Metrical discrimination between mandibular first and second molars in domestic cattle

The difficulty of distinguishing between loose first and second mandibular molars of domestic cattle (BOS taurus) from archaeological sites is well known. This paper proposes cervical length as a discriminatory measurement. The possibility that cervical measurements of first and second mandibular molars may be sexually dimorphic is also explored.     

The estimation of live fish size from archaeological cranial bones of the New Zealand blue cod Parapercis colias

Twenty-four measurements were taken on five of the paired cranial bones and the otoliths of a modern sample of 177 blue cod. Parapercis colias. Regression analysis was performed on these measurements to estimate live fork length and ungutted weight. A number of regression models were examined (linear, logarithmic, exponential and power curve) to work out the optimum estimator for each bone measurement. It was found that live fork length of this species can be estimated with a standard error of less than ±28 mm, and the weight to less than ±140 g. Coefficients are provided for 48 equations linking bone size to live characteristics. This is followed by a study of blue cod from an archaeological site at Waihora in the Chatham Islands. Measurements were made on 8036 archaeological bones with a minimum number of individuals of 2547. It was found that the blue cod catch had near normal characteristics, with a mean fork length of 327 mm and SD of 57 mm. The mean body weight was estimated at 569 g. The usable meat weight represented by these fish is estimated to be 1.0 t. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Funding the ‘nation’ in the national theatre of Scotland

The National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) is a an innovative and ground‐breaking, non‐building‐based, commissioning and producing cultural institution, established in the wake of the devolution of the Scottish Parliament. This article sketches the contours of this new model of a national theatre, exploring the complex dialectic between various economic, political, social and artistic choices, forces and factors that have influenced, and continue to influence, the formative years of the NTS. The article charts changes to the company during these early years and, most significantly, notes the potential effect that the change from arm’s length to direct government funding might have on the company’s long‐term development. It is argued that direct funding aligns the arts too closely to political agendas rather than supporting artistic freedom and expression.     

SIMPLE EXPRESSION OF THE DYNAMIC STIFFNESS OF GROUPED PILES IN SWAY MOTION

A simplified expression is derived for the dynamic stiffness of grouped piles subjected to lateral loading. A computer program, based on the Thin Layered Element Method, is used for this purpose. The results of the program are compared with rigorous solutions. The simplified expression of the dynamic stiffness of grouped piles, where the mass, damping and stiffness parameters are frequency invariant, will be particularly useful for an equivalent linear analysis of the interaction between nonlinear soil and grouped piles in real time.     

On the accuracy of estimating living stature from skeletal length in the grave and by linear regression

This study evaluates a method for obtaining stature estimates for populations represented by skeletal material, with individuals buried in a supine position. During the excavation of a Danish mediaeval cemetery, in situ skeletal length in the grave was measured from a point above the cranial point farthest from the body to the most distal point of the talus. The measurement was made with a folding rule placed on the sagittal midline of the skeleton, allowed to follow any curvature of the skeleton in situ. In the laboratory, stature was reconstructed anatomically, and this stature was regarded as an accurate estimate of living stature. Stature was also reconstructed from femur length by two linear regression procedures: 1) by sample and sex specific formulae, employing a leave‐one‐out approach, and 2) by sex wise formulae for Euro‐Americans from Trotter & Gleser (1952, American Journal of Physical Anthropology 10 : 463–514). Skeletal length in the grave and the two stature estimates based on linear regression were compared to anatomically reconstructed stature. Skeletal length in the grave estimated anatomically reconstructed stature with practically no bias (95% CI: −1.3–1.5 cm). Sample specific regression formulae estimated anatomically reconstructed stature also with no bias (95% CI: −1.2–1.1 cm). In contrast, statures calculated from Trotter & Gleser's regression formulae estimated anatomically reconstructed stature with a bias of about 4 cm (95% CI: 3.3–5.0 cm). Estimates of stature variance were biased for all three estimation procedures. However, for samples of adults, an adjusted variance estimate can be obtained by subtracting 8.7 cm² from the variance obtained from skeletal lengths in the grave. It is recommended to measure skeletal length in the grave whenever possible, and use this measurement for estimating statures for prehistoric and early historic populations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New Equations for the Size Reconstruction of Sturgeon from Isolated Cranial and Pectoral Girdle Bones

Measurements on cranial and pectoral girdle bones of 56 museum specimens of modern sturgeon (Acipenser sturio and A. oxyrinchus) were used for the establishment of regression equations allowing back‐calculation of size from isolated sturgeon remains. Different curve fittings (power, linear, logarithmic and exponential fit) were modeled to retain the most accurate regression. These were then applied to archaeological sturgeon remains (A. sturio/A. oxyrinchus) from Vlaardingen, a Dutch late Neolithic settlement. The back‐calculated lengths obtained on the archaeological remains all stayed within the known size ranges of the two species and allowed making inferences on the possible place of capture of the fish. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computing Abilities in Antiquity: The Royal Judahite Storage Jars as a Case-study

Studying the volume of ancient pottery vessels can shed light on the development of complex societies and state apparatus by revealing the means taken to standardize trade and taxation. It can also shed light on the cognitive abilities of ancient people by investigating their knowledge of computing. This paper explores, as a case study, the volume and shape of the lmlk (“belonging to the king”) royal storage jars, which probably represent the highest level of standardization in eighth century BCE Judah. To estimate the volume of these vessels we constructed a computer 3D model for each jar. The variation in the jars’ linear dimensions is about 2–3%, a number that is characteristic of human-made objects produced by professionals without employing measurement tools. Had the potters produced jars of the same height, they could have easily reached 3–4% accuracy in the volume. Surprisingly, the variation in the jars’ volume is 7–10%. We hypothesize that rather than height the potters focused on the jars’ shape and wall width, estimating the volume according to the jars’ outer measurements. We propose a simple way that these measurements could have been taken and suggest a formula that could have been employed by the potters and customers for quickly calculating a jar’s volume.     

Radiocarbon dating of Ohalo II: Archaeological and methodological implications

Charcoal samples from the Early Epipalaeolithic submerged fisher-hunter-gatherers site of Ohalo II have been dated by three laboratories. The samples derive from huts, hearths, a grave and a stone installation. Twenty-five date range between 17,500-21,050 bp and average c. 19,400 bp. The thickness of deposits, the perishable building material (of the huts), the spatial organization of the camp and its rapid cover by sand and water suggest several occupational episodes, lasting not more than tens of years together. The discrepancy between the range of ¹⁴C dates and the real length of occupation are due to the statistical limitations of the dating method.     

Blunders,Errors and Entanglements: Scrutinizing the Cantino Planisphere with a Cartometric Eye

ABSTRACT

The results of a cartometric analysis of the early sixteenth-century Portuguese chart of the world known as the Cantino planisphere are presented and discussed. The focus is on errors affecting the geographic lines and the representation of the coastlines. The outputs of three types of analyses are considered: a quantitative assessment of scales (scales of latitude and scales of distance); a qualitative evaluation of the implicit grid of meridians and parallels underlying the representation; and an assessment of the accuracy of latitudes. From these, details were obtained about the chart's construction, some contradicting previous interpretations, which allowed connections to be established between the depiction of certain areas on the chart and contemporary voyages of exploration. It is concluded that the geometry of the Cantino planisphere is fully explained by the use of the cartographic methods of the Renaissance once the effect of magnetic declination is taken into account.