From commodity to money: The rise of silver coinage around the Ancient Mediterranean (sixth–first centuries bce)

The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. The clear relationships observed between ¹⁰⁹Ag/¹⁰⁷Ag and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb reflect the mixing of silver ores or silver objects with Pb metal used for cupellation. The combined analysis of Ag and Pb isotopes reveals important information about the technology of smelting. The Greek world extracted Ag and Pb from associated ores, whereas, on the Iberian Peninsula, Carthaginians and Republican‐era Romans applied Phoenician cupellation techniques and added exotic Pb to Pb‐poor Ag ores. Massive Ag recupellation is observed in Rome during the Second Punic War. After defeating the Carthaginians and the Macedonians in the late second century bce , the Romans brought together the efficient, millennium‐old techniques of silver extraction of the Phoenicians, who considered this metal a simple commodity, with the monetization of the economy introduced by the Greeks.     

闽台财政改革与各方权力纠葛--雍正朝台湾县知县周钟蠧案解析

雍正三年,台湾县知县周钟蠧被控贪污,由于牵涉到闽台财政改革的大背景,此案引起了雍正皇帝的高度关注,并演变为震动闽台官场的一桩大案,涉案人等都被卷入了皇权与地方官员博弈的大漩涡。案件的审理过程,伴随着闽台财政改革的全过程,从清查仓谷亏空,到耗羡归公和养廉银制度化的最终完成。透过考察周钟蠧案,闽台地区财政改革的过程得以完整呈现。在皇权的强势施压下,闽省官员提出的耗羡归公方案显得仓促而草率。     

明代年例银制度形成探论

明代年例银制度是经过长期演变逐渐形成的一项军事供给制度。宣德十年(1435)首先出现京运银,历经景泰、天顺时期,京运银两中有一笔银两开始向"岁例"发生制度性转变的趋势;成化、弘治之际,"常数"、"岁运"、"岁例"、"年例"、"年例银"等名称的出现是这笔京运银两制度化发展的结果,标志着明代年例银制度的初步形成;嘉靖十六年(1537)年例银一年一发的规定以及年例银会计预算制的出现,意味着明代年例银制度的完全确立。年例银制度的形成和确立,改变了明代国家的军事供给体制,是明代军事财政史上的一个重大变革。     

The history of silver refining in New Spain, 16c to 18c: back to the basics

The refining of silver ores in New Spain was defined by the chemical nature of the silver ore. Argentiferous galena (lead sulphide) could only be refined by smelting (36% silver produced), irrespective of silver content, and amalgamation (64%) could only be applied to the silver sulphide ores. Both processes were transferred from Europe, but amalgamation was transformed by local expertise from a recipe of limited application to an industrial-scale solution for refining sulphidic silver ores. Its implementation shaped the environmental history of colonial silver refining in the New World. Mercury was consumed mainly through its chemical conversion into calomel, with minimal emissions of volatile mercury. Waste silt and liquid mercury in the soil and waterways were its main legacy. Smelting created a greater impact on the environment of New Spain, via lead in lead fumes as the main heavy metal issued to the air, and its depletion of woodlands. This article argues that a technical analysis of period refining practices in New Spain reorients our understanding of Spain’s imperial relations with its New World colonies, of the role of local knowledge in a global economy of silver production, and of environmental issues in colonial history. It thus speaks to the problem of unpacking the complex web of relations that composed early European imperialism, in which were enmeshed commodities such as silver, cotton and sugar.     

一批流散海外的吐蕃文物的初步考察

吐蕃文物曾通过不同途径流散于海外,主要包括金银器与织锦。从中反映出吐蕃作为七世纪以来兴起于青藏高原的强大政治集团与唐、粟特、萨珊波斯等都有着密切的文化联系,并已形成具有自身特色的金银器制作风格;以对兽纹为主题的织锦是吐蕃人最为喜好的"番锦"之一,有可能为粟特锦,也有可能为包含粟特锦、波斯锦等中亚风格在内的"胡锦"。吐蕃银器上的纹饰更是多见于吐善时期的装饰性图案当中,并且影响到以后的藏族艺术。     

清乾隆中后期罚扣大员养廉银与其行政处分之关系探析

自古为官皆有禄,禄的内涵随着时代的发展而有所变化.在清代,从雍正朝开始,外官不仅领有俸禄,还有丰厚的养廉银.迨及乾隆中后期,由于政治、经济、军事等多方因素的综合作用,在治政中频繁出现了罚扣督、抚、藩、臬等地方大员养廉银的情况,这形成了乾隆朝官僚政治的一大特点.从乾隆罚扣地方大员养廉银的缘由、目的及具体运作来分析,这项措施与地方大员所受的行政处分有密切关系.即在运作中,出现了以罚扣大员养廉银代替其所受行政处分的情况,而且这种代替经历了开始、发展、减弱、制度化等过程,最后以法的形式在乾隆后期确立下来.本文对此做一粗浅分析,试图揭示乾隆时期处分制度的再调节与多样化.     

清代银覆斛式套杯装饰工艺研究

故宫博物院收藏的银覆斛式套杯档案记载为明代,由十二件依次能叠放在一起的银杯组成,每件银杯均镶嵌黑色物质以在内壁形成历代名人高士典故为题材的装饰画,内底注释典故名称,外底标明斋堂款识,外壁其中一面注明制作材料来源的“大明皇帝赐金”字样。故宫博物院张丽研究员根据“醉卧瓮下”历史典故产生的时代背景,推测其制作时代定为清代。在我国,银器表面镶嵌黑色物质的工艺十分罕见,一些学者将银套杯镶嵌黑色物质的工艺称为“阴刻填黑漆”,而查阅资料发现银套杯的表面装饰工艺更可能为乌银镶嵌。乌银在国外被称为“niello”,是指一种或多种金属与硫在高温下生成的黑色金属硫化物,被用来装饰金、银和铜等金属器物。将乌银实施于金属器表面的工艺被称为乌银镶嵌。为了明确银套杯的表面装饰工艺,采用扫描电子显微镜-能谱仪、X射线荧光光谱法、X射线衍射法对其中一个银杯进行微观形貌观察,元素、物相进行分析。显微形貌观察结果表明黑色物质通过加热熔融的方法嵌入嵌槽,在固化后进行抛光使表面平整。能谱分析结果表明黑色物质由Cu、Pb、Ag和S元素组成,衍射分析结果表明检测样品中含有硫铜银矿。综合以上分析结果表明黑色物质为银/铜/铅硫化物形成...     

银元主币流通与上海洋厘行市的更替

墨西哥鹰洋成为近代中国流通最广的银元主币,历时长达60余年之久。1914年后开铸的袁世凯像新币,逐渐取代鹰洋成为流通中的主币。上海钱业公所和其后的上海钱业公会深谙流通中主币的消长变化态势,审时度势,先后于1915年和1919年取消龙洋和鹰洋行市。鹰洋行市的取消进一步促使国币通行成为主币,使货币兑换市场逐步走向统一,降低社会交易成本;同时也为废两改元准备了条件,促进了近代货币统一化进程。     

林则徐关于"银贵钱贱"的认识与困惑

林则徐最初认为“银贵钱贱”是鸦片透漏白银出境造成的,但是到了1846年,当他看到西安市场上银价“忽低忽昂”,在不了解“杰科布定律”的情况下,最后他还是陷入一片迷茫之中,留下了“其理亦不可解”的感叹。     

上海博物馆书画陈列馆环境监测与治理

为了全面了解上海博物馆书画陈列馆陈列空气环境现状,对它进行了氮氧化物、二氧化硫、臭氧的检测,得出了氮氧化物是主要污染源。为此用氮氧化物自动测定仪、铜银试片法、On guard2000对此进行了较长时间的监测,在监测数据分析的基础上确定了治理方案,并已在实施。