A mother's gift? Astrology and the pyxis of al-Mughīra

ABSTRACT

This article re-examines the most celebrated, and most controversial, of the Cordoban ivories, the al-Mughīra pyxis, from a perspective of gender and kinship relations within the court hierarchy. It proposes an alternative patron for this object, namely al-Mughīra's mother al-Mushtaq, a consort of the Cordoban Umayyad caliph ?Abd al-Rahmān III (r. 929–61) in the latter years of his life, and a patron of architecture. The article suggests astronomical and astrological possibilities for interpreting the pyxis’ unusual iconography, which arise from considering al-Mushtaq as a potential patron of the al-Mughīra pyxis. Key to the argument is the notion that women in the Cordoban court were ‘makers’ of art and architecture, in that they could and did exercise authority through artistic patronage.     

媒人现象的社会作用及其演变

媒人是历史发展中的特殊民俗现象,也是一种特定的文化符号。媒人随一夫一妻制的聘娶婚的出现而出现,在防止男女乱性、保障婚姻安全、完善规范礼法等方面起着积极的历史作用。媒人不仅不会退出历史舞台,相反,在新的历史时期,媒人的社会作用将更加彰显。     

青海民间文化资源的发掘与保护

青海幅员辽阔,自古以来就是多民族、多文化交融的地区。在漫长的岁月中,各民族文化相互融合、相互影响、相互依存,共同构筑起青海多民族文化包容共进的辉煌历史,凸现多元文化地域特色的人文内涵和精神魅力。对这些民间文化进行有效的保护和充分的发掘,对促进青海经济社会又好又快地发展具有十分重要的意义。     

‘With utmost certainty’: two late medieval pioneers of technical chronology

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the chronological methods developed and deployed by two little known medieval scholars, Giles of Lessines (active in the 1260s) and Heinrich Selder (1370s), both of whom made noteworthy advances in the use of astronomy to establish dates and intervals between events in ancient history. Based on their reading of Ptolemy's Almagest, both authors emphasised the importance of dated astronomical observations, such as eclipses, arguing that the recorded intervals between these observations were endowed with a unique degree of reliability. Several key examples of how they mobilised Ptolemy's astronomical data to rectify parts of the timeline between the creation of the world and the present will be discussed. These show that the technical arguments contained in Giles’ and Selder's writings reached a level of sophistication and accuracy that has previously only been associated with chronologers of the early modern and later periods.     

“AND DAVID PERCEIVED” (2 SAMUEL 5,2)

Abstract

2 Samuel 5,12 is shown to be important. It does not merely repeat verse 10 and is not an addendum that is poorly integrated into the literary unit.

Its importance is that it presents David's inner world: he ascribes his success to the Lord, Who acts for the benefit of His people. This alludes to two aspects of the monarchical covenant in Israel: king-the Lord and king-people. In both realms David is perceived as embodying the book's criteria for the ideal leader.

In addition, the language of the verse is examined against the background of the entire book of Samuel. The verse suggests that David is Saul's successor (whereas verse 10 suggests that he is Samuel's heir).     

论民俗旅游资源及其开发

本文从旅游学与民俗学交叉渗透研究的角度,阐述并分析了民俗旅游资源的主要类型及其基本特征,以此为依据提出并论述民俗旅游资源的四种开发类型、三类开发方式及其三项开发导向原则。     

试论登封窑

登封窑包括颍阳、君召、石道、大金店、白坪、徐庄、宣化、大冶等8个乡镇,面积约500平方公里.河南登封地区古代瓷窑址的分布范围、文化面貌、年代、性质等较为清楚和一致,以“登封窑”的名称对登封地区的瓷窑址统一命名,比较合适.