Village Layout and Social Experience: A Comparative Study from the Northeast Woodlands

This paper examines the spatial configuration of two early fourteenth-century Woodland villages—one composed of longhouses (Nodwell) and one a ring-shaped arrangement of oval huts (Fort Hill). The contrasting spatial layouts of these sites are explored from the perspective of social interaction stress in early villages. Visibility Graph Analysis, a technique for analyzing the relational order of visual fields, is used to measure the properties of spatial integration and control in these settlements over the course of their distinctive occupation histories. Results reveal “top-down” vs. “bottom-up” dispositions toward spatial order that influenced the routine use of settlement space, the nature of village growth, and arguably, long-term trajectories of community development in regional longhouse and ring-shaped traditions.     

Poaceae phytoliths from the Niassa Rift,Mozambique

The most common grass phytoliths from “Zambezian” miombos are described here for the first time. Their potential for long term preservation in sediments makes them a useful tool in the reconstruction of ancient plant communities and plant/human interactions. We processed 60 plant samples (26 identified genera and species), with an average of 300 phytoliths counted per sample to a total of 18,586. Forty-seven morphotypes were described as per the International Code for Phytolith Nomenclature, with exceptions, including forty-five discreet shapes and two articulated forms, which can be used as comparative reference materials. We conducted three forms of statistical analyses: Discriminant Analysis, Cluster Analysis, and Principal Component Analysis. The highest biomineral content was recorded among the Bambuseae and Paniceae, while the lowest silica production is detected in the Cynodonteae tribe. Typologically, the subfamily Panicoideae yielded 50% of the types reported here, 32% are from the Chloridoideae, 12% from the Bambusoideae, and 8% from the Arundinoideae sensu lato. Overall, the idealized Zambezian Poaceae phytolith spectrum is dominated by a small subset of Poaceae short cells, which include five morphotypes conventionally associated with Panicoid grasses (Bilobate concave outer margin long shaft, Bilobate concave outer margin short shaft, Bilobate convex outer margin long shaft, Bilobate convex outer margin short shaft, Cross), one morphotype commonly seen in Chloridoid taxa (saddle), and two types that appear across subfamily boundaries (tower, tower horned). The next logical step to take in regional phytolith research is the account of phytoliths deposited in soils underneath living plants, for they represent the interface between existing vegetation communities and the inevitably distorted fossil assemblages that the paleobotanist uses for environmental reconstruction.     

Fire and man in post-glacial woodlands of Eastern England

It has for long been suggested that English early post-glacial woodlands, particularly those dominated by hazel, were a fire-climax vegetation type. This conflicts with the evidence of fire frequency in present-day woodlands. Charcoal and pollen analyses of post-glacial lake sequences in East Anglia, England, suggest that early post-glacial woodlands were not fire-climax types. The pre-5000 BP charcoal record can be best interpreted as a record of intensity of occupation beside lake shores. After 5000 BP, charcoal deposition may reflect increasing use of fire as an agent in land clearance.     

Integrating natural and cultural heritage: the advantage of feng shui landscape resources

Human activities interact with natural processes to produce landscapes. Cultural and natural phenomena sit side by side in the feng shui woods beside villages in the New Territories, but their continued existence is threatened by urbanisation. To highlight the value of these natural resources, three feng shui woods and villages located in the New Territories of Hong Kong were selected for investigation. The study examined their sociocultural, ecological and botanical characteristics. Investigations and interviews with local residents confirmed that the feng shui woods are: (1) regarded as cultural heritage because they bear testimony to a cultural tradition being revered by local people along the principles of geomancy; (2) an example of traditional human settlement that dates back several hundred years; and (3) characterised by historical continuity devoid of accelerated development. Similarly, they represent a natural heritage as they: (1) represent ongoing ecological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial ecosystem communities; and (2) contain important and significant natural habitats that can be used for education, environmental awareness, conservation of biological diversity as well as serve as destinations for ecotourists and nature appreciation.     

Maize Agriculture Evolution in the Eastern Woodlands of North America: A Darwinian Perspective

David Rindos' coevolution theory remains the most comprehensive application of Darwinian theory to issues of prehistoric agriculture evolution. While his theory has drawn attention, there has been a lack of subsequent development of the application of Darwinian theory to prehistoric agricultural evolution. Combining Sewall Wright's shifting balance theory of evolution with aspects of Rindos' coevolution theory provides important new insights into the processes of crop transmission between regions. Using these theories, a model is developed for the adoption and subsequent evolution of maize agriculture in the Eastern Woodlands of North America.