Cultural Resource Management and American Archaeology

Cultural resource management (CRM) work accounts for most of the archaeology conducted in the United States. A diverse and somewhat fragmented field, CRM has nonetheless achieved a degree of institutional and organizational maturity. CRM archaeology has produced important contributions to archaeological methodology and has established and refined knowledge of regional cultural-historical sequences and settlement and subsistence patterns. The current florescence of historical archaeology is attributable to CRM. Yet the maintenance of high quality in CRM is a pervasive and enduring problem. Academic institutions need to reestablish alliances with the CRM community. The future viability of CRM archaeology depends on factors both internal and external to the discipline: regulatory and statutory “reform,” agency funding levels, looting and other destructive forces, and Native American and other public involvement.     

The preservation of exposed mudbrick architecture in Karanis (Kom Aushim), Egypt

Excavations in the arid regions of Egypt provide insight into the many types and uses of mudbrick architecture. Upon exposure the inherently unstable building material decays rapidly, resulting in severe loss or complete destruction of once well-preserved buildings. The preservation of mudbrick structures is relatively complicated and expensive. Research has focused on the circumstances that enable preservation and the influence of climate and weather over time. Conservation treatments should address these two processes as soon as possible after exposure of the structures. Our assessment of a range of conservation methods leads to the conclusion that reburial is among the least objectionable method of preservation, despite its drawback of returning the excavated buildings to a situation where they are invisible to both researchers and the public.     

The in situ preservation of archaeological remains: using lysimeters to assess the impacts of saturation and seasonality

Recent research has studied the effects of seasonal variability on waterlogged burial environments. In a new approach to the study of archaeological contexts, the use of controlled laboratory conditions via lysimeters has enabled new insights into the nature of short term fluctuations in saturation, and the impact that these can have on burial contexts. In addition, the protocols used have facilitated interesting insights into burial environments and the way in which fluctuations in saturation and seasonality can impact on the contained organic components within them.     

仿生合成石质文物二氧化硅保护膜的研究

由于二氧化硅仿生材料具有优越的耐候性,与基底石材相容性好,合成条件的温和性及对环境无污染等优点,为此制备了二氧化硅防护膜。室温下利用CTAB自组装体为模板来调控Na2SiF6水解,在石材表面制备出具有优良性能的SiO2膜,并对膜进行了XRD、SEM分析表征。经过保护处理的石材表面清洁、透明,具有突出的抵抗酸碱性能。生成的保护膜具有良好的透气性,而吸水性有所下降。另外,该保护膜还显示出优良的抵抗高、低温,耐磨,及与基底结合紧密等性能。上述研究表明,仿生SiO2膜将会对石质文物起到更好的保护作用。     

Documenting Archaeological Mortuary Features using High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging

This technical note presents a refined technique for photo‐documenting archaeological mortuary features using High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging. Mortuary features in archaeological context can be complex and delicate given the wide variability in grave constructions and preservation of human skeletal remains. It is therefore critical to obtain the greatest detail possible when photo‐documenting these features. HDR techniques represent more contrast in photographs and provide greater detail across the DR of illumination within mortuary features—where complex arrangements of human remains can obscure or darken other elements or associated funerary objects, making them difficult to identify in traditional photographs. HDR can be employed with most standard digital single lens reflex cameras used for archaeological field projects, is easy to learn and employ (as described here), can be processed and produced with commonly used photo editing programs, and is ideal for use in unpredictable conditions that are often encountered with archaeological mortuary features and in field conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Archaeological Survey of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro,Las Cruces—El Paso

Archaeologists from New Mexico State University surveyed El Camino Real, the earliest long-distance trail established by European colonists in North America, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to El Paso, Texas. Our goal was to determine the location and condition of this historic trail within a strip of land that has witnessed significant agricultural, suburban, and urban development in recent years. Due to this development, many scholars have assumed that all physical traces of the Camino Real have been destroyed. Results of our research, however, suggest that not all remnants of the trail and related campsites have been lost.     

The History and Composition of the Identified Human Skeletal Collection of the Certosa Cemetery (Bologna,Italy, 19th–20th Century)

The purpose of this paper is to present the identified skeletal collection (by age, sex, cause of death, occupation and preservation state) from the Certosa Cemetery of Bologna (Italy), which was reviewed and checked through a consultation of the cemetery archives. The collection consists of 425 skeletons of individuals (from newborn to 91 years old) who died in Bologna between 1898 and 1944. The personal details associated with the skeletons were cross‐checked with the data contained in the cemetery and municipal archives. For each skeleton, the biological profile was assessed using current anthropological methods in order to confirm its correct identification. Four hundred and eighteen skeletons (98.4%), mostly complete and well preserved, are identified at least for sex, and for 95% of these, the age is known. The distribution of sexes in the various age groups is fairly well balanced. The cause of death is known in 93% of the individuals. Approximately 30% of the individuals died from infectious diseases. The occupation is known for more than 92% of the individuals. Most of the women were housewives, while the men were employed in various jobs. The cross‐check between archival data with the anthropological analysis of the remains enabled a reliable identification of the skeletons. The sexes and various age groups are well represented, and the sample is substantially uniform as far as geographical origin and socio‐economic conditions (lower social classes) are concerned. Thanks to the reliability of the information collected, the Certosa collection is an excellent anthropological tool for the development and validation of osteobiographic methods. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

故宫古建筑内温湿度问题初探

博物馆的环境应当相对稳定且有益于文物的保存。故宫博物院作为古建筑博物馆,其特殊性在于古建筑本身也是文物,虽然自身条件较差,但又不能随意改变其外观和结构,导致其保存环境往往不够理想。在研究中论述了故宫古建筑的环境特点,结合在古建筑内文物环境监测和控制方面的若干问题进行有益的探讨,对原状陈列的古建筑温湿度调控的应用效果进行了分析和评估,指出了存在的问题,并提出了对古建筑中环境控制的思考。采用密封性能优良的展柜配合适当的调湿材料可以很好地稳定相对湿度,减少温度变化对相对湿度造成的影响,这是当前国际上文物微环境控制的一个发展方向。     

20世纪90年代以前美国环境史研究的特点

在20世纪90年代以前,美国环境史研究具有以下三个特点:就研究范围而言,研究的主要问题都属于自然保护和资源保护的范畴,荒野研究成为美国环境史研究最鲜明的特色,而城市及人工环境则未受到应有的重视。其次,从价值取向上说,环境史研究具有显著的环境保护主义的道德和政治诉求。环境保护主义既使环境史受益,使环境史具有鲜明的文化批判意识,同时,它也限制了环境史的未来发展。最后,环境史研究具有比较明显的时空特点:就时间而言,它研究的主要是近现代;就空间而言,美国环境史优先研究的地域首先是西部,其次是东北部,最后是南部。     

On the application of 3-D scanning technology for the documentation and typology of lithic artifacts

A 3-D optical scanner was used to obtain precise and complete representations of lithic artifacts. A computer algorithm, which was specially developed for the purpose, was used to position the artifacts in a way which enables the extraction of the standard metric parameters (length, width, width at 1/2 length, etc.). In this way, the ambiguities which affect the traditional manual measurements were eliminated. This new methodology creates accurate and objective databases. Several other parameters (center of mass position, volume, surface area) were also computed. The advantages of our method are illustrated by the analysis of 90 scanned Lower Paleolithic handaxes.