Petrographic evidence shows that pottery exchange between the Olmec and their neighbors was two-way

PubMed Central

Stoltman, James B.; Marcus, Joyce; Flannery, Kent V.; Burton, James H.; Moyle, Robert G.

2005-01-01

Petrographic thin sections of pottery from five Formative Mexican archaeological sites show that exchanges of vessels between highland and lowland chiefly centers were reciprocal, or two-way. These analyses contradict recent claims that the Gulf Coast was the sole source of pottery carved with iconographic motifs. Those claims were based on neutron activation, which, by relying on chemical elements rather than actual minerals, has important limitations in its ability to identify nonlocal pottery from within large data sets. Petrography shows that the ceramics in question (and hence their carved motifs) have multiple origins and were widely traded. PMID:16061796

Expanding the Frontiers of Pottery in the Nanumba South District of Ghana for Social Sustainability: An Experiment with the Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nortey, Samuel; Wamuaja, Naako; Okai, Frederick Ebenezer

2014-01-01

Despite the significant role of pottery in preserving cultural identity and providing a source of livelihood to the people of Nanumba, their artistic development of pottery production has been stagnant. This has resulted in low patronage of their products, which is further accentuated by the influx of the plastics industry on the market. This in…

56. ORIGINAL MOLDS. THE MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS HAS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

56. ORIGINAL MOLDS. THE MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS HAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000 PLASTER MOLDS OF VARIOUS TYPES, INCLUDING THE DEEP CAVITY MOLDS IN THE CENTER OF THE PHOTOGRAPH. THESE MOLDS PRODUCED ALLEGORICAL FIGURES TO BE INSTALLED AROUND THE CORNICES OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Annual dose measurements and TL-dating of ancient Egyptian pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Wahab, M. S.; El-Fiki, S. A.; El-Fiki, M. A.; Gomaa, M.; Abdel-Kariem, S.; El-Faramawy, N.

1996-05-01

In the course of the dating of ancient Egyptian pottery, pottery sherds were collected from three archaeological tombs in Nazlet El Samman region, Giza zone (Egypt). The annual dose from natural background was measured by gamma spectroscopic technique as well as thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The results of both methods are in good agreement with a consistency of 99.69%. The extracted quartz exhibited TL dating peaks at about(305 ± 5|4)°C. The TL dating shows an age of 4301 ± 100 years for the examined pottery which belongs to the "Fourth Dynasty" in the "Old Kingdom". The uncertainties in TL dating using the additive method are much lower than that of archeologists.

First compositional evidences on the local production of Dressel 2-4 amphorae in Calabria (Southern Italy): characterization and mixing simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miriello, D.; Bloise, A.; De Luca, R.; Apollaro, C.; Crisci, G. M.; Medaglia, S.; Taliano Grasso, A.

2015-06-01

Dressel 2-4 amphorae are a type of pottery, which was used to transport wine and produced in the Mediterranean area between the first century BC and the second century AD. This study shows, for the first time, that their production also occurred in Ionian Calabria. These results were achieved by studying 11 samples of archaeological pottery (five samples of Dressel 2-4 and six samples of other ceramic types) taken from Cariati (Calabria—Southern Italy). The composition of the pottery was compared with that of the local raw materials (clays and sands) potentially usable for their production. Samples were studied by polarized optical microscopy and analysed by XRF, XRPD and Raman spectroscopy. An innovative approach, based on Microsoft Excel optimizer "Solver" add-in on geochemical data, was used to define the provenance of archaeological pottery and to calculate the mixtures of local clay and sand needed for the production of the pottery itself.

Micro-Raman analysis of the pigments on painted pottery figurines from two tombs of the Northern Wei Dynasty in Luoyang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhaojun; Han, Yunxia; Han, Ligang; Cheng, Yongjian; Ma, Yiqiang; Fang, Li

2013-05-01

The pigments on the painted pottery figurines from two tombs of Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386-534) in Luoyang were analyzed by Raman microscopy. All the pigments were identified compared with the Raman spectra of standard pigments. The red pigments were identified as haematite, the blue pigment as lapis lazuli, the green pigment as malachite, the black pigment as carbon black and the white pigment as calcite. Similar pigments were used in the two tombs despite the pottery figurines were very different in artistic style. The use of lapis lazuli as blue pigment on Chinese painted pottery figurines was found for the first time. This pigment and the painted pottery figurine of Sogdians are of great archaeological significance because it demonstrated that the trade and cultural exchanges via the Silk Road had extended to Luoyang city in the Northern Wei Dynasty. The result also confirms that micro-Raman spectroscopy is a powerful analytical method for the identification of pigments on ancient artworks.

Theories of the Israelite Occupation of the Land of Canaan

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

Mycenaean IIIB pottery in the final Canaanite occupation layer.10 Based largely on evaluating the Biblical text, Aharoni advocates an Israelite conquest...scarabs and Mycenaean pottery during their 68 Aharoni, Y., Arad - The new encyclopedia of archaeological excavation of the Holy Land, Vol. I, Page...site it had been occupied since about 1600 BCE. They arrived at their conclusions by the discovery of both Egyptian scarabs and Mycenaean pottery

Earliest Pottery on New Guinea Mainland Reveals Austronesian Influences in Highland Environments 3000 Years Ago

PubMed Central

Gaffney, Dylan; Summerhayes, Glenn R.; Ford, Anne; Scott, James M.; Denham, Tim; Field, Judith; Dickinson, William R.

2015-01-01

Austronesian speaking peoples left Southeast Asia and entered the Western Pacific c.4000-3000 years ago, continuing on to colonise Remote Oceania for the first time, where they became the ancestral populations of Polynesians. Understanding the impact of these peoples on the mainland of New Guinea before they entered Remote Oceania has eluded archaeologists. New research from the archaeological site of Wañelek in the New Guinea Highlands has broken this silence. Petrographic and geochemical data from pottery and new radiocarbon dating demonstrates that Austronesian influences penetrated into the highland interior by 3000 years ago. One potsherd was manufactured along the northeast coast of New Guinea, whereas others were manufactured from inland materials. These findings represent the oldest securely dated pottery from an archaeological context on the island of New Guinea. Additionally, the pottery comes from the interior, suggesting the movements of people and technological practices, as well as objects at this time. The antiquity of the Wañelek pottery is coincident with the expansion of Lapita pottery in the Western Pacific. Such occupation also occurs at the same time that changes have been identified in subsistence strategies in the archaeological record at Kuk Swamp suggesting a possible link between the two. PMID:26331310

Earliest Pottery on New Guinea Mainland Reveals Austronesian Influences in Highland Environments 3000 Years Ago.

PubMed

Gaffney, Dylan; Summerhayes, Glenn R; Ford, Anne; Scott, James M; Denham, Tim; Field, Judith; Dickinson, William R

2015-01-01

Austronesian speaking peoples left Southeast Asia and entered the Western Pacific c.4000-3000 years ago, continuing on to colonise Remote Oceania for the first time, where they became the ancestral populations of Polynesians. Understanding the impact of these peoples on the mainland of New Guinea before they entered Remote Oceania has eluded archaeologists. New research from the archaeological site of Wañelek in the New Guinea Highlands has broken this silence. Petrographic and geochemical data from pottery and new radiocarbon dating demonstrates that Austronesian influences penetrated into the highland interior by 3000 years ago. One potsherd was manufactured along the northeast coast of New Guinea, whereas others were manufactured from inland materials. These findings represent the oldest securely dated pottery from an archaeological context on the island of New Guinea. Additionally, the pottery comes from the interior, suggesting the movements of people and technological practices, as well as objects at this time. The antiquity of the Wañelek pottery is coincident with the expansion of Lapita pottery in the Western Pacific. Such occupation also occurs at the same time that changes have been identified in subsistence strategies in the archaeological record at Kuk Swamp suggesting a possible link between the two.

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis in a South African pottery. 1. Study objectives and dust exposure.

PubMed Central

Rees, D; Cronje, R; du Toit, R S

1992-01-01

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis were investigated in a South African pottery that manufactured wall tiles and bathroom fittings. This paper describes the objectives of the investigation and presents dust measurement data. x Ray diffraction showed that the clays used by the pottery had a high quartz content (range 58%-23%, mean 38%). Exposure to respirable dust was measured for 43 workers and was highest (6.6 mg/m3) in a bathroom fitting fettler. Quartz concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg/m3 were found in all sections of the manufacturing process from slip production to biscuit firing and sorting. The proportion of quartz in the respirable dust of these sections was 24% to 33%. This is higher than is usually reported in English potteries. Four hundred and six (80%) of the 509 workers employed at the pottery were potentially at risk of occupational lung disease. The finding of large numbers of pottery workers exposed to unacceptable dust concentrations is not surprising as poor dust control was found in all six wall tile and sanitary ware factories surveyed by the National Centre for Occupational Health between 1973 and 1989. Dust related occupational disease can be expected in potters for many years to come. PMID:1637705

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis in a South African pottery. 1. Study objectives and dust exposure.

PubMed

Rees, D; Cronje, R; du Toit, R S

1992-07-01

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis were investigated in a South African pottery that manufactured wall tiles and bathroom fittings. This paper describes the objectives of the investigation and presents dust measurement data. x Ray diffraction showed that the clays used by the pottery had a high quartz content (range 58%-23%, mean 38%). Exposure to respirable dust was measured for 43 workers and was highest (6.6 mg/m3) in a bathroom fitting fettler. Quartz concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg/m3 were found in all sections of the manufacturing process from slip production to biscuit firing and sorting. The proportion of quartz in the respirable dust of these sections was 24% to 33%. This is higher than is usually reported in English potteries. Four hundred and six (80%) of the 509 workers employed at the pottery were potentially at risk of occupational lung disease. The finding of large numbers of pottery workers exposed to unacceptable dust concentrations is not surprising as poor dust control was found in all six wall tile and sanitary ware factories surveyed by the National Centre for Occupational Health between 1973 and 1989. Dust related occupational disease can be expected in potters for many years to come.

First molecular and isotopic evidence of millet processing in prehistoric pottery vessels.

PubMed

Heron, Carl; Shoda, Shinya; Breu Barcons, Adrià; Czebreszuk, Janusz; Eley, Yvette; Gorton, Marise; Kirleis, Wiebke; Kneisel, Jutta; Lucquin, Alexandre; Müller, Johannes; Nishida, Yastami; Son, Joon-Ho; Craig, Oliver E

2016-12-22

Analysis of organic residues in pottery vessels has been successful in detecting a range of animal and plant products as indicators of food preparation and consumption in the past. However, the identification of plant remains, especially grain crops in pottery, has proved elusive. Extending the spectrum is highly desirable, not only to strengthen our understanding of the dispersal of crops from centres of domestication but also to determine modes of food processing, artefact function and the culinary significance of the crop. Here, we propose a new approach to identify millet in pottery vessels, a crop that spread throughout much of Eurasia during prehistory following its domestication, most likely in northern China. We report the successful identification of miliacin (olean-18-en-3β-ol methyl ether), a pentacyclic triterpene methyl ether that is enriched in grains of common/broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), in Bronze Age pottery vessels from the Korean Peninsula and northern Europe. The presence of millet is supported by enriched carbon stable isotope values of bulk charred organic matter sampled from pottery vessel surfaces and extracted n-alkanoic acids, consistent with a C 4 plant origin. These data represent the first identification of millet in archaeological ceramic vessels, providing a means to track the introduction, spread and consumption of this important crop.

First molecular and isotopic evidence of millet processing in prehistoric pottery vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heron, Carl; Shoda, Shinya; Breu Barcons, Adrià; Czebreszuk, Janusz; Eley, Yvette; Gorton, Marise; Kirleis, Wiebke; Kneisel, Jutta; Lucquin, Alexandre; Müller, Johannes; Nishida, Yastami; Son, Joon-Ho; Craig, Oliver E.

2016-12-01

Analysis of organic residues in pottery vessels has been successful in detecting a range of animal and plant products as indicators of food preparation and consumption in the past. However, the identification of plant remains, especially grain crops in pottery, has proved elusive. Extending the spectrum is highly desirable, not only to strengthen our understanding of the dispersal of crops from centres of domestication but also to determine modes of food processing, artefact function and the culinary significance of the crop. Here, we propose a new approach to identify millet in pottery vessels, a crop that spread throughout much of Eurasia during prehistory following its domestication, most likely in northern China. We report the successful identification of miliacin (olean-18-en-3β-ol methyl ether), a pentacyclic triterpene methyl ether that is enriched in grains of common/broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), in Bronze Age pottery vessels from the Korean Peninsula and northern Europe. The presence of millet is supported by enriched carbon stable isotope values of bulk charred organic matter sampled from pottery vessel surfaces and extracted n-alkanoic acids, consistent with a C4 plant origin. These data represent the first identification of millet in archaeological ceramic vessels, providing a means to track the introduction, spread and consumption of this important crop.

Ancient lipids document continuity in the use of early hunter-gatherer pottery through 9,000 years of Japanese prehistory.

PubMed

Lucquin, Alexandre; Gibbs, Kevin; Uchiyama, Junzo; Saul, Hayley; Ajimoto, Mayumi; Eley, Yvette; Radini, Anita; Heron, Carl P; Shoda, Shinya; Nishida, Yastami; Lundy, Jasmine; Jordan, Peter; Isaksson, Sven; Craig, Oliver E

2016-04-12

The earliest pots in the world are from East Asia and date to the Late Pleistocene. However, ceramic vessels were only produced in large numbers during the warmer and more stable climatic conditions of the Holocene. It has long been assumed that the expansion of pottery was linked with increased sedentism and exploitation of new resources that became available with the ameliorated climate, but this hypothesis has never been tested. Through chemical analysis of their contents, we herein investigate the use of pottery across an exceptionally long 9,000-y sequence from the Jōmon site of Torihama in western Japan, intermittently occupied from the Late Pleistocene to the mid-Holocene. Molecular and isotopic analyses of lipids from 143 vessels provides clear evidence that pottery across this sequence was predominantly used for cooking marine and freshwater resources, with evidence for diversification in the range of aquatic products processed during the Holocene. Conversely, there is little indication that ruminant animals or plants were processed in pottery, although it is evident from the faunal and macrobotanical remains that these foods were heavily exploited. Supported by other residue analysis data from Japan, our results show that the link between pottery and fishing was established in the Late Paleolithic and lasted well into the Holocene, despite environmental and socio-economic change. Cooking aquatic products in pottery represents an enduring social aspect of East Asian hunter-gatherers, a tradition based on a dependable technology for exploiting a sustainable resource in an uncertain and changing world.

Prehispanic Use of Chili Peppers in Chiapas, Mexico

PubMed Central

Powis, Terry G.; Gallaga Murrieta, Emiliano; Lesure, Richard; Lopez Bravo, Roberto; Grivetti, Louis; Kucera, Heidi; Gaikwad, Nilesh W.

2013-01-01

The genus Capsicum is New World in origin and represents a complex of a wide variety of both wild and domesticated taxa. Peppers or fruits of Capsicum species rarely have been identified in the paleoethnobotanical record in either Meso- or South America. We report here confirmation of Capsicum sp. residues from pottery samples excavated at Chiapa de Corzo in southern Mexico dated from Middle to Late Preclassic periods (400 BCE to 300 CE). Residues from 13 different pottery types were collected and extracted using standard techniques. Presence of Capsicum was confirmed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/MS-MS Analysis. Five pottery types exhibited chemical peaks for Capsicum when compared to the standard (dihydrocapsaicin). No peaks were observed in the remaining eight samples. Results of the chemical extractions provide conclusive evidence for Capsicum use at Chiapas de Corzo during a 700 year period (400 BCE–300 CE). Presence of Capsicum in different types of culinary-associated pottery raises questions how chili pepper could have been used during this early time period. As Pre-Columbian cacao products sometimes were flavored using Capsicum, the same pottery sample set was tested for evidence of cacao using a theobromine marker: these results were negative. As each vessel that tested positive for Capsicum had a culinary use we suggest here the possibility that chili residues from the Chiapas de Corzo pottery samples reflect either paste or beverage preparations for religious, festival, or every day culinary use. Alternatively, some vessels that tested positive merely could have been used to store peppers. Most interesting from an archaeological context was the presence of Capsicum residue obtained from a spouted jar, a pottery type previously thought only to be used for pouring liquids. PMID:24236083

Prehispanic use of chili peppers in Chiapas, Mexico.

PubMed

Powis, Terry G; Gallaga Murrieta, Emiliano; Lesure, Richard; Lopez Bravo, Roberto; Grivetti, Louis; Kucera, Heidi; Gaikwad, Nilesh W

2013-01-01

The genus Capsicum is New World in origin and represents a complex of a wide variety of both wild and domesticated taxa. Peppers or fruits of Capsicum species rarely have been identified in the paleoethnobotanical record in either Meso- or South America. We report here confirmation of Capsicum sp. residues from pottery samples excavated at Chiapa de Corzo in southern Mexico dated from Middle to Late Preclassic periods (400 BCE to 300 CE). Residues from 13 different pottery types were collected and extracted using standard techniques. Presence of Capsicum was confirmed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/MS-MS Analysis. Five pottery types exhibited chemical peaks for Capsicum when compared to the standard (dihydrocapsaicin). No peaks were observed in the remaining eight samples. Results of the chemical extractions provide conclusive evidence for Capsicum use at Chiapas de Corzo during a 700 year period (400 BCE-300 CE). Presence of Capsicum in different types of culinary-associated pottery raises questions how chili pepper could have been used during this early time period. As Pre-Columbian cacao products sometimes were flavored using Capsicum, the same pottery sample set was tested for evidence of cacao using a theobromine marker: these results were negative. As each vessel that tested positive for Capsicum had a culinary use we suggest here the possibility that chili residues from the Chiapas de Corzo pottery samples reflect either paste or beverage preparations for religious, festival, or every day culinary use. Alternatively, some vessels that tested positive merely could have been used to store peppers. Most interesting from an archaeological context was the presence of Capsicum residue obtained from a spouted jar, a pottery type previously thought only to be used for pouring liquids.

Provenance and composition of unusually chrome and nickel-rich bucket-shaped pottery from Rogaland (southwestern Norway)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmermann, Udo; Kristoffersen, Elna Siv; Fredriksen, Per Ditlef; Bertolino, Silvana A. R.; Andò, Sergio; Bersani, Danilo

2016-05-01

We report results from FE-SEM-EDS, geochemical, mineralogical analyses and Raman spectroscopy of pottery of bucket-shaped ceramic from Rogaland (southwestern Norway) dated between the 5th and 6th Century. The study reveals a very rare pottery composition including asbestos-group minerals and an unusual enrichment in compatible elements like Cr (8-27 × Post Archean average shale (PAS), McLennan et al., 2006), Ni (2-8 × normal shale) and Co (2-3 × PAS). X-Rray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy could pinpoint that Ni is introduced by specific Ni-rich talc mineral and chlorite minerals and Cr occurs in a rare Cr-rich talc, and possibly in a Cr-chlorite, these minerals are the most abundant in the pottery, which is supported by strong enrichment in Mg (10-20 × PAS). The addition of Mg, Cr, Ni and Co and other compatible trace elements is to our current knowledge not caused by anthropogenic activity but related to the used materials, which are alteration products of mafic and ultramafic rocks or genetically related to mafic and ultramafic rocks. Rocks of this type are exposed in vicinity of the sampling areas in a region called Karmøy, hosting a world famous ophiolite complex, which is identified as the major source for the mafic and ultramafic component, as the next succession of a similar composition is far further north located in Norway and a number of rock types on Karmøy matches the chemical composition of the pottery. The here reported composition is spectacular and extremely rare - if ever found - in pottery. Our study shows that unusual material sources have been used in pottery production, and this opens for discussion whether the materials were deliberately selected by the manufacturers, thereby expressing a specific social function, in a time period where more functional clay types and additives, and certainly functional and sufficient for use in pottery, where abundant in areas of Rogaland closer to where the pots were found.

Application of thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) technique to study the ancient potteries from Vellore dist, Tamilnadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravisankar, R.; Naseerutheen, A.; Rajalakshmi, A.; Raja Annamalai, G.; Chandrasekaran, A.

2014-08-01

The characterization of archeological ceramic and pottery can be studied for the determination of firing temperature and the presence of raw materials by thermal analysis. Clay minerals are the main material for the production of ceramic and pottery and show some characteristic reactions such as dehydration, dehydroxylation and transformation. This is key point of criteria for the elucidation of firing temperature and raw material analysis. In the present work, DTA-TG, XRD and EDXRF technique are applied on representative potsherds from Vellore dist., Tamilnadu, India to derive the information about the production technology, raw materials and firing temperature. From the analysis, all the samples were considered to be fired from 800 °C to 900 °C and organic material might be added intestinally as a binder in the preparation of pottery.

76 FR 62835 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-11

... objects are 1 complete bowl, 1 reconstructed piece of pottery, 2 smaller reconstructed pieces of pottery..., Colorado''). In 1967-1968, human remains representing a minimum of six individuals were removed from a site...

Fire effects on prehistoric ceramics [Chapter 3

Treesearch

Trisha Rude; Anne Trinkle Jones

2012-01-01

In North America, prehistoric pottery is primarily earthenware (a porous ceramic, fired at a relatively low temperature). It is not glass-like or dense like other kinds of pottery such as stoneware and porcelain (see chapter 6).

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Multivariate Statistics for Pottery Provenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glascock, M. D.; Neff, H.; Vaughn, K. J.

2004-06-01

The application of instrumental neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistics to archaeological studies of ceramics and clays is described. A small pottery data set from the Nasca culture in southern Peru is presented for illustration.

[An example of the evaluation of risks of repeated movements in pottery plants located in western Liguria].

PubMed

Clerici, P; Gallanelli, R; Magnante, D; Meinero, G; Mattarelli, M; Sarto, D; Zecchi, C

2005-01-01

Pottery manufacturing is typical in western Liguria and it represents one of the most important economical resources of this area. The major part of manufacturers are handicrafts, although some bigger firms have developed industrialized production cycles. Both types of productions, however, require hand work at almost all levels of processing. Most workers are women and a significant part of these are affected by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. INAIL (Direzione Regionale Liguria) carries on a dedicated program for employers' insurance and Health & Safety implementation but--in order to do so--INAIL needs to achieve more knowledge about risk factors in this field. The aim of this study was to assess CTD risk in two pottery industries located in Albisola: in particular, two productions Cycles equipped with assembly lines have been investigated. The method used for risk assessment was OCRA Index (OCcupational Repetitive Actions), adapted to be applied to pottery industries.

Pueblo Pottery: Continuity and Change. Lucy Lewis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herzog, Melanie

1991-01-01

Describes Lucy Lewis' ceramic work which is inspired by the ancient pottery of her Acoma Pueblo artistic heritage. Discusses concepts of tradition, artistic heritage, and change over time. Outlines related ceramic and discussion activities for elementary and secondary students. (KM)

61. STABLE/RESTROOM, FROM THE NORTHWEST. SHOWING PROXIMITY TO THE MORAVIAN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

61. STABLE/RESTROOM, FROM THE NORTHWEST. SHOWING PROXIMITY TO THE MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Analysis of pottery from the Palatine Hills of Rome

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landsberger, S.; Wisseman, S.; Desena, E.

1994-12-31

During the past several summers the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma and the American Academy in Rome have carried out collaborative excavations on the late Roman complex located on the northeastern slope of the Palatine Hill. The late Roman complex is situated on the lower slopes of the area commonly known as Vigna Barberini, after its 17th century owners. Because this area, as well as most of the east slope of the Palatine, has never been systematically explored, it remains from an archaeological point of view essentially unknown. The overall aim of the excavations is to investigate layout, function, and occupationalmore » history of a mid-to-late imperial building complex located just southwest of the Arch of Constatine. Part of this international project is the chemical characterization of Roman fineware pottery from archaeological excavations on the site of the imperial palaces. Excavation has yielded more than 8 t of Late Roman and Early Medieval pottery (circa 3rd to 10th centuries A.D.). Many classes of pottery have already been classified by their provenance based on distribution patterns, but others require chemical characterization to separate similar clays. To that end routine neutron activation analysis (NAA) methods have been used to analyze {approximately}200 pieces of pottery.« less

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part IV: Mössbauer Study of Ceramics from Huaca Sialupe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, I.; Häusler, W.; Jakob, M.; Montenegro, J.; Riederer, J.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We report on an interdisciplinary study of ceramic material excavated in 1999 and 2001 at a 1000-year old ceramic and metal production site, located at Huaca Sialupe in the La Leche valley on the north coast of Peru and dating to the Middle Sicán period (AD 900-1100). Sherds of Sicán red- and blackware, numerous moulds, several kilns and other evidence of pottery making were found. The pottery, in particular, is famous for its fine texture and perfect black surface finish. In addition, some clay lumps and sherds of unfired Sicán pottery were excavated. Within the same workshop several large inverted ceramic urns used as furnaces were found together with Middle Sicán metal working tools and debris. Various physical methods were applied to investigate this material. The ancient firing procedures could be elucidated by comparing the spectra observed for the ancient sherds with model spectra of laboratory and field fired clay samples. This shows that the fine ware made at Huaca Sialupe was intentionally fired under strongly reducing conditions at temperatures up to 900°C. Reoxidation at the end of the reducing firing took place only occasionally. Less care was taken in firing moulds used for pottery making.

Fish Dishes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derby, Marie

2003-01-01

Describes an art project that was inspired by Greek pottery, specifically dishes shaped as fish. Explains that fourth-grade students drew a fish shape that was later used to create their clay version of the fish. Discusses how the students examined the pottery to make decisions about color and design. (CMK)

Difference in radiocarbon ages of carbonized material from the inner and outer surfaces of pottery from a wetland archaeological site.

PubMed

Miyata, Yoshiki; Minami, Masayo; Onbe, Shin; Sakamoto, Minoru; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Toshio; Imamura, Mineo

2011-01-01

AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) radiocarbon dates for eight potsherds from a single piece of pottery from a wetland archaeological site indicated that charred material from the inner pottery surfaces (5052 ± 12 BP; N = 5) is about 90 (14)C years older than that from the outer surfaces (4961 ± 22 BP; N = 7). We considered three possible causes of this difference: the old wood effect, reservoir effects, and diagenesis. We concluded that differences in the radiocarbon ages between materials from the inner and outer surfaces of the same pot were caused either by the freshwater reservoir effect or by diagenesis. Moreover, we found that the radiocarbon ages of carbonized material on outer surfaces (soot) of pottery from other wetland archaeological sites were the same as the ages of material on inner surfaces (charred food) of the same pot within error, suggesting absence of freshwater reservoir effect or diagenesis.

Non-fibrous inorganic particles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of pottery workers.

PubMed Central

Falchi, M; Paoletti, L; Mariotta, S; Giosue, S; Guidi, L; Biondo, L; Scavalli, P; Bisetti, A

1996-01-01

AIM: To study the actual exposure of pottery workers to silica particles, as their risk of silicosis is potentially high because of the presence of inhalable crystalline silica particles in the workplace. METHODS: Nine pottery workers underwent bronchoalveolar lavage. The recovered fluid was analysed for cytological and mineralogical content by analytical transmission electron microscopy. The data were compared with those obtained from a control group composed of seven patients with sarcoidosis and six patients with haemoptysis. RESULTS: Cytological results showed a similar profile in exposed workers and controls, whereas in patients with sarcoidosis a lymphocytic alveolitis was found. Microanalysis of the particulate identified the presence of silicates, CRSs, and metals. Pottery workers had higher numbers of total particles and CRSs, and had a higher silicate/metal ratio. In five workers, the presence of zirconium silicate was also detected. Patients with sarcoidosis had the lowest number of particles, and an inverted silicate/metal ratio. CONCLUSION: Microanalysis by transmission electron microscope can provide useful information to assess occupational exposure to dusts. PMID:9038801

Characterization of Byzantine pottery from Oltina (Constanţa County), Romania, using PIXE and Optical Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugoi, Roxana; Talmaţchi, Cristina; Haitǎ, Constantin; Ceccato, Daniele

2018-02-01

An assemblage of 58 ceramic shards discovered in archaeological excavations at Oltina, Romania, dated to the 10th-11th century CE, was subjected to archaeometric investigations in order to reveal the raw materials and manufacturing techniques employed by the potters from the Lower Danube zone during the Byzantine ruling. The initial grouping of the shards according to stylistic criteria was refined by the subsequent petrographic study. Optical Microscopy (OM) detailed the general mineralogy and the pottery fabric, i.e. the textural characteristics, porosity and microstructure, surface treatments and firing. The PIXE analyses of potteries performed at AN2000 accelerator of LNL, INFN, Italy led to the identification of the chemical composition of the ceramic shards. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of the PIXE data evidenced several categories of shards with distinct compositional signatures, the main division being the one separating the ceramic fragments made of kaolinitic clays from the rest of the Oltina potteries.

Genetic and other diseases in the pottery of Tumaco-La Tolita culture in Colombia-Ecuador.

PubMed

Bernal, J E; Briceno, I

2006-09-01

The people of Tumaco-La Tolita culture inhabited the borders of present-day Colombia and Ecuador. Already extinct by the time of the Spaniards arrival, they left a huge collection of pottery artifacts depicting everyday life; among these, disease representations were frequently crafted. In this article, we present the results of the personal examination of the largest collections of Tumaco-La Tolita pottery in Colombia and Ecuador; cases of Down syndrome, achondroplasia, mucopolysaccharidosis I H, mucopolysaccharidosis IV, a tumor of the face and a benign tumor in an old woman were found. We believe these to be among the earliest artistic representations of disease.

Acute high-dose lead exposure from beverage contaminated by traditional Mexican pottery.

PubMed

Matte, T D; Proops, D; Palazuelos, E; Graef, J; Hernandez Avila, M

1994-10-15

Screening and follow-up blood lead measurements in a 7-year-old child of a US Embassy official in Mexico City revealed an increase in blood lead concentration from 1.10 to 4.60 mumol/L in less than 4 weeks. The cause was traced to fruit punch contaminated with lead leached from traditional ceramic pottery urns. Consumption of the contaminated punch at a picnic was associated with a 20% increase in blood lead concentrations among embassy staff and dependants who were tested 6 weeks after the exposure. This episode highlights the continued health risk, even from brief exposure, posed by traditional pottery in Mexico.

The Potters of Mata Ortiz: Transforming a Tradition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Mark M.

1999-01-01

Discusses the pottery revival in the village of Juan Mata Ortiz that is located in Chihuahua, Mexico. Contends that the revival was inspired by the efforts and experimentation of Juan Quezada who rediscovered the materials and techniques necessary to reproduce the Casas Grandes style polychrome pottery. (CMK)

Women at Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valiant, Sharon

During the prehistoric era, most advances in society were developed by women. These advances included agriculture, building, weaving, basketry, pottery, woodworking, trading, and domesticating animals. Pottery and basketry allowed for the long-term storage of food and water and permitted humanity to stop living the nomadic life and begin the first…

Direct dating of archaeological pottery by compound-specific 14C analysis of preserved lipids.

PubMed

Stott, Andrew W; Berstan, Robert; Evershed, Richard P; Bronk-Ramsey, Christopher; Hedges, Robert E M; Humm, Martin J

2003-10-01

A methodology is described demonstrating the utility of the compound-specific 14C technique as a direct means of dating archaeological pottery. The method uses automated preparative capillary gas chromatography employing wide-bore capillary columns to isolate individual compounds from lipid extracts of archaeological potsherds in high purity (>95%) and amounts (>200 microg) sufficient for radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). A protocol was developed and tested on n-alkanes and n-carboxylic acids possessing a broad range of 14C ages. Analytical blanks and controls allowed background 14C measurements to be assessed and potential sources of errors to be detected, i.e., contamination with modern or dead 14C, isotopic fraction effects, etc. A "Russian doll" method was developed to transfer isolated target compounds onto tin powder/capsules prior to combustion and AMS analyses. The major advantage of the compound-specific technique is that 14C dates obtained for individual compounds can be directly linked to the commodities processed in the vessels during their use, e.g., animal fats. The compound-specific 14C dating protocol was validated on a suite of ancient pottery whose predicted ages spanned a 5000-year date range. Initial results indicate that meaningful correlations can be obtained between the predicted date of pottery and that of the preserved lipids. These findings constitute an important step forward to the direct dating of archaeological pottery.

PIXE analysis of pottery from the recovery of a renaissance wreck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zucchiatti, A.; Cardoni, F.; Prati, P.; Lucarelli, F.; Mandò, P. A.; Martino, G. P.

1998-03-01

Pottery recovered in a recent marine archaeology campaign in the sea of Liguria (Italy), from the so-called leudo di Varazze wreck, has been analysed by PIXE. By measuring the ratio of each observed element to iron, we have characterised the composition of the clay with particular attention to possible contamination due to the long immersion in the sea. The present results have been associated, in a discriminant analysis, to those obtained during a previous campaign on a set of furnace rejects coming from the towns of Savona and Albissola, to investigate the provenance of the crockery. Both are located a few miles west of the wreck and were important pottery centres.

Technology and Organisation of Inka Pottery Production in the Leche Valley. Part I: Study of Clays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashida, F.; Häusler, W.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We report on an interdisciplinary approach to the study of finds of unfired clay lumps and unfired broken vessels from two workshops in the Leche Valley, north coast of Peru. The material is used as a reference in the study of pottery making at both workshops.

Using the Pottery Wheel to Explore Topics in Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farnell, Elin; Snipes, Marie A.

2015-01-01

Students sometimes struggle with visualizing the three-dimensional solids encountered in certain integral problems in a calculus class. We present a project in which students create solids of revolution with clay on a pottery wheel and estimate the volumes of these objects using Riemann sums. In addition to giving students an opportunity for…

Oenological characteristics, amino acids and volatile profiles of Hongqu rice wines during pottery storage: Effects of high hydrostatic pressure processing.

PubMed

Tian, Yuting; Huang, Jiamei; Xie, Tingting; Huang, Luqiang; Zhuang, Weijin; Zheng, Yafeng; Zheng, Baodong

2016-07-15

Hongqu rice wines were subjected to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatments of 200 MPa and 550 MPa at 25 °C for 30 min and effects on wine quality during pottery storage were examined. HHP treatment can significantly (p<0.05) decrease the content of fusel-like alcohols and maintain the concentration of lactones in these wines. After 18 months of storage, the HHP-treated wines exhibited a more rapid decrease in total sugars (9.3-15.3%), lower free amino acid content (e.g. lysine content decreased by 45.0-84.5%), and higher ketone content (e.g. 6- and 14-fold increase for 2-nonanone). These changes could be attributed to the occurrence of Maillard and oxidation reactions. The wines treated at 550 MPa for 30 min developed about twice as rapidly during pottery storage than untreated wines based on principal component analysis. After only 6 months, treated wines had a volatile composition and an organoleptic quality similar to that of untreated wines stored in pottery for 18 months. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative reconstruction of temperature at a Jōmon site in the Incipient Jōmon Period in northern Japan and its implications for the production of early pottery and stone arrowheads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawahata, Hodaka; Ishizaki, Yui; Kuroyanagi, Azumi; Suzuki, Atsushi; Ohkushi, Ken-ichi

2017-02-01

The first emergence and development of pottery is an important archeological research topic. Climate change and associated ecological changes likely promoted the development of pottery. However, little is known about these environmental factors at the regional scale. Sedimentary Core MD01-2409 was collected off the coast of northern Honshu, Japan, and provided an excellent opportunity to quantitatively estimate temperature using an alkenone proxy. This estimation is based upon the positive correlation between the sea surface temperature (SST) and the atmospheric temperature (AT) near the core collection site. The Jōmon began to produce the earliest pottery found in Japan during this period. This corresponds to a climatic anomaly that could be attributed to one of the global effects of the Heinrich Event I. The event's origin in the northern North Atlantic consequently weakened the Asian Monsoon because the two are linked via atmospheric circulation. Japan experienced its coldest summer (SST of 8.7 °C; AT of 5.2 °C) around 15.68 cal kyr BP; these summer temperatures were approximately 7-11 °C lower than they are currently (∼15.7 °C and ∼16.7 °C), respectively. The summer environment was a little colder than those experienced in the present-day cities of Nemuro and/or Nosappu in Hokkaido. Subsistence in a terrestrial environment would have been difficult for the Jōmon people; however, marine products such as fish and shellfish would have been plentiful. These conditions are consistent with the evidence that the earliest pottery was predominantly used for cooking marine and freshwater resources and increased diversification in the range of aquatic products used. The Bølling-Allerød and pre-Boreal warm Episodes during deglaciation warmed climatic environments and enhanced marine biogenic production. The maximum SST during this period is comparable to the modern SST despite its short duration (of approximately a century or less). Even though the relationship between climate and the appearance of pottery in Japan may not be direct, the earliest pottery and projectile points (stone arrows) in the world are associated with the coldest period that Homo sapiens experienced since arriving in the colder regions of the Japanese archipelago.

Dating of ancient Egyptian pottery using the thermoluminescence technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Fiki, S. A.; Abdel-Wahab, M. S.; El-Faramawy, N.; El-Fiki, M. A.

1994-10-01

In the course of the dating of Egyptian ancient pottery, pottery sherds were collected from three archaeological tombs in the Nazlet El Samman region in the Giza zone (Egypt). The annual dose was measured by the gamma spectroscopic technique as well as thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The annual dose results obtained using both methods are in quite good agreement with a consistency of 99.69%. The extracted quartz exhibited TL dating peaks at about (305 ± 5)°C and (375 ± 5)°C. The TL dating result is 4301 ± 100 which belongs to the "fourth dynasty" in the Old Kingdom. The obtained ages show that the uncertainties in TL dating using the additive method are much lower than that of archaeologists.

Microanalysis study on ancient Wiangkalong Pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won-in, K.; Tancharakorn, S.; Dararutana, P.

2017-09-01

Wiangkalong is one of major ceramic production cities in northern of Thailand, once colonized by the ancient Lanna Kingdom (1290 A.D.). Ancient Wiangkalong potteries were produced with shapes and designs as similar as those of the Chinese Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Due to the complex nature of materials and objects, extremely sensitive, spatially resolved, multi-elemental and versatile analytical instruments using non-destructive and non-sampling methods to analyze theirs composition are need. In this work, micro-beam X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy based on synchrotron radiation was firstly used to characterize the elemental composition of the ancient Wiangkalong pottery. The results showed the variations in elemental composition of the body matrix, the glaze and the underglaze painting, such as K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn and Fe.

Lead Absorption in a community of potters in Barbados.

PubMed

Koplan, J P; Wells, A V; Diggory, H J; Baker, E L; Liddle, J

1977-09-01

In a community of potters in Barbados where lead glazes traditionally have been used, a survey of 12 potters, 19 of their family members, and 24 controls revealed elevated blood lead levels in the potters, their family members, and the neighbours who used pottery for culinary purposes. Dust from the potters' homes and work areas contained lead in concentrations up to 320,000 ppm. Pottery was found to have lead release levels up to 3,125 microgram/ml. Six people had upper extremity tremor associated with elevated blood lead levels. This survey demonstrates the risk of using lead glazes in pottery production to family members of potters as well as the potters themselves and emphasizes the need for surveillance of occupational hazards in developing countries.

Pre-Columbian estucado pottery from El Salvador: A multi-technique investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sodo, A.

2016-03-01

Pottery is one of the main productions of the pre-Columbian cultures in the Mesoamerican area. Among the others, the estucado pottery represents a very particular type of ceramic, widespread in Maya territory but still never investigated systematically. The peculiarity of this ceramic lies in the unusual application of the color decoration and in the excellent conservation conditions. Seventeen ceramic fragments from El Salvador have been analysed by Raman spectroscopy, SEM/EDS and XRPD, both as fragments and in cross-sections, in order to investigate the manufacturing technique and to understand the good and unexpected conservation state. In both cases, the presence and the chemical nature of a thin white layer (engobe) between the ceramic bulk and the colored decorations seems to be determinant.

Creating kampong as tourist attractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, N.; Utama, R.; Hidayat, A. R. T.; Zamrony, A. B.

2017-06-01

Tourism attractions become one of the main components and they drive the tourism activity in a region. The quality of tourism attractions would affect tourists’ visits. Tourism power can basically be built on any conditions which can attract people to visit. Towns is full of activities which include their economic, social, cultural and physical features, if they are presented properly, they can be a tourist attraction. Kampung City, as a form of urban settlement, has the potential to be developed as a tourism attraction. Kampung is not only a physical area of housing but it has also productive activities. Even the city’s economic activities are also influenced by the productive activities of its Kampung. The shape of Kampung which varies in physical, social, economic and cultural raises special characteristics of each Kampung. When it is linked with the city’s tourism activities, these special characteristics of course could be one of the attractions to attract tourists. This paper studies about one of Kampung in the Malang City. Administratively located in the Penanggungan Village Lowokwaru District, but the potential will just be focused on RW 4. Main productive activities of this village are pottery. In contrast to ceramics, pottery is made from clay and its uniqueness in color and shape. Based on the history of pottery in the Malang, it is concentrated in Penanggungan Village. But along with its development, pottery is decreasingly in demand and number of craftsmen is dwindling. Based on these circumstances, a concept is prepared to raise the image of the region as the Kampung of pottery and to repack it as a tourism attraction of the city.

The Analytic Reconciliation of Classic Mayan Elite Pottery: Squaring Pottery Function with Form, Adornment, and Residual Contents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loughmiller-Newman, Jennifer Ann

2012-01-01

This dissertation presents a multidisciplinary means of determining the actual content (foodstuff, non-foodstuff, or lack of contents) of Classic Mayan (A.D. 250-900) vessels. Based on previous studies that have identified the residues of foodstuffs named in hieroglyphic texts (e.g. cacao), this study is designed to further investigate foodstuff…

Pottery from a Chimú Workshop Studied by Mössbauer Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tschauner, H.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

Ceramic finds from a pottery workshop in the Lambayeque valley were studied by neutron activation analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction in an attempt to assess an advanced division of labour on the North Coast of Peru during the Chimú period (AD 1350-1460). The study suggests that the material was predominantly fired in a reducing environment with partial reoxidation at the end of the firing cycles, although firing in an oxidising atmosphere has taken place occasionally. The observed variation of firing conditions is characteristic for the use of pit kilns. The results of the archaeometric studies confirm the stylistic studies and show that pottery was no status symbol and far less important as a carrier of Chimú style than metal artefacts.

Sample Archaeological Survey of Public Use Areas, Milford Lake, Kansas

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

6,000 B.C. Llano -(Clovis projectile points) Lindenmeier - (Folsom projectile points) Plano -(Plainview, Angostora, Hell Gap, Scotts- bluff, etc...plain, flaring or S-form rims, shell tempered, plain surfaced pottery with low rolled rims 0 and incised alternating hatched triangles on the...tempered pottery with a marked collar rim incised with zig-zags, herringbone and hatched alternating triangles; unnotched triangular arrow points; French

53. PRODUCTION MOLDS. THESE MOLDS ARE COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

53. PRODUCTION MOLDS. THESE MOLDS ARE COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL MOLDS IN THE MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS COLLECTION, AND ARE USED TO PRESS TILES. THE FACTORY KEEPS TEN PRODUCTION MOLDS FOR EACH IMAGE. THE ORIGINAL MOLDS ARE NOT USED IN PRODUCTION. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Gesture Recognition and Sensorimotor Learning-by-Doing of Motor Skills in Manual Professions: A Case Study in the Wheel-Throwing Art of Pottery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glushkova, Alina; Manitsaris, Sotiris

2018-01-01

This paper presents a methodological framework for the use of gesture recognition technologies in the learning/mastery of the gestural skills required in wheel-throwing pottery. In the case of self-instruction or training, learners face difficulties due to the absence of the teacher/expert and the consequent lack of guidance. Motion capture…

51. UPPER CHAMBER OF BISCUIT KILN No. 4, FROM THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

51. UPPER CHAMBER OF BISCUIT KILN No. 4, FROM THE SECOND FLOOR. ALL BRICK KILNS AT THE MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS HAD TWO CHAMBERS. WARE WAS STACKED IN THE LOWER CHAMBERS FOR FIRING AND THE UPPER CHAMBERS PROVIDED ACCESS TO FLUES AND DAMPERS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

92. PRODUCTION MOLDS. THESE MOLDS ARE COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

92. PRODUCTION MOLDS. THESE MOLDS ARE COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL MOLDS IN THE MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS COLLECTION, AND ARE USED TO PRESS TILES. THE FACTORY KEEPS TEN PRODUCTION MOLDS FOR EACH IMAGE. THE ORIGINAL MOLDS ARE NOT USED IN PRODUCTION. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-53. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Cranio-facial clefts in pre-hispanic America.

PubMed

Marius-Nunez, A L; Wasiak, D T

2015-10-01

Among the representations of congenital malformations in Moche ceramic art, cranio-facial clefts have been portrayed in pottery found in Moche burials. These pottery vessels were used as domestic items during lifetime and funerary offerings upon death. The aim of this study was to examine archeological evidence for representations of cranio-facial cleft malformations in Moche vessels. Pottery depicting malformations of the midface in Moche collections in Lima-Peru were studied. The malformations portrayed on pottery were analyzed using the Tessier classification. Photographs were authorized by the Larco Museo.Three vessels were observed to have median cranio-facial dysraphia in association with midline cleft of the lower lip with cleft of the mandible. ML001489 portrays a median cranio-facial dysraphia with an orbital cleft and a midline cleft of the lower lip extending to the mandible. ML001514 represents a median facial dysraphia in association with an orbital facial cleft and a vertical orbital dystopia. ML001491 illustrates a median facial cleft with a soft tissue cleft. Three cases of midline, orbital and lateral facial clefts have been portrayed in Moche full-figure portrait vessels. They represent the earliest registries of congenital cranio-facial malformations in ancient Peru. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Micro-XRF for characterization of Moroccan glazed ceramics and Portuguese tiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guilherme, A.; Manso, M.; Pessanha, S.; Zegzouti, A.; Elaatmani, M.; Bendaoud, R.; Coroado, J.; dos Santos, J. M. F.; Carvalho, M. L.

2013-02-01

A set of enamelled terracotta samples (Zellij) collected from five different monuments in Morocco were object of study. With the aim of characterizing these typically Moroccan artistic objects, X-ray spectroscopic techniques were used as analytical tool to provide elemental and compound information. A lack of information about these types of artistic ceramics is found by the research through international scientific journals, so this investigation is an opportunity to fulfill this gap. For this purpose, micro-Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (μ-EDXRF), and wavelength dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WDXRF) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were the chosen methods. As complementary information, a comparison with other sort of artistic pottery objects is given, more precisely with Portuguese glazed wall tiles (Azulejos), based in the Islamic pottery traditions. Differences between these two types of decorative pottery were found and presented in this manuscript.

Examining the evolution of an ancient irrigation system: the Middle Gila River Canals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Tianduowa; Ertsen, Maurits

2014-05-01

Studying ancient irrigation systems reinforces to understand the co-evolution process between the society and water systems. In the prehistoric Southwest of America, the irrigation has been a crucial feature of human adaptation to the dry environment. The influences of social arrangements on irrigation managements, and implications of the irrigation organization in social developments are main issues that researchers have been exploring for a long time. The analysis of ceramics pattern and distribution has assisted to the reconstruction of prehistoric social networks. The existing study shows that, a few pottery fragments specially produced by the materials of the middle Gila River valley, were found in the Salt River valley; however, very few specialized ceramics of the Salt River valley occurred in the middle Gila River valley. It might indicate that there were trades or exchanges of potteries or raw materials from the middle Gila River valley to the Salt River valley. The most popular hypothesis of trading for the potteries is crop production. Based on this hypothesis, the ceramics trade was highly tied to the irrigation system change. Therefore, examining the changing relationship among the ceramics distribution along the middle Gila River, canals flow capacity, and available streamflows, can provide an insight into the evolutionary path among the social economy, irrigation and water environment. In this study, we reconstruct the flow capacity of canals along the middle Gila River valley. In combination with available streamflow from the middle Gila River, we can simulate how much water could be delivered to the main canals and lateral canals. Based on the variation and chronology of potteries distribution, we may identify that, the drama of the middle Gila River receiving insufficient flows for crop irrigation caused the development of ceramics exchange; or the rising of potteries exchange triggers the decline of irrigation in the study area.

Cultural Resources Survey of Fall River Lake, Kansas.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

vessel 1s a globular jar with a constricted orifice. The pottery 1s most often undecorated but when decorated with Incision , 1t occurs mainly on the...stream and east of Fall River. Both phases are represented by pottery (1 Butler sherd and 2 Pomona Ware). Also found was a plano -convex endscraper...Additionally, a longitudinal Incised grooved boatstone was found which according to Flnnegan and Witty (1977:25) 1s "Woodland" 1n time and culture. It

28. 12INCH VERTICAL PUG MILL, MANUFACTURED BY THE CROSSLEY MANUFACTURING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

28. 12-INCH VERTICAL PUG MILL, MANUFACTURED BY THE CROSSLEY MANUFACTURING CO. OF TRENTON, NJ. IT WAS PURCHASED IN 1902, AND USED AT THE FIRST MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS BEFORE BEING MOVED TO IS PRESENT LOCATION IN 1912. AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE BRICK AUGER, IT WAS PROBABLY USED TO MIX PIGMENT INTO BUFF CLAY TO PRODUCE COLORED-BODIED CLAYS. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Long-term resilience of late holocene coastal subsistence system in Southeastern South america.

PubMed

Colonese, André Carlo; Collins, Matthew; Lucquin, Alexandre; Eustace, Michael; Hancock, Y; de Almeida Rocha Ponzoni, Raquel; Mora, Alice; Smith, Colin; Deblasis, Paulo; Figuti, Levy; Wesolowski, Veronica; Plens, Claudia Regina; Eggers, Sabine; de Farias, Deisi Scunderlick Eloy; Gledhill, Andy; Craig, Oliver Edward

2014-01-01

Isotopic and molecular analysis on human, fauna and pottery remains can provide valuable new insights into the diets and subsistence practices of prehistoric populations. These are crucial to elucidate the resilience of social-ecological systems to cultural and environmental change. Bulk collagen carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of 82 human individuals from mid to late Holocene Brazilian archaeological sites (∼6,700 to ∼1,000 cal BP) reveal an adequate protein incorporation and, on the coast, the continuation in subsistence strategies based on the exploitation of aquatic resources despite the introduction of pottery and domesticated plant foods. These results are supported by carbon isotope analysis of single amino acid extracted from bone collagen. Chemical and isotopic analysis also shows that pottery technology was used to process marine foods and therefore assimilated into the existing subsistence strategy. Our multidisciplinary results demonstrate the resilient character of the coastal economy to cultural change during the late Holocene in southern Brazil.

Luminescence (IRSL) dating of Yeni Rabat church in Artvin, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Şahiner, Eren; Meriç, Niyazi; Uygun, Selda

2013-05-01

Luminescence dating is a chronological method that has been used extensively in terrestrial materials. In this study, we present Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) dating results obtained for sediment and pottery samples taken from Yeni Rabat Church, Ardanuç, Artvin, Turkey. For this purpose, equivalent dose (ED) and annual dose rate (AD) of samples were measured. For annual dose rate, concentrations of radioactive isotopes (U, Th, K) were determined by using a high-purity germanium detector. For the equivalent dose, polymineral fine grain SAR (Single Aliquot Regenerative Dose) and MAAD (Multiple Aliquot Additive Dose) procedures were used. The optimal preheat temperature was determined for sediment and pottery samples. Ages were calculated by Aitken's luminescence age calculation method, which found 710±190 years for the pottery sample and 1450±370 years, 1390±420 years, 1430±310 years, 2210±520 years and 1640±390 years for different sediment samples, respectively. These estimated age ranges support the theory that Yeni Rabat Church could have been constructed in medieval times.

Farming legumes in the pre-pottery Neolithic: New discoveries from the site of Ahihud (Israel).

PubMed

Caracuta, Valentina; Vardi, Jacob; Paz, Ytzhak; Boaretto, Elisabetta

2017-01-01

New discoveries of legumes in the lower Galilee at the prehistoric site of Ahihud in Israel shed light on early farming systems in the southern Levant. Radiocarbon dating of twelve legumes from pits and floors indicate that the farming of legumes was practiced in southern Levant as early as 10.240-10.200 (1σ) ago. The legumes were collected from pits and other domestic contexts dated to the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B. The legumes identified include Vicia faba L. (faba bean), V. ervilia (bitter vetch), V. narbonensis (narbon vetch), Lens sp. (lentil), Pisum sp. (pea), Lathyrus inconspicuus (inconspicuous pea) and L. hirosolymitanus (jerusalem vetchling). Comparison with coeval sites in the region show how the presence of peas, narbon vetches, inconspicuous peas, jerusalem vetchlings and bitter vetches together with faba bean and lentils is unique to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic, and might indicate specific patterns in farming or storing at the onset of agriculture.

Early Neolithic wine of Georgia in the South Caucasus

PubMed Central

McGovern, Patrick; Jalabadze, Mindia; Batiuk, Stephen; Callahan, Michael P.; Smith, Karen E.; Hall, Gretchen R.; Kvavadze, Eliso; Maghradze, David; Rusishvili, Nana; Bouby, Laurent; Failla, Osvaldo; Cola, Gabriele; Mariani, Luigi; Boaretto, Elisabetta; Bacilieri, Roberto; This, Patrice; Wales, Nathan; Lordkipanidze, David

2017-01-01

Chemical analyses of ancient organic compounds absorbed into the pottery fabrics from sites in Georgia in the South Caucasus region, dating to the early Neolithic period (ca. 6,000–5,000 BC), provide the earliest biomolecular archaeological evidence for grape wine and viniculture from the Near East, at ca. 6,000–5,800 BC. The chemical findings are corroborated by climatic and environmental reconstruction, together with archaeobotanical evidence, including grape pollen, starch, and epidermal remains associated with a jar of similar type and date. The very large-capacity jars, some of the earliest pottery made in the Near East, probably served as combination fermentation, aging, and serving vessels. They are the most numerous pottery type at many sites comprising the so-called “Shulaveri-Shomutepe Culture” of the Neolithic period, which extends into western Azerbaijan and northern Armenia. The discovery of early sixth millennium BC grape wine in this region is crucial to the later history of wine in Europe and the rest of the world. PMID:29133421

Radiocarbon dating of charcoal and bone collagen associated with early pottery at Yuchanyan Cave, Hunan Province, China

PubMed Central

Boaretto, Elisabetta; Wu, Xiaohong; Yuan, Jiarong; Bar-Yosef, Ofer; Chu, Vikki; Pan, Yan; Liu, Kexin; Cohen, David; Jiao, Tianlong; Li, Shuicheng; Gu, Haibin; Goldberg, Paul; Weiner, Steve

2009-01-01

Yuchanyan Cave in Daoxian County, Hunan Province (People's Republic of China), yielded fragmentary remains of 2 or more ceramic vessels, in addition to large amounts of ash, a rich animal bone assemblage, cobble and flake artifacts, bone tools, and shell tools. The artifacts indicate that the cave was a Late Paleolithic foragers' camp. Here we report on the radiocarbon ages of the sediments based on analyses of charcoal and bone collagen. The best-preserved charcoal and bone samples were identified by prescreening in the field and laboratory. The dates range from around 21,000 to 13,800 cal BP. We show that the age of the ancient pottery ranges between 18,300 and 15,430 cal BP. Charcoal and bone collagen samples located above and below one of the fragments produced dates of around 18,000. These ceramic potsherds therefore provide some of the earliest evidence for pottery making in China. PMID:19487667

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part I: Mössbauer Study of Clays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, I.; Häusler, W.; Hutzelmann, T.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We report on an investigation of several ancient clays which were used for pottery making in northern coastal Peru at a kiln site from the Formative period (ca. 2000-800 BC) in the Poma Canal and at a Middle Sicán pottery workshop in use between ca. AD 950 and 1050 at Huaca Sialupe in the lower La Leche valley. Neutron activation analysis, 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for the characterisation of the clays. The changes that occur in iron-bearing compounds in the clays depending on the kiln atmosphere and on the maximum firing temperature were studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Laboratory firing series under varying controlled conditions were performed to obtain a basic understanding of the different reactions taking place in the clays during firing. The results can be used as models in the interpretation of the Mössbauer spectra observed in ancient ceramics from the same context.

Long-Term Resilience of Late Holocene Coastal Subsistence System in Southeastern South America

PubMed Central

Colonese, André Carlo; Collins, Matthew; Lucquin, Alexandre; Eustace, Michael; Hancock, Y.; de Almeida Rocha Ponzoni, Raquel; Mora, Alice; Smith, Colin; DeBlasis, Paulo; Figuti, Levy; Wesolowski, Veronica; Plens, Claudia Regina; Eggers, Sabine; de Farias, Deisi Scunderlick Eloy; Gledhill, Andy; Craig, Oliver Edward

2014-01-01

Isotopic and molecular analysis on human, fauna and pottery remains can provide valuable new insights into the diets and subsistence practices of prehistoric populations. These are crucial to elucidate the resilience of social-ecological systems to cultural and environmental change. Bulk collagen carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of 82 human individuals from mid to late Holocene Brazilian archaeological sites (∼6,700 to ∼1,000 cal BP) reveal an adequate protein incorporation and, on the coast, the continuation in subsistence strategies based on the exploitation of aquatic resources despite the introduction of pottery and domesticated plant foods. These results are supported by carbon isotope analysis of single amino acid extracted from bone collagen. Chemical and isotopic analysis also shows that pottery technology was used to process marine foods and therefore assimilated into the existing subsistence strategy. Our multidisciplinary results demonstrate the resilient character of the coastal economy to cultural change during the late Holocene in southern Brazil. PMID:24718458

Farming legumes in the pre-pottery Neolithic: New discoveries from the site of Ahihud (Israel)

PubMed Central

Vardi, Jacob; Paz, Ytzhak; Boaretto, Elisabetta

2017-01-01

New discoveries of legumes in the lower Galilee at the prehistoric site of Ahihud in Israel shed light on early farming systems in the southern Levant. Radiocarbon dating of twelve legumes from pits and floors indicate that the farming of legumes was practiced in southern Levant as early as 10.240–10.200 (1σ) ago. The legumes were collected from pits and other domestic contexts dated to the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B. The legumes identified include Vicia faba L. (faba bean), V. ervilia (bitter vetch), V. narbonensis (narbon vetch), Lens sp. (lentil), Pisum sp. (pea), Lathyrus inconspicuus (inconspicuous pea) and L. hirosolymitanus (jerusalem vetchling). Comparison with coeval sites in the region show how the presence of peas, narbon vetches, inconspicuous peas, jerusalem vetchlings and bitter vetches together with faba bean and lentils is unique to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic, and might indicate specific patterns in farming or storing at the onset of agriculture. PMID:28542358

Nation Building and Social Signaling in Southern Ontario: A.D. 1350-1650.

PubMed

Hart, John P; Shafie, Termeh; Birch, Jennifer; Dermarkar, Susan; Williamson, Ronald F

2016-01-01

Pottery is a mainstay of archaeological analysis worldwide. Often, high proportions of the pottery recovered from a given site are decorated in some manner. In northern Iroquoia, late pre-contact pottery and early contact decoration commonly occur on collars-thick bands of clay that encircle a pot and extend several centimeters down from the lip. These decorations constitute signals that conveyed information about a pot's user(s). In southern Ontario the period A.D. 1350 to 1650 witnessed substantial changes in socio-political and settlement systems that included population movement, coalescence of formerly separate communities into large villages and towns, waxing and waning of regional strife, the formation of nations, and finally the development of three confederacies that each occupied distinct, constricted areas. Social network analysis demonstrates that signaling practices changed to reflect these regional patterns. Networks become more consolidated through time ultimately resulting in a "small world" network with small degrees of separation between sites reflecting the integration of communities within and between the three confederacies.

Bronze Age pottery from the Aeolian Islands: definition of Temper Compositional Reference Units by an integrated mineralogical and microchemical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunelli, D.; Levi, S. T.; Fragnoli, P.; Renzulli, A.; Santi, P.; Paganelli, E.; Martinelli, M. C.

2013-12-01

An integrated microchemical-petrographic approach is here proposed to discriminate the provenance of archaeological pottery artefacts from distinct production centres. Our study focuses on a statistically significant sampling ( n=186) of volcanic temper-bearing potteries representative of the manufacturing and dispersion among the islands of the Aeolian Archipelago during the Bronze Age. The widespread establishment of new settlements and the abundant recovery of Aeolian-made ceramic in southern Italy attest for the increased vitality of the Archipelago during the Capo Graziano culture (Early Bronze Age-Middle Bronze Age 2; 2300-1430 BC). Potteries from three of the main known ancient communities (Lipari, Filicudi and Stromboli) have been studied integrating old collections and newly excavated material. Volcanic tempers have been first investigated through multivariate analyses of relative abundances of mineral and rock clasts along with petrographic characters. In addition, we performed in-situ mineral chemistry microanalyses by Electron Microprobe and Laser Ablation—Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to assess major and trace element composition of the most common mineral phases. Four Temper Compositional Reference Units have been recognised based on compositional trends. Two units (AI and AX) are unequivocally distinct by their peculiar trace element enrichment and petrographic composition; they mostly contain samples from the sites of Lipari and Stromboli, respectively. Units AIV and AVIII, restricted to the sites of Filicudi and Stromboli, show distinct petrographic characters but overlapped geochemical fingerprints.

An Intensive Cultural Resources Survey and National Register Evaluation of Archaeological Sites at the Proposed River Ranch Resort in Lyman County, South Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

34 a few minuscule pottery sherds, bone fragments and stone chips eroding from the bank". The legal location was given as SW 1/4, SW 1/4, Section 4...than that stated in the 1984 survey report. The artifacts noted by Mallory included lithic material, bone fragments and pottery fragments. These are... Bone Six bones or bone fragments were found in this level, and most of these appeared to be identifiable elements, probably from birds. No attempt was

27. MASCOT BRICK AUGER AND No 1 COMBINATION CUTTING TABLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

27. MASCOT BRICK AUGER AND No 1 COMBINATION CUTTING TABLE MANUFACTURED BY THE AMERICAN CLAY MACHINERY CO. OF BUCYRUS, OHIO. IT WAS PURCHASED IN 1903. AND USED AT THE FIRST MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS BEFORE BEING MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION IN 1912. IT IS USED TO SCREEN STONES FROM RAW CLAY AND INCORPORATE WATER TO A PROPER WORKING CONSISTENCY. IT IS NOW POWERED BY AN ELECTRIC MOTOR INSTALLED IN 1990. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Estimating historical respirable crystalline silica exposures for Chinese pottery workers and iron/copper, tin, and tungsten miners.

PubMed

Zhuang, Z; Hearl, F J; Odencrantz, J; Chen, W; Chen, B T; Chen, J Q; McCawley, M A; Gao, P; Soderholm, S C

2001-11-01

Collaborative studies of Chinese workers, using over four decades of dust monitoring data, are being conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Tongji Medical University in China. The goal of these projects is to establish exposure-response relationships for the development of diseases such as silicosis or lung cancer in cohorts of pottery and mine workers. It is necessary to convert Chinese dust measurements to respirable silica measurements in order to make results from the Chinese data comparable to other results in the literature. This article describes the development of conversion factors and estimates of historical respirable crystalline silica exposure for Chinese workers. Ambient total dust concentrations (n>17000) and crystalline silica concentrations (n=347) in bulk dust were first gathered from historical industrial hygiene records. Analysis of the silica content in historical bulk samples revealed no trend from 1950 up to the present. During 1988-1989, side-by-side airborne dust samples (n=143 pairs) were collected using nylon cyclones and traditional Chinese samplers in 20 metal mines and nine pottery factories in China. These data were used to establish conversion factors between respirable crystalline silica concentrations and Chinese total dust concentrations. Based on the analysis of the available evidence, conversion factors derived from the 1988-1989 sampling campaign are assumed to apply to other time periods in this paper. The conversion factors were estimated to be 0.0143 for iron/copper, 0.0355 for pottery factories, 0.0429 for tin mines, and 0.0861 for tungsten mines. Conversion factors for individual facilities within each industry were also calculated. Analysis of variance revealed that mean conversion factors are significantly different among facilities within the iron/copper industry and within the pottery industry. The relative merits of using facility-specific conversion factors, industry-wide conversion factors, or a weighted average of the two are discussed. The exposure matrix of the historical Chinese total dust concentrations was multiplied by these conversion factors to obtain an exposure matrix of historical respirable crystalline silica concentrations.

Regional diversity on the timing for the initial appearance of cereal cultivation and domestication in southwest Asia.

PubMed

Arranz-Otaegui, Amaia; Colledge, Sue; Zapata, Lydia; Teira-Mayolini, Luis Cesar; Ibáñez, Juan José

2016-12-06

Recent studies have broadened our knowledge regarding the origins of agriculture in southwest Asia by highlighting the multiregional and protracted nature of plant domestication. However, there have been few archaeobotanical data to examine whether the early adoption of wild cereal cultivation and the subsequent appearance of domesticated-type cereals occurred in parallel across southwest Asia, or if chronological differences existed between regions. The evaluation of the available archaeobotanical evidence indicates that during Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) cultivation of wild cereal species was common in regions such as the southern-central Levant and the Upper Euphrates area, but the plant-based subsistence in the eastern Fertile Crescent (southeast Turkey, Iran, and Iraq) focused on the exploitation of plants such as legumes, goatgrass, fruits, and nuts. Around 10.7-10.2 ka Cal BP (early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B), the predominant exploitation of cereals continued in the southern-central Levant and is correlated with the appearance of significant proportions (∼30%) of domesticated-type cereal chaff in the archaeobotanical record. In the eastern Fertile Crescent exploitation of legumes, fruits, nuts, and grasses continued, and in the Euphrates legumes predominated. In these two regions domesticated-type cereal chaff (>10%) is not identified until the middle and late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (10.2-8.3 ka Cal BP). We propose that the cultivation of wild and domesticated cereals developed at different times across southwest Asia and was conditioned by the regionally diverse plant-based subsistence strategies adopted by Pre-Pottery Neolithic groups.

Regional diversity on the timing for the initial appearance of cereal cultivation and domestication in southwest Asia

PubMed Central

Arranz-Otaegui, Amaia; Colledge, Sue; Zapata, Lydia; Teira-Mayolini, Luis Cesar; Ibáñez, Juan José

2016-01-01

Recent studies have broadened our knowledge regarding the origins of agriculture in southwest Asia by highlighting the multiregional and protracted nature of plant domestication. However, there have been few archaeobotanical data to examine whether the early adoption of wild cereal cultivation and the subsequent appearance of domesticated-type cereals occurred in parallel across southwest Asia, or if chronological differences existed between regions. The evaluation of the available archaeobotanical evidence indicates that during Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) cultivation of wild cereal species was common in regions such as the southern-central Levant and the Upper Euphrates area, but the plant-based subsistence in the eastern Fertile Crescent (southeast Turkey, Iran, and Iraq) focused on the exploitation of plants such as legumes, goatgrass, fruits, and nuts. Around 10.7–10.2 ka Cal BP (early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B), the predominant exploitation of cereals continued in the southern-central Levant and is correlated with the appearance of significant proportions (∼30%) of domesticated-type cereal chaff in the archaeobotanical record. In the eastern Fertile Crescent exploitation of legumes, fruits, nuts, and grasses continued, and in the Euphrates legumes predominated. In these two regions domesticated-type cereal chaff (>10%) is not identified until the middle and late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (10.2–8.3 ka Cal BP). We propose that the cultivation of wild and domesticated cereals developed at different times across southwest Asia and was conditioned by the regionally diverse plant-based subsistence strategies adopted by Pre-Pottery Neolithic groups. PMID:27930348

Transient re-emergence of oil of turpentine allergy in the pottery industry.

PubMed

Lear, J T; Heagerty, A H; Tan, B B; Smith, A G; English, J S

1996-09-01

Allergy to oil of turpentine has diminished largely due to the use of cheaper substitutes in many occupations. However, 2 particular areas still reliant on real oil of turpentine are those of the perfume industry and ceramic decoration. We report 24 cases of hand dermatitis in pottery workers involved in ceramic decoration, paintresses, liners, gilders, enamellers and a fine china painter, seen in a 6-month period following a change from Portuguese to Indonesian turpentine, of whom 14 were sensitive to Indonesian turpentine, 8 to alpha-pinene, 4 to delta-3-carene and 2 positive to turpentine peroxides. Previous reports suggest that delta-3-carene is the main allergen and reports of sensitivity to alpha-pinene in the absence of sensitivity to turpentine peroxide, in particular to the hydroperoxide of delta-3-carene, are few. Turpentine allergy continues to be a problem in the pottery industry and is more common than allergy to the heavy metals of the colours used in ceramic decoration. alpha-Pinene, an unusual allergen, appears to be the most common in our area. Reversion to Portuguese turpentine seems to have alleviated the problem.

Spectroscopic and statistical approach of archaeological artifacts recently excavated from Tamilnadu, South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seetha, D.; Velraj, G.

2015-10-01

The ancient materials characterization will bring back the more evidence of the ancient people life styles. In this study, the archaeological pottery shards recently excavated from Kodumanal, Erode District in Tamilnadu, South India were investigated. The experimental results enlighten us to the elemental and the mineral composition of the pottery shards. The FT-IR technique tells that the mineralogy and the firing temperature of the samples are less than 800 °C, in the oxidizing/reducing atmosphere and the XRD was used as a complementary technique for the mineralogy. A thorough scientific study of SEM-EDS with the help of statistical approach done to find the provenance of the selected pot shards has not yet been performed. EDS and XRF results revealed that the investigated samples have the elements O, Si, Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, Ti, K and Na are in different compositions. For establishing the provenance (same or different origin) of pottery samples, Al and Si concentration ratio as well as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used and the results are correlated.

Architecture, sedentism, and social complexity at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A WF16, Southern Jordan

PubMed Central

Finlayson, Bill; Mithen, Steven J.; Najjar, Mohammad; Smith, Sam; Maričević, Darko; Pankhurst, Nick; Yeomans, Lisa

2011-01-01

Recent excavations at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) WF16 in southern Jordan have revealed remarkable evidence of architectural developments in the early Neolithic. This sheds light on both special purpose structures and “domestic” settlement, allowing fresh insights into the development of increasingly sedentary communities and the social systems they supported. The development of sedentary communities is a central part of the Neolithic process in Southwest Asia. Architecture and ideas of homes and households have been important to the debate, although there has also been considerable discussion on the role of communal buildings and the organization of early sedentarizing communities since the discovery of the tower at Jericho. Recently, the focus has been on either northern Levantine PPNA sites, such as Jerf el Ahmar, or the emergence of ritual buildings in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B of the southern Levant. Much of the debate revolves around a division between what is interpreted as domestic space, contrasted with “special purpose” buildings. Our recent evidence allows a fresh examination of the nature of early Neolithic communities. PMID:21536900

Architecture, sedentism, and social complexity at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A WF16, Southern Jordan.

PubMed

Finlayson, Bill; Mithen, Steven J; Najjar, Mohammad; Smith, Sam; Maričević, Darko; Pankhurst, Nick; Yeomans, Lisa

2011-05-17

Recent excavations at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) WF16 in southern Jordan have revealed remarkable evidence of architectural developments in the early Neolithic. This sheds light on both special purpose structures and "domestic" settlement, allowing fresh insights into the development of increasingly sedentary communities and the social systems they supported. The development of sedentary communities is a central part of the Neolithic process in Southwest Asia. Architecture and ideas of homes and households have been important to the debate, although there has also been considerable discussion on the role of communal buildings and the organization of early sedentarizing communities since the discovery of the tower at Jericho. Recently, the focus has been on either northern Levantine PPNA sites, such as Jerf el Ahmar, or the emergence of ritual buildings in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B of the southern Levant. Much of the debate revolves around a division between what is interpreted as domestic space, contrasted with "special purpose" buildings. Our recent evidence allows a fresh examination of the nature of early Neolithic communities.

32. 15HORSE POWER METROPOLITAN SIDECRANK SELF CONTAINED STEAM ENGINE, MANUFACTURED ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

32. 15-HORSE POWER METROPOLITAN SIDE-CRANK SELF CONTAINED STEAM ENGINE, MANUFACTURED BY DONEGAN & SWIFT OF NEW YORK. IT WAS PURCHASED IN 1903, AND WAS USED AT THE FIRST MORAVIAN POTTERY AND TILE WORKS BEFORE BEING MOVED TO THE CURRENT LOCATION IN 1912. THE ENGINE POWERED THE BRICK AUGER AND VERTICAL PUG MILL BY MEANS OF THE LINE SHAFT IN THE UPPER LEFT OF THE PHOTO. CLAY AND GLAZE MATERIALS ARE IN THE BACKGROUND. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Protective Clothing as a Factor in the Dust Hazard of Potters

PubMed Central

Bloor, W. A.; Dinsdale, A.

1962-01-01

Investigations into the factors affecting dust concentrations in the breathing zone of pottery operatives have shown that cotton overalls constitute a serious source of dust. Attempts to overcome this difficulty by treatment of the material were not successful, so other types of materials were investigated. Terylene was found to have outstandingly desirable properties; types of “terylene” material and designs of clothing were defined. Factory tests showed that with this new protective clothing reductions of up to 65% in breathing zone dust concentrations were achieved. This type of clothing is now being officially recommended by the Joint Standing Committee for the Pottery Industry. Images PMID:13971816

Application of radioisotope XRF and thermoluminescence (TL) dating in investigation of pottery from Tell AL-Kasra archaeological site, Syria.

PubMed

Abboud, R; Issa, H; Abed-Allah, Y D; Bakraji, E H

2015-11-01

Statistical analysis based on chemical composition, using radioisotope X-ray fluorescence, have been applied on 39 ancient pottery fragments coming from the excavation at Tell Al-Kasra archaeological site, Syria. Three groups were defined by applying Cluster and Factor analysis statistical methods. Thermoluminescence (TL) dating was investigated on three sherds taken from the bathroom (hammam) on the site. Multiple aliquot additive dose (MAAD) was used to estimate the paleodose value, and the gamma spectrometry was used to estimate the dose rate. The average age was found to be 715±36 year. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Absolute geomagnetic intensity data from preclassic Guatemalan pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alva-Valdivia, L. M.; Morales, J.; Goguitchaichvili, A.; Popenoe de Hatch, M.; Hernandez-Bernal, M. S.; Mariano-Matías, F.

2010-05-01

Archaeointensity results from 10 pottery fragments from the Kaminaljuyu area (14°37'N, 90°32'W)—Guatemala, whose ages range from 100 to 900 B.C., were determined in order to contribute to the incipient intensity secular variation curve for the preclassic period in Mesoamerica. Magnetic experiments including hysteresis loops, IRM-DIRM and Curie temperature analysis indicate that pseudo-single-domain magnetite and/or titanium poor titanomagnetites are responsible for the remanence. Pottery fragments were analyzed using the Coe version of the Thellier and Thellier paleointensity method. Although not numerous, our results meet with high standard, commonly accepted strict selection and acceptance criteria as attested by reasonably high Coe quality factors. The fragment mean archaeointensities range from 15 to 43 μT, and corresponding virtual axial dipole moments range from 3.6 ± 0.7 to 10.3 ± 0.9 × 10 22 Am 2. This corresponds to a mean VADM value of (7.5 ± 2.5) × 10 22 Am 2, which is close to the present day field strength. The new results obtained in this study together with those of ArcheoInt data compilation, are analyzed in context of CALS3k and ARCH3K model predictions.

[Evidence of facial palsy and facial malformations in pottery from Peruvian Moche and Lambayeque pre-Columbian cultures].

PubMed

Carod-Artal, F J; Vázquez Cabrera, C B

2006-01-01

Moche (100-700 AD) and Lambayeque-Sicán (750-1100 AD) are pre-Columbian cultures from Regional States Period, developed in Northern Peru. Information about daily life, religion and medicine has been obtained through the study of Moche ceramics found in lords and priests tombs, pyramids and temples. To analyze archeological evidences of Moche Medicine and neurological diseases through ceramics. Representations of diseases in Moche and Lambayeque iconography and Moche pottery collections exposed in Casinelli museum from Trujillo, and Brüning National Archeological museum from Lambayeque, Peru, were studied. The most representative cases were analyzed and photographed, previous authorization from authorities and curators of the museums. The following pathologies were observed in ceramic collections: peripheral facial palsy, facial malformations such as cleft lip, hemifacial spasm, legs and arm amputations, scoliosis and Siamese patients. Male and females Moche doctors were also observed in the ceramics in ritual ceremonies treating patients. The main pathologies observed in Moche and Lambayeque pottery are facial palsy and cleft lip. These are one of the earliest registries of these pathologies in pre-Columbian cultures in South-America.

New archeointensity results from the reconstructed ancient kiln by the Tsunakawa-Shaw method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Y.; Hatakeyama, T.; Kitahara, Y.; Saito, T.

2017-12-01

Yamamoto et al. (2015) reported that baked clay samples from the floor of a reconstructed ancient kiln provided a reliable Tsunakawa-Shaw (LTD-DHT Shaw) archeointensity (AI) estimate of 47.3 +/- 2.2 microT which is fairly consistent with the in situ geomagnetic field of 46.4 microT at the time of the reconstruction. The reconstruction was conducted to reproduce an excavated kiln of the seventh century in Japan and Sue-type potteries of contemporary style were also fired (Nakajima et al., 1974). Two of the potteries with reddish color were recently subjected to the Tsunakawa-Shaw archeointensity determinations, resulting in reliable AI estimates of 45.4 +/- 2.3 (N=6) and 48.2 +/- 2.7 microT (N=15) when specimens were heated in air in laboratory (Yamamoto et al., 2017 JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting). We have had another opportunity to take samples from a new reconstructed ancient kiln in Japan which was fired in autumn 2016. The samples were two Sue-type potteries with grayish color (bowl-type and plate-type) and some blocks collected from inner wall of the kiln body. They were cut into mini specimens and then subjected to the Tsunakawa-Shaw experiment. Heating in laboratory was done either in air or vacuum.For the bowl-type pottery, AIs of 46.9 +/- 2.8 (N=6, air) and 45.3 +/- 2.3 microT (N=6, vacuum) are obtained. They are indistinguishable each other and consistent with the IGRF field of 47.4 microT at the reconstructed location in 2016. For the plate-type pottery, AIs result in 41.8 +/- 1.3 (N=4, air) and 43.9 +/- 3.9 microT (N=4, vacuum). They are also indistinguishable each other but the former AI is slightly lower than the IGRF field.For the inner wall, AIs of 45.0 (N=1, air) and 46.8 microT (N=1, vacuum) are obtained from a right-side wall, and those of 45.5 +/- 2.5 (N=2, air) and 47.7 +/- 3.0 microT (N=2, vacuum) are observed from a left-side wall. They are all indistinguishable and consistent with the IGRF field.

``Amarna blue'' painted on ancient Egyptian pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uda, M.; Nakamura, M.; Yoshimura, S.; Kondo, J.; Saito, M.; Shirai, Y.; Hasegawa, S.; Baba, Y.; Ikeda, K.; Ban, Y.; Matsuo, A.; Tamada, M.; Sunaga, H.; Oshio, H.; Yamashita, D.; Nakajima, Y.; Utaka, T.

2002-04-01

"Amarna blue" pigments (18 Dynasty, c. 1400 BC) painted on pottery fragments were investigated using the PIXE, XRF and XRD methods in laboratories and also using a portable type of X-ray spectrometer at the sites of excavation. On the blue-colored part enrichment of Na, Al, S, Cl, Ca, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn was found using X-ray spectroscopy, and CaSO 4, NaCl and Co(M)Al 2O 4, M denoting Mn, Fe, Ni and Zn, were found by the help of X-ray diffraction. This means that Amarna blue is a mixture of CaSO 4 and Co(M)Al 2O 4, at least in part.

An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA announced the availability of the final report, An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios. This report investigates the potential dioxin exposure to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products. Dermal, inhalation, and ingestion exposures to clay were measured at the ceramics art department of Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. The exposure estimates were based on measured levels of clay in the studio air, deposited on surrogate food samples and on the skin of the artists. The purpose of this report is to describe an exploratory investigation of potential dioxin exposures to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products.

Applications of Hard X-ray Full-Field Transmission X-ray Microscopy at SSRL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Andrews, J. C.; Meirer, F.; Mehta, A.; Gil, S. Carrasco; Sciau, P.; Mester, Z.; Pianetta, P.

2011-09-01

State-of-the-art hard x-ray full-field transmission x-ray microscopy (TXM) at beamline 6-2C of Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource has been applied to various research fields including biological, environmental, and material studies. With the capability of imaging a 32-micron field-of-view at 30-nm resolution using both absorption mode and Zernike phase contrast, the 3D morphology of yeast cells grown in gold-rich media was investigated. Quantitative evaluation of the absorption coefficient was performed for mercury nanoparticles in alfalfa roots exposed to mercury. Combining XANES and TXM, we also performed XANES-imaging on an ancient pottery sample from the Roman pottery workshop at LaGraufesenque (Aveyron).

Remanence anisotropy effect on the palaeointensity results obtained from various archaeological materials, excluding pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovacheva, M.; Chauvin, A.; Jordanova, N.; Lanos, P.; Karloukovski, V.

2009-06-01

The effect of magnetic anisotropy on the palaeointensity results has been evaluated in different materials, including samples from archaeological structures of various ages, such as baked clay from prehistoric domestic ovens or pottery kilns, burnt soil from ancient fires, and bricks and bricks or tiles used in the kiln's construction. The remanence anisotropy was estimated by the thermoremanent (TRM) anisotropy tensor and isothermal remanence (IRM) tensor methods. The small anisotropy effect (less than 5%) observed in the palaeointensity results of baked clay from the relatively thin prehistoric oven's floors estimated previously through IRM anisotropy was confirmed by TRM anisotropy of this material. The new results demonstrate the possibility of using IRM anisotropy evaluation to correct baked clay palaeointensity data instead of the more difficult to determine TRM anisotropy ellipsoid. This is not always the case for the palaeointensity results from bricks and tiles. The anisotropy correction to palaeointensity results seems negligible for materials other than pottery. It would therefore appear that the palaeointensity determination is more sensitive to the degree of remanence anisotropy P and the angle between the natural remanent magnetization (NRM) vector and the laboratory field direction, than to the angle between the NRM and the maximum axis of the remanence anisotropy ellipsoid (Kmax).

XAFS study of copper and silver nanoparticles in glazes of medieval middle-east lustreware (10th-13th century)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padovani, S.; Puzzovio, D.; Sada, C.; Mazzoldi, P.; Borgia, I.; Sgamellotti, A.; Brunetti, B. G.; Cartechini, L.; D'Acapito, F.; Maurizio, C.; Shokoui, F.; Oliaiy, P.; Rahighi, J.; Lamehi-Rachti, M.; Pantos, E.

2006-06-01

It has recently been shown that lustre decoration of medieval and Renaissance pottery consists of silver and copper nanoparticles dispersed in the glassy matrix of the ceramic glaze. Here the findings of an X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) study on lustred glazes of shards belonging to 10th and 13rd century pottery from the National Museum of Iran are reported. Absorption spectra in the visible range have been also measured in order to investigate the relations between colour and glaze composition. Gold colour is mainly due to Ag nanoparticles, though Ag+, Cu+ and Cu2+ ions can be also dispersed within the glassy matrix, with different ratios. Red colour is mainly due to Cu nanoparticles, although some Ag nanoparticles, Ag+ and Cu+ ions can be present. The achievement of metallic Cu and the absence of Cu2+ indicate a higher reduction of copper in red lustre. These findings are in substantial agreement with previous results on Italian Renaissance pottery. In spite of the large heterogeneity of cases, the presence of copper and silver ions in the glaze confirms that lustre formation is mediated by a copper- and silver-alkali ion exchange, followed by nucleation and growth of metal nanoparticles.

The archaeology of drill hole U20bc, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLane, A.R.; Hemphill, M.L.; Livingston, S.J.

1992-12-31

Impacts to four sites near drill hole U20bc on Pahute Mesa in the northwestern part of the Nevada Test Site were mitigated through data recovery. The work was done during 1988 by the Desert Research Institute for the Department of Energy, Nevada Field Office (DOE/NV)- The four sites that warranted data recovery were 26NY3171, 26NY3173, 26NY5561 and 26NY5566. These sites had previously been determined eligible to the National Register of Historic Places. They were temporary camps that contained lithic debitage, projectile points, milling stones and pottery, and therefore contributed significant information concerning the prehistory of the area. The study ofmore » the archaeological remains shows that the prehistoric people subsisted on plant foods and game animals as determined by the artifacts including manos, metates, pottery, lithic scrapers, and projectile points. The time sensitive arfifacts (pottery and diagnostic points) suggest that the region was used from about 12,000 B.P. to just before the historic period, possibly 150 years ago. DOE/NV has met its obligation to mitigate adverse impacts to the cultural resources at U20bc. Therefore, it is recommended that this project proceed as planned.« less

The archaeology of drill hole U20bc, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLane, A.R.; Hemphill, M.L.; Livingston, S.J.

1992-01-01

Impacts to four sites near drill hole U20bc on Pahute Mesa in the northwestern part of the Nevada Test Site were mitigated through data recovery. The work was done during 1988 by the Desert Research Institute for the Department of Energy, Nevada Field Office (DOE/NV)- The four sites that warranted data recovery were 26NY3171, 26NY3173, 26NY5561 and 26NY5566. These sites had previously been determined eligible to the National Register of Historic Places. They were temporary camps that contained lithic debitage, projectile points, milling stones and pottery, and therefore contributed significant information concerning the prehistory of the area. The study ofmore » the archaeological remains shows that the prehistoric people subsisted on plant foods and game animals as determined by the artifacts including manos, metates, pottery, lithic scrapers, and projectile points. The time sensitive arfifacts (pottery and diagnostic points) suggest that the region was used from about 12,000 B.P. to just before the historic period, possibly 150 years ago. DOE/NV has met its obligation to mitigate adverse impacts to the cultural resources at U20bc. Therefore, it is recommended that this project proceed as planned.« less

Petro-mineralogy and geochemistry as tools of provenance analysis on archaeological pottery: Study of Inka Period ceramics from Paria, Bolivia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szilágyi, V.; Gyarmati, J.; Tóth, M.; Taubald, H.; Balla, M.; Kasztovszky, Zs.; Szakmány, Gy.

2012-07-01

This paper summarized the results of comprehensive petro-mineralogical and geochemical (archeometrical) investigation of Inka Period ceramics excavated from Inka (A.D. 1438-1535) and Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000/1200-1438) sites of the Paria Basin (Dept. Oruro, Bolivia). Applying geological analytical techniques we observed a complex and important archaeological subject of the region and the era, the cultural-economic influence of the conquering Inkas in the provincial region of Paria appearing in the ceramic material. According to our results, continuity and changes of raw material utilization and pottery manufacturing techniques from the Late Intermediate to the Inka Period are characterized by analytical methods. The geological field survey provided efficient basis for the identification of utilized raw material sources. On the one hand, ceramic supply of both eras proved to be based almost entirely on local and near raw material sources. So, imperial handicraft applied local materials but with sophisticated imperial techniques in Paria. On the other hand, Inka Imperial and local-style vessels also show clear differences in their material which suggests that sources and techniques functioned already in the Late Intermediate Period subsisted even after the Inka conquest of the Paria Basin. Based on our geological investigations, pottery supply system of the Paria region proved to be rather complex during the Inka Period.

Human intestinal parasites from a Mamluk Period cesspool in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem: Potential indicators of long distance travel in the 15th century AD.

PubMed

Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Prag, Kay; Clamer, Christa; Humbert, Jean-Baptiste; Mitchell, Piers D

2015-06-01

The aim of this research is to determine which parasites were present in a mediaeval latrine from the old city of Jerusalem. This latrine contains fragments of pottery from the Middle East and also from Italy, suggesting links of some kind with Europe. Excavation identified two separate entry chutes emptying in a shared cesspool. Radiocarbon dating and pottery analysis is compatible with a date of use in the late fifteenth century and early sixteenth century. Twelve coprolites (preserved stool) and mixed cesspool sediment were analysed with light microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Six species of intestinal parasites were identified. These were the helminths Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm), Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Taenia sp. (beef/pork/asiatic tapeworm) Diphyllobothrium sp. (fish tapeworm), and two protozoa that can cause dysentery (Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis). While roundworm and whipworm were found in every sample, the other parasite species were present in only one or two samples each, suggesting that only a minority of those using the latrine were infected with those species. The role of Jerusalem as a site for long distance trade, migration or pilgrimage is considered when interpreting the Italian pottery and the parasites present, especially E. histolytica and Diphyllobothrium sp. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

JCE Resources for Chemistry and Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobsen, Erica K.

2001-01-01

Includes an annotated bibliography of articles featured in this journal on art, dyes, glass, pottery and ceramics, interdisciplinary courses in art and chemistry, light and color, metalwork, and music. (YDS)

Archaeometric study of black-coated pottery from Pompeii by different analytical techniques.

PubMed

Scarpelli, Roberta; Clark, Robin J H; De Francesco, Anna Maria

2014-01-01

Complementary spectroscopic methods were used to characterize ceramic body and black coating of fine pottery found at Pompeii (Italy). This has enabled us to investigate local productions and to clarify the technological changes over the 4th-1st centuries BC. Two different groups of ceramics were originally distinguished on the basis of macroscopic observations. Optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) seem to indicate the usage of the same raw materials for the production of black-coated ceramics at Pompeii for about three centuries. Raman microscopy (RM) and micro-analysis (SEM/EDS) suggest different production treatments for both raw material processing and firing practice (duration of the reducing step and the cooling rate). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precolumbian Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Janet Bond

1995-01-01

Describes the content and development of a curriculum that provides an approach to descriptive chemistry and the history of technology through consideration of the pottery, metallurgy, pigments, dyes, agriculture, and medicine of pre-Columbian people. (DDR)

Ways.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finnucan, Donna; And Others

1985-01-01

Describes an elementary art program that teaches children to use clay, a course in which middle-grade students made pottery using old plaster greenware molds, and an art class in which middle-grade students made Indian jewelry. (RM)

15. INTERIOR, NORTHWESTERN WING, SHOW ROOM, DETAIL OF BALCONY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. INTERIOR, NORTHWESTERN WING, SHOW ROOM, DETAIL OF BALCONY - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

14. INTERIOR, NORTHWESTERN WING, SHOW ROOM, DETAIL OF FIREPLACE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. INTERIOR, NORTHWESTERN WING, SHOW ROOM, DETAIL OF FIREPLACE - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

19. INTERIOR, VIEW THROUGH TRIANGULARARCHED DOORWAY TO EXTERIOR Moravian ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. INTERIOR, VIEW THROUGH TRIANGULAR-ARCHED DOORWAY TO EXTERIOR - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Chemistry for Potters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denio, Allen A.

1980-01-01

Relates pottery making to chemistry by providing chemical information about clay, its origin, composition, properties, and changes that occur during firing; also describes glaze compositions, examples of redox chemistry, salt glazing, crystalline glazes, and problems in toxicity. (CS)

5. VIEW OF POWER SUPPLY EQUIPMENT SHOWING ELECTRIC MOTER AND ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. VIEW OF POWER SUPPLY EQUIPMENT SHOWING ELECTRIC MOTER AND DRIVE & FLYWHEELS WITH BELT TRANSMISSION. ORIGINALLY STEAM DRIVEN - Anchor (Stangl) Pottery Company, 940 New York Avenue, Trenton, Mercer County, NJ

Phytoliths in Pottery Reveal the Use of Spice in European Prehistoric Cuisine

PubMed Central

Saul, Hayley; Madella, Marco; Fischer, Anders; Glykou, Aikaterini; Hartz, Sönke; Craig, Oliver E.

2013-01-01

Here we present evidence of phytoliths preserved in carbonised food deposits on prehistoric pottery from the western Baltic dating from 6,100 cal BP to 5750 cal BP. Based on comparisons to over 120 European and Asian species, our observations are consistent with phytolith morphologies observed in modern garlic mustard seed (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb) Cavara & Grande). As this seed has a strong flavour, little nutritional value, and the phytoliths are found in pots along with terrestrial and marine animal residues, these findings are the first direct evidence for the spicing of food in European prehistoric cuisine. Our evidence suggests a much greater antiquity to the spicing of foods than is evident from the macrofossil record, and challenges the view that plants were exploited by hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists solely for energy requirements, rather than taste. PMID:23990910

A generative inference framework for analysing patterns of cultural change in sparse population data with evidence for fashion trends in LBK culture.

PubMed

Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

2015-12-06

Cultural change can be quantified by temporal changes in frequency of different cultural artefacts and it is a central question to identify what underlying cultural transmission processes could have caused the observed frequency changes. Observed changes, however, often describe the dynamics in samples of the population of artefacts, whereas transmission processes act on the whole population. Here we develop a modelling framework aimed at addressing this inference problem. To do so, we firstly generate population structures from which the observed sample could have been drawn randomly and then determine theoretical samples at a later time t2 produced under the assumption that changes in frequencies are caused by a specific transmission process. Thereby we also account for the potential effect of time-averaging processes in the generation of the observed sample. Subsequent statistical comparisons (e.g. using Bayesian inference) of the theoretical and observed samples at t2 can establish which processes could have produced the observed frequency data. In this way, we infer underlying transmission processes directly from available data without any equilibrium assumption. We apply this framework to a dataset describing pottery from settlements of some of the first farmers in Europe (the LBK culture) and conclude that the observed frequency dynamic of different types of decorated pottery is consistent with age-dependent selection, a preference for 'young' pottery types which is potentially indicative of fashion trends. © 2015 The Author(s).

Ceramic Production and Craft Specialization in the Prehispanic Philippines, A.D. 500 to 1600

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niziolek, Lisa Christine

In the millennium prior to Spanish contact, the political economies of lowland societies in the Philippines, such as Tanjay (A.D. 500-1600) on southeastern Negros Island in the central Philippines, underwent significant social, political, and economic changes. Foreign trade with China increased, the circulation of wealth through events such as ritual feasting and bridewealth exchanges expanded, inter-polity competition through slave-raiding and warfare heightened, and agriculture intensified. It also has been hypothesized that the production of craft goods such as pottery and metal implements became increasingly specialized and centralized at polity centers. Tanjay, a historically-known chiefdom, was among them. This dissertation examines changes in the organization of ceramic production using the results of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis of close to 300 ceramic samples. In addition to geochemical analysis, this research draws on Chinese accounts of trade from the late first millennium and early second millennium A.D.; Spanish colonial accounts of exploration and conquest from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; ethnographic research on traditional Philippine societies and ceramic production; ethnoarchaeological investigations of pottery production, exchange, and use; and archaeological work that has taken place in the Bais-Tanjay region of Negros Island for more than 30 years. Rather than finding clear evidence that ceramics became more compositionally standardized or homogeneous over time, this analysis reveals that a dynamic and complex pattern of local, dispersed pottery production existed alongside increasingly centralized and specialized production of ceramic materials.

Mineral resource of the Month: Clay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Virta, Robert L.

2010-01-01

Clays were one of the first mineral commodities used by people. Clay pottery has been found in archeological sites that are 12,000 years old, and clay figurines have been found in sites that are even older.

40 CFR 98.460 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... foundry sand). (vii) Clay, gypsum, or pottery cull. (viii) Bricks, mortar, or cement. (ix) Furnace slag. (x) Materials used as refractory (e.g., alumina, silicon, fire clay, fire brick). (xi) Plastics (e.g...

40 CFR 98.460 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... foundry sand). (vii) Clay, gypsum, or pottery cull. (viii) Bricks, mortar, or cement. (ix) Furnace slag. (x) Materials used as refractory (e.g., alumina, silicon, fire clay, fire brick). (xi) Plastics (e.g...

40 CFR 98.460 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... foundry sand). (vii) Clay, gypsum, or pottery cull. (viii) Bricks, mortar, or cement. (ix) Furnace slag. (x) Materials used as refractory (e.g., alumina, silicon, fire clay, fire brick). (xi) Plastics (e.g...

Archaeological Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zurer, Pamela S.

1983-01-01

Research projects and methodology in archeochemistry are discussed. Topics include radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence, amino acid dating, obsidian hydration dating, bone studies, metals/metallurgy, pottery, stone/glass, and future directions. Includes reports on funding, insights into nuclear waste/environmental problems provided by…

94. FONTHILL (19081912), SOUTH ELEVATION. SAME VIEW AS PA10764. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

94. FONTHILL (1908-1912), SOUTH ELEVATION. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-64. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

The Basics in Pottery: Clay and Tools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Joan

1985-01-01

Art teachers at the middle school or junior high school level usually find themselves in a program teaching ceramics. The most essential tools needed for a ceramics class are discussed. Different kinds of clay are also discussed. (RM)

96. CENTRAL COURT. MERCER MUSEUM, FROM ENTRY LEVEL SAME VIEW ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

96. CENTRAL COURT. MERCER MUSEUM, FROM ENTRY LEVEL SAME VIEW AS PA-107-67. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

37. PRESSING TILES FROM PLASTER MOLDS, USING A HAND PRESS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

37. PRESSING TILES FROM PLASTER MOLDS, USING A HAND PRESS CONSTRUCTED IN 1986. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

73. TILE WORKS FROM SOUTHEAST, c. 1920. JACOB FRANK COLLECTION ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

73. TILE WORKS FROM SOUTHEAST, c. 1920. JACOB FRANK COLLECTION (MISC 319), SL/BCHS. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

74. TILE WORKS COURTYARD, FROM SOUTH, c. 1915. FONTHILL MANUSCRIPTS. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

74. TILE WORKS COURTYARD, FROM SOUTH, c. 1915. FONTHILL MANUSCRIPTS. SL/SCHS. UNCATALOGED POSTCARD. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

71. TILE WORKS FROM NORTHWEST, 191215. SL/BCHS, POSTCARD SN035. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

71. TILE WORKS FROM NORTHWEST, 1912-15. SL/BCHS, POSTCARD SN-035. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Mössbauer Spectroscopy in South American Archaeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, U.; Häusler, W.; Wagner, F. E.; Shimada, I.

2003-06-01

We report on an interdisciplinary approach to the study of early pottery finds from the Poma Archaeological Reserve, North Coast of Peru. The material is from a Formative kiln site at Batán Grande (1000-800 BC) and a ceramics workshop at Huaca Sialupe pertaining to the Middle Sicán period (900-1100 AD). Mössbauer spectroscopy, neutron activation analysis, optical thin-section microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the material. Numerous sherds of Sicán black- and redware, bricks, moulds and kiln linings were studied. Local clay from the kiln site at Batán Grande, lumps of clay, and unfired sherds from Huaca Sialupe were used as model material for firing experiments under controlled conditions. By comparing the Mössbauer spectra from laboratory and field firings with the ancient materials, methods of early pottery making can be assessed.

TL dating of pottery fragments from four archaeological sites in Taquari Valley, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cano, Nilo F.; Machado, Neli T. G.; Gennari, Roseli F.; Rocca, Rene R.; Munita, Casimiro S.; Watanabe, Shigueo

2012-12-01

Sixty-three pottery fragments from four archaeological sites, numbered RST110, RST101, RST114 and RST114, in the Taquari Valley, vicinity of the city of Lajeado, Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil, have been dated by the thermoluminescence method. Some of them from RST110 and RST101 are as old as 1400-1200 years, whereas those from RST114 and RST107 are younger than 800 years. This result indicates that RST101 and RST110 were peopled earlier than RST114 and RST107. The recent dates found are 302, 295 and 146 years and they are possible, since the first German immigrants who arrived in this region encountered Tupi-Guarani Indians still living there. One interesting result refers to the glow curves of quartz grains RST110, RST101 and RST114 that differ from the glow curves of RST107 quartz grains.

Characterization of blue decorated Renaissance pottery fragments from Caltagirone (Sicily, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barilaro, D.; Crupi, V.; Interdonato, S.; Majolino, D.; Venuti, V.; Barone, G.; La Russa, M. F.; Bardelli, F.

2008-07-01

Renaissance blue decorated pottery fragments from the archaeological site of Caltagirone (Sicily, Italy) were analysed by scanning electron microscopy - energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS). The samples were dated back to 16th century AD on the basis of archaeological observations. The micro-chemical analyses were performed on the ceramic body and the surface decorated layer of the samples. Particularly, the investigation was addressed the characterization of the coating blue decorations. The obtained results allowed us to clearly identify smalt as pigment. Also the presence of arsenic (As) was revealed and the Co/As ratio values were calculated and related to the different process used for the pigment preparation. Further spectroscopic analyses, performed through X-ray absorbance spectroscopy (XAS), carried out at the Co K-edge, confirmed the micro-analytical results and permitted us to identify the oxidation form and the local environment of cobalt atoms.

Recent applications of PIXE spectrometry in archaeology II. Characterization of Chinese pottery exported to the Islamic world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleming, S. J.; Swann, C. P.

1992-02-01

The early 9th century A.D. trade links between China's Tang dynasty and the Western world, by land along the caravan routes of the Silk Road and by sea via India and the Gulf, encouraged a taste for many kinds of Chinese ceramics among the affluent societies of the Islamic empire. Using PIXE analysis to determine the primary composition and minor element patterns of the clay fabrics of a wide range of pottery recovered from the Islamic city of Siraf (in southern Iran), we have established clear differences between Chinese wares imported to that region and a variety of imitative wares of local origin. Parallels and contrasts are drawn between our data and those obtained by Chinese scholars in recent years for the products of various Tang kiln sites, particularly for a series of distinctive stonewares from Tongguan (Hunan province).

A Preliminary Study on Black Colored Potsherds from Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, Y. S.; Yi-Chang, L.

2016-12-01

Black colored potsherds from the archaeological sites of late Neolithic (3500-2000 BP) and Iron Age (1400-800 BP) exhibit the minor phase in the number of antiques, however, they represent a specific symbol on the religious rites and social stratum in the archaeological and cultural contents of Taiwan. A lot of efforts focused on morphological and decorative styles of the black pottery have been made in previous archaeological works. In this study, multiple analytical techniques including micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and micro X-ray florescence spectroscopy (μXRF) were applied to 11 potsherds found at eleven archaeological sites across Taiwan to understand the raw materials, production techniques, and the possible interactions and exchange system among ancient societies. Ten mineral phases including α-quartz, amorphous carbon, anatase, plagioclase, etc., were identified from Raman spectra. The presence of amorphous carbon indicates that pottery was fired under reducing conditions. Pyroxene minerals were present in some potsherds, suggesting that raw materials were not sourced locally, and perhaps further indicating trading or people migration activities in ancient periods. XRD measurements and μXRF analyses were used as complementary techniques to obtain mineral and chemical compositions. XRD measurements show that quartz, albite, biotite, and gypsum were present in potsherds. Chemically, SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, K2O, Fe2O3, and CaO are the main constituents. The correlation plots of these main compositions show that pottery raw material can subdivide into three group which were related to different areas and ages. However, it need more detailed investigation to decipher this issue.

A non-destructive spectroscopic study of the decoration of archaeological pottery: from matt-painted bichrome ceramic sherds (southern Italy, VIII-VII B.C.) to an intact Etruscan cinerary urn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruni, Silvia; Guglielmi, Vittoria; Della Foglia, Elena; Castoldi, Marina; Bagnasco Gianni, Giovanna

2018-02-01

A study is presented based on the use of entirely non-destructive spectroscopic techniques to analyze the chemical composition of the painted surface layer of archaeological pottery. This study aims to define both the raw materials and the working technology of ancient potters. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, micro-Raman spectroscopy, visible and near infrared (NIR) diffuse reflection spectroscopy and external reflection Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were applied to matt-painted bichrome pottery sherds (VIII-VII century B.C.) from the site of Incoronata near Metaponto in southern Italy. Two different raw materials, ochre and iron-rich clay, were recognized for the red decoration, while the dark areas resulted to have been obtained by the so-called manganese black technique. In any case, it was demonstrated that the decoration was applied before firing, in spite of its sometimes grainy aspect that could suggest a post-firing application. For the samples with a more sophisticated decorative pattern a red/black/white polychromy was recognized, as the lighter areas correspond to an ;intentional white; obtained by the firing of a calcium-rich clay. Reflection spectroscopy in the visible-NIR and mid-IR as well as micro-Raman spectroscopy were then employed to characterize the decoration of an intact ceramic urn from the Etruscan town of Chiusi, evidencing a post-firing painting based on the use of red ochre, carbon black and lime, possibly imitating the ;fresco; technique used in wall paintings.

Analysis of Muscle Contraction on Pottery Manufacturing Process Using Electromyography (EMG)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soewardi, Hartomo; Azka Rahmayani, Amalia

2016-01-01

One of the most common problems in pottery manufacturing process is musculoskeletal disorders on workers. This disorder was caused by uncomfortable posture where the workers sit on the floor with one leg was folded and another was twisted for long duration. Back, waist, buttock, and right knee frequently experience the disorders. The objective of this research is to investigate the muscle contraction at such body part of workers in manufacturing process of pottery. Electromyography is used to investigate the muscle contraction based on the median frequency signal. Focus measurements is conducted on four muscles types. They are lower interscapular muscle on the right and left side, dorsal lumbar muscle, and lateral hamstring muscle. Statistical analysis is conducted to test differences of muscle contraction between female and male. The result of this research showed that the muscle which reached the highest contraction is dorsal lumbar muscle with the average of median frequency is 51,84 Hz. Then followed by lower interscapular muscle on the left side with the average of median frequency is 31,30 hz, lower interscapular muscle on the right side average of median frequency is 31,24 Hz, and lateral hamstring muscle average of median frequency is 21,77 Hz. Based on the statistic analysis result, there were no differences between male and female on left and right lower interscapular muscle and dorsal lumbar muscle but there were differences on lateral hamstring muscle with the significance level is 5%. Besides that, there were differences for all combination muscle types with the level of significance is 5%.

Hazardous Waste Cleanup: American Standard Incorporated in Hamilton Township, New Jersey

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

American Standard Incorporated is located at 240 Princeton Avenue in Trenton, New Jersey. American Standard's Trenton Pottery Facility has operated at its present location since 1923. The facility manufactures ceramic plumbing fixtures using clay, plaster

97. CENTRAL COURT, MERCER MUSEUM. FROM THE THIRD FLOOR. SAME ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

97. CENTRAL COURT, MERCER MUSEUM. FROM THE THIRD FLOOR. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-68. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

11. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM THE WEST. PHOTO TAKEN FROM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM THE WEST. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE ROOF OF THE INDIAN HOUSE. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

72. TILE WORKS FROM SOUTH, c. 1925. JACOB FRANK COLLECTION ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

72. TILE WORKS FROM SOUTH, c. 1925. JACOB FRANK COLLECTION (MSC 319I. SL/BCHS. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

70. TILE WORKS FROM SOUTH, C. 1916. SL/BCHS, PHOTOGRAPH 8N91. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

70. TILE WORKS FROM SOUTH, C. 1916. SL/BCHS, PHOTOGRAPH 8-N-91. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

25. INTERIOR OF GLAZE KILN NO. 2, SHOWING HOW SAGGERS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

25. INTERIOR OF GLAZE KILN NO. 2, SHOWING HOW SAGGERS AND LOOSE QUARRY TILES WERE STACKED. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

7 Ways.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corrigan, Nancy P.; And Others

1982-01-01

Describes seven art activities for elementary and secondary classes. Activities include making Pueblo Indian-style pottery, casting stained glass designs in plaster, constructing cloth gnome-dolls, making ceramic reliefs of Victorian house facades and dream cars, drawing South American folk art objects, and sewing wearable art. (AM)

17. THE INDIAN HOUSE. EAST AND SOUTH WALLS. FRANK K. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. THE INDIAN HOUSE. EAST AND SOUTH WALLS. FRANK K. SWAIN'S OFFICE IS BEYOND THE GLASS PARTITION. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

75. TILE WORKS COURTYARD, NORTH WING ARCADE, FROM WEST, c. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

75. TILE WORKS COURTYARD, NORTH WING ARCADE, FROM WEST, c. 1915. FONTHILL MANUSCRIPTS, SL/BCHS. UNCATALOGED POSTCARD. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

20. INDIAN HOUSE FIREPLACE; NORTH WALL. THE FIREPLACE IS SURROUNDED ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. INDIAN HOUSE FIREPLACE; NORTH WALL. THE FIREPLACE IS SURROUNDED BY RELIEF BROCADE TILES DEPICTING BIBLICAL SCENES. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

76. TILE WORKS COURTYARD, EAST WING ARCADE, FROM NORTH, c. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

76. TILE WORKS COURTYARD, EAST WING ARCADE, FROM NORTH, c. 1915. FONTHILL MANUSCRIPTS, SL/BCHS. UNCATALOGED POSTCARD. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Archaeo-directional and -intensity data from burnt structures at the Thracian site of Halka Bunar (Bulgaria): The effect of magnetic mineralogy, temperature and atmosphere of heating in antiquity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herries, A. I. R.; Kovacheva, M.; Kostadinova, M.; Shaw, J.

2007-07-01

Archaeomagnetic results are presented from a series of burnt structures at the Thracian site of Halka Bunar. Archaeointensity and archaeodirectional studies were undertaken on three kilns from a pottery production complex. This has been dated to the late 4th and early 3rd century B.C. (325-280 B.C.) based on coins found associated with the kilns [Tonkova, M., 2003. Newly discovered Thracian Centre of the Early Hellenistic Age at the Spring "Halka Bunar" in the Land of C. Gorno Belevo. Annuary of the Institute of Archaeology with Museum. Bulgarian Academy Sci. 2, 148-196 (in Bulgarian)]. This data provides a new point for the Bulgarian archaeomagnetic curve (Dec: 348.70 ± 5.79, Inc: 62.20 ± 2.70, and Fa: 77.23 ± 2.17 μT). The kilns are thought to have been used for producing different types of pottery in a range of heating atmospheres and at different temperatures. Therefore, special attention was paid to the magnetic mineralogy of the samples and its effect on the palaeodata. Kiln 3, orange clay samples were dominated by fine to ultra-fine grained single domain and superparamagnetic magnetite, with a small proportion of haematite. The samples were heated in a high temperature oxidising environment. Kiln 2 was probably used to make grey ware pottery. The samples are light grey and were dominated by stable single domain magnetite formed by high temperature heating in a more reducing environment. Kiln 4, mottled samples consisted of a variable mineralogy showing characteristics of both Kiln 2 and Kiln 3 samples. It was probably used to make traditional, mottled, Thracian ware pottery and was heated to lower temperatures in a mixed environment of heating. Samples heated in an oxidising environment gave more reliable Thellier results than samples heated in a reducing environment in antiquity, as the latter altered heavily on re-heating. A fourth kiln and a destruction feature from different trenches than the kiln complex were also investigated to establish their age. Archaeodirectional data was not recoverable from these two structures due to post-burning disturbance. The mean archaeointensity from Kiln 5 (mean 78.0 ± 1.7 μT) is consistent with that from the main kiln complex (mean 77.23 ± 2.17 μT) and is therefore considered to be contemporary. It was probably not used to make pottery. The destruction feature records much lower archaeointensity values (mean 65.1 ± 1.1 μT). When this value is compared to the existing reference points of the Bulgarian database it suggests this feature is younger than the kilns (250-140 B.C.). Multiple age use of the site is therefore confirmed with a main period of occupation in the late 4th and early 3rd century B.C. and another phase of occupation in the mid 3rd to mid 2nd century B.C.

SITE EVALUATION OF SOIL AMENDMENT TECHNOLOGIES AT THE CROOKSVILLE/ROSEVILLE POTTERY AREA OF CONCERN - STAR ORGANICS SOIL RESCUE CAPSULE

EPA Science Inventory

This report briefly summarizes Star Organics treatment technology demonstration of a soil amendment process for lead contaminated soil at Roseville, OH. The evaluation included leaching, bioavailability, geotechnical, and geochemical testing methods.

20. Photocopy of photograph (from the Bucks County Historical Society) ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. Photocopy of photograph (from the Bucks County Historical Society) photographer and date unknown GENERAL VIEW FROM THE SOUTHWEST - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

16. VIEW OF THE CONCRETE MIXER THAT WAS USED AT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. VIEW OF THE CONCRETE MIXER THAT WAS USED AT THE MERCER MUSEUM AND ON THE INDIAN HOUSE TOWER. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Gas chromatographic, mass spectrometric and stable carbon isotopic investigations of organic residues of plant oils and animal fats employed as illuminants in archaeological lamps from Egypt.

PubMed

Copley, M S; Bland, H A; Rose, P; Horton, M; Evershed, R P

2005-06-01

Man's use of illuminants in lamps or as torches to extend the working day and range of environments accessible to him would have been a major technological advance in human civilisation. The most obvious evidence for this in the archaeological record comes from pottery and stone vessels showing sooting due to the use of a wick in conjunction with a lipid-based fuel or illuminant. A wide range of potential fuels would have been exploited depending upon availability and burning requirements. Reported herein are the results of chemical investigations of a number of lamps recovered from excavations of the site of Qasr Ibrim, Egypt. Gas chromatographic, mass spectrometric and stable carbon isotopic analyses of both free (solvent extractable) and 'bound'(released from solvent extracted pottery by base treatment) lipids have revealed a wide range of saturated fatty acids, hydroxy fatty acids and alpha, omega-dicarboxylic acids. Examination of the distributions of compounds and comparisons with the fatty acid compositions of modern plant oils have allowed a range of fats and oils to be recognised. Specific illuminants identified include Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) seed oil (most likely radish oil, Raphanus sativus), castor oil (from Ricinus communis), animal fat, with less diagnostic distributions and delta(13)C values being consistent with low stearic acid plant oils, such as linseed (Linum usitatissimum) or sesame (Sesamum indicum) oils. The identifications of the various oils and fats are supported by parallel investigations of illuminant residues produced by burning various oils in replica pottery lamps. The findings are entirely consistent with the classical writers including Strabo, Pliny and Theophrastrus.

Squaring the circle. Social and environmental implications of pre-pottery neolithic building technology at Tell Qarassa (South Syria).

PubMed

Balbo, Andrea L; Iriarte, Eneko; Arranz, Amaia; Zapata, Lydia; Lancelotti, Carla; Madella, Marco; Teira, Luis; Jiménez, Miguel; Braemer, Frank; Ibáñez, Juan José

2012-01-01

We present the results of the microstratigraphic, phytolith and wood charcoal study of the remains of a 10.5 ka roof. The roof is part of a building excavated at Tell Qarassa (South Syria), assigned to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (PPNB). The Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) period in the Levant coincides with the emergence of farming. This fundamental change in subsistence strategy implied the shift from mobile to settled aggregated life, and from tents and huts to hard buildings. As settled life spread across the Levant, a generalised transition from round to square buildings occurred, that is a trademark of the PPNB period. The study of these buildings is fundamental for the understanding of the ever-stronger reciprocal socio-ecological relationship humans developed with the local environment since the introduction of sedentism and domestication. Descriptions of buildings in PPN archaeological contexts are usually restricted to the macroscopic observation of wooden elements (posts and beams) and mineral components (daub, plaster and stone elements). Reconstructions of microscopic and organic components are frequently based on ethnographic analogy. The direct study of macroscopic and microscopic, organic and mineral, building components performed at Tell Qarassa provides new insights on building conception, maintenance, use and destruction. These elements reflect new emerging paradigms in the relationship between Neolithic societies and the environment. A square building was possibly covered here with a radial roof, providing a glance into a topologic shift in the conception and understanding of volumes, from round-based to square-based geometries. Macroscopic and microscopic roof components indicate buildings were conceived for year-round residence rather than seasonal mobility. This implied performing maintenance and restoration of partially damaged buildings, as well as their adaptation to seasonal variability.

Between the Baltic and Danubian Worlds: the genetic affinities of a Middle Neolithic population from central Poland.

PubMed

Lorkiewicz, Wiesław; Płoszaj, Tomasz; Jędrychowska-Dańska, Krystyna; Żądzińska, Elżbieta; Strapagiel, Dominik; Haduch, Elżbieta; Szczepanek, Anita; Grygiel, Ryszard; Witas, Henryk W

2015-01-01

For a long time, anthropological and genetic research on the Neolithic revolution in Europe was mainly concentrated on the mechanism of agricultural dispersal over different parts of the continent. Recently, attention has shifted towards population processes that occurred after the arrival of the first farmers, transforming the genetically very distinctive early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) and Mesolithic forager populations into present-day Central Europeans. The latest studies indicate that significant changes in this respect took place within the post-Linear Pottery cultures of the Early and Middle Neolithic which were a bridge between the allochthonous LBK and the first indigenous Neolithic culture of north-central Europe--the Funnel Beaker culture (TRB). The paper presents data on mtDNA haplotypes of a Middle Neolithic population dated to 4700/4600-4100/4000 BC belonging to the Brześć Kujawski Group of the Lengyel culture (BKG) from the Kuyavia region in north-central Poland. BKG communities constituted the border of the "Danubian World" in this part of Europe for approx. seven centuries, neighboring foragers of the North European Plain and the southern Baltic basin. MtDNA haplogroups were determined in 11 individuals, and four mtDNA macrohaplogroups were found (H, U5, T, and HV0). The overall haplogroup pattern did not deviate from other post-Linear Pottery populations from central Europe, although a complete lack of N1a and the presence of U5a are noteworthy. Of greatest importance is the observed link between the BKG and the TRB horizon, confirmed by an independent analysis of the craniometric variation of Mesolithic and Neolithic populations inhabiting central Europe. Estimated phylogenetic pattern suggests significant contribution of the post-Linear BKG communities to the origin of the subsequent Middle Neolithic cultures, such as the TRB.

Squaring the Circle. Social and Environmental Implications of Pre-Pottery Neolithic Building Technology at Tell Qarassa (South Syria)

PubMed Central

Balbo, Andrea L.; Iriarte, Eneko; Arranz, Amaia; Zapata, Lydia; Lancelotti, Carla; Madella, Marco; Teira, Luis; Jiménez, Miguel; Braemer, Frank; Ibáñez, Juan José

2012-01-01

We present the results of the microstratigraphic, phytolith and wood charcoal study of the remains of a 10.5 ka roof. The roof is part of a building excavated at Tell Qarassa (South Syria), assigned to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (PPNB). The Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) period in the Levant coincides with the emergence of farming. This fundamental change in subsistence strategy implied the shift from mobile to settled aggregated life, and from tents and huts to hard buildings. As settled life spread across the Levant, a generalised transition from round to square buildings occurred, that is a trademark of the PPNB period. The study of these buildings is fundamental for the understanding of the ever-stronger reciprocal socio-ecological relationship humans developed with the local environment since the introduction of sedentism and domestication. Descriptions of buildings in PPN archaeological contexts are usually restricted to the macroscopic observation of wooden elements (posts and beams) and mineral components (daub, plaster and stone elements). Reconstructions of microscopic and organic components are frequently based on ethnographic analogy. The direct study of macroscopic and microscopic, organic and mineral, building components performed at Tell Qarassa provides new insights on building conception, maintenance, use and destruction. These elements reflect new emerging paradigms in the relationship between Neolithic societies and the environment. A square building was possibly covered here with a radial roof, providing a glance into a topologic shift in the conception and understanding of volumes, from round-based to square-based geometries. Macroscopic and microscopic roof components indicate buildings were conceived for year-round residence rather than seasonal mobility. This implied performing maintenance and restoration of partially damaged buildings, as well as their adaptation to seasonal variability. PMID:22848723

45. PRODUCTION AREA, GROUND FLOOR, EAST WING. GLAZE MIXING AREA ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

45. PRODUCTION AREA, GROUND FLOOR, EAST WING. GLAZE MIXING AREA IN THE RIGHT BACKGROUND, COURTYARD THROUGH THE DOORWAY TO THE LEFT. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Storytelling Figures: A Pueblo Tradition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraus, Nancy

1997-01-01

In a collaborative unit on pueblo storytelling figures involving art, music, language arts, and physical education, a teacher describes how she helped second graders understand the Pueblo pottery tradition by reading aloud literature covering the past and present. Lists folklore, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, professional resources, videos, CDs,…

7. WEST WING, SOUTH ELEVATION. DETAIL SHOWING THE SPANISH GABLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. WEST WING, SOUTH ELEVATION. DETAIL SHOWING THE SPANISH GABLE AND ARCADE. THE COURTYARD AND THE NORTH WING ARE IN THE BACKGROUND. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

85. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM THE WEST. PHOTO TAKEN FROM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

85. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM THE WEST. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE ROOF OF THE INDIAN HOUSE. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-11. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

13. DETAIL OF THE EAST WING ARCADE WALL. SHOWS REMOVABLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. DETAIL OF THE EAST WING ARCADE WALL. SHOWS REMOVABLE WOODEN WINDOWS, A PERMANENT CONCRETE WINDOW, AND BUILT-IN CONCRETE STORAGE BINS. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

44. GLAZE STORAGE AND MIXING AREA, GROUND FLOOR, EAST WING. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

44. GLAZE STORAGE AND MIXING AREA, GROUND FLOOR, EAST WING. TILES ARE DIPPED IN GLAZE AT THE COUNTER AGAINST THE FAR WALL. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this project is to investigate the potential dioxin exposure to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products. This project will focus on artists working in a ceramics studio where exposure could occur via three pathways: particle inhalation, incidental ingestion and dermal contact. Levels of clay will be measured in the studio air, deposition surfaces and skin of artists. It is anticipated that no samples will need to be analyzed for dioxin. Rather, all samples will be analyzed for total clay levels and theoretical dioxin exposures would be estimated using information on historical measurements of dioxin levels in ball clay. Data gathering completed in 2004, internal review of report completed in Summer 2005, external peer review completed in 2007, final in 2008. See www.epa.gov/ncea for final report The purpose of this project is to investigate the potential dioxin exposure to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products.

Portable X-ray powder diffractometer for the analysis of art and archaeological materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakai, Izumi; Abe, Yoshinari

2012-02-01

Phase identification based on nondestructive analytical techniques using portable equipment is ideal for the analysis of art and archaeological objects. Portable(p)-XRF and p-Raman are very widely used for this purpose, yet p-XRD is relatively rare despite its importance for the analysis of crystalline materials. This paper overviews 6 types of p-XRD systems developed for analysis of art and archaeological materials. The characteristics of each system are compared. One of the p-XRD systems developed by the authors was brought to many museums as well as many archeological sites in Egypt and Syria to characterize the cultural heritage artifacts, e.g., amulet made of Egyptian blue, blue painted pottery, and Islamic pottery from Egypt, jade from China, variscite from Syria, a Japanese classic painting drawn by Korin Ogata, and oil paintings drawn by Taro Okamoto. Practical application data are shown to demonstrate the potential ability of the method for analysis of various art and archaeological materials.

Glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction of Ag nanoparticles in gold lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bontempi, E.; Colombi, P.; Depero, L. E.; Cartechini, L.; Presciutti, F.; Brunetti, B. G.; Sgamellotti, A.

2006-06-01

Lustre is known as one of the most significant decorative techniques of Medieval and Renaissance pottery in the Mediterranean basin, characterized by brilliant gold and red metallic reflections and iridescence effects. Previous studies by various techniques (SEM-EDS and TEM, UV-VIS, XRF, RBS and EXAFS) demonstrated that lustre consists of a heterogeneous metal-glass composite film, formed by Cu and Ag nanoparticles dispersed within the outer layer of a tin-opacified lead glaze. In the present work the investigation of an original gold lustre sample from Deruta has been carried out by means of glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction techniques (GIXRD). The study was aimed at providing information on structure and depth distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Exploiting the capability of controlling X-ray penetration in the glaze by changing the incidence angle, we used GIXRD measurements to estimate non-destructively thickness and depth of silver particles present in the first layers of the glaze.

Microtopographic characterization of pre-colonial Brazilian archaeological ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Manuel F. M.; Magalhaes, Wagner; Alves, Márcia A.

2015-06-01

Optics and optics and photonics based inspection tools and methods had expensively proven their invaluable importance in the preservation of cultural heritage and artwork. The non-invasive inspection of the 3D shape of objects and of the micro-relief structure of its surfaces can be of high importance in the characterization process required in most works of restoration or preservation of archeological artwork. In this communication we will report on the non-invasive optical microtopographic characterization of the surface of pre-colonial ceramics and pottery of hunter-recollector-farmer' tribes of the Paranaiba valley in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The pottery found is decorated with incisions with different geometric distributions and levels of complexity corresponding to two periods of indigenous Indian occupations: one from a period dated at 1,095 +/- 186 years ago and another of the early nineteenth century dated between 212 +/- 19 years and 190 +/- 30 years ago seemingly corresponding to the occupation of the territory by southern Kayapós tribes.

75 FR 82075 - Notice of Quarterly Report (July 1, 2010-September 30, 2010)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-29

... Project. transportation to annual daily traffic)-- increase tourism Efate: Ring Road. and business Traffic... tourism pottery workshops. and artisan Construction and sectors. rehabilitation of Fez Medina Sites... through investments in the road network. Rural Land Governance Project.... $59,934,615 Increase investment...

9. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

9. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CISTERN TOWER, BOILER CHIMNEY AND LARGE CHIMNEYS FROM BISCUIT KILNS 4 & 5. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

10. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM, THE EAST. ALSO SHOWS THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM, THE EAST. ALSO SHOWS THE BALCONY AND ARCADE OF THE WEST WING. THE TOWER WAS ADDED IN 1916. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

69. TILE WORKS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 1912. SOURCE: FONTHILL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

69. TILE WORKS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 1912. SOURCE: FONTHILL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION, SPRUANCE LIBRARY, BUCKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (HEREAFTER SL/BCHS), UNCATALOGED GLASS PLATE NEGATIVE. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios (Final Report, 2008)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the availability of the final report, An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios. This report investigates the potential dioxin exposure to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products. Derm...

76 FR 19131 - Notice of Quarterly Report (October 1, 2010-December 31, 2010)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-06

...: Ring tourism and Road. business Traffic Volume development. (average annual daily traffic)--Santo: East...,083,742 Average revenue of SME added to tourism pottery workshops. and artisan sectors. Construction... road network. Rural Land Governance Project.. $59,934,615 Increase $6,348,245 TBD. investment in land...

75 FR 56580 - Notice of Quarterly Report (April 1, 2010-June 30, 2010)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-16

... annual daily traffic)-- increase tourism Efate: Ring Road. and business Traffic Volume (average... Average revenue of SME added to tourism pottery workshops. and artisan Construction and sectors... in the road network. Rural Land Governance Project... 60,392,771 Increase investment 2,185,845 TBD...

Future Directions for EC Education: 10 Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Colin

2009-01-01

What are the problems that early childhood educators are trying to answer? In this article, the author presents his ten concerns for early childhood teacher education: (1) A concern about policymakers' pottery wheels; (2) A concern about "white shoe" education evangelists; (3) A concern that increasing control may cripple autonomy and…

88. VIEW OF THE CONCRETE MIXER THAT WAS USED AT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

88. VIEW OF THE CONCRETE MIXER THAT WAS USED AT THE MERCER MUSEUM AND ON THE INDIAN HOUSE TOWER. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-16. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

15. EAST WING FROM THE WEST, SHOWING THE COURTYARD ARCADE. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. EAST WING FROM THE WEST, SHOWING THE COURTYARD ARCADE. THE CONCRETE MIXER USED TO MIX CONCRETE FOR THE INDIAN HOUSE TOWER IS THE FOREGROUND. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

82. WEST WING. SOUTH ELEVATION. DETAIL SHOWING THE SPANISH GABLE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

82. WEST WING. SOUTH ELEVATION. DETAIL SHOWING THE SPANISH GABLE AND ARCADE. THE COURTYARD AND THE NORTH WING ARE IN THE BACKGROUND. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-7. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Throw a Miniature Vase

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapiro, Maurice

1977-01-01

A direct correlation exists between the acquisition of skills on the potter's wheel and the vertical dimension of the finished pot. Ability equals height. Overlooked somewhere in the search for acquiring technical facility and a means of demonstrating it, is the fascinating world of miniature pottery. Describes the mechanics peculiar to small…

Tapping Ancient Roots: Plaited Paper Baskets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Jane

2011-01-01

With ancient roots, basket making has been practiced since the earliest civilizations, and according to textile experts, probably pre-dates pottery. This is partly conjecture since few baskets remain. It is through evidence found in clay impressions that the earliest baskets reveal themselves. Basically, basketry construction is like flat weaving.…

The Mimbres: Art and Archeology. A Reprint of Three Essays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fewkes, Jesse Walter

This book contains reprints of three essays by Jesse Walter Fewkes (1850-1930) on the pottery of the prehistoric Mimbres Indians. The three papers were originally published by the Smithsonian Institution between 1914 and 1924. The first, "Archeology of the Lower Mimbres Valley, New Mexico," examines historical references to ancient…

The Pinch Pot Technique and Raku.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demery, Marie

Since the 16th century, the small Japanese raku tea bowl has reflected the merged cultural influences of art, religion, and other countries on the art of Japanese pottery. Artistically, the bowl is a combination of ceramics (pinching) and sculpture (carving). The dictates of the Zen Buddhist tea masters determine its sculptural process and steps,…

19. RUSSIAN STOVE IN THE INDIAN HOUSE. FIREBOX IS AT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. RUSSIAN STOVE IN THE INDIAN HOUSE. FIREBOX IS AT THE LOWER RIGHT. THE FOOT-POWERED POTTER'S WHEEL IN THE BACKGROUND WAS COLLECTED BY HENRY MERCER, BUT WAS NOT USED IN PRODUCTION. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Mayan Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, D.; Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

The Mayas of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras developed an urban civilization in the tropical rain forests. In their cities are many monuments, mainly stone, which contain accounts of their rulers' families, conquests, sacrifices, rituals and building programs. These are integrated into an elaborate calendrical system, which gives dates to the day. We also have pottery, painted with elabora...

84. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM THE EAST. ALSO SHOWS THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

84. INDIAN HOUSE TOWER, FROM THE EAST. ALSO SHOWS THE BALCONY AND ARCADE OF THE WEST WING. THE TOWER WAS ADDED IN 1916. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-10. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

83. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

83. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CISTERN TOWER, BOILER CHIMNEY AND LARGE CHIMNEYS FROM BISCUIT KILNS 4 & 5. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-9. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Using Josiah Wedgwood to Teach the Industrial Revolution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Phyllis A.; Sprinkle, John H., Jr.

1990-01-01

Uses Josiah Wedgwood and the pottery industry in England to illustrate the theme of technological development in a unit on the Industrial Revolution. States that infusing the biography of a specific individual can enliven history instruction. Presents two lessons on Josiah Wedgwood and shows how historians use the material culture to understand…

54. PRODUCTION MOLD STORAGE, SECOND FLOOR, EAST WING. THE WALLS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

54. PRODUCTION MOLD STORAGE, SECOND FLOOR, EAST WING. THE WALLS OF THIS ROOM WERE ORIGINALLY LINED WITH STEAM PIPES CONNECTED TO THE BOILER WHICH WERE USED TO DRY THE TILES BEFORE FIRING. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

14. DETAIL OF THE WEST WALL OF THE WEST WING. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. DETAIL OF THE WEST WALL OF THE WEST WING. SHOWS CONCRETE AND WOODED WINDOWS, DRIP CAST IN THE EAVES, AND SEA OF DARKNESS TILE MOSAIC SET IN THE WALL. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

36. STAIRWAY FROM THE CLAYMIXING ROOM TO THE SECOND FLOOR. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

36. STAIRWAY FROM THE CLAY-MIXING ROOM TO THE SECOND FLOOR. A SECOND DUMBWAITER TO THE CLAY PIT IS AT THE RIGHT. AND THE TILE PRESS IS AT THE LEFT. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Symbols in motion: Flexible cultural boundaries and the fast spread of the Neolithic in the western Mediterranean

PubMed Central

Manen, Claire; García-Martínez de Lagrán, Iñigo

2018-01-01

The rapid diffusion of farming technologies in the western Mediterranean raises questions about the mechanisms that drove the development of intensive contact networks and circulation routes between incoming Neolithic communities. Using a statistical method to analyze a brand-new set of cultural and chronological data, we document the large-scale processes that led to variations between Mediterranean archaeological cultures, and micro-scale processes responsible for the transmission of cultural practices within farming communities. The analysis of two symbolic productions, pottery decorations and personal ornaments, shed light on the complex interactions developed by Early Neolithic farmers in the western Mediterranean area. Pottery decoration diversity correlates with local processes of circulation and exchange, resulting in the emergence and the persistence of stylistic and symbolic boundaries between groups, while personal ornaments reflect extensive networks and the high level of mobility of Early Neolithic farmers. The two symbolic productions express different degrees of cultural interaction that may have facilitated the successful and rapid expansion of early farming societies in the western Mediterranean. PMID:29715284

Food residue fatty acid δ13C and δD values as proxies for evaluating cultural and climatic change at Çatalhöyük, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitter, S.; Evershed, R. P.; Hodder, I.

2012-12-01

Compound specific δ13C stable isotope analysis via gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C- IRMS) of C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acids from archaeological pottery has been used previously to probe the organic residue record to identify specific animal origins of fats. By following previously established methods (Evershed et al. 2008) a more comprehensive record of the domestic animal-based subsistence practices of the Neolithic site Çatalhöyük has now been established. Furthermore, a new palaeoenvironmental proxy was also established through δD analysis of C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acids using GC-thermal conversion-IRMS (GC-TC-IRMS). This novel approach has demonstrated a means of observing changes in relative humidity associated with specific pottery types at archaeological sites, creating a proxy that may address several limitations in the field of archaeology with regards to understanding links between humans and their changing environments.

Trade and Industry at Africa's Hub: Petrography of Pottery from Meroe, Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, R.; Grzymski, K.

2009-04-01

The ancient city of Meroë lies about 200 km northeast of Khartoum, on the Nile River. Apart from being the centre of a number of important Nubian kingdoms, such as that of the Kushites (circa 800 BCE - 350 CE), it was always a major hub for trade between ancient Egypt and the rest of Africa, and also for local production of various commodities, particularly including gold. Excavations at the site by a team from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) of Toronto and the University of Khartoum have continued the research of Peter Shinnie, aimed at unraveling the history of the site and its contact with Egypt and Africa (Grzymski 2003). Petrographic analysis of pottery from the ROM/Khartoum excavations and also Shinnie's excavations, also stored at the ROM, is aimed at examining the diversity of local production and raw material procurement and processing, and also identifying imported ceramics to give a better idea of the archaeologically determinable contacts of Meroë with Egypt and the rest of Africa. Reference: Grzymski, K. A., 2003, "Meroe Reports I," Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities Publication XVII, Toronto.

Glazed clay pottery and lead exposure in Mexico: Current experimental evidence.

PubMed

Diaz-Ruiz, Araceli; Tristán-López, Luis Antonio; Medrano-Gómez, Karen Itzel; Torres-Domínguez, Juan Alejandro; Ríos, Camilo; Montes, Sergio

2017-11-01

Lead exposure remains a significant environmental problem; lead is neurotoxic, especially in developing humans. In Mexico, lead in human blood is still a concern. Historically, much of the lead exposure is attributed to the use of handcrafted clay pottery for cooking, storing and serving food. However, experimental cause-and-effect demonstration is lacking. The present study explores this issue with a prospective experimental approach. We used handcrafted clay containers to prepare and store lemonade, which was supplied as drinking water to pregnant rats throughout the gestational period. We found that clay pots, jars, and mugs leached on average 200 µg/l lead, and exposure to the lemonade resulted in 2.5 µg/dl of lead in the pregnant rats' blood. Neonates also showed increased lead content in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Caspase-3 activity was found to be statistically increased in the hippocampus in prenatally exposed neonates, suggesting increased apoptosis in that brain region. Glazed ceramics are still an important source of lead exposure in Mexico, and our results confirm that pregnancy is a vulnerable period for brain development.

Silver and copper nanoclusters in the lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery: an EXAFS study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padovani, S.; Borgia, I.; Brunetti, B.; Sgamellotti, A.; Giulivi, A.; D'Acapito, F.; Mazzoldi, P.; Sada, C.; Battaglin, G.

Lustre is one of the most important decorative techniques of the Medieval and Renaissance pottery of the Mediterranean basin, capable of producing brilliant metallic reflections and iridescence. Following the recent finding that the colour of lustre decorations is mainly determined by copper and silver nanoclusters dispersed in the glaze layer, the local environment of copper and silver atoms has been studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy on original samples of gold and red lustre. It has been found that, in gold lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the silver nanocluster dispersion, silver is only partially present in the metallic form and copper is almost completely oxidised. In the red lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the copper nanocluster dispersion, only a fraction of copper is present in the metallic form. EXAFS measurements on red lustre, carried out in the total electron yield mode to probe only the first 150 nm of the glaze layer, indicated that in some cases lustre nanoclusters may be confined in a very thin layer close to the surface.

Between the Baltic and Danubian Worlds: The Genetic Affinities of a Middle Neolithic Population from Central Poland

PubMed Central

Lorkiewicz, Wiesław; Płoszaj, Tomasz; Jędrychowska-Dańska, Krystyna; Żądzińska, Elżbieta; Strapagiel, Dominik; Haduch, Elżbieta; Szczepanek, Anita; Grygiel, Ryszard; Witas, Henryk W.

2015-01-01

For a long time, anthropological and genetic research on the Neolithic revolution in Europe was mainly concentrated on the mechanism of agricultural dispersal over different parts of the continent. Recently, attention has shifted towards population processes that occurred after the arrival of the first farmers, transforming the genetically very distinctive early Neolithic Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) and Mesolithic forager populations into present-day Central Europeans. The latest studies indicate that significant changes in this respect took place within the post-Linear Pottery cultures of the Early and Middle Neolithic which were a bridge between the allochthonous LBK and the first indigenous Neolithic culture of north-central Europe—the Funnel Beaker culture (TRB). The paper presents data on mtDNA haplotypes of a Middle Neolithic population dated to 4700/4600–4100/4000 BC belonging to the Brześć Kujawski Group of the Lengyel culture (BKG) from the Kuyavia region in north-central Poland. BKG communities constituted the border of the “Danubian World” in this part of Europe for approx. seven centuries, neighboring foragers of the North European Plain and the southern Baltic basin. MtDNA haplogroups were determined in 11 individuals, and four mtDNA macrohaplogroups were found (H, U5, T, and HV0). The overall haplogroup pattern did not deviate from other post-Linear Pottery populations from central Europe, although a complete lack of N1a and the presence of U5a are noteworthy. Of greatest importance is the observed link between the BKG and the TRB horizon, confirmed by an independent analysis of the craniometric variation of Mesolithic and Neolithic populations inhabiting central Europe. Estimated phylogenetic pattern suggests significant contribution of the post-Linear BKG communities to the origin of the subsequent Middle Neolithic cultures, such as the TRB. PMID:25714361

Chapter 5. Plant gathering, game hunting, fishing, mineral collecting, and agriculture

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz

2007-01-01

Native American populations have cut wood for shelters and fuel, gathered native plants, hunted game animals, and collected various other resources, such as obsidian for making chipped-stone tools, clay for crafting pottery vessels, and stone slabs for producing piki (corn meal paper bread) griddles, in the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) for countless...

35. MODEL T GASOLINE ENGINE. USED TO PUMP WATER FROM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

35. MODEL T GASOLINE ENGINE. USED TO PUMP WATER FROM THE ARTISAN WELL (THROUGH THE DOORWAY) TO THE CISTERN ON THE ROOF. WATER WAS THEN FED BY GRAVITY TO THE REST OF THE FACTORY. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Kaolin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Virta, R.L.

2011-01-01

The article discusses the latest developments in the global kaolin industry, particularly in the U.S., as of June 2011. It claims that Georgia is the top producing state in the U.S., with a 94% share in total production. The other top producers include South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida. Kaolin is used in the manufacture of such products as electrical porcelain, pottery and sanitaryware.

Sharing the Arts of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Final Report, February 1977-January 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holman, Martha; Gailey, Lamar

Designed to utilize basic skills and develop a vocational or vocational skills, eight adult basic education modules were developed which highlight authentic Blue Ridge Mountain crafts. Modules provide instruction in apple dolls, braided rugs, candles, caning, corn shuck dolls, pottery, quilting, and weaving (see Note). Selection of the crafts was…

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM Evaluation of Soil Amendment Technologies at the Crooksville/RosevillePottery Area of Concern Rocky Mountain Remediation ServicesEnvirobond™ Process

EPA Science Inventory

RMRS developed the Envirobond™ process to treat heavy metals in soil.This phosphate-based technology consists of a proprietary powder and solution that binds with metals in contaminated waste. RMRS claims that the Envirobond™ process converts metal contaminants from their leach...

Power and Energy: Geopolitical Aspects of the Transnational Natural Gas Pipelines from the Caspian Sea Basin to Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

corridor as the “Silk Road.”25 On this trade-road network, merchants, missionaries , and conquistadors carried silk, gems, pottery, tea, paper, medicines...2010). Atwell, Kyle. “Yanukovich: Ukraine will be a ridge between East and West” Atlantic Review, Feb 19, 2010, http://atlanticreview.org/archives

Spirit of the Colleges, Voice of the People Students Share Pain, Hope Through Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robbins, Rebecca L.

2005-01-01

Tribal colleges and universities, in addition to providing our people with higher education, help to bridge the gap among cultures. The colleges sustain American Indian art forms through class and degree offerings that include traditional (shield making, drum making, arrow making, knapping, carving, masks, and pottery), contemporary (digital art,…

Where There Is No Name for Art: The Art of Tewa Pueblo Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hucko, Bruce

In their own language, Tewa Pueblo people have no word for art. Pottery, painting, embroidery, dancing, and other "art" forms are not considered separate from life; they are synonymous with work, thoughts, and expressions. In this collection, artwork by the children of Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Pojoaque, and Nambe Pueblos…

SITE EVALUATION OF SOIL AMENDMENT TECHNOLOGIES AT THE CROOKSVILLE/ROSEVILLE POTTERY AREA OF CONCERN - STAR ORGANICS SOIL RESCUE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT (ITER)

EPA Science Inventory

Star Organics, L.L.C., of Dallas, Texas (Star Organics) has developed Soil Rescue to treat soil contaminated with metals. Star Organics claims that Soil Rescue forms metal complexes that immobilize toxic metals, thereby reducing the risk to human health and the environment. The ...

Children's Activity Book, New Mexico. 1992 Festival of American Folklife.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies.

This booklet was designed in conjunction with a Festival of American Folklife focusing on New Mexico, but can be used when teaching lessons on the culture of New Mexico. It introduces young children to activities adapting Santa Clara Pueblo pottery designs, adobe model making, Rio Grande blanket designs, tinwork picture frames, and ramilletes de…

12. NORTH AND EAST WINGS, FROM THE WEST. SHOWS THREE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

12. NORTH AND EAST WINGS, FROM THE WEST. SHOWS THREE GLAZE KILN CHIMNEYS ON THE LEFT. CISTERN TOWER. BOILER AND TWO BISCUIT KILN CHIMNEYS ARE ON THE RIGHT. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE INDIAN HOUSE TOWER. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

DIBENZO-P-DIOXINS IN THE ENVIRONMENT FROM CERAMICS AND POTTERY PRODUCED FROM BALL CLAY MINED IN THE U.S.

EPA Science Inventory

Processed ball clay samples used in the production of ceramics and samples of the ceramic products were collected and analyzed for the presence and concentration of the 2,3,7,8-Cl substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDDs/PCDFs). The processed ball clay had...

21. TILES OF THE NEW WORLD PANEL, NORTH WALL OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

21. TILES OF THE NEW WORLD PANEL, NORTH WALL OF THE INDIAN HOUSE. THE RELIEF BROCADE TILES ILLUSTRATE SCENES OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, AND THE EARLY EUROPEAN EXPLORATION OF THE NEW WORLD. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

49. TILE PACKING AREA AND APPRENTICE WORKSPACE, SECOND FLOOR, SOUTH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

49. TILE PACKING AREA AND APPRENTICE WORKSPACE, SECOND FLOOR, SOUTH END OF EAST WING. THE SKYLIGHT, ADDED IN 1976. COVERS A ROOF OPENING LEFT FOR THE CHIMNEY OF A POSSIBLE THIRD BISCUIT KILN. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

87. DETAIL OF THE WEST WALL OF THE WEST WING. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

87. DETAIL OF THE WEST WALL OF THE WEST WING. SHOWS CONCRETE AND WOODEN WINDOWS. DRIP CAST IN THE EAVES. AND SEA OF DARKNESS TILE MOSAIC SET IN THE WALL. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-14. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Recycled Glass and Dredged Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

stations, and is either source-separated or co-mingled with plastics, aluminum cans, ceramics , or colored glass containers. In the United States in...anything other than container glass ). The debris may contain contaminants including ceramics (from dishware, pottery, window glass , light bulbs...ERDC TN-DOER-T8 March 2007 Recycled Glass and Dredged Materials by Landris T. Lee, Jr. PURPOSE: This technical note explores the concepts

Exploring Klein Bottles through Pottery: A STEAM Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Christopher E.; Paré, Jana N.

2016-01-01

While one author was reading "The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh" (2013) in preparation for a presentation, the second author asked what in the book would be interesting to discuss. The topic of Klein bottles was on the first author's mind at that moment, so he tried to describe and explain the form to her--a real…

75 FR 36673 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Public Museum of West Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-28

... red ochre, 1 shell bracelet, 1 lot of bird bone, 1 flint flake, and 1 projectile point fragment. At an... 33 associated funerary objects are 1 Busycon shell dipper, 16 lots of bone awls and fragments, 1... lots of polished bone, 1 pottery vessel, and 1 lot of turtle carapace fragments. In 1879, human remains...

76 FR 73658 - Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-29

... deer metapodial bone; approximately 18,444 glass beads of varying size and color; and 36 beads made... bone fragments; one bone comb; one pottery sherd; approximately 10,748 glass beads of various sizes and... razors, ``C'' bracelets, cones used as tinklers, finger rings, a knife, an awl with a bone handle and an...

34. TOP O THE BOILER SHOWING CONSTRUCTION DETAILS. NOTE THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

34. TOP O THE BOILER SHOWING CONSTRUCTION DETAILS. NOTE THE 1/2-INCH ROUND IRON REINFORCING ROD AND GALVANIZED FARM FENCING IN THE RIGHT FOREGROUND. AND THE EXPANDED METAL LATH WITH CEMENT COATING IN THE CEILING ABOVE THE BOILER. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

JPRS Report, China.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-30

absolutely forbid the dealing of retaliatory blows to those of the masses who give their opinions. Fifth, on the basis of their analyses they pass on...Timber Artificial Board Cement Plate Glass Power Equipment Machine Tool Precision Machine Tool Large Machine Tool Automobile Truck Tractor Small...the State Bureau of Building Materials Industry said that the industry must manufacture more varieties of high quality cement, glass , pottery, and

42. PRESSING A SLAB OF CLAY ONTO A MOSAIC MOLD. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

42. PRESSING A SLAB OF CLAY ONTO A MOSAIC MOLD. THE MOLD, WHICH HAS A RAISED DESIGN, LEAVES AND OUTLINE IN THE SLAB, THE PIECES THUS DEFINED, ARE THEN CUT APART TO BE FIRED SEPARATELY AND REASSEMBLED. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

93. PRODUCTION MOLDS STORAGE, SECOND FLOOR, EAST WING. THE WALL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

93. PRODUCTION MOLDS STORAGE, SECOND FLOOR, EAST WING. THE WALL OF THIS ROOM WERE ORIGINALLY LINED WITH STEAM PIPES CONNECTED TO THE BOILER WHICH WERE USED TO DRY THE TILES BEFORE FIRING. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-54. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

90. TILES OF THE NEW WORLD PANEL, NORTH WALL OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

90. TILES OF THE NEW WORLD PANEL, NORTH WALL OF THE INDIAN HOUSE. THE RELIEF BROCADE TILES ILLUSTRATE SCENES OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, AND THE EARLY EUROPEAN EXPLORATION OF THE NEW WORLD. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-21. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

24. HAND PAINTING ROOM. FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY, NORTH WING, LOOKING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

24. HAND PAINTING ROOM. FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY, NORTH WING, LOOKING WEST. CERAMISTS PAINT GLAZES ONTO BISQUE TILES IN THIS SPACE. THE TECHNIQUE PRODUCES MULTICOLORED TILES. GLAZE KILN No. 2, SHOWING A REBUILT FIREBOX, IS IN THE CENTER OF THE BACKGROUND. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Human Hunting and Nascent Animal Management at Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic Yiftah'el, Israel.

PubMed

Sapir-Hen, Lidar; Dayan, Tamar; Khalaily, Hamoudi; Munro, Natalie D

2016-01-01

The current view for the southern Levant is that wild game hunting was replaced by herd management over the course of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period, but there is significant debate over the timing, scale and origin of this transition. To date, most relevant studies focus either on wild game exploitation in the periods prior to domestication or on classic markers of domestication of domestic progenitor species over the course of the PPNB. We studied the faunal remains from the 2007-2008 excavations of the Middle PPNB (MPPNB) site of Yiftah'el, Northern Israel. Our analysis included a close examination of the timing and impact of the trade-off between wild game and domestic progenitor taxa that reflects the very beginning of this critical transition in the Mediterranean zone of the southern Levant. Our results reveal a direct trade-off between the intensive hunting of wild ungulates that had been staples for millennia, and domestic progenitor taxa. We suggest that the changes in wild animal use are linked to a region-wide shift in the relationship between humans and domestic progenitor species including goat, pig and cattle.

Combined Rock Magnetic and Dielectric studies applied to stratigraphic and archeological problems in Venezuela

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costanzo-Alvarez, V.; Aldana, M.; Suarez, N.

2007-05-01

In the last few years the paleomagnetism research group, at the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas (Venezuela), has undertaken combined studies of rock magnetism (e.g. natural magnetic remanence, magnetic susceptibility, hysteresis parameters etc.) and dielectric properties (maximum current depolarization temperatures and average activation energies) in Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentary sequences from eastern and western Venezuela. Our main goal has been to find new ways of defining physical markers, in fossil- poor sedimentary rocks, for stratigraphic correlations. Magneto/dielectric characterizations of these rocks have proved also useful identifying lithological discontinuities and paleoenvironmental changes. More recently these two-fold technique have been extended to archeological materials (potsherds) from a series of Venezuelan islands, in order to track down clay sources and find out about different stages of pottery craftsmanship. Magneto/Dielectric characterization of archeological potsherds seems to allow the tracing of their provenance from various mainland prehistoric settlements of distinct Venezuelan amerindian groups. In this paper we present a comprehensive review of this research applied to a contact between two sedimentary formations in eastern Venezuela (Cretaceous Chimana/Querecual) and a number of pottery samples with diverse stylistic features excavated in a single archeological site from Los Roques islands.

The Final Days of Paracas in Cerro del Gentil, Chincha Valley, Peru

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This article describes and analyzes a highly significant archaeological context discovered in a late Paracas (400–200 BCE) sunken patio in the monumental platform mound of Cerro Gentil, located in the Chincha Valley, Peru. This patio area was used for several centuries for ritual activities, including large-scale feasting and other public gatherings. At one point late in this historical sequence people deposited a great deal of objects in what is demonstrably a single historical event. This was quickly followed by a series of minor events stratigraphically immediately above this larger event. This entire ritual process included the consumption of liquids and food, and involved the offering of whole pottery, pottery fragments, botanical remains, bone, lithics, baskets, pyro-engraved gourds, mummies, and other objects. We interpret these events as an “abandonment ceremony” or “termination ritual” during the late Paracas period, one that may have lasted for weeks or even months. The subsequent Topará occupation at the site (ca. 200 BCE- AD 100) involved the architectural enhancement of the mound area, but the pattern of use of the patio itself ended. Such a termination ritual signals a reorganization in the regional political structure of Paracas society. PMID:27144824

Mössbauer Spectra of Clays and Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, F. E.; Wagner, U.

2004-06-01

The physical, chemical and mineralogical aspects of the use of Mössbauer spectroscopy in studies of clay-based ceramics are described. Mössbauer spectra of pottery clays fired under oxidising, reducing and changing conditions are explained, and the possibilities of using Mössbauer spectra to derive information on the firing temperatures and the kiln atmosphere during firing in antiquity are discussed and illustrated by examples.

Archaeological Perspectives on Ethnicity in America. Afro-American and Asian American Culture History. Baywood Monographs in Archaeology 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuyler, Robert L., Ed.

This monograph contains fourteen articles dealing with archaeological studies on Black and Asian ethnic groups in the United States. Papers on Afro-American culture history include: (1) "Race and Class on Antebellum Plantations," by John Solomon Otto; (2) "Looking for the 'Afro' in Colono-Indian Pottery," by Leland Ferguson; (3) a study of "Black…

43. CUTTING APART PIECES OF A MOSAIC. WHEN SEPARATED, THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

43. CUTTING APART PIECES OF A MOSAIC. WHEN SEPARATED, THE PIECES CAN BE INDIVIDUALLY GLAZED, SMOKED, OR FINISH FIRED TO PRODUCE A MULTI-COLORED IMAGE WHEN REASSEMBLED. NOTE THE SUBSTITUTION OF BUFF FOR RED CLAY IN SEVERAL PIECES OF MOSAIC ON THE LEFT. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

The Nature of Beauty: The Arts in Greece, Rome and the Medieval Period. Program for Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garton, Harry A.; Woodbury, Virginia Garton

One in a series of instructional units designed for gifted students, the booklet focuses on the arts in Greece, Rome, and the Medieval period. Narrative information on Greek pottery, sculpture, architecture, music, and dance is followed by lists of suggested activities for students and reference lists of texts and media. A similar unit on the…

86. NORTH AND EAST WINGS, FROM THE WEST. SHOWS THREE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

86. NORTH AND EAST WINGS, FROM THE WEST. SHOWS THREE GLAZE KILN CHIMNEYS ON THE LEFT. CISTERN TOWER, BOILER AND TWO BISCUIT KILN CHIMNEY'S ARE ON THE RIGHT. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE INDIAN HOUSE TOWER. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-12. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

38. SLABROLLING ROOM, SHOWING BISCUIT KILN No. 4 IN THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

38. SLAB-ROLLING ROOM, SHOWING BISCUIT KILN No. 4 IN THE CENTER BACKGROUND AND BISCUIT KILN No. 5 AT THE RIGHT. TILE PRESSES ARE THROUGH THE DOORWAY AT THE LEFT. NOTE THE AIR FILTER, INSTALLED IN 1986. HANGING IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Lung cancer risk, silica exposure, and silicosis in Chinese mines and pottery factories: the modifying role of other workplace lung carcinogens.

PubMed

Cocco, P; Rice, C H; Chen, J Q; McCawley, M A; McLaughlin, J K; Dosemeci, M

2001-12-01

Aims of our study were to explore whether and to what extent exposure to other lung carcinogens, or staging and clinical features of silicosis modify or confound the association between silica and lung cancer. We used data from a nested case-control study, conducted in the late 1980s in 29 Chinese mines and potteries (10 tungsten mines, 6 copper and iron mines, 4 tin mines, 8 pottery factories, and 1 clay mine), that included 316 lung cancer cases and 1,356 controls, matched by decade of birth and facility type. The previous analysis of these data presented results by type of mine or factory. In our study, pooling all 29 Chinese work sites, lung cancer risk showed a modest association with silica exposure. Risk did not vary after excluding subjects with silicosis or adjusting the risk estimates by radiological staging of silicosis. Strong correlation among exposures prevented a detailed evaluation of the role of individual exposures. However, lung cancer risk was for the most part absent when concomitant exposure to other workplace lung carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nickel or radon-daughters, was considered. The cross classification of lung cancer risk by categories of exposure to respirable silica and total respirable dust did not show an independent effect of total respirable dust. Silicosis showed a modest association with lung cancer, which did not vary by severity of radiological staging, or by radiological evidence of disease progression, or by level of silica exposure. However, among silicotic subjects, lung cancer risk was significantly elevated only when exposure to cadmium and PAH had occurred. Our results suggest that, among silica-exposed Chinese workers, numerous occupational and non-occupational risk factors interact in a complex fashion to modify lung cancer risk. Future epidemiological studies on silica and lung cancer should incorporate detailed information on exposure to other workplace lung carcinogens, total respirable dust, and on surface size and age of silica particles to understand whether and to what extent they affect the carcinogenic potential of silica. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Continuity and change in ceramic manufacture: Archaeometric study of Late Byzantine-Early Islamic transition in Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alawneh, Firas Mohamad

This thesis investigates continuity and change of ceramics from Late Byzantine-Early Islamic transition period Jordan. The transition period has been characterized largely by an overlap of two ceramic traditions. The material culture of this period has been primarily viewed through formal and stylistic changes. However, ceramic technology and distribution have never been subjected to rigorous analytical study. In order to explain continuity and change in ceramic tradition the undertaken study has focused on the provenance and technology, using multifaceted analytical approach. This study of the transition period pottery has focused on the classification and technological features of potsherds from selected sites in Jordan (Amman, Aqaba, Beit Ras, Khirbet el-Nawafleh, Jarash, Jericho, Pella, Madaba, Gharndal, Humaimah, Um er-Rassas and Um el-Waleed). Samples were studied by particle-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and optical microscopy to analyze their chemical, mineralogical and textural features in the aim of determining their possible provenance and production technology. Compositional data were statistically processed with multivariate analysis using SYSTAT II software 2006. To obtain further information about possible source areas of raw materials used in ceramic production, clays were also sampled in the studied areas. Firing experiments were conducted for clays with compositions comparable with those of ceramic sherds, to better understand the firing technology of the pottery. The multifaceted analytical approach has revealed important information on ceramic production in Transjordan. Khirbet el-Nawafleh and Aqaba in the south, Jarash and Pella in the north, Amman and Madaba in the middle are possibly just a few important production centers during this period. The study shows a multidirectional socio-cultural exchange and economic trade patterns within each region and between adjacent regions, as well. Also, importation from adjacent provinces cannot be excluded for certain samples. Despite the different archaeological levels to which these samples belong to, this study illustrates some similarity in technological features and chemical composition. This in turn suggests that continuity is rather the trend in ceramic tradition of the society during the transition period. However, further work on clays, kilns, and pottery from other sites discovered in Jordan is necessary to confirm this conclusion.

Cultural Resources Investigations at Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama. Volume II.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

was an infant or child . Parts of broken pottery vessels were found with two of the burials. I As mentioned above, ceramics were relatively infrequent...ai-j- IL is also due to a certain amiount of I tI ’rt ie 1(a ao -- tilit- iV! t-ri i process does not porn i t an extant I ii tfel to !, -,I) Ip it

23. THE FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY, NORTH WING LOOKING WEST SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

23. THE FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY, NORTH WING LOOKING WEST SHOWING GLAZE KILN No. 1 IN THE RIGHT FOREGROUND. KILN No 1 IS THE LEAST ALTERED OF THE ORIGINAL KILNS AND WAS USED UNTIL 1984. ALL KILNS ARE OF COMBINATION UPDRAFT/DOWNDRAFT DESIGN, AND BURNED WOOD AND COAL. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Pulque production from fermented agave sap as a dietary supplement in Prehispanic Mesoamerica.

PubMed

Correa-Ascencio, Marisol; Robertson, Ian G; Cabrera-Cortés, Oralia; Cabrera-Castro, Rubén; Evershed, Richard P

2014-09-30

Although in modern societies fermented beverages are associated with socializing, celebration, and ritual, in ancient times they were also importa`nt sources of essential nutrients and potable water. In Mesoamerica, pulque, an alcoholic beverage produced from the fermented sap of several species of maguey plants (Agavaceae; Fig. 1) is hypothesized to have been used as a dietary supplement and risk-buffering food in ancient Teotihuacan (150 B.C. to A.D. 650). Although direct archaeological evidence of pulque production is lacking, organic residue analysis of pottery vessels offers a new avenue of investigation. However, the chemical components of alcoholic beverages are water-soluble, greatly limiting their survival over archaeological timescales compared with hydrophobic lipids widely preserved in food residues. Hence, we apply a novel lipid biomarker approach that considers detection of bacteriohopanoids derived from the ethanol-producing bacterium Zymomonas mobilis for identifying pulque production/consumption in pottery vessels. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry selected ion monitoring (m/z 191) of lipid extracts of >300 potsherds revealed characteristic bacteriohopanoid distributions in a subset of 14 potsherds. This hopanoid biomarker approach offers a new means of identifying commonly occurring bacterially fermented alcoholic beverages worldwide, including palm wine, beer, cider, perry, and other plant sap- or fruit-derived beverages [Swings J, De Ley J (1977) Bacteriol Rev 41(1):1-46].

[Intelligence quotient loss in Mexican pottery artisan's children].

PubMed

Estrada-Sánchez, Daniel; Ericson, Bret; Juárez-Pérez, Cuauhtémoc Arturo; Aguilar-Madrid, Guadalupe; Hernández, Lina; Gualtero, Sandra; Caravanos, Jack

2017-01-01

In Mexico, artisans frequently use lead oxide or greta in order to produce utensils, which are destined to preparation and storage of food and drinks. Additionally, the risk of lead poisoning of artisans and their families is greater than in general population, and within these families, children are the most susceptible to lead poisoning. The aim of this study was to estimate IQ loss in Mexican children from potter families exposed to lead. Lead concentrations in soil were determined in 19 potter's homes that functioned as pottery workshops in seven Mexican states between 2009 and 2012. This information was used to estimate blood lead levels through the integrated exposure uptake biokinetic (IEUBK) model. The loss of IQ points was then estimated according to the Lanphear and Schwartz models. The mean lead concentration found in the workshops' soil was 1098.4 ppm. Blood lead levels estimated in children under 8 years old were 26.4 µg/dL and the loss of IQ points comprised from 7.13 to 8.84 points depending on the model. It is possible that 11 children from families of artisans in Mexico may be losing between 7.13 to 8.84 IQ points, due to lead exposure in their houses-workshops. This loss in IQ points could have important health, economic and social impacts.

Strategic Planning of small and medium industries. Case study: Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, South Borneo Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elya, N.; Shoimah, F.; Kartika, A. P.; Sukanto, A. B.

2017-06-01

Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency has a potential of SMI (Small and Medium Industries) sectors can be developed as economic development. Based on RTRW of Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, the region has 14 SMI are a propeller, pottery, blacksmith, dried fish, purun webbing, pastries, dodol, crackers, imitation jewelry, woven water hyacinth, bamboo, syrup, brown sugar, and saber. There are several issues related to SMI development such as low quality and quantity of human resources, local raw material, limited capital, low competitiveness, conventional production equipment, and lack of media for marketing the product. The purpose of this study is to develop the leading sectors of SMI and improve the economy and quality of the resident. The research method is descriptive qualitative, leading sectors analysis and force field analysis. Data were obtained from primary and secondary survey of relevant institutions and interview to the community. Based on leading sectors analysis, there is six leading sector is a propeller, blacksmith, dodol, dried fish, pottery, and crackers. Based on force field analysis, determined the strategy for using operational excellence’s concept, so that we can develop the industrial sector by minimizing productions cost so SMI’s product can compete by the price and efficient production process.

PIXE Analysis of Ceramic Artifacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

High, Elizabeth; Lamm, Larry; Schurr, Mark; Stech, Edward; Wiescher, Michael

2009-10-01

Particle Induced X-ray Emissions, or PIXE, is a nuclear physics technique used as a non-destructive material analysis method which gives a detailed and comprehensive profile of the elemental composition of a target. Using the University of Notre Dame KN and FN accelerators in the ISNAP laboratory a beam of particles, here protons, is accelerated and used to knock out electrons from lower orbitals within the target resulting in characteristic X-rays. Under optimum operating conditions data from PIXE can not only give information about which elements are present in a sample but also their relative abundances in parts per million. In a previous run done in collaboration with the Anthropology Department at the University of Notre Dame pottery shards from the Collier Lodge, located in northwest Indiana, were analyzed and only relative abundances were able to be compared between samples. We are now implementing a new setup into the beam-line which will incorporate the ability to take Rutherford Back Scattering, or RBS, measurements of the beam during the PIXE runs, which will allow for a standard normalization for the runs and give the facility the ability to acquire a more absolute and quantitative analysis of the data. Initial results using the same pottery shards as a comparative data set will be presented.

66. FONTHILL GARAGE (1913) AND TERRACE PAVILION (192628), FROM SOUTH. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

66. FONTHILL GARAGE (1913) AND TERRACE PAVILION (1926-28), FROM SOUTH. POURED ATOP AN EARLIER STONE BARN. THE FIRST FLOOR OF THIS STRUCTURE SERVERD AS A GARAGE FOR FONTHILL. IN 1926, MERCER BEGAN CONVERTING THE SECOND FLOOR INTO AND ELABORATELY DECORATED MEETING HOUSE FOR THE DOYLESTOWN NATURE CLUB, CALLED THE TERRACE PAVILION. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

JPRS Report, East Asia Southeast Asia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-20

ringgit. How- ever, if we read it along with the budget strategy pre- sented by Minister of Finance Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the House of...support that because what we are looking for is peace]." OIC assistant secretary general Ibrahim Saleh Bak’r who led the four-man delegation, vowed to...importation into Thailand. They include cloth, garments, pottery, Thanh Le-made lac- querware, Dap Cau glass, and so forth.... One by one, boatfuls

55. QUARRY TILE CUTTERS, SECOND FLOOR, NORTH WING. WORKERS PRESSED ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

55. QUARRY TILE CUTTERS, SECOND FLOOR, NORTH WING. WORKERS PRESSED THE CUTTERS INTO SLABS OF CLAY, LIFTED THEM ONTO DRYING BOARDS AND PRESSED THE PLUNGERS TO RELEASE THE CUT TILES. REPRODUCTIONS CUTTERS ARE NOT USED IN PRODUCTION. WOODEN FORMS FOR PRODUCING CLAY SLABS WITH ROLLING PINS REST AGAINST THE WALL. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Investigating the archaeointensity determination success of prehistoric ceramics through a multidisciplinary approach: new and re-evaluated data from Greek collections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondopoulou, D.; Gómez-Paccard, M.; Aidona, E.; Rathossi, Ch.; Carvallo, C.; Tema, E.; Efthimiadis, K. G.; Polymeris, G. S.

2017-09-01

The Balkan area provides an almost continuous record of the geomagnetic field variations during the last eight millennia but important data dispersion and chronological gaps are still observed. In order to improve this pattern, we oriented our research towards the study of Greek prehistoric ceramics and pottery collections. We present here new archaeointensity and mineralogical results from pottery and ceramics collected in two Bronze Age sites in Northern Greece, corresponding to the middle third and middle second millennium BC. Thermal demagnetization experiments, thermomagnetic curves, thermal demagnetization measurements of three axes composite isothermal magnetization and first-order reversal curves (FORC) diagrams were performed in order to define the main magnetic carriers and select the most promising samples for archaeointensity determination. The results suggest that the majority of the studied materials are dominated by a mixture of superparamagnetic and stable single domain grains, with very little magnetic interactions. In almost all samples the main magnetic carrier observed is a low coercivity mineral, most probably magnetite and/or Ti-magnetite. Classical Thellier experiments, including both the thermoremanent magnetization anisotropy and cooling rate corrections were performed on the selected samples. Two new archaeointensities were obtained and compared with previous data available for Greece and neighbouring countries and with global geomagnetic field models results. In order to investigate the causes of the high rate of failure observed in our archaeointensity experiments, we re-examined the results obtained from the study of four collections already published by better characterizing the magnetic and mineralogical properties of the studied fragments. Specific hysteresis curves performed at different layers of ceramic fragments reveal an important degree of inhomogeneity. Mineralogical analysis of selected samples from the totality of six Greek prehistoric sites studied, including new X-ray powder diffraction analysis and a detailed description of the different geological contexts, is provided. The results suggest that the sherds were all fired in medium-high temperatures (mostly between 500° and 800 °C). The nature of the baked clay paste in response to the local geology appears to account for a part of the variability in magnetic properties. We suggest that X-ray powder diffraction analyses and thorough examination of the geological environment in combination with a satisfactory knowledge of the corresponding excavations history might provide an additional tool to appropriately select pottery fragments before performing future archaeointensity experiments.

Real-time on-line ultrasonic monitoring for bubbles in ceramic 'slip' in pottery pipelines.

PubMed

Yim, Geun Tae; Leighton, Timothy G

2010-01-01

When casting ceramic items in potteries, liquid 'slip' is passed from a settling tank, through overhead pipelines, before being pumped manually into the moulds. It is not uncommon for bubbles to be introduced into the slip as it passes through the complex piping network, and indeed the presence of bubbles is a major source of financial loss to the ceramics industry worldwide. This is because the bubbles almost always remain undetected until after the ceramic items have been fired in a kiln, during which process bubbles expand and create unwanted holes in the pottery. Since there it is usually an interval of several hours between the injection of the slip into the moulds, and the inspection of the items after firing, such bubble generation goes undetected on the production line during the manufacture of hundreds or even thousands of ceramic units. Not only does this mean hours of wasted staff time, power consumption and production line time: the raw material which makes up these faulty items cannot even be recycled, as fired ceramic cannot be converted back into slip. Currently, the state-of-the-art method for detecting bubbles in the opaque ceramic slip is slow and invasive, can only be used off-line, and requires expertise which is rarely available. This paper describes the invention, engineering and in-factory testing across Europe of an ultrasonic system for real-time monitoring for the presence of bubbles in casting slip. It interprets changes in the scattering statistics accompanying the presence of the bubbles, the latter being detected through perturbations in the received signal when a narrow-band ultrasonic probing wave is transmitted through the slip. The device can be bolted onto the outside of the pipeline, or used in-line. It is automated, and requires no special expertise. The acoustic problems which had to be solved were severe, and included making the system capable of monitoring the slip regardless of the material of pipe (plastic, steel, etc.) and nature of the slip (which can be very variable). It must also be capable of detecting bubbles amongst the myriad solid particles and other species present in the flowing slip. The completed prototype was tested around several factories in Europe, and proved not only to be more versatile, but also more sensitive, than the state-of-the-art method.

Secular variation between 5 and 10c CE in Japan: remeasurements of 2000 samples collected between 1960-70's from Sueki earthenware kilns in Osaka.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibuya, H.; Mochizuki, N.; Hatakeyama, T.

2015-12-01

In Japan, archeomagnetic measurements are vigorously developed for years, though it is not well known to paleomagnetism community in english. One of the works is massive archeomagnetic study of Suemura kiln group carried out in Osaka University in 1960's to early 70's. More than 500 kilns were excavated in Sakai city and vicinities, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The kiln group is called as Suemura Kilns, and are for Sueki earthenware of 5c to 10c CE. About 300 kilns were sampled and most of the samples were measured at the time, and the results are reported in e.g. Hirooka (1971) and Shibuya (1980). However, the results have significant scatter in direction, which may be due to the limitation of old astatic magnetometer measurements and handwriting graphic determination of magnetic direction, and/or the lack of demagnetization. We recently inherited many of those samples and remeasured them with spinner magnetometer applying alternation field demagnetization (afd). The magnetizations are generally very stable, as usual as other archeomagnetic samples, and afd does not change the magnetic direction mostly. However, significant number of sites show large scatter in magnetic directions, which might be due to the wrong identification of kiln floor or disturbance at the time of collapsing or excavation. Taking kilns of α95<4o, we recovered 131 paleomagnetic directions. Although third of them are dated by pottery shape chronology, the range of each pottery style is not precisely known and the relation of the baked floor and the potteries excavated around kilns are not always clear. The carbon dating of those kilns are very scares. Thus we first try to draw secular variation curve in declination-inclination plot. With the rough ages of those kilns, it is pretty easy to draw the SVC. It is also numerically determined taking the distance of each direction from nearest point in SVC and the velocity change of the SVC as penalty function, within a couple of degrees in the error. The the age of each point is assigned to satisfy the archeological ages. This precise SVC in the far east will improve understanding the geomagnetic variations, as well as application to the archeological dating.

Archeointensity determinations on Pre-Columbian potteries from La Ceiba and Santa Marta shelter-caves (Chiapas, Mexico).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez-Ceja, Maria; Camps, Pierre; Goguitchaichvili, Avto; Poidras, Thierry; Nicol, Patrick

2014-05-01

Quite surprisingly, the abundance of archaeological baked clays found in the tropical area of Mesoamerica contrast with the small amount of archeomagnetic data available today for this area [Fanjat et al, EPSL, 2013; Alva-Valdivia et al, PEPI, 2010, Morales et al., EPS, 2009]. It seems especially difficult to try to establish a regional trend in the intensity variations. While they are few, the data are moreover of uneven quality as attested by a large scatter in experimental values during the Mesoamerican classic and post-classic periods (250-1521 AD) that cannot be explained by real fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field [Fanjat et al, EPSL, 2013]. The present study is part of a large effort to provide reliable and perfectly dated archeointensity data for the tropical area of Mesoamerica. It focuses on Thellier-Thellier archeointensity measurements obtained from 87 small fragments from potsherds of 12 different potteries. These potteries were excavated from sedimentary sequences within two shelter-caves, La Ceiba and Santa Marta, located on the banks of Grijalva and La Venta rivers, respectively. Both are shelter-caves without constructed structures that were inhabited by humans groups. Samples were located in different stratigraphic levels, culturally well identified and well preserved due to long time sedimentation. Only samples with a homogenous color were pre-selected for the rock magnetic study performed prior to any attempt to estimate the archeointensity. This was done in order to assure, as far as possible, a uniform baking during the manufacture, which is supposed to be made in open sky fire, since no kiln construction has been found. The ceramics ages were achieved in 2 ways: for samples with organic material associated, a 14C dating was done. The rest of the samples were dated according to their typological characteristics, comparing with regional ceramic chronological classification. This includes characteristics such as the finishing surface type, decoration, polished type, color, clay characteristics, composition, baking types, form, and function. The ages of the selected samples enclose the entire classical and post-classical periods. Most of our selected samples yielded good, from a technical point of view, archeointensity estimates. These new archeointensity determinations are compared and discussed with the previous values obtained for this area.

The 11th Century Collapse of Aqaba on the North Coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, Dead Sea Fault System, Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niemi, Tina; Allison, Alivia; Rucker, John

2010-05-01

The city of Aqaba is situated at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba along the southern part of the Dead Sea Transform Fault. Based both on the historical accounts and archaeological excavations, it is clear that earthquakes have played a significant role in the history of the region. The early Islamic city of Ayla was probably founded around 650 A.D., suffered some damage as a result of the 748 A.D. earthquake, and saw extensive reconstruction around the beginning of the Abbasid period (Whitcomb, 1994). Among other evidence of earthquake destruction at the Islamic city of Ayla is the leaning city Sea wall. Stratified pottery collections from our February 2009 excavation of the buttress of the city wall of Ayla strongly suggest a date for revetment construction in the early 11th Century. Based on the fact that the most recent pottery from sealed loci inside the buttress wall is late Abbasid - Fatimid and the absence of handmade pottery often found in the abandonment phases, the buttress was likely constructed after liquefaction damage from the 1033 earthquake. Damage from distant source earthquakes (748 and 1033) in the ancient city was repaired in antiquity. The destruction and loss of life (accounts claim that all but 12 residents who had been out fishing were killed) caused by the 1068 earthquake may account for the relative ease with which Baldwin I of Jerusalem took over when he arrived with a small retinue in 1116 A.D. Paleoseismic trenches in the modern city of Aqaba indicate that at least two earthquakes have occurred after deposits dated to 1045-1278 A.D. A preliminary analysis of the stratigraphy in new trenches in the Taba sabkha north of Aqaba shows at least three separate faulting events, with the most recent event located at a depth of 70 cm below the ground surface. This finding supports the initial ground penetrating radar survey conducted at the southern end of the Taba sabkha by Abueladas (2005). These data document a long period of quiescence since the last phase of intense earthquake activity along the southern Dead Sea Transform and highlight the elevated potential earthquake hazard in the region.

A Brief History of Physics in China,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-29

not attracted by magnets. Chang Hua noticed that a static charge was produced in combing hair and in undressing with silk and wool garments. He...after the expiration of the greenish white gas. It is at this moment that casting can be performed’. For the process of smelting and casting, since there...orange, then yellow, and appears white at about 1000°C. In the process of heating pottery and metals, the ancient Chinese mastered the knowledge of

M-X Environmental Technical Report. Environmental Characteristics of Alternative Designated Deployment Areas, Archaeological and Historical Resources.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-22

1973). Several studies of petroglyph sites have also been completed ( Heizer and Baumhoff, 1962; T. Thomas, 1976). Most recent work has been in the...primarily open sites, projectile points (eg., Heizer and Hester, 1978; Holmer, 1978; Thomas, 1970) and pottery (eg., Baldwin, 1950; Madsen, 1977) will be...sites documented in site files. The previous tendency to not record historic properties for inclusion in state and agency site files has rendered these

91. THE FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY, NORTH WING LOOKING WEST SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

91. THE FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY, NORTH WING LOOKING WEST SHOWING GLAZE KILN No. 1 IN THE RIGHT FOREGROUND. KILN No. 1 IS THE LEAST ALTERED OF THE ORIGINAL KILNS AND WAS USED UNTIL 1984. ALL KILNS ARE OF COMBINATION UPDRAFT/DOWNDRAFT DESIGN, AND BURNED WOOD AND COAL SAME VIEW AS PA-107-23. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

Earliest date for milk use in the Near East and southeastern Europe linked to cattle herding.

PubMed

Evershed, Richard P; Payne, Sebastian; Sherratt, Andrew G; Copley, Mark S; Coolidge, Jennifer; Urem-Kotsu, Duska; Kotsakis, Kostas; Ozdoğan, Mehmet; Ozdoğan, Aslý E; Nieuwenhuyse, Olivier; Akkermans, Peter M M G; Bailey, Douglass; Andeescu, Radian-Romus; Campbell, Stuart; Farid, Shahina; Hodder, Ian; Yalman, Nurcan; Ozbaşaran, Mihriban; Biçakci, Erhan; Garfinkel, Yossef; Levy, Thomas; Burton, Margie M

2008-09-25

The domestication of cattle, sheep and goats had already taken place in the Near East by the eighth millennium bc. Although there would have been considerable economic and nutritional gains from using these animals for their milk and other products from living animals-that is, traction and wool-the first clear evidence for these appears much later, from the late fifth and fourth millennia bc. Hence, the timing and region in which milking was first practised remain unknown. Organic residues preserved in archaeological pottery have provided direct evidence for the use of milk in the fourth millennium in Britain, and in the sixth millennium in eastern Europe, based on the delta(13)C values of the major fatty acids of milk fat. Here we apply this approach to more than 2,200 pottery vessels from sites in the Near East and southeastern Europe dating from the fifth to the seventh millennia bc. We show that milk was in use by the seventh millennium; this is the earliest direct evidence to date. Milking was particularly important in northwestern Anatolia, pointing to regional differences linked with conditions more favourable to cattle compared to other regions, where sheep and goats were relatively common and milk use less important. The latter is supported by correlations between the fat type and animal bone evidence.

Lead poisoning in a 16-year-old girl: a case report and a review of the literature (CARE compliant).

PubMed

Mărginean, Cristina Oana; Meliţ, Lorena Elena; Moldovan, Horaţiu; Lupu, Vasile Valeriu; Mărginean, Maria Oana

2016-09-01

Lead is a toxic element of the environment which leads to major complications once it enters the blood stream, affecting multiple organs and systems of the body. We present the case of a 16-year-old girl, diagnosed with lead poisoning after occupational exposure due to the fact that the girl was actively involved in the family's pottery business.History revealed that the girl participated in the process of pottery, her father was also diagnosed with lead poisoning 2 years before. The patient's personal history underlined that approximately 1 year ago she presented with severe abdominal pain, being diagnosed with acute appendicitis and she underwent appendectomy, but the pain persisted, thus due to family history of lead poisoning, the suspicion of saturnine colic rose, and she was diagnosed with lead poisoning. The main symptoms and signs were severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and arterial hypertension. The clinical evolution was favorable under symptomatic treatment and chelation therapy. Lead toxicity is a life-threatening condition because of its severe acute and chronic complications. In children, there is no safe blood lead level, prevention methods are, therefore, very important in order to avoid toxic multiorganic effects of this metal. Even though the diagnosis of lead poisoning remains difficult in children, it must also be taken into consideration by the clinician facing a child with gastrointestinal or neurological involvement.

Change of exposure response over time and long-term risk of silicosis among a cohort of Chinese pottery workers.

PubMed

Sun, Yi; Bochmann, Frank; Morfeld, Peter; Ulm, Kurt; Liu, Yuewei; Wang, Heijiao; Yang, Lei; Chen, Weihong

2011-07-01

An analysis was conducted on a cohort of Chinese pottery workers to estimate the exposure-response relationship between respirable crystalline silica dust exposure and the incidence of radiographically diagnosed silicosis, and to estimate the long-term risk of developing silicosis until the age of 65. The cohort comprised 3,250 employees with a median follow-up duration of around 37 years. Incident cases of silicosis were identified via silicosis registries (Chinese X-ray stage I, similar to International Labor Organisation classification scheme profusion category 1/1). Individual exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust was estimated based on over 100,000 historical dust measurements. The association between dust exposure, incidence and long-time risk of silicosis was quantified by Poisson regression analysis adjusted for age and smoking. The risk of silicosis depended not only on the cumulative respirable crystalline silica dust exposures, but also on the time-dependent respirable crystalline silica dust exposure pattern (long-term average concentration, highest annual concentration ever experienced and time since first exposure). A long-term "excess" risk of silicosis of approximately 1.5/1,000 was estimated among workers with all annual respirable crystalline silica dust concentration estimates less than 0.1 mg/m(3), using the German measurement strategy. This study indicates the importance of proper consideration of exposure information in risk quantification in epidemiological studies.

Applications of a synergic analytical strategy to figure out technologies in medieval glazed pottery with "negative decoration" from Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannossa, Lorena Carla; Acquaviva, Marianna; Laganara, Caterina; Laviano, Rocco; Mangone, Annarosa

2014-09-01

Glazed pottery with "negative decoration" samples, dating back to the twelfth to thirteenth century ad and coming from three sites along the Adriatic coast, Siponto, Egnatia and Trani (Southern Italy) were characterized from physical-chemical, mineralogical and morphological points of view. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy investigations were carried out on ceramic bodies, pigments and glazes of the fragments. We aimed to outline the technological features, define the nature of decorations and coatings—glazes and engobes—and look for clues to hypothesize provenance. Results obtained show clear differences in raw materials and production technology between the impressed ceramic of Islamic tradition and the incised one of Byzantine tradition. Regarding the latter, evidences of a non-local origin can be found in the compositional diversity of raw materials used for the ceramic bodies of fragments decorated with spiral and pseudo-kufic motifs, which stressed the use of clays so far not recorded in Apulia. At the same time, at least in the case of Siponto, the compositional similarity of both ceramic bodies and materials used under the glaze for impressed ceramic and painted polychrome ceramics (RMR and protomaiolica), more likely local production, could suggest that both were produced in the same workshops.

Pulque production from fermented agave sap as a dietary supplement in Prehispanic Mesoamerica

PubMed Central

Correa-Ascencio, Marisol; Robertson, Ian G.; Cabrera-Cortés, Oralia; Cabrera-Castro, Rubén; Evershed, Richard P.

2014-01-01

Although in modern societies fermented beverages are associated with socializing, celebration, and ritual, in ancient times they were also importa`nt sources of essential nutrients and potable water. In Mesoamerica, pulque, an alcoholic beverage produced from the fermented sap of several species of maguey plants (Agavaceae; Fig. 1) is hypothesized to have been used as a dietary supplement and risk-buffering food in ancient Teotihuacan (150 B.C. to A.D. 650). Although direct archaeological evidence of pulque production is lacking, organic residue analysis of pottery vessels offers a new avenue of investigation. However, the chemical components of alcoholic beverages are water-soluble, greatly limiting their survival over archaeological timescales compared with hydrophobic lipids widely preserved in food residues. Hence, we apply a novel lipid biomarker approach that considers detection of bacteriohopanoids derived from the ethanol-producing bacterium Zymomonas mobilis for identifying pulque production/consumption in pottery vessels. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry selected ion monitoring (m/z 191) of lipid extracts of >300 potsherds revealed characteristic bacteriohopanoid distributions in a subset of 14 potsherds. This hopanoid biomarker approach offers a new means of identifying commonly occurring bacterially fermented alcoholic beverages worldwide, including palm wine, beer, cider, perry, and other plant sap- or fruit-derived beverages [Swings J, De Ley J (1977) Bacteriol Rev 41(1):1–46]. PMID:25225408

Early Islamic inter-settlement agroecosystems in coastal sand, Yavneh dunefield, eastern Mediterranean coast, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roskin, Joel; Taxel, Itamar

2017-04-01

This study reveals an attempt to condition agriculture in coastal aeolian sand holding a high water table. Twenty-six small sites, clustering in topographic lows of the Yavneh dunefield, southern Israeli coastal plain, yield surficial Early Islamic finds, and eroded 1-2 m high berms built of grey sand partially covered by parabolic and transverse dunes. Small winter ponds develop by some of the sites. A clay loam 2.5 m beneath the surface retains the water table at a depth of 2.2 m. Between the berms, a 10-50 cm thick grey sand unit dating by OSL to 0.9 ka (11th-12th century AD) underlays a loose aeolian sand cover and overlays sand whose upper parts date to 1.1 ka (9th-10th century AD). The grey unit displays slightly improved fertility (phosphate, potassium, nitrogen and calcium carbonate) in relation to the underlying sand suggesting an anthropogenic enrichment of ash and refuse. Particle size is similar to the sand. Organic carbon and magnetic susceptibility values (0-5 SI) values are quite low (0.4-0.8%) for both units. The artifact assemblage is mixed and comprised of small (<10 cm) pottery sherds, ceramic roof tiles, glass, marble and granite fragments, mosaic tesserae, pottery production waste, iron slag, animal bones, seashells, and coins dated between the 8th and 10th century. The artifacts pre-date the OSL age of the underlying grey sand. The pottery shares many characteristics with the rich ceramic assemblage of nearby inland Yavneh. The establishment of the sites may have been executed by the inhabitants of either Yavneh (or another major inland settlement) or the seashore Muslim military stronghold of Yavneh-Yam (Taxel, 2013). The density of the sites is remarkable compared with the paucity of Byzantine sites in the same region, indicating a distinct spatial pattern that served a specific purpose. The lack of buried artifacts and structures suggests that the sites did not serve for permanent/intensive occupation. The widespread utilization of the rich assortment of Early Islamic artifacts but the relatively younger OSL ages of the underlying grey sand and absence of older Byzantine pottery suggests that the artifacts were rapidly dispersed upon the surface, probably from an abandoned and possibly partly pedogenized town dump dating to the 8th-10th century. The sites are interpreted to be part of an extensive agroecosystem comprised of berm-bordered agricultural plots in lows that allowed easy manual or root access to the high water table. The sites' character and ages closely resembles the well-preserved crisscross berms and inter-berm depressions south of ancient Caesarea that date to 0.86 ka (Roskin et al., 2015). The agricultural activity probably lasted no more than several decades to one century but its utility remains a question. The study documents a challenging attempt to utilize uncultivated sand sheets in a Mediterranean environment for agroecosystem expansion, income, control and "greening" of the terrain. This effort partly reminisces other Early Islamic agricultural water systems (e.g. qanats) in arid regions. It demonstrates that spatial agroecosystems can be developed in times that are not necessarily characterized by socio-political stability.

Chemical and archaeological evidence for the earliest cacao beverages

PubMed Central

Henderson, John S.; Joyce, Rosemary A.; Hall, Gretchen R.; Hurst, W. Jeffrey; McGovern, Patrick E.

2007-01-01

Chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery vessels from Puerto Escondido in what is now Honduras show that cacao beverages were being made there before 1000 B.C., extending the confirmed use of cacao back at least 500 years. The famous chocolate beverage served on special occasions in later times in Mesoamerica, especially by elites, was made from cacao seeds. The earliest cacao beverages consumed at Puerto Escondido were likely produced by fermenting the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds. PMID:18024588

48. STAIRWAY TO THE SECOND FLOOR, SOUTH END OF THE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

48. STAIRWAY TO THE SECOND FLOOR, SOUTH END OF THE EAST WING. STAIRWAY AND WOODEN DECK ADDED IN 1976. WOODEN DECK FILLS A CIRCULAR HOLE LEFT IN THE FLOOR FOR THE POSSIBLE ADDITION OF A THIRD BISCUIT AND KILN. A SMALLER HOLE WAS LEFT IN THE WEST WING FLOOR TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITIONAL GLAZE KILN. NEITHER EXTRA KILN WAS BUILT. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

The construction technology of Chinese ancient city drainage facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hequn, Li; Yufengyun

2018-03-01

In ancient china, according to the local natural environment, a variety of drainage facilities were built in order to excrete rainwater, domestic sewage, production wastewater and so on. These drainage facilities were mainly made of pottery, bricks, wood, stone, etc. For example, ceramic water pipelines, buried in the ground, connect together one by one, and there was a slight drop from one end to the other in favor of drainage. These measures can also be used for reference in today’s urban drainage and flood control.

Archeological/Historical Inventory, Pedestrian Reconnaissance and Limited Shovel Testing for the Proposed Flood Control Project at Fort Wayne, Indiana

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

selection is apparently based on regional terrain and the fact that the west bank offers better access to hinterland resources. Cochran’s ( 1980 ...summer occupations in exposed aquatic- oriented zones such as the floodplains do occur, most within 300 meters of the channel (Cochran 1980 :98...According to Cochran ( 1980 :98), "There appears to be a positive association between pottery bearing sites and sandy soils." Woodland sites encompass villages

Chemical and archaeological evidence for the earliest cacao beverages.

PubMed

Henderson, John S; Joyce, Rosemary A; Hall, Gretchen R; Hurst, W Jeffrey; McGovern, Patrick E

2007-11-27

Chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery vessels from Puerto Escondido in what is now Honduras show that cacao beverages were being made there before 1000 B.C., extending the confirmed use of cacao back at least 500 years. The famous chocolate beverage served on special occasions in later times in Mesoamerica, especially by elites, was made from cacao seeds. The earliest cacao beverages consumed at Puerto Escondido were likely produced by fermenting the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds.

An Archaeological Survey of the Galisteo Dam and Reservoir Area Santa Fe County, New Mexico.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

earliest in situ remains of this tradition are those of the Jay Phase (5500-480O--T; these remains bear little resemblance to those of the Paleo-Indian...Pueblo occupa- tion as an in situ development must account for the occupational hiatus that occurred in the Galisteo Basin and elsewhere...a plaza area containing a kiva. Walls were coursed adobe with cobble footings, or else of masonry. Dominant pottery at the Wheeler Site was Agua Fria

Cultural Resources Survey of Mile 306.3 to 293.4-R on the Mississippi River, Concordia, Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana Parishes, Louisiana

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

from Cairo, Illinois to an arbitrary location upstream of the Gulf of Mexico where the delta plain originates . Specifically, the proposed project area...dominated by sediment of Mississippi River alluvial origin . In the northern part of Pointe Coupee Parish, the sediment deposited by the Red or Arkansas...North America. Domesticated cultigens, pottery making, and mound building are recognized as characteristics that suggest increased populations, social

The archaeological evidence for the appearance of pastoralism and farming in southern Africa

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This paper is a response to the growing reference to archaeological evidence by linguists and geneticists interested in the spread of early farmers and pastoralists in southern Africa. It presents two databases. The first contains the archaeological evidence for pastoralism and farming in southern Africa, for the period 550 BC to AD 1050. This is the first time that the seven different types of archaeological evidence that have traditionally been used to identify both spread events are presented together at this scale. This was stimulated by our interest in investigating the antiquity of an early ‘Iron Age package’ relative to the spread of single archaeological traits. The analysis shows that the package appears approximately 700 years after sites containing pottery, cattle and sheep, without agriculture, appear in the drier parts of the sub-continent. It post-dates the appearance of earlier sites with pottery associated with farmers, metal-working and cultivation in the eastern half of the sub-continent. While poor preservation undoubtedly explains the absence of some parts of the package, the analysis suggests that other explanations should be considered. The second database is a quantitative, spatial study of archaeological publications on southern African farming and pastoralism for the period 1950 to 2016, covering the same geographical area and archaeological timeframe. This is presented as a proxy for research-intensive areas in attempt to show the gaps in archaeological fieldwork and knowledge. PMID:29902271

Testing complex networks of interaction at the onset of the Near Eastern Neolithic using modelling of obsidian exchange

PubMed Central

Ibáñez, Juan José; Ortega, David; Campos, Daniel; Khalidi, Lamya; Méndez, Vicenç

2015-01-01

In this paper, we explore the conditions that led to the origins and development of the Near Eastern Neolithic using mathematical modelling of obsidian exchange. The analysis presented expands on previous research, which established that the down-the-line model could not explain long-distance obsidian distribution across the Near East during this period. Drawing from outcomes of new simulations and their comparison with archaeological data, we provide results that illuminate the presence of complex networks of interaction among the earliest farming societies. We explore a network prototype of obsidian exchange with distant links which replicates the long-distance movement of ideas, goods and people during the Early Neolithic. Our results support the idea that during the first (Pre-Pottery Neolithic A) and second (Pre-Pottery Neolithic B) phases of the Early Neolithic, the complexity of obsidian exchange networks gradually increased. We propose then a refined model (the optimized distant link model) whereby long-distance exchange was largely operated by certain interconnected villages, resulting in the appearance of a relatively homogeneous Neolithic cultural sphere. We hypothesize that the appearance of complex interaction and exchange networks reduced risks of isolation caused by restricted mobility as groups settled and argue that these networks partially triggered and were crucial for the success of the Neolithic Revolution. Communities became highly dynamic through the sharing of experiences and objects, while the networks that developed acted as a repository of innovations, limiting the risk of involution. PMID:25948614

Chemical process to separate iron oxides particles in pottery sample for EPR dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, S.; Farias, T. M. B.; Gennari, R. F.; Ferraz, G. M.; Kunzli, R.; Chubaci, J. F. D.

2008-12-01

Ancient potteries usually are made of the local clay material, which contains relatively high concentration of iron. The powdered samples are usually quite black, due to magnetite, and, although they can be used for thermoluminescene (TL) dating, it is easiest to obtain better TL reading when clearest natural or pre-treated sample is used. For electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements, the huge signal due to iron spin-spin interaction, promotes an intense interference overlapping any other signal in this range. Sample dating is obtained by dividing the radiation dose, determined by the concentration of paramagnetic species generated by irradiation, by the natural dose so as a consequence, EPR dating cannot be used, since iron signal do not depend on radiation dose. In some cases, the density separation method using hydrated solution of sodium polytungstate [Na 6(H 2W 12O 40)·H 2O] becomes useful. However, the sodium polytungstate is very expensive in Brazil; hence an alternative method for eliminating this interference is proposed. A chemical process to eliminate about 90% of magnetite was developed. A sample of powdered ancient pottery was treated in a mixture (3:1:1) of HCl, HNO 3 and H 2O 2 for 4 h. After that, it was washed several times in distilled water to remove all acid matrixes. The original black sample becomes somewhat clearer. The resulting material was analyzed by plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), with the result that the iron content is reduced by a factor of about 9. In EPR measurements a non-treated natural ceramic sample shows a broad spin-spin interaction signal, the chemically treated sample presents a narrow signal in g = 2.00 region, possibly due to a radical of (SiO 3) 3-, mixed with signal of remaining iron [M. Ikeya, New Applications of Electron Spin Resonance, World Scientific, Singapore, 1993, p. 285]. This signal increases in intensity under γ-irradiation. However, still due to iron influence, the additive method yielded too old age-value. Since annealing at 300 °C, Toyoda and Ikeya [S. Toyoda, M. Ikeya, Geochem. J. 25 (1991) 427-445] states that E1-signal with maximum intensity is obtained, while annealing at 400 °C E1-signal is completely eliminated, the subtraction of the second one from 300 °C heat-treated sample isolate E1-like signal. Since this is radiation dose-dependent, we show that now EPR dating becomes possible.

Archaeological and Historical Investigations of Joe Pool Lake. Recovering Evidence of 6,000 Years of Human Occupation along Mountain Creek in North Central Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

fragments, sherds of stoneware 50 years old before it can be considered for signifi- pottery, butchered beef bones, and buttons. As all of cance and nominated...feeding chickens, Impoovement District Number Onte inr compliance with state ad federal butchering animals, or cooking. ’Me yard itself was...used to butcher a cow are still recorded on some common activities and objects that were too corn- excavated bones (Figure 7). The scratches and wear

57. ORIGINAL TILE PRESS AND EXPERIMENTAL DENTAL KILN, SECOND FLOOR, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

57. ORIGINAL TILE PRESS AND EXPERIMENTAL DENTAL KILN, SECOND FLOOR, NORTH WING, HENRY MERCER USED THE KILN FOR HIS EARLIEST GLAZE TESTS. THE PRESS WAS DESIGNED TO BE USED WITH METAL CASED MOLDS. SINCE ONLY THE EARLIEST TILE DESIGNS ARE IN METAL CASES. THIS TECHNIQUE WAS PROBABLY DISCONTINUED. THIS PRESS WAS, THEREFORE, PROBABLY NOT USED EXTENSIVELY AT THIS SITE. THE UPPER PART OF GLAZE KILN No. 2 IS AT THE LEFT REAR. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

A Cultural Resources Survey and Testing Report of the Elk Chute West Ditch Channel Cleanout Project, Dunklin and Pemiscot Counties, Missouri

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-01

the levee is leased by the U.S. Government to private individuals for livestock grazing and cotton cultivation. Cultivation within the project area has...atiuj ng adapi-al tun to thIie wetter condi Lions tot lowing the dry hypor In .iaI. lna I us trrte.sponds to the sub-Boreal climatic episode (Sabo el...the Buckett phase of the Cairo Lowland alea . However. as rhillips (1970) noted, the phase is otherwise not well delktn|d. Specilic pottery types such as

Provisioning the Ritual Neolithic Site of Kfar HaHoresh, Israel at the Dawn of Animal Management.

PubMed

Meier, Jacqueline S; Goring-Morris, A Nigel; Munro, Natalie D

2016-01-01

It is widely agreed that a pivotal shift from wild animal hunting to herd animal management, at least of goats, began in the southern Levant by the Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (10,000-9,500 cal. BP) when evidence of ritual activities flourished in the region. As our knowledge of this critical change grows, sites that represent different functions and multiple time periods are needed to refine the timing, pace and character of changing human-animal relationships within the geographically variable southern Levant. In particular, we investigate how a ritual site was provisioned with animals at the time when herd management first began in the region. We utilize fauna from the 2010-2012 excavations at the mortuary site of Kfar HaHoresh-the longest continuous Pre-Pottery Neolithic B faunal sequence in the south Levantine Mediterranean Hills (Early-Late periods, 10,600-8,700 cal. BP). We investigate the trade-off between wild and domestic progenitor taxa and classic demographic indicators of management to detect changes in hunted animal selection and control over herd animal movement and reproduction. We find that ungulate selection at Kfar HaHoresh differs from neighboring sites, although changes in dietary breadth, herd demographics and body-size data fit the regional pattern of emerging management. Notably, wild ungulates including aurochs and gazelle are preferentially selected to provision Kfar HaHoresh in the PPNB, despite evidence that goat management was underway in the Mediterranean Hills. The preference for wild animals at this important site likely reflects their symbolic significance in ritual and mortuary practice.

Evaluation of genotoxic effects of lead in pottery-glaze workers using micronucleus assay, alkaline comet assay and DNA diffusion assay.

PubMed

Kašuba, V; Rozgaj, R; Milić, M; Zelježić, D; Kopjar, N; Pizent, A; Kljaković-Gašpić, Z; Jazbec, A

2012-10-01

We investigated genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to lead acetate in pottery-glaze ceramic workers. The study was carried out in 30 exposed workers and 30 matched controls, to whom several biochemical parameters-the blood lead (B-Pb; range: exposed, 41.68-404.77; controls, 12-52) and cadmium (B-Cd) level, the activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP), the level of vitamin B(12) and folate in serum-were measured. The genotoxic effects were evaluated by the alkaline comet assay, the DNA diffusion assay and micronucleus test in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Subjects exposed to lead had significantly higher B-Pb level and, consequently, increased values of tail intensity (TI), frequency of apoptotic and necrotic cells, and frequency of micronuclei (MN). In contrast, their activity of ALAD, the level of vitamin B(12) and folate in serum were significantly lower compared to controls. Poisson regression analysis showed a significant correlation of profession, duration of exposure, smoking, level of cadmium in blood, ALAD and EP with primary DNA damage. A majority of primary damage repairs in a short period after exposure to a genotoxic agent. In addition, the influence of gender and level of vitamin B(12) and folate in serum MN frequency in exposed group was observed. In this study, DNA diffusion and micronucleus test showed higher influence of tested parameters to DNA damage. The results indicate a need for concomitant use of at least two different biomarkers of exposure when estimating a genetic risk of lead exposure.

Evidence of genocide 7000 BP--Neolithic paradigm and geo-climatic reality.

PubMed

Teschler-Nicola, M; Gerold, F; Bujatti-Narbeshuber, M; Prohaska, T; Latkoczy, C; Stingeder, G; Watkins, M

1999-12-01

The early Neolithic fortified settlement of Schletz, Lower Austria is emerging as one of the most interesting sites of Linear Pottery culture excavation in Austria. In the course of systematic investigations carried out since 1983, a plethora of unexpected results have been obtained. Specifically, the human skeletal remains of 67 individuals have been found at the base of an oval trench system. Without exception, these remains are characterized by multiple traumatic lesions as well as carnivore gnaw marks. Demographic analysis presents the picture of the entire population of this early farming settlement having been extinguished. Further, the findings suggest that a genocide scenario may have been responsible for the final demise of this settlement. The age and sex distribution reveals a lack of young females, who are interpreted as having been abducted by aggressors. There is however no direct skeletal evidence of aggressors at the site; in fact, the uniformity of Strontium isotope ratios (HR-ICP-MS analysis) implies that all 67 individuals, who were left unburied for months, were indigenous. Supporting evidence of increased levels of inter-human aggression--possibly caused by a broad wave of migration--comes from other contemporary end linear pottery sites in Germany. Such findings are here discussed in the context of a dramatic geological event in the region of the Black Sea shelf at this time (7.550 BP), which led to the submergence of some 100.000 square kilometers of fertile land, and which might have been responsible for subsequent gradual population movements into the interior of Europe.

Testing complex networks of interaction at the onset of the Near Eastern Neolithic using modelling of obsidian exchange.

PubMed

Ibáñez, Juan José; Ortega, David; Campos, Daniel; Khalidi, Lamya; Méndez, Vicenç

2015-06-06

In this paper, we explore the conditions that led to the origins and development of the Near Eastern Neolithic using mathematical modelling of obsidian exchange. The analysis presented expands on previous research, which established that the down-the-line model could not explain long-distance obsidian distribution across the Near East during this period. Drawing from outcomes of new simulations and their comparison with archaeological data, we provide results that illuminate the presence of complex networks of interaction among the earliest farming societies. We explore a network prototype of obsidian exchange with distant links which replicates the long-distance movement of ideas, goods and people during the Early Neolithic. Our results support the idea that during the first (Pre-Pottery Neolithic A) and second (Pre-Pottery Neolithic B) phases of the Early Neolithic, the complexity of obsidian exchange networks gradually increased. We propose then a refined model (the optimized distant link model) whereby long-distance exchange was largely operated by certain interconnected villages, resulting in the appearance of a relatively homogeneous Neolithic cultural sphere. We hypothesize that the appearance of complex interaction and exchange networks reduced risks of isolation caused by restricted mobility as groups settled and argue that these networks partially triggered and were crucial for the success of the Neolithic Revolution. Communities became highly dynamic through the sharing of experiences and objects, while the networks that developed acted as a repository of innovations, limiting the risk of involution. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Sources of Potential Lead Exposure Among Pregnant Women in New Mexico

PubMed Central

Rowland, Andrew S.; Young, Bonnie N.; Cano, Sandra; Phelan, Sharon T.; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Rayburn, William F.; Lewis, Johnnye

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to ascertain the prevalence and potential sources of lead exposure among pregnant women residing in a socially-disadvantaged immigrant community in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pregnant women (n = 140) receiving prenatal care through a community clinic participated in a structured interview and screening to measure their blood lead levels (BLLs). Potential sources of lead exposure were ascertained by the CDC and New Mexico Department of Health questionnaires. Self-reported risk factors were examined as predictors of BLLs using multiple linear regression and partial least squares discriminant analysis. Most patients were Spanish-speaking (88.6%), Latina (95%), foreign-born (87.1%), lacked health insurance (86.4%), and had a high school education or lower (84.3%). While risk factors were prevalent in this population, only three women (2.1%) had BLLs ≥3 μg/dL. Results of multivariate analyses demonstrated that pica symptoms in pregnancy, history of elevated BLLs before pregnancy, use of non-commercial pottery, and living in older houses were important predictors of elevated BLLs. Although the prevalence of other risk factors relevant to immigrant communities (i.e., use of traditional/folk remedies and cosmetics, seasonings and food products from Mexico) was high, they were not predictive of elevated BLLs. Clinics providing prenatal care to immigrant Hispanic communities should carefully assess patients’ pica symptoms, use of non-commercial pottery, and a history of elevated BLLs. Moreover, additional efforts need to focus on the development of screening questionnaires which better reflect exposures of concern in this population. PMID:22362260

Sources of potential lead exposure among pregnant women in New Mexico.

PubMed

Bakhireva, Ludmila N; Rowland, Andrew S; Young, Bonnie N; Cano, Sandra; Phelan, Sharon T; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Rayburn, William F; Lewis, Johnnye

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to ascertain the prevalence and potential sources of lead exposure among pregnant women residing in a socially-disadvantaged immigrant community in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pregnant women (n = 140) receiving prenatal care through a community clinic participated in a structured interview and screening to measure their blood lead levels (BLLs). Potential sources of lead exposure were ascertained by the CDC and New Mexico Department of Health questionnaires. Self-reported risk factors were examined as predictors of BLLs using multiple linear regression and partial least squares discriminant analysis. Most patients were Spanish-speaking (88.6%), Latina (95%), foreign-born (87.1%), lacked health insurance (86.4%), and had a high school education or lower (84.3%). While risk factors were prevalent in this population, only three women (2.1%) had BLLs ≥3 μg/dL. Results of multivariate analyses demonstrated that pica symptoms in pregnancy, history of elevated BLLs before pregnancy, use of non-commercial pottery, and living in older houses were important predictors of elevated BLLs. Although the prevalence of other risk factors relevant to immigrant communities (i.e., use of traditional/folk remedies and cosmetics, seasonings and food products from Mexico) was high, they were not predictive of elevated BLLs. Clinics providing prenatal care to immigrant Hispanic communities should carefully assess patients' pica symptoms, use of non-commercial pottery, and a history of elevated BLLs. Moreover, additional efforts need to focus on the development of screening questionnaires which better reflect exposures of concern in this population.

Raman spectroscopic study of ancient South African domestic clay pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legodi, M. A.; de Waal, D.

2007-01-01

The technique of Raman spectroscopy was used to examine the composition of ancient African domestic clay pottery of South African origin. One sample from each of four archaeological sites including Rooiwal, Lydenburg, Makahane and Graskop was studied. Normal dispersive Raman spectroscopy was found to be the most effective analytical technique in this study. XRF, XRD and FT-IR spectroscopy were used as complementary techniques. All representative samples contained common features, which were characterised by kaolin (Al 2Si 2O 5(OH) 5), illite (KAl 4(Si 7AlO 20)(OH) 4), feldspar (K- and NaAlSi 3O 8), quartz (α-SiO 2), hematite (α-Fe 2O 3), montmorillonite (Mg 3(Si,Al) 4(OH) 2·4.5H 2O[Mg] 0.35), and calcium silicate (CaSiO 3). Gypsum (CaSO 4·2H 2O) and calcium carbonates (most likely calcite, CaCO 3) were detected by Raman spectroscopy in Lydenburg, Makahane and Graskop shards. Amorphous carbon (with accompanying phosphates) was observed in the Raman spectra of Lydenburg, Rooiwal and Makahane shards, while rutile (TiO 2) appeared only in Makahane shard. The Raman spectra of Lydenburg and Rooiwal shards further showed the presence of anhydrite (CaSO 4). The results showed that South African potters used a mixture of clays as raw materials. The firing temperature for most samples did not exceed 800 °C, which suggests the use of open fire. The reddish brown and grayish black colours were likely due to hematite and amorphous carbon, respectively.

Late Post-glacial Sea Level Rise and Its Effects On Human Activity In Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppenheimer, S. J.

Three rapid post-glacial sea-level rises flooded coastlines with large continental shelves. The last of these, shortly before the interglacial optimum c.7,500BP, not only changed coastal Neolithic societies, but may also have stimulated maritime skills. Two Asian examples explore these aspects. First, during the Mid-Holocene, the Arabian Gulf transgressed as far inland as Ur probably laying down Woolley's famous Ur Flood silt layer between 7,000-5,500 BP. Stratigraphy and dating suggests the phase of rapid sea level rise immediately preceded the start of the 'Ubaid pottery period. Red-slipped Uruk pottery and copper items then appear from about 6,000BP, but above Woolley's silt layer. The Sumerian King Lists also record a major upheaval and dynastic change after 'the Flood'. Second, the final flooding of the Sunda shelf in Southeast Asia was followed by a maritime extension of human occupation from Northern Melanesia south into the Solomon Islands 6,000 years ago. Simultaneously, further west on the north coast of New Guinea, new archaeological assemblages ap- pear beneath a silt layer left by a pro-grading 6,000 year-old inland sea. The presence of arboriculture items such as betel nuts and the contemporary arrival of dogs and pigs in the same region suggests intrusion from Southeast Asia. This supports Solheim's suggestion that rapid sea-level rise on the eastern edge of the Sunda Shelf stimulated maritime skills and invention in Southeast Asia. This may have provided the initial stimulus to the first maritime expansion that was later to colonise the whole Pacific.

Effect of Modified Red Pottery Clay on the Moisture Absorption Behavior and Weatherability of Polyethylene-Based Wood-Plastic Composites

PubMed Central

Li, Qingde; Gao, Xun; Cheng, Wanli; Han, Guangping

2017-01-01

Red pottery clay (RPC) was modified using a silane coupling agent, and the modified RPC (mRPC) was then used to enhance the performance of high-density polyethylene-based wood-plastic composites. The effect of the mRPC content on the performances of the composites was investigated through Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, differential mechanical analysis (DMA) and ultraviolet (UV)-accelerated aging tests. After adding the mRPC, a moisture adsorption hysteresis was observed. The DMA results indicated that the mRPC effectively enhanced the rigidity and elasticity of the composites. The mRPC affected the thermal gravimetric, leading to a reduction of the thermal degradation rate and a right-shift of the thermal degradation peak; the initial thermal degradation temperature was increased. After 3000 h of UV-accelerated aging, the flexural strength and impact strength both declined. For aging time between 0 and 1000 h, the increase in amplitude of ΔL* (luminescence) and ΔE* (color) reached a maximum; the surface fading did not became obvious. ΔL* and ΔE* increased more significantly between 1000 and 2000 h. These characterization results indicate that the chromophores of the mRPC became briefly active. However, when the aging times were higher than 2000 h, the photo-degradation reaction was effectively prevented by adding the mRPC. The best overall enhancement was observed for an mRPC mass percentage of 5%, with a storage modulus of 3264 MPa and an increase in loss modulus by 16.8%, the best anti-aging performance and the lowest degree of color fading. PMID:28772470

The Cultural Project: Formal Chronological Modelling of the Early and Middle Neolithic Sequence in Lower Alsace.

PubMed

Denaire, Anthony; Lefranc, Philippe; Wahl, Joachim; Bronk Ramsey, Christopher; Dunbar, Elaine; Goslar, Tomasz; Bayliss, Alex; Beavan, Nancy; Bickle, Penny; Whittle, Alasdair

2017-01-01

Starting from questions about the nature of cultural diversity, this paper examines the pace and tempo of change and the relative importance of continuity and discontinuity. To unravel the cultural project of the past, we apply chronological modelling of radiocarbon dates within a Bayesian statistical framework, to interrogate the Neolithic cultural sequence in Lower Alsace, in the upper Rhine valley, in broad terms from the later sixth to the end of the fifth millennium cal BC. Detailed formal estimates are provided for the long succession of cultural groups, from the early Neolithic Linear Pottery culture (LBK) to the Bischheim Occidental du Rhin Supérieur (BORS) groups at the end of the Middle Neolithic, using seriation and typology of pottery as the starting point in modelling. The rate of ceramic change, as well as frequent shifts in the nature, location and density of settlements, are documented in detail, down to lifetime and generational timescales. This reveals a Neolithic world in Lower Alsace busy with comings and goings, tinkerings and adjustments, and relocations and realignments. A significant hiatus is identified between the end of the LBK and the start of the Hinkelstein group, in the early part of the fifth millennium cal BC. On the basis of modelling of existing dates for other parts of the Rhineland, this appears to be a wider phenomenon, and possible explanations are discussed; full reoccupation of the landscape is only seen in the Grossgartach phase. Radical shifts are also proposed at the end of the Middle Neolithic.

Cultural Resources Intensive Survey and Testing of Mississippi River Levee Berms Crittenden and Desha Counties, Arkansas and Mississippi, Scott, Cape Girardeau and Pemiscot Counties, Missouri. Item R-846 Caruthersville, Pemiscot County, Missouri

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

archival investi- gations were conducted by William Moore an6 Nancy W. Clendenen. The environ- mental overview -as prepared by Edward L. Beene. The field...DOUGLAS W. EDSALL; JAME W. MUELLER; ROBERT PASNAK; PETER D. SKIRBUNT; SALLY K. TOMPKINS; with CHARLES H. LEEDECKER; JAMES H. ODONNEL III; VANESSA E... EDWARD 1880 The Ancient Pottery of Southeastern Missouri. In Contributions to the Archaeology of Missouri Part I. St. Louis Academy of Science. Salem

Implications of new petrographic analysis for the Olmec "mother culture" model.

PubMed

Flannery, Kent V; Balkansky, Andrew K; Feinman, Gary M; Grove, David C; Marcus, Joyce; Redmond, Elsa M; Reynolds, Robert G; Sharer, Robert J; Spencer, Charles S; Yaeger, Jason

2005-08-09

Petrographic analysis of Formative Mexican ceramics by J. B. Stoltman et al. (see the companion piece in this issue of PNAS) refutes a recent model of Olmec "one-way" trade. In this paper, we address the model's more fundamental problems of sampling bias, anthropological implausibility, and logical non sequiturs. No bridging argument exists to link motifs on pottery to the social, political, and religious institutions of the Olmec. In addition, the model of unreciprocated exchange is implausible, given everything that the anthropological and ethnohistoric records tell us about non-Western societies of that general sociopolitical level.

Stay Healthy During Pregnancy for Your Baby’s Sake… and Yours!

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Lead can get into your body many ways. You can breathe in dirt or dust that contains lead. Cookware and some glazed pottery may release lead into food. Some folk remedies and cosmetics contain high levels of lead. Even lead you were exposed to as a child may still be stored in your bones and be released into your blood stream during pregnancy. The lead in your blood stream can pass into your baby’s body and cause the baby to have health problems. Follow these easy steps to lower lead exposure, and protect your unborn baby:

Ancient Egyptian herbal wines

PubMed Central

McGovern, Patrick E.; Mirzoian, Armen; Hall, Gretchen R.

2009-01-01

Chemical analyses of ancient organics absorbed into pottery jars from the beginning of advanced ancient Egyptian culture, ca. 3150 B.C., and continuing for millennia have revealed that a range of natural products—specifically, herbs and tree resins—were dispensed by grape wine. These findings provide chemical evidence for ancient Egyptian organic medicinal remedies, previously only ambiguously documented in medical papyri dating back to ca. 1850 B.C. They illustrate how humans around the world, probably for millions of years, have exploited their natural environments for effective plant remedies, whose active compounds have recently begun to be isolated by modern analytical techniques. PMID:19365069

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing. 1978-November 1979 (citations from the NTIS Data Base). Report for 1978-November 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-01-01

This bibliography contains general studies as well as chemical analysis of archaeological specimens. The chemical analysis is mainly activation analysis of articles such as metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan, and prehistoric times. The general studies include results of excavation from the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for the site location. (This updated bibliography contains 237 citations, none of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Climate change, adaptive cycles, and the persistence of foraging economies during the late Pleistocene/Holocene transition in the Levant.

PubMed

Rosen, Arlene M; Rivera-Collazo, Isabel

2012-03-06

Climatic forcing during the Younger Dryas (∼12.9-11.5 ky B.P.) event has become the theoretical basis to explain the origins of agricultural lifestyles in the Levant by suggesting a failure of foraging societies to adjust. This explanation however, does not fit the scarcity of data for predomestication cultivation in the Natufian Period. The resilience of Younger Dryas foragers is better illustrated by a concept of adaptive cycles within a theory of adaptive change (resilience theory). Such cycles consist of four phases: release/collapse (Ω); reorganization (α), when the system restructures itself after a catastrophic stimulus through innovation and social memory--a period of greater resilience and less vulnerability; exploitation (r); and conservation (K), representing an increasingly rigid system that loses flexibility to change. The Kebarans and Late Natufians had similar responses to cold and dry conditions vs. Early Natufians and the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A responses to warm and wet climates. Kebarans and Late Natufians (α-phase) shifted to a broader-based diet and increased their mobility. Early Natufian and Pre-Pottery Neolithic A populations (r- and K-phases) had a growing investment in more narrowly focused, high-yield plant resources, but they maintained the broad range of hunted animals because of increased sedentism. These human adaptive cycles interlocked with plant and animal cycles. Forest and grassland vegetation responded to late Pleistocene and early Holocene climatic fluctuations, but prey animal cycles reflected the impact of human hunting pressure. The combination of these three adaptive cycles results in a model of human adaptation, showing potential for great sustainability of Levantine foraging systems even under adverse climatic conditions.

Health impact of climate change on occupational health and productivity in Thailand

PubMed Central

Langkulsen, Uma; Vichit-Vadakan, Nuntavarn; Taptagaporn, Sasitorn

2010-01-01

Background The rise in global temperature is well documented. Changes in temperature lead to increases in heat exposure, which may impact health ranging from mild heat rashes to deadly heat stroke. Heat exposure can also aggravate several chronic diseases including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Objective This study examined the relationship between climate condition and health status and productivity in two main categories of the occupational setting – where one setting involves heat generated from the industry and the other with heat in a natural setting. Design This cross-sectional study included four industrial sites (pottery industry, power plant, knife industry, and construction site) and one agricultural site in the Pathumthani and Ayutthaya provinces. Exposure data were comprised of meteorological data and heat exposure including relative humidity (RH) measured by Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) monitor. Heat index was calculated to measure the effects of heat exposure on the study population, which consisted of 21 workers at five worksites; a questionnaire was also used to collect data on workers. Results Among the five workplaces, the outdoor WBGT was found to be highest at 34.6°C during 12:00 and 1:00 PM at the agricultural site. It was found that four out of five study sites had heat indices in the ‘extreme caution,’ where heat cramp and exhaustion may be possible and one site showed a value of 41°C that falls into the category of ‘danger,’ where sunstroke and heat exhaustion are likely and prolonged exposure may lead to heatstroke. Productivity as perceived by the workers revealed that only the construction and pottery industry workers had a loss of productivity ranged from 10 to 60 %. Conclusions Climate conditions in Thailand potentially affect both the health and productivity in occupational settings. PMID:21160553

Health impact of climate change on occupational health and productivity in Thailand.

PubMed

Langkulsen, Uma; Vichit-Vadakan, Nuntavarn; Taptagaporn, Sasitorn

2010-12-09

The rise in global temperature is well documented. Changes in temperature lead to increases in heat exposure, which may impact health ranging from mild heat rashes to deadly heat stroke. Heat exposure can also aggravate several chronic diseases including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. This study examined the relationship between climate condition and health status and productivity in two main categories of the occupational setting - where one setting involves heat generated from the industry and the other with heat in a natural setting. This cross-sectional study included four industrial sites (pottery industry, power plant, knife industry, and construction site) and one agricultural site in the Pathumthani and Ayutthaya provinces. Exposure data were comprised of meteorological data and heat exposure including relative humidity (RH) measured by Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) monitor. Heat index was calculated to measure the effects of heat exposure on the study population, which consisted of 21 workers at five worksites; a questionnaire was also used to collect data on workers. Among the five workplaces, the outdoor WBGT was found to be highest at 34.6°C during 12:00 and 1:00 PM at the agricultural site. It was found that four out of five study sites had heat indices in the 'extreme caution,' where heat cramp and exhaustion may be possible and one site showed a value of 41°C that falls into the category of 'danger,' where sunstroke and heat exhaustion are likely and prolonged exposure may lead to heatstroke. Productivity as perceived by the workers revealed that only the construction and pottery industry workers had a loss of productivity ranged from 10 to 60 %. Climate conditions in Thailand potentially affect both the health and productivity in occupational settings.

"Founder crops" v. wild plants: Assessing the plant-based diet of the last hunter-gatherers in southwest Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arranz-Otaegui, Amaia; González Carretero, Lara; Roe, Joe; Richter, Tobias

2018-04-01

The Natufian culture (c. 14.6-11.5 ka cal. BP) represents the last hunter-gatherer society that inhabited southwest Asia before the development of plant food production. It has long been suggested that Natufians based their economy on the exploitation of the wild ancestors of the Neolithic "founder crops", and that these hunter-gatherers were therefore on the "threshold to agriculture". In this work we review the available data on Natufian plant exploitation and we report new archaeobotanical evidence from Shubayqa 1, a Natufian site located in northeastern Jordan (14.6-11.5 ka cal. BP). Shubayqa 1 has produced an exceptionally large plant assemblage, including direct evidence for the continuous exploitation of club-rush tubers (often regarded as "missing foods") and other wild plants, which were probably used as food, fuel and building materials. Taking together this data we evaluate the composition of archaeobotanical assemblages (plant macroremains) from the Natufian to the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (EPPNB). Natufian assemblages comprise large proportions of non-founder plant species (>90% on average), amongst which sedges, small-seeded grasses and legumes, and fruits and nuts predominate. During the Pre-Pottery Neolithic, in particular the EPPNB, the presence of "founder crops" increases dramatically and constitute up to c. 42% of the archaeobotanical assemblages on average. Our results suggest that plant exploitation strategies during the Natufian were very different from those attested during subsequent Neolithic periods. We argue that historically driven interpretations of the archaeological record have over-emphasized the role of the wild ancestors of domesticated crops previous to the emergence of agriculture.

The island of Elba (Tuscany, Italy) at the crossroads of ancient trade routes: an archaeometric investigation of dolia defossa from the archaeological site of San Giovanni

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manca, Rosarosa; Pagliantini, Laura; Pecchioni, Elena; Santo, Alba P.; Cambi, Franco; Chiarantini, Laura; Corretti, Alessandro; Costagliola, Pilario; Orlando, Andrea; Benvenuti, Marco

2016-12-01

Dolia are large pottery containers used in Roman times for the storage and fermentation of wine. They were produced in specialized pottery workshops ( figlinae) and were typically marked with specific epigraphical stamps, which represent a major tool to unravel their provenance and trade. In this work we present the preliminary results of a study of two dolia defossa, recently found at San Giovanni (Portoferraio, island of Elba, Italy) during 2012-2014 archaeological excavations in a Roman farm (late 2nd cent. BC-1st cent. AD), devoted to wine production and probably constituting the antecedent archaeological phase of the adjacent "Villa delle Grotte". Based on archaeological (epigraphic) evidence, five different production areas have been hypothesized: 1) Elba island, where the dolia have been found; 2) the municipal figlinae in the Pisa territory; 3) the middle catchment of the Tiber river (central Latium) where "urban" figlinae occurred; 4) the figlinae of Minturno (southern Latium), a locality known both for wine production and exportation and for the presence of ancient figlinae; 5) the municipal figlinae in the Volterra territory. Archaeometric analysis of tempering agents intentionally added to the clay for the manufacturing of the dolia, particularly magmatic lithic fragments and clinopyroxene crystals, allowed us to suggest that the watershed of the central Tiber Valley - including different volcanic centres belonging to both Tuscany Magmatic Province (Monti Cimini) and Roman Magmatic Province (Monti Vulsini and Vico volcano) - could have been the most likely sites of production of the dolia found at San Giovanni. Alternatively, the site of Minturno (southern Latium) could be proposed.

Lusters of renaissance pottery: Experimental and theoretical optical properties using inhomogeneous theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berthier, S.; Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.; Bouquillon, A.; Aucouturier, M.; Charron, E.; Reillon, V.

2006-06-01

Luster decoration of medieval and renaissance potteries constitutes one of the most important and sophisticated decoration techniques of the Mediterranean basin. Lusters consist in a thin layer of silver and copper nanocrystals immersed in a dielectric matrix. Different physical phenomena are responsible for the very brilliant and complex colored effect produced by the lusters. On one hand, according to the thickness of the thin layer, interferential effects occur giving rise to a classical iridescent effect. On the other hand, the nanostructure of the metallic compound leads to extra absorption, generally observed in the visible or near infrared, due to an external resonance associated with the excitation of a surface plasmon in the metallic particles. The position of this resonance, and so the color of the film, depends from many parameters, mainly: (1) the relative volume fraction p of the metal inclusions. (2) The mean size of the metal particle. (3) The shape of the particles and (4) the dielectric functions of the constituents. These two phenomena are not independent as the second one greatly affects the dielectric function of the film and, thus, its optical thickness. In this paper, the physical and optical properties of various lusters from Deruta and Gubbio (Italy) of the XVI century are presented. The structure and the composition of the different films have been determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), ion beam analyses (PIXE and RBS) and low incidence X-ray diffraction. The optical properties have been determined by two different techniques: (a) hemispherical spectroscopic measurements under near-normal incidence; (b) gonioscopic measurements for a given angle of incidence and wavelength. The first one allows the determination of the effective index of refraction of the inhomogeneous layer, and the second one the determination of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the material.

Ritual drinks in the pre-Hispanic US Southwest and Mexican Northwest.

PubMed

Crown, Patricia L; Gu, Jiyan; Hurst, W Jeffrey; Ward, Timothy J; Bravenec, Ardith D; Ali, Syed; Kebert, Laura; Berch, Marlaina; Redman, Erin; Lyons, Patrick D; Merewether, Jamie; Phillips, David A; Reed, Lori S; Woodson, Kyle

2015-09-15

Chemical analyses of organic residues in fragments of pottery from 18 sites in the US Southwest and Mexican Northwest reveal combinations of methylxanthines (caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) indicative of stimulant drinks, probably concocted using either cacao or holly leaves and twigs. The results cover a time period from around A.D. 750-1400, and a spatial distribution from southern Colorado to northern Chihuahua. As with populations located throughout much of North and South America, groups in the US Southwest and Mexican Northwest likely consumed stimulant drinks in communal, ritual gatherings. The results have implications for economic and social relations among North American populations.

Starch fossils and the domestication and dispersal of chili peppers (Capsicum spp. L.) in the Americas.

PubMed

Perry, Linda; Dickau, Ruth; Zarrillo, Sonia; Holst, Irene; Pearsall, Deborah M; Piperno, Dolores R; Berman, Mary Jane; Cooke, Richard G; Rademaker, Kurt; Ranere, Anthony J; Raymond, J Scott; Sandweiss, Daniel H; Scaramelli, Franz; Tarble, Kay; Zeidler, James A

2007-02-16

Chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) are widely cultivated food plants that arose in the Americas and are now incorporated into cuisines worldwide. Here, we report a genus-specific starch morphotype that provides a means to identify chili peppers from archaeological contexts and trace both their domestication and dispersal. These starch microfossils have been found at seven sites dating from 6000 years before present to European contact and ranging from the Bahamas to southern Peru. The starch grain assemblages demonstrate that maize and chilies occurred together as an ancient and widespread Neotropical plant food complex that predates pottery in some regions.

An Ancient Relation between Units of Length and Volume Based on a Sphere

PubMed Central

Zapassky, Elena; Gadot, Yuval; Finkelstein, Israel; Benenson, Itzhak

2012-01-01

The modern metric system defines units of volume based on the cube. We propose that the ancient Egyptian system of measuring capacity employed a similar concept, but used the sphere instead. When considered in ancient Egyptian units, the volume of a sphere, whose circumference is one royal cubit, equals half a hekat. Using the measurements of large sets of ancient containers as a database, the article demonstrates that this formula was characteristic of Egyptian and Egyptian-related pottery vessels but not of the ceramics of Mesopotamia, which had a different system of measuring length and volume units. PMID:22470489

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing. Volume 3. 1978-November 1979 (a bibliography with abstracts). Report for 1978-November 79

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cavagnaro, D.

1979-12-01

These citations of federally-funded research are divided into two parts; namely, a chemical analysis of archaeological specimens, and general studies. The chemical analysis section deals primarily with activation analysis. Articles examined include metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass, and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan, and prehistoric times. The general studies section cites other archaeological research, including results of excavation from the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for the site location. (This updated bibliography contains 237 abstracts, 149 of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing. December 1979-December 1980 (citations from the NTIS Data Base). Report for December 1970-December 1980

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-01-01

These citations of federally-funded research contains the chemical analysis of archaeological specimens, as well as general studies. The chemical analysis deals primarily with activation analysis. Articles examined include metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass, and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan, and prehistoric times. The general studies cites other archaeological research, including results of excavation from the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for the site location. (This updated bibliography contains 133 citations, all of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing. Volume 2. 1977 (a bibliography with abstracts). Report for 1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cavagnaro, D.

1979-12-01

The cited reports of Federally-funded research are divided into two parts: namely, a chemical analysis of archaeological specimens, and general studies. The chemical analysis section deals primarily with activation analysis. Artifacts examined include metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass, and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan, and prehistoric times. The general studies section discusses other archaeological research, including results of excavation from the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for the site location. (This updated bibliography contains 128 abstracts, none of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing. volume 2. 1977-november, 1978 (a bibliography with abstracts). Report for 1977-Nov 78

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cavagnaro, D.M.

1978-11-01

These citations of Federally-funded research are divided into two parts; namely, a chemical analysis of archaeological specimens, and general studies. The chemical analysis section deals primarily with activation analysis. Articles examined include metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass, and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan and prehistoric times. The general studies section cites other archaeological research, including results of excavation from the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for the site location. (This updated bibliography contains 209 abstracts, 141 of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Ritual drinks in the pre-Hispanic US Southwest and Mexican Northwest

PubMed Central

Crown, Patricia L.; Gu, Jiyan; Hurst, W. Jeffrey; Ward, Timothy J.; Bravenec, Ardith D.; Ali, Syed; Kebert, Laura; Berch, Marlaina; Redman, Erin; Lyons, Patrick D.; Merewether, Jamie; Phillips, David A.; Reed, Lori S.; Woodson, Kyle

2015-01-01

Chemical analyses of organic residues in fragments of pottery from 18 sites in the US Southwest and Mexican Northwest reveal combinations of methylxanthines (caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) indicative of stimulant drinks, probably concocted using either cacao or holly leaves and twigs. The results cover a time period from around A.D. 750–1400, and a spatial distribution from southern Colorado to northern Chihuahua. As with populations located throughout much of North and South America, groups in the US Southwest and Mexican Northwest likely consumed stimulant drinks in communal, ritual gatherings. The results have implications for economic and social relations among North American populations. PMID:26372965

Iba Techniques to Study Renaissance Pottery Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouquillon, A.; Castaing, J.; Salomon, J.; Zucchiatti, A.; Lucarelli, F.; Mando, P. A.; Prati, P.; Lanterna, G.; Vaccari, M. G.

2001-09-01

The application of Ion Beam Analysis, associated to Scanning Electron Microscopy is examined in connection with an extensive program on structural and chemical analyses of glazed terracotta's from the Italian Renaissance, launched by a French-Italian collaboration in the framework of the European COST-G1 scientific action. The objectives of the collaboration are reviewed. The compatibility of data from different specimen and various laboratories are discussed. Examples of the PIXE and statistical analyses on some artefacts of the "Robbiesche" type, supplied by the Louvre Museum of Paris and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence, are given to illustrate the performances of IBA in this particular field.

X-ray fluorescence in investigations of cultural relics and archaeological finds.

PubMed

Musílek, Ladislav; Cechák, Tomáš; Trojek, Tomáš

2012-07-01

Some characteristic features of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis make it an ideal method for investigations of cultural relics and archaeological finds. It has therefore become a standard method used in archaeometry. Paintings, frescos, manuscripts, pottery, metalwork, glass, and many other objects are analysed with the aim of recognising their materials, production technologies and origin, and for identifying counterfeits. This paper reviews various techniques used in XRF analyses of works of art, summarises the advantages and limitations of the method, and presents some typical examples of its use. The general review is supplemented by some techniques used and some results achieved at CTU-FNSPE in Prague. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

14C dates from Tel Rehov: Iron-Age chronology, pharaohs, and Hebrew kings.

PubMed

Bruins, Hendrik J; van der Plicht, Johannes; Mazar, Amihai

2003-04-11

Stratified radiocarbon dates provide an independent chronological link between archaeological layers and historical data. The invasion by Pharaoh Shoshenq I (Shishak) is a key historical synchronism, approximately 925 B.C.E., mentioned in both Egyptian inscriptions and the Hebrew Bible. The list of places raided by Shoshenq, mentioned at Karnak (Egypt), includes Rehov (Israel). The site yielded a consistent series of radiocarbon dates from the 12th to 9th century B.C.E. Our results (i) suggest a revised Iron-Age chronology; (ii) date an archaeological stratum to Shoshenq's campaign; (iii) indicate the similarity of "Solomonic" and "Omride" pottery; and (iv) provide correlation with Greece and Cyprus.

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing (a bibliography with abstracts). Report for 1964-Nov 76. [135 abstracts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehmann, E.J.

1976-12-01

This bibliography was prepared in order to bring together Federally funded research relating to archaeology. It is divided into two sections. The first deals with the chemical analysis of archaeological specimens primarily using activation analysis. Articles studied include metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass, and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan, and prehistoric times. The second section cites other archaeological research including results of excavations from all over the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for site location. (This updated bibliography contains 135 abstracts, 18 of which are new entries to the previousmore » edition.) (GRA)« less

Archaeology: site studies, activation analysis, preservation, and remote sensing. volume 1. 1964-1976 (a bibliography with abstracts). Report for 1964-1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cavagnaro, D.M.

1978-11-01

This bibliography was prepared in order to bring together Federally-funded research relating to archaeology. It is divided into two sections. The first deals with the chemical analysis of archaeological specimens primarily using activation analysis. Articles studied include metals, pottery, coins, paintings, soils, glass, and paper from Medieval, Grecian, Egyptian, Mayan, and prehistoric times. The second section cites other archaeological research, including results of excavations from the United States. Also covered is work on preservation of artifacts and remote sensing for site location. (This updated bibliography contains 137 abstracts, none of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Cacao use and the San Lorenzo Olmec.

PubMed

Powis, Terry G; Cyphers, Ann; Gaikwad, Nilesh W; Grivetti, Louis; Cheong, Kong

2011-05-24

Mesoamerican peoples had a long history of cacao use--spanning more than 34 centuries--as confirmed by previous identification of cacao residues on archaeological pottery from Paso de la Amada on the Pacific Coast and the Olmec site of El Manatí on the Gulf Coast. Until now, comparable evidence from San Lorenzo, the premier Olmec capital, was lacking. The present study of theobromine residues confirms the continuous presence and use of cacao products at San Lorenzo between 1800 and 1000 BCE, and documents assorted vessels forms used in its preparation and consumption. One elite context reveals cacao use as part of a mortuary ritual for sacrificial victims, an event that occurred during the height of San Lorenzo's power.

Health hazards of ceramic artists.

PubMed

Dorevitch, S; Babin, A

2001-01-01

Ceramic artists can be exposed to many hazards including metals (such as lead), fibrogenic dusts (such as silica), heat, repetitive motion, radiation, and toxic emissions from kilns. The health risks of these exposures have not been well characterized among artists, although limited information is available from commercial potteries. Adverse health effects may be prevented by using less hazardous materials (such as lead-free glazes), improved ventilation, and proper work practices. Special precautions must be in place if children have access to the ceramics studio. The use of glazed ceramic dishes can be a risk for lead toxicity. Food should not be stored in glazed ceramics, and pregnant women should avoid daily use of ceramic mugs for drinking hot beverages.

Fermented beverages of pre- and proto-historic China.

PubMed

McGovern, Patrick E; Zhang, Juzhong; Tang, Jigen; Zhang, Zhiqing; Hall, Gretchen R; Moreau, Robert A; Nuñez, Alberto; Butrym, Eric D; Richards, Michael P; Wang, Chen-Shan; Cheng, Guangsheng; Zhao, Zhijun; Wang, Changsui

2004-12-21

Chemical analyses of ancient organics absorbed into pottery jars from the early Neolithic village of Jiahu in Henan province in China have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit (hawthorn fruit and/or grape) was being produced as early as the seventh millennium before Christ (B.C.). This prehistoric drink paved the way for unique cereal beverages of the proto-historic second millennium B.C., remarkably preserved as liquids inside sealed bronze vessels of the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties. These findings provide direct evidence for fermented beverages in ancient Chinese culture, which were of considerable social, religious, and medical significance, and help elucidate their earliest descriptions in the Shang Dynasty oracle inscriptions.

Fermented beverages of pre- and proto-historic China

PubMed Central

McGovern, Patrick E.; Zhang, Juzhong; Tang, Jigen; Zhang, Zhiqing; Hall, Gretchen R.; Moreau, Robert A.; Nuñez, Alberto; Butrym, Eric D.; Richards, Michael P.; Wang, Chen-shan; Cheng, Guangsheng; Zhao, Zhijun; Wang, Changsui

2004-01-01

Chemical analyses of ancient organics absorbed into pottery jars from the early Neolithic village of Jiahu in Henan province in China have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit (hawthorn fruit and/or grape) was being produced as early as the seventh millennium before Christ (B.C.). This prehistoric drink paved the way for unique cereal beverages of the proto-historic second millennium B.C., remarkably preserved as liquids inside sealed bronze vessels of the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties. These findings provide direct evidence for fermented beverages in ancient Chinese culture, which were of considerable social, religious, and medical significance, and help elucidate their earliest descriptions in the Shang Dynasty oracle inscriptions. PMID:15590771

Melting experiments and field work on Komorní Hùrka volcano, Bohemia, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, Susanne; Kreher-Hartmann, Birgit; Heide, K.

2001-09-01

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), eminent author, was also state minister and scientist as well as experimentalist in geology. Together with Döbereiner, a chemist in Jena during that time, he carried out melting experiments in porcelain and pottery kilns with rocks and minerals from the volcanic and pseudo-volcanic edifices in NW Bohemia. These experiments were to prove Goethe's theory, that remelting of an archetype rock would result in volcanic and pseudo-volcanic rocks. Especially the formation of the Komorní Hùrka (Kammerberg) volcano in NW Bohemia attracted Goethe during all his life. He visited this location 19 times in 1808, 1820 and 1822 and made very exact field observations. But the interpretation of these observations varied between volcanistic and neptunistic. In order to find arguments, he examined the effect of fire on rocks and minerals using porcelain and pottery kilns. The experiments did not provide the expected results and thus failed to explain the formation of Komorní Hùrka. During Goethe's geognostic work, including the "pyro-technical" experiments, the neptunism-volcanism-controversy about the formation of basalt raged in Europe, and, more general, about rock formation: neptunism-plutonism. Especially the effect of heat on rocks and minerals, i.e. the phenomenology of fire, played an important role in that discussion. Goethe swayed during his lifetime between neptunism and volcanism. He did not fully accept plutonism because he believed, that processes of nature are generally non-violent and that volcanic eruptions and other catastrophic phenomena are the exception rather than the rule. Therefore he tended to neptunistic ideas. In Goethe's notes there are many indications of this conflict. In contrast, the melting experiments are mentioned only few times. It was, however, possible to establish a picture of his experimental work and his fundamental concepts and ideas.

Charcoal records reveal past occurrences of disturbances in the forests of the Kisangani region, Democratic Republic of the Congo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tshibamba Mukendi, John; Hubau, Wannes; Ntahobavuka, Honorine; Boyemba Bosela, Faustin; De Cannière, Charles; Beeckman, Hans

2014-05-01

Past disturbances have modified local density, structure and floristic composition of Central African rainforests. As such, these perturbations represent a driving force for forest dynamics and they were presumably at the origin of present-day forest mosaics. One of the most prominent disturbances within the forest is fire, leaving behind charcoal as a witness of past forest dynamics. Quantification and identification of ancient charcoal fragments found in soil layers (= pedoanthracology) allows a detailed reconstruction of forest history, including the possible occurrence of past perturbations. The primary objective of this study is to present palaeoenvironmental evidence for the existence of past disturbances in the forests of the Kisangani region (Democratic Republic of the Congo) using a pedoanthracological approach. We quantified and identified charcoal fragments from pedoanthracological excavations in the Yangambi, Yoko, Masako and Kole forest regions. Charcoal sampling was conducted in pit intervals of 10 cm, whereby pottery fragments were also registered and quantified. Floristic identifications were conducted using former protocols based on wood anatomy, which is largely preserved after charcoalification. 14 excavations were conducted and charcoal was found in most pit intervals. Specifically, 52 out of 56 sampled intervals from the Yangambi forest contained charcoal, along with 47 pit intervals from the Yoko forest reserve, 34 pit intervals from the Masako forest and 16 from the Kole forest. Highest specific anthracomasses were recorded in Yoko (167 mg charcoal per kg soil), followed by Yangambi (133 mg/kg), Masako (71,89 mg/kg) and finally Kole (42,4 mg/kg). Charcoal identifications point at a manifest presence of the family of Fabaceae (Caesalpinioideae). This family is characteristic for the tropical humid rainforest. The presence of charcoal fragments from these taxa, associated with pottery sherds on different depths within the profiles, suggests past occurrences of anthropogenic perturbations in these forests. Insights in past forest dynamics and the relative roles of climatic and anthropogenic disturbances enhance our overall understanding of present and future forest dynamics.

The Historical Supernovae in the Pre-historic Southwest: Veil Supernova Circa 3000 B.C. and 185, 393, 1006, 1054, 1181 and 1572 A.D.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, Suzan

2008-09-01

After 3 years of personally-funded research in predominantly Ancestral Puebloan, Chacoan, and Mimbres areas in New Mexico and Utah, this author has developed plausible evidence or intriguing examples of what may be ancient recordings by astute sky-watcher eye-witnesses (or of oral tradition re-tellings finally committed to stone and pottery designs) of the same historical supernovae recorded by humankind in Old World texts and words: the Veil supernova (redated to about 3000 B.C.) and the supernovae of 185, 393, 1006, 1054, 1181 and 1572 A.D. These recordings are in an ancient, holistic Visual Symbols Language which a school child might learn with a little diligence. And, as such, these graphic-art, representational images (of more than "a point of light") and simple celestial-entity symbols are arrayed next to their identifying constellations_oftentimes evoked as descriptive cracks and holes in the natural rock where a glyphist felt the earth mirrored the sky-vault locations overhead. To underline the objective and proto-scientific nature of the supernova observations (along with early great-comet sightings), these are sometimes accompanied by days-visible counter motifs (double-rakes, line rays and centipede legs) which agree to the day with some of the naked-eye visibility records and extrapolations from the Old World histories and records with which we are more familiar. A simple reason we have not generally identified sites like the author's examples before is that the ancient holistic glyphists utilized the cracks and textures in the rocky outcrops where they wrote: the very evidence we tend to have blind spots towards in our confidence with flat 2-dimensional means of communication such as paper, books, screens, canvases, etc. We have not lived as closely and intimately with potential informational media such as stony outcrops and fired pottery vessels (and sherds) which outlast the millennia even so.

A Myth in Celtiberian Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burillo-Cuadrado, M. ª Pilar

2015-05-01

The paramount importance of horses to the Celtiberians can be ascertained at the site of Numantia, where equine representations were often associated with the Sun. In the early phase (2nd century BC), this association can be seen in bronze artifacts found in the necropolis of Numantia, where the Sun is depicted in a realistic manner: concentric circles indicate daytime and their absence night time. A relatively high number of rectilinear tetraskelions were used during the 1st century AD in decorated pottery. When pointing to the right the tetraskelions indicated the daily rotation of the Sun; when pointing to the left, the Suńs returning in the opposite direction. Furthermore, anthropomorphic representations of horses (fully bodied or as protomes) also seemed to be linked to the Sun.

Solar industrial process heat: A study of applications and attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, V.

1981-04-01

Data were gathered through site visits to 100 industrial plants. The site specific data suggests several possible near term market opportunities for solar thermal energy systems. Plants using electricity as their primary fuel for industrial process heat were identified, on the basis of their high fuel prices, as attractive early entry markets for solar energy. Additional opportunities were reflected in plants that had accomplished much of their conservation plans, or bad sizeable percentages of their operating budgets committed to energy expenses. A suitability analysis identified eleven industrial plants as highly suitable for solar thermal applications, they included producers of fluid milk, pottery, canned and bottled soft drinks, fabricated structural metal, refined petroleum, aluminum cans, chrome and nickel plating and stamped frame metal and metal finishings.

Reducing firing of an early pottery making kiln at Batán Grande, Peru: A Mössbauer study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, U.; Gebhard, R.; Häusler, W.; Hutzelmann, T.; Riederer, J.; Shimada, I.; Sosa, J.; Wagner, F. E.

1999-11-01

Material from field firing experiments using a 2,700-year old Formative kiln at Batán Grande, Peru, was studied by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The experiments explore the technology involved in producing the gray and black reduced ware for which Cupisnique and other Formative ceramics are justly known. During firing, the iron-bearing compounds in clays undergo characteristic changes which depend on kiln temperature and atmosphere. These changes can be observed in the Mössbauer spectra. By comparing spectra of an appropriate clay fired in field experiments and in the laboratory with the spectra of ancient ceramics, a description of Formative firing techniques in a reducing environment is attempted.

Cacao use and the San Lorenzo Olmec

PubMed Central

Powis, Terry G.; Cyphers, Ann; Gaikwad, Nilesh W.; Grivetti, Louis; Cheong, Kong

2011-01-01

Mesoamerican peoples had a long history of cacao use—spanning more than 34 centuries—as confirmed by previous identification of cacao residues on archaeological pottery from Paso de la Amada on the Pacific Coast and the Olmec site of El Manatí on the Gulf Coast. Until now, comparable evidence from San Lorenzo, the premier Olmec capital, was lacking. The present study of theobromine residues confirms the continuous presence and use of cacao products at San Lorenzo between 1800 and 1000 BCE, and documents assorted vessels forms used in its preparation and consumption. One elite context reveals cacao use as part of a mortuary ritual for sacrificial victims, an event that occurred during the height of San Lorenzo's power. PMID:21555564

Blood lead levels and risk factors in pregnant women from Durango, Mexico.

PubMed

La-Llave-León, Osmel; Estrada-Martínez, Sergio; Manuel Salas-Pacheco, José; Peña-Elósegui, Rocío; Duarte-Sustaita, Jaime; Candelas Rangel, Jorge-Luís; García Vargas, Gonzalo

2011-01-01

In this cross-sectional study the authors determined blood lead levels (BLLs) and some risk factors for lead exposure in pregnant women. Two hundred ninety-nine pregnant women receiving medical attention by the Secretary of Health, State of Durango, Mexico, participated in this study between 2007 and 2008. BLLs were evaluated with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The authors used Student t test, 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression as statistical treatments. BLLs ranged from 0.36 to 23.6 μg/dL (mean = 2.79 μg/dL, standard deviation = 2.14). Multivariate analysis showed that the main predictors of BLLs were working in a place where lead is used, using lead glazed pottery, and eating soil.

Ritual Black Drink consumption at Cahokia

PubMed Central

Crown, Patricia L.; Emerson, Thomas E.; Gu, Jiyan; Hurst, W. Jeffrey; Pauketat, Timothy R.; Ward, Timothy

2012-01-01

Chemical analyses of organic residues in fragments of pottery from the large site of Cahokia and surrounding smaller sites in Illinois reveal theobromine, caffeine, and ursolic acid, biomarkers for species of Ilex (holly) used to prepare the ritually important Black Drink. As recorded during the historic period, men consumed Black Drink in portions of the American Southeast for ritual purification. This first demonstrated discovery of biomarkers for Ilex occurs in beaker vessels dating between A.D. 1050 and 1250 from Cahokia, located far north of the known range of the holly species used to prepare Black Drink during historic times. The association of Ilex and beaker vessels indicates a sustained ritual consumption of a caffeine-laced drink made from the leaves of plants grown in the southern United States. PMID:22869743

The cultural parameters of lead poisoning: A medical anthropologist's view of intervention in environmental lead exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trotter, R.T. II

1990-11-01

This article identifies four culturally shaped sources of lead exposure in human societies: modern and historic technological sources; food habits; culturally defined health beliefs; and beauty practices. Examples of these potential sources of lead poisoning are presented from current cultures. They include the use of lead-glazed cooking pottery in Mexican-American households; folk medical use of lead in Hispanic, Arabic, South Asian, Chinese, and Hmong communities; as well as the use of lead as a cosmetic in the Near East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Four interacting cultural conditions that create barriers to the reduction of lead exposure and lead poisoningmore » are identified and discussed. These are knowledge deficiencies, communication resistance, cultural reinterpretations, and incongruity of explanatory models.« less

Microanalysis study of archaeological mural samples containing Maya blue pigment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez del Río, M.; Martinetto, P.; Somogyi, A.; Reyes-Valerio, C.; Dooryhée, E.; Peltier, N.; Alianelli, L.; Moignard, B.; Pichon, L.; Calligaro, T.; Dran, J.-C.

2004-10-01

Elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence and particle induced X-ray emission is applied to the study of several Mesoamerican mural samples containing blue pigments. The most characteristic blue pigment is Maya blue, a very stable organo-clay complex original from Maya culture and widely used in murals, pottery and sculptures in a vast region of Mesoamerica during the pre-hispanic time (from VIII century) and during the colonization until 1580. The mural samples come from six different archaeological sites (four pre-hispanic and two from XVI century colonial convents). The correlation between the presence of some elements and the pigment colour is discussed. From the comparative study of the elemental concentration, some conclusions are drawn on the nature of the pigments and the technology used.

Hematite mining in the ancient Americas: Mina Primavera, A 2,000 year old Peruvian mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughn, Kevin J.; Grados, Moises Linares; Eerkens, Jelmer W.; Edwards, Matthew J.

2007-12-01

Mina Primavera, a hematite (Fe2O3) mine located in southern Peru, was exploited beginning approximately 2,000 years ago by two Andean civilizations, the Nasca and Wari. Despite the importance of hematite in the material culture of the ancient Americas, few hematite mines have been reported in the New World literature and none have been reported for the Central Andes. An estimated 3,710 tonnes of hematite were extracted from the mine for over 1,400 years at an average rate of 2.65 tonnes per year, suggesting regular and extensive mining prior to Spanish conquest. The hematite was likely used as a pigment for painting pottery, and the mine demonstrates that iron ores were extracted extensively at an early date in the Americas.

Volcanic history of El Chichon Volcano (Chiapas, Mexico) during the Holocene, and its impact on human activity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Espindola, J.M.; Macias, J.L.; Tilling, R.I.; Sheridan, M.F.

2000-01-01

Before its devastating eruption in 1982, El Chichon Volcano was little known and did not appear on any listings of hazardous volcanoes. Subsequent geologic studies, based on stratigraphic and radiocarbon investigations, showed that at least three explosive eruptions had occurred previously at this volcano. In this paper, we present the result of recent studies on the stratigraphy of the volcano and new radiocarbon ages which show that at least 11 eruptions have taken place at El Chichon in the past 8000 years. Explosive events, most of them producing block-and-ash flow and surge deposits, occurred around 550, 900, 1250, 1500, 1600, 1900, 2000, 2500, 3100, 3700 and 7700 years BP. The juvenile products of these eruptions have a trachyandesitic composition with similar degree of evolution, as evidenced from their SiO2 abundance and depletion in MgO, CaO, TiO2, as well as trace and rare earth elements. This suggests segregation of olivine and orthopyroxene from the melt. Since human settlements in southeast Mexico and Central America can be traced as far back as approximately 2500 years BP, most of these events probably affected human activity. In fact, there are reports of pottery shards and other artifacts in deposits from the eruption of 1250 BP. Pottery fragments in deposits of an eruption that took place 2500 BP are also reported in this paper. Thus, the impact of the volcano on human activities has been frequent, with most of the repose intervals lasting between 100 to 600 years. The impact of the eruptions was probably of greater than local extent, because airfall tephra could reach distant sites and possibly even affect weather. The eruptive history of El Chichon also offers clues in the investigation of the Maya civilization. Several researchers have considered the volcano as an important factor in the answer to some intriguing questions such as the extensive use of volcanic ash in Late Classic Maya ceramics or, of greater importance, the causes of the collapse of the Classic Maya civilization.

New evidence of a fast secular variation of the geomagnetic field 1000 BCE: archaeomagnetic study of Bavarian potteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hervé, G.; Gilder, S.; Fassbinder, J.; Metzler-Nebelsick, C.; Schnepp, E.; Geisweid, L.; Putz, A.; Reuss, S.; Riedel, G.; Westhausen, I.; Wittenborn, F.

2016-12-01

This study presents new archaeointensity results obtained on 350 pottery sherds from 45 graves and pits from 12 sites around Munich (Germany). The features are dated between 1400 and 400 BCE by ceramic and metallic artifacts, radiocarbon and dendrochronology. We collected only red- or partly red-colored sherds in order to minimize mineralogical alteration during laboratory experiments. Rock magnetism analyses show that the remanent magnetization is mainly carried by titanomagnetite. Archaeointensities were determined using the Thellier-Thellier protocol with corrections of TRM anisotropy and cooling rate on one to three specimens per sherd. The experiments were completed using Triaxe and multispecimen (MSP-DSC) methods. Around 60 per cent of the sherds provide reliable results, allowing the computation of 35 mean archaeointensity values. This quadruples the number of previously published data in Western Europe. The secular variation of the geomagnetic field strength is low from 1400 to 1200 BCE with intensities close to 50 µT then the intensity increased to 70 µT around 1000-900 BCE. After a minimum 50 µT near 750 BCE, the intensity increased again to 90 µT at 650 BCE. This high secular variation rate (0.4 µT/year) is especially apparent in the sherds from a fountain dated between 750 and 650 BCE. Next, the intensity remained high until 400 BCE before rapidly decreasing to 200 BCE. As the sharp change in geomagnetic direction around 800 BCE is not contemporaneous with an intensity high, this period is probably not characterized by an archaeomagnetic jerk. The trend of secular variation with two intensity maxima is similar to the one observed in the Near East. The Virtual Axial Dipole Moments of the two regions are approximately the same after 700 BCE, but before they are systematically 1-2 × 1022 Am2 higher in the Near East. This difference may be a further proof of a geomagnetic field anomaly in this area 1000 BCE, yet there is no evidence for a geomagnetic spike in Western Europe. Finally, the fast rate of secular variation will provide an improved dating tool for archaeologists together with the available directional secular variation curves.

Evidence of tungiasis in pre-Hispanic America.

PubMed

Maco, Vicente; Tantaleán, Manuel; Gotuzzo, Eduardo

2011-05-01

Ancient parasites of the genus Tunga originated in America and, during the first half of the 19th century, were transported to the Eastern Hemisphere on transatlantic voyages. Although they were first documented by Spanish chroniclers after the arrival of Columbus, little is known about their presence in pre-Hispanic America. To evaluate the antiquity of tungiasis in America, we assessed several kinds of early documentation, including written evidence and pre-Incan earthenware reproductions. We identified 17 written documents and 4 anthropomorphic figures, of which 3 originated from the Chimu culture and 1 from the Maranga culture. Tungiasis has been endemic to Peru for at least 14 centuries. We also identified a pottery fragment during this study. This fragment is the fourth representation of tungiasis in pre-Hispanic America identified and provides explicit evidence of disease endemicity in ancient Peru.

Evidences for the view of the importance of Hepu seaport in ancient China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Yongjing; Xiong, Zhaoming; Ruan, Xiangdong; Wang, Huijuan; Terrasi, Filippo

2013-01-01

Two ancient tombs considered belonging to the Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220), were excavated in Hepu, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. According to the style of cultural relics, some excavated artifacts did not come from the region. If the age of the tombs can be confirmed as belonging to the Han Dynasty, the exotic artifacts present significant evidence to suggest that that Hepu is one of the oldest seaports on China’s ancient maritime trading route. Two wood samples were sent for 14C dating at CIRCE, Italy. The results of these measurements are presented and the related chronology is discussed. Considering the previous results from a pottery workshop and an excavated sea wharf, the interpretation of Hepu as one of the oldest seaports in ancient China and the important role it played is presented.

MICROSCANNING XRF, XANES, AND XRD STUDIES OF THEDECORATED SURFACE OF ROMAN TERRA SIGILLATA CERAMICS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirguet, C.; Sciau, P.; Goudeau, P.

Different microscanning synchrotron techniques were used to better understand the elaboration process and origins of Terra Sigillata potteries from the Roman period. A mixture Gallic slip sample cross-section showing red and yellow colors was studied. The small (micron) size of the X-ray beam available at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) and Advanced Light Source (ALS) synchrotron sources, coupled with the use of a sample scanning stage allowed us to spatially resolve the distribution of the constitutive mineral phases related to the chemical composition. Results show that red color is a result of iron-rich hematite crystals and the yellow part ismore » a result of the presence of Ti-rich rutile-type phase (brookite). Volcanic-type clay is at the origin of these marble Terra Sigillata.« less

Evidence of Tungiasis in Pre-Hispanic America

PubMed Central

Tantaleán, Manuel; Gotuzzo, Eduardo

2011-01-01

Ancient parasites of the genus Tunga originated in America and, during the first half of the 19th century, were transported to the Eastern Hemisphere on transatlantic voyages. Although they were first documented by Spanish chroniclers after the arrival of Columbus, little is known about their presence in pre-Hispanic America. To evaluate the antiquity of tungiasis in America, we assessed several kinds of early documentation, including written evidence and pre-Incan earthenware reproductions. We identified 17 written documents and 4 anthropomorphic figures, of which 3 originated from the Chimu culture and 1 from the Maranga culture. Tungiasis has been endemic to Peru for at least 14 centuries. We also identified a pottery fragment during this study. This fragment is the fourth representation of tungiasis in pre-Hispanic America identified and provides explicit evidence of disease endemicity in ancient Peru. PMID:21529395

Shape-matching soft mechanical metamaterials.

PubMed

Mirzaali, M J; Janbaz, S; Strano, M; Vergani, L; Zadpoor, A A

2018-01-17

Architectured materials with rationally designed geometries could be used to create mechanical metamaterials with unprecedented or rare properties and functionalities. Here, we introduce "shape-matching" metamaterials where the geometry of cellular structures comprising auxetic and conventional unit cells is designed so as to achieve a pre-defined shape upon deformation. We used computational models to forward-map the space of planar shapes to the space of geometrical designs. The validity of the underlying computational models was first demonstrated by comparing their predictions with experimental observations on specimens fabricated with indirect additive manufacturing. The forward-maps were then used to devise the geometry of cellular structures that approximate the arbitrary shapes described by random Fourier's series. Finally, we show that the presented metamaterials could match the contours of three real objects including a scapula model, a pumpkin, and a Delft Blue pottery piece. Shape-matching materials have potential applications in soft robotics and wearable (medical) devices.

Dose estimation and dating of pottery from Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altay Atlıhan, M.; Şahiner, Eren; Soykal Alanyalı, Feriştah

2012-06-01

The luminescence method is a widely used technique for environmental dosimetry and dating archaeological, geological materials. In this study, equivalent dose (ED) and annual dose rate (AD) of an archaeological sample were measured. The age of the material was calculated by means of equivalent dose divided by the annual dose rate. The archaeological sample was taken from Antalya, Turkey. Samples were prepared by the fine grain technique and equivalent dose was found using multiple-aliquot-additive-dose (MAAD) and single aliquot regeneration (SAR) techniques. Also the short shine normalization-MAAD and long shine normalization-MAAD were applied and the results of the methods were compared with each other. The optimal preheat temperature was found to be 200 °C for 10 min. The annual doses of concentrations of the major radioactive isotopes were determined using a high-purity germanium detector and a low-level alpha counter. The age of the sample was found to be 510±40 years.

Beginning of Viniculture in France

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGovern, Patrick E.; Luley, Benjamin P.; Rovira, Nuria; Mirzoian, Armen; Callahan, Michael P.; Smith, Karen F.; Hall, Gretchen R.; Davidson, Theodore; Henkin, Joshua M.

2013-01-01

Chemical analyses of ancient organic compounds absorbed into the pottery fabrics of imported Etruscan amphoras (ca. 500-475 B.C.) and into a limestone pressing platform (ca. 425-400 B.C.) at the ancient coastal port site of Lattara in southern France provide the earliest biomolecular archaeological evidence for grape wine and viniculture from this country, which is crucial to the later history of wine in Europe and the rest of the world. The data support the hypothesis that export of wine by ship from Etruria in central Italy to southern Mediterranean France fueled an ever-growing market and interest in wine there, which, in turn, as evidenced by the winepress, led to transplantation of the Eurasian grapevine and the beginning of a Celtic industry in France. Herbal and pine resin additives to the Etruscan wine point to the medicinal role of wine in antiquity, as well as a means of preserving it during marine transport.

Attribute Studies of Points, Perforators, Knives, and Lithic Caches from Ayn Ab$$\\bar{u}$$ Nukhayla

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nowell, April; Gutzeit, Jennifer L.; Bell, Colleen

This is an in-depth study of two distinct tool types recovered from the Early Neolithic site of Ayn Abu Nukhayla, located in southern Jordan. This occupation dates to 9,500 to 7,500 BP in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B and is comprised of regionally varied settlements reflecting a range of economic adaptations. The two tool types of concern are Nahal Hemar Knives (so named for their resemblance to a similar tool found in the Israeli site of Nahal Hemar Cave) and Nukhayla perforators. The analyses focus on creating an overall description of the tool assemblages themselves while also attempting to identify changesmore » in tool morphology through space and time. The tools are compared with similar types from across the Neolithic Levant in an attempt to draw comparisons between the assemblages found at Ayn Abu Nykhayla and other sites from the same period.« less

An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has released an external review draft entitled, An Exploratory Study: Assessment of Modeled Dioxin Exposure in Ceramic Art Studios(External Review Draft). The public comment period and the external peer-review workshop are separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to comment on the document. In addition to consideration by EPA, all public comments submitted in accordance with this notice will also be forwarded to EPA’s contractor for the external peer-review panel prior to the workshop. EPA has realeased this draft document solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. The purpose of this report is to describe an exploratory investigation of potential dioxin exposures to artists/hobbyists who use ball clay to make pottery and related products.

Technology and Organisation of Inka Pottery Production in the Leche Valley. Part II: Study of Fired Vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashida, F.; Häusler, W.; Riederer, J.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

Ceramic finds from the Inka workshops at Tambo Real and La Viña in the Leche Valley in northern Peru were studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy, thin section microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Sherds of Inka style vessels and of local style vessels can be distinguished by their shape, although local techniques appear to have been used in making both types. A reconstruction of the firing techniques by scientific studies of the ceramic material does not reveal a substantial difference in material or in the firing of both forms, although high firing temperatures were necessary to achieve sufficient stability of the large Inka style vessels. It cannot be decided whether the smaller local vessels were fired together with the Inka vessels or separately. Most of the variation in the maximum firing temperature can be explained with the normal temperature and atmosphere fluctuations in an open pit kiln.

Beginning of viniculture in France

PubMed Central

McGovern, Patrick E.; Luley, Benjamin P.; Rovira, Nuria; Mirzoian, Armen; Callahan, Michael P.; Smith, Karen E.; Hall, Gretchen R.; Davidson, Theodore; Henkin, Joshua M.

2013-01-01

Chemical analyses of ancient organic compounds absorbed into the pottery fabrics of imported Etruscan amphoras (ca. 500–475 B.C.) and into a limestone pressing platform (ca. 425–400 B.C.) at the ancient coastal port site of Lattara in southern France provide the earliest biomolecular archaeological evidence for grape wine and viniculture from this country, which is crucial to the later history of wine in Europe and the rest of the world. The data support the hypothesis that export of wine by ship from Etruria in central Italy to southern Mediterranean France fueled an ever-growing market and interest in wine there, which, in turn, as evidenced by the winepress, led to transplantation of the Eurasian grapevine and the beginning of a Celtic industry in France. Herbal and pine resin additives to the Etruscan wine point to the medicinal role of wine in antiquity, as well as a means of preserving it during marine transport. PMID:23733937

The application of LIBS for the analysis of archaeological ceramic and metal artifacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melessanaki, Kristalia; Mateo, Maripaz; Ferrence, Susan C.; Betancourt, Philip P.; Anglos, Demetrios

2002-09-01

A bench-top laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system has been used in the examination of pottery, jewelry and metal artifacts found in archaeological excavations in central and eastern Crete, Greece. The objects date from the Middle and Late Minoan periods (ca. 20th-13th century B. C.) through Byzantine and Venetian to Ottoman times (ca. 5th-19th century A.D.). The spectral data indicates the qualitative and often the semi-quantitative elemental composition of the examined materials. In the case of colored glazed ceramics, the identity of pigments was established while in the case of metal and jewelry analysis, the type of metal or metal alloy used was determined. The analyses demonstrate the potential of the LIBS technique for performing routine, rapid, on-site analysis of archaeological objects, which leads to the quick characterization or screening of different types of objects.

Dating archeological ceramics from the Valley of Vitor, Arequipa by the TL method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cano, N. F.; Arizaca, E. C.; Yauri, J. M.; Arenas, J. S. A.; Watanabe, S.

The age of some ancient pottery from the Valley of Vitor in the region of Arequipa, Peru, is determined by the thermoluminescence (TL) method. For dating, a 325 °C TL peak was used and irradiation with γ-dose from 5 to 50 Gy was carried out for the additive method, and from 0.4 to 5 Gy for the regeneration method. For these dose values, the TL intensity is observed to grow linearly, obtaining an accumulated dose of 1.62±0.09 Gy and 1.36±0.03 Gy for the additive and regeneration methods, respectively. The age (A) of the sample was calculated by the two methods, being A=867±195 years after Christ (AC) for the additive method and A=1050±157 years AC for the regeneration method. Both results are within 800-1200 years AC, which is the period of the Wari culture.

Non-destructive identification of green and yellow pigments: the case of some Sicilian Renaissance glazed pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crupi, V.; Majolino, D.; Venuti, V.; Barone, G.; Mazzoleni, P.; Pezzino, A.; La Russa, M. F.; Ruffolo, S. A.; Bardelli, F.

2010-09-01

Selected decorated Renaissance ceramic fragments, found during the excavation of a Sicilian archaeological site (Caltagirone, Sicily, South Italy), have been studied by combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray absorbance spectroscopy (XAS). The study was aimed at providing microchemical and microstructural characterization of the colored glazed coatings in order to elucidate the nature of the pigments in the decorative layers, and in the glaze itself. From the obtained results, the general perspective has been the identification of information to be used for a reliable recognition of the production techniques. In particular, XAS measurements, performed using synchrotron radiation (SR) as the source at the Cu K-edge, in the case of green decorations, provided structural information of the oxidation states and the local chemical environment of copper (neighboring atoms and bond distances).

Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19aq, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, R.C.; DuBarton, A.; Holz, B.A.

1992-12-31

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at sample unit U19aq on Pahute Mesa. Seven sites were studied: two lithic artifact scatters (26NY4577 and 26NY4584), two temporary camps (26NY4585 and 26NY4588), two rock rings (26NY4592 and 26NY4593), and two flakes (26NY7855). Surface artifacts were collected from all seven sites. Excavations were confined to one test pit at 26NY4584 and two test pits at 26NY4585. The data retrieved from these investigations include over eight thousand artifacts, such as projectile points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, pottery and beads. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of sample unit U19aq frommore » 3250 B.P. to historic times. Most of the cultural remains reflect the specialized activities of hunters and gatherers occupying temporary camps.« less

Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19aq, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, R.C.; DuBarton, A.; Holz, B.A.

1992-01-01

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at sample unit U19aq on Pahute Mesa. Seven sites were studied: two lithic artifact scatters (26NY4577 and 26NY4584), two temporary camps (26NY4585 and 26NY4588), two rock rings (26NY4592 and 26NY4593), and two flakes (26NY7855). Surface artifacts were collected from all seven sites. Excavations were confined to one test pit at 26NY4584 and two test pits at 26NY4585. The data retrieved from these investigations include over eight thousand artifacts, such as projectile points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, pottery and beads. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of sample unit U19aq frommore » 3250 B.P. to historic times. Most of the cultural remains reflect the specialized activities of hunters and gatherers occupying temporary camps.« less

Environmental change and economic development in coastal Peru between 5,800 and 3,600 years ago

PubMed Central

Sandweiss, Daniel H.; Solís, Ruth Shady; Moseley, Michael E.; Keefer, David K.; Ortloff, Charles R.

2009-01-01

Between ≈5,800 and 3,600 cal B.P. the biggest architectural monuments and largest settlements in the Western Hemisphere flourished in the Supe Valley and adjacent desert drainages of the arid Peruvian coast. Intensive net fishing, irrigated orchards, and fields of cotton with scant comestibles successfully sustained centuries of increasingly complex societies that did not use ceramics or loom-based weaving. This unique socioeconomic adaptation was abruptly abandoned and gradually replaced by societies more reliant on food crops, pottery, and weaving. Here, we review evidence and arguments for a severe cycle of natural disasters—earthquakes, El Niño flooding, beach ridge formation, and sand dune incursion—at ≈3,800 B.P. and hypothesize that ensuing physical changes to marine and terrestrial environments contributed to the demise of early Supe settlements. PMID:19164564

Iron coated pottery granules for arsenic removal from drinking water.

PubMed

Dong, Liangjie; Zinin, Pavel V; Cowen, James P; Ming, Li Chung

2009-09-15

A new media, iron coated pottery granules (ICPG) has been developed for As removal from drinking water. ICPG is a solid phase media that produces a stable Fe-Si surface complex for arsenic adsorption. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to document the physical attributes (grain size, pore size and distribution, surface roughness) of the ICPG media. Several advantages of the ICPG media such as (a) its granular structure, (b) its ability to absorb As via the F(0) coating on the granules' surface; (c) the inexpensive preparation process for the media from clay material make ICPG media a highly effective media for removing arsenic at normal pH. A column filtration test demonstrated that within the stability region (flow rate lower than 15L/h, EBCT >3 min), the concentration of As in the influent was always lower than 50 microg/L. The 2-week system ability test showed that the media consistently removed arsenic from test water to below the 5 microg/L level. The average removal efficiencies for total arsenic, As(III), and As(V) for a 2-week test period were 98%, 97%, and 99%, respectively, at an average flow rate of 4.1L/h and normal pH. Measurements of the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms at normal pH show that the Freundlich constants of the ICPG are very close to those of ferric hydroxide, nanoscale zero-valent iron and much higher than those of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide. The parameter 1/n is smaller than 0.55 indicating a favorable adsorption process [K. Hristovski, A. Baumgardner, P. Westerhoff, Selecting metal oxide nanomaterials for arsenic removal in fixed bed columns: from nanopowders to aggregated nanoparticle media, J. Hazard. Mater. 147 (2007) 265-274]. The maximum adsorption capacity (q(e)) of the ICPG from the Langmuir isotherm is very close to that of nanoscale zero-valent indicating that zero-valent iron is involved in the process of the As removal from the water. The results of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) analysis revealed that the media was non-hazardous, as shown by the ND (non-detectable) result for arsenic. The mechanism of As adsorption by ICPG has not been determined. Formation of Fe-Si complexes on the surface of the ICPG system may be responsible for the tight bonding of the As to the IGPC media.

Oxidatively damaged DNA in the nasal epithelium of workers occupationally exposed to silica dust in Tuscany region, Italy.

PubMed

Peluso, Marco E M; Munnia, Armelle; Giese, Roger W; Chellini, Elisabetta; Ceppi, Marcello; Capacci, Fabio

2015-07-01

Chronic silica exposure has been associated to cancer and silicosis. Furthermore, the induction of oxidative stress and the generation of reactive oxygen species have been indicated to play a main role in the carcinogenicity of respirable silica. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence of 3-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentafuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-α]purin-10(3H)-one deoxyguanosine (M1dG) adducts, a biomarker of oxidative stress and peroxidation of lipids, in the nasal epithelium of 135 silica-exposed workers, employed in pottery, ceramic and marble manufacturing plants as well as in a stone quarry, in respect to 118 controls living in Tuscany region, Italy. The M1dG generation was measured by the (32)P-postlabelling assay. Significant higher levels of M1dG adducts per 10(8) normal nucleotides were observed in the nasal epithelium of smokers, 77.9±9.8 (SE), and in those of former smokers, 80.7±9.7 (SE), as compared to non-smokers, 57.1±6.2 (SE), P = 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively. Significant increments of M1dG adducts were found in the nasal epithelium of workers that handle artificial marble conglomerates, 184±36.4 (SE), and in those of quarry workers, 120±34.7 (SE), with respect to controls, 50.6±2.7 (SE), P = 0.014 and P < 0.001, respectively. Null increments were observed in association with the pottery and the ceramic factories. After stratification for different exposures, silica-exposed workers that were co-exposed to organic solvents, and welding and exhaust fumes have significantly higher M1dG levels, 90.4±13.4 (SE), P = 0.014 vs. Our data suggested that silica exposure might be associated with genotoxicity in the nasal epithelial cells of silica-exposed workers that handle of artificial marble conglomerates and quarry workers. Importantly, we observed that co-exposures to other respiratory carcinogens may have contributed to enhance the burden of M1dG adducts in the nasal epithelium of silica-exposed workers. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Validity of two simple measures for estimating life-course socio-economic position in cross-sectional postal survey data in an older population: results from the North Staffordshire Osteoarthritis Project (NorStOP)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Since few cohorts encompass the whole life-course, many studies that measure socio-economic position (SEP) across the life-course rely on participant recall of SEP measures from cross-sectional postal or interview surveys. It is also particularly important that SEP measures should be appropriate for the age of the population studied, as the level of missing data has been shown to increase in older people. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of recall of two SEP measures in older adults, age left school and longest job, by examining their validity in a general population postal survey in North Staffordshire, UK. Methods Sets of questions on education and longest job were included in a questionnaire at different stages of the study. All patients aged 50+ registered with three general practices were sent a baseline Health Questionnaire. 6 years later, 3410 responders were mailed a follow-up Health Questionnaire; a sub-sample of these participants took part in independent qualitative interviews. Validity was assessed by: percentage completion; internal percentage agreement within each set of questions; percentage agreement of qualitative and quantitative data for age left school and longest job; comparing recall of age left school with historical change in legal school leaving age; comparing frequency of pottery job titles with those in 1981 Census data for Stoke-on-Trent. Results The adjusted response to different stages of the study was 71–85%. Completion of questions was 83–98%. Internal agreement was 84–97% (education) and 95–100% (longest job). Comparison of survey and interview data showed 86% agreement (± 1 year) for age left school and 91% agreement for longest job. The change in age left school data concurred with the historical shift in legal school leaving age. 11% of job titles were pottery in NorStOP data and 15% in Stoke-on-Trent Census data. Conclusions The results from this study provide evidence for the accuracy of recall of two simple measures of SEP (age left school and longest job) in a postal survey of older adults. Consistency with evidence from external datasets indicated the potential validity of these measures for studying life-course SEP in population surveys. PMID:22738317

The Source of Volcanic Ash in Late Classic Maya Pottery at El Pilar, Belize

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catlin, B. L.; Ford, A.; Spera, F. J.

2007-12-01

The presence of volcanic ash used as temper in Late Classic Maya pottery (AD 600-900) at El Pilar has been long known although the volcano(s) contributing ash have not been identified. We use geochemical fingerprinting, comparing compositions of glass shards in potsherds with volcanic sources to identify the source(s). El Pilar is located in the Maya carbonate lowlands distant from volcanic sources. It is unlikely Maya transported ash from distant sites: ash volumes are too large, the terrain too rugged, and no draft animals were available. Ash layer mining is unlikely because mine sites have not been found despite intensive surveys. Nearest volcanic sources to El Pilar, Belize and Guatemala, are roughly 450 km to the south and east. The ash found in potsherds has a cuspate morphology. This suggests ash was collected during, or shortly after, an ash airfall event following eruption. Analyses of n=333 ash shards from 20 ceramic (pottery) sherds was conducted by electron microprobe for major elements, and LA-ICPMS for trace elements and Pb isotopes. These analyses can be compared to volcanic materials from candidate volcanoes in the region. The 1982 El Chichon eruption caused airfall deposition (< 1 mm isopach) at El Pilar which lead Espindola et. al, 2000 to suggest that earlier eruptions at El Chichon could have caused ash fall at El Pilar during the Late Classic. 333 individual glass shards found within about 20 distinct potsherds have a mean silica content of 78.3±1.1 wt. % (one-sigma). The 1982 El Chichon eruption products have a mean silica content of 60.2±7.2% (one-sigma, n=48); the circa 1475 AD eruptive products of El Chichon have a mean silica content of 53.4±3.4 wt % (one-sigma, n=8). This suggests that El Chichon was not a source of the ash at El Pilar. In order confirm or refute the El Chichon source hypothesis, comparison of trace element ratios between archaeological samples and El Chichon has been made. The atomic ratios of La/Yb, Nb/Ta, Zr/Hf, Sr/Ba and Th/U of n=215 glass shards in the potsherds are 12.2±7.1, 10.9±3.4, 31.2±11.5, 0.09±0.05 and 2.5±0.9, respectively. These ratios for 1982 El Chichon are 15.4±2.1, 26.3, 36.1±5.3, 1.4±0.06 and 3.16, respectively. Data for the 1475 AD El Chichon eruption (Macias et al, 2003) can also be compared; the ratios from are 13.2±2.2, 7.3±1.8, 30.4±9.6, 1.51±0.4 and 2.88±0.23, respectively. The mean 208Pb/206Pb ratio of n=5 potsherds is 2.0523±0.002 compared to 2.0514±0.00074 for n=7 samples from El Chichon. The two most recent eruptions from El Chichon overlap with the potsherd glass data except for Sr/Ba, which might be modified by Sr-Ca exchange during firing. In order to test the effects of pot firing on glass compositional changes, experiments were conducted in which high silica volcanic glass was fired with clay according to heating schedules used by Maya potters. Two important changes are that Na is rapidly lost preferentially to K and that the Si/Ca ratio decreases due to Ca diffusion from matrix into glass during firing. One expects that ratios of the refractory trace elements such as La/Yb and Zr/Hf are less susceptible to modification. Further experiments of trace element mobility during firing are underway.

Manufacture of a ceramic paper for art applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dölle, K.; Honig, A.; Piatkowski, J.; Kuempel, C.

2018-01-01

Ceramic paper products are mostly used as high temperature ceramic insulation products. They offer an effective solution for most demanding heat management and insulation applications. The objective for this research project was to create a ceramic paper like product that combines the advantages of paper fibers, ceramic filler, and a clay product into one product, which can be produced on a continuous base with a paper machine. The produced ceramic paper product had a ceramic filler level between 59.68% and 78.8% with a basis weight between 322.9 g/m² and 693.7 g/m², and a final moisture content of 58.6% to 44.7% respectively. The wooden fiber served as a support medium for the ceramic filler material during production on the paper machine and during the conversion process into art pieces. During firing in a kiln, the fiber material combusted and the ceramic filler material mixture acts as common pottery clay, holding the desired shape of the art pieces produced.

Application of Laser Mass Spectrometry to Art and Archaeology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulian, Lase Lisa E.; Callahan, Michael P.; Muliadi, Sarah; Owens, Shawn; McGovern, Patrick E.; Schmidt, Catherine M.; Trentelman, Karen A.; deVries, Mattanjah S.

2011-01-01

REMPI laser mass spectrometry is a combination of resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy and time of flight mass spectrometry, This technique enables the collection of mass specific optical spectra as well as of optically selected mass spectra. Analytes are jet-cooled by entrainment in a molecular beam, and this low temperature gas phase analysis has the benefit of excellent vibronic resolution. Utilizing this method, mass spectrometric analysis of historically relevant samples can be simplified and improved; Optical selection of targets eliminates the need for chromatography while knowledge of a target's gas phase spectroscopy allows for facile differentiation of molecules that are in the aqueous phase considered spectroscopically indistinguishable. These two factors allow smaller sample sizes than commercial MS instruments, which in turn will require less damage to objects of antiquity. We have explored methods to optimize REMPI laser mass spectrometry as an analytical tool to archaeology using theobromine and caffeine as molecular markers in Mesoamerican pottery, and are expanding this approach to the field of art to examine laccaic acid in shellacs.

Comparing the detection of iron-based pottery pigment on a carbon-coated sherd by SEM-EDS and by Micro-XRF-SEM.

PubMed

Pendleton, Michael W; Washburn, Dorothy K; Ellis, E Ann; Pendleton, Bonnie B

2014-03-01

The same sherd was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and a micro X-ray fluorescence tube attached to a scanning electron microscope (Micro-XRF-SEM) to compare the effectiveness of elemental detection of iron-based pigment. To enhance SEM-EDS mapping, the sherd was carbon coated. The carbon coating was not required to produce Micro-XRF-SEM maps but was applied to maintain an unbiased comparison between the systems. The Micro-XRF-SEM analysis was capable of lower limits of detection than that of the SEM-EDS system, and therefore the Micro-XRF-SEM system could produce elemental maps of elements not easily detected by SEM-EDS mapping systems. Because SEM-EDS and Micro-XRF-SEM have been used for imaging and chemical analysis of biological samples, this comparison of the detection systems should be useful to biologists, especially those involved in bone or tooth (hard tissue) analysis.

Comparing the Detection of Iron-Based Pottery Pigment on a Carbon-Coated Sherd by SEM-EDS and by Micro-XRF-SEM

PubMed Central

Pendleton, Michael W.; Washburn, Dorothy K.; Ellis, E. Ann; Pendleton, Bonnie B.

2014-01-01

The same sherd was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and a micro X-ray fluorescence tube attached to a scanning electron microscope (Micro-XRF-SEM) to compare the effectiveness of elemental detection of iron-based pigment. To enhance SEM-EDS mapping, the sherd was carbon coated. The carbon coating was not required to produce Micro-XRF-SEM maps but was applied to maintain an unbiased comparison between the systems. The Micro-XRF-SEM analysis was capable of lower limits of detection than that of the SEM-EDS system, and therefore the Micro-XRF-SEM system could produce elemental maps of elements not easily detected by SEM-EDS mapping systems. Because SEM-EDS and Micro-XRF-SEM have been used for imaging and chemical analysis of biological samples, this comparison of the detection systems should be useful to biologists, especially those involved in bone or tooth (hard tissue) analysis. PMID:24600333

First archeointensity results from Portuguese potteries (1550-1750 AD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Gelvam A.; Trindade, Ricardo I. F.; Goguitchaichvili, Avto; Etchevarne, Carlos; Morales, Juan; Afonso, Marisa C.

2009-01-01

Geomagnetic field variations at archeomagnetic timescales can be obtained from well-dated heated structures and archeological potsherds. Here, we present the first archeointensity results obtained on Portuguese ceramics (1550 to 1750 AD) collected at Brazilian archeological sites. The results are compared to those obtained from Western Europe and currently available geomagnetic field models. Continuous thermomagnetic and IRM acquisitions curves indicate that Ti-poor titanomagnetite is responsible for the remanence in these ceramic fragments. Five fragments (24 samples) out of twelve analyzed yielded reliable intensity estimates. The row archeointensity data were corrected for TRM anisotropy and cooling rate effect. The mean dipole moments are obtained for three different age intervals: 1550±30 AD, 1600±30 AD and 1750±50 AD. Mean intensities vary from 37.9±4.2 μT to 54.8±7.6 μT in agreement with the previously reported data for 1550 AD and 1750 AD. Relatively weaker, but still highly dispersed, values were obtained for 1600 AD ceramics.

Potentialité d'utilisation d'argiles marocaines de Jbel Kharrou dans l'industrie céramique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Yakoubi, Nadia; Aberkan, M'hamed; Ouadia, Mohamed

2006-08-01

The Ordovician clays of Jbel Kharrou (Rehamna, Morocco) have been studied for their use in ceramic industry. The realised studies were carried out on two samples B1 and B2, the most representative, taken from a clay dominated formation that outcrops 25 km east of the Skhour Rehamna city. The chemical analyses, mineralogical studies and advanced technological tests undertaken on the two samples indicate that these clays can be considered as non-refractory material, so they can be used to the manufacturing of ceramic products: soil and wall tiles, sanitary, pottery, etc. The tested briquettes, cooked at 1040 °C, remain flat, without deformation or defects; they are of cream white dye. These briquettes show a high mechanical resistance to the flexion, the loss in weight remains tolerable with cooking, lightly elevated (12% ); it can be corrected by the addition of a grease-remover. To cite this article: N. El Yakoubi et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).

Dibenzo-p-dioxins in the environment from ceramics and pottery produced from ball clay mined in the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrario, Joseph; Byrne, Christian

2002-01-01

Processed ball clay samples used in the production of ceramics and samples of the ceramic products were collected and analyzed for the presence and concentration of the 2,3,7,8-Cl substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs). The processed ball clay had average PCDD concentrations of 3.2 ng/g toxic equivalents, a congener profile, and isomer distribution consistent with those found previously in raw ball clay. The PCDF concentrations were below the average limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 pg/g. The final fired ceramic products were found to be free of PCDDs/PCDFs at the LODs. A consideration of the conditions involved in the firing process suggests that the PCDDs, if not destroyed, may be released to the atmosphere and could represent an as yet unidentified source of dioxins to the environment. In addition, the PCDDs in clay dust generated during manufacturing operations may represent a potential occupational exposure.

Neolithic dairy farming at the extreme of agriculture in northern Europe

PubMed Central

Cramp, Lucy J. E.; Evershed, Richard P.; Lavento, Mika; Halinen, Petri; Mannermaa, Kristiina; Oinonen, Markku; Kettunen, Johannes; Perola, Markus; Onkamo, Päivi; Heyd, Volker

2014-01-01

The conventional ‘Neolithic package’ comprised animals and plants originally domesticated in the Near East. As farming spread on a generally northwest trajectory across Europe, early pastoralists would have been faced with the challenge of making farming viable in regions in which the organisms were poorly adapted to providing optimal yields or even surviving. Hence, it has long been debated whether Neolithic economies were ever established at the modern limits of agriculture. Here, we examine food residues in pottery, testing a hypothesis that Neolithic farming was practiced beyond the 60th parallel north. Our findings, based on diagnostic biomarker lipids and δ13C values of preserved fatty acids, reveal a transition at ca 2500 BC from the exploitation of aquatic organisms to processing of ruminant products, specifically milk, confirming farming was practiced at high latitudes. Combining this with genetic, environmental and archaeological information, we demonstrate the origins of dairying probably accompanied an incoming, genetically distinct, population successfully establishing this new subsistence ‘package’. PMID:25080345

Analysis of Potassium in Bricks--Determining the Dose Rate from {sup 40}K for Thermoluminescence Dating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musilek, Ladislav; Polach, Tomas; Trojek, Tomas

2008-08-07

Thermoluminescence (TL) dating is based on accumulating the natural radiation dose in the material of a dated artefact (brick, pottery, etc.), and comparing the dose accumulated during the lifetime of the object with the dose rate within the sample collected for TL measurement. Determining the dose rate from natural radionuclides in materials is one of the most important and most difficult parts of the technique. The most important radionuclides present are usually nuclides of the uranium and thorium decay series and {sup 40}K. An analysis of the total potassium concentration enables us to determine the {sup 40}K content effectively, andmore » from this it is possible to calculate the dose rate originating from this radiation source. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis can be used to determine the potassium concentration in bricks rapidly and efficiently. The procedure for analysing potassium, examples of results of dose rate calculation and possible sources of error are described here.« less

Dibenzo-p-dioxins in the environment from ceramics and pottery produced from ball clay mined in the United States.

PubMed

Ferrario, Joseph; Byrne, Christian

2002-03-01

Processed ball clay samples used in the production of ceramics and samples of the ceramic products were collected and analyzed for the presence and concentration of the 2,3,7,8-Cl substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDDs/PCDFs). The processed ball clay had average PCDD concentrations of 3.2 ng/g toxic equivalents, a congener profile, and isomer distribution consistent with those found previously in raw ball clay. The PCDF concentrations were below the average limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 pg/g. The final fired ceramic products were found to be free of PCDDs/PCDFs at the LODs. A consideration of the conditions involved in the firing process suggests that the PCDDs, if not destroyed, may be released to the atmosphere and could represent an as yet unidentified source of dioxins to the environment. In addition, the PCDDs in clay dust generated during manufacturing operations may represent a potential occupational exposure.

Archaeointensity and rock magnetism on Maya locations pottery, Southeast Mexico, from Preclassic to Posclassic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez Trejo, A.; Alva-Valdivia, L. M.; Nieto Calleja, R.; Jimenez, S.

2016-12-01

Archeointensity results are presented from 7 archeological sites of the Maya Zone, southeast Mexico: Chiapas, Yucatan and Quintana Roo, distributed geographically over a 500,000 Km2 area over the Yucatan Peninsula. The sites corresponds to over 250 samples from Palenque, Chichén-Itzá, Flor de Mayo, El Mirador, Oxtancah, Busiljá and Mensabak. All the artifact sites correspond from the Preclasic to Posclasic period (1000 b.C. to 1600 a.C.), which represent the most important period in Mesoamerica. The laboratory experiments for rock magnetism includes the suscpetibility vs. temperature curves (KT), hysteresis loop, first order reversal curves analysis (FORC), IRM coercivity unmixing and thermal and AF demagnetization. Archaeointensity were carried out using previously selected samples that accomplish the quality criteria, using the Thellier - Thellier methology and the Coe check modification. These results will be used to construct a secular variation curve for intensity in this region, which eventually could be used for dating many archeological materials of unknown age.

Fracture spacing in tensile brittle layers adhering to a rigid substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazarus, Véronique

2017-01-01

A natural question arising when observing crack networks in brittle layers such as, e.g., paints, muds, skins, pottery glazes, coatings, ceramics, is what determines the distance between cracks. This apparently simple question received a wealth of more or less complex and appropriate answers, but no consensus has emerged. Here, we show that the cracks interact mutually as soon as the spacing between them is smaller than ten times the thickness of the layer. Then, a simple Griffith-type balance between the elastic deformation energy and the fracture bulk and debonding costs captures a broad number of observations, going from the square-root or linear increase of the spacing with the thickness, to its decrease with loading until saturation. The adhesion strength is identified as playing a key role in these behaviour changes. As illustration, we show how the model can be applied to study the influence of the layer thickness on crack patterns. We believe that the versatility of the approach should permit wide applicability, from geosciences to engineering.

Asbestos between science and myth. A 6,000-year story.

PubMed

Bianchi, Claudio; Bianchi, Tommaso

2015-01-22

Asbestos was used in making pottery in Eastern Finland from around 4000 B.C. In the ancient era and in the Middle Ages, magic properties were frequently attributed to this mineral. In the first century A.D., the Latin encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder reported in his Historia Naturalis that asbestos protects against all poisonings, particularly that of magicians. Moreover, asbestos was often found in places of worship, in Rome as well as in Athens and in Jerusalem. In the Middle Ages asbestos was identified with some animals, such as the salamander and certain white rodents. With such appearance, the mineral  had a huge success in Western as well as in Eastern literature and the fine arts. Marco Polo (1254-1324) in the Milione tried to deny that asbestos was a salamander. Despite its noxious effects, asbestos continues to be used in much of the world. In the 21st century it seems to be maintaining its quality as a magic stone.

Well-integrity survey (Phase II) of abandoned homestead water wells in the High Plains aquifer, former Pantex Ordance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rivers, Glenn A.

1995-01-01

The existence of abandoned homestead sites was confirmed by remains of foundations and (or) wells at 13 of 18 locations. The existence of abandoned homestead sites was indicated by broken glass and pottery and miscellaneous debris at 3 of the 18 locations. No evidence of past homestead existence was found at 2 of the 18 locations. Eight water wells were found at seven of the abandoned homestead sites. Three of the eight wells are accessible to steel tape measurement—two are accessible to more than 297 feet below land surface and one is accessible to 277.8 feet below land surface. Of the five wells not accessible to steel tape measurement, three are closed at the surface and two are blocked by debris at 12 and 3 feet below land surface, respectively. Water levels were not detected in any well that was accessible by steel tape.

The Rehydroxylation Dating of Archeological Baked-Clay Artifacts for Determination Paleomagnetic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batalin, G. A.; Gareev, B. I.; Nourgaliev, D. K.

2016-12-01

If confirmed, the rehydroxylation dating method proposed by Wilson et al. would be a major achievement forarcheological and geological sciences. This method would indeed make it possible to date potentially all fired-clayartifacts (fragments of pottery or of architectural bricks) unearthed in excavation contexts and/or recovered fromold buildings, offering to archeologists exceptional time constraints that are at the basis of most archeologicalissues. Together with that, determination of magnetic characteristics of fired-clay artifacts allows to build paleosecularvariations.We present new results obtained from thermo-gravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry measurements coupledwith mass spectrometry analyses to identify rehydroxylation water and link it with age of ceramic. A varietyof archeological artifacts was collected from different excavations conducted on the territory of the Republic ofTatarstan, Russia.Magnetic measurements include thermomagnetic analysis, coercitive spectrometry, magnetic susceptibility measurementversus temperature. Paleomagnetic studies include measurement of paleointensity. The main aim of paleomagneticinvestigations is to reconstruct magnetic field behavior during last centuries and made paleosecularvariations (PSV) for Volga region.

Evaluation of correlation between physical properties and ultrasonic pulse velocity of fired clay samples.

PubMed

Özkan, İlker; Yayla, Zeliha

2016-03-01

The aim of this study is to establish a correlation between physical properties and ultrasonic pulse velocity of clay samples fired at elevated temperatures. Brick-making clay and pottery clay were studied for this purpose. The physical properties of clay samples were assessed after firing pressed clay samples separately at temperatures of 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050 and 1100 °C. A commercial ultrasonic testing instrument (Proceq Pundit Lab) was used to evaluate the ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements for each fired clay sample as a function of temperature. It was observed that there became a relationship between physical properties and ultrasonic pulse velocities of the samples. The results showed that in consequence of increasing densification of the samples, the differences between the ultrasonic pulse velocities were higher with increasing temperature. These findings may facilitate the use of ultrasonic pulse velocity for the estimation of physical properties of fired clay samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Volcanoes in the pre-Columbian life, legend, and archaeology of Costa Rica (Central America)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Soto, Gerardo J.

2008-10-01

Costa Rica is located geographically in the southern part of the Central American Volcanic Front, a zone where interaction between the Mesoamerican and South American cultures occurred in pre-Columbian times. Several volcanoes violently erupted during the Holocene, when the first nomadic human hunters and later settlers were present. Volcanic rocks were the most important geo-resource in making artifacts and as construction materials for pre-Columbian inhabitants. Some pottery products are believed to resemble smoking volcanoes, and the settlements around volcanoes would seem to indicate their influence on daily life. Undoubtedly, volcanic eruptions disrupted the life of early settlers, particularly in the vicinity of Arenal and Irazú volcanoes, where archaeological remains show transient effects and displacement caused by periodical eruptions, but later resilient occupations around the volcanoes. Most native languages are extinct, with the exception of those presently spoken in areas far away from active volcanoes, where no words are related to volcanic phenomena or structures. The preserved legends are ambiguous, suggesting that they were either produced during the early Spanish conquest or were altered following the pre-Columbian period.

The near-eastern roots of the Neolithic in South Asia.

PubMed

Gangal, Kavita; Sarson, Graeme R; Shukurov, Anvar

2014-01-01

The Fertile Crescent in the Near East is one of the independent origins of the Neolithic, the source from which farming and pottery-making spread across Europe from 9,000 to 6,000 years ago at an average rate of about 1 km/yr. There is also strong evidence for causal connections between the Near-Eastern Neolithic and that further east, up to the Indus Valley. The Neolithic in South Asia has been far less explored than its European counterpart, especially in terms of absolute (14)C) dating; hence, there were no previous attempts to assess quantitatively its spread in Asia. We combine the available (14)C data with the archaeological evidence for early Neolithic sites in South Asia to analyze the spatio-temporal continuity of the Neolithic dispersal from the Near East through the Middle East and to the Indian subcontinent. We reveal an approximately linear dependence between the age and the geodesic distance from the Near East, suggesting a systematic (but not necessarily uniform) spread at an average speed of about 0.65 km/yr.

Reconstruction of settlement phases at Intermediate Bronze Age structures in the Negev Highlands (Israel) using luminescence dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junge, Andrea; Lomax, Johanna; Shahack-Gross, Ruth; Dunseth, Zachary C.; Finkelstein, Israel; Fuchs, Markus

2016-04-01

OSL dating is usually applied to sediments in paleoenvironmental sciences. However, there is only limited experience with determining the age of archaeological stone structures by OSL using dust deposits associated with these structures. The age of trapped dust deposits may be used to date the onset of settlement (sediment below structures), settlement activity (occupation layer), or the time after settlement (sediment between collapsed walls and roofs). In this study, OSL dating is applied for establishing a chronology of settlement structures situated in the Negev Highlands, Israel. Two archaeological sites are investigated to identify the occupation history, by dating the aeolian dust trapped within the remains of ancient buildings. OSL dating techniques are applied using coarse grain quartz and a standard SAR protocol. First results indicate that the luminescence properties of the trapped sediments are suitable for OSL dating. Therefore, it was possible to date the onset of sedimentation in a later phase of the human occupation or shortly after the settlement was abandoned, which is supported by archaeological evidence gained from pottery finds and the architecture of the buildings.

Effects of neurofeedback training on the brain wave of adults with forward head posture.

PubMed

Oh, Hyun-Ju; Song, Gui-Bin

2016-10-01

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of neurofeedback training on electroencephalogram changes in the cervical spine in adults with forward head posture through x-ray. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of the study were 40 college students with forward head posture, randomly divided into a neurofeedback training group (NFTG, n=20) and a control group (CG, n=20). The neurofeedback training group performed six sessions of pottery and archery games, each for two minutes, three times per week for four weeks, while using the neurofeedback system. [Results] There were significant effects within and between groups in terms of the Delta wave, the Theta wave, the Alpha wave, the Beta wave, or the sensory motor rhythm. Especially, the Delta wave, Beta wave, and the sensory motor rhythm were showed significant effects between the groups. [Conclusion] It is thought that neurofeedback training, a training approach to self-regulate brain waves, enhances concentration and relaxation without stress, as well as an increase in attention, memory, and verbal cognitive performance. Therefore an effective intervention method to improve neck pain and daily activities.

Freshwater reservoir offsets and food crusts: Isotope, AMS, and lipid analyses of experimental cooking residues

PubMed Central

Taché, Karine; Lovis, William A.

2018-01-01

Freshwater reservoir offsets (FROs) occur when AMS dates on charred, encrusted food residues on pottery predate a pot’s chronological context because of the presence of ancient carbon from aquatic resources such as fish. Research over the past two decades has demonstrated that FROs vary widely within and between water bodies and between fish in those water bodies. Lipid analyses have identified aquatic biomarkers that can be extracted from cooking residues as potential evidence for FROs. However, lacking has been efforts to determine empirically how much fish with FROs needs to be cooked in a pot with other resources to result in significant FRO on encrusted cooking residue and what percentage of fish C in a residue is needed to result in the recovery of aquatic biomarkers. Here we provide preliminary assessments of both issues. Our results indicate that in historically-contingent, high alkalinity environments <20% C from fish may result in a statistically significant FRO, but that biomarkers for aquatic resources may be present in the absence of a significant FRO. PMID:29694436

A case study of full integration of the arts into core subject area instruction in one East Texas secondary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leysath, Maggie

This exploratory phenomenological case study investigated the influence the full integration of the arts into core subject instruction has on classroom environment, student academic achievement, and student engagement as perceived by administrators, teachers, and students in one East Texas secondary school. Participant interviews were analyzed using Creswell's (2012) six-step method for analyzing phenomenological studies. The researcher implemented three learning activities in which ceramics learning objectives were fully integrated with chemistry learning objectives. The first activity combined clay properties and pottery wheel throwing with significant numbers. The second activity combined glaze formulation with moles. The third combined stoichiometry with the increased glaze formula for students to glaze the bowls they made. Findings suggest the full integration of art in core subject area instruction has numerous positive effects. Participants reported improved academic achievement for all students including reluctant learners. Students, teachers, and the administrator reported greater participation in the art integrated activities. Participants perceived a need for further training for teachers and administrators for greater success.

Dating rice remains through phytolith carbon-14 study reveals domestication at the beginning of the Holocene

PubMed Central

Lu, Houyuan; Jiang, Leping; Zhang, Jianping; Huan, Xiujia; He, Keyang; Wang, Can; Wu, Naiqin

2017-01-01

Phytolith remains of rice (Oryza sativa L.) recovered from the Shangshan site in the Lower Yangtze of China have previously been recognized as the earliest examples of rice cultivation. However, because of the poor preservation of macroplant fossils, many radiocarbon dates were derived from undifferentiated organic materials in pottery sherds. These materials remain a source of debate because of potential contamination by old carbon. Direct dating of the rice remains might serve to clarify their age. Here, we first validate the reliability of phytolith dating in the study region through a comparison with dates obtained from other material from the same layer or context. Our phytolith data indicate that rice remains retrieved from early stages of the Shangshan and Hehuashan sites have ages of approximately 9,400 and 9,000 calibrated years before the present, respectively. The morphology of rice bulliform phytoliths indicates they are closer to modern domesticated species than to wild species, suggesting that rice domestication may have begun at Shangshan during the beginning of the Holocene. PMID:28559349

Dating rice remains through phytolith carbon-14 study reveals domestication at the beginning of the Holocene.

PubMed

Zuo, Xinxin; Lu, Houyuan; Jiang, Leping; Zhang, Jianping; Yang, Xiaoyan; Huan, Xiujia; He, Keyang; Wang, Can; Wu, Naiqin

2017-06-20

Phytolith remains of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) recovered from the Shangshan site in the Lower Yangtze of China have previously been recognized as the earliest examples of rice cultivation. However, because of the poor preservation of macroplant fossils, many radiocarbon dates were derived from undifferentiated organic materials in pottery sherds. These materials remain a source of debate because of potential contamination by old carbon. Direct dating of the rice remains might serve to clarify their age. Here, we first validate the reliability of phytolith dating in the study region through a comparison with dates obtained from other material from the same layer or context. Our phytolith data indicate that rice remains retrieved from early stages of the Shangshan and Hehuashan sites have ages of approximately 9,400 and 9,000 calibrated years before the present, respectively. The morphology of rice bulliform phytoliths indicates they are closer to modern domesticated species than to wild species, suggesting that rice domestication may have begun at Shangshan during the beginning of the Holocene.

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part II: Field Firing Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, I.; Goldstein, D.; Sosa, J.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We present data from three seasons of experimental field work designed to recreate ancient Andean coastal ceramic firing techniques. Based on the recent discovery of two different archaeological ceramic production sites in the La Leche river valley of northern coastal Peru, the opportunity arose to apply Mössbauer spectroscopy and other analytical methods to reconstruct ancient firing procedures. Two sets of firings took place in 1993 and 1997 in Batán Grande using a partially restored Formative kiln from about 800 BC, local hardwood and cow dung as fuel. A third experiment followed in 2000 after the discovery of a Middle Sicán ceramics workshop in use between ca. AD 950 and 1050 at Huaca Sialupe, where an exact replica of an ancient kiln was built from local clay, and fired with local wood and cow dung. Additionally, inverted urns found at Huaca Sialupe were tested for their potential use as furnaces for metal working. Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to compare the physical and chemical state of specimens produced in the field experiments with ancient ceramics and with specimens produced in controlled laboratory experiments.

Portable laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy/diffuse reflectance hybrid spectrometer for analysis of inorganic pigments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siozos, Panagiotis; Philippidis, Aggelos; Anglos, Demetrios

2017-11-01

A novel, portable spectrometer, combining two analytical techniques, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, was developed with the aim to provide an enhanced instrumental and methodological approach with regard to the analysis of pigments in objects of cultural heritage. Technical details about the hybrid spectrometer and its operation are presented and examples are given relevant to the analysis of paint materials. Both LIBS and diffuse reflectance spectra in the visible and part of the near infrared, corresponding to several neat mineral pigment samples, were recorded and the complementary information was used to effectively distinguish different types of pigments even if they had similar colour or elemental composition. The spectrometer was also employed in the analysis of different paints on the surface of an ancient pottery sherd demonstrating the capabilities of the proposed hybrid diagnostic approach. Despite its instrumental simplicity and compact size, the spectrometer is capable of supporting analytical campaigns relevant to archaeological, historical or art historical investigations, particularly when quick data acquisition is required in the context of surveys of large numbers of objects and samples.

A forager–herder trade-off, from broad-spectrum hunting to sheep management at Aşıklı Höyük, Turkey

PubMed Central

Stiner, Mary C.; Buitenhuis, Hijlke; Duru, Güneş; Kuhn, Steven L.; Mentzer, Susan M.; Munro, Natalie D.; Pöllath, Nadja; Quade, Jay; Tsartsidou, Georgia; Özbaşaran, Mihriban

2014-01-01

Aşıklı Höyük is the earliest known preceramic Neolithic mound site in Central Anatolia. The oldest Levels, 4 and 5, spanning 8,200 to approximately 9,000 cal B.C., associate with round-house architecture and arguably represent the birth of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic in the region. Results from upper Level 4, reported here, indicate a broad meat diet that consisted of diverse wild ungulate and small animal species. The meat diet shifted gradually over just a few centuries to an exceptional emphasis on caprines (mainly sheep). Age-sex distributions of the caprines in upper Level 4 indicate selective manipulation by humans by or before 8,200 cal B.C. Primary dung accumulations between the structures demonstrate that ruminants were held captive inside the settlement at this time. Taken together, the zooarchaeological and geoarchaeological evidence demonstrate an emergent process of caprine management that was highly experimental in nature and oriented to quick returns. Stabling was one of the early mechanisms of caprine population isolation, a precondition to domestication. PMID:24778242

Lead-free piezoceramics.

PubMed

Saito, Yasuyoshi; Takao, Hisaaki; Tani, Toshihiko; Nonoyama, Tatsuhiko; Takatori, Kazumasa; Homma, Takahiko; Nagaya, Toshiatsu; Nakamura, Masaya

2004-11-04

Lead has recently been expelled from many commercial applications and materials (for example, from solder, glass and pottery glaze) owing to concerns regarding its toxicity. Lead zirconium titanate (PZT) ceramics are high-performance piezoelectric materials, which are widely used in sensors, actuators and other electronic devices; they contain more than 60 weight per cent lead. Although there has been a concerted effort to develop lead-free piezoelectric ceramics, no effective alternative to PZT has yet been found. Here we report a lead-free piezoelectric ceramic with an electric-field-induced strain comparable to typical actuator-grade PZT. We achieved this through the combination of the discovery of a morphotropic phase boundary in an alkaline niobate-based perovskite solid solution, and the development of a processing route leading to highly <001> textured polycrystals. The ceramic exhibits a piezoelectric constant d33 (the induced charge per unit force applied in the same direction) of above 300 picocoulombs per newton (pC N(-1)), and texturing the material leads to a peak d33 of 416 pC N(-1). The textured material also exhibits temperature-independent field-induced strain characteristics.

Reference samples for the earth sciences

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flanagan, F.J.

1974-01-01

A revised list of reference samples of interest to geoscientists has been extended to include samples for the agronomist, the archaeologist and the environmentalist. In addition to the source from which standard samples may be obtained, references or pertinent notes for some samples are included. The number of rock reference samples is now almost adequate, and the variety of ore samples will soon be sufficient. There are very few samples for microprobe work. Oil shales will become more important because of the outlook for world petroleum resources. The dryland equivalent of a submarine basalt might be useful in studies of sea-floor spreading and of the geochemistry of basalts. The Na- and K-feldspars of BCS (British Chemical Standards-Bureau of Analysed Samples), NBS (National Bureau of Standards), and ANRT (Association Kationale de la Recherche Technique) could serve as trace-element standards if such data were available. Similarly, the present NBS flint and plastic clays, as well as their predecessors, might be useful for archaeological pottery studies. The International Decade for Ocean Exploration may stimulate the preparation of ocean-water standards for trace elements or pollutants and a standard for manganese nodules. ?? 1974.

The rehydroxylation dating of archeological baked-clay artifacts for determination paleomagnetic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batalin, Georgii; Gareev, Bulat; Nourgaliev, Danis; Fedorchenko, Diana

2016-04-01

If confirmed, the rehydroxylation dating method proposed by Wilson et al. would be a major achievement for archeological and geological sciences. This method would indeed make it possible to date potentially all fired-clay artifacts (fragments of pottery or of architectural bricks) unearthed in excavation contexts and/or recovered from old buildings, offering to archeologists exceptional time constraints that are at the basis of most archeological issues. Together with that, determination of magnetic characteristics of fired-clay artifacts allows to build paleosecular variations. We present new results obtained from thermo-gravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry measurements coupled with mass spectrometry analyses to identify rehydroxylation water and link it with age of ceramic. A variety of archeological artifacts was collected from different excavations conducted on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Magnetic measurements include thermomagnetic analysis, coercitive spectrometry, magnetic susceptibility measurement versus temperature. Paleomagnetic studies include measurement of paleointensity. The main aim of paleomagnetic investigations is to reconstruct magnetic field behavior during last centuries and made paleosecular variations (PSV) for Volga region.

A closed-chamber method to measure greenhouse gas fluxes from dry aquatic sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesmeister, Lukas; Koschorreck, Matthias

2017-06-01

Recent research indicates that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dry aquatic sediments are a relevant process in the freshwater carbon cycle. However, fluxes are difficult to measure because of the often rocky substrate and the dynamic nature of the habitat. Here we tested the performance of different materials to seal a closed chamber to stony ground both in laboratory and field experiments. Using on-site material consistently resulted in elevated fluxes. The artefact was caused both by outgassing of the material and production of gas. The magnitude of the artefact was site dependent - the measured CO2 flux increased between 10 and 208 %. Errors due to incomplete sealing proved to be more severe than errors due to non-inert sealing material.Pottery clay as sealing material provided a tight seal between the chamber and the ground and no production of gases was detected. With this approach it is possible to get reliable gas fluxes from hard-substrate sites without using a permanent collar. Our test experiments confirmed that CO2 fluxes from dry aquatic sediments are similar to CO2 fluxes from terrestrial soils.

The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe.

PubMed

Olalde, Iñigo; Brace, Selina; Allentoft, Morten E; Armit, Ian; Kristiansen, Kristian; Booth, Thomas; Rohland, Nadin; Mallick, Swapan; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Mittnik, Alissa; Altena, Eveline; Lipson, Mark; Lazaridis, Iosif; Harper, Thomas K; Patterson, Nick; Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen; Diekmann, Yoan; Faltyskova, Zuzana; Fernandes, Daniel; Ferry, Matthew; Harney, Eadaoin; de Knijff, Peter; Michel, Megan; Oppenheimer, Jonas; Stewardson, Kristin; Barclay, Alistair; Alt, Kurt Werner; Liesau, Corina; Ríos, Patricia; Blasco, Concepción; Miguel, Jorge Vega; García, Roberto Menduiña; Fernández, Azucena Avilés; Bánffy, Eszter; Bernabò-Brea, Maria; Billoin, David; Bonsall, Clive; Bonsall, Laura; Allen, Tim; Büster, Lindsey; Carver, Sophie; Navarro, Laura Castells; Craig, Oliver E; Cook, Gordon T; Cunliffe, Barry; Denaire, Anthony; Dinwiddy, Kirsten Egging; Dodwell, Natasha; Ernée, Michal; Evans, Christopher; Kuchařík, Milan; Farré, Joan Francès; Fowler, Chris; Gazenbeek, Michiel; Pena, Rafael Garrido; Haber-Uriarte, María; Haduch, Elżbieta; Hey, Gill; Jowett, Nick; Knowles, Timothy; Massy, Ken; Pfrengle, Saskia; Lefranc, Philippe; Lemercier, Olivier; Lefebvre, Arnaud; Martínez, César Heras; Olmo, Virginia Galera; Ramírez, Ana Bastida; Maurandi, Joaquín Lomba; Majó, Tona; McKinley, Jacqueline I; McSweeney, Kathleen; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Modi, Alessandra; Kulcsár, Gabriella; Kiss, Viktória; Czene, András; Patay, Róbert; Endrődi, Anna; Köhler, Kitti; Hajdu, Tamás; Szeniczey, Tamás; Dani, János; Bernert, Zsolt; Hoole, Maya; Cheronet, Olivia; Keating, Denise; Velemínský, Petr; Dobeš, Miroslav; Candilio, Francesca; Brown, Fraser; Fernández, Raúl Flores; Herrero-Corral, Ana-Mercedes; Tusa, Sebastiano; Carnieri, Emiliano; Lentini, Luigi; Valenti, Antonella; Zanini, Alessandro; Waddington, Clive; Delibes, Germán; Guerra-Doce, Elisa; Neil, Benjamin; Brittain, Marcus; Luke, Mike; Mortimer, Richard; Desideri, Jocelyne; Besse, Marie; Brücken, Günter; Furmanek, Mirosław; Hałuszko, Agata; Mackiewicz, Maksym; Rapiński, Artur; Leach, Stephany; Soriano, Ignacio; Lillios, Katina T; Cardoso, João Luís; Pearson, Michael Parker; Włodarczak, Piotr; Price, T Douglas; Prieto, Pilar; Rey, Pierre-Jérôme; Risch, Roberto; Rojo Guerra, Manuel A; Schmitt, Aurore; Serralongue, Joël; Silva, Ana Maria; Smrčka, Václav; Vergnaud, Luc; Zilhão, João; Caramelli, David; Higham, Thomas; Thomas, Mark G; Kennett, Douglas J; Fokkens, Harry; Heyd, Volker; Sheridan, Alison; Sjögren, Karl-Göran; Stockhammer, Philipp W; Krause, Johannes; Pinhasi, Ron; Haak, Wolfgang; Barnes, Ian; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Reich, David

2018-03-08

From around 2750 to 2500 bc, Bell Beaker pottery became widespread across western and central Europe, before it disappeared between 2200 and 1800 bc. The forces that propelled its expansion are a matter of long-standing debate, and there is support for both cultural diffusion and migration having a role in this process. Here we present genome-wide data from 400 Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age Europeans, including 226 individuals associated with Beaker-complex artefacts. We detected limited genetic affinity between Beaker-complex-associated individuals from Iberia and central Europe, and thus exclude migration as an important mechanism of spread between these two regions. However, migration had a key role in the further dissemination of the Beaker complex. We document this phenomenon most clearly in Britain, where the spread of the Beaker complex introduced high levels of steppe-related ancestry and was associated with the replacement of approximately 90% of Britain's gene pool within a few hundred years, continuing the east-to-west expansion that had brought steppe-related ancestry into central and northern Europe over the previous centuries.

The woman in Minoic Crete.

PubMed

Grammatikakis, Ioannis Emm

2011-07-01

Minoan Civilization (3000-1150 BC) was the first European civilization on the GREEK island of Crete. Fabulous architectonical constructions like great palaces, wonderful frescoes, and pottery as well as jewellery characterize this amazing civilization. According to all existing descriptions from ancient Greek historians and philosophers like Plato, Thucydides, Strabon but also from all the archaeological findings men and women lived freely and peacefully participating equal in all daily activities, sports, and games. The women were predominating. Minoan women enjoyed a higher social status than other women in later civilizations. Investigation of all the existing data concerning the Minoan culture. Archaeological databases, as well as data from the National University of Athens and other Greek historical institutions were collected and analyzed in order to present the Minoan culture. The Minoic civilization represents a paradigm of a well being society in which the woman played a dominant role. She was the 'mother' but also the 'active woman', who participated in all city activities. Four thousand years later a prototype of a society in which the role of the mother was recognized in an admirably way remains a magnificent paradigm.

Prehistoric spatial patterning and subsistence studies: Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, W.G.; DuBarton, A.; Edwards, S.

1992-12-31

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4 on Pahute Mesa at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Eight sites were located there: four lithic artifact scatters (26NY1370, 26NY1372, 26NY3666 and 26NY3667), two temporary camps (26NY3665 and 26NY5418), one artifact locality (26NY5419), and one quarry (26NY3664). One of the lithic scatters, 26NY3667, incorporated a previously recorded rock ring, 26NY1371, that could not be relocated during subsequent investigations. Surface artifacts were collected from all but two of the sites, 26NY1370 and 26NY1372. The data retrieved from these investigations include over one thousand artifacts, such as projectilemore » points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, and pottery. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of Sample Unit U19arP4 from the Middle Archaic to the Shoshonean period.« less

Biomolecular Evidence of Silk from 8,500 Years Ago

PubMed Central

Gong, Yuxuan; Li, Li; Gong, Decai; Yin, Hao; Zhang, Juzhong

2016-01-01

Pottery, bone implements, and stone tools are routinely found at Neolithic sites. However, the integrity of textiles or silk is susceptible to degradation, and it is therefore very difficult for such materials to be preserved for 8,000 years. Although previous studies have provided important evidence of the emergence of weaving skills and tools, such as figuline spinning wheels and osseous lamellas with traces of filament winding, there is a lack of direct evidence proving the existence of silk. In this paper, we explored evidence of prehistoric silk fibroin through the analysis of soil samples collected from three tombs at the Neolithic site of Jiahu. Mass spectrometry was employed and integrated with proteomics to characterize the key peptides of silk fibroin. The direct biomolecular evidence reported here showed the existence of prehistoric silk fibroin, which was found in 8,500-year-old tombs. Rough weaving tools and bone needles were also excavated, indicating the possibility that the Jiahu residents may possess the basic weaving and sewing skills in making textile. This finding may advance the study of the history of silk, and the civilization of the Neolithic Age. PMID:27941996

Evaluation of portable Raman spectroscopy and handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis (hXRF) for the direct analysis of glyptics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauwers, D.; Candeias, A.; Coccato, A.; Mirao, J.; Moens, L.; Vandenabeele, P.

2016-03-01

In archaeometry, the advantages of a combined use of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy are extensively discussed for applications such as the analysis of paintings, manuscripts, pottery, etc. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the advantage of using both techniques for analysing glyptics. These engraved gemstones or glass materials were originally used as stamps, to identify the owner, for instance on letters, but also on wine vessels. For this research, a set of 64 glyptics (42 Roman glass specimens and 22 modern ones), belonging to the collection of the museum 'Quinta das Cruzes' in Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), was analysed with portable Raman spectroscopy and handheld X-ray fluorescence (hXRF). These techniques were also used to confirm the gemological identification of these precious objects and can give extra information about the glass composition. Raman spectroscopy identifies the molecular composition as well as on the crystalline phases present. On the other hand, hXRF results show that the antique Roman glass samples are characterised with low Pb and Sn levels and that the modern specimens can be discriminated in two groups: lead-based and non-lead-based ones.

A partial nuclear genome of the Jomons who lived 3000 years ago in Fukushima, Japan

PubMed Central

Kanzawa-Kiriyama, Hideaki; Kryukov, Kirill; Jinam, Timothy A; Hosomichi, Kazuyoshi; Saso, Aiko; Suwa, Gen; Ueda, Shintaroh; Yoneda, Minoru; Tajima, Atsushi; Shinoda, Ken-ichi; Inoue, Ituro; Saitou, Naruya

2017-01-01

The Jomon period of the Japanese Archipelago, characterized by cord-marked ‘jomon' potteries, has yielded abundant human skeletal remains. However, the genetic origins of the Jomon people and their relationships with modern populations have not been clarified. We determined a total of 115 million base pair nuclear genome sequences from two Jomon individuals (male and female each) from the Sanganji Shell Mound (dated 3000 years before present) with the Jomon-characteristic mitochondrial DNA haplogroup N9b, and compared these nuclear genome sequences with those of worldwide populations. We found that the Jomon population lineage is best considered to have diverged before diversification of present-day East Eurasian populations, with no evidence of gene flow events between the Jomon and other continental populations. This suggests that the Sanganji Jomon people descended from an early phase of population dispersals in East Asia. We also estimated that the modern mainland Japanese inherited <20% of Jomon peoples' genomes. Our findings, based on the first analysis of Jomon nuclear genome sequence data, firmly demonstrate that the modern mainland Japanese resulted from genetic admixture of the indigenous Jomon people and later migrants. PMID:27581845

Effects of neurofeedback training on the brain wave of adults with forward head posture

PubMed Central

Oh, Hyun-Ju; Song, Gui-Bin

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of neurofeedback training on electroencephalogram changes in the cervical spine in adults with forward head posture through x-ray. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of the study were 40 college students with forward head posture, randomly divided into a neurofeedback training group (NFTG, n=20) and a control group (CG, n=20). The neurofeedback training group performed six sessions of pottery and archery games, each for two minutes, three times per week for four weeks, while using the neurofeedback system. [Results] There were significant effects within and between groups in terms of the Delta wave, the Theta wave, the Alpha wave, the Beta wave, or the sensory motor rhythm. Especially, the Delta wave, Beta wave, and the sensory motor rhythm were showed significant effects between the groups. [Conclusion] It is thought that neurofeedback training, a training approach to self-regulate brain waves, enhances concentration and relaxation without stress, as well as an increase in attention, memory, and verbal cognitive performance. Therefore an effective intervention method to improve neck pain and daily activities. PMID:27821966

Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus.

PubMed

Warinner, C; Hendy, J; Speller, C; Cappellini, E; Fischer, R; Trachsel, C; Arneborg, J; Lynnerup, N; Craig, O E; Swallow, D M; Fotakis, A; Christensen, R J; Olsen, J V; Liebert, A; Montalva, N; Fiddyment, S; Charlton, S; Mackie, M; Canci, A; Bouwman, A; Rühli, F; Gilbert, M T P; Collins, M J

2014-11-27

Milk is a major food of global economic importance, and its consumption is regarded as a classic example of gene-culture evolution. Humans have exploited animal milk as a food resource for at least 8500 years, but the origins, spread, and scale of dairying remain poorly understood. Indirect lines of evidence, such as lipid isotopic ratios of pottery residues, faunal mortality profiles, and lactase persistence allele frequencies, provide a partial picture of this process; however, in order to understand how, where, and when humans consumed milk products, it is necessary to link evidence of consumption directly to individuals and their dairy livestock. Here we report the first direct evidence of milk consumption, the whey protein β-lactoglobulin (BLG), preserved in human dental calculus from the Bronze Age (ca. 3000 BCE) to the present day. Using protein tandem mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that BLG is a species-specific biomarker of dairy consumption, and we identify individuals consuming cattle, sheep, and goat milk products in the archaeological record. We then apply this method to human dental calculus from Greenland's medieval Norse colonies, and report a decline of this biomarker leading up to the abandonment of the Norse Greenland colonies in the 15(th) century CE.

Revealing patterns of cultural transmission from frequency data: equilibrium and non-equilibrium assumptions

PubMed Central

Crema, Enrico R.; Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

2016-01-01

A long tradition of cultural evolutionary studies has developed a rich repertoire of mathematical models of social learning. Early studies have laid the foundation of more recent endeavours to infer patterns of cultural transmission from observed frequencies of a variety of cultural data, from decorative motifs on potsherds to baby names and musical preferences. While this wide range of applications provides an opportunity for the development of generalisable analytical workflows, archaeological data present new questions and challenges that require further methodological and theoretical discussion. Here we examine the decorative motifs of Neolithic pottery from an archaeological assemblage in Western Germany, and argue that the widely used (and relatively undiscussed) assumption that observed frequencies are the result of a system in equilibrium conditions is unwarranted, and can lead to incorrect conclusions. We analyse our data with a simulation-based inferential framework that can overcome some of the intrinsic limitations in archaeological data, as well as handle both equilibrium conditions and instances where the mode of cultural transmission is time-variant. Results suggest that none of the models examined can produce the observed pattern under equilibrium conditions, and suggest. instead temporal shifts in the patterns of cultural transmission. PMID:27974814

'Festival in a Box': Development and qualitative evaluation of an outreach programme to engage socially isolated people with dementia.

PubMed

Eades, Michael; Lord, Kathryn; Cooper, Claudia

2016-07-27

We co-designed and piloted 'Festival in a Box', an outreach programme to enable socially isolated people with dementia to engage with and enjoy cultural activities in their homes. It comprised 3-4 weekly home visits, each led by a professional artist to create art works using materials brought in 'the box'. Activities included music, poetry, pottery, crafts and photography. We qualitatively interviewed 13 participants (6 people with dementia, 4 artists, 3 befrienders). Six participants with dementia completed, enjoyed and engaged with the planned visits. Main themes were: engagement, reflection on value of previous cultural activities, precariousness and isolation in current neighbourhood and the importance of a voice and being heard. Befrienders reported their preconceptions of what participants could do were challenged. Artists reported shifts in their preconceptions about dementia and the influence of the project on their professional practice. We propose that the 'Festival in a Box' pilot study suggests a means through which community arts festivals could work with socially isolated people with dementia to contribute to the creation of 'Dementia Friendly Communities'. A larger-scale pilot study is now needed to develop this hypothesis. © The Author(s) 2016.

Astronomical Alignments in a Neolithic Chinese Site?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, S.; Stencel, R. E.

1997-12-01

In the Manchurian province of Liaoning, near 41N19' and 119E30', exist ruins of a middle Neolithic society (2500 to 4000 BC) known as the Hongshan culture. This location, called Niuheliang, is comprised of 16 locations with monumental structures scattered over 80 square kilometers of hills. Most are stone burial structures that contain jade artifacts implying wealth and power. One structure is unique in being unusually shaped and containing oversized effigies of goddess figures. This structure also has a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. The presence of decorated pottery, jade and worked copper suggests the Hongshan people were sophisticated artisans and engaged in long-distance trading. During 1997, we've conducted a course at Denver as part of our Core Curriculum program for upper division students, that has examined the astronomical and cultural aspects of the Niuheliang site, to attempt to determine whether these contemporaries of the builders of Stonehenge may have included astronomical alignments into their constructions. The preliminary result of our studies suggests that certain monuments have potential for lunar standstill observation from the "goddess temple". For updates on these results, please see our website: www.du.edu/ rstencel/core2103.html.

Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus

PubMed Central

Warinner, C.; Hendy, J.; Speller, C.; Cappellini, E.; Fischer, R.; Trachsel, C.; Arneborg, J.; Lynnerup, N.; Craig, O. E.; Swallow, D. M.; Fotakis, A.; Christensen, R. J.; Olsen, J. V.; Liebert, A.; Montalva, N.; Fiddyment, S.; Charlton, S.; Mackie, M.; Canci, A.; Bouwman, A.; Rühli, F.; Gilbert, M. T. P.; Collins, M. J.

2014-01-01

Milk is a major food of global economic importance, and its consumption is regarded as a classic example of gene-culture evolution. Humans have exploited animal milk as a food resource for at least 8500 years, but the origins, spread, and scale of dairying remain poorly understood. Indirect lines of evidence, such as lipid isotopic ratios of pottery residues, faunal mortality profiles, and lactase persistence allele frequencies, provide a partial picture of this process; however, in order to understand how, where, and when humans consumed milk products, it is necessary to link evidence of consumption directly to individuals and their dairy livestock. Here we report the first direct evidence of milk consumption, the whey protein β-lactoglobulin (BLG), preserved in human dental calculus from the Bronze Age (ca. 3000 BCE) to the present day. Using protein tandem mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that BLG is a species-specific biomarker of dairy consumption, and we identify individuals consuming cattle, sheep, and goat milk products in the archaeological record. We then apply this method to human dental calculus from Greenland's medieval Norse colonies, and report a decline of this biomarker leading up to the abandonment of the Norse Greenland colonies in the 15th century CE. PMID:25429530

Synchronous Environmental and Cultural Change in the Emergence of Agricultural Economies 10,000 Years Ago in the Levant.

PubMed

Borrell, Ferran; Junno, Aripekka; Barceló, Joan Antón

2015-01-01

The commonly held belief that the emergence and establishment of farming communities in the Levant was a smooth socio-economic continuum during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (ca. 12,000-9,000 cal BP) with only rare minor disruptions is challenged by recently obtained evidence from this region. Using a database of archaeological radiocarbon dates and diagnostic material culture records from a series of key sites in the northern Levant we show that the hitherto apparent long-term continuity interpreted as the origins and consolidation of agricultural systems was not linear and uninterrupted. A major cultural discontinuity is observed in the archaeological record around 10,000 cal BP in synchrony with a Holocene Rapid Climate Change (RCC), a short period of climatic instability recorded in the Northern Hemisphere. This study demonstrates the interconnectedness of the first agricultural economies and the ecosystems they inhabited, and emphasizes the complex nature of human responses to environmental change during the Neolithic period in the Levant. Moreover, it provides a new environmental-cultural scenario that needs to be incorporated in the models reconstructing both the establishment of agricultural economy in southwestern Asia and the impact of environmental changes on human populations.

Regional asynchronicity in dairy production and processing in early farming communities of the northern Mediterranean

PubMed Central

Debono Spiteri, Cynthianne; Gillis, Rosalind E.; Roffet-Salque, Mélanie; Castells Navarro, Laura; Guilaine, Jean; Manen, Claire; Muntoni, Italo M.; Whelton, Helen L.; Craig, Oliver E.; Vigne, Jean-Denis; Evershed, Richard P.

2016-01-01

In the absence of any direct evidence, the relative importance of meat and dairy productions to Neolithic prehistoric Mediterranean communities has been extensively debated. Here, we combine lipid residue analysis of ceramic vessels with osteo-archaeological age-at-death analysis from 82 northern Mediterranean and Near Eastern sites dating from the seventh to fifth millennia BC to address this question. The findings show variable intensities in dairy and nondairy activities in the Mediterranean region with the slaughter profiles of domesticated ruminants mirroring the results of the organic residue analyses. The finding of milk residues in very early Neolithic pottery (seventh millennium BC) from both the east and west of the region contrasts with much lower intensities in sites of northern Greece, where pig bones are present in higher frequencies compared with other locations. In this region, the slaughter profiles of all domesticated ruminants suggest meat production predominated. Overall, it appears that milk or the by-products of milk was an important foodstuff, which may have contributed significantly to the spread of these cultural groups by providing a nourishing and sustainable product for early farming communities. PMID:27849595

Treponemal disease in the middle Archaic to early Woodland periods of the western Tennessee River Valley.

PubMed

Smith, Maria Ostendorf

2006-10-01

The high frequency of late prehistoric New World treponemal disease is attributable to the demographic changes concomitant with the adoption of agriculture. However, these demographic changes in group mobility and site density episodically preceded intensive plant domestication, suggesting possible staggered temporal change in observed treponemal disease case frequency. Thirteen convincing and an additional two probable (N = 581) cases of treponemal disease were identified in an eight-site skeletal sample spanning the Middle (6,000-3,000 BCE) to Late (2,500-ca. 1,000 to 500 BCE) Archaic and Early Woodland (500 BCE-0 CE) periods from the western Tennessee River Valley. Treponemal disease cases are infrequent in both the Middle (3/115, 2.6%) and Late (2 to 4 cases,

Identification of oil residues in Roman amphorae (Monte Testaccio, Rome): a comparative FTIR spectroscopic study of archeological and artificially aged samples.

PubMed

Tarquini, Gabriele; Nunziante Cesaro, Stella; Campanella, Luigi

2014-01-01

The application of Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy to the analysis of oil residues in fragments of archeological amphorae (3rd century A.D.) from Monte Testaccio (Rome, Italy) is reported. In order to check the possibility to reveal the presence of oil residues in archeological pottery using microinvasive and\\or not invasive techniques, different approaches have been followed: firstly, FTIR spectroscopy was used to study oil residues extracted from roman amphorae. Secondly, the presence of oil residues was ascertained analyzing microamounts of archeological fragments with the Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy (DRIFT). Finally, the external reflection analysis of the ancient shards was performed without preliminary treatments evidencing the possibility to detect oil traces through the observation of the most intense features of its spectrum. Incidentally, the existence of carboxylate salts of fatty acids was also observed in DRIFT and Reflectance spectra of archeological samples supporting the roman habit of spreading lime over the spoil heaps. The data collected in all steps were always compared with results obtained on purposely made replicas. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synchronous Environmental and Cultural Change in the Emergence of Agricultural Economies 10,000 Years Ago in the Levant

PubMed Central

Borrell, Ferran; Junno, Aripekka; Barceló, Joan Antón

2015-01-01

The commonly held belief that the emergence and establishment of farming communities in the Levant was a smooth socio-economic continuum during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (ca. 12,000-9,000 cal BP) with only rare minor disruptions is challenged by recently obtained evidence from this region. Using a database of archaeological radiocarbon dates and diagnostic material culture records from a series of key sites in the northern Levant we show that the hitherto apparent long-term continuity interpreted as the origins and consolidation of agricultural systems was not linear and uninterrupted. A major cultural discontinuity is observed in the archaeological record around 10,000 cal BP in synchrony with a Holocene Rapid Climate Change (RCC), a short period of climatic instability recorded in the Northern Hemisphere. This study demonstrates the interconnectedness of the first agricultural economies and the ecosystems they inhabited, and emphasizes the complex nature of human responses to environmental change during the Neolithic period in the Levant. Moreover, it provides a new environmental-cultural scenario that needs to be incorporated in the models reconstructing both the establishment of agricultural economy in southwestern Asia and the impact of environmental changes on human populations. PMID:26241310

Revealing patterns of cultural transmission from frequency data: equilibrium and non-equilibrium assumptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crema, Enrico R.; Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

2016-12-01

A long tradition of cultural evolutionary studies has developed a rich repertoire of mathematical models of social learning. Early studies have laid the foundation of more recent endeavours to infer patterns of cultural transmission from observed frequencies of a variety of cultural data, from decorative motifs on potsherds to baby names and musical preferences. While this wide range of applications provides an opportunity for the development of generalisable analytical workflows, archaeological data present new questions and challenges that require further methodological and theoretical discussion. Here we examine the decorative motifs of Neolithic pottery from an archaeological assemblage in Western Germany, and argue that the widely used (and relatively undiscussed) assumption that observed frequencies are the result of a system in equilibrium conditions is unwarranted, and can lead to incorrect conclusions. We analyse our data with a simulation-based inferential framework that can overcome some of the intrinsic limitations in archaeological data, as well as handle both equilibrium conditions and instances where the mode of cultural transmission is time-variant. Results suggest that none of the models examined can produce the observed pattern under equilibrium conditions, and suggest. instead temporal shifts in the patterns of cultural transmission.

Expansion of the known distribution of Asiatic mouflon (Ovis orientalis) in the Late Pleistocene of the Southern Levant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeomans, Lisa; Martin, Louise; Richter, Tobias

2017-08-01

Wild sheep (Ovis orientalis) bones recovered from the Natufian site of Shubayqa 1 demonstrate a wider distribution of mouflon in the Late Pleistocene of the Southern Levant than previously known. Early Epipalaeolithic sites are common in the limestone steppe region of eastern Jordan but have yielded only a handful of caprine bones that cannot be identified to species level and few faunal remains from excavated Late Epipalaeolithic sites have been reported. Analysis of animal bone from Shubayqa 1 suggests a significant population of wild sheep could be found concentrated in the basalt desert environment of eastern Jordan during the Late Pleistocene, especially where higher rainfall over the Jebel Druze provided more water. A population of wild sheep was still present in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A when the nearby site of Shubayqa 6 was occupied. Hunting of diverse, locally available resources including wild sheep at the end of the Pleistocene illustrates the flexible and adaptive exploitation strategies that hunter-forager groups engaged in. This provides further evidence to the increasing body of data showing the creative and opportunistic approach of terminal Pleistocene groups allowing continued occupation even in more marginal environments in a period of environmental change.

Some climatic indicators in the period A.D. 1200-1400 in New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leopold, Luna Bergere; Leopold, Estella B.; Wendorf, F.

1963-01-01

Three centuries before Columbus landed in America, the alluvial valleys of the south-western United States teemed with activity. The indigenous peoples had been building for 300 years a culture centred around community life based on flood-water farming and on hunting. A large number of pueblos had developed on sites earlier occupied by pit-house people. Community organization had brought advances in the ceramic and decorative arts, and changes in these artistic activities were sufficiently rapid that accurate chronologies have become available through the work of archaeologists during the twentieth century. These chronologies were at first unrelated to absolute dates, but the excavations of the 1920s at Chaco Canyon (New Mexico) provided the materials through which absolute dates could be established. This was accomplished by matching the changes in tree-ring width backward in time from living trees through successively older samples. Trees overlapping in age provided, by unique successions of distinctive tree-ring widths, a calendar by which individual logs could be dated. Beams found in the excavations at Chaco Canyon gave the first material by which the cultural developments culminating about A.D. 1300 could be dated.As a result of the time sequence provided by the tree-ring calendar, the dates within which different pottery types were developed could be accurately established. The dates of pottery types have been checked at a sufficiently large number of sites throughout the south-western United States that absolute dating of a large number of distinctive patterns can be considered unassailable. The sequence of tree-ring widths gives some climatic indications of great interest both to archaeologists and to climatologists. A relatively large number of logs spanning the period from A.D. 1200 to 1300 and, in particular, the years between 1276 and 1299, indicate that this period was generally characterized by smaller tree-ring widths than in the centuries immediately before and after. As a first approximation, the hundred years of narrow tree-ring widths were interpreted as a time of relative aridity, and have been referred to as the “Pueblo Drought”. More recent studies of tree-ring widths using sophisticated statistical techniques have thrown some doubts on any direct correlation of tree-ring widths with rainfall. Such doubts have been put forward before by Glock (1955) whose studies have been aimed at separating the various effects of seasonal occurrence of precipitation, the amount falling in various seasons, and other climatic factors in their relative influence on tree-ring widths. At present, then, tree-ring widths may be considered more satisfactory for reading chronology than for reading climate. It is this concern about direct correlation of tree-ring width with climate that led to initiation of the present study. This work is a preliminary attempt to obtain independent evidence from pollen concerning the probable nature of the vegetation and thus the climate in a period known to be characterized by narrow tree rings.

Ancient charcoal as a natural archive for paleofire regime and vegetation change in the Mayumbe, Democratic Republic of the Congo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubau, Wannes; Van den Bulcke, Jan; Kitin, Peter; Mees, Florias; Baert, Geert; Verschuren, Dirk; Nsenga, Laurent; Van Acker, Joris; Beeckman, Hans

2013-09-01

Charcoal was sampled in four soil profiles at the Mayumbe forest boundary (DRC). Five fire events were recorded and 44 charcoal types were identified. One stratified profile yielded charcoal assemblages around 530 cal yr BP and > 43.5 cal ka BP in age. The oldest assemblage precedes the period of recorded anthropogenic burning, illustrating occasional long-term absence of fire but also natural wildfire occurrences within tropical rainforest. No other charcoal assemblages older than 2500 cal yr BP were recorded, perhaps due to bioturbation and colluvial reworking. The recorded paleofires were possibly associated with short-lived climate anomalies. Progressively dry climatic conditions since ca. 4000 cal yr BP onward did not promote paleofire occurrence until increasing seasonality affected vegetation at the end of the third millennium BP, as illustrated by a fire occurring in mature rainforest that persisted until around 2050 cal yr BP. During a drought episode coinciding with the 'Medieval Climate Anomaly', mature rainforest was locally replaced by woodland savanna. Charcoal remains from pioneer forest indicate that fire hampered forest regeneration after climatic drought episodes. The presence of pottery shards and oil-palm endocarps associated with two relatively recent paleofires suggests that the effects of climate variability were amplified by human activities.

Technological and geochemical study of two red-figured vases of unknown provenance by various analytical techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barca, D.; La Russa, M. F.; Crisci, G. M.

2010-09-01

Two red-figured vases, kindly provided by the Carabinieri Corps for Protection of Cultural Heritage, Cosenza Unit (Calabria, Italy), were characterised from petrographical, morphological, mineralogical, and chemical viewpoints with the aim of establishing the definite origin and source area of archaeological artefacts. It was obvious that one of the vases had undergone restoration, which is not documented. On the basis of stylistic criteria, it was not possible to assign precisely the site of production of the figured vases. Petrographic analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were carried out with the aim of identifying technological features and defining the nature of coatings. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that some protective products had been used in previous restoration processes on some portions of one of the two finds. The samples have similar features: fine texture of the ceramic body, and black gloss painted directly on it. One of the samples is characterised by the black coating typical of both Attic and Locrian pottery. A study of their composition excluded the possibility that they are of Greek production. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) data revealed that they come exclusively from the Locride area in Calabria, Southern Italy.

The origin and disappearance of the late Pleistocene-early Holocene short-lived coastal wetlands along the Carmel coast, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivan, Dorit; Greenbaum, Noam; Cohen-Seffer, Ronit; Sisma-Ventura, Guy; Almogi-Labin, Ahuva

The formation of short-lived backswamps along the Carmel coast of Israel coincides with the rapid global sea-level rise during the late Pleistocene-early Holocene transition. The current study shows that the wetland phenomena originated around 10,000 yr ago and dried up shortly before the local Pre-Pottery Neolithic humans settled on the wetland dark clay sediments 9430 cal yr BP. Palaeontological and stable-isotope data were used in this study to elucidate previously published sedimentological reconstruction obtained from a core drilled into the western trough of the Carmel coastal plain. The water body contained typical brackish calcareous fauna, with variable numerical abundance and low species richness of ostracods and foraminifera. The δ 18O and δ 13C of the ostracod Cyprideis torosa show close similarity to the present Pleistocene coastal aquifer isotopic values. This study therefore concludes that the wetlands were shallow-water bodies fed by groundwater, with no evidence of sea-water mixing. It seems that they developed as the result of high groundwater levels, transportation of sediments landward, and deposition of sand bars at the paleo-river mouths. It is still not fully understood why these wetlands deteriorated abruptly and disappeared within less than 1000 yr.

A non-equilibrium neutral model for analysing cultural change.

PubMed

Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

2013-08-07

Neutral evolution is a frequently used model to analyse changes in frequencies of cultural variants over time. Variants are chosen to be copied according to their relative frequency and new variants are introduced by a process of random mutation. Here we present a non-equilibrium neutral model which accounts for temporally varying population sizes and mutation rates and makes it possible to analyse the cultural system under consideration at any point in time. This framework gives an indication whether observed changes in the frequency distributions of a set of cultural variants between two time points are consistent with the random copying hypothesis. We find that the likelihood of the existence of the observed assemblage at the end of the considered time period (expressed by the probability of the observed number of cultural variants present in the population during the whole period under neutral evolution) is a powerful indicator of departures from neutrality. Further, we study the effects of frequency-dependent selection on the evolutionary trajectories and present a case study of change in the decoration of pottery in early Neolithic Central Europe. Based on the framework developed we show that neutral evolution is not an adequate description of the observed changes in frequency. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contrasting patterns of prehistoric human diet and subsistence in northernmost Europe.

PubMed

Pääkkönen, Mirva; Bläuer, Auli; Olsen, Bjørnar; Evershed, Richard P; Asplund, Henrik

2018-01-18

Current archaeological evidence indicates the transition from hunting-fishing-gathering to agriculture in Northern Europe was a gradual process. This transition was especially complex in the prehistoric North Fennoscandian landscape where the high latitude posed a challenge to both domestic animal breeding and cereal cultivation. The conditions varied, the coastal dwellers had access to rich marine resources and enjoyed a milder climate due to the Gulf Stream, while those living in the inland Boreal forest zone faced longer and colder winters and less diversity in animal and plant resources. Thus, the coastal area provided more favourable conditions for early agriculture compared to those found inland. Interestingly, a cultural differentiation between these areas is archaeologically visible from the late 2 nd millennium BC onwards. This is most clearly seen in regionally distinct pottery styles, offering unique opportunities to probe diet and subsistence through the organic residues preserved in ceramic vessels. Herein, we integrate the lipid biomarker, compound-specific stable carbon isotopes (δ 13 C), and zooarchaeological evidence to reveal culturally distinct human diets and subsistence patterns. In northern Norway, some of the coastal people adopted dairying as part of their subsistence strategy, while the inhabitants of the interior, in common with northern Finland, continued their hunter-gatherer-fisher lifestyles.

Basalt Pb isotope analysis and the prehistoric settlement of Polynesia.

PubMed Central

Weisler, M I; Woodhead, J D

1995-01-01

The prehistoric settlement of the Pacific Ocean has intrigued scholars and stimulated anthropological debate for the past two centuries. Colonized over a few millennia during the mid to late Holocene, the islands of the Pacific--displaying a wide diversity of geological and biotic variability--provided the stage for endless "natural experiments" in human adaptation. Crucial to understanding the evolution and transformation of island societies is documenting the relative degree of interisland contacts after island colonization. In the western Pacific, ideal materials for archaeologically documenting interisland contact--obsidian, pottery, and shell ornaments--are absent or of limited geographic distribution in Polynesia. Consequently, archaeologists have relied increasingly on fine-grained basalt artifacts as a means for documenting colonization routes and subsequent interisland contacts. Routinely used x-ray fluorescence characterization of oceanic island basalt has some problems for discriminating source rocks and artifacts in provenance studies. The variation in trace and major element abundances is largely controlled by near-surface magma-chamber processes and is broadly similar between most oceanic islands. We demonstrate that Pb isotope analysis accurately discriminates rock source and is an excellent technique for charting the scale, frequency, and temporal span of imported fine-grained basalt artifacts found throughout Polynesia. The technique adds another tool for addressing evolutionary models of interaction, isolation, and cultural divergence in the eastern Pacific. PMID:7892194

Interisland and interarchipelago transfer of stone tools in prehistoric Polynesia.

PubMed

Weisler, M I; Kirch, P V

1996-02-20

Tracing interisland and interarchipelago movements of people and artifacts in prehistoric Polynesia has posed a challenge to archaeologists due to the lack of pottery and obsidian, two materials most readily used in studies of prehistoric trade or exchange. Here we report the application of nondestructive energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis to the sourcing of Polynesian artifacts made from basalt, one of the most ubiquitous materials in Polynesian archaeological sites. We have compared excavated and surface-collected basalt adzes and adze flakes from two sites in Samoa (site AS-13-1) and the Cook Islands (site MAN-44), with source basalts from known prehistoric quarries in these archipelagoes. In both cases, we are able to demonstrate the importing of basalt adzes from Tutuila Island, a distance of 100 km to Ofu Island, and of 1600 km to Mangaia Island. These findings are of considerable significance for Polynesian prehistory, as they demonstrate the movement of objects not only between islands in the same group (where communities were culturally and linguistically related) but also between distant island groups. Further applications of EDXRF analysis should greatly aid archaeologists in their efforts to reconstruct ancient trade and exchange networks, not only in Polynesia but also in other regions where basalt was a major material for artifact production.

Regionally Applied Research Efforts (RARE) Report titled " ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The traditional methodology for health risk assessment used by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is based on the use of exposure assumptions (e.g. exposure duration, food ingestion rate, body weight, etc.) that represent the entire American population, either as a central tendency exposure (e.g. average, median) or as a reasonable maximum exposure (e.g. 95% upper confidence limit). Unfortunately, EPA lacked exposure information for assessing health risks for New England regional tribes sustaining a tribal subsistence way of life. As a riverine tribe, the Penobscot culture and traditions are inextricably tied to the Penobscot River watershed. It is through hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering and making baskets, pottery, moccasins, birch-bark canoes and other traditional practices that the Penobscot culture and people are sustained. The Penobscot River receives a variety of pollutant discharges leaving the Penobscot Indian Nation (PIN) questioning the ecological health and water quality of the river and how this may affect the practices that sustain their way of life. The objectives of this Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) study were to: (1) Develop culturally sensitive methodologies for assessing the potential level of exposure to contaminants that Penobscot Indian Nation tribal members may have from maintaining tribal sustenance practices; (2) Conduct field surveys and laboratory analysis on targeted flora and fauna for chemical expo

Blood lead levels in children living in three communities, at different risks of lead pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbritti, G.; Cicioni, C.; Gambelunghe, M.

1988-12-01

We carried out a survey on blood lead levels in children living in three different communities in Umbria, Italy: Corciano, a small community (12,500 inhabitants), free of lead-using factories and with light traffic; Perugia, a medium-sized city (146,500 inhabitants); Deruta, a small community (7500 inhabitants) whose economy is based mainly on the production of artistic pottery, mostly in small home-operated factories. The study sample was made up of 539 children (275 boys and 264 girls); 156 of them attended nursery school (aged 3-6) and 383 primary school (aged 6-11). The mean blood lead level was significantly higher in Deruta thanmore » in Corciano (9.7 vs 8.3 micrograms/dl); Deruta children whose parents were occupationally exposed to lead had significantly higher blood lead levels than children of lead-unexposed parents (10.7 vs 9.0 micrograms/dl). The mean blood lead level was higher in Perugia than in Corciano children. On the average boys had higher blood lead levels than girls in all of the groups. We conclude that blood lead levels were low in the groups of children studied. Nevertheless children of ceramic workers and children living in a medium-sized city had greater lead absorption than children living in the control area.« less

Mineralogical characterization of Greda clays and monitoring of their phase transformations on thermal treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panduro, E. Chavez; Cabrejos, J. Bravo

2010-01-01

The mineralogical characterization of two clay samples from the Central Andean Region of Peru, denominated White Greda and Red Greda, is reported. These clays contain the clay minerals mica and illite respectively. Both clays were treated thermally in an oxidising atmosphere under controlled conditions up to 1,100°C with the purpose of obtaining information about structural changes that may be useful for pottery manufacture. X-ray fluorescence was used for the elemental characterization of the samples and X-ray diffractometry was used to determine the collapse and formation of the mineral phases present in the samples caused by thermal treatment. At temperatures above 1,000°C it is observed the formation of spinel in the case of White Greda and of hematite, corundum and cristobalite in the case of Red Greda. Room temperature transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy allowed the monitoring of the variation of the hyperfine parameters with the thermal treatment temperature; In the case of the evolution of the quadruple splitting of the paramagnetic Fe3 + sites with temperature, in both clays, the analyses reproduced results such as the “camel back” curve shape, found by other workers (Wagner and Wagner, Hyperfine Interact 154:35-82, 2004; Wagner and Kyek, Hyperfine Interact 154:5-33, 2004).

Evaluation of portable Raman spectroscopy and handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis (hXRF) for the direct analysis of glyptics.

PubMed

Lauwers, D; Candeias, A; Coccato, A; Mirao, J; Moens, L; Vandenabeele, P

2016-03-15

In archaeometry, the advantages of a combined use of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy are extensively discussed for applications such as the analysis of paintings, manuscripts, pottery, etc. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the advantage of using both techniques for analysing glyptics. These engraved gemstones or glass materials were originally used as stamps, to identify the owner, for instance on letters, but also on wine vessels. For this research, a set of 64 glyptics (42 Roman glass specimens and 22 modern ones), belonging to the collection of the museum 'Quinta das Cruzes' in Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), was analysed with portable Raman spectroscopy and handheld X-ray fluorescence (hXRF). These techniques were also used to confirm the gemological identification of these precious objects and can give extra information about the glass composition. Raman spectroscopy identifies the molecular composition as well as on the crystalline phases present. On the other hand, hXRF results show that the antique Roman glass samples are characterised with low Pb and Sn levels and that the modern specimens can be discriminated in two groups: lead-based and non-lead-based ones. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Raman, SEM-EDS and XRPD investigations on pre-Columbian Central America "estucado" pottery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casanova Municchia, Annalaura; Micheli, Mario; Ricci, Maria Antonietta; Toledo, Michelle; Bellatreccia, Fabio; Lo Mastro, Sergio; Sodo, Armida

2016-03-01

Seventeen different colored fragments from six selected pre-Columbian estucado ceramics from El Salvador have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope coupled to an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). The peculiarity of this kind of ceramics consist of the unusual presence of a white engobe, traditionally termed stucco, between the ceramic body and the decoration elements, hence the name estucado ceramics. The aim of this work was to study the unusual manufacturing technique and to identify the chemical composition of the engobe and of the pigment palette. The results showed that the stucco layer is made of clay (kaolinite) with traces of titanium oxide (anatase). Remarkably, this is the same composition of the white pigments used for the decoration layer, thus excluding an early use of natural titanium oxide as a white pigment in the estucado productions as suggested in previous investigations. Moreover, the presence of kaolinite and anatase both in the stucco and in the decoration layer suggests a cold-working or low temperature technique. The red, yellow and green decorations were realized by the use of natural ochre, while in all the blue and gray decorations Maya blue pigment was identified. Finally, an amorphous carbon pigment of vegetal origin and manganese oxide were used to obtain black pigments.

Roman, Visigothic and Islamic evidence of earthquakes recorded in the archaeological site of “El Tolmo de Minateda” (Prebetic Zone, southeast of Spain)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodríguez-Pascua, M.A.; Abad Casal, L.; Pérez-López, R.; Gamo Parra, B.; Silva, P.G.; Garduño-Monroy, V.H.; Giner-Robles, J.L.; Perucha, M.A.; Israde-Alcántara, I.; Bischoff, J.; Calvo, J.P.

2013-01-01

The archaeological site of “El Tolmo de Minateda” is located within the Albacete province (SE of Spain) and shows a continuous time record of ancient civilizations from 3500 yr BP onwards. However, three temporal gaps were identified in this archaeological record, all of them in relationship with a sudden and unclear abandonment of the city (Centuries 1st, 7th and 9-10th). The Archaeological Earthquake Effects (EAEs) supports the possibility that moderate to strong earthquakes were the cause of such abandonments: oriented columns fallen, collapsed walls and arches, abandonment of irrigation systems and fresh-water supplies, crashed pottery, etc. Despite of the scarce of instrumental seismicity and a few historical chronicles, paleoseismic studies performed in the neighbouring zone (Tobarra) suggest the presence of closer seismic sources as faults (Pozohondo Fault) affecting Quaternary alluvial, lacustrine deposits and colluviums. In this work, we propose the possibility that three moderate earthquakes devastated the ancient Roman city of Ilunum (Century 1st AD), the Visigothic city of Elo (Century 7th AD) and the Islamic city of Madinat Iyih (Century 9th-10thAD), all of them the same place: “El Tolmo de Minateda”.

The use of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for the characterisation of lustre surfaces in Renaissance majolica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fermo, P.; Cariati, F.; Cipriani, C.; Canetti, M.; Padeletti, G.; Brunetti, B.; Sgamellotti, A.

2002-01-01

In this work some Renaissance lustre decorated ceramics have been examined. Our attention was directed to lustre which is a thin decorative metallic film applied on the surfaces of previously glazed ancient pottery. Some 16th century lustre ceramics shards from Deruta, Umbria (Italy) have been analysed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in order to characterise the dimension of the metal nanocrystals forming the thin lustre layer. This technique appeared to be a powerful tool to characterise lustre films nanostructure and may be successfully used for this purpose together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, SAXS measurements are extremely suitable for the determination of polydispersity and average interparticle distance. The lustre surfaces have been also analysed by scanning electron microscopy plus X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDX) in order to identify the metals present (silver, copper or both of them) and to establish copper/silver ratios. From the comparison between SAXS results and compositional data, it was possible to conclude that copper particles are smaller than the silver ones. We have evidenced how the microtexture as well as the chemical composition of the lustre layers are responsible for the gold or red colour typical of the lustre films.

How the masters in Umbria, Italy, generated and used nanoparticles in art fabrication during the Renaissance period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

Lustre was one of the most sophisticated techniques for the decoration of majolicas during the Renaissance period. Lustre consists of a thin metallic film containing silver, copper and other substances like iron oxide and cinnabar applied in a reducing atmosphere on a previously glazed ceramic. In this way, beautiful iridescent reflections of different colours (in particular gold and ruby-red) are obtained. The characterisation and the study of lustre-decorated majolicas is of great interest for archaeologists, but also offers possibilities for producing pottery with outstanding decoration today, following ancient examples, since nowadays Italian artisans are interested in the reproduction of the ancient recipes and procedures. Moreover, it can even suggest new procedures for obtaining uniform thin metallic films for technological applications. A study has been carried out on ancient lustre layers using numerous different analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM-EDX-SAED, ETAAS, ICP-OES, UV-vis reflectance spectroscopy and SAXS. Lustre films were shown to be formed by copper and silver clusters of nanometric dimension. The colour and the properties of the lustre films depend on the elemental composition of the impasto applied to the ceramic surface as well as on other factors like the metallic nanocluster dimension, the firing conditions, the underlying glaze composition and the procedure used.

[Trisomy 21 in visual art].

PubMed

Stahl, A; Tourame, P

2013-12-01

In 1866, J. Langdon Down published a paper on "an ethnic classification of idiots" and noted their facial resemblance with individuals of the Mongolian people. In 1959, J. Lejeune, M. Gautier, and R. Turpin demonstrated that the children with Down syndrome had an extra copy of chromosome 21. There is now a debate within the medical literature on the age of trisomy 21 as a disease affecting mankind. Since it was not described before 1866, some authors questioned whether this disease is an old or new condition in humans. Three methods of investigation are useful for demonstrating that trisomy 21 has been present in humans for a long time: the figuration of this condition in historical paintings, figurines, and pottery; its presence in old skeletal remains; and the origin of human chromosome 21 during primate phylogeny. Figurines strongly suggestive of trisomy 21 have been found in the Greco-Roman world, in many Central and South American pre-Columbian cultures, and in Khmer temples. In Europe, during the Renaissance, Italian and Flemish artists represented trisomy 21 in paintings of religious inspiration. Studies on the origin and pathology of chromosome 21 have shown that the ancestral human chromosome 21 arose 30-50 million years ago and that trisomy 21 has existed since time immemorial. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Expansion of the known distribution of Asiatic mouflon (Ovis orientalis) in the Late Pleistocene of the Southern Levant

PubMed Central

Martin, Louise; Richter, Tobias

2017-01-01

Wild sheep (Ovis orientalis) bones recovered from the Natufian site of Shubayqa 1 demonstrate a wider distribution of mouflon in the Late Pleistocene of the Southern Levant than previously known. Early Epipalaeolithic sites are common in the limestone steppe region of eastern Jordan but have yielded only a handful of caprine bones that cannot be identified to species level and few faunal remains from excavated Late Epipalaeolithic sites have been reported. Analysis of animal bone from Shubayqa 1 suggests a significant population of wild sheep could be found concentrated in the basalt desert environment of eastern Jordan during the Late Pleistocene, especially where higher rainfall over the Jebel Druze provided more water. A population of wild sheep was still present in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A when the nearby site of Shubayqa 6 was occupied. Hunting of diverse, locally available resources including wild sheep at the end of the Pleistocene illustrates the flexible and adaptive exploitation strategies that hunter-forager groups engaged in. This provides further evidence to the increasing body of data showing the creative and opportunistic approach of terminal Pleistocene groups allowing continued occupation even in more marginal environments in a period of environmental change. PMID:28878989

Palaeointensity determination on an early medieval kiln from Switzerland and the effect of cooling rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donadini, F.; Kovacheva, M.; Kostadinova, M.; Hedley, I. G.; Pesonen, L. J.

The archaeomagnetic intensity reference curve for Western Europe lacks data during the period from 600 to 1000 AD. Baked clay from the walls of a pottery kiln at Reinach (Switzerland), archaeologically dated to the beginning of the 9th century AD, and having a 14C date of 1250 ± 50 BP, was investigated in order to refine the ancient geomagnetic field intensity during this period. A previous study to test the suitability of the material has shown that the magnetic properties of the baked clay from this Reinach kiln are appropriate for an archaeomagnetic study, and furthermore an archaeomagnetic directional date agrees well with the 14C date. A series of palaeointensity measurements was carried out in Sofia (Bulgaria). Here we present the results obtained from the same material, as performed in Helsinki (Finland) using different techniques. The comparison of the results shows significant differences between the two datasets. Based on the literature data, the discrepancy can be explained in terms of the different cooling rates of the samples used during the experiments in the two laboratories. Nevertheless, the results show that the geomagnetic field intensity had a high mean value of 86.85 ± 1.49 μT when the kiln was last used. This observation is consistent with recent studies from France covering the period during which the Reinach kiln functioned.

Lead in School Children from Morelos, Mexico: Levels, Sources and Feasible Interventions

PubMed Central

Farías, Paulina; Álamo-Hernández, Urinda; Mancilla-Sánchez, Leonardo; Texcalac-Sangrador, José Luis; Carrizales-Yáñez, Leticia; Riojas-Rodríguez, Horacio

2014-01-01

Background: Lead is a pervasive pollutant, associated at low levels to many adverse health effects. Objective: To investigate lead levels, exposure pathways and intervention possibilities in school children from Alpuyeca, in Morelos, Mexico. Methods: Blood lead concentrations (BPb) were measured in 226 children in 2011. Exposure pathways were assessed through a questionnaire, lead measurements in different environmental matrices and spatial aggregation analysis of lead concentrations. Results: BPb ranged from 1.5 to 36.5 µg/dL, with a mean (SD) of 7.23 (4.9) µg/dL. Sixty-four and 18% of the children had BPb > 5 µg/dL and > 10 µg/dL, respectively. The use of lead glazed ceramics was reported in almost half of the households; it was the main BPb determinant and it was associated with an increased risk of having BPb > 5 g/dL by 2.7 times (p = 0.001). Environmental samples were within US EPA’s lead recommended limits, and blood lead levels were randomly distributed in the community. Conclusions: Lead remains a public health problem in Alpuyeca, Mexico. Unlike other local pollutants, lead exposure prevention can be achieved inexpensively and in a short term. Interventions should make mothers aware of lead’s health effects and empower them to safeguard their children’s health by avoiding the culturally ingrained use of lead glazed pottery. PMID:25493390

Nahal Ein Gev II, a Late Natufian Community at the Sea of Galilee

PubMed Central

Grosman, Leore; Munro, Natalie D.; Abadi, Itay; Boaretto, Elisabetta; Shaham, Dana; Belfer-Cohen, Anna; Bar-Yosef, Ofer

2016-01-01

The Natufian culture is of great importance as a starting point to investigate the dynamics of the transition to agriculture. Given its chronological position at the threshold of the Neolithic (ca. 12,000 years ago) and its geographic setting in the productive Jordan Valley, the site of Nahal Ein Gev II (NEG II) reveals aspects of the Late Natufian adaptations and its implications for the transition to agriculture. The size of the site, the thick archaeological deposits, invested architecture and multiple occupation sub-phases reveal a large, sedentary community at least on par with Early Natufian camps in the Mediterranean zone. Although the NEG II lithic tool kit completely lacks attributes typical of succeeding Pre Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) assemblages, the artistic style is more closely related to the early PPNA world, despite clear roots in Early Natufian tradition. The site does not conform to current perceptions of the Late Natufians as a largely mobile population coping with reduced resource productivity caused by the Younger Dryas. Instead, the faunal and architectural data suggest that the sedentary populations of the Early Natufian did not revert back to a nomadic way of life in the Late Natufian in the Jordan Valley. NEG II encapsulates cultural characteristics typical of both Natufian and PPNA traditions and thus bridges the crossroads between Late Paleolithic foragers and Neolithic farmers. PMID:26815363

Role of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry in cultural heritage research: a review.

PubMed

Giussani, Barbara; Monticelli, Damiano; Rampazzi, Laura

2009-03-02

Cultural heritage represents a bridge between the contemporary society and the past populations, and a strong collaboration between archaeologists, art historians and analysts may lead to the decryption of the information hidden in an ancient object. Quantitative elemental compositional data play a key role in solving questions concerning dating, provenance, technology, use and the relationship of ancient cultures with the environment. Nevertheless, the scientific investigation of an artifact should be carried out complying with some important constraints: above all the analyses should be as little destructive as possible and performed directly on the object to preserve its integrity. Laser ablation sampling coupled to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) fulfils these requirements exhibiting comparably strong analytical performance in trace element determination. This review intends to show through the applications found in the literature how valuable is the contribution of LA-ICP-MS in the investigation of ancient materials such as obsidian, glass, pottery, human remains, written heritage, metal objects and miscellaneous stone materials. The main issues related to cultural heritage investigation are introduced, followed by a brief description of the features of this technique. An overview of the exploitation of LA-ICP-MS is then presented. Finally, advantages and drawbacks of this technique are critically discussed: the fit for purpose and prospects of the use of LA-ICP-MS are presented.

Prevalence and determinants of lead intoxication in Mexican children of low socioeconomic status.

PubMed Central

López-Carrillo, L; Torres-Sánchez, L; Garrido, F; Papaqui-Hernández, J; Palazuelos-Rendón, E; López-Cervantes, M

1996-01-01

This paper reports on the prevalence of lead poisoning in children between 1 and 5 years of age living in a marginal area to the north of Mexico City and also includes an evaluation of sources of exposure to this metal in the same area. The results show that 67.5% of the children studied have blood lead (PbB) levels > or = 10 micrograms/100 ml. Twenty-one percent of these children (1987) had PbB levels that required medical evaluation (> or = 20 micrograms/100 ml- < or = 40 micrograms/100 ml), and 112 children needed medical treatment (PbB > or = 40 micrograms/100 ml). In addition, the study found that the probability of higher blood lead levels (> or = 20 micrograms/dl) corresponds to children whose mothers use lead-glazed pottery dishes (OR = 2.80; CI 95%, 1.55-5.07) and to children who habitually bite colored pencils (OR = 2.05; CI 95%, 1.13-3.71) compared, respectively, with children whose mothers do not use that type of dishes and children who do not bite pencils. Our results provide baseline information for estimating the impact and costs of population-based interventions aimed at these populations and also confirm the need to strengthen health education programs to promote the reduction of lead exposure in the general population. PMID:8959410

The sun, moon and stars of the southern Levant at Gezer and Megiddo: Cultural astronomy in Chalcolithic/Early and Middle Bronze Ages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, Sara Lee

Astronomical images are found on monumental structures and decorative art, and metaphorically in seasonal myths, and are documented by calendars. In Israel and the southern Levant, images of the sun, the moon, and the stars were common decorating motifs. They were found on walls, pottery, and seals and date to as early as the Chalcolithic period; for example, the wall painting of a star at Teleilat Ghassul (North 1961). This dissertation establishes that the people of the Levant were aware of the apparent movement of the sun, and this will be discussed in Chapter 4. They began recording through representation drawings, astronomical phenomena no later than the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age and continued to do so late into the Middle Bronze Age. The argument moves beyond the simple use of symbols to the use of images to represent constellations, with the focus on the constellation Leo in Chapter 5. Furthermore, the use of astronomy as a power and political tool is also suggested in Chapter 6. Nonetheless, the primary purpose that is addressed here is the tendency in Syro-Palestinian archaeology has been to attribute technological evidence found in the northern and southern Levant as diffused from Egypt or Assyria, particularly astronomy. This dissertation firmly establishes that astronomy was used in the southern Levant before any significant contact with the civilizations of Egypt or Assyria.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 16 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-12-24

ISS016-E-018493 (24 Dec. 2007) --- Perth Amboy, New Jersey is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 16 crewmember on the International Space Station. The port city of Perth Amboy is located between the outlets of the Raritan River and Arthur Kill ("river" in Dutch) into Raritan Bay in upper New Jersey. According to scientists, rich clay beds in the region, formed during the Cretaceous Era (approximately 65-144 million years ago), provided the raw materials for numerous pottery and terra cotta manufacturers during the 19th century. The city became an industrial and shipping center, and resort destination, through the early to mid-20th century. While the majority of the industrial factory facilities have left Perth Amboy, petroleum processing and storage remains part of the economic base -- several refining facilities are visible along the banks of Arthur Kill in this image (upper left). Originally known simply as "Amboy", "Perth" was added to the name in honor of the Earl of Perth when the city became the capital of East Jersey in 1686. Together with South Amboy across the Raritan River, both cities are collectively known today as "the Amboys". Perth Amboy is currently undergoing urban renewal and redevelopment to resume its former status of a resort destination. Raritan Bay also provides a source of local income through clam fishing.

Nahal Ein Gev II, a Late Natufian Community at the Sea of Galilee.

PubMed

Grosman, Leore; Munro, Natalie D; Abadi, Itay; Boaretto, Elisabetta; Shaham, Dana; Belfer-Cohen, Anna; Bar-Yosef, Ofer

2016-01-01

The Natufian culture is of great importance as a starting point to investigate the dynamics of the transition to agriculture. Given its chronological position at the threshold of the Neolithic (ca. 12,000 years ago) and its geographic setting in the productive Jordan Valley, the site of Nahal Ein Gev II (NEG II) reveals aspects of the Late Natufian adaptations and its implications for the transition to agriculture. The size of the site, the thick archaeological deposits, invested architecture and multiple occupation sub-phases reveal a large, sedentary community at least on par with Early Natufian camps in the Mediterranean zone. Although the NEG II lithic tool kit completely lacks attributes typical of succeeding Pre Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) assemblages, the artistic style is more closely related to the early PPNA world, despite clear roots in Early Natufian tradition. The site does not conform to current perceptions of the Late Natufians as a largely mobile population coping with reduced resource productivity caused by the Younger Dryas. Instead, the faunal and architectural data suggest that the sedentary populations of the Early Natufian did not revert back to a nomadic way of life in the Late Natufian in the Jordan Valley. NEG II encapsulates cultural characteristics typical of both Natufian and PPNA traditions and thus bridges the crossroads between Late Paleolithic foragers and Neolithic farmers.

Hierarchical organization of the coordinative structure of the skill of clay kneading.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Tomoyuki; Fujinami, Tsutomu

2008-10-01

An experiment was conducted to study the skill of clay kneading in pottery. This task usually requires a few years to master and is therefore well suited to study the long-term development of a complex motor skill. Participants' kneading movements were measured in 3D using a motion capture device and phase relations among coordinates and joint angles were analyzed in terms of the mutual phase relative to a reference point using the Hilbert transform. While a certain degree of periodicity was observed in all 10 participants, the behavior of the experts was characterized by a significant delay for the right elbow (i.e., the pushing arm) and the fore-aft position of the upper torso and only brief delays for the other parts, which all tended to synchronize with the reference. These findings are consistent with our notion of "differentiation within coordination", according to which skill learning proceeds in a hierarchical manner in that coordination among limb movements is established first, followed by modulations of specific limb movements within the established coordination. Although this feature of expert behavior was also apparent in our previous studies of clay kneading and samba shaking and dancing, the numbers of participants in those studies were not sufficient to draw firm conclusions. Since the present study involved more participants and a superior method of analysis, the present evidence for the principle of differentiation within coordination is more conclusive.

Lead in school children from Morelos, Mexico: levels, sources and feasible interventions.

PubMed

Farías, Paulina; Álamo-Hernández, Urinda; Mancilla-Sánchez, Leonardo; Texcalac-Sangrador, José Luis; Carrizales-Yáñez, Leticia; Riojas-Rodríguez, Horacio

2014-12-01

Lead is a pervasive pollutant, associated at low levels to many adverse health effects. To investigate lead levels, exposure pathways and intervention possibilities in school children from Alpuyeca, in Morelos, Mexico. Blood lead concentrations (BPb) were measured in 226 children in 2011. Exposure pathways were assessed through a questionnaire, lead measurements in different environmental matrices and spatial aggregation analysis of lead concentrations. BPb ranged from 1.5 to 36.5 ìg/dL, with a mean (SD) of 7.23 (4.9) ìg/dL. Sixty-four and 18% of the children had BPb > 5 ìg/dL and > 10 ìg/dL, respectively. The use of lead glazed ceramics was reported in almost half of the households; it was the main BPb determinant and it was associated with an increased risk of having BPb > 5 g/dL by 2.7 times (p = 0.001). Environmental samples were within US EPA’s lead recommended limits, and blood lead levels were randomly distributed in the community. Lead remains a public health problem in Alpuyeca, Mexico. Unlike other local pollutant lead exposure prevention can be achieved inexpensively and in a short term. Interventions should make mothers aware of lead's health effects and empower them to safeguard their children's health by avoiding the culturally ingrained use of lead glazed pottery.

Evolutionary demography and the population history of the European early Neolithic.

PubMed

Shennan, Stephen

2009-04-01

In this paper I propose that evolutionary demography and associated theory from human behavioral ecology provide a strong basis for explaining the available evidence for the patterns observed in the first agricultural settlement of Europe in the 7th-5th millennium cal. BC, linking together a variety of what have previously been disconnected observations and casting doubt on some long-standing existing models. An outline of relevant aspects of life history theory, which provides the foundation for understanding demography, is followed by a review of large-scale demographic patterns in the early Neolithic, which point to rapid population increase and a process of demic diffusion. More localized socioeconomic and demographic patterns suggesting rapid expansion to local carrying capacities and an associated growth of inequality in the earliest farming communities of central Europe (the Linear Pottery Culture, or LBK) are then outlined and shown to correspond to predictions of spatial population ecology and reproductive skew theory. Existing models of why it took so long for farming to spread to northern and northwest Europe, which explain the spread in terms of the gradual disruption of hunter-gatherer ways of life, are then questioned in light of evidence for population collapse at the end of the LBK. Finally, some broader implications of the study are presented, including the suggestion that the pattern of an initial agricultural boom followed by a bust may be relevant in other parts of the world.

Ft-Ir Spectroscopic Analysis of Potsherds Excavated from the First Settlement Layer of Kuriki Mound, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayazit, Murat; Isik, Iskender; Cereci, Sedat; Issi, Ali; Genc, Elif

The region covering Southeastern Anatolia takes place in upper Mesopotamia, so it has numerous cultural heritages due to its witness to various social movements of different civilizations in ancient times. Kuruki Mound is located on the junction point of Tigris River and Batman Creek, near Oymatas village which is almost 15 km to Batman, Turkey. The mound is dated back to Late Chalcolithic. Archaeological excavations are carried out on two hills named as “Kuriki Mound-1” and “Kuriki Mound-2” in which 4-layer and 2-layer settlements have been revealed, respectively. This region will be left under the water by the reservoir lake of Ilısu Dam when its construction is completed. Thus, characterization of ancient materials such as potsherds, metals and skeleton ruins should be rapidly done. In this study, 12 potsherds excavated from Layer-1 (the first settlement layer after the surface) in Kuriki Mound-2 were investigated by FT-IR spectrometry. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were used as complementary techniques in order to expose chemical and mineralogical/phase contents, respectively. Obtained results showed that the potteries have been produced with calcareous clays and they include moderate amounts of MgO, K2O, Na2O and Fe2O3 in this context. Additionally, high temperature phases have also been detected with XRD analyses in some samples.

Cooperation and tensions in multiethnic corporate societies using Teotihuacan, Central Mexico, as a case study

PubMed Central

Manzanilla, Linda R.

2015-01-01

In this paper, I address the case of a corporate society in Central Mexico. After volcanic eruptions triggered population displacements in the southern Basin of Mexico during the first and fourth centuries A.D., Teotihuacan became a multiethnic settlement. Groups from different backgrounds settled primarily on the periphery of the metropolis; nevertheless, around the core, intermediate elites actively fostered the movement of sumptuary goods and the arrival of workers from diverse homelands for a range of specialized tasks. Some of these skilled craftsmen acquired status and perhaps economic power as a result of the dynamic competition among neighborhoods to display the most lavish sumptuary goods, as well as to manufacture specific symbols of identity that distinguished one neighborhood from another, such as elaborate garments and headdresses. Cotton attire worn by the Teotihuacan elite may have been one of the goods that granted economic importance to neighborhood centers such as Teopancazco, a compound that displayed strong ties to the Gulf Coast where cotton cloth was made. The ruling elite controlled raw materials that came from afar whereas the intermediate elite may have been more active in providing other sumptuary goods: pigments, cosmetics, slate, greenstone, travertine, and foreign pottery. The contrast between the corporate organization at the base and top of Teotihuacan society and the exclusionary organization of the neighborhoods headed by the highly competitive intermediate elite introduced tensions that set the stage for Teotihuacan’s collapse. PMID:25775567

Intoxication from an accidentally ingested lead shot retained in the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Gustavsson, Per; Gerhardsson, Lars

2005-04-01

A 45-year-old woman was referred to the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health in January 2002 because of increased blood lead concentrations of unknown origin. She suffered from malaise, fatigue, and diffuse gastrointestinal symptoms. She had a blood lead level of 550 microg/L (normal range < 40 microg/L). The patient had not been occupationally exposed to lead, and no potential lead sources, such as food products or lead-glazed pottery, could be identified. Her food habits were normal, but she did consume game occasionally. Clinical examination, including standard neurologic examination, was normal. No anemia was present. Laboratory tests showed an increased excretion of lead in the urine, but there were no signs of microproteinuria. An abdominal X ray in October 2002 revealed a 6-mm rounded metal object in the colon ascendens. Before the object could be further localized, the patient contracted winter vomiting disease (gastroenteritis) and the metal object was spontaneously released from the colon during a diarrhea attack. The object was a lead shot pellet, possibly but not normally used in Sweden for hunting wild boar or roe deer. Blood lead levels slowly decreased. Nine months later the patient's blood lead levels were almost normal (approximately 70 microg/L) and her symptoms had almost completely disappeared. In this case, a rare source of lead exposure was found. In investigations of blood lead elevations of unknown origin, we recommend abdominal X ray in parallel with repeated blood lead determinations.

Kiln emissions and potters' exposures.

PubMed

Hirtle, B; Teschke, K; van Netten, C; Brauer, M

1998-10-01

Some ten thousand British Columbia potters work in small private studios, cooperative facilities, educational institutions, or recreation centers. There has been considerable concern that this diffuse, largely unregulated activity may involve exposures to unacceptable levels of kiln emissions. Pottery kiln emissions were measured at 50 sites--10 from each of 5 categories: professional studios, recreation centers, elementary schools, secondary schools, and colleges. Area monitoring was done 76 cm from firing kilns and 1.6 m above the floor to assess breathing zone concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, fluorides, aldehydes, aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium, silver, vanadium, and zinc. Personal exposures to the same metals were measured at 24 sites. Almost all measured values were well below permissible concentrations for British Columbia work sites and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLVs) with the following two exceptions. A single firing duration (495 minute) acrolein measurement adjacent to an electric kiln (0.109 ppm) exceeded these guidelines. One 15-minute sulfur dioxide measurement collected adjacent to a gas kiln (5.7 ppm) exceeded the ACGIH short-term exposure limit. The fact that concentrations in small, ventilated kiln rooms ranked among the highest measured gives rise to concern that unacceptable levels of contamination may exist where small kiln rooms remain unventilated. Custom designed exhaust hoods and industrial heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems were the most effective ventilation strategies. Passive diffusion and wall/window fans were least effective.

Eleventh-century shift in timber procurement areas for the great houses of Chaco Canyon

PubMed Central

Guiterman, Christopher H.; Dean, Jeffrey S.

2016-01-01

An enduring mystery from the great houses of Chaco Canyon is the origin of more than 240,000 construction timbers. We evaluate probable timber procurement areas for seven great houses by applying tree-ring width-based sourcing to a set of 170 timbers. To our knowledge, this is the first use of tree rings to assess timber origins in the southwestern United States. We found that the Chuska and Zuni Mountains (>75 km distant) were the most likely sources, accounting for 70% of timbers. Most notably, procurement areas changed through time. Before 1020 Common Era (CE) nearly all timbers originated from the Zunis (a previously unrecognized source), but by 1060 CE the Chuskas eclipsed the Zuni area in total wood imports. This shift occurred at the onset of Chaco florescence in the 11th century, a time with substantial expansion of existing great houses and the addition of seven new great houses in the Chaco Core area. It also coincides with the proliferation of Chuskan stone tools and pottery in the archaeological record of Chaco Canyon, further underscoring the link between land use and occupation in the Chuska area and the peak of great house construction. Our findings, based on the most temporally specific and replicated evidence of Chacoan resource procurement obtained to date, corroborate the long-standing but recently challenged interpretation that large numbers of timbers were harvested and transported from distant mountain ranges to build the great houses at Chaco Canyon. PMID:26644552

Silicosis mortality trends and new exposures to respirable crystalline silica - United States, 2001-2010.

PubMed

Bang, Ki Moon; Mazurek, Jacek M; Wood, John M; White, Gretchen E; Hendricks, Scott A; Weston, Ainsley

2015-02-13

Silicosis is a preventable occupational lung disease caused by the inhalation of respirable crystalline silica dust and can progress to respiratory failure and death. No effective specific treatment for silicosis is available; patients are provided supportive care, and some patients may be considered for lung transplantation. Chronic silicosis can develop or progress even after occupational exposure has ceased. The number of deaths from silicosis declined from 1,065 in 1968 to 165 in 2004. Hazardous occupational exposures to silica dust have long been known to occur in a variety of industrial operations, including mining, quarrying, sandblasting, rock drilling, road construction, pottery making, stone masonry, and tunneling operations. Recently, hazardous silica exposures have been newly documented during hydraulic fracturing of gas and oil wells and during fabrication and installation of engineered stone countertops. To describe temporal trends in silicosis mortality in the United States, CDC analyzed annual multiple cause-of-death data for 2001-2010 for decedents aged ≥15 years. During 2001-2010, a total of 1,437 decedents had silicosis coded as an underlying or contributing cause of death. The annual number of silicosis deaths declined from 164 (death rate† = 0.74 per 1 million population) in 2001 to 101 (0.39 per 1 million) in 2010 (p = 0.002). Because of new operations and tasks placing workers at risk for silicosis, efforts to limit workplace exposure to crystalline silica need to be maintained.

Risk factors for high levels of lead in blood of schoolchildren in Mexico City.

PubMed

Olaiz, G; Fortoul, T I; Rojas, R; Doyer, M; Palazuelos, E; Tapia, C R

1996-01-01

Risk factors associated with blood lead levels exceeding 15 microg/dl were analyzed in this report. This relatively high lead level was selected because, at the time the study commenced, it was considered to be a "safe" level. A total of 1583 schoolchildren were studied. The students were from (a) two areas in Mexico City (Tlalnepantla and Xalostoc) that have had historically high concentrations of lead in air, and (b) three areas (Pedregal, Iztalpalapa, and Centro) with less impressive air lead levels. Parents were presented with a questionnaire that solicited information about lead risk factors. A bivariate analysis and a multilogistic analysis were conducted to identify associations and to identify the model that most accurately explains the variability of the sample. High blood lead concentrations were found in children who lived in Xalostoc and Tlalnepantla (16.1 and 17.0 microg/dl, respectively), and the lowest concentration (i.e., 10 microg/dl) was found in children from Iztapalapa. The strongest association was with area of residence, followed by education level of parents, cooking of meals in glazed pottery, and chewing or sucking of yellow or other colored pencils. A child's area of residence is the most significant risk factor that must be accounted for when any study of lead and blood lead concentrations is undertaken. Follow-up in similar populations should assist greatly in the evaluation of the impact of governmental actions on public health.

Relevance of magnetic properties for the characterisation of burnt clays and archaeological tiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beatrice, C.; Coïsson, M.; Ferrara, E.; Olivetti, E. S.

The archaeomagnetism of pottery, bricks and tiles is typically employed for dating inferences, yet the magnetic properties of ancient ceramics can also be convenient for their characterisation, to evaluate the technological conditions applied for their production (temperature, atmosphere, and duration of firing), as well as to distinguish groups of sherds having different provenance. In this work, the measurement of hysteresis loops has been applied and combined with colour survey to characterise the magnetic properties of burnt clays and archaeological tiles. Four calcareous and non-calcareous clays, along with seventeen tile fragments excavated from the sites of the ancient Roman towns of Pompeii and Gravina di Puglia, in Southern Italy, are examined. The ferrimagnetic character of the clays, in general, enhances with increasing firing temperatures until vitrification processes occur (900-1000 °C) dissolving iron oxides and dispersing the colour and magnetic properties they provide. High values of saturation magnetization are observed in clays with relevant calcareous content after firing above 900 °C, which results in the formation of Ca-silicates able to delay the onset of the vitrification processes. Magnetic properties of the tiles have been evaluated in terms of the high coercivity (i.e. mainly ferrimagnetic) or low coercivity behaviour (i.e. including relevant paramagnetic and superparamagnetic contributions). Enhanced ferrimagnetic character, mostly depending on the growth in number and volume of iron oxide particles, is associated with the development of an intense reddish hue.

Cooperation and tensions in multiethnic corporate societies using Teotihuacan, Central Mexico, as a case study.

PubMed

Manzanilla, Linda R

2015-07-28

In this paper, I address the case of a corporate society in Central Mexico. After volcanic eruptions triggered population displacements in the southern Basin of Mexico during the first and fourth centuries A.D., Teotihuacan became a multiethnic settlement. Groups from different backgrounds settled primarily on the periphery of the metropolis; nevertheless, around the core, intermediate elites actively fostered the movement of sumptuary goods and the arrival of workers from diverse homelands for a range of specialized tasks. Some of these skilled craftsmen acquired status and perhaps economic power as a result of the dynamic competition among neighborhoods to display the most lavish sumptuary goods, as well as to manufacture specific symbols of identity that distinguished one neighborhood from another, such as elaborate garments and headdresses. Cotton attire worn by the Teotihuacan elite may have been one of the goods that granted economic importance to neighborhood centers such as Teopancazco, a compound that displayed strong ties to the Gulf Coast where cotton cloth was made. The ruling elite controlled raw materials that came from afar whereas the intermediate elite may have been more active in providing other sumptuary goods: pigments, cosmetics, slate, greenstone, travertine, and foreign pottery. The contrast between the corporate organization at the base and top of Teotihuacan society and the exclusionary organization of the neighborhoods headed by the highly competitive intermediate elite introduced tensions that set the stage for Teotihuacan's collapse.

Preconquest Peruvian neurosurgeons: a study of Inca and pre-Columbian trephination and the art of medicine in ancient Peru.

PubMed

Marino, R; Gonzales-Portillo, M

2000-10-01

Trephination and craniotomy performed by abrasion, scraping, crosscut sawing, and drilling are the oldest known surgical techniques used by primitive peoples. As a result of archaeological findings, the human skull is the most frequently studied part of the excavated body, leading to the creation of a new aspect of anthropology known as "cultural osteology." Found in ancient tombs, the human remains, mummies, skeletons, and their belongings, including war instruments, pottery, clothing, jewels, and surgical instruments, constitute the richest source of insight into the lives and pragmatic activities of ancient cultures. This study summarizes thousands of years of pre-Columbian history and medical evolution, specifically in the early and primitive practice of trephination, as precursors of neurosurgery. Comparative osteology studies have demonstrated that using primitive stone or metal instruments, the sirkaks (Inca surgeons) achieved an average survival rate of 50 to 70% of their craniectomy patients, with little incidence of infection or other complications. Despite their rudimentary knowledge of disease and pathology, a considerable knowledge of anatomy and natural medicine provided them with hemostatic agents, antiseptics, and other medical drugs, such as quinine for fever and malaria, as well as gold, silver, and other products to perform cranioplasties. Living in a world of continuous hand-to-hand combat, they also developed aggressive and defensive weapons that necessitated refinement of surgical techniques to save soldiers from battle wounds to their poorly protected crania.

Eleventh-century shift in timber procurement areas for the great houses of Chaco Canyon.

PubMed

Guiterman, Christopher H; Swetnam, Thomas W; Dean, Jeffrey S

2016-02-02

An enduring mystery from the great houses of Chaco Canyon is the origin of more than 240,000 construction timbers. We evaluate probable timber procurement areas for seven great houses by applying tree-ring width-based sourcing to a set of 170 timbers. To our knowledge, this is the first use of tree rings to assess timber origins in the southwestern United States. We found that the Chuska and Zuni Mountains (>75 km distant) were the most likely sources, accounting for 70% of timbers. Most notably, procurement areas changed through time. Before 1020 Common Era (CE) nearly all timbers originated from the Zunis (a previously unrecognized source), but by 1060 CE the Chuskas eclipsed the Zuni area in total wood imports. This shift occurred at the onset of Chaco florescence in the 11th century, a time with substantial expansion of existing great houses and the addition of seven new great houses in the Chaco Core area. It also coincides with the proliferation of Chuskan stone tools and pottery in the archaeological record of Chaco Canyon, further underscoring the link between land use and occupation in the Chuska area and the peak of great house construction. Our findings, based on the most temporally specific and replicated evidence of Chacoan resource procurement obtained to date, corroborate the long-standing but recently challenged interpretation that large numbers of timbers were harvested and transported from distant mountain ranges to build the great houses at Chaco Canyon.

Critical body temperature profile as indicator of heat stress vulnerability.

PubMed

Nag, P K; Dutta, Priya; Nag, Anjali

2013-01-01

Extreme climatic heat is a major health concern among workers in different occupational pursuits. People in the regions of western India confront frequent heat emergencies, with great risk of mortality and morbidity. Taking account of informal occupational groups (foundry and sheet metal, FSM, N=587; ceramic and pottery, CP, N=426; stone quarry, SQ, N=934) in different seasons, the study examined the body temperature profiling as indicator of vulnerability to environmental warmth. About 3/4th of 1947 workers had habitual exposure at 30.1-35.5°C WBGT and ~10% of them were exposed to 38.2-41.6°C WBGT. The responses of FSM, CP and SQ workers indicated prevailing high heat load during summer and post-monsoon months. Local skin temperatures (T(sk)) varied significantly in different seasons, with consistently high level in summer, followed by post-monsoon and winter months. The mean difference of T(cr) and T(sk) was ~5.2°C up to 26.7°C WBGT, and ~2.5°C beyond 30°C WBGT. Nearly 90% of the workers had T(cr) within 38°C, suggesting their self-adjustment strategy in pacing work and regulating T(cr). In extreme heat, the limit of peripheral adjustability (35-36°C T(sk)) and the narrowing down of the difference between T(cr) and T(sk) might indicate the limit of one's ability to withstand heat exposure.

Pots, plates and provenance: sourcing Indian coarse wares from Mleiha using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, A.; Attaelmanan, A. G.; Mouton, M.

2012-07-01

The identification of more than 25% of the pottery sherds from the late PIR.D period (ca. 2nd - mid. 3rd c. AD) assemblage from the recently excavated building H at Mleiha as Indian is based on form and fabric, but using only visual assessment. Petrographic analysis of the fabrics can provide more precise indicators of the geographical origin of the wares. In this study, a total of 21 sherds from various key sites in Western India were compared with 7 different 'Indian' coarse-ware vessels sampled at Mleiha using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. The analyses were conducted on powdered samples collected from the core of each sherd. Each sample was irradiated for 1000 seconds using a 1.2 mm diameter X-ray beam. The resulting spectra were used for quantification of the X-ray intensity and elemental concentration. Levels of correlation in the elemental ratios of the sherds were statistically tested using an F-test as well as a Chi-test. Initial review of the XRF results indicates that the Maharashtra and Gujarat regions of India are probable source areas for at least two of the types of wares. Collection of additional samples from these areas and other regions of India, and further statistical analysis through methods such as Principal Component Analysis will help to isolate groups of wares from India and correlate them with types of vessels imported into the Oman peninsula in antiquity.

A project for women, by women.

PubMed

1995-11-01

The Integrated Family Development Project (IFDP), which was initiated in 1993, is a successful project for women, by women, in Bangladesh. It is implemented by the Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB), with the support of JOICFP. The project falls under the regional Sustainable Community-Based Family Planning/Maternal and Child Health (FP/MCH) Project with Special Focus on Women, which is funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The project focuses on women's empowerment; promotion of reproductive health, including family planning; and promotion of education and economic activities for women. Small libraries have been established at project centers in Panchdona Union of Narsingdi District and Dhalia Union of Feni District. The books provide women with practical information on subjects such as children's nutrition, health, and lifestyles. Loans provided under the project have stimulated the formation of women's work teams for income generating projects (mat making, goat raising, pottery making, weaving, and sewing). 24 women, who were recruited from their villages, have been trained as development volunteers (FDVs) in each of the two unions; they serve as health and education agents who deliver services, including family planning, to women and promote health care in their communities. Evaluations have been positive, and surrounding villages are beginning similar activities. Funds, which were allocated under the Postal Savings for International Voluntary Aid (POSIVA) and administered by the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, have been used for medical equipment, IEC supplies and equipment, and transportation equipment.

Landscape transformations at the dawn of agriculture in southern Syria (10.7-9.9 ka cal. BP): Plant-specific responses to the impact of human activities and climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arranz-Otaegui, Amaia; López-Sáez, José Antonio; Araus, José Luis; Portillo, Marta; Balbo, Andrea; Iriarte, Eneko; Gourichon, Lionel; Braemer, Frank; Zapata, Lydia; Ibáñez, Juan José

2017-02-01

In southwest Asia, the accelerated impact of human activities on the landscape has often been linked to the development of fully agricultural societies during the middle and late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) period (around 10.2-7.9 ka cal. BP). This work contributes to the debate on the environmental impact of the so-called Neolitisation process by identifying the climatic and anthropogenic factors that contributed to change local and regional vegetation at the time when domesticated plants appeared and developed in southern Syria (around 10.7-9.9 ka cal. BP). In this work a multidisciplinary analysis of plant microremains (pollen and phytoliths) and macroremains (wood charcoal) is carried out along with stable carbon isotope discrimination of wood charcoals in an early PPNB site (Tell Qarassa North, west of the Jabal al-Arab area). Prior to 10.5 ka cal. BP, the results indicate a dynamic equilibrium in the local and regional vegetation, which comprised woodland-steppe, Mediterranean evergreen oak-woodlands, wetland vegetation and coniferous forests. Around 10.5-9.9 ka cal. BP, the elements that regulated the vegetation system changed, resulting in reduced proportions of arboreal cover and the spread of cold-tolerant and wetlands species. Our data show that reinforcing interaction between the elements of the anthropogenic (e.g. herding, fire-related activities) and climatic systems (e.g. temperature, rainfall) contributed to the transformation of early Holocene vegetation during the emergence of fully agricultural societies in southern Syria.

Mid-Neolithic Exploitation of Mollusks in the Guanzhong Basin of Northwestern China: Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Li, Fengjiang; Wu, Naiqin; Lu, Houyuan; Zhang, Jianping; Wang, Weilin; Ma, Mingzhi; Zhang, Xiaohu; Yang, Xiaoyan

2013-01-01

Mollusk remains are abundant in archaeological sites in the Guanzhong Basin of Northwestern China, providing good opportunities for investigations into the use of mollusks by prehistoric humans. Here we report on freshwater gastropod and bivalve mollusks covering the time interval from about 5600 to 4500 cal. yrs BP from sites of Mid-Late Neolithic age. They are identified as Cipangopaludina chinensis and Unio douglasiae, both of which are currently food for humans. The shells are well preserved and have no signs of abrasion. They are all freshwater gastropods and bivalves found in pits without water-reworked deposits and have modern representatives which can be observed in rivers, reservoirs, and paddy fields in the studied region. Mollusk shells were frequently recovered in association with mammal bones, lithic artifacts, and pottery. These lines of evidence indicate that the mollusks are the remains of prehistoric meals. The mollusk shells were likely discarded into the pits by prehistoric humans after the flesh was eaten. However, these mollusk remains may not have been staple food since they are not found in large quantities. Mollusk shell tools and ornaments are also observed. Shell tools include shell knives, shell reaphooks and arrowheads, whereas shell ornaments are composed of pendants and loops. All the shell tools and ornaments are made of bivalve mollusks and do not occur in large numbers. The finding of these freshwater mollusk remains supports the view that the middle Holocene climate in the Guanzhong Basin may have been warm and moist, which was probably favorable to freshwater mollusks growing and developing in the region. PMID:23544050

Culture or climate? The relative influences of past processes on the composition of the lowland Congo rainforest.

PubMed

Brncic, Terry M; Willis, Katherine J; Harris, David J; Washington, Richard

2007-02-28

This paper presents the results from a palaeoecological study to establish the impact of prehistoric human activity and climate change on the vegetation and soils of the Goualougo area of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). This is a region that is known from previous work (through evidence of pottery, furnaces and charcoal layers beneath the present day rainforest vegetation) to have had prehistoric settlement dating back to at least 2000 calibrated years before present. In addition, there is climatic evidence to suggest that significant variations in precipitation have occurred in central Africa over the last few millennia. Presently, the region is covered in uninhabited moist semi-evergreen rainforest. Key research questions addressed in this paper include the extent to which the present-day composition of rainforest in this region is as a result of processes of the past (climate change and/or human activity), and the resilience of the rainforest to these perturbations. Statistical analyses of pollen, microscopic charcoal and geochemical data are used to determine the relationship over time between vegetation dynamics and climate change, anthropogenic burning and metal smelting. Significant changes in forest composition are linked to burning and climate change but not metallurgy. The strongest influence on the present day composition appears to be related to the increased anthropogenic burning that started approximately 1000 years ago. Results from this study are discussed in terms of their implications for the present and future management of this globally important forested region.

Environmental and Occupational Lead Exposure Among Children in Cairo, Egypt

PubMed Central

Moawad, Eman Mohamed Ibraheim; Badawy, Nashwa Mostafa; Manawill, Marie

2016-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess childhood lead exposure in a representative sample of Cairo, and to investigate the possible risk factors and sources of exposure. This cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 through April 2015. The target population was children aged 6 to 18 years, recruited into 4 groups, garbage city, moderate-living standard area, urban and suburban schools, and workshops in the city of Cairo. Blood lead levels (BLLs) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations were measured. Also, potential local environmental sources were assessed for hazardous lead contamination. Analysis on 400 participants has been carried out. A total of 113 children had BLLs in the range 10 to 20 μg/dL. Smoking fathers, housing conditions, playing outdoors, and exposure to lead in residential areas were significantly correlated with high BLLs. The mean values of hemoglobin were inversely correlated with BLLs. Children involved in pottery workshops had the highest BLLs and the lowest Hb values with a mean of (43.3 μg/dL and 8.6 g/dL, respectively). The mean value of environmental lead in workshop areas exceeded the recommended levels. Also, those values measured in dust and paint samples of garbage city were significantly high. Moreover, the mean lead levels in the soil samples were significantly higher in urban schools (P = 0.03) than the suburban ones. Childhood lead poisoning accounts for a substantial burden in Egypt, which could be preventable. Development of national prevention programs including universal screening program should be designed to reduce incidence of lead toxicity among children. PMID:26945415

First dairying in green Saharan Africa in the fifth millennium BC.

PubMed

Dunne, Julie; Evershed, Richard P; Salque, Mélanie; Cramp, Lucy; Bruni, Silvia; Ryan, Kathleen; Biagetti, Stefano; di Lernia, Savino

2012-06-20

In the prehistoric green Sahara of Holocene North Africa-in contrast to the Neolithic of Europe and Eurasia-a reliance on cattle, sheep and goats emerged as a stable and widespread way of life, long before the first evidence for domesticated plants or settled village farming communities. The remarkable rock art found widely across the region depicts cattle herding among early Saharan pastoral groups, and includes rare scenes of milking; however, these images can rarely be reliably dated. Although the faunal evidence provides further confirmation of the importance of cattle and other domesticates, the scarcity of cattle bones makes it impossible to ascertain herd structures via kill-off patterns, thereby precluding interpretations of whether dairying was practiced. Because pottery production begins early in northern Africa the potential exists to investigate diet and subsistence practices using molecular and isotopic analyses of absorbed food residues. This approach has been successful in determining the chronology of dairying beginning in the 'Fertile Crescent' of the Near East and its spread across Europe. Here we report the first unequivocal chemical evidence, based on the δ(13)C and Δ(13)C values of the major alkanoic acids of milk fat, for the adoption of dairying practices by prehistoric Saharan African people in the fifth millennium bc. Interpretations are supported by a new database of modern ruminant animal fats collected from Africa. These findings confirm the importance of 'lifetime products', such as milk, in early Saharan pastoralism, and provide an evolutionary context for the emergence of lactase persistence in Africa.

Preliminary archeointensity results from well-dated ceramics from ancient Bactria (Uzbekistan, Central Asia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez-Paccard, M.; Beamud, E.; Martínez-Ferreras, V.; Gurt-Esparraguera, J. M.

2017-12-01

Improving geomagnetic field reconstructions clearly poses a high-priority challenge in Earth Sciences today. A better characterization of the variation of the geomagnetic field strength at centennial to millennial time scales is particularly crucial to disentangle the long-term evolution of the Earth's dipole moment, a global characteristic of our planet. Here we present new high-quality archeointensities for Central Asia, a vast and rather poorly known region in terms of geomagnetic field intensity fluctuations. These new data are obtained from the study of 26 pottery fragments from Termez, a great urban and Buddhist religious center in ancient Bactria (south Uzbekistan) during the Kushan period. The samples have been collected in several sectors related to different stages of the occupation as demonstrated by 14C analysis: 1) two sectors in the alluvial plain (AC2 and AC1), dated to the Greco-Bactrian (from the 3rd to the 1st centuries BC) and the nomadic Yuezhi (≈1st century AD) periods respectively; 2) sector RC at the Tchingiz Tepe fortress, dated to the Kushan and Kushano-Sassanian periods (from the 2nd to the 4th centuries AD). The classical Thellier method including regular partial thermoremanent magnetization (pTRM) checks and TRM anisotropy and cooling rate corrections has been used for archeointensity determination. The new data obtained shed new light on the past fluctuation of geomagnetic field strength in Central Asia. In addition, a critical revision of archeointensity data from Central Asia is presented. Selected high-quality archeointensities are finally compared with regional and global geomagnetic field reconstructions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Latini, R. M.; Bellido, A. V. B.; Souza, M. I. S.

In this study, the aim was to evaluate capabilities and constraints of radiographic imagery using thermal neutrons and gamma-rays as tools to identify the type of technique employed in ceramics manufacturing especially that used in prehistoric Brazilian pottery from Acre state. For this purpose, radiographic images of test objects made with clay of this region using both techniques - palette and rollers - have been acquired with a system comprised of a source of gamma-rays or thermal neutrons and a corresponding X-ray or neutron-sensitive Imaging Plate as detector. For the neutrongraphy samples were exposed to a thermal neutron flux ofmore » order of 10{sup 5}n.cm{sup −2}.s{sup −1} for 3 minutes at main port of Argonauta research reactor of the Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear - IEN/CNEN. The radiographic images using γ-rays from {sup 165}Dy (95 keV) and {sup 198}Au (412 keV) both produced at this reactor, have been acquired under an exposure time of a couple of hours. After acquisition, images have undergone a treatment to improve their quality through enhancement of their contrast, a procedure involving corrections of the beam divergence, sample shape and averaging of the attenuation map profile. Preliminary results show that difference between manufacturing techniques is better identified by radiography using low energy γ-rays from {sup 165}Dy rather than neutrongraphy or γ-rays from {sup 198}Au. Nevertheless, disregarding the kind of employed radiation, it should be stressed that feasibility to apply the technique is tightly tied to homogeneity of the clay itself and tempers due to their different attenuation.« less

Stone tools and foraging in northern Madagascar challenge Holocene extinction models.

PubMed

Dewar, Robert E; Radimilahy, Chantal; Wright, Henry T; Jacobs, Zenobia; Kelly, Gwendolyn O; Berna, Francesco

2013-07-30

Past research on Madagascar indicates that village communities were established about AD 500 by people of both Indonesian and East African heritage. Evidence of earlier visits is scattered and contentious. Recent archaeological excavations in northern Madagascar provide evidence of occupational sites with microlithic stone technologies related to foraging for forest and coastal resources. A forager occupation of one site dates to earlier than 2000 B.C., doubling the length of Madagascar's known occupational history, and thus the time during which people exploited Madagascar's environments. We detail stratigraphy, chronology, and artifacts from two rock shelters. Ambohiposa near Iharana (Vohémar) on the northeast coast, yielded a stratified assemblage with small flakes, microblades, and retouched crescentic and trapezoidal tools, probably projectile elements, made on cherts and obsidian, some brought more that 200 km. (14)C dates are contemporary with the earliest villages. No food remains are preserved. Lakaton'i Anja near Antsiranana in the north yielded several stratified assemblages. The latest assemblage is well dated to A.D. 1050-1350, by (14)C and optically stimulated luminescence dating and pottery imported from the Near East and China. Below is a series of stratified assemblages similar to Ambohiposa. (14)C and optically stimulated luminescence dates indicate occupation from at least 2000 B.C. Faunal remains indicate a foraging pattern. Our evidence shows that foragers with a microlithic technology were active in Madagascar long before the arrival of farmers and herders and before many Late Holocene faunal extinctions. The differing effects of historically distinct economies must be identified and understood to reconstruct Holocene histories of human environmental impact.

Occupational exposures and changes in pulmonary function over 13 years among residents of Cracow.

PubMed Central

Krzyzanowski, M; Jedrychowski, W; Wysocki, M

1988-01-01

In a 13 year follow up study conducted among residents of Cracow the relation of annual rate of decline in FEV1 to occupational exposures was analysed. The study group consisted of 696 men and 983 women aged 19-60 at the start of the study in 1968. They were interviewed three times, in 1968, 1973, and 1981, and decline in FEV1 was estimated for each subject from spirometric measurements in 1968 and 1981. The interviews provided data on exposure at the workplace to dusts, variable temperature, and chemicals or irritating gases, which established duration and time of the exposure. The FEV1 mean level, height, and smoking habits were considered as confounders in the analysis. The study indicated that the most pronounced influence on decline in FEV1 was prolonged and continuing exposure to variable temperature. The effects of dusts, independent of exposure to variable temperature, were much smaller but analysis in occupational subgroups suggest that dust may be important in some, such as workers in the building materials and pottery industry. Relatively immediate effects of exposure to chemicals were detected independently of effects of other exposures. The estimated effects of occupational exposures were of a similar magnitude as those of tobacco smoking though related to much smaller groups. Both effects were additive in accelerating decline in lung function. These results, obtained in the general population and less biased by selection than studies performed in industrial settings, show the importance of occupational factors in the natural history of limitation of airflow. PMID:3203079

Occupations with increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the Swedish population

PubMed Central

Alguacil, J; Pollan, M; Gustavsson, P

2003-01-01

Aims: To identify occupations with increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the Swedish population gainfully employed in 1970 over the period 1971–89. Methods: The base population was made up of Swedish men (1 779 646) and Swedish women (1 101 669) gainfully employed at the time of the 1970 census and were still alive and over age 24 on 1 January 1971. Information was drawn from two data sets: the Swedish cancer environment register and a background population register. After 19 years of follow up, 4420 men and 2143 women were diagnosed with histologically confirmed incident pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Log linear Poisson models were fitted, allowing for geographical area and town size. Risk estimators were also calculated for workers reporting the same occupation in 1960 and 1970. Results: Among women, a statistically significant risk excess of pancreatic cancer was observed for "educational methods advisors", "librarian, archivist, curator", "motor vehicle driver", "typographer, lithographer", "purser, steward, stewardess", "other housekeeping and related workers", and the groups of occupations of "electrical, electronic, and related" and "glass, pottery, and tile workers". Men showed a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer among "technical assistants", "travelling agents", "other metal processing workers", "baker and pastry cook", "docker and freight handler", and "waiters". Conclusions: This study does not indicate that occupational factors play an important role in the aetiology of pancreatic cancer in Sweden. Few occupations were at increased risk of pancreatic cancer in both men and women, and the associations observed are in accordance with some previous studies from Western countries. PMID:12883017

A systematic review of wild grass exploitation in relation to emerging cereal cultivation throughout the Epipalaeolithic and aceramic Neolithic of the Fertile Crescent.

PubMed

Weide, Alexander; Riehl, Simone; Zeidi, Mohsen; Conard, Nicholas J

2018-01-01

The present study investigates the occurrence of wild grasses at Epipalaeolithic and aceramic Neolithic sites in the Near East in order to assess their role in subsistence economies alongside the emergence of cereal cultivation. We use Chogha Golan in the foothills of the central Zagros Mountains (ca. 11.7-9.6 ka cal. BP) as a case study, where the archaeobotanical data suggest the frequent exploitation of a complex of wild grasses for almost 2,000 years. Domesticated emmer replaced these wild grasses as the major food resources towards the end of occupation at the site (ca. 9.8 ka cal. BP). We discuss possible implications of this development and conclude that the traditional concept of pre-domestication cultivation seems unsuited for explaining the patterns from Chogha Golan. These data are in good accordance with the overall picture in the Zagros Mountains, where wild grasses were routinely gathered throughout the early Holocene. In contrast, wild grasses were gradually replaced by wild cereals in the Levantine corridor since the end of the Pleistocene. However, several sites located in this region provide evidence for a continuous exploitation of wild grasses alongside emerging cereal cultivation and most of these taxa were part of the earliest segetal floras that evolved with the appearance of domestic cereals throughout the 11th millennium cal. BP. Some sites contemporary to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B still provide evidence for the usage of wild grasses, which possibly reflects the utilization of edible arable weeds and continuous gathering of wild grasses by more mobile groups.

Pig Domestication and Human-Mediated Dispersal in Western Eurasia Revealed through Ancient DNA and Geometric Morphometrics

PubMed Central

Ottoni, Claudio; Girdland Flink, Linus; Evin, Allowen; Geörg, Christina; De Cupere, Bea; Van Neer, Wim; Bartosiewicz, László; Linderholm, Anna; Barnett, Ross; Peters, Joris; Decorte, Ronny; Waelkens, Marc; Vanderheyden, Nancy; Ricaut, François-Xavier; Çakırlar, Canan; Çevik, Özlem; Hoelzel, A. Rus; Mashkour, Marjan; Mohaseb Karimlu, Azadeh Fatemeh; Sheikhi Seno, Shiva; Daujat, Julie; Brock, Fiona; Pinhasi, Ron; Hongo, Hitomi; Perez-Enciso, Miguel; Rasmussen, Morten; Frantz, Laurent; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Crooijmans, Richard; Groenen, Martien; Arbuckle, Benjamin; Benecke, Nobert; Strand Vidarsdottir, Una; Burger, Joachim; Cucchi, Thomas; Dobney, Keith; Larson, Greger

2013-01-01

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia ∼8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or more likely appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. As a result, European wild boar mtDNA lineages replaced Near Eastern/Anatolian mtDNA signatures in Europe and subsequently replaced indigenous domestic pig lineages in Anatolia. The specific details of these processes, however, remain unknown. To address questions related to early pig domestication, dispersal, and turnover in the Near East, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA and dental geometric morphometric variation in 393 ancient pig specimens representing 48 archeological sites (from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Medieval period) from Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Our results reveal the first genetic signatures of early domestic pigs in the Near Eastern Neolithic core zone. We also demonstrate that these early pigs differed genetically from those in western Anatolia that were introduced to Europe during the Neolithic expansion. In addition, we present a significantly more refined chronology for the introduction of European domestic pigs into Asia Minor that took place during the Bronze Age, at least 900 years earlier than previously detected. By the 5th century AD, European signatures completely replaced the endemic lineages possibly coinciding with the widespread demographic and societal changes that occurred during the Anatolian Bronze and Iron Ages. PMID:23180578

[Sacred psychoactive seeds and ritual sacrifices in the Moche culture].

PubMed

Carod-Artal, F J; Vázquez-Cabrera, C B

Archaeological findings have confirmed the existence of representations of ritual human sacrifices on pottery belonging to the Moche culture (100-750 AD) in northern Peru; until recently these images were thought to be mythological narrations. We review the archaeological and ethno-historical data concerning Moche sacrifices and we attempt to identify the psychoactive seeds and plants used during such rites. Ethno-historical data from different chronicles of the New World written in the 16th century state that hamala seeds (belonging to the species Nectandra) were used for their analgesic, sedative, narcotic and anticoagulating properties, and that chamico, or stramonium, had an intoxicating effect on those who took it. There were two kinds of Moche rituals, that is, sacrifices as offerings to divinities and as exemplary punishments. Methods of sacrifice included slitting victims' throats, dismembering them and throwing them off mountains. The sacrifices of the Moche were part of a complex and elaborate ritual which consisted in capturing prisoners, parading them with nooses around their necks, making offerings, preparing the officiants and the community, consummation of the sacrifice and presenting the blood to the priest in a chalice. Human sacrifices were part of the propitiatory ceremonies held in honour of the gods in order to favour human fertility, obtain good harvests and preserve a plentiful supply of water for irrigating the valleys. The therapeutic properties of the seeds of the Nectandra species favoured their utilisation in the ritual sacrifices of the Moche culture. Their use was probably associated with stramonium and San Pedro cactus, which contain extracts rich in hallucinogenic alkaloids.

Preparation and characterization of Miocene clay powders in the region of Taza (Morocco) after doping with metal oxides Al2O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mesrar, L.; Lakrim, M.; Akdim, M.; Benmar, A.; –Sbai, N. ES; Jabrane, R.

2017-03-01

The marl’s minerals are abundant untreated material in several areas worldwide. They are often under-valued for human use. However, due to demands of the society in terms of sustainability and energy saving, the valuation of these resources to develop new materials, most environmentally friendly has become a concern both scientific and industrial aims. Ceramics are the growing research to obtain materials with good chemical stability and good hot properties [1]. The balance between these properties and industrial requirements allowed clay materials uses at craft departure (pottery, tile), to progress towards high-tech applications such as electrical and thermal insulation, electric candle, sound insulation [2]. The behavior of the doping (Al2O3), which has more scientific research interest, has been a renewed interest since 1980 [3] with the emergence of alumina very high purity. Miocene marl is one of the widespread geological substrates in Fez-Taza vicinity (Central Morocco). In this study we proceed by a physicochemical characterization of the marl after doping with metal oxides, by various analytical techniques, namely the X-ray fluorescence, the mineralogical analysis and geotechnical test. The doping of these marl was conducted by solid oxides of Al2O3 at different percentages (5%, 10% and 15%). The results of chemical analysis showed the Al2O3 increase during doping. So, the mineralogical analysis of doped clays shows peaks’ increases for kaolin. The marl doped acquired the property of their good plasticity and good mechanical resistance compared to crass marl.

Recent advances in Chinese archeomagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Shuhui; Tauxe, Lisa; Paterson, Greig A.; Deng, Chenglong; Pan, Yongxin; Qin, Huafeng; Zhu, Rixiang

2017-11-01

The geomagnetic field is one of Earth’s fundamental properties with a history of 3.5 Gyr. The field, generated in Earth’s core is a window to the deep interior of Earth and may have played a key role in evolution of life on our planet. Materials on Earth’s surface that contain magnetic minerals can record information about the geomagnetic field in which they formed. Fired archeological materials (e.g., pottery, brick, and burnt clay) are favorable recorders of the field, and have been widely employed to recover geomagnetic variations over periods of hundreds to thousands of years. The longevity of Chinese civilization and the abundant nature of archeological artifacts make Chinese archeomagnetism a promising source of data. The main work of Chinese archeomagnetism was carried out in the 1980s and 90s, followed by a break of more than a decade; in the 2010s activity resumed. In this paper, we review the development of Chinese archeomagnetism, including a summary of previous work, recent progress, remaining issues and future studies with the aim of promoting an understanding of archeomagnetic work in China and to guide the way for future studies. Here, we compile published data, including some data discovered in old publications that have not yet been included in paleomagnetic databases. We also establish the first, albeit preliminary, archeomagnetic reference curves (with 42 declination / inclination pairs and 76 / 192 archeointensities) for the geomagnetic field in China (ArchInt_China.1a / ArchInt_China.1b, ArchDec_China.1, ArchInc_China.1), which can be used for global comparison of the field and regional archeomagnetic dating.

A scientific approach to the attribution problem of renaissance ceramic productions based on chemical and mineralogical markers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

2010-09-01

Renaissance lustred majolica shards from Gubbio and Deruta (Central Italy) were investigated in order to point out differences in chemical and mineralogical composition between these two very similar Italian potteries and furthermore to find correlations with the local raw clay materials probably used for their production. Chemical and mineralogical analysis on the ceramic body were performed by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) and XRD (X-ray diffraction), respectively. Investigation of the ceramic body revealed significant differences on calcium content indicating that it could be used as a marker for the two different productions. A separation of the ceramic shards in groups, on the base of their provenance, has been achieved applying to the data set formed by the chemical compositional data some multivariate techniques, such as PCA (principal component analysis) and HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis). Even the mineralogical composition of the groups shows very interesting features, differing Gubbio production from Deruta one for the presence of several mineralogical species. The investigations carried out on clays that were collected in the two geographical places have confirmed these differences. In fact, the clay materials have a chemical composition coherent with that one found in the shards. Firing tests performed by heating these clay in different conditions (temperature and soaking time) have shown a different behaviour as concerns the formation of the minerals and it is compatible with the shard composition found. From the comparison between the fired clay and the ceramic shards, some assumptions about the firing conditions applied by the ancient potters have been drawn.

Human responses and non-responses to climatic variations during the last Glacial-Interglacial transition in the eastern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Neil; Woodbridge, Jessie; Bevan, Andrew; Palmisano, Alessio; Shennan, Stephen; Asouti, Eleni

2018-03-01

We review and evaluate human adaptations during the last glacial-interglacial climatic transition in southwest Asia. Stable isotope data imply that climatic change was synchronous across the region within the limits of dating uncertainty. Changes in vegetation, as indicated from pollen and charcoal, mirror step-wise shifts between cold-dry and warm-wet climatic conditions, but with lag effects for woody vegetation in some upland and interior areas. Palaeoenvironmental data can be set against regional archaeological evidence for human occupancy and economy from the later Epipalaeolithic to the aceramic Neolithic. Demographic change is evaluated from summed radiocarbon date probability distributions, which indicating contrasting - and in some cases opposite - population trajectories in different regions. Abrupt warming transitions at ∼14.5 and 11.7 ka BP may have acted as pacemakers for rapid cultural change in some areas, notably at the start of the Natufian and Pre-Pottery Neolithic cultures. However temporal synchroneity does not mean that climatic changes had the same environmental or societal consequences in different regions. During cold-dry time intervals, regions such as the Levant acted as refugia for plant and animal resources and human population. In areas where socio-ecological continuity was maintained through periods of adverse climate (e.g. Younger Dryas) human communities were able to respond rapidly to subsequent climatic improvement. By contrast, in areas where there was a break in settlement at these times (e.g. central Anatolia), populations were slower to react to the new opportunities provided by the interglacial world.

Late Neolithic vegetation history at the pile-dwelling site of Palù di Livenza (northeastern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pini, Roberta

2004-12-01

The Late Neolithic pile-dwelling of Palù di Livenza yielded archaeological remains typical of the Square Mouth Pottery and Lagozza Cultures. A palynological investigation reveals important changes in the vegetation due to anthropogenic pressure. Between ca. 6590 and 5960 cal. yr BP, dense oak wood forests with deciduous Quercus, Fagus and Corylus extended around the mire, with no signs of human impact. The establishment of the pile-dwelling, dated to ca. 5960 cal. yr BP, led to a strong reduction of forests, reclamation of wetlands, and expansion of herbaceous communities, with cultivated species, infestant weeds, nitrophilous and ruderal herbs, pastures and meadows. According to AMS dates and previous archaeological chronologies, the pile-dwelling persisted for about 700 years (from ca. 5960 to 5260 cal. yr BP). The history of the pile-dwelling after ca. 5260 cal. yr BP cannot be reconstructed because of recent contamination of the top part of the section. Rarefaction analysis was applied to estimate changes of palynological richness through time: the highest E(Tn) (between 56 and 69 taxa) are contemporaneous with the local development of the pile-dwelling. The comparison of pollen data with archaeobotanical evidence indicates that Fragaria vesca, Malus sylvestris, Papaver somniferum and Physalis alkekengi were gathered at some distance from the site and that Linum usitatissimum is strongly under-represented in pollen samples. Crop cultivation can be estimated for a radius of several hundred metres around the mire. Palù di Livenza is significant in the context of Neolithic archaeobotany of northern Italy and neighbouring countries. Copyright

Urinary incontinence in working women: a comparison study.

PubMed

Palmer, Mary H; Fitzgerald, Sheila

2002-12-01

To compare the findings of two surveys concerning the nature of urinary incontinence and management strategies used by full-time employed working women. The first study was conducted in an urban academic setting with a survey distributed to 2000 women. The second study was conducted with 500 women in a rural pottery manufacturing facility. Twenty-one percent of the women working in an academic setting (group A) and 29% (p = 0.002) of the women working in a manufacturing setting (group B) reported being incontinent of urine at least monthly. More women in group B reported antecedents mixed incontinence (i.e., antecedent to both stress and urge incontinence). More women in group B also used panty liners to manage urine loss (p = 0.003), whereas more women in group A used voiding schedules (p = 0.008) and pelvic muscle exercises (p = 0.04). More women in group A reported that they did not know if their incontinence could improve (40% vs. 1%, p = 0.00). The majority in both groups said that getting treatment was of no or little importance, yet, overwhelmingly, most women (group A 81%; group B 86%) wanted more information about incontinence. Incontinence is a prevalent condition in working women. Discrepancies exist in the nature of the urine loss and strategies used to manage incontinence. Treatment also differs for those women who report urine loss to healthcare providers. Most women want to learn more about incontinence. Secondary prevention strategies need to be tailored and tested to meet symptoms and concerns for women in different work settings.

Paleo-Environment and C-14 Dating: The Key to the Depositional Age of the Tha Chang and Related Sand Pits, Northeastern Thailand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putthapiban, P.; Zolensky, M.; Jull, T.; Demartino, M.; Salyapongse, S.

2012-01-01

Tha Chang sand pits, Nakhon Ratchasima Province and many other sand pits in the area adjacent to the Mun River are characterized by their fluviatile environment in association with mass wasting deposits, along the paleo-river channel and the flood plain of the Mun River. Sediments of these deposits are characterized by clasts of various rock types especially the resistant ones with frequent big tree trunks, logs and wood fragments in different sizes and various stages of transformation from moldering stage to lignification and petrification. Widespread pyritization of the lower horizon suggests strongly reducing environment during burial. The Tha Chang deposits have been received much attention from geoscientists especially paleontologist communities, as they contain fragments of some distinct vertebrate species such as Stegadon sp., hominoid primate, rhinoceros Aceratherium and others. Based on the associated mammal fauna and hominoid fossils, the late Miocene ( 9 - 6 Ma) was given for the time of deposition of this sand and gravel unit. Some other reports believed that sediments and materials of these sand and gravel quarries (pits) were deposited by high-energy flood pulses contemporaneous with the tektites forming event during mid-Pleistocene at c. 0.8 Ma. Interpretation from Palynostratigraphical study suggested that the lower horizon of Tha Chang sand pit was deposited during Pliocene/Pleistocene period and the upper horizons are Pleistoncene/Holocene. It is crystal clear that all the fluviatile sediments including tektites and almost all fossil fragments being deposited in these sand pits were, likely a multiple times reworked materials. Only some old bamboo trees, some old crowling trees and fossils grasses observed on the old river bank are considered in situ. C-14 dating of 5 old wood specimens from Tha Chang Sand Pits, 15 old wood specimens from Chumpuang Sand Pits and one sample of old pottery from a Chumpuang Sand Pit were carried out in the NSF- Arizona AMS Laboratory. Although, there is no sharp boundary between the unconsolidated sedimentary horizons in the pits, C-14 ages obtained from the Tha Chang vary from 34,340 BP at the middle horizon (approx 10 m below ground zero) to >49,900 BP at the lower horizon with unknown basal formation (highly pyritized zone approx 20 - 25 m below ground zero). The ages for the Chumpuang vary from 41,700 BP, >45,900 BP and >49,900 BP from the upper most to the lower most of a broad horizon (approx 8 m to approx 12 m below ground zero). The C-14 age of the pottery collected from layer approximately 5 m below ground zero is 2,514 BP. The nature of fluviatile together with occasional mass wasting characteristics of all sand pits studies suggest the relatively faster depositional rate of the lower horizon which involved more flooding and mass wasting deposits than those of the upper horizons. The apparent of some mixing of the wood ages may indicate reworking and lag deposits nature of the area. The depositional rate of the upper most sand and soil horizon (5 m thick) is approximately 1 m per 500 years which mean both erosion and deposition had played a significant role during that time period. In term of the true age of the formation, we argue that since most of the materials deposited are reworked materials, all ages obtained from fossil fragments could not be the age of sand and gravel formation. Furthermore, the maximum age of all the tektite bearing horizons cannot be older than 0.8 Ma. The oldest C-14 age of 49,900 BP is interpreted as the minimum age of the Tha Chang and related sand pits formation when geomorphology of the area was a lot more hilly and much higher gradient than that of the present day.

Mercury levels assessment and its relationship with oxidative stress biomarkers in children from three localities in Yucatan, Mexico.

PubMed

Rangel-Méndez, Jorge A; Arcega-Cabrera, Flor E; Fargher, Lane F; Moo-Puc, Rosa E

2016-02-01

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that is released into the environment from geologic and anthropogenic sources. Once it enters an organism, it generates several toxicity mechanisms and oxidative stress has been proposed as the main one. Metal susceptibility is greater in children, which is a result of their physiology and behavior. In Yucatan, Mexico, burning of unregulated garbage dumps and household trash, ingestion of top marine predators, and pottery manufacturing are among the conditions that could promote Hg exposure. However, for Yucatan, there are no published studies that report Hg levels and associated oxidative stress status in children. Therefore, this study aimed to assess Hg levels in blood and urine and oxidative stress biomarkers levels in a sample of 107 healthy children from three localities in Yucatan, Mexico, as well as investigate the relationship between these parameters. Hg was detected in 11 (10.28%) of blood samples and 38 (35.51%) of urine samples collected from the participating children. Fourteen subjects showed Hg above recommended levels. The oxidative stress biomarkers were slightly elevated in comparison with other studies and were statistically different between the sampling sites. No linear correlation between Hg levels and oxidative stress biomarkers was found. Nevertheless, exploratory univariate and multivariate analysis showed non-linear relations among the measured variables. Globally, the study provides, for the first time, information regarding Hg levels and their relationship with oxidative stress biomarkers in a juvenile population from Mexico's southeast (Yucatan) region. In agreement with worldwide concern about Hg, this study should stimulate studies on metal monitoring in humans (especially children) among scientists working in Mexico, the establishment of polices for its regulation, and the reduction of human health risks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leach test of cladding removal waste grout using Hanford groundwater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serne, R.J.; Martin, W.J.; Legore, V.L.

1995-09-01

This report describes laboratory experiments performed during 1986-1990 designed to produce empirical leach rate data for cladding removal waste (CRW) grout. At the completion of the laboratory work, funding was not available for report completion, and only now during final grout closeout activities is the report published. The leach rates serve as inputs to computer codes used in assessing the potential risk from the migration of waste species from disposed grout. This report discusses chemical analyses conducted on samples of CRW grout, and the results of geochemical computer code calculations that help identify mechanisms involved in the leaching process. Themore » semi-infinite solid diffusion model was selected as the most representative model for describing leaching of grouts. The use of this model with empirically derived leach constants yields conservative predictions of waste release rates, provided no significant changes occur in the grout leach processes over long time periods. The test methods included three types of leach tests--the American Nuclear Society (ANS) 16.1 intermittent solution exchange test, a static leach test, and a once-through flow column test. The synthetic CRW used in the tests was prepared in five batches using simulated liquid waste spiked with several radionuclides: iodine ({sup 125}I), carbon ({sup 14}C), technetium ({sup 99}Tc), cesium ({sup 137}Cs), strontium ({sup 85}Sr), americium ({sup 241}Am), and plutonium ({sup 238}Pu). The grout was formed by mixing the simulated liquid waste with dry blend containing Type I and Type II Portland cement, class F fly ash, Indian Red Pottery clay, and calcium hydroxide. The mixture was allowed to set and cure at room temperature in closed containers for at least 46 days before it was tested.« less

Correction to Kreuzbauer, King, and Basu (2015).

PubMed

2015-08-01

Reports an error in "The Mind in the Object-Psychological Valuation of Materialized Human Expression" by Robert Kreuzbauer, Dan King and Shankha Basu (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Advanced Online Publication, Jun 15, 2015, np). In the article the labels on the X-axis of Figure 1 "Remove Variance" and "Preserve Variance" should be switched. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2015-26264-001.) Symbolic material objects such as art or certain artifacts (e.g., fine pottery, jewelry) share one common element: The combination of generating an expression, and the materialization of this expression in the object. This explains why people place a much greater value on handmade over machine-made objects, and originals over duplicates. We show that this mechanism occurs when a material object's symbolic property is salient and when the creator (artist or craftsman) is perceived to have agency control over the 1-to-1 materialized expression in the object. Coactivation of these 2 factors causes the object to be perceived as having high value because it is seen as the embodied representation of the creator's unique personal expression. In 6 experiments, subjects rated objects in various object categories, which varied on the type of object property (symbolic, functional, aesthetic), the production procedure (handmade, machine-made, analog, digital) and the origin of the symbolic information (person or software). The studies showed that the proposed mechanism applies to symbolic, but not to functional or aesthetic material objects. Furthermore, they show that this specific form of symbolic object valuation could not be explained by various other related psychological theories (e.g., uniqueness, scarcity, physical touching, creative performance). Our research provides a universal framework that identifies a core mechanism for explaining judgments of value for one of our most uniquely human symbolic object categories. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Biomass conservation potential of pottery/ceramic lined Mamta Stove: An improved stove promoted under National Programme on Improved Cookstoves in India

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George, R.; Yadla, V.L.

1995-10-01

To combat biomass scarcity and ensure a cleaner cooking environment with less drudgery, among other things, a variety of improved stoves are promoted under National Programme on Improved Cookstoves (NPIC). Mamta Stove (MS) is one among such improved stoves. An indepth study was undertaken covering a sample of twenty-five rural families with the primary objective of assessing fuel saving potential of MS under field conditions through Kitchen Performance Test (KPT). Conventional stove (CS) used in almost all the families was shielded horse-shoe shaped stove with a negligible proportion using three stone open fire. Nearly 88% depended only on zero privatemore » cost fuels. The mean number of persons for whom the stoves were used on the days of field measurements in case of CS and MS were 5.6 and 5.7 respectively with an SD of 1.16 and standard adult equivalent (SAE) was approximately 4. Cooking pots included a concave roasting pan, a deep frying pan and flat bottomed pots. The mean daily fuel consumption on CS and MS were estimated to be 4.88 kg and 3.75 kg respective, thereby, resulting in fuel saving to the tune of 24% on MS. The paper discusses at length the design features of CS and MS, meal pattern, cooking habits, need for user training, consumerism in the area of cooking and stove technology, economics of switching over to MS and policy implications of commercialization of hitherto subsidized stove program. Further, salient characteristics of high and low cooking fuel consumers on MS are presented to bring to limelight their profile.« less

Near Surface Magnetic Survey for Investigating the Cultural Relics in Suchon, Gongju, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, M. R.; Tiampo, K.; Suh, M.; Abdallatif, T. F.

2009-05-01

A magnetic study by the FM256 Fluxgate Gradiometer was conducted in Suchon, Gongju to measure the vertical magnetic gradient of the Earth's magnetic field and to give further details of the shallow section. The region was divided into two separate areas. The first study area measured 40m by 20m while the second study area was 20m x 20m. Each was subsequently divided into four grids of dimension 20m by 10m and 10m by 10m respectively. Measurements of the vertical magnetic gradient were conducted through successive zigzag traverses. The sample-interval and the traverse-interval were set to specifically record small anomalies at a high resolution. A total of 3200 readings were measured at the first study area and 1600 at the second study area. The data have been downloaded, presented and processed through the Geoplot software to remove the spikes, grid discontinuities, and traverses stripes, and also to enhance the display and smooth the data using the Gaussian low-pass filtering techniques. The vertical gradient of the processed data over the second study area ranges from -34nT to + 21nT, while it ranges from -36nT to + 62nT at the first study area. The gradiometer results defined several positive and negative magnetic anomalies, which revealed the existence of several subsurface features of different shapes and sizes. A comparison between the processed magnetic images suggest that the subsurface features may include a room structure (e.g. hut), a cave-shaped stone chamber tomb, an accumulation of potteries and porcelains common in the Baekje period in the ancient Korean history. The biggest anomaly (3 m in diameter) may illuminate a quartzite tomb chamber. As a result, the study area has great archaeological interest.

Evidence of a prolonged drought ca. 4200 yr BP correlated with prehistoric settlement abandonment from the Gueldaman GLD1 Cave, N-Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, J.; Kherbouche, F.; Genty, D.; Blamart, D.; Cheng, H.; Dewilde, F.; Hachi, S.; Edwards, L. R.; Régnier, E.; Michelot, J.-L.

2015-07-01

Middle Holocene cultures have been widely studied round the E-Mediterranean basin in the last 30 years and past cultural activities have been commonly linked with regional climate changes. However, in many cases such linkage is equivocal, in part due to existing climatic evidence that has been derived from areas outside the distribution of ancient settlements, leading to uncertainty from complex spatial heterogeneity in both climate and demography. A few high-resolution well-dated paleoclimate records were recently established using speleothems in the Central and E-Mediterranean basin, however, the scarcity of such records in the western part of the Mediterranean prevents us from correlating past climate evolutions across the basin and deciphering climate-culture relation at fine time scales. Here we report the first decadal-resolved Mid-Holocene climate proxy records from the W-Mediterranean basin based on the stable carbon and oxygen isotopes analyses of two U/Th dated stalagmites from the Gueldaman GLD1 Cave in N-Algeria. Comparison of our records with those from Italy and Israel reveals synchronous (multi) centennial dry phases centered at ca. 5600, ca. 5200 and ca. 4200 yr BP across the Mediterranean basin. New calibrated radiocarbon dating constrains reasonably well the age of rich anthropogenic deposits (e.g., faunal remains, pottery, charcoal) excavated inside the cave, which allows the comparison between in situ evidence of human occupation and of climate change. This approach shows that the timing of a prolonged drought at ca. 4400-3800 yr BP blankets the onset of cave abandonment shortly after ca. 4403 cal yr BP, supporting the hypothesis that a climate anomaly may have played a role in this cultural disruption.

Why do workers behave unsafely at work? Determinants of safe work practices in industrial workers.

PubMed

Garcia, A M; Boix, P; Canosa, C

2004-03-01

To explore the relation between safety climate (workers' perceptions regarding management's attitudes towards occupational safety and health) and workers' behaviour at work. Cross sectional survey of workers at the pottery industry in Castellon, Spain. Sampling was stratified by plant size and workers' gender, according to data on the working population at this setting. A total of 734 production workers were interviewed. Information was collected on safety climate and workers' behaviour towards occupational risks with a specific questionnaire. A safety climate index (SCI, scale 0-100) was constructed adding scores for each item measuring safety climate in the questionnaire. Workers' unsafe behaviour was analysed for the different safety climate index levels. Mean score for SCI was 71.90 (SD 19.19). There were no differences in SCI scores according to age, gender, education, children at charge, seniority at work, or type of employment. Small workplaces (<50 workers) showed significantly worse SCI (mean 67.23, SD 19.73) than the largest factories (>200 workers). Lower levels of SCI (SCI <50) were related to workers' unsafe behaviours (full/high accord with the statement "I excessively expose myself to hazards in my work", adjusted odds ratio ORa 2.79, 95% CI 1.60 to 4.88), and to lack of compliance with safety rules (ORa 12.83, 95% CI 5.92 to 27.80). Safety climate measures workers' perception of organisational factors related to occupational health and safety (for example, management commitment to risk prevention or priorities of safety versus production). In this study these factors are strongly associated with workers' attitudes towards safety at work. Longitudinal studies can further clarify the relation between safety climate and workers' behaviour regarding occupational safety and health.

Occupational and environmental exposures and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus: silica, sunlight, solvents

PubMed Central

Wither, Joan; Bernatsky, Sasha; Claudio, Jaime O.; Clarke, Ann; Rioux, John D.; Fortin, Paul R.

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined occupational and non-occupational exposures in relation to risk of SLE in a case–control study conducted through the Canadian Network for Improved Outcomes in SLE (CaNIOS). Methods. SLE cases (n = 258) were recruited from 11 rheumatology centres across Canada. Controls (without SLE, n = 263) were randomly selected from phone number listings and matched to cases by age, sex and area of residence. Data were collected using a structured telephone interview. Results. An association was seen with outdoor work in the 12 months preceding diagnosis [odds ratio (OR) 2.0; 95% CI 1.1, 3.8]; effect modification by sun reaction was suggested, with the strongest effect among people who reported reacting to midday sun with a blistering sunburn or a rash (OR 7.9; 95% CI 0.97, 64.7). Relatively strong but imprecise associations were seen with work as an artist working with paints, dyes or developing film (OR 3.9; 95% CI 1.3, 12.3) and work that included applying nail polish or nail applications (OR 10.2; 95% CI 1.3, 81.5). Patients were more likely than controls to report participation in pottery or ceramics work as a leisure activity, with an increased risk among individuals with a total frequency of at least 26 days (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.1, 3.9). Analyses of potential respirable silica exposures suggested an exposure–response gradient (OR 1.0, 1.4. and 2.1 for zero, one and two or more sources of exposure, respectively; trend test P < 0.01). Conclusions. This study supports the role of specific occupational and non-occupational exposures in the development of SLE. PMID:20675707

Chemical profiling of ancient hearths reveals recurrent salmon use in Ice Age Beringia

PubMed Central

Choy, Kyungcheol; Potter, Ben A.; McKinney, Holly J.; Reuther, Joshua D.; Wang, Shiway W.; Wooller, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Current approaches to reconstruct subsistence and dietary trends in ancient hunter-gatherer societies include stable isotope analyses, but these have focused on human remains, cooking pottery, and food residues, which are relatively rare in the archaeological record. In contrast, short-term hearths are more ubiquitous worldwide, and these features can provide valuable evidence for ancient subsistence practices, particularly when faunal remains are not preserved. To test the suitability of hearths for this purpose, we conducted multiple chemical analyses: stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of total organic matter (expressed as δ13C and δ15N values) and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses of individual fatty acids (δ13C16:0 and δ13C18:0) from 17 well-preserved hearths present in three occupations dating between ∼13,200–11,500 calibrated years B.P. at the Upward Sun River (USR) site in central Alaska. We combined δ15N and δ13CFA data in a Bayesian mixing model (stable isotope analysis in R) with concentration dependency to each hearth. Our model values were tested against faunal indices, indicating a strong positive relationship between marine proportional contributions to each hearth and salmon abundance. Results of the models show substantial anadromous salmon use in multiple USR components, indicating recurrent use of the site for salmon processing during the terminal Pleistocene. Our results demonstrate that salmonid and freshwater resources were more important for late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers than previously thought and highlight the potential of chemical profiling of hearth organic residues for providing greater geographic and temporal insights into resource use by prepottery societies. PMID:27573838

Chemical profiling of ancient hearths reveals recurrent salmon use in Ice Age Beringia.

PubMed

Choy, Kyungcheol; Potter, Ben A; McKinney, Holly J; Reuther, Joshua D; Wang, Shiway W; Wooller, Matthew J

2016-08-30

Current approaches to reconstruct subsistence and dietary trends in ancient hunter-gatherer societies include stable isotope analyses, but these have focused on human remains, cooking pottery, and food residues, which are relatively rare in the archaeological record. In contrast, short-term hearths are more ubiquitous worldwide, and these features can provide valuable evidence for ancient subsistence practices, particularly when faunal remains are not preserved. To test the suitability of hearths for this purpose, we conducted multiple chemical analyses: stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of total organic matter (expressed as δ(13)C and δ(15)N values) and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses of individual fatty acids (δ(13)C16:0 and δ(13)C18:0) from 17 well-preserved hearths present in three occupations dating between ∼13,200-11,500 calibrated years B.P. at the Upward Sun River (USR) site in central Alaska. We combined δ(15)N and δ(13)CFA data in a Bayesian mixing model (stable isotope analysis in R) with concentration dependency to each hearth. Our model values were tested against faunal indices, indicating a strong positive relationship between marine proportional contributions to each hearth and salmon abundance. Results of the models show substantial anadromous salmon use in multiple USR components, indicating recurrent use of the site for salmon processing during the terminal Pleistocene. Our results demonstrate that salmonid and freshwater resources were more important for late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers than previously thought and highlight the potential of chemical profiling of hearth organic residues for providing greater geographic and temporal insights into resource use by prepottery societies.

[Population resettlement and women's changing roles in the Sahel].

PubMed

Ouedraogo, D O

1992-01-01

For many decision makers in the Sahel, relocating populations from poor, over-populated regions to relatively fertile zones regulated by the state seemed the best approach to improving women's conditions, particularly in household affairs. In the original territories, women have their personal fields where they raise vegetables and other products which they sell to secure their own income. During the dry season, they engage in other activities for money (e.g., production and sale of millet beer and sale of pottery). Women have relative economic autonomy. Within the family household and in villages, they isolate themselves in their own spaces (e.g., kitchen and wells) and discuss their specific problems. In government-controlled zones where families resettle, the families are supposed to plant the same varieties of imposed cultivation (e.g., rice) judged to be more productive. They must sow, plow, and harvest using the same techniques. All activities are controlled. Women have no decision power and must submit to the logic of the chief of agricultural production. They no longer have time to dedicate themselves to individual economic activity (especially in irrigated zones, where there are two annual plantings), or to assure a good education for their children. They have little time to dedicate to hygiene and nutrition. These government-controlled agricultural zones have established an exploitation model that contributes to the socioeconomic destabilization of families. The retreat of women's economic power is often accompanied by degradation of family well-being. Agricultural development schemes that involve agricultural migrations have marginalized women even more than they were before resettlement in spite of improvement in family income. It is narrowly linked to short-term development. In conclusion, agricultural resettlement schemes do not improve the status of women.

Stone tools and foraging in northern Madagascar challenge Holocene extinction models

PubMed Central

Dewar, Robert E.; Radimilahy, Chantal; Wright, Henry T.; Jacobs, Zenobia; Kelly, Gwendolyn O.; Berna, Francesco

2013-01-01

Past research on Madagascar indicates that village communities were established about AD 500 by people of both Indonesian and East African heritage. Evidence of earlier visits is scattered and contentious. Recent archaeological excavations in northern Madagascar provide evidence of occupational sites with microlithic stone technologies related to foraging for forest and coastal resources. A forager occupation of one site dates to earlier than 2000 B.C., doubling the length of Madagascar’s known occupational history, and thus the time during which people exploited Madagascar’s environments. We detail stratigraphy, chronology, and artifacts from two rock shelters. Ambohiposa near Iharana (Vohémar) on the northeast coast, yielded a stratified assemblage with small flakes, microblades, and retouched crescentic and trapezoidal tools, probably projectile elements, made on cherts and obsidian, some brought more that 200 km. 14C dates are contemporary with the earliest villages. No food remains are preserved. Lakaton’i Anja near Antsiranana in the north yielded several stratified assemblages. The latest assemblage is well dated to A.D. 1050–1350, by 14C and optically stimulated luminescence dating and pottery imported from the Near East and China. Below is a series of stratified assemblages similar to Ambohiposa. 14C and optically stimulated luminescence dates indicate occupation from at least 2000 B.C. Faunal remains indicate a foraging pattern. Our evidence shows that foragers with a microlithic technology were active in Madagascar long before the arrival of farmers and herders and before many Late Holocene faunal extinctions. The differing effects of historically distinct economies must be identified and understood to reconstruct Holocene histories of human environmental impact. PMID:23858456

Antimony and sleep-related disorders: NHANES 2005-2008.

PubMed

Scinicariello, Franco; Buser, Melanie C; Feroe, Aliya G; Attanasio, Roberta

2017-07-01

Antimony is used as a flame-retardant in textiles and plastics, in semiconductors, pewter, and as pigments in paints, lacquers, glass and pottery. Subacute or chronic antimony poisoning has been reported to cause sleeplessness. The prevalence of short sleep duration (<7h/night) has been reported to be 37.1% in the general US population, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 12-28 million US adults. Insufficient sleep and OSA have been linked to the development of several chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression, conditions that pose serious public health threats. To investigate whether there is an association between antimony exposure and sleep-related disorders in the US adult population using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2008. We performed multivariate logistic regression to analyze the association of urinary antimony with several sleep disorders, including insufficient sleep and OSA, in adult (ages 20 years and older) participants of NHANES 2005-2008 (n=2654). We found that participants with higher urinary antimony levels had higher odds to experience insufficient sleep (≤6h/night) (OR 1.73; 95%CI; 1.04, 2.91) as well as higher odds to have increased sleep onset latency (>30min/night). Furthermore, we found that higher urinary antimony levels in participants were associated with OSA (OR 1.57; 95%CI; 1.05, 2.34), sleep problems, and day-time sleepiness. In this study, we found that urinary antimony was associated with higher odds to have insufficient sleep and OSA. Because of the public health implications of sleep disorders, further studies, especially a prospective cohort study, are warranted to evaluate the association between antimony exposure and sleep-related disorders. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Physical basis of the Thellier-Thellier and related paleointensity methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunlop, David J.

2011-08-01

Émile and Odette Thellier produced the first reliable determinations of paleointensity following an experimental protocol used earlier by Johann Koenigsberger. Although Koenigsberger did groundbreaking work on thermoremanent magnetization (TRM), it was the Thelliers who formulated the fundamental idea of partial TRMs as building blocks for TRM. In his 1938 doctoral thesis and a series of short notes, Émile Thellier minutely examined the data on TRM and partial TRM, ultimately establishing for bricks and other baked clays his laws of pTRM reciprocity, independence and additivity. In 1946 he speculated that blocking represents "…immobilization of elementary magnetic moments below a temperature Θ … Θ will vary at each point in the body, perhaps with the dimensions and the shape of the crystalline grains … One can thus explain thermoremanence by the progressive fixing, in the course of cooling, of moments which find themselves held fast when they pass through their individual temperature Θ." Thellier thus established the physical basis of TRM blocking and recognized the essential role of grain size and shape. In 1949 Louis Néel quantified these concepts in terms of the properties of single-domain grains. Today the Thellier-Thellier method remains the benchmark of reliable paleointensity data. The challenge has been the non-ideality of real geological and archeological materials: TRM carriers larger than single-domain size and physicochemical alteration during heating. The Thelliers avoided these problems by using bricks and pottery previously fired under conditions similar to those in laboratory heatings, eschewing volcanic and other rocks. But despite their problems, we have to deal with the material nature provides. This paper provides insights into the physics underlying the Thellier-Thellier method and check procedures that detect non-ideal behavior, as well as reviewing recent advances in paleointensity methodology.

Optically Stimulated Luminescence Response to Ionizing Radiation of Red Bricks (SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3) Used as Building Materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bogard, James S; Espinosa Garcia, Guillermo

2007-01-01

Quartz is the most common mineral in our environment. It is found in granite, hydrothermal veins and volcanic rocks, as well as in sedimentary deposits derived from such solid materials. These sediments are also made into building materials, such as bricks and pottery. Thus the potential use of a dose reconstruction technique based on quartz grains is enormous, whether as a dating tool in archaeology and quaternary geology, or in nuclear accident dosimetry. This work describes the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) response of red brick to ionizing radiation. The bricks, from the state of Puebla, Mexico, represent another class ofmore » materials that can be used in retrospective dosimetry following nuclear or radiological incidents. The chemical composition of fifteen bricks (three samples from five different brick factories) was determined, using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), be primarily SiO{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and is believed to be representative for this common building material. Individual aliquots from these bricks were powdered in agate mortars and thermally annealed. Replicate samples of the aliquots were then irradiated with beta particles from a sealed source of {sup 90}Sr/{sup 90}Y. The OSL response was measured with a Daybreak Model 2200 High-Capacity OSL Reader System. We present here for this material the characteristic OSL response to beta particles; the reproducibility of the OSL response; the linearity of the response in the dose range 0.47 Gy to 47 Gy; and the fading characteristics.« less

Experiences with radiation portal detectors for international rail transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stromswold, D. C.; McCormick, K.; Todd, L.; Ashbaker, E. D.; Evans, J. C.

2006-08-01

Radiation detectors monitored trains at two international borders to evaluate the performance of NaI(Tl) and plastic (polyvinyltoluene: PVT) gamma-ray detectors to characterize rail cargo. The detectors included a prototype NaI(Tl) radiation-portal-monitor panel having four large detectors (10-cm × 10-cm × 41-cm) and a PVT panel with a 41 cm × 173 cm × 3.8-cm detector. Spectral data from the NaI(Tl) and PVT detectors were recorded. Of particular emphasis was the identification of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and the resultant frequency of nuisance alarms. For rail monitoring, the difficulty in stopping trains to perform secondary inspection on alarming cars creates a need for reliable identification of NORM during initial screening. Approximately 30 trains were monitored, and the commodities in individual railcars were ascertained from manifest information. At one test site, the trains carried inter-modal containers that had been unloaded from ships, and at the other site, the trains contained bulk cargo in tanker cars and hopper cars or individual items in boxcars or flatbeds. NORM encountered included potash, liquefied petroleum gas, fireworks, televisions, and clay-based products (e.g., pottery). Analysis of the spectral data included the use of the template-fitting portion of the program GADRAS developed at Sandia National Laboratories. For most of the NORM, the NaI(Tl) data produced a correct identification of the radionuclides present in the railcars. The same analysis was also used for PVT data in which the spectral information (no peaks but only gradual spectral changes including Compton edges) was limited. However, the PVT analysis provided correct identification of 40K and 226Ra in many cases.

Petrographic analysis of prehistoric ceramics from the Huagangshan site of Hualien City, eastern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, Y. S.; Yi-Chang, L.

2017-12-01

Numerous stone artifacts, ceramics, bone tools, metal objects, and etc., had been unearthed from the Huagangshan site of Hualien City, eastern Taiwan, during the excavations of 2008-2010 and 2012. Of particular importance is more than ten thousands of potsherds were discovered. A stratigraphic sequence spanning the late Early Neolithic (ca. 5000 BP) through to the prehistoric of Taiwan (300 BP) was excavated. This study focuses on potteries from the Late Neolithic (ca. 3500-2800 BP), owing to some ceramics exhibiting distinct stylistic motifs and morphological attributes were recognized to be not produced locally. Have these wares been brought to the area by exchange trade and/or by immigrants? Or had they been made by local potters through the imitation of exotic styles? It is still unclear and is one of the most important archaeological issues in eastern Taiwan. To clarify this subject, understanding the raw material compositions and sources, manufacturing techniques, and etc. are considered to be the best ways. Thus, 21 potsherds from excavations and 6 river sand samples near the site were studied by petrographic analysis. The results of petrographic study show that temper components in the potsherds are quartz, pyroxene, amphibole, plagioclase, sedimentary rock fragments (sandstone), igneous rock fragments (andesite), and metamorphic rock fragments (metasandstone, slate, schist), and the contents and proportions are different in these samples. Petrography shows that the ceramic have multiple origins. A ternary plot of rock fragments shows three compositional groups. This result discriminates two types of ceramics from the others and confirms those ceramics producing non-locally. However, one type of potsherds have local origins through they were recognized to be exotic ones.

Penile representations in ancient Greek art.

PubMed

Rempelakos, L; Tsiamis, C; Poulakou-Rebelakou, E

2013-12-01

The presentation of the cult of phallus in ancient Greece and the artistic appearance of the phenomenon on vase figures and statues, as indicative of the significant role of the male genitalia in all fertility ceremonies. The examination of a great number of penile representations from the ancient Greek pottery and sculpture and the review of the ancient theater plays (satiric dramas and comedies ). Phallus in artistic representation is connected either with gods of fertility, such as the goat-footed and horned Pan or the ugly dwarf Priapus or the semi-animal nailed figures Satyrs, devotees of the god Dionysus accompanying him in all ritual orgiastic celebrations. Phallus also symbolizes good luck, health and sexuality: people bear or wear artificial phalli exactly like the actors as part of their costume or carry huge penises during the festive ritual processions. On the contrary, the Olympic gods or the ordinary mortals are not imaged ithyphallic; the ideal type of male beauty epitomized in classical sculpture, normally depicts genitals of average or less than average size. It is noteworthy that many of these images belong to athletes during or immediately after hard exercise with the penis shrunk. The normal size genitalia may have been simply a convention to distinguish normal people from the gods of sexuality and fertility, protectors of the reproductive process of Nature. The representation of the over-sized and erected genitalia on vase figures or statues of ancient Greek art is related to fertility gods such as Priapus, Pan and Satyrs and there is strong evidence that imagination and legend were replacing the scientific achievements in the field of erectile function for many centuries.

Environmental and Occupational Lead Exposure Among Children in Cairo, Egypt: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Moawad, Eman Mohamed Ibraheim; Badawy, Nashwa Mostafa; Manawill, Marie

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess childhood lead exposure in a representative sample of Cairo, and to investigate the possible risk factors and sources of exposure. This cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 through April 2015. The target population was children aged 6 to 18 years, recruited into 4 groups, garbage city, moderate-living standard area, urban and suburban schools, and workshops in the city of Cairo. Blood lead levels (BLLs) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations were measured. Also, potential local environmental sources were assessed for hazardous lead contamination. Analysis on 400 participants has been carried out. A total of 113 children had BLLs in the range 10 to 20 μg/dL. Smoking fathers, housing conditions, playing outdoors, and exposure to lead in residential areas were significantly correlated with high BLLs. The mean values of hemoglobin were inversely correlated with BLLs. Children involved in pottery workshops had the highest BLLs and the lowest Hb values with a mean of (43.3 μg/dL and 8.6 g/dL, respectively). The mean value of environmental lead in workshop areas exceeded the recommended levels. Also, those values measured in dust and paint samples of garbage city were significantly high. Moreover, the mean lead levels in the soil samples were significantly higher in urban schools (P = 0.03) than the suburban ones. Childhood lead poisoning accounts for a substantial burden in Egypt, which could be preventable. Development of national prevention programs including universal screening program should be designed to reduce incidence of lead toxicity among children.

A chronology for late prehistoric Madagascar.

PubMed

Burney, David A; Burney, Lida Pigott; Godfrey, Laurie R; Jungers, William L; Goodman, Steven M; Wright, Henry T; Jull, A J Timothy

2004-01-01

A database has been assembled with 278 age determinations for Madagascar. Materials 14C dated include pretreated sediments and plant macrofossils from cores and excavations throughout the island, and bones, teeth, or eggshells of most of the extinct megafaunal taxa, including the giant lemurs, hippopotami, and ratites. Additional measurements come from uranium-series dates on speleothems and thermoluminescence dating of pottery. Changes documented include late Pleistocene climatic events and, in the late Holocene, the apparently human-caused transformation of the environment. Multiple lines of evidence point to the earliest human presence at ca. 2300 14C yr BP (350 cal yr BC). A decline in megafauna, inferred from a drastic decrease in spores of the coprophilous fungus Sporormiella spp. in sediments at 1720+/-40 14C yr BP (230-410 cal yr AD), is followed by large increases in charcoal particles in sediment cores, beginning in the SW part of the island, and spreading to other coasts and the interior over the next millennium. The record of human occupation is initially sparse, but shows large human populations throughout the island by the beginning of the Second Millennium AD. Dating of the "subfossil" megafauna, including pygmy hippos, elephant birds, giant tortoises, and large lemurs, demonstrates that most if not all the extinct taxa were still present on the island when humans arrived. Many taxa overlapped chronologically with humans for a millennium or more. The extinct lemurs Hadropithecus stenognathus, Pachylemur insignis, Mesopropithecus pithecoides, and Daubentonia robusta, and the elephant birds Aepyornis spp. and Mullerornis spp., were still present near the end of the First Millennium AD. Palaeopropithecus ingens, Megaladapis edwardsi, and Archaeolemur sp. (cf. edwardsi) may have survived until the middle of the Second Millennium A.D. One specimen of Hippopotamus of unknown provenance dates to the period of European colonization.

Evidence of a prolonged drought ca. 4200 yr BP correlated with prehistoric settlement abandonment from the Gueldaman GLD1 Cave, Northern Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, J.; Kherbouche, F.; Genty, D.; Blamart, D.; Cheng, H.; Dewilde, F.; Hachi, S.; Edwards, R. L.; Régnier, E.; Michelot, J.-L.

2016-01-01

Middle Holocene cultures have been widely studied around the Eastern-Mediterranean basin in the last 30 years and past cultural activities have been commonly linked with regional climate changes. However, in many cases such linkage is equivocal, in part due to existing climatic evidence that has been derived from areas outside the distribution of ancient settlements, leading to uncertainty from complex spatial heterogeneity in both climate and demography. A few high-resolution well-dated paleoclimate records were recently established using speleothems in the Central and Eastern-Mediterranean basin, however, the scarcity of such records in the western part of the Mediterranean prevents us from correlating past climate evolutions across the basin and deciphering climate-culture relation at fine timescales. Here we report the first decadal-resolved Mid-Holocene climate proxy records from the Western-Mediterranean basin based on the stable carbon and oxygen isotopes analyses of two U/Th dated stalagmites from the Gueldaman GLD1 Cave in Northern Algeria. Comparison of our records with those from Italy and Israel reveals synchronous (multi) centennial dry phases centered at ca. 5600, ca. 5200 and ca. 4200 yr BP across the Mediterranean basin. New calibrated radiocarbon dating constrains reasonably well the age of rich anthropogenic deposits (e.g., faunal remains, pottery, charcoal) excavated inside the cave, which allows the comparison between in situ evidence of human occupation and of climate change. This approach shows that the timing of a prolonged drought at ca. 4400-3800 yr BP blankets the onset of cave abandonment shortly after ca. 4403 cal yr BP, supporting the hypothesis that a climate anomaly may have played a role in this cultural disruption.

An integrative review: Developing and measuring creativity in nursing.

PubMed

Ma, Xing; Yang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Xue; Zang, Yuli

2018-03-01

To analyze and synthesise the existing evidence on creativity in nursing. An integrative review. A systematic search was conducted using seven English databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane, EBSCO, Wiley, and Medline) and the top three best Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP). The combined keywords, creativity and nursing/nurse, were used to search for relevant journal articles that were written in English or Chinese from January 1995 to December 2016. The components of articles, i.e. title, abstract, full-text and the cited reference, were screened, filtered, evaluated and recorded according to the PRISMA statements and Joanna Briggs Institute Checklists. Thematic analysis was performed to synthesise evidence from the full-texts of studies. Fifteen quantitative and seven qualitative studies were included in this review. A joyful affective perspective enriched the conceptualization of creativity in nursing. Many intrinsic factors (e.g. learning styles, thinking styles, intrinsic passion, interest in nursing and achievement motivation) or extrinsic factors (mostly workplace problems and nurses' shortage) could influence nurses' and nursing students' creativity. Artistic expressions (e.g. painting, music, and pottery), self-directed learning and group/team work were reported to have a positive effect on creativity enhancement. None of existing instruments can adequately measure nurses' or nursing students' creativity. The concept of creativity requires an explicit definition, which is essential to the development and evaluation of creativity in nursing education and practice. Many factors influencing nurses' and nursing students' creativity can be implemented to achieve positive outcomes through efforts at artistic expressions, self-directed learning and teamwork. An instrument with satisfactory psychometric properties should be available for monitoring creativity development among nurses and nursing students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The mind in the object-Psychological valuation of materialized human expression.

PubMed

Kreuzbauer, Robert; King, Dan; Basu, Shankha

2015-08-01

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 144(4) of Journal of Experimental Psychology: General (see record 2015-33206-002). In the article the labels on the X-axis of Figure 1 "Remove Variance" and "Preserve Variance" should be switched.] Symbolic material objects such as art or certain artifacts (e.g., fine pottery, jewelry) share one common element: The combination of generating an expression, and the materialization of this expression in the object. This explains why people place a much greater value on handmade over machine-made objects, and originals over duplicates. We show that this mechanism occurs when a material object's symbolic property is salient and when the creator (artist or craftsman) is perceived to have agency control over the 1-to-1 materialized expression in the object. Coactivation of these 2 factors causes the object to be perceived as having high value because it is seen as the embodied representation of the creator's unique personal expression. In 6 experiments, subjects rated objects in various object categories, which varied on the type of object property (symbolic, functional, aesthetic), the production procedure (handmade, machine-made, analog, digital) and the origin of the symbolic information (person or software). The studies showed that the proposed mechanism applies to symbolic, but not to functional or aesthetic material objects. Furthermore, they show that this specific form of symbolic object valuation could not be explained by various other related psychological theories (e.g., uniqueness, scarcity, physical touching, creative performance). Our research provides a universal framework that identifies a core mechanism for explaining judgments of value for one of our most uniquely human symbolic object categories. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Experiences with radiation portal detectors for international rail transport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stromswold, David C.; McCormick, Kathleen R.; Todd, Lindsay C.

Radiation detectors monitored trains at two international borders to evaluate the performance of NaI(Tl) and plastic (polyvinyltoluene: PVT) gamma-ray detectors to characterize rail cargo. The detectors included a prototype NaI(Tl) radiation-portal-monitor panel having four large detectors (10-cm × 10-cm × 41-cm) and a PVT panel with a 41 cm × 173 cm × 3.8-cm detector. Spectral data from the NaI(Tl) and PVT detectors were recorded. Of particular emphasis was the identification of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and the resultant frequency of nuisance alarms. For rail monitoring, the difficulty in stopping trains to perform secondary inspection on alarming cars createsmore » a need for reliable identification of NORM during initial screening. Approximately 30 trains were monitored, and the commodities in individual railcars were ascertained from manifest information. At one test site the trains carried inter-modal containers that had been unloaded from ships, and at the other site the trains contained bulk cargo or individual items in boxcars or flatbeds. NORM encountered included potash, liquefied petroleum gas, fireworks, televisions, and clay-based products (e.g., pottery). Analysis of the spectral data included the use of the template-fitting program GADRAS/FitToDB from Sandia National Laboratories. For much of the NORM the NaI(Tl) data produced a correct identification of the radionuclides present in the railcars. The same analysis was also used for PVT data in which the spectral information (no peaks but only gradual spectral changes including Compton edges) was limited. However, the PVT analysis provided correct identification of 40K and 226Ra in many cases.« less

Reconstructing Holocene shore displacement and Stone Age palaeogeography from a foredune sequence on Ruhnu Island, Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muru, Merle; Rosentau, Alar; Preusser, Frank; Plado, Jüri; Sibul, Ivo; Jõeleht, Argo; Bjursäter, Stefan; Aunap, Raivo; Kriiska, Aivar

2018-02-01

Holocene shore displacement and the palaeogeography of Late Mesolithic and Late Neolithic settlements on Ruhnu Island, Gulf of Riga, were reconstructed using foredune sequence luminescence dating, sedimentological data supported by ground-penetrating radar analysis, and GIS-based landscape modelling. The foredune ridges consist of very well to well sorted fine- to medium-grained aeolian sand and are underlain by seaward dipping foreshore sediments. The studied sequence of 38 ridges was formed between 6.91 ± 0.58 ka and 2.54 ± 0.19 ka ago, and represents a period of falling relative sea level. Foredune plain progradation, with average rates of 0.3-0.6 m per year, was controlled by isostatic land uplift, which caused a continuous withdrawal of shorelines to lower elevations. The dated foredune succession was used to reconstruct the coastal palaeogeography of the island. Palaeogeographical reconstructions show that during two phases of Late Mesolithic habitation, at ca. 7.2 cal. ka BP and 6.2 cal. ka BP, seal hunters settled the coastal zone of Ruhnu Island. Based on tool material and pottery type they could have originated from Saaremaa Island, which according to palaeoreconstruction of the Gulf of Riga, was located approximately 70 km northwest of Ruhnu Island during the Late Mesolithic. Later signs of human occupation, radiocarbon dated to ca. 4.7 cal. ka BP, were from the centre of the island, hundreds of metres away from the shore at about 8 m above its contemporary sea level. This Late Neolithic habitation shows a clearly different pattern than earlier coastal settlement, and suggests a shift in subsistence strategy towards agriculture and animal husbandry.

Source apportionment of lead in the blood of women of reproductive age living near tailings in Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico: An isotopic study.

PubMed

Vázquez Bahéna, Analine Berenice; Talavera Mendoza, Oscar; Moreno Godínez, Ma Elena; Salgado Souto, Sergio Adrián; Ruiz, Joaquín; Huerta Beristain, Gerardo

2017-04-01

The concentration and isotopic composition of lead in the blood of forty seven women of reproductive age (15-45y) exposed to multiple sources in two rural communities of the mining region of Taxco, Guerrero in southern Mexico were determined in order to identify specific contributing sources and their apportionment and to trace probable ingestion pathways. Our data indicate that >36% of the studied women have blood lead concentrations above 10μgdL -1 and up to 87% above 5μgdL -1 . Tailings contain between 2128 and 5988mgkg -1 of lead and represent the most conspicuous source in the area. Lead contents in indoor dust are largely variable (21.7-987mgkg -1 ) but only 15% of samples are above the Mexican Regulatory Guideline for urban soils (400mgkg -1 ). By contrast, 85% of glazed containers (range: 0.026-68.6mgkg -1 ) used for cooking and food storage are above the maximum 2mgL -1 of soluble lead established in the Mexican Guideline. The isotopic composition indicates that lead in the blood of 95% of the studied women can be modeled in terms of a mixing system between local ores (and derivatives), glazed pottery and Morelos bedrock, end-members, with the two former being largely the most important contributors. Only one sample shows influence of indoor paints. Indoor dust is dominated by ores and derivatives but some samples show evidence of contribution from a less radiogenic source very likely represented by interior paints. This study supports the application of lead isotopic ratios to identify potential sources and their apportionment in humans exposed to multiple sources of lead from both, natural and anthropogenic origin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insights into the Social Structure of the PPNB Site of Kfar HaHoresh, Israel, Based on Dental Remains

PubMed Central

Vach, Werner; Simmons, Tal L.; Goring-Morris, A. Nigel

2015-01-01

One of the central questions of the transition from mobile hunter-gatherers to sedentary farming communities concerns the establishment of new social structures and group identities. Along with other important factors, such as territory, ideology or economy, biological relationships might have played a decisive role in defining social groups. We therefore systematically analyzed teeth and jaw remains from nine sites in the Near East dating from the Natufian to the Late PPNB as primary proxy data for the reconstruction of familial relationships. This paper presents the results of morphological analyses on the teeth of the individuals from Kfar HaHoresh, one of the investigated Pre-Pottery Neolithic B sites. Kfar HaHoresh is located in the Nazareth hills of Galilee (32°42'20'' N 35°16'28'' E), Israel. Different statistical methods were applied to our data of epigenetic traits with the aim of determining biological relationships within the community, whereby the data of the eight other sites were used as cross-references. Our comparison of the traits of all individuals from Kfar HaHoresh indicates a rather heterogeneous community, but clearly shows one cluster belonging to a quite homogenous group, suggesting close biological relations between females and sub-adults. Interestingly, none of the male individuals belongs to this cluster, although their number outweighs that of the female individuals. This might suggest matrilocal residence patterns. However, due to the incomplete preservation of the teeth along with several other uncertainties, our conclusion must be seen as preliminary. A cross-examination of the results on skeletons excavated after our investigation should also be taken into consideration. PMID:26376321

The association of lead exposure during pregnancy and childhood anthropometry in the Mexican PROGRESS cohort

PubMed Central

Renzetti, Stefano; Just, Allan C.; Burris, Heather H.; Oken, Emily; Amarasiriwardena, Chitra; Svensson, Katherine; Mercado-García, Adriana; Cantoral, Alejandra; Schnaas, Lourdes; Baccarelli, Andrea A.; Wright, Robert O.; Téllez-Rojo, Martha María

2016-01-01

Lead exposure during pregnancy remains a public health problem with potential lifelong impacts on children’s growth and development. Mexico is unique in that stunting and obesity are both major public health concerns in children. This situation might be exacerbated by lead exposure which remains more common in Mexico than in the United States due in part to the use of lead glazed pottery in food preparation and storage. Our objective is to determine how lead exposure during pregnancy is associated with children’s growth parameters, including height, weight, body mass index and percentage body fat measured between ages 4–6 years old in a Mexico City pregnancy cohort. Blood lead was collected in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy as well as at delivery. Bone lead was assessed in mothers as a long term exposure biomarker. We performed multivariable linear regression analyses to assess the association between each of these lead exposure biomarkers and child anthropometry. We found a significant negative association between maternal 3rd trimester blood lead concentration and offspring height for age (β −0.10; 95% CI −0.19, −0.01), and a negative association between maternal 3rd trimester blood lead concentration and weight for age (β −0.11; 95% CI −0.22, −0.003). Our results in this Mexican population add to previous findings of an association of lead and decreased stature and weight in early childhood. Ongoing follow-up and longitudinal analyses may help elucidate how this impacts growth trajectory and other children’s health outcomes. PMID:27810680

A systematic review of wild grass exploitation in relation to emerging cereal cultivation throughout the Epipalaeolithic and aceramic Neolithic of the Fertile Crescent

PubMed Central

Riehl, Simone; Zeidi, Mohsen; Conard, Nicholas J.

2018-01-01

The present study investigates the occurrence of wild grasses at Epipalaeolithic and aceramic Neolithic sites in the Near East in order to assess their role in subsistence economies alongside the emergence of cereal cultivation. We use Chogha Golan in the foothills of the central Zagros Mountains (ca. 11.7–9.6 ka cal. BP) as a case study, where the archaeobotanical data suggest the frequent exploitation of a complex of wild grasses for almost 2,000 years. Domesticated emmer replaced these wild grasses as the major food resources towards the end of occupation at the site (ca. 9.8 ka cal. BP). We discuss possible implications of this development and conclude that the traditional concept of pre-domestication cultivation seems unsuited for explaining the patterns from Chogha Golan. These data are in good accordance with the overall picture in the Zagros Mountains, where wild grasses were routinely gathered throughout the early Holocene. In contrast, wild grasses were gradually replaced by wild cereals in the Levantine corridor since the end of the Pleistocene. However, several sites located in this region provide evidence for a continuous exploitation of wild grasses alongside emerging cereal cultivation and most of these taxa were part of the earliest segetal floras that evolved with the appearance of domestic cereals throughout the 11th millennium cal. BP. Some sites contemporary to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B still provide evidence for the usage of wild grasses, which possibly reflects the utilization of edible arable weeds and continuous gathering of wild grasses by more mobile groups. PMID:29293519

Black painted pottery, Kildehuse II, Odense County, Denmark.

PubMed

Trąbska, Joanna; Wesełucha-Birczyńska, Aleksandra; Zięba-Palus, Janina; Runge, Mads Thagård

2011-08-15

This work aimed at characterization of a black layer covering a Bronze Age (period VI) pot surface. To solve research problems plane polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning microscopy with X-ray microanalyser (SEM/EDS), Raman and FTIR microspectroscopies were applied. Observation of the black layer under the PLM suggests that we deal with an opaque, isotropic layer, purposely put on leather-hard, burnished surface of a pot. No traces of organic substances that might have modified a pot surface before painting were detected. The black layer coats the pot with a continuous 0.2-0.4 μm thick layer. The black layer must have been applied while warm or hot. It is recognized that the black layer is a true painting layer. Spectroscopic analyses (Raman and FTIR) point that birch tar or a birch-pine tar had been applied. Carbon black should be definitely excluded. The analyzed organic substance is structurally ordered in various degrees, due to varying temperature influence. Some Raman spectra reveal, in second-order region of the spectrum (>2000 cm(-1)), the graphite presence. Scarce points reveal the presence of inorganic admixtures: clay minerals, feldspars and quartz. The next question is: Is it an organic paint or a carbon-based, "mixed" paint? Inorganic admixtures are only casual. Relatively high concentration of alumina is expected to have appeared due to aluminum mobility in acidic environment and this was provided by organic tar/pitch substances. Phosphorus (usually with calcium) mostly concentrates together with clay minerals. Thus, hypothesis on bone powder or ash addition to tar/pitch should be excluded. Some elements may originate not only from inorganic substances but also from wood ashes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and occupational exposure to silica.

PubMed

Rushton, Lesley

2007-01-01

Prolonged exposure to high levels of silica has long been known to cause silicosis This paper evaluates the evidence for an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in occupations and industries in which exposure to crystalline silica is the primary exposure, with a focus on the magnitude of risks and levels of exposure causing disabling health effects. The literature suggests consistently elevated risks of developing COPD associated with silica exposure in several occupations, including the construction industry; tunneling; cement industry; brick manufacturing; pottery and ceramic work; silica sand, granite and diatomaceous earth industries; gold mining; and iron and steel founding, with risk estimates being high in some, even after taking into account the effect of confounders like smoking. Average dust levels vary from about 0.5 mg.m3 to over 10 mg.m3 and average silica levels from 0.04 to over 5 mg.m3, often well above occupational standards. Factors influencing the variation from industry to industry in risks associated with exposure to silica-containing dusts include (a) the presence of other minerals in the dust, particularly when associated with clay minerals; (b) the size of the particles and percentage of quartz; (c) the physicochemical characteristics, such as whether the dust is freshly fractured. Longitudinal studies suggest that loss of lung function occurs with exposure to silica dust at concentrations of between 0.1 and 0.2 mg.m3, and that the effect of cumulative silica dust exposure on airflow obstruction is independent of silicosis. Nevertheless, a disabling loss of lung function in the absence of silicosis would not occur until between 30 and 40 years exposure.

Black painted pottery, Kildehuse II, Odense County, Denmark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trąbska, Joanna; Wesełucha-Birczyńska, Aleksandra; Zięba-Palus, Janina; Runge, Mads Thagård

2011-08-01

This work aimed at characterization of a black layer covering a Bronze Age (period VI) pot surface. To solve research problems plane polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning microscopy with X-ray microanalyser (SEM/EDS), Raman and FTIR microspectroscopies were applied. Observation of the black layer under the PLM suggests that we deal with an opaque, isotropic layer, purposely put on leather-hard, burnished surface of a pot. No traces of organic substances that might have modified a pot surface before painting were detected. The black layer coats the pot with a continuous 0.2-0.4 μm thick layer. The black layer must have been applied while warm or hot. It is recognized that the black layer is a true painting layer. Spectroscopic analyses (Raman and FTIR) point that birch tar or a birch-pine tar had been applied. Carbon black should be definitely excluded. The analyzed organic substance is structurally ordered in various degrees, due to varying temperature influence. Some Raman spectra reveal, in second-order region of the spectrum (>2000 cm -1), the graphite presence. Scarce points reveal the presence of inorganic admixtures: clay minerals, feldspars and quartz. The next question is: Is it an organic paint or a carbon-based, "mixed" paint? Inorganic admixtures are only casual. Relatively high concentration of alumina is expected to have appeared due to aluminum mobility in acidic environment and this was provided by organic tar/pitch substances. Phosphorus (usually with calcium) mostly concentrates together with clay minerals. Thus, hypothesis on bone powder or ash addition to tar/pitch should be excluded. Some elements may originate not only from inorganic substances but also from wood ashes.

3-(2-deoxy-β-d-erythro-pentafuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-α]purin-10(3H)-one deoxyguanosine adducts of workers exposed to asbestos fibers.

PubMed

Bonassi, Stefano; Cellai, Filippo; Munnia, Armelle; Ugolini, Donatella; Cristaudo, Alfonso; Neri, Monica; Milić, Mirta; Bonotti, Alessandra; Giese, Roger W; Peluso, Marco E M

2017-03-15

Asbestos is the commercial name for a group of silicate minerals naturally occurring in the environment and widely used in the industry. Asbestos exposure has been associated with pulmonary fibrosis, mesothelioma, and malignancies, which may appear after a period of latency of 20-40 years. Mechanisms involved in the carcinogenic effects of asbestos are still not fully elucidated, although the oxidative stress theory suggests that phagocytic cells produce large amounts of reactive oxygen species, due to their inability to digest asbestos fiber. We have conducted a mechanistic study to evaluate the association between 3-(2-deoxy-β-d-erythro-pentafuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-α]purin-10(3H)-one deoxyguanosine (M 1 dG) adducts, a biomarker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, and asbestos exposure in the peripheral blood of 327 subjects living in Tuscany and Liguria, Italy, stratified by occupational exposure to asbestos. Adduct frequency was significantly greater into exposed subjects with respect to the controls. M 1 dG per 10 8 normal nucleotides were 4.0±0.5 (SE) in 156 asbestos workers, employed in mechanic, naval, petrochemical, building industries, and in pottery and ceramic plants, versus a value of 2.3±0.1 (SE) in 171 controls (p<0.001). After stratification for occupational history, the effects persisted in 54 current asbestos workers, mainly employed in building renovation industry (2.9±0.3 (SE)), and in 102 former asbestos workers (4.5±0.7 (SE)), with p-values of 0.033, and <0.001, respectively. A significant effect of smoking on heavy smokers was found (p=0.005). Our study gives additional support to the oxidative stress theory, where M 1 dG may reflect an additional potential mechanism of asbestos-induced toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New archaeomagnetic data recovered from the study of celtiberic remains from central Spain (Numancia and Ciadueña, III-I BC).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osete, María Luisa; Chauvin, Annick; Catanzariti, Gianluca; Jimeno, Alfredo; Campuzano, Saioa A.; Benito-Batanero, Juan Pedro; Roperch, Pierrick

2016-04-01

Variation of geomagnetic field changes in the Iberian Peninsula between prior to roman times remain very poorly constrained. Here we report results from the archeomagnetic study carried out on four set of ceramics and one combustion structure recovered in two pre-roman (celtiberic) archeological sites in central Spain. Rock magnetic experiments indicate the ChRM is carried by magnetite. Archaeointensity determinations were carried out by using the classical Thellier-Thellier experiment including tests and corrections for magnetic anisotropy and magnetic cooling rate dependency. Well heated specimens (red ceramic fragments and well heated samples from the kiln) show one single well defined component of magnetisation going through the origin and a linear arai plot providing successful archaeointensity determinations. The effect of anisotropy of the termoremanent magnetization (ATRM) on paleointensity analysis was specially investigated obtaining very high ATRM corrections on fine pottery specimens. With differences between the uncorrected and ATRM corrected paleointensity values that reached up to 80-100%. Mean intensity values obtained from three selected groups were 61.1 ±5.9μT; 57.6±3.3 and 56.4± 4.7μT which allows delineate the evolution of the paleofield intensity in central Iberia during the III-I centuries BC. The new archaeointensity data disagrees with previous results from Iberian ceramics which were not corrected by the ATRM effect. But they are in agreement with the most recent French paleointensity curve and latest European intensity model. Both based on a selection of high quality paleointensity data. This result reinforces the idea that the puzzling scatter often observed in the global paleointensity database is likely due to differences in the laboratory protocol. Further data from well contrasted laboratory protocols are still necessary to delineate confidently the evolution of the geomagnetic paleofield during the first millennium BC.

Green Ocean Amazon 2014/15 High-Volume Filter Sampling: Atmospheric Particulate Matter of an Amazon Tropical City and its Relationship to Population Health Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Machado, C. M.; Santos, Erickson O.; Fernandes, Karenn S.

Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, is developing very rapidly. Its pollution plume contains aerosols from fossil fuel combustion mainly due to vehicular emission, industrial activity, and a thermal power plant. Soil resuspension is probably a secondary source of atmospheric particles. The plume transports from Manaus to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility ARM site at Manacapuru urban pollutants as well as pollutants from pottery factories along the route of the plume. Considering the effects of particulate matter on health, atmospheric particulate matter was evaluated at this site as partmore » of the ARM Facility’s Green Ocean Amazon 2014/15 (GoAmazon 2014/15) field campaign. Aerosol or particulate matter (PM) is typically defined by size, with the smaller particles having more health impact. Total suspended particulate (TSP) are particles smaller than 100 μm; particles smaller than 2.5 μm are called PM2.5. In this work, the PM2.5 levels were obtained from March to December of 2015, totaling 34 samples and TSP levels from October to December of 2015, totaling 17 samples. Sampling was conducted with PM2.5 and TSP high-volume samplers using quartz filters (Figure 1). Filters were stored during 24 hours in a room with temperature (21,1ºC) and humidity (44,3 %) control, in order to do gravimetric analyses by weighing before and after sampling. This procedure followed the recommendations of the Brazilian Association for Technical Standards local norm (NBR 9547:1997). Mass concentrations of particulate matter were obtained from the ratio between the weighted sample and the volume of air collected. Defining a relationship between particulate matter (PM2.5 and TSP) and respiratory diseases of the local population is an important goal of this project, since no information exists on that topic.« less

Holy smoke in medieval funerary rites: chemical fingerprints of frankincense in southern Belgian incense burners.

PubMed

Baeten, Jan; Deforce, Koen; Challe, Sophie; De Vos, Dirk; Degryse, Patrick

2014-01-01

Frankincense, the oleogum resin from Boswellia sp., has been an early luxury good in both Western and Eastern societies and is particularly used in Christian funerary and liturgical rites. The scant grave goods in late medieval burials comprise laterally perforated pottery vessels which are usually filled with charcoal. They occur in most regions of western Europe and are interpreted as incense burners but have never been investigated with advanced analytical techniques. We herein present chemical and anthracological results on perforated funerary pots from 4 Wallonian sites dating to the 12-14th century AD. Chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis of lipid extracts of the ancient residues and comparison with extracts from four Boswellia species clearly evidence the presence of degraded frankincense in the former, based on characteristic triterpenoids, viz. boswellic and tirucallic acids, and their myriad dehydrated and oxygenated derivatives. Cembrane-type diterpenoids indicate B. sacra (southern Arabia) and B. serrata (India) as possible botanical origins. Furthermore, traces of juniper and possibly pine tar demonstrate that small amounts of locally available fragrances were mixed with frankincense, most likely to reduce its cost. Additionally, markers of ruminant fats in one sample from a domestic context indicate that this vessel was used for food preparation. Anthracological analysis demonstrates that the charcoal was used as fuel only and that no fragrant wood species were burned. The chars derived from local woody plants and were most likely recovered from domestic fires. Furthermore, vessel recycling is indicated by both contextual and biomarker evidence. The results shed a new light on funerary practices in the Middle Ages and at the same time reveal useful insights into the chemistry of burned frankincense. The discovery of novel biomarkers, namely Δ2-boswellic acids and a series of polyunsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons, demonstrates the high potential for organic chemical analyses of incense residues.

Large geomagnetic field anomalies revealed in Bronze to Iron Age archeomagnetic data from Tel Megiddo and Tel Hazor, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaar, Ron; Tauxe, Lisa; Ron, Hagai; Ebert, Yael; Zuckerman, Sharon; Finkelstein, Israel; Agnon, Amotz

2016-05-01

Geomagnetic field measurements from the past few centuries show heightened secular variation activity in the southern hemisphere associated with the south Atlantic anomaly (SAA). It is uncertain whether geomagnetic anomalies at a similar scale have existed in the past owing to limited coverage and uncertainties in the paleomagnetic database. Here we provide new evidence from archaeological sources in the Levant suggesting a large positive northern hemisphere anomaly, similar in magnitude to the SAA during the 9th-8th centuries BCE, called ;Levantine Iron Age anomaly;. We also report an additional geomagnetic spike in the 8th century. The new dataset comprises 73 high precision paleointensity estimates from ca. 3000 BCE to 732 BCE, and five directional measurements between the 14th and the 9th centuries BCE. Well-dated pottery and cooking ovens were collected from twenty archaeological strata in two large contemporaneous stratigraphical mounds (tells) in Israel: Tel Megiddo and Tel Hazor. The new data are combined with previously published data and interpreted automatically using the PmagPy Thellier GUI program. The Tel Megiddo and Tel Hazor data sets demonstrate excellent internal consistency and remarkable agreement with published data from Mesopotamia (Syria). The data illustrate the evolution of an extreme geomagnetic high that culminated in at least two spikes between the 11th and the 8th centuries BCE (Iron Age in the Levant). The paleomagnetic directional data of the 9th century BCE show positive inclination anomalies, and deviations of up to 22° from the averaged geocentric axial dipole (GAD) direction. From comparison of the Levantine archaeomagnetic data with IGRF model for 2015 we infer the ;Levantine Iron Age anomaly; between the 10th and the 8th centuries BCE is a local positive anomaly. The eastward extent of the anomaly is currently unknown.

Changes in serial blood lead levels during pregnancy.

PubMed Central

Rothenberg, S J; Karchmer, S; Schnaas, L; Perroni, E; Zea, F; Fernández Alba, J

1994-01-01

The first step in modeling lead kinetics during pregnancy includes a description of sequential maternal blood lead (PbB) during pregnancy and the factors controlling it. We analyzed PbB of 105 women living in the Valley of Mexico from week 12 to week 36 of pregnancy and again at parturition. We also used data from all women contributing blood at any stage of pregnancy to determine antecedents of PbB. Pregnancies were uneventful, and offspring were normal. Although geometric mean PbB level averaged around 7.0 micrograms/dl (0.34 mumol/l), with a range of 1.0-35.5 micrograms/dl throughout pregnancy, analysis of variance revealed a significant decrease in mean PbB from week 12 to week 20 (1.1 micrograms/dl) and various significant increases in mean PbB from week 20 to parturition (1.6 micrograms/dl). Regression analyses confirmed the positive linear PbB trend from 20 weeks to parturition and additional contributions of dietary calcium, reproductive history, lifetime residence of Mexico City, coffee drinking, and use of indigenous lead-glazed pottery. Although decreasing hematocrit has been suggested to explain first-half pregnancy PbB decrease, the time course of hematocrit decrease in the present study did not match the sequential changes in PbB. While hemodilution and organ growth in the first half of pregnancy may account for much of the PbB decrease seen between 12 and 20 weeks, the remaining hemodilution and accelerated organ growth of the last half of pregnancy do not predict the trend toward increasing maternal PbB concentration from 20 weeks to delivery. Mobilization of bone lead, increased gut absorption, and increased retention of lead may explain part of the upward PbB trend in the second half of pregnancy. Reduction of lifetime lead exposure may be required to decrease risk of fetal exposure. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. PMID:9644197

A performance-based evaluation of chemically similar (carbonate) tempers from Late Prehistoric (AD 1200-1700) Ohio: Implications for human selection and production of ceramic technology

PubMed Central

Spurlock, Linda B.; Fisch, Michael

2018-01-01

Purpose This study was designed to assess the mechanical properties of two calcium carbonate tempers, limestone and burnt shell. These tempers have been previously compared, in separate studies, to silicate-based grit or sand temper and, relative to the latter, are assumed to possess similar mechanical properties. However, their simultaneous use at the Morrison Village site begs the question: do these two calcium carbonate tempers indeed possess similar mechanical properties? In order to assess their performance characteristics, a side-by-side controlled experimental test was conducted to determine the degree of similarity in providing increased vessel strength and toughness. Methods Standardized ceramic test samples were systematically prepared via a set, explicit protocol. An Instron Series IX universal testing machine configured with a four-point flexural test jig was used to perform a flexural strength test of the test samples. The Instron load and deflection data were used to calculate three values related to mechanical performance: peak load, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity. Results All four comparative tests clearly show substantial differences in peak load, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity. These differences are statistically significant for each performance attribute in every iteration of the experiment and as indicated by Mann-Whitney U Tests. Conclusions These results do not support the hypothesis that limestone and burnt shell offer the same performance characteristics. These results have implications for our understanding of prehistoric human selection of temper and the evolution of ceramic technology. Although both carbonate-based tempers are currently thought to offer the same benefits during the initial phase of pottery production, their contrasting post firing properties would have provided distinct benefits in different contexts. Future assessments of the Morrison Village ceramic assemblage should focus on residue analysis, or other functional indicators, to support or falsify this hypothesis. PMID:29579085

Land use history, floodplain development, and soil erosion in the vicinity of a millstone production center since the Iron Age in the Segbachtal near Mayen (eastern Eifel, Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotterweich, Markus; Wenzel, Stefan; Schreg, Rainer; Fülling, Alexander; Engel, Max

2015-04-01

In Roman times, the stone and pottery production near Mayen in western Germany reached a very high intensity which would have satisfied the needs of a much wider area. The rate and volume of production was unprecedented and never reached the same level thereafter. The Segbach valley study site with an area of only a few square kilometres offers a very special geoarchaeological archive. The Roman land use structures were completely preserved under a 2 meter thick layer of sediment and are now partially exposed in a gully due to erosion. Pedological, sedimentological and geophysical studies at the colluvium and floodplain sediments as well as relict field structures showed that in the last 2500 years there has been a considerable human impact on both water and sediment budgets. This also had various implications on the further development of water courses, soils and relief. Evidence for the development of flood plain sediments can be traced as far back as the late La Tène period, the Roman Iron Age, and since the Middle Ages. On one particular south-facing slope we found evidence of recultivation measures on a former quarry tailing heap dating from the Middle Ages. This and other human construction activities and land uses lead to a significant change in erosion and sedimentation patterns. It is surprising that sedimentation in flood plains was largely absent during the Roman Iron Age despite intensive land use. Evidence shows that flash flood events with intensive accumulation of soil matter in flood plains only occurred during the High Middle Ages. Sediments from the late Middle ages and the Modern Times are largely missing. The research undertaken in Segbach valley not only offers new insights into specific local historical land uses and land use changes but also fundamental knowledge about the principles and impacts of long-term human-environment interactions.

Holy Smoke in Medieval Funerary Rites: Chemical Fingerprints of Frankincense in Southern Belgian Incense Burners

PubMed Central

Baeten, Jan; Deforce, Koen; Challe, Sophie; De Vos, Dirk; Degryse, Patrick

2014-01-01

Frankincense, the oleogum resin from Boswellia sp., has been an early luxury good in both Western and Eastern societies and is particularly used in Christian funerary and liturgical rites. The scant grave goods in late medieval burials comprise laterally perforated pottery vessels which are usually filled with charcoal. They occur in most regions of western Europe and are interpreted as incense burners but have never been investigated with advanced analytical techniques. We herein present chemical and anthracological results on perforated funerary pots from 4 Wallonian sites dating to the 12–14th century AD. Chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis of lipid extracts of the ancient residues and comparison with extracts from four Boswellia species clearly evidence the presence of degraded frankincense in the former, based on characteristic triterpenoids, viz. boswellic and tirucallic acids, and their myriad dehydrated and oxygenated derivatives. Cembrane-type diterpenoids indicate B. sacra (southern Arabia) and B. serrata (India) as possible botanical origins. Furthermore, traces of juniper and possibly pine tar demonstrate that small amounts of locally available fragrances were mixed with frankincense, most likely to reduce its cost. Additionally, markers of ruminant fats in one sample from a domestic context indicate that this vessel was used for food preparation. Anthracological analysis demonstrates that the charcoal was used as fuel only and that no fragrant wood species were burned. The chars derived from local woody plants and were most likely recovered from domestic fires. Furthermore, vessel recycling is indicated by both contextual and biomarker evidence. The results shed a new light on funerary practices in the Middle Ages and at the same time reveal useful insights into the chemistry of burned frankincense. The discovery of novel biomarkers, namely Δ2-boswellic acids and a series of polyunsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons, demonstrates the high potential for organic chemical analyses of incense residues. PMID:25391130

Surveying the Underwater Arcaheological Site of Cape Glaros at Pagasetikos Gulf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diamanti, E.; Spondylis, E.; Vlachaki, F.; Kolyva, E.

2017-02-01

The Hellenic Institute of Marine Archaeology (H.I.M.A.)1 has been conducting an underwater archaeological research in the west coast of southern Pagasetikos Gulf, since 2000. Every year the underwater research focuses on specific archaeological targets that have been recovered during previous field campaigns. The current publication elaborates on the comprehensive documentation of the underwater archaeological site at Cape Glaros, during the 2015 field season, under the direction of the archaeologist Elias Spondylis. The 2015 research campaign was conducted within the framework of the ITACA- Innovation Technologies and Applications for Coastal Archaeological sites European Project (FP7/2007-2013, GA No 606805), at two archaeological sites, namely the Cape Glaros and Metohi. It was among the most important challenges of the project to successfully produce the detailed and accurate 3D mapping of the Cape Glaros site that covers an extended area. Four large concentrations of pottery finds and numerous anchors of different typology have been recorded, that can be dated from the late Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. This challenge was tackled through the simultaneous implementation of three recording methods; photogrammetry, geodesy and conventional architectural mapping. The workflow of the documentation process, including data acquisition, processing and graphic visualization, along with the derived results are presented below. 1The Hellenic Institute of Marine Archaeology (H.I.M.A.) is a private, non-profit organization, founded in 1973, which undertakes maritime archaeological research under the supervision or in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Culture. It has over 100 members, with diverse academic credentials, all of whom work, mainly, on a voluntary basis. 3D recording of underwater archaeological sites has been applied to numerous projects that have been carried out by the multidisciplinary team of H.I.M.A. in locations of utmost archaeological importance and interest, such as Modi island (Poros) and numerous wreck sites in Pagasetikos and South Euboean (Diamanti, Vlachaki, 2015) Gulfs and others.