘horizon’ of the Altay Sayan fold belt of Siberia.

New taxa described are the genera Hyptocyathus (Inessocyathacea, Hyptocyathidae fam. nov.), Aporosocyathus (Annulocyathidae), Wrighticyathus (Sigmocyathacea, Wrighticyathidae fam. nov.), Flexicyathus (Porocoscinidae) and Bractocyathus (Polycoscinidae), and the species Erugatocyathus cymbricensis and Veronicacyathus concavus.