Die Voortrekker-Monument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerard Moerdyk

1938-03-01

Full Text Available Die Eeufeesjaar is vir die Afrikaner ’n tydperk van besieling. Nog nooit sedert die ontstaan van ons volk het een enkele gebeurtenis soveel nasietrots gewek as die honderdjarige herdenking van die Groot Trek. Vir die eerste keer in ons geskiedenis voel ons ons nie meer Kapenaars, Vrystaters, Natalers, en Transvalers nie, maar Afrikaners, saamgesnoer deur die tradisies van ’n selfstandige kultuurvolk. Wanneer die klimaks van die Ossewatrek met die hocksteenlegging van die Voortrekker-Monument bereik word, sal die besieling nie uitsterf nie, die krag wat geskep is sal bly voortgroei tot ’n onweerstaanbare mag. Die Afrikaner sal homself vind, en as die Monument na sowat vyf jaar onthul word, sal die saad wat in hierdie jaar gesaai is, tot voile rypheid gekom het. Dan sal die Monument self tot die volk spreek; intussen egter, is dit wenslik, nee noodsaaklik selfs, om die Monument aan die Afrikaners te verklaar, om ‘n uiteensetting te gee van die noodsaaklikheid van so ’n Monument, sowel as om die motief te verduidelik wat as inspirasie gedien het vir die ontwerpdaar van.

DOCUMENTING LIVING MONUMENTS IN INDONESIA: METHODOLOGY FOR SUSTAINABLE UTILITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Suryaningsih

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The systematic documentation of cultural heritage in Indonesia has been developed after the establishment of Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen (1778 and De Oudheidkundige Dienst (1913 by the Netherlands Indies government. After Indonesian independent, the tasks of cultural heritage documentation take over by The Ministry of Culture (now become The Ministry of Education of Culture with focus on the ancient and classical heritage, so called dead monument. The needed of comprehensive documentation data regarding cultural heritage become significant issues since the government and private sector pay attention to the preservation of heritage building in the urban site, so called living monument. The archives of original drawing plan many times do not fit with the existing condition, while the conservation plan demands a document such as built drawing plan to work on. The technology, methodology and system to provide such comprehensive document of heritage building and site become important, to produce good conservation plan and heritage building regular maintenance. It means the products will have a sustainable and various utility values. Since 1994, Documentation Centre for Architecture – Indonesia (PDA, has established to meet the needs of a comprehensive data of heritage building (living monuments, to utilized as basic document for conservation planning. Not only provide document of the digital drawing such site plan, plan, elevation, section and details of architecture elements, but also document of historic research, material analysis and completed with diagnosis and mapping of building damages. This manuscript is about PDA field experience, working in this subject issue

Documenting Living Monuments in Indonesia: Methodology for Sustainable Utility

Science.gov (United States)

Suryaningsih, F.; Purwestri, N.

2013-07-01

The systematic documentation of cultural heritage in Indonesia has been developed after the establishment of Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen (1778) and De Oudheidkundige Dienst (1913) by the Netherlands Indies government. After Indonesian independent, the tasks of cultural heritage documentation take over by The Ministry of Culture (now become The Ministry of Education of Culture) with focus on the ancient and classical heritage, so called dead monument. The needed of comprehensive documentation data regarding cultural heritage become significant issues since the government and private sector pay attention to the preservation of heritage building in the urban site, so called living monument. The archives of original drawing plan many times do not fit with the existing condition, while the conservation plan demands a document such as built drawing plan to work on. The technology, methodology and system to provide such comprehensive document of heritage building and site become important, to produce good conservation plan and heritage building regular maintenance. It means the products will have a sustainable and various utility values. Since 1994, Documentation Centre for Architecture - Indonesia (PDA), has established to meet the needs of a comprehensive data of heritage building (living monuments), to utilized as basic document for conservation planning. Not only provide document of the digital drawing such site plan, plan, elevation, section and details of architecture elements, but also document of historic research, material analysis and completed with diagnosis and mapping of building damages. This manuscript is about PDA field experience, working in this subject issue

Digital Monument to the Jewish Community in the Netherlands and the Jewish Monument Community : commemoration and meaning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Faro, L.M.C.

2014-01-01

In April 2005, the Digital Monument to the Jewish Community in the Netherlands went online. This monument is an Internet monument dedicated to preserving the memory of more than 100,000 men, women and children, Dutch Jewish victims of the Shoah. As of September 2010, the interactive Jewish Monument

The problem of mechanical compatibility of natural building stones in restoration of monuments. Part I: Composite specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Kourkoulis, Stavros K.; Ninis, Nikolaos L.

2011-12-01

The mechanical compatibility of natural building stones used in the restoration of ancient monuments as substitutes of the authentic material is studied in this short two-paper series. Attention is focused on the porous oolitic limestone of Kenchreae used in the erection of the monuments at the Epidaurean Asklepieion. In Part I experimental results are presented concerning the mechanical properties and constants of both the authentic (ancient and freshly quarried) material and the various stones proposed so far as possible substitutes. It is concluded that only the Kenchreae stone satisfactorily simulates the behaviour of the material used by ancient Greeks. The other types of stones have a substantially different character and their incorporation in the restoration should be treated with caution. In an effort to quantify the influence of the substitute stone on the authentic one, a series of experiments were carried out using composite specimens made from equal parts of authentic and substitute material with various inclination angles of the adhesion plane with respect to the load. It was concluded that the mechanical properties of the composite specimen are strongly affected by this angle and the dependence is not monotonous. In addition, strong strain discontinuities are recorded in the vicinity of the adhesion plane, which are responsible for the initiation of cracking in either of the two materials. It was pointed out that in some cases the incompatibility causes violation of the basic restoration principle concerning the protection of the ancient material. In this context certain geometrical configurations of the boundaries of the specimens are examined in Part II as a possible means of modifying the mechanical behaviour of the substitute stones, in order to make them as compatible as possible with the authentic material.

(Non-Monumental Layers of Berlin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juli Székely

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The two books reviewed in this article, Hsiu-Ling Kuos’s Monumentality and Modernity in Hitler’s Berlin (2013 and Janet Ward’s Post-Wall Berlin (2011, focus on the structural, political, social and aesthetic transformation of Berlin, from the first half of the twentieth century to the ‘post-wall’ era. Since both authors strongly emphasize the former and present status of monumental architecture and monumental memory, this book review pays particular attention to a critical discussion of the (non-monumental layers of Berlin.

Knife - Holders in Ancient Egyptian Tombs (Religious and Artistic Study)

OpenAIRE

dr.Rasha Omran

2015-01-01

Studying ancient Egyptian tombs have long been an important source of information regarding many aspects of Egyptian religion. Walls of New Kingdom tombs are often decorated with plenty of painted religious scenes. While they were primarily private structures containing images selected by the person who expected to be housed there for eternity, the funerary monuments also reflect religious beliefs. While numerous researches focused on many of the religious scenes depicted on the walls of anci...

Radioactivity in fossils at the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument.

Science.gov (United States)

Farmer, C Neal; Kathren, Ronald L; Christensen, Craig

2008-08-01

Since 1996, higher than background levels of naturally occurring radioactivity have been documented in both fossil and mineral deposits at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in south-central Idaho. Radioactive fossil sites occur primarily within an elevation zone of 900-1000 m above sea level and are most commonly found associated with ancient river channels filled with sand. Fossils found in clay rich deposits do not exhibit discernable levels of radioactivity. Out of 300 randomly selected fossils, approximately three-fourths exhibit detectable levels of natural radioactivity ranging from 1 to 2 orders of magnitude above ambient background levels when surveyed with a portable hand held Geiger-Muller survey instrument. Mineral deposits in geologic strata also show above ambient background levels of radioactivity. Radiochemical lab analysis has documented the presence of numerous natural radioactive isotopes. It is postulated that ancient groundwater transported radioactive elements through sand bodies containing fossils which precipitated out of solution during the fossilization process. The elevated levels of natural radioactivity in fossils may require special precautions to ensure that exposures to personnel from stored or displayed items are kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

Nanomaterials and preservation mechanisms of architecture monuments

Science.gov (United States)

Ion, Rodica-Mariana; Radu, Adrian; Teodorescu, Sofia; Fierǎscu, Irina; Fierǎscu, Radu-Claudiu; Ştirbescu, Raluca-Maria; Dulamǎ, Ioana Daniela; Şuicǎ-Bunghez, Ioana-Raluca; Bucuricǎ, Ioan Alin; Ion, Mihaela-Lucia

2016-12-01

Knowledge of the chemical composition of the building materials of the monuments may help us to preserve and protect them from the pollution of our cities. The aim of this work is to characterize the materials of the walls from ancient buildings, the decay products that could be appear due to the action of pollution and a new method based on nanomaterials (hydroxyapatite -HAp) for a conservative preservation of the treated walls. Some analytical techniques have been used, as follow: X-ray fluorescence energy dispersive (EDXRF) (for the relative abundance of major, minor and trace elements), FTIR and Raman spectroscopy (for stratigraphic study of cross-sections of multi-layered materials found in wall paintings), Optical microscopy (OM), (for morphology of the wall samples). The nanomaterial suspension HAp applied on the sample surface by spraying, decreased the capillary water uptake, do not modify significantly the color of the samples and induced a reduced mass loss for the treated samples.

Ancient Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Swamy, Ashwin Balegar

This thesis involves development of an interactive GIS (Geographic Information System) based application, which gives information about the ancient history of Egypt. The astonishing architecture, the strange burial rituals and their civilization were some of the intriguing questions that motivated me towards developing this application. The application is a historical timeline starting from 3100 BC, leading up to 664 BC, focusing on the evolution of the Egyptian dynasties. The tool holds information regarding some of the famous monuments which were constructed during that era and also about the civilizations that co-existed. It also provides details about the religions followed by their kings. It also includes the languages spoken during those periods. The tool is developed using JAVA, a programing language and MOJO (Map Objects Java Objects) a product of ESRI (Environmental Science Research Institute) to create map objects, to provide geographic information. JAVA Swing is used for designing the user interface. HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) pages are created to provide the user with more information related to the historic period. CSS (Cascade Style Sheets) and JAVA Scripts are used with HTML5 to achieve creative display of content. The tool is kept simple and easy for the user to interact with. The tool also includes pictures and videos for the user to get a feel of the historic period. The application is built to motivate people to know more about one of the prominent and ancient civilization of the Mediterranean world.

Visualizing a monumental past: Archeology, Nasser's Egypt, and the early Cold War.

Science.gov (United States)

Carruthers, William

2017-09-01

This article examines geographies of decolonization and the Cold War through a case study in the making of archeological knowledge. The article focuses on an archeological dig that took place in Egypt in the period between the July 1952 Free Officers' coup and the 1956 Suez crisis. Making use of the notion of the 'boundary object', this article demonstrates how the excavation of ancient Egyptian remains at the site of Mit Rahina helped to constitute Nasserist revolutionary modernity and its relationship to wider, post-Second World War political geographies. The dig took place as a result of an Egyptian-American collaboration designed to institute the possibility of archeology taking place along the lines of the Point Four modernization program promoted by the United States. The article discusses how this situation not only engendered contention surrounding the role of the international 'experts' appointed to run this excavation work, but also - and as a result - helped to constitute the monumental visual and material shape that archeological evidence relating to the Egyptian past could now take. Egypt's revolution sat within wider Cold War political struggles, yet the 'ground-up' realities of this relationship helped to constitute the sort of past (and future) monumentality proposed by Nasser's government.

Commercial Function as a Treat to the Monument - 25 Years of Experience in the Commercialization of Monuments in Gdansk, Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Ratajczyk – Piatkowska, Elzbieta

2017-10-01

The principles of the market economy adopted in Poland in the nineties have significantly touched the resources of immovable monuments. As a result, monuments have become a product of culture subject to the rules of the free market; and state ownership, patronage and decision-making practice has now been replaced by private interest. Practical monument use has also changed with the shift in ownership of objects after privatization and further advances in technology and the economy. Accordingly, the subject of this research addresses the issue of ensuring protection as well as the profitability of monumental objects of heritage under private investment in association with municipal and state ownership. The nineties of the twentieth century in Poland marked a period of rapid revival in trade based on market principles and openness to contemporary global trends in the design of commercial facilities. Thus, commercial function as a new use has been used for the commercialization of the monument. After 25 years of experience, it turns out that this new use may pose a threat to the conditions of monument preservation. The spatial and location specifics of the monument are poorly matched to the organizational form of trade and product range, despite the huge variety of these forms; the result is bankruptcy of the commercial operation and the consequent loss of use for the monument. Unused objects will eventually be destroyed. Studies have shown that functions supporting the creation of culture, especially museums, are optimal for the use of monuments. The museum function provides sufficiently high prestige and spatial stability, and allows for the maximum preservation of authentic elements, thus performing an additional role as museum piece.

Monument avalikule hetkele = Monument to a public moment / raumlaborberlin

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2013-01-01

Saksamaa arhitektide projekt "Monument avalikule hetkele" tekitas Tallinnas asuva Välisministeeriumi ette massiivne monumendi aluse, mis mõne minuti suitsu välja ajas ja mis seejärel lammutati. Fotokujutist levitati postkaardil

Distribution and Diversity of Bacteria and Fungi Colonization in Stone Monuments Analyzed by High-Throughput Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiang; Zhang, Bingjian; He, Zhang; Yang, Xiaoru

The historical and cultural heritage of Qingxing palace and Lingyin and Kaihua temple, located in Hangzhou of China, include a large number of exquisite Buddhist statues and ancient stone sculptures which date back to the Northern Song (960-1219 A.D.) and Qing dynasties (1636-1912 A.D.) and are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient stone sculpting techniques. They were added to the World Heritage List in 2011 because of their unique craftsmanship and importance to the study of ancient Chinese Buddhist culture. However, biodeterioration of the surface of the ancient Buddhist statues and white marble pillars not only severely impairs their aesthetic value but also alters their material structure and thermo-hygric properties. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was utilized to identify the microbial communities colonizing the stone monuments. The diversity and distribution of the microbial communities in six samples collected from three different environmental conditions with signs of deterioration were analyzed by means of bioinformatics software and diversity indices. In addition, the impact of environmental factors, including temperature, light intensity, air humidity, and the concentration of NO2 and SO2, on the microbial communities' diversity and distribution was evaluated. The results indicate that the presence of predominantly phototrophic microorganisms was correlated with light and humidity, while nitrifying bacteria and Thiobacillus were associated with NO2 and SO2 from air pollution.

Sanitation of cultural monuments - Energy conervation. Energetic improvement of buildings listed as monuments; Kulturdenkmale sanieren - Energie sparen. Energetische Verbesserung denkmalgeschuetzter Gebaeude

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-08-15

The contribution under consideration reports on an energetic improvement of buildings listed as monuments. Substantial aspects are designated which absolutely have to be considered in the energetic sanitation. Depending upon plant (solar thermal power or photovoltaics), dimensions and other design (cell type, colour, reflection) solutions can be found which only insignificantly impair the appearance of the architectural monument. Partners for buildings listed as monument are monument protection authorities. The contribution under consideration also presents an overview of public funding programs.

Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings: Monument Valley Site, Monument Valley, Arizona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-10-01

Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevalated the Monument Valley site in order to revise the March 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at Monument Valley, Arizona. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposure of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 1.1 million tons of tailings at the Monument Valley site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover material (Option I), to removal of the tailings to remote disposal sites and decontamination of the tailings site (Options II through IV). Cost estimates for the four options range from about $6,600,000 for stabilization in-place, to about $15,900,000 for disposal at a distance of about 15 mi. Three principal alternatives for reprocessing the Monument Valley tailings were examined: heap leaching; Treatment at an existing mill; and reprocessing at a new conventional mill constructed for tailings reprocessing. The cost of the uranium recovery is economically unattractive.

Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings: Monument Valley Site, Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevalated the Monument Valley site in order to revise the March 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at Monument Valley, Arizona. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposure of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 1.1 million tons of tailings at the Monument Valley site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover material (Option I), to removal of the tailings to remote disposal sites and decontamination of the tailings site (Options II through IV). Cost estimates for the four options range from about $6,600,000 for stabilization in-place, to about $15,900,000 for disposal at a distance of about 15 mi. Three principal alternatives for reprocessing the Monument Valley tailings were examined: heap leaching; Treatment at an existing mill; and reprocessing at a new conventional mill constructed for tailings reprocessing. The cost of the uranium recovery is economically unattractive

Construction materials, monuments and environment

Science.gov (United States)

Prikryl, R.; Siegesmund, S.; Török, A.; Brimblecombe, P.; Gomez-Heras, M.

2012-04-01

Construction materials (natural stone, aggregates, bricks, cement, lime, mortar, etc.) form a wide and heterogeneous group both from the genetic and technological point of view. These materials deserve attention from the scientific community due to their long-term use, importance for society and sensitivity to the environment. Most geomaterials have also been used in important monuments designated as a part of the World Cultural Heritage and/or make part of national monuments. Despite of the wide-ranges of studies and our rapidly increasing understanding of material behaviour, our knowledge is still rather limited in many aspects. This concerns the characterisation of traditional raw materials, the knowledge of their processing and use, and/or durability and compatibility assessment. The exploitation and sustainable use of these materials are also new and emerging challenges in the modern society. The use of local materials for monuments can be considered as a part of our cultural and technological heritage, which has, however, significantly deteriorated during the past several decades. This paper summarizes the general topics related to a modern analysis of traditional construction materials derived from the Earth, and on the characteristic aspects of the behaviour of these materials on selected monuments.

Ocatilla : del paisaje monumental al monumento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Quesada

2012-12-01

Full Text Available

Resumen

Este artículo aborda el campamento Ocatilla, construido en el  desierto de Arizona por Frank Lloyd Wright como una estación  experimental de arquitectura en 1929. Se propone este campamento como un prototipo que tendría dos vectores  temporales por lo que se refiere a una posible genealogía y a un posible desarrollo futuro. Hacía el pasado habría que  rastrearlo en la Casa para la Familia Cristiana propuesta por  Catherine Beecher en 1869, mientras que hacia el futuro podría establecerse un posible epígono en la Burbuja Ambiental de  Reyner Banham y François Dallegret de 1965. El texto explora  las posibilidades de un ideal de arquitectura para el paisaje monumental, perfectamente ejemplarizado en los tres casos, frente a la arquitectura como monumento ante el paisaje, que ejemplificaría Taliesin West, su monumental contrafigura.

Palabras clave

campamento, prototipo, paisaje, ambiental, monumental

Abstract

This article discusses the Ocatilla camp, built in the Arizona  desert by Frank Lloyd Wright as an experimental architecture in  1929. This camp is proposed as a prototype with two temporary vectors, one would be to a possible genealogy and the other a  possible future development. Going to the past should be traced in the House for the Christian Family by Catherine Beecher proposed in 1869, while that to the future could be made a epigone in the Environmental Bubble of Reyner Banham and of François Dallegret in 1965. The text explores the possibilities of an ideal architecture for the monumental landscape, perfectly  exemplified in the three cases, compared to architecture as a monument to the landscape, which exemplify Taliesin West, his monumental counterpart.

Key words

camp, prototype, landscape, environment, monumental

Selected misdemeanors against monuments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agata Klimczyk

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the work is to present selected aspects misdemeanors against monuments and the possibility of counteracting them.The author has used: the method of legal analysis  and literature study.  It was moved, among others issues in which cases occur misconduct, when and  what measures can be taken to prevent it. The aim of this paper is to present the matter directly. Attention  also was paid to the role The Provincial Monuments Conservator  and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

The Monument as Ruin: Natality, Spectrality, and the History of the Image in the Tirana Independence Monument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raino Isto

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article examines the Tirana Independence Monument, first inaugurated in November of 2012 on the hundredth anniversary of Albanian independence from the Ottoman Empire. The monument, designed by Visar Obrija and Kai Roman Kiklas, swiftly fell into disrepair until it was recently renovated in November of 2015. The article analyzes the monument’s function in terms of its doubled existence as a sign of perpetual natality (the possibility of the rebirth of national consciousness and as a ruin with a spectral pseudo-presence (as an object that continually reminds us of the disjunctures that divorce the present from its historicity. It considers the way the monument’s inauguration relates to the politics of monumentality in contemporary Albania, and argues that the monument’s gradual ruination between 2012 and 2015 can be read as a particular manifestation of the history of the image in late capitalist society.Keywords: spectrality, natality, monumentality, Albania, Tirana, independence, national identity, grid, public sculpture

A phase-transition model for the rise and collapse of ancient civilizations: A pre-ceramic Andean case study

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, J. C.

2015-12-01

For ancient civilizations, the shift from disorder to organized urban settlements is viewed as a phase-transition simile. The number of monumental constructions, assumed to be a signature of civilization processes, corresponds to the order parameter, and effective connectivity becomes related to the control parameter. Based on parameter estimations from archaeological and paleo-climatological data, this study analyzes the rise and fall of the ancient Caral civilization on the South Pacific coast during a period of small ENSO fluctuations (approximately 4500 BP). Other examples considered include civilizations on Easter Island and the Maya Lowlands. This work considers a typical nonlinear third order evolution equation and numerical simulations.

The Development of Mobile Application to Introduce Historical Monuments in Manado

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markhasi Rupilu Moshe

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Learning the historical value of a monument is important because it preserves cultural and historical values, as well as expanding our personal insight. In Indonesia, particularly in Manado, North Sulawesi, there are many monuments. The monuments are erected for history, religion, culture and past war, however these aren’t written in detail in the monuments. To get information on specific monument, manual search was required, i.e. asking related people or sources. Based on the problem, the development of an application which can utilize LBS (Location Based Service method and some algorithmic methods specifically designed for mobile devices such as Smartphone, was required so that information on every monument in Manado can be displayed in detail using GPS coordinate. The application was developed by KNN method with K-means algorithm and collaborative filtering to recommend monument information to tourist. Tourists will get recommended options filtered by distance. Then, this method was also used to look for the closest monument from user. KNN algorithm determines the closest location by making comparisons according to calculation of longitude and latitude of several monuments tourist wants to visit. With this application, tourists who want to know and find information on monuments in Manado can do them easily and quickly because monument information is recommended directly to user without having to make selection. Moreover, tourist can see recommended monument information and search several monuments in Manado in real time.

The Development of Mobile Application to Introduce Historical Monuments in Manado

Science.gov (United States)

Rupilu, Moshe Markhasi; Suyoto; Santoso, Albertus Joko

2018-02-01

Learning the historical value of a monument is important because it preserves cultural and historical values, as well as expanding our personal insight. In Indonesia, particularly in Manado, North Sulawesi, there are many monuments. The monuments are erected for history, religion, culture and past war, however these aren't written in detail in the monuments. To get information on specific monument, manual search was required, i.e. asking related people or sources. Based on the problem, the development of an application which can utilize LBS (Location Based Service) method and some algorithmic methods specifically designed for mobile devices such as Smartphone, was required so that information on every monument in Manado can be displayed in detail using GPS coordinate. The application was developed by KNN method with K-means algorithm and collaborative filtering to recommend monument information to tourist. Tourists will get recommended options filtered by distance. Then, this method was also used to look for the closest monument from user. KNN algorithm determines the closest location by making comparisons according to calculation of longitude and latitude of several monuments tourist wants to visit. With this application, tourists who want to know and find information on monuments in Manado can do them easily and quickly because monument information is recommended directly to user without having to make selection. Moreover, tourist can see recommended monument information and search several monuments in Manado in real time.

Distribution and Diversity of Bacteria and Fungi Colonization in Stone Monuments Analyzed by High-Throughput Sequencing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Li

Full Text Available The historical and cultural heritage of Qingxing palace and Lingyin and Kaihua temple, located in Hangzhou of China, include a large number of exquisite Buddhist statues and ancient stone sculptures which date back to the Northern Song (960-1219 A.D. and Qing dynasties (1636-1912 A.D. and are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient stone sculpting techniques. They were added to the World Heritage List in 2011 because of their unique craftsmanship and importance to the study of ancient Chinese Buddhist culture. However, biodeterioration of the surface of the ancient Buddhist statues and white marble pillars not only severely impairs their aesthetic value but also alters their material structure and thermo-hygric properties. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was utilized to identify the microbial communities colonizing the stone monuments. The diversity and distribution of the microbial communities in six samples collected from three different environmental conditions with signs of deterioration were analyzed by means of bioinformatics software and diversity indices. In addition, the impact of environmental factors, including temperature, light intensity, air humidity, and the concentration of NO2 and SO2, on the microbial communities' diversity and distribution was evaluated. The results indicate that the presence of predominantly phototrophic microorganisms was correlated with light and humidity, while nitrifying bacteria and Thiobacillus were associated with NO2 and SO2 from air pollution.

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Chiricahua National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Brian F.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Halvorson, William L.; Anning, Pamela

2009-01-01

This report summarizes the results of the first comprehensive inventory of vascular plants and vertebrates at Chiricahua National Monument (NM) in Arizona. This project was part of a larger effort to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in the Sonoran Desert Network of parks in Arizona and New Mexico. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 we surveyed for plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Chiricahua NM to document the presence of species within the boundaries of the monument. Because we used repeatable study designs and standardized field methods, these inventories can serve as the first step in a biological monitoring program for the monument. This report is also the first summary of previous research from the monument and therefore it provides an important overview of survey efforts to date. We used data from our inventory and previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. We recorded a total of 424 species, including 37 not previously found at the monument (Table 1). We found 10 species of non-native plants and one non-native mammal. Most non-native plants were found along the western boundary of the monument. Based on a review of our inventory and past research at the monument, there have been a total of 1,137 species of plants and vertebrates found at the monument. We believe the inventories of vascular plants and vertebrates are nearly complete and that the monument has one of the most complete inventories of any unit in the Sonoran Desert Network. The mammal community at the monument had the highest species richness (69 species) and the amphibian and reptile community was among the lowest species richness (33 species) of any park in the Sonoran Desert Network. Species richness of the plant and bird communities was intermediate. Among the important determinants of species richness for all groups is the geographic location of the monument

The Monumental Task of Warning Future Generations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NA

2005-01-01

Describing preliminary concepts for permanent warning monuments or markers on the mountain's surface will be part of the US Department of Energy's license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The NRC requires that the monuments or markers accurately identify the location of the repository, be designed to be as permanent as practicable and convey a warning against intrusion into the underground repository, because of risk to public health and safety from radioactive wastes. Current concepts include both monuments and markers, but the designs will not be final for some time because they will not be approved by the NRC until shortly before the repository is to be permanently sealed and closed. Closure of the repository would be at least 50 years, and possibly up to 300 years, after the first waste is emplaced deep underground. Design ideas for the monuments and markers have been drawn from a broad range of sources: Yucca Mountain's natural conditions, worldwide archeological studies, materials science, and verbal and symbolic linguistics. The monumental challenge is to address how warnings can be coherently conveyed for thousands of years into the future when human society and languages could change radically

A case study and mechanism investigation of typical mortars used on ancient architecture in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Yuyao; Zhang Bingjian; Liang Xiaolin

2008-01-01

Mortars sampled from Dutifulness Monument, where typical ancient China mortar formulas and manufacturing processes were used, were analyzed by starch-iodine test, FTIR, DSC-TG, SEM and XRD methods. Several modeling samples were then made according to historical records of Chinese ancient mortar formulas and analyzed with the same techniques. The modeling formulas also were used to consolidate loose specimens. The results show that sticky rice plays a crucial role in the microstructure and the consolidation properties of lime mortars. A possible mechanism was suggested that biomineralization may occur during the carbonation of calcium hydroxide, where the sticky rice functions as a template and controls the growth of calcium carbonate crystal. The organic-inorganic materials formed based on this mechanism will be more favorable for consolidating the loose samples both in strength improvement and durability

Three-Dimensional Recording of Bastion Middleburg Monument Using Terrestrial Laser Scanner

Science.gov (United States)

Majid, Z.; Lau, C. L.; Yusoff, A. R.

2016-06-01

This paper describes the use of terrestrial laser scanning for the full three-dimensional (3D) recording of historical monument, known as the Bastion Middleburg. The monument is located in Melaka, Malaysia, and was built by the Dutch in 1660. This monument serves as a major hub for the community when conducting commercial activities in estuaries Malacca and the Dutch build this monument as a control tower or fortress. The monument is located on the banks of the Malacca River was built between Stadhuys or better known as the Red House and Mill Quayside. The breakthrough fort on 25 November 2006 was a result of the National Heritage Department through in-depth research on the old map. The recording process begins with the placement of measuring targets at strategic locations around the monument. Spherical target was used in the point cloud data registration. The scanning process is carried out using a laser scanning system known as a terrestrial scanner Leica C10. This monument was scanned at seven scanning stations located surrounding the monument with medium scanning resolution mode. Images of the monument have also been captured using a digital camera that is setup in the scanner. For the purposes of proper registration process, the entire spherical target was scanned separately using a high scanning resolution mode. The point cloud data was pre-processed using Leica Cyclone software. The pre-processing process starting with the registration of seven scan data set through overlapping spherical targets. The post-process involved in the generation of coloured point cloud model of the monument using third-party software. The orthophoto of the monument was also produced. This research shows that the method of laser scanning provides an excellent solution for recording historical monuments with true scale of and texture.

Kala-tau Hill as a Medieval Monument of Archaeology and Epigraphy in the Western Urals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabdrafikov I.M.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To provide a description of Starokalmashevo hillfort and the Starokalmashevo gravestone with an Arabic epitaph found in the mid-20th century in close proximity to the site of ancient settlement. They are here described not only as monuments of the Middle Ages, but also as objects of historical heritage testifying to the continuous process of ethno-culturogenesis in the Western Cis-Urals up to modern times. Research materials: The author considers the issues of medieval history, ethno- and cultural genesis of the Western Cis-Urals in light of the example of the Starokalmashevo hillfort, located on the hill of Kala-tau (Chekmagushevsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, as well as the Starokalmashevo gravestone. The author provides a complex description of these archaeological and cultural monuments and points out the importance of preserving these objects as an integral part of the local population and the entire Volga-Ural region’s collective historical memory. Research novelty: The author presents new materials, including the stories of community elders about the origin of the above-mentioned archaeological sites. He analyzes the inscriptions on the tombstone, including its new reading, and draws a conclusion about the continuity of the population of this territory for a sustained period.

Merchant Seamen Monument

OpenAIRE

1991-01-01

Postcard. Colour photograph of Merchant Seamen Monument. Printed description on reverse "This memorial was erected in remembrance of the merchant seamen from Limerick and the Shannon Estuary Seamen who lost their lives in the course of duty". 1991 Limerick Treaty 300 logo.

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Powell, Brian F.; Halvorson, William L.

2007-01-01

Executive Summary We summarized inventory and monitoring efforts for plants and vertebrates at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (NM) in Arizona. We used data from previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. There have been 1,031 species of plants and vertebrates observed at the monument. Most of the species on the list are documented by voucher specimens. There are 59 non-native species established in the monument: one mammal, three birds, and 55 non-native plants. Most non-native plant species were first recorded along roads. In each taxon-specific chapter, we highlight areas that contribute disproportionately to species richness or that have unique species for the monument. Of particular importance are Quitobaquito Springs and Pond, which are responsible for the monument having one of the highest number of bird species in the Sonoran Desert Network of parks. Quitobaquito also contains the only fish in the monument, the endangered Quitobaquito pupfish (Cyprinodon eremus). Other important resources for the plants and vertebrates include the xeroriparian washes (e.g., Alamo Canyon) and the Ajo Mountains. Based on the review of past studies, we believe the inventories of vascular plants and vertebrates are nearly complete and that the monument has one of the most complete inventories of any unit in the Sonoran Desert Network.

The research on the buried public monumental complexes of Lupiae (Lecce) by geophysical prospecting

Science.gov (United States)

Leucci, Giovanni; De Giorgi, Lara; Di Giacomo, Giacomo; Ditaranto, Imma; Miccoli, Ilaria; Scardozzi, Giuseppe

2017-10-01

Ongoing and extensive urbanisation may threaten important archaeological structures that are still buried in urban areas. The ground penetrating radar (GPR) method is the most promising alternative for resolving buried archaeological structures in urban territories. This paper presents a case study that involves a geophysical survey employing the surface three-dimensional (3D) GPR techniques, in order to archaeologically characterise the investigated areas. The site is located in the south-western sector of the historical centre of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), where the modern city overlaps the main public monuments of the Roman municipium of Lupiae, only partially preserved or excavated: the amphitheatre, the theatre, the baths and maybe also the Forum. GPR measurements, integrated with the results of archaeological excavations and the topographical surveys of the preserved remains, were carried out in several areas regarding sectors of the ancient roman city. The GPR data were collected along a dense network of parallel profiles. The GPR sections were processed applying specific filters to the data in order to enhance their information content. The GPR images significantly contributed in reconstructing the complex subsurface properties in these modern urban areas. Strong GPR reflections features were correlated with possible ancient structures and they were integrated in the digital archaeological map of the city.

Summary of the engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings: Monument Valley site, Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Monument Valley site in order to revise the March 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at Monument Valley, Arizona. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 1.1 million tons of tailings at the Monument Valley site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover material to removal of the tailings to remote disposal sites and decontamination of the tailings site. Cost estimates for the four options range from about $6,600,000 for stabilization in-place, to about $15,900,000 for disposal at a distance of about 15 mi. Three principal alternatives for reprocessing the Monument Valley tailings were examined: heap leaching, treatment at an existing mill; and reprocessing at a new conventional mill constructed for tailings reprocessing. The cost of the uranium recovered would be more than $500/lb of U 3 O 8 by heap leach or conventional plant processes. The spot market price for uranium was $25/lb early in 1981. Therefore, reprocessing the tailings for uranium recovery is economically unattractive

CHRONOLOGY AND DYNAMICS OF ANCIENT POTTERY TRADITIONS' DISSEMINATION IN STEPPES OF THE LOWER VOLGA REGION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vybornov, Aleksandr A.; Vasilyeva, Irina N.; Kulkova, Marianna A.

2018-01-01

The territory of the Lower Volga plays an important role in the study of the Neolithic of Eastern Europe. The leading indicator of this epoch is pottery. Determining the chronology of pottery making is one of the most complex issues. Over the past ten years, a large number of radiocarbon dates (43......) have been obtained on various materials: coal, bones, organic materials in pottery, crusts, humus. They allowed accurate determining of the initial time of appearance of the most ancient crockery in the Lower Volga region - the middle of the 7th millennium BC. The authors determine the chronological...... analysis made it possible to clarify the genesis, the features of the dynamics and the further destiny of pottery in the region. The combination of the latest data allows referring the Neolithic monuments of steppe territory of the Lower Volga to the area of the ancient pottery in Eastern Europe. A...

Social Interest in The Polish Doctrine of Monument Preservation

Science.gov (United States)

Antoszczyszyn, Marek

2017-10-01

The paper discusses a controversy surrounding the latest amendment to the text of the Polish Parliament Act Conservation and the Care of Monuments (2015). It is a common dictum that any edifice cannot exist without good foundations. In this particular case of the mentioned above Act, definition of monument appears to be such a basis. A social interest is one of the constituent elements of the definition mentioned above. In the first part of the paper the notion of the social interest expression has been discussed, particularly from national and international points of view. The second part of the paper comprises some examples from the Polish monument preservation experience with the use of comparison method supported by case study. Only three big Polish cities: Warsaw, Wroclaw and Szczecin are involved in the presented case study but it must be emphasized that many other places on Polish territory experienced the same. Basing on the faith of these cities, the results and discussion chapter proves fundamental discrepancy in social interest notion between national and international scopes using some analytical methods. Finally, in the discussion chapter some proposals for the future amendment of monument definition in the Act of Conservation and the Care of Monuments have been provided.

Activities of the Volgograd Branch of All-Russian Society for Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments on the Protection of Labour Glory Monuments of the Soviet People in the 1970s

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filatov Dmitriy N.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The article examines the causes and origins of the all-Russian society for protection of monuments of history and culture. On the basis of archival documents the author shows the appearance of the Volgograd branch of all-Russian society of protection of monuments of history and culture. The author describes its activities on studying, preserving and promoting the monuments of history and culture of the Volgograd region in the 1970s. The author discusses the causes of establishing in 1974 the section of the regional Department for the protection and promotion of monuments of labour glory of the Soviet people. He indicates that its appearance in the structure of all-Russian society of protection of monuments of history and culture was associated with an increased conducted by the then government work on military-Patriotic education of youth. Under this policy, the section has been considered from the point of view of propaganda of Soviet history and focused on the identification, promotion and protection of monuments of history of Soviet society. The article studies its activities related to the identification, research, description, and preservation of monuments of labour achievements of the Soviet period. The author indicates the difficulties encountered after the adoption in 1976 of the USSR Law “On the protection and use of monuments of history and culture”, where the monuments of labour glory in a separate category werenot distinguished and were classified as historical monuments. The author describes the closure of the section of monuments to the labour of fame in 1979 and evaluates the results of the section, its contribution to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Volgograd region.

Accessibility improvement interventions realised in Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aristotelis Naniopoulos

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose – Access to culture is a fundamental right of people with disabilities and a significant aspect in the development of accessible tourism. A visit to a monument provides an authentic experience which cannot be substituted by any representation. However, any interventions to improve accessibility should be made carefully, so as not to alter the monument�s character, or damage it visually or structurally. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical approach model was defined in the PROSPELASIS project for the improvement of accessibility in monuments which was applied in Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki. This approach contains the following steps: evaluation of existing accessibility level; definition of alternative solutions; creation of final studies, approval by archaeological authorities and implementation of interventions. Findings – In six major Byzantine monuments significant improvements were realized which include: installation of two lifts and creation of a new staircase at Acheiropoietos; creation of a metal bridge, a new staircase and installation of a lift at Rotunda; opening of the secondary gate and creation of a ramp at the Heptapyrgion fortress; creation of an accessible toilet at the Saint Demetrios church; installation in the six monuments of a WiFi system providing text and audible information as well as information in Greek and International Sign Language; creation of two tactile models; creation of a �cultural route� connecting three major Byzantine monuments. Originality/value – For the first time, to the knowledge, a set of interventions has been realized in Byzantine monuments focusing on various categories of people with disabilities, i.e. motor, visual, hearing and cognitive.

32 CFR 553.21 - Monuments and inscriptions at private expense.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... of simple design, dignified, and appropriate to a military cemetery. The name of the person(s) or the... maintenance of or damage of the monument. (b) Where a monument has been erected to an individual interred in...

76 FR 12714 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Marianas Trench Marine National Monument...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-08

... culturally significant subsistence, cultural and religious uses within the monument; a program to assess and promote monument-related scientific exploration and research, tourism, and recreational and economic... and research, tourism, and recreational and commercial activities do not degrade the monument's coral...

[An outline of odontoiatry and odontology in the ancient world].

Science.gov (United States)

Musitelli, S

1996-01-01

Dentistry was surely practiced in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Etruria, Greece and Rome, but odontology arose only with the dawn of Greek science. One may find the first references to a rational odontology only in the fragments of the Pre-socratic philosophers and in the Corpus Hippocraticum. Aristotle was the first to treat odontology under a comparative anatomo-physiological point of view. Celsus and Scribonius Largus got their matter from Hippocrates, Aristotle, the Hellenistic anatomists as well as from folk-traditions, but payed attention rather to dentistry than to odontology. Finally Galen gathered all the knowledge about odontology and dentistry from Hippocrates up to the Hellenistic anatomists and organized all the matter in his monumental teleologic and theological system, that was inherited by both the so called iatrosophists and the Byzantine physicians.

MONUMENTS TO THE PATRIOTIC WAR OF 1812

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Frolov Vladimir Pavlovich

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The article covers a relevant historical and cultural problem of elaboration and maintenance of monuments of the military glory of 1812. The author considers various architectural and sculptural monuments illustrating heroic events of Patriotic war of 1812, built in the two Russian capitals - Moscow and Saint Petersburg in different historical periods, and also in primordial Russian towns, such as Smolensk, Vyazma, and Maloyaroslavets. Architectural and composition-related features of this or that monument erected against the background of historic events of the war of 1812 are analyzed in detail. The author demonstrates the links between architecture and sculpture within the framework of town-planning solutions implemented in the pieces that have found their places in the towns enlisted above. The value of symbols of the Victory and Glory of the Russian army and the Russian people is marked. The names of the most famous heroes of this war, starting from a field marshal and ending with a soldier are inscribed. By addressing the historical and cultural heritage of Russia, the author informs readers about the most significant events of the war. The author mentions an acute problem of the modernity, that is, preservation and restoration of monuments, and shares his view point. The value of the historic and cultural heritage of Russia for military and patriotic education is emphasized. The article is prepared within the framework of the year of the Russian history.

Compositions of stone and stone surface materials of historical monuments from Vidzeme and Zemgale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Actins, A.; Spricis, A.; Zekunde, A.; Nemerova, A.

2004-01-01

By means of x-ray analysis composition of stone and stone surface materials of historical monuments from Vidzeme and Zemgale was investigated. Corrosion products of tuffa materials were identified on surfaces of some investigated monuments. Similarity of composition of products of stone corrosion for monuments from Latvia and Poland was recognised. Content of heavy metals at stone materials of historical monuments and at the surface layers of these monuments was investigated by means of atomic absorption and potentiometric stripping methods. Reasons of formation of compounds and pollution of investigated samples were discussed. (full text)

Ca (OH)2Nanoparticles Based on Acrylic Copolymers for the consolidation and protection of Ancient Egypt Calcareous Stone Monuments

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dosari, Mohammad A.; Darwish, Sawsan S.; Adam, Mahmoud A.; Elmarzugi, Nagib A.; Al-Mouallimi, Nadia; Ahmed, Sayed M.

2017-04-01

The deterioration of calcareous stones materials used in artistic/architectural field is one of the most serious problems facing conservation today. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of nanosized particles of calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) as a consolidation and protection material dispersed in acrylic copolymer, poly ethylmethacrylate/methylacrylate (70:30) (Poly (EMA/MA), for calcareous stone monuments and painted surfaces affected by different kinds of decay. The synthesis process of Ca (OH)2 nanoparticles/polymer nanocomposites have been prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization system. The prepared nanocomposite containing 5% of Ca (OH)2 nanoparticles showed obvious transparency features and represent nanocomposites coating technology with hydrophobic, consolidating and well protection properties.

Ca (OH)2Nanoparticles Based on Acrylic Copolymers for the consolidation and protection of Ancient Egypt Calcareous Stone Monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Dosari, Mohammad A.; Ahmed, Sayed M.; Darwish, Sawsan S.; Adam, Mahmoud A.; Elmarzugi, Nagib A.; Al-Mouallimi, Nadia

2017-01-01

The deterioration of calcareous stones materials used in artistic/architectural field is one of the most serious problems facing conservation today. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of nanosized particles of calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) as a consolidation and protection material dispersed in acrylic copolymer, poly ethylmethacrylate/methylacrylate (70:30) (Poly (EMA/MA), for calcareous stone monuments and painted surfaces affected by different kinds of decay. The synthesis process of Ca (OH) 2 nanoparticles/polymer nanocomposites have been prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization system. The prepared nanocomposite containing 5% of Ca (OH) 2 nanoparticles showed obvious transparency features and represent nanocomposites coating technology with hydrophobic, consolidating and well protection properties. (paper)

A Monument as a Text, or The Message of the Brothers Dostoevsky

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Vladimir Zakharov

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers the circumstances of the creation of a monument to the writer's mother Maria Fyodorovna Dostoevskaya. Mikhail Andreevich, father of the brothers Dostoevsky, asked Mikhail and Fyodor to compose the text for the monument. In March and April of 1837 the brothers worked out the idea and conception of the monument, wrote the text of the first and fourth epigraphs, chose evangelic verses and an epitaph of N.M. Karamzin. This was their first collective act of creative work embodied in stone. The monument is not only a symbol of love and sorrow for their mother’s death but also hope for her salvation and future resurrection. The brothers’ words and those chosen from the Gospel as well as the Karamzin’s ones have one more meaning. These convey a sense of beingness and an Easter idea of individual creative work. It is necessary to renew the tomb of Maria Fyodorovna Dostoevskaya and bring the monument back to Lazarevskoye cemetery in Moscow.

Lower Monumental Spillway Hydraulic Model Study

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wilhelms, Steven

2003-01-01

A 1:40 Froudian Scale model was used to investigate the hydraulic performance of the Lower Monumental Dam spillway, stilling basin, and tailrace for dissolved gas reduction and stilling basin apron scour...

Monumental heritage exposure to urban black carbon pollution

Science.gov (United States)

Patrón, D.; Lyamani, H.; Titos, G.; Casquero-Vera, J. A.; Cardell, C.; Močnik, G.; Alados-Arboledas, L.; Olmo, F. J.

2017-12-01

In this study, aerosol light-absorption measurements obtained at three sites during a winter campaign were used to analyse and identify the major sources of Black Carbon (BC) particles in and around the Alhambra monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that receives over 2 million visitors per year. The Conditional Bivariate Probability Function and the Aethalometer model were employed to identify the main sources of BC particles and to estimate the contributions of biomass burning and fossil fuel emissions to the total Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) concentrations over the monumental complex. Unexpected high levels of EBC were found at the Alhambra, comparable to those measured in relatively polluted European urban areas during winter. EBC concentrations above 3.0 μg/m3, which are associated with unacceptable levels of soiling and negative public reactions, were observed at Alhambra monument on 13 days from 12 October 2015 to 29 February 2016, which can pose a risk to its long-term conservation and may cause negative social and economic impacts. It was found that road traffic emissions from the nearby urban area and access road to the Alhambra were the main sources of BC particles over the monument. However, biomass burning emissions were found to have very small impact on EBC concentrations at the Alhambra. The highest EBC concentrations were observed during an extended stagnant episode associated with persistent high-pressure systems, reflecting the large impact that can have these synoptic conditions on BC over the Alhambra.

Chronological studies of the Arzhan-2 Scythian monument in Tuva (Russia).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zaitseva, GI; Chugunov, KV; Dergachev, VA; Nagler, A; Parzinger, G; Scott, EM; Sementsov, AA; Vasiliev, S; van Geel, B; van der Plicht, J; Lebedeva, LM

2004-01-01

The first radiocarbon dates from the unique early Scythian monument Arzhan-2, discovered in 2001, are presented. The monument contained a royal burial (grave nr 5). Unfortunately, precise dating is hampered by the Hallstatt plateau in the calibration curve. However, using both accelerator mass

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Brian F.; Albrecht, Eric W.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Halvorson, William L.; Anning, Pamela; Docherty, Kathleen

2006-01-01

Executive Summary This report summarizes results of the first comprehensive biological inventory of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (NM) in southern Arizona. Surveys at the monument were part of a larger effort to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in Arizona and New Mexico. In 2001 and 2002 we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Casa Grande Ruins NM to document the presence, and in some cases relative abundance, of species. By using repeatable study designs and standardized field techniques, which included quantified survey effort, we produced inventories that can serve as the basis for a biological monitoring program. Of the National Park Service units in the region, no other has experienced as much recent ecological change as Casa Grande Ruins NM. Once situated in a large and biologically diverse mesquite bosque near the perennially flowing Gila River, the monument is now a patch of sparse desert vegetation surrounded by urban and commercial development that is rapidly replacing agriculture as the dominant land use in the area. Roads, highways, and canals surround the monument. Development, and its associated impacts, has important implications for the plants and animals that live in the monument. The plant species list is small and the distribution and number of non-native plants appears to be increasing. Terrestrial vertebrates are also being impacted by the changing landscape, which is increasing the isolation of these populations from nearby natural areas and thereby reducing the number of species at the monument. These observations are alarming and are based on our review of previous studies, our research in the monument, and our knowledge of the biogeography and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. Together, these data suggest that the monument has lost a significant portion of its historic complement of species and these changes will likely intensify as

The site of Chaika, the necropolis and quarry of ancient time at the outskirt of Evpatoria in the North-Western Crimea: results and prospects

OpenAIRE

Попова, Елена Александровна; Пежемский, Денис Валерьевич; Беловинцева, Наталья Ивановна

2015-01-01

The article suggests the survey of archaeological monuments of ancient age in the vicinity of Evpatoria: the Chaika site and the synchronous necropolis and quarry.The site of Chaika being founded by Chersoneses continued living from 4th to 2nd centuries B.C. The first period – the fortress, when the site served for cropping production and forwarding it to Chersoneses. The fortress went under as a result of political rivalry in Chersoneses when a group of democratic policy antagonists suffered...

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Montezuma Castle National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Drost, Charles A.; Halvorson, William Lee

2006-01-01

Executive Summary We summarize past inventory efforts for vascular plants and vertebrates at Montezuma Castle National Monument (NM) in Arizona. We used data from previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. There have been 784 species recorded at Montezuma Castle NM, of which 85 (11%) are non-native. In each taxon-specific chapter we highlight areas of resources that contributed to species richness or unique species for the monument. Of particular importance are Montezuma Well and Beaver and Wet Beaver creeks and the surrounding riparian vegetation, which are responsible for the monument having one of the highest numbers of bird species in the Sonoran Desert Network of park units. Beaver Creek is also home to populations of federally-listed fish species of concern. Other important resources include the cliffs along the creeks and around Montezuma Well (for cliff and cave roosting bats). Based on the review of past studies, we believe the inventory for most taxa is nearly complete, though some rare or elusive species will be added with additional survey effort. We recommend additional inventory, monitoring and research studies.

Monumental Masonry Buildings Pre-Assessment Method Based on Risk Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meltem VATAN

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Depending on the construction period, geometrical typology, construction and organization of the structure, element size and construction material of historic monumental structures; constructed with bricks, stones, adobe and mortar, are diverse and very complicated. Structural safety is guaranteed by the codes, guidelines, and specifications for recently constructed concrete and steel buildings, but there is no specific criterion for evaluating the historic monumental buildings. This study presents a scoring system method for classifying the risk level of the historic monumental structures based on visual information. This method is based on the acquisition of visual data of the building by using the developed building inspection form, storage of the acquired data on the web database and evaluation of the risk score of the inspected building automatically by the computer database system.

Intertextuality in the texts of Ancient Egypt: an analysis of the "sandbanks"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Salem

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Literary texts emerged in ancient Egypt at the beginning of the 12th Dynasty. Nevertheless some metaphors, topics and expressions that are recurrent in the texts of fiction belong to other narrative fields, like the texts of the tombs or monumental. The concept of intertextuality allows us to analyze how literary texts permanently dialogue with other types of expressive discourses, putting in question the individual authorship of the same, since the literary text participates and is part of a broader, interconnected textuality, without a single mentor. Through the expression Tsw "sandbanks" we will analyze the intertextual relationship of the literary texts of the Middle Kingdom with the autobiographies of the Ancient Kingdom, and the First Intermediate Period and some religious texts of the New Kingdom as the Books of the Amduat. In this way, we will discuss the different meanings that the expression Tsw was acquiring according to the textual and historical context in which it was expressed. This allows us to conclude that the literary text is nourished by diversity and narrates topics that do not entirely belong to it, that is, it fictionalizes metaphors, expressions, ideas, texts that we find in nonfiction narratives but which are nourished by their meanings.

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Tuzigoot National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Brian F.; Albrecht, E.W.; Halvorson, William Lee; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Anning, P.; Docherty, K.

2005-01-01

Executive Summary From 2002 to 2004, we surveyed for plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Tuzigoot National Monument (NM) and adjacent areas in Arizona. This was the first effort of its kind in the area and was part of a larger effort to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in Arizona and New Mexico. In addition to our own surveys, we also compiled a complete list of species that have been found by previous studies. We found 330 species, including 142 that had not previously been recorded at the monument (Table 1). We found 39 species of non-native plants, 11 non-native fishes, three non-native birds, and one non-native species each of amphibian and mammal. Based on our work and that of others, there have been 597 species of plants and vertebrates found at the monument. The bird community at the monument had the highest species richness of any national park unit in central and southern Arizona. We found all other taxa to have intermediate species richness compared to other park units in the region. This extraordinary species richness observed for birds, as well as for some other taxa, is due primarily to Tavasci Marsh and the Verde River, two critical sources of perennial water, which provide habitat for many regionally rare or uncommon species. The location of the monument at the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert and at the southern edge of the Mogollon Rim also plays an important role in determining the distribution and community composition of the plant and vertebrate communities. Based on our findings, we believe the high number of non-native species, especially fish and plants, should be of particular management concern. We detail other management challenges, most notably the rapid increase in housing and associated commercial development near the monument, which will continue to impact the plant and vertebrate communities. Based on our data and a review of past studies, we believe the

Classification and recognition of the heritage values of the monuments of Tlemcen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walid Hamma

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The first classification of historic monuments of Tlemcen dates from 1900 and the last from 2010. The 82 monuments date back to the Berber, Muslim and Roman eras. After the independence of Algeria, the French colonial heritage is not concerned by the rankings. They were removed from the list of monuments that was established by the French before 1962. The historic city of Tlemcen dates from the year 201 AD and features many old buildings. The latest ranking list does not reflect the architectural richness of this city. We then asked about the possibility of classifying the other historic buildings. From this questioning, we first identified all cultural goods which could be classified. Then we have evaluated these buildings following a grid of 20 heritage values. They are mentioned in the national and international legislation. It turns out that only 1.57 % of monuments of this city are classified.

Comprehensive aerodynamic and dynamic study of independence of ukraine monument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. M. Lebedich

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Comprehensive approach for solution the engineering problems o f creation the high-rise extended pillartype Monument in Kiyv is described. The results o f dynamic tests o f 1:25 scale model and aerodynamictests o f 1:8 scale model o f the Monument in TAD-2 wind tunnel are given. The procedures fordetermination o f actual dynamic characteristics and assurance the efficiency o f damping on the siteare described

Image based Monument Recognition using Graph based Visual Saliency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalliatakis, Grigorios; Triantafyllidis, Georgios

2013-01-01

This article presents an image-based application aiming at simple image classification of well-known monuments in the area of Heraklion, Crete, Greece. This classification takes place by utilizing Graph Based Visual Saliency (GBVS) and employing Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) or Speeded......, the images have been previously processed according to the Graph Based Visual Saliency model in order to keep either SIFT or SURF features corresponding to the actual monuments while the background “noise” is minimized. The application is then able to classify these images, helping the user to better...

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Brian F.; Albrecht, Eric W.; Halvorson, William L.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Docherty, Kathleen; Anning, Pamela

2006-01-01

Executive Summary This report summarizes the results of the first comprehensive biological inventory of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (NM) in western New Mexico. This project was part of a larger effort to inventory plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in Arizona and New Mexico. Our surveys address many of the objectives that were set forth in the monument's natural resource management plan almost 20 years ago, but until this effort, those goals were never accomplished. From 2001 to 2003 we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM to document presence of species within the boundaries of the monument. For all taxonomic groups that we studied, we collected 'incidental' sightings on U.S. Forest Service lands adjacent to the monument, and in a few cases we did formal surveys on those lands. Because we used repeatable study designs and standardized field techniques, these inventories can serve as the first step in a biological monitoring program for Gila Cliff Dwellings NM and surrounding lands. We recorded 552 species at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM and the surrounding lands (Table 1). We found no non-native species of reptiles, birds, or mammals, one non-native amphibian (American bullfrog), and 33 non-native plants. Particularly on lands adjacent to the monument we found that the American bullfrog was very abundant, which is a cause for significant management concern. Species of non-native plants that are of management concern include red brome, bufflegrass, and cheatgrass. For a park unit of its size and geographic location, we found the plant and vertebrate communities to be fairly diverse; for each taxonomic group we found representative species from a wide range of taxonomic orders and/or families. The monument's geographic location, with influences from the Rocky Mountain, Chihuahuan Desert, and Madrean ecological provinces, plays an important role in determining

DEGRADATION WORKS OF MONUMENTAL ART CAST BRONZE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

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Delia NICA-BADEA

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Intensive pollution, combined with the lack of conservation of monuments exposed to these environments make the main cause of deterioration of cultural objects to atmospheric corrosion metal. This paper proposes a study of the main factors leading to degradation Bronze alloy, cast bronze monuments exposed to open atmosphere: corrosive environmental factors, stability and products of corrosion of bronze. In general, all corrosion products present on a metal surface are indicated as 'skate', can be composed of single-layer or multilayer products. The paper also includes a case study on the influence of environmental factors on degradation Matthias monument statue in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Visual inspection of the monument informs us that have white spots, gray, reddish not consistent with the base color green patina, surfaces showing depigmentation, the rain washed areas, crystallization, deposition of air-borne particles.

Atmospheric Weathering of Historic Monuments and Their Related Conservation Issues

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Caner-Saltık Emine N.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric environment affects the materials of historic monuments and their structure starting from the time of their construction. Daily and seasonal changes in temperature and humidity, wind, snow and rainfall, soluble salts carried by water, biological agents, pollutant gases and particulate matter are some of the agents in atmospheric environment that introduce weathering by physical, chemical and biological processes in the materials of the monuments such as natural building stones, bricks, mortars and plasters, mud brick etc. The weathering processes need to be well diagnosed by identification of main mechanisms of decay and major responsible agents, degree and depth of deterioration expressed with measurable parameters of physical, physicomechanical properties, and micro structural changes together with their distribution on the monument. Success of conservation treatments strongly depend on those diagnostic studies and compatibility of the treatments with the deteriorated and relatively sound parts of the historic materials. Current approach to materials conservation is to be able to make minimum intervention to historic material by targeting the conservation treatment to the deteriorated area for the purpose of controlling the deterioration factors and achieving compatible and durable conservation of historical material. In this presentation, two examples of diagnostic research and conservation treatments based on and guided by the diagnostic results are summarized concerning historic stone monuments exposed to atmospheric environment since more than two thousand years. The first example is on the marble walls of Temple of Augustus in Ankara exposed to polluted urban atmosphere. The second example is on the limestone statues of Nemrut Mount Monument in Adıyaman-Turkey, exposed to rural atmosphere with harsh climatic conditions. Finally, a brief discussion on current research issues related to historic materials conservation in

Knife - Holders in Ancient Egyptian Tombs (Religious and Artistic Study

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dr.Rasha Omran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Studying ancient Egyptian tombs have long been an important source of information regarding many aspects of Egyptian religion. Walls of New Kingdom tombs are often decorated with plenty of painted religious scenes. While they were primarily private structures containing images selected by the person who expected to be housed there for eternity, the funerary monuments also reflect religious beliefs. While numerous researches focused on many of the religious scenes depicted on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs, no one focused on the knife - holders' scenes. Hence, the current study focused on knife - holders scenes depicted on the walls of both royal and private tombs dating back to the New Kingdom at Thebes. The current study was undertaken to shed light on the meaning and the function of knife in Ancient Egypt. To study the role of the knife-holders in Ancient Egypt. To spot light on the actions and behaviors and locations of the knife-holders in Ancient Egyptian civilization. To spot light on the representations of the knife-holders on the walls of the ancient Egyptians tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens as well as the private tombs at western Thebes. To focus on the shapes and positions of the Knife-holders in Ancient Egypt. To explain the difference between Knife - Holders and Demons. To achieve the objectives of the study, the required data were collected from periodicals, references presenting Knife Holders scenes. Preserving the scenes of knife - holders on the walls of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens dating back to the New Kingdom as well as the private tombs at western Thebes that contributed to the interpretation of all the data gathered from literature. The preliminary results indicated that the term (Knife-Holders is an expression which indicates to tomb-guardians, demons or minor divinities. These minor deities were subordinate to the major gods and goddesses. They

Historical and cultural recreational and tourist resources of the Odessa region

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E. I. Nikolaeva

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The article substantiates that historical and cultural objects can be decisive in shaping the demand for recreational resources. The peculiarity of the tourist and excursion potential of the region is determined by numerous sights of different times (monuments of the Paleolithic and Neolithic age, ancient culture, culture of the Scythians and Sarmatians, other ancient peoples are concentrated here with famous historical and cultural reserves, architectural monuments and museums. These are the famous in the world Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, the famous Potemkin Stairs, Ukrainian Venice - Vilkovo city, fortress of the XII-XV centuries. in Belgorod - Dnestrovsky, excavations of the ancient cities of Tire and Nikon, monuments of religious architecture in the cities of Odessa, Izmail, Reni, Kiliya and much more.

78 FR 12781 - Notice of Availability of the Ironwood Forest National Monument Record of Decision and Approved...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... identified as Monument objects in the Proclamation. The Arizona State Director signed the ROD on February 19... motorized vehicle use. Guidance for management of the Monument access route network is provided, and a... of Monument objects while allowing authorized uses, recreation activities, and scientific studies...

Ancient earthquakes in the Roman city of Baelo Claudia (Cadiz, South of Spain): Fifteen years of archaeosimology research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, P.G.; Giner-Robles, J.L.; Reicherter, K.; Rodriguez-Pascua, J.L.; Gruetzner, C.; Garcia-Jimenez, I.; Carrasco Garcia, P.; Bardaji, T.; Santos, G.; Roquero, E.; Roez, J.; Perucha, M.A.; Perez-Lopez, R.; Fernandez Macarro, B.; Martinez-Grana, A.; Goy, J.L.; Zazo, C.

2016-07-01

This work illustrates the state of the art on archaeoseismology of the ancient Roman city of Baelo Claudia (Tarifa, Cádiz) after nearly fifteen years of research. This ancient Roman site was affected by two earthquakes in the years AD 40–60 and AD 260–290 which promoted important urban and architectural changes and eventually the destruction and further abandonment of the city in AD 365–390. Earthquake Archaeoseismological Effects (EAEs) are catalogued, described and mapped in the entire monumental sector of the city mainly witnessing the last earthquake which occurred in AD 260–290. Mapping of oriented EAEs illustrate damage distribution all over the lower sector of the city, as well as the occurrence of suspect coseismic landslide and tsunami events. The structural analysis of oriented EAEs throughout the entire mapped sector suggests that the intervening ground motion was preferentially oriented in a SW to NE direction. The geoarchaeological analysis and some relevant archaeological anomalies, strongly suggest the occurrence of coeval tsunami events during both ancient earthquakes, pointing to the occurrence of an offshore seismic source SSW of the city. Several N-S normal faults have been identified around the Bolonia Bay area and some of them continue offshore SSW of Baelo Claudia. These faults with clear Quaternary activity can be considered as the more probable seismic sources for the events affecting the ancient Roman site and they are consistent with the mapped damage orientation displayed by the structural analysis of EAEs within the old Roman city. (Author)

Monumentality and public space in Lourenço Marques in the 1930 and 1940

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Gerbert Verheij

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Lourenço Marques, actual Maputo (Mozambique, is subjected to a series of aesthetic interventions in its public space during the 1930s e 1940s. These seek to “monumentalize” and “portugalize” the city, responding to its recently acquired status as capital of the Colony. Two monuments appear as especially important and exemplary: the Padrão de Guerra, a lately built First War memorial (1935, and the monument to the hero of the “pacification campaigns” of the 1890s, Mouzinho de Albuquerque (1940. Around these monuments, a large number of commemorative and celebrative practices are developed. Such practices posit the monument as a “national allegory” and reproduce, in the context of a modern city, auratic and cult values. As such, they add an important dimension to the monument’s role in the authoritarian reformulation of the city’s public space as an “imperial” space, as well as in the putative hegemonization of the representations of the community imagined as a “Nation”. They allow, therefore, to approach the political-ideological use and utility of the monument within the organization of public space.

Non-destructive assessment of the Ancient 'Tholos Acharnon' Tomb building geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Assunçao, Sonia; Dimitriadis, Klisthenis; Konstantakis, Yiannis; Pérez-Gracia, Vega; Anagnostopoulou, Eirini; Solla, Mercedes; Lorenzo, Henrique

2014-05-01

Ancient Greek Monuments are considered glorious buildings that still remain on the modern times. Tombs were specifically built according to the architecture of respective epoch. Hence, the main function was to royal families in Greece and other countries. The lack of systematic preservation could promote the damage of the structure. Therefore, a correct maintenance can diminish the impact of the main causes of pathologies. Schist, limestone and sandstone have been the main geological building materials of the Greek Ancient tombs. In order to preserve several of these monumental tombs, in depth non-destructive evaluation by means of Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is proposed in a scientific mission with partners from Greece and Spain surveying with the 1 GHz and 2.3 GHz antennas. High frequency antennas are able to identify small size cracks or voids. Grandjean et al. [1] used the 300 MHz and 900 MHz antennas, obtaining 2 cm and 5 cm of resolution. Later on, Faize et al. [2] employed a 2.3 GHz antenna to detect anomalies and create a pathological model. The structure of this Mycenaean Tomb (14th - 13th c. BC) is composed by a corridor which is supported by irregular stones and the inner is 8.74 m high and 8.35 m diameter. The surface of the wall is composed by diverse geological materials of irregular shapes that enhance the GPR acquisition difficulty: 1) Passing the GPR antenna in a waved surface may randomly change the directivity of the emission. 2) The roof of the tomb is described by a pseudo-conical form with a decreasing radio for higher levels, with a particular beehive. If the roof of the Tomb is defined by a decreasing radius, innovative processes must be carried out with GPR to non constant radius structures. With GPR, the objective is to define the wall thickness, voids and/or cracks detection as well as other structural heterogeneities. Therefore, the aim is to create a three dimensional model based in the interpolation of the circular profiles. Three

Thermoluminescence dating analysis at the site of an ancient brick structure at Pengkalan Bujang, Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabtu, Siti Norbaini; Mahat, Rosli Hj; Amin, Yusoff Mohd; Price, David M; Bradley, D.A.; Maah, Mohd Jamil

2015-01-01

Bujang Valley is a well-known historical complex found in the north-west of peninsular Malaysia; more than 50 ancient monuments and hundreds of artefacts have been discovered throughout the area. The discovery of these suggests Bujang Valley to have been an important South East Asian trading centre over the period from the 10th to 14th centuries. Present work concerns thermoluminescence (TL) dating analysis of shards collected from a historic monument located at Pengkalan Bujang in Bujang Valley. All the shards were prepared using the fine grain technique and the additive dose method was applied in determining the paleodose of each shard. The annual dose rate was obtained by measuring the concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides (U, Th and K) in the samples and their surroundings. The TL ages of the shards were found to range between 330±21 years and 920±69 years, indicative of the last firing of the bricks and tiles from which the shards originated, some dating back to the period during which the historical complex remained active. - Highlights: • Thermoluminescence analysis of shards sample from Pengkalan Bujang. • Fine grain technique and additive dose method were applied to determine paleodose. • Measuring concentration of U, Th and K in the samples and their surroundings. • TL ages obtained indicative of the last firing of the shards.

Observations of elk movement patterns on Fossil Butte National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Olexa, Edward M.; Soileau, Suzanna Carrithers.; Allen, Leslie A.

2014-01-01

The elk herd that frequents Fossil Butte National Monument, a subset of the West Green River elk population, provides visitors with seasonal opportunities to view an iconic species of the western United States. Throughout the year, these elk range across a variety of private, State, and Federal lands within close proximity to the Monument. These lands are managed differently for various uses which can create challenging wildlife-management issues and influence the herd’s seasonal movements and distribution. Research lead by the USGS investigates some of the factors associated with these seasonal changes.

From Giza to the Pantheon: astronomy as a key to the architectural projects of the ancient past

Science.gov (United States)

Magli, Giulio

2011-06-01

In many of the ``wonders'' of our past, information about their meaning and scope has been encoded in the form of astronomical alignments to celestial bodies. Therefore, in many cases, understanding the ideas of the ancient architects turns out to be connected with the study of the relationship of their cultures with the sky. This is the aim of archaeoastronomy, a discipline which is a quite efficacious tool in unraveling the original projects of many monuments. This issue is briefly discussed here by means of three examples taken from three completely different cultures and historical periods: the so-called ``air shafts'' of the Great Pyramid, the urban layout of the capital of the Incas, and the design of the Pantheon.

Ancient mitogenomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ho, Simon Y. W.; Gilbert, Tom

2010-01-01

the technical challenges that face researchers in the field. We catalogue the diverse sequencing methods and source materials used to obtain ancient mitogenomic sequences, summarise the associated genetic and phylogenetic studies that have been conducted, and evaluate the future prospects of the field.......The mitochondrial genome has been the traditional focus of most research into ancient DNA, owing to its high copy number and population-level variability. Despite this long-standing interest in mitochondrial DNA, it was only in 2001 that the first complete ancient mitogenomic sequences were...... obtained. As a result of various methodological developments, including the introduction of high-throughput sequencing techniques, the total number of ancient mitogenome sequences has increased rapidly over the past few years. In this review, we present a brief history of ancient mitogenomics and describe...

Are Birds a Manace to Outdoor Monuments?

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Adrian Vasiliu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Preliminary results of laboratory tests on real samples have shown that the uric acid which is found in bird droppings has a negative influence on metals. Results of experiments have confirmed that the damage is significant when considering the cultural heritage, statues or monuments.

Multidisciplinary studies on ancient sandstone quarries of Western Sardinia (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Grillo, Silvana Maria; Del Vais, Carla; Naitza, Stefano

2013-04-01

The ancient coastal quarries of Mediterranean are increasingly considered geosites of multidisciplinary relevance. They are sites of historical-archaeological interest that show ancient techniques of stone extraction; they are significant for cultural heritage conservation and restoration, as sources of the stones used in ancient buildings and monuments; they are sites of geological relevance, as often retain important stratigraphic sections; they are also useful markers of secular changes in the sea level. A multisciplinary study is in progress on the ancient quarries of the Sinis region (western Sardinia island), integrating archaeological, geological, minero-petrographical data. In Sardinia, coastal quarries have been established from Punic and Roman times. Many of them exploited Quaternary sediments along the southern and western coasts of the island. They consist of middle-late Pleistocene marine conglomerates and carbonate sandstones, and of coastal (aeolian) carbonate sandstones. Sandstone blocks of different sizes have been widely used in ancient cities for buildings, defensive works, harbours, etc. Three main areas of stone extraction (San Giovanni di Sinis, Punta Maimoni, Is Arutas) have been so far recognized in the Sinis. GIS-supported mapping and documentation of the sites includes their geology and stratigraphy, the extension and layout of the quarries, and an evaluation of volumes of extracted rocks. Documented archaeological evidences include ancient extraction fronts, spoil heaps, working areas, working traces in the old fronts, transport routes of blocks, and traces of loading facilities. The study is aimed at reconstructing the relationships of the quarries with the urban areas of Sinis, as the ancient Punic-Roman city of Tharros. Consequently, a minero-petrographical characterization (optical microscopy, XRD) is performed on sandstones sampled in each quarry, and in historical buildings in Tharros and other centres of the region (Cabras

Le Case Dureranno Meno di Noi : on the paradox of a monumental futurist cityscape

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jenniskens, D.P.H.; van der Westerlaken, M.F.A.

This essay, accompanying the reprint of J.J.P. Oud's 'The Monumental Cityscape', briefly assesses the lasting value of this small ‘manifesto’, by reflecting upon Oud’s idea of monumentality and by placing his thoughts in the wider context of early twentieth-century architectural avant-garde in

Selected caves and lava-tube systems in and near Lava Beds National Monument, California

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Aaron Clement; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Rogers, Bruce W.

1990-01-01

Lava Beds National Monument (fig. 1) lies on the north slope of the huge Medicine Lake shield (fig. 2), a complex volcanic edifice of greater volume than the steep-sided Mount Shasta volcanic cone, which towers as a snowclad land mark 40 mi southwest of the monument (fig. 3).

Ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willerslev, Eske; Cooper, Alan

2004-01-01

ancient DNA, palaeontology, palaeoecology, archaeology, population genetics, DNA damage and repair......ancient DNA, palaeontology, palaeoecology, archaeology, population genetics, DNA damage and repair...

Did the ancient Egyptians migrate to ancient Nigeria?

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Jock M. Agai

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Literatures concerning the history of West African peoples published from 1900 to 1970 debate�the possible migrations of the Egyptians into West Africa. Writers like Samuel Johnson and�Lucas Olumide believe that the ancient Egyptians penetrated through ancient Nigeria but Leo�Frobenius and Geoffrey Parrinder frowned at this opinion. Using the works of these early�20th century writers of West African history together with a Yoruba legend which teaches�about the origin of their earliest ancestor(s, this researcher investigates the theories that the�ancient Egyptians had contact with the ancient Nigerians and particularly with the Yorubas.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: There is an existing ideology�amongst the Yorubas and other writers of Yoruba history that the original ancestors of�the Yorubas originated in ancient Egypt hence there was migration between Egypt and�Yorubaland. This researcher contends that even if there was migration between Egypt and�Nigeria, such migration did not take place during the predynastic and dynastic period as�speculated by some scholars. The subject is open for further research.

Restoring and structurally reinforcing historic monuments by glass

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oikonomopoulou, F.; Bristogianni, T; Karron, Kaisa; Groot, C.J.W.P.; Veer, F.A.; Nijsse, R.; Zingoni, Alphose

In this paper a pioneering, transparent restoration methodology is presented, introducing structural glass elements to substitute missing components of damaged monuments and simultaneously reinforce the original structure. To prove the feasibility of the concept, a damaged medieval tower in Toolse,

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument acoustical monitoring 2010

Science.gov (United States)

2014-11-01

During September 2010, The Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Casa Grande National Monument (CAGR), at one site for 28 days. The baseline data collected during this period will help park managers and planners estimate the effects of f...

MONUMENTOS ARQUEOLÓGICOS DEL ÁREA DE GUAQUITEPEC-SITALÁ, CHIAPAS, MÉXICO: DATOS DISPONIBLES Y NUEVAS INTERPRETACIONES (Archaeological Monuments of the Guaquitepec-Sitalá Area, Chiapas, Mexico: Available Data and New Interpretations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Sheseña

2017-06-01

Full Text Available El artículo está dedicado al estudio de un grupo de monumentos arqueológicos localizados en la región de Guaquitepec y Sitalá, en el norte de Chiapas, México, una región poco socorrida por los estudiosos de la cultura maya. Se propone, a la luz de los conocimientos con los que actualmente se cuenta sobre la historia de los antiguos mayas, que dichos monumentos son evidencia de la existencia de una importante confluencia de rutas de comunicación en este lugar, ampliamente usada en la antigüedad por las entidades políticas circunvecinas. ENGLISH: This article is devoted to the study of a group of archaeological monuments located in the region around Guaquitepec and Sitalá in the north of Chiapas, Mexico, a region little served by scholars of Maya culture. In light of current research available on the history of the ancient Maya in the region, this article proposes that these monuments are evidence of an important confluence of communication routes that were widely used in antiquity by the surrounding political entities.

The Places of Memory in a Square of Monuments: Conceptions of Past, Freedom and History at Szabadság Tér

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Erik Thorstensen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper I try to approach contemporary Hungarian political culture through an analysis of the history of changing monuments at Szabadság Tér in Budapest. The paper has as its point of origin a protest/irredentist monument facing the present Soviet liberation monument. In order to understand this irredentist monument, I look into the meaning of the earlier irredentist monuments under Horthy and try to see what monuments were torn down under Communism and which ones remained. I further argue that changes in the other monuments also affect the meaning of the others. From this background I enter into a brief interpretation of changes in memory culture in relation to changes in political culture. The conclusions point toward the fact that Hungary is actively pursuing a cleansing of its past in public spaces, and that this process is reflected in an increased acceptance of political authoritarianism.

Investigation of the conservation-treatment methods of the Dutch National Monument : The role of microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Larbi, J.A.; Hees, R.P.J. van

1999-01-01

The Dutch National Monument in Amsterdam, a World War-II memorial structure, was built with an outer face consisting of slabs of travertine. In 1995, the masonry structure forming the core of the monument showed severe deterioration. In order to determine the actual cause of deterioration and to

Microscopical examination of the effectiveness of conservation-treatment methods of the National Monument in Amsterdam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Larbi, J.A.; Hees, R.P.J. van

1999-01-01

The Dutch National Monument in Amsterdam, a World War-II memorial structure, was built with an outer face consisting of slabs of travertine. In 1995, the masonry structure forming the core of the monument showed severe deterioration. In order to determine the actual cause of deterioration and to

Neolithic Ground Axe-heads and Monuments in Wessex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Field

2009-09-01

Full Text Available While central southern England is well known for its extant Neolithic monuments and for the fine artefacts recovered from some of its Bronze Age barrows, Neolithic artefacts from the region have received relatively little attention. This might be considered surprising, as the area not only witnessed some of the earliest investigations into the source of materials, notably the Stonehenge bluestones, but it also harbours some of the earliest dated ground axes in the country. This article examines the occurrence and distribution of ground axes found in Wessex when compared to other artefact types, but, more importantly, comparison with the location of extant monuments allows a rather different view of Wessex to emerge. The article will consider the influence of local resources, of flint mines such as those at Durrington, Easton Down and Porton Down in Wiltshire, and the extent and processes by which axes of non-local materials may have been introduced and dispersed across the landscape.

Monumental and domestic architecture in Contestania | Arquitectura monumental y arquitectura doméstica en la Contestania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feliciana Sala Sellés

2006-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we consider a group of buildings whose dimensions, internal distribution and constructive characteristics allow their qualification as privileged residences, with a possible palatial function. Their domestic character is joined by that of social representation in the framework of the Iberian urban layout, so we could find the Contestan examples of a monumental domestic architecture. Finally, this analysis leads us to several social and political considerations that explain the appearance of these buildings in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula at the end of the VI Century BC. | En este trabajo se toma en consideración un conjunto de edificios cuyas dimensiones, distribución interna y características constructivas permiten su calificación como residencias privilegiadas, con una posible función palacial. A su condición doméstico se añade la de representación social en el marco de la trama urbana ibérica, de manera que se podría ver en ellos los ejemplos contestanos de una arquitectura monumental doméstica. Finalmente, dicho análisis nos conduce a una serie de consideraciones sociales y políticas que explican la aparición de estos edificios en el Sureste peninsular a fines del s. VI a.C.

Ancient Resistome.

Science.gov (United States)

Olaitan, Abiola Olumuyiwa; Rolain, Jean-Marc

2016-08-01

Antibiotic resistance is an ancient biological mechanism in bacteria, although its proliferation in our contemporary world has been amplified through antimicrobial therapy. Recent studies conducted on ancient environmental and human samples have uncovered numerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes. The resistance genes that have been reported from the analysis of ancient bacterial DNA include genes coding for several classes of antibiotics, such as glycopeptides, β-lactams, tetracyclines, and macrolides. The investigation of the resistome of ancient bacteria is a recent and emerging field of research, and technological advancements such as next-generation sequencing will further contribute to its growth. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this research will help us to better understand the evolution of antibiotic resistance genes and will also be used in drug design as a proactive measure against antibiotic resistance.

The monuments of the UNESCO List under threat in the 21rst century: the Project "MONUNESCO-PARIS" (2012-2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Menendez, B.; Brimblecombe, P.; Deque, M.; Grossi, C. M.; Ionescu, A.; Lefevre, R. A.

2012-04-01

The banks of the River Seine in Paris are inscribed on the UNESCO List of the World Cultural Heritage since 1991 because they are studded with a succession of masterpieces such as Notre- Dame Cathedral, Sainte Chapelle, Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Tour Eiffel, and with prestigious museums: Louvre, Orsay, Quai Branly, Petit Palais…Unfortunately, these banks are crossed by the Pompidou urban motorway, an important and continuous source of atmospheric pollution. The aim of the Project is to evaluate the evolution of the weathering of limestone, glass and stained glass in the centre of Paris in the 21rst century by crossing Climate and Pollution Models with Dose-Response Functions (DRF) for limestone, glass and stained glass and with Climatology of Salt Transitions for limestone. A Lutetian limestone (« Courville Stone ») has been used for the construction and the restoration of the most important monuments (Notre-Dame, Louvre…) and haussmannian buildings in Paris. It has a fine grain, a medium porosity (19%) and contains 90% of CaO. The modern glass of windows and large contemporaneous façades has a Si-Ca-Na composition, it is chemically inert, has a low thermal inertia, a flat surface, no open porosity and no surface roughness, therefore it is very durable. The glass of stained glass windows has a Si-Ca-K composition and it is low durable. Using different climate and pollution scenarios of the 21rst century, the project will evaluate different schemes of material degradations: (i) - Recession of limestone surface; (ii) - Soiling of limestone surface; (iii) - Soiling of modern glass; (iv) - Leaching of ancient stained glass windows; (v) - Deterioration of limestone by salts. The British Hadley Models, the French Météo- France Arpège-Aladin Models and the ENSEMBLES Approach will be crossed with DRF and Climatology of Salts Transitions. An in-the-field inventory (stock at risk) of the surface occupied on the façades by each kind of material (stone

76 FR 18773 - Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, et al...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-05

... during public scoping. Climate change impacts and adaptation. Marine debris impacts and removal. Invasive..., related marine resources and species, and conservation efforts. Traditional access to the Monument by... activities do not degrade the Monument's coral reef ecosystem or related marine resources or species, or...

Exploring Ancient Skies A Survey of Ancient and Cultural Astronomy

CERN Document Server

Kelley, David H

2011-01-01

Exploring Ancient Skies brings together the methods of archaeology and the insights of modern astronomy to explore the science of astronomy as it was practiced in various cultures prior to the invention of the telescope. The book reviews an enormous and growing body of literature on the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, the Far East, and the New World (particularly Mesoamerica), putting the ancient astronomical materials into their archaeological and cultural contexts. The authors begin with an overview of the field and proceed to essential aspects of naked-eye astronomy, followed by an examination of specific cultures. The book concludes by taking into account the purposes of ancient astronomy: astrology, navigation, calendar regulation, and (not least) the understanding of our place and role in the universe. Skies are recreated to display critical events as they would have appeared to ancient observers—events such as the supernova of 1054 A.D., the "lion horoscope," and the Star of Bethlehem. Explori...

Astronomy, Illumination and Heritage: the Arles-Fontvieille megalithic monuments and their implications for archaeoastronomy and world heritage

Science.gov (United States)

Sterling Saletta, Morgan

2015-08-01

Recent archaeoastronomical research at the Arles-Fontvieille monuments has important implications for establishing potential Outstanding Universal Value of megalithic monuments and establishing the credibility of archaeoastronomical sites. My discovery of seasonal light and shadow hierophanies within the Arles-Fontvieille monuments has interpretive and heritage value implications not only for these sites but for late prehistoric European monuments more generally.While horizon astronomy was very likely used for time-reckoning in the Neolithic, I argue the ‘seasonal illumination hypothesis’ is more appropriate than the ‘celestial targeting paradigm’ not only for the interpretation of the role of astronomy and cosmological symbolism in the construction of the Arles-Fontvieille monuments but also for late prehistoric European tombs with chambers and passages more generally.Multiple lines of evidence suggest a cosmologically symbolic link between houses of the living and houses of the dead in late prehistoric Europe. I will suggest that this practice originated not only in symbolic aspects of domestic dwellings, but also in functional solar orientation.If seasonal illumination was a major impetus for the orientation signatures of late prehistoric European monuments, how best to establish this? Time-lapse photography or video, while not unproblematic, is a powerful method of establishing the credibility of archaeoastronomical sites- one which has been used to great effect at monuments such as Newgrange and Stonehenge. In the past, this method was limited by the cost of equipment and the time needed to visit sites and at specific periods of time. Both of these limitations have been significantly lessened in recent years. Digital cameras have become ubiquitous. More importantly, examples of “crowd-sourcing” research problems in science provide a strategy for field documentation of sites whose level of preservation is sufficient to reveal seasonal illumination

Milleks monumenti = Why a monument? / Heie Treier

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Treier, Heie, 1963-

2006-01-01

2006. a. toimunud Jüri Lotmani mälestusmärgi konkursist, Mati Karmini ja Andres Lunge võidutööst. Monumentide positiivseid näiteid: Tubina plats Tartus (Aili Vahtrapuu, Veronika Valk, Louis Dandrel), ideekavandid: Estonia teatri juubelimonument Tallinnas (Tiiu Kirsipuu, Üla Koppel) ja Eesti iseseisvuse monument Pärnus Rüütli platsil (Mart Aas, Kaarel Eelma, Mikk Mutso). Bibl. lk. 73

Gypsum-induced decay in granite monuments in Northwestern Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Hermo, B.

2010-03-01

Full Text Available One of the most common forms of decay in granite monuments is the detachment of the superficial layer of the stone (plaques, plaquettes and scales. Previous studies of granite monuments in the northwest Iberian Peninsula revealed a direct relation between this type of weathering and the presence of calcium sulphate, and a mechanism whereby the salt causes this type of decay was suggested. In the present study, various hypotheses as regards the origin of the gypsum found in granite monuments are proposed. The study involved analysis of the contents of ions soluble in water, the results of X-ray diffraction analyses and the ratios of CaO/SO₃ in samples of stone, mortar and deposits collected from different monuments. It was concluded that in most cases the gypsum originated from old paintworks or/and from the joint mortars, although inputs from other sources cannot be discounted, as discussed

Una de las formas de deterioro más frecuente en los monumentos graníticos es la separación de la capa superficial de la piedra (placas, plaquetas y escamas. En trabajos anteriores centrados en monumentos del noroeste de la Península Ibérica, se constató la relación directa entre esta forma de alteración y la presencia de sulfato de calcio y se propuso el mecanismo a través del cual esta sal provoca este tipo de deterioro. En este trabajo se plantean varias hipótesis acerca del origen del yeso encontrado en monumentos graníticos. Para ello se comparan los contenidos de iones solubilizados en agua, los resultados de difracción de rayos X y las relaciones OCa/SO₃ de muestras de piedra, morteros y depósitos recogidas en diferentes monumentos. Se llega a la conclusión de que en la mayor parte de los casos el yeso procede de antiguas pinturas o de revestimientos superficiales y de los morteros de juntas entre sillares, pero no se puede descartar la contribución de otros aportes, los cuales se discuten también en este artículo.

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Tonto National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, Eric W.; Powell, Brian F.; Halvorson, William L.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.

2007-01-01

This report summarizes the results of the first biological inventory of plants and vertebrates at Tonto National Monument (NM). From 2001 to 2003, we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Tonto NM to record species presence. We focused most of our efforts along the Cave Springs riparian area, but surveyed other areas as well. We recorded 149 species in the riparian area, and 369 species overall in the monument, including 65 plant species and four bird species that were previously unrecorded for the monument. We recorded 78 plant species in the riparian area that previous studies had not indicated were present there. Several species of each taxonomic group were found only in the riparian area, suggesting that because of their concentration in this small area these populations are vulnerable to disturbance and may be of management concern. Four of the bird species that we recorded (Bell's vireo, yellow warbler, summer tanager, and Abert's towhee) have been identified as riparian 'obligate' species by other sources. Bird species that are obligated to riparian areas are targets of conservation concern due to widespread degradation of riparian areas in the desert southwest over the last century. The flora and fauna of the riparian area would benefit from continued limited public access. The dependence of the riparian area on the spring and surface flow suggests monitoring of this resource per se would benefit management of the riparian area's flora and fauna as well. The monument would benefit from incorporating monitoring protocols developed by the Sonoran Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring program rather than initiating a separate program for the riparian area. Park managers can encourage the Inventory and Monitoring program to address the unique monitoring challenges presented by small spatial areas such as this riparian area, and can request specific monitoring recommendations. We suggest that repeat

3 CFR 8335 - Proclamation 8335 of January 6, 2009. Establishment of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... significant subsistence, cultural and religious uses within the monument; 4. a program to assess and promote monument-related scientific exploration and research, tourism, and recreational and economic activities and... and enforcement necessary to ensure that scientific exploration and research, tourism, and...

Main Features of a 3d GIS for a Monumental Complex with AN Historical-Cultural Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Scianna, A.; La Guardia, M.

2017-05-01

The last achievements of technologies in geomatics especially in survey and restitution of 3D models (UAV/drones and laser scanner technologies) generated new procedures and higher standards of quality in representation of archaeological sites. Together with Geomatics, the recent development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) strongly contribute to document and the Cultural Heritage (CH). The representation and documentation of CH using these new technologies has became necessary in order to satisfy different needs: - for restorers in order to acquire a deep knowledge of the cultural good and to define possible strategies of restoration; - for the conservation of information, allowing to preserve the 3D geometry of the monumental complex with the integration of descriptions about architectural elements; - for touristic aims, giving the opportunity of sharing CH information on web, allowing users to visit and explore, in a virtual way, monumental complexes, acquiring information details about architectural elements or the history of monumental complex. Looking through these new scenarios, the development of a 3D Geographic Information System (GIS) applied to a cultural good could be, today, an added value of fundamental importance for full description and data management of monumental complexes. In this work, the main features necessary for the correct construction of a 3D GIS of a monumental complex will be analyzed, with a particular focus on the possibilities for creating a standardized procedure to follow.

Ancient genomes

OpenAIRE

Hoelzel, A Rus

2005-01-01

Ever since its invention, the polymerase chain reaction has been the method of choice for work with ancient DNA. In an application of modern genomic methods to material from the Pleistocene, a recent study has instead undertaken to clone and sequence a portion of the ancient genome of the cave bear.

Technical Limitations in Merging Secular and Sacred Functions in Monumental Churches

Science.gov (United States)

Piatkowska, Ksenia

2017-10-01

The abandonment of churches and their adaptation for secular purposes is a current subject in Europe and worldwide. Most cases involve objects that were desacralized and then rebuilt as a whole object for alternative functions. Thus far, the merging of secular and sacred functions in one monumental Catholic church has not raised any issues. The paper describes the case of St. Catherine’s Church in Gdansk, Poland, where sacred function exists parallel to the new secular function being implemented. The study is based on the authentic, professional experience of the author. It describes the technical limitations arising from the need to ensure destinies for the optimal conditions of both sacred and secular function, while avoiding undesirable interference between them. The author further identifies architectural solutions most relevant to current requirements for protection of sacred zones in the church, for preservation of the monument, and for optimal function of a modern science museum. Significant design issues include: the inviolability of the sacred zone, preservation of the historical value of the monument, proper operation of new secular zones in compliance with contemporary standards of safety, performance of the assumed mission and profitability. The research indicates specific areas where the highest probability of collision exists between the sacred and profane and where technical problems are likely to occur.

Pärnus avati monument süütusele

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

1999-01-01

Andrus Joonase Pootsi paepäevade raames valminud monument süütusele avati Academia Non Grata teise aastapäeva puhul Lepa kaubamaja ja karja tänava vahelisel alal; autori arvates on hingeline süütus kunstnikule väga tähtis ja Academia Non Grata ainus õppeasutus, kus õpilased seda hoida saavad.

Bacterial bio-mediated calcite precipitation for monumental stones conservation: methods of evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiano, P; Biagiotti, L; Mastromei, G

1999-05-01

The weathering of monumental stones is a complex process inserted in the more general 'matter transformation cycle' operated by physical, chemical and biological factors. The consequence of these combined actions is a loss of cohesion with dwindling and scaling of stone material and the induction of a progressive mineral matrix dissolution. In the case of calcareous stones, calcite leaching increases the material porosity and decreases its mechanical features with a general weakening of the superficial structural strength. Attempts to stop, or at least to slow down, deterioration of monumental stones has been made by conservative treatments with both inorganic or organic products. More recent studies show a new approach to hinder these phenomena by inducing a bio-mediated precipitation of calcite directly inside the stone porosity. This can be achieved either through the application of organic matrix macromolecules extracted from sea shells or of living bacteria. The effectiveness of the treatment using calcinogenic bacteria has been evaluated with laboratory tests specifically developed to evaluate the parameters such as : porosity, superficial strength and chromatic changes, influenced by the treatment itself. The results obtained seem to indicate that this type of treatment might not be suitable for monumental stone conservation.

Conservarea şi restaurarea monumentelor istorice: unele obiective şi principii (probleme inginereşti la monumente

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian-Constantin Diaconu

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Even when large parts of the original substance were lost throughout its existence, the monument should be regarded as a spatial structure, participating to the reality around them. Precepts governing the conservation and rehabilitation of historical monuments have to be applied individually to each monument, according to his personality, his past or future function, conservation status, in the way that the rehabilitation concept results from obligations balance to not harm the monument - Primum non Nocera (Carta de la Veneţia even to act for the future generation’s heritage. Monument to be seen through all the three attributes: FIRMITAS (solid, technical achievement, UTILITAS (functionality, the purpose for which it was made, PULCHRITAS (beauty, aesthetic expression. The historical monument’s components are: the land – cadastral lot, constructions, exterior arrangements, other elements, cultural mobile goods. The actions of historical monuments should consider the following objectives and principles: maintenance, rehabilitation, consolidation, security, social, economic and cultural lifeof the local community. The principles underlying these goals:building’s state expertise from all points of view, the building’sconsolidation solution must not affect the architectural appearance, to maintain authenticity, the level of response and earthquake insurance, as a matter of urgency execution of building works, reversible methods applied in conservation and / or rehabilitation, compatible materials used in conservation and / or rehabilitation, the loads resulting from new building elements should not exceed the capable strength of materials of (blocks of masonry, mortar, etc.., the resulting structure after consolidation should lead to good seismic behavior of the assemble "old structure - new structural elements," reintegration cultural and social, etc.

Monuments devoted to artists in public spaces around museums: A nineteenth-century strategy to enhance the urban space of art districts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorente, J. Pedro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Monuments to kings or military heroes have always been positioned in main squares and avenues, whilst those erected to famous cultural figures were a novelty introduced in the Enlightenment and Romanticism, placing busts or sitting monuments to writers or musicians in secluded gardens and in the surroundings of libraries, theatres, etc. During the nineteenth century, monuments to artists became also a common feature in many cities, where a most likely emplacement for them was in front of some art museum. In a way, they were a complement to the ornaments of such building, usually decorated with portraits and inscriptions glorifying great artists; but the monument to Murillo erected in 1863 by public subscription in Seville's Plaza del Museo was also an urban milestone, catching the attention of promenading public passing along a lateral street. Later, the monuments erected in the piazzas around the Prado Museum in Madrid, or in gardens outside the Louvre, became a popular prototype, emulated in many other cities up to the early 20th century. Their role as interfaces between public spaces and museum sites would thereafter be taken over by other kinds of artistic landmarks: not monuments to artists, but monumental artworks, often owned by the museum itself, thus bringing part of its collection outside, as a welcome starter to prospective cultural consumers.

Apps for Ancient Civilizations

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Stephanie

2011-01-01

This project incorporates technology and a historical emphasis on science drawn from ancient civilizations to promote a greater understanding of conceptual science. In the Apps for Ancient Civilizations project, students investigate an ancient culture to discover how people might have used science and math smartphone apps to make their lives…

Archaeological data as a basis for repository marker design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, M.F.

1982-10-01

This report concerns the development of a marking system for a nuclear waste repository which is very likely to survive for 10,000 years. In order to provide a background on the subject, and for the preliminary design presented in this report, a discussion is presented about the issues involved in human interference with the repository system and the communication of information. A separate chapter summarizes six ancient man-made monuments including: materials, effects of associated textual information on our understanding of the monument, and other features of the ancient monument relevant to marking a repository site. The information presented in the two chapters is used to provide the basis and rationale for a preliminary marker system design presented in a final chapter. 86 refs., 22 figs., 1 tab

Archaeological data as a basis for repository marker design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaplan, M.F.

1982-10-01

This report concerns the development of a marking system for a nuclear waste repository which is very likely to survive for 10,000 years. In order to provide a background on the subject, and for the preliminary design presented in this report, a discussion is presented about the issues involved in human interference with the repository system and the communication of information. A separate chapter summarizes six ancient man-made monuments including: materials, effects of associated textual information on our understanding of the monument, and other features of the ancient monument relevant to marking a repository site. The information presented in the two chapters is used to provide the basis and rationale for a preliminary marker system design presented in a final chapter. 86 refs., 22 figs., 1 tab.

Study of material stability surrounding with loess-clay-loam rocks on an example of 'Olviya' monument of Ukrainian Northern Prichernomor'ya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zlobenko, B.; Kadoshnikov, V.; Manichev, V.; Demchenko, L.; Golovko, T.; Krapivina, V.

2000-01-01

In this work we have examined the archaeological material exhumed from the archaeology monument Olviya. The ancient State Olviya is situated on the territory of Ukraine (Nikolaev region) and it is considered to be an integral part of the world historical legacy. The samples of glasses were collected from P-25 excavation. The collected glasses and metals dated by I-II centuries of our era. They are situated in the south-east part of the Upper State on the territory of the Rome times. Study with the facilitation of physical-chemical and physical methods of research of chemical structure and surface layers of materials. The various physical methods of samples investigation were the following: investigation with half-quantitative spectral analysis performed on spectrograph (CTE-1); X-ray powder diffraction with DRON-UM-1 diffractometers use, X-ray fluorescent analysis (spectrometer VPA-30) and the x-ray microanalysis (JXA-5). Carried out microscopic researches have revealed the specific forms of metals and glasses; corrosion and dissolution of the surface that character is determined by structure and physic-chemical conditions of its burial place. (authors)

Monuments in the Structure of an Urban Environment: The Source of Social Memory and the Marker of the Urban Space

Science.gov (United States)

Antonova, N.; Grunt, E.; Merenkov, A.

2017-10-01

The major research objective was to analyze the role of monuments in the formation of local residents’ and guests’ representations about the city, its history and traditions. The authors consider the system of monuments’ location in the urban space as a way of its social construction, as the system of influence on citizens’ aesthetic feelings, as the formation of their attitudes towards maintaining of continuity in the activities of different generations for the improvement of the territory of their permanent residence. Methodology. An urban monument is considered in two ways: as a transfer of historical memory and as a social memory transfer, which includes the experience of previous generations. One of the main provisions of the study is the idea that monuments can lose their former social value, transforming into “simple” objects of a public place. The study was conducted in the city of Yekaterinburg, one of the largest, cultural, scientific and industrial Russian megalopolises in 2015. The primary data was collected using standardized interviews. Four hundred and twenty respondents at the age of and above 18 were questioned on the basis of quota sampling. Interviews with respondents were conducted in order to identify key problems involved and reasons for shaping respondents’ representations of monuments in the urban environment typical for the population of Russian megalopolises. The standardized interview guide included 15 questions. Findings and discussion. Our investigation has revealed that different monuments fulfil various functions in an urban environment (ideological, aesthetic, transferring, valuable, etc.). The study has unequivocally confirmed that objects in the urban space have a different emotional colour background: people paint them in accordance with the feelings that arise in their perception. Hence, some monuments effectively fulfil the functions of social memory transfer: they are remembered, they tell us about the events to

A study on provenance relation between Jiaotanxia ancient Guan porcelain and Qingliangsi ancient Ru porcelain by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Rongwu; Feng Songlin; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin

2004-01-01

11 samples of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain from Qingliangsi kiln, 23 samples of ancient Chinese Guan porcelain from Jiaotanxia kiln and 4 samples of modern archaized Guan porcelain were obtained to determine the contents of elements in each of them by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data were further analyzed using fuzzy cluster analysis to obtain the fuzzy cluster trend diagrams for the bodies' samples and the glazes samples respectively. The analysis shows that the raw material origins of the Jiaotanxia ancient Chinese Guan porcelain bodies samples are very concentrated; those of the Qingliangsi ancient Chinese Ru porcelain bodies samples are a little dispersed; those of ancient Chinese Guan porcelain glazes samples are relatively concentrated; those of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain glazes samples are dispersed; and the origins of the raw material of ancient Chinese Guan porcelain glazes samples are obviously different from those of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain glazes samples. The bodies samples and glazes samples of Jiaotanxia ancient Chinese Guan porcelain and those of Qingliangsi ancient Chinese Ru porcelain have some difference but can be compared with each other. (authors)

Acoustical features of two Mayan monuments at Chichen Itza: Accident or design?

Science.gov (United States)

Lubman, David

2002-11-01

Chichen Itza dominated the early postclassic Maya world, ca. 900-1200 C.E. Two of its colossal monuments, the Great Ball Court and the temple of Kukulkan, reflect the sophisticated, hybrid culture of a Mexicanized Maya civilization. The architecture seems intended for ceremony and ritual drama. Deducing ritual practices will advance the understanding of a lost civilization, but what took place there is largely unknown. Perhaps acoustical science can add value. Unexpected and unusual acoustical features can be interpreted as intriguing clues or irrelevant accidents. Acoustical advocates believe that, when combined with an understanding of the Maya worldview, acoustical features can provide unique insights into how the Maya designed and used theater spaces. At Chichen Itza's monuments, sound reinforcement features improve rulers and priests ability to address large crowds, and Ball Court whispering galleries permit speech communication over unexpectedly large distances. Handclaps at Kukulkan stimulate chirps that mimic a revered bird (''Kukul''), thus reinforcing cultic beliefs. A ball striking playing field wall stimulates flutter echoes at the Great Ball Court; their strength and duration arguably had dramatic, mythic, and practical significance. Interpretations of the possible mythic, magic, and political significance of sound phenomena at these Maya monuments strongly suggests intentional design.

75 FR 21034 - Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Agua Fria National Monument and Bradshaw...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-22

....241A] Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Agua Fria National Monument and Bradshaw... availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Agua Fria National... of the planning area during prehistoric or historic times. The Agua Fria National Monument includes...

Study of the mechanical behavior of the fronts of exterior monuments in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, E.; Martinez, W.; Avalos, M.; Castano, V.; Martinez, L.

2005-01-01

There are 1,130 architectural ancient monuments in the historic center in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico built with ignimbrites from the surrounding quarry stones. In some facades is acute the damage. The walls are between 0.50 and 1.50 meters wide, it helps the structure under seismic or accidental loads. The main winds come from the S-SW and their ratio speed (4-20 m/s) does not allow mechanical corrosion (corrosion) but it is able to carry anthropogenic particles (2-25 m), form the burnt of fossil fuels, and they lay on the facades. The damage is observed specially on the facades on the dominant winds and also on the facades located on streets less than 6.0 m wide. The capillary humidity is visible until highs of 2.0 meters on the streets, and it is appreciate the efflorescence crystals and biologic patinas. We performance non destructive tests in situ with the Schmidt hammer to quantify the mechanical resistance on the ignimbrite blocks forming the buildings, in the lowest part of them we took the data because the damage is acute in that wet zone and because in this part could occur the collapse in an extraordinary earthquake. The collected data were compared with the data obtained in ignimbrites blocks taken from the 'healthy' quarry stones. (Author)

A case study: Death Valley National Monument California-Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel Hamson; Ristau Toni

1979-01-01

With passage of the Mining in the Parks Act (P.L. 94-429) in 1976, the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, was given the responsibility of preparing a report to Congress outlining the environmental consequences of mining on claims within Death Valley National Monument. In addition, the Secretary of the Interior is required to formulate a recommendation...

THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOURISTIC VALUE OF PORTUGUESE OVERSEAS MONUMENTS: THE CASE OF ANGOLA (1959-1974

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Mariz

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to evaluate the understanding of the touristic value of Portuguese overseas monuments during Estado Novo, having as case-study the then colony of Angola between 1959 and 1974, years marked by the creation of the Information and Tourism Centre and the fall of the regime. Thus, considering the reality of the metropolis, we aimed to identify and analyse the evolution of tourism in this territory, as well the understanding and use of historic monuments by a nationalist regime as points of touristic interest and legitimisers of the national colonialism. We argue that during two different but totally complementary moments devoted to the relation between tourism and historic monuments of Angola, there was a real understanding of their touristic value. Besides that we claim that the believers of the touristic value of those monuments were very often advocates of the preservation or restoration of their pristine characteristics, an idea that we can affiliate to the thought of António Ferro to whom the success of tourism was extremely dependent on preserving and emphasizing the picturesque and idiosyncratic characteristics of those tourist destinations. To achieve our goals we have identified and analysed some tourism-related periodicals, thematic studies and legislation.

Cultural monuments from exceptional importance in Serbia as anthropogenic tourist values

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ćirković Sanja

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Cultural monuments mark historical past. They are included in anthropogenic tourist values. They present rare copies of creativity and they have exceptional artistic and esthetic values. The most numerous group are sacral objects. The largest attention deserve objects assigned in World cultural inheritance - monastery Studenica and monastery Sopoćani with old town Ras. It is necessary to build caterer capacities, parking lots and sanitary devices in encirclement. Manifestations and presentations on domestic and foreign market contribute to cultural affirmation. Tourist valorization is impeded with that there are no evidence about number of visitors. In separating priorities we must consider uniqueness, rarity and fame. That’s the reason why Čele kula has tourist importance. Cultural monuments increase stay and serve as complementary tourist values. That’s why is necessary synthesis access in their learn and tourist presentation.

Applications of ionizing radiation for monuments conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chyzewski, M.; Galant, S.; Perkowski, J.

1996-01-01

Ionizing radiation can be used for conservation of monuments and old art objects. The irradiation of wooden and cellulose objects for disinfestation has been described. The irradiation conditions and lethal doses in respect to different species have been discussed. The different technique is the radiation consolidation of historical objects made of various materials. The method consists in radiation polymerization. The object undergoing conservation is saturated with monomer prior irradiation. The radiation polymerization results in consolidation of the object pieces and reinforcement of its material. 3 figs

Permanent Transiency, Tele-visual Spectacle, and the Slum as Postcolonial Monument

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dasgupta, S.

2013-01-01

With their makeshift structures and seemingly itinerant inhabitants, slums suggest transiency. Yet, like monuments, they acquire a paradoxical permanency in the context of continual social upheaval, the historical ebbs and flows of the nation-state, and the economic transformations engendered by

78 FR 18777 - Establishment of the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-28

... father's military service as a Union soldier during the Civil War, and he heeded his father's advice by... appropriation; however, the monument shall be the dominant reservation. Warning is hereby given to all...

MONUMENTO JEROGLÍFICO MAYA DE XKOMBEC, CAMPECHE: UNA REVISIÓN (Maya Hieroglyphic Monument from Xkombec, Campeche: A Revision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philipp Galeev

2017-12-01

Full Text Available El reanálisis del Monumento 1 de Xkombec (Campeche, México, basado sobre su nueva documentación realizada en 2014 por los colaboradores del Proyecto Atlas Epigráfico de Yucatán, permite descartar la datación de esta inscripción en 866 d. C. y ubicarla a mediados del siglo VIII d. C., contemporánea de los monumentos de Xcalumkín y otros sitios cercanos del Puuc campechano. De acuerdo con el texto, la organización política de Xkombec era parecida a otros centros de Puuc. La ciudad contaba con su propia casa noble, cuyos miembros Xok Tun y B’ahlam eran de rango secundario y llevaban el título de b’ahkab y, probablemente, estaban relacionados con Xcalumkín. ENGLISH: Recent analysis of the epigraphy on Monument 1 from Xkombec indicates that the monument can be dated to A.D. 866, not to the mid-8th century as was previously argued. This new date marks Monument 1 as contemporary to the monuments at Xcalumkin and other neighboring Puuc sites. According to the text contained on Monument 1, political organization of Xkombec was similar to that of other Puuc centers. The association between these two centers may indicate that members of the noble house at Xkombec (Xok Tun and his son B’ahlam may have been related to the nobility of Xcalumkin.

The Catholic of Stilo. Survey and analysis of a Byzantine monument.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marinella Arena

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The Cattolica di Stilo, one of the greatest monu-ments of Calabria, is the most important example of the secular Byzantine influence on this region. The Greek cross inscribed in a square, with its five domes, denounces his connection with an archi-tectural style of oriental origin. Although built in a remote province of the Empire, the Catho-lic is not the expression of a poor art; all poetics typical of Byzantine architecture are manifested with originality. The first paragraph, written by Domenico Mediati, analyzes the geometries and correlates with contemporary buildings (X-XI cen-tury and similar in size and shape. The second paragraph, written by Marinella Arena, highlights the differences of construction compared to the theoretical form. The third paragraph, written by Daniele Colistra, reviews some representations of the monument trying to identify those who most influenced the collective imagination.

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Monument Valley, Arizona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

The site observational work plan (SOWP) for the Monument Valley, Arizona, US Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site is one of the first site-specific documents developed to achieve ground water compliance at the site. This SOWP applies information about the Monument Valley site to a regulatory compliance framework that identifies strategies that could be used to meet ground water compliance. The compliance framework was developed in the UMTRA Ground Water programmatic environmental impact statement (DOE, 1995). The DOE`s goal is to implement a cost-effective site strategy that complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards and protects human health and the environment. The compliance strategy that emerges in the final version of the SOWP will assess potential environmental impacts and provide stakeholder a forum for review and comment. When the compliance strategy is acceptable, it will be detailed in a remedial action plan that will be subject to review by the state and/or tribe and concurrence by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Information available for the preparation of this SOWP indicates active remediation is the most likely compliance strategy for the Monument Valley site. Additional data are needed to determine the most effective remediation technology.

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

The site observational work plan (SOWP) for the Monument Valley, Arizona, US Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site is one of the first site-specific documents developed to achieve ground water compliance at the site. This SOWP applies information about the Monument Valley site to a regulatory compliance framework that identifies strategies that could be used to meet ground water compliance. The compliance framework was developed in the UMTRA Ground Water programmatic environmental impact statement (DOE, 1995). The DOE's goal is to implement a cost-effective site strategy that complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards and protects human health and the environment. The compliance strategy that emerges in the final version of the SOWP will assess potential environmental impacts and provide stakeholder a forum for review and comment. When the compliance strategy is acceptable, it will be detailed in a remedial action plan that will be subject to review by the state and/or tribe and concurrence by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Information available for the preparation of this SOWP indicates active remediation is the most likely compliance strategy for the Monument Valley site. Additional data are needed to determine the most effective remediation technology

The Newest Monument: The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

Science.gov (United States)

Social Studies and the Young Learner, 2011

2011-01-01

This article features the newest monument, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. The memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be an engaging landscape experience to convey four fundamental and recurring themes throughout Dr. King's life--democracy, justice, hope, and love. Natural…

Ancient Greek with Thrasymachus: A Web Site for Learning Ancient Greek.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Alison

2001-01-01

Discusses a project that was begun as an attempt by two teachers of Ancient Greek to provide supplementary materials to accompany "Thrasymachus," a first-year textbook for learning ancient Greek. Provides a brief history and description of the project, the format of each chapter, a chronology for completion of materials for each chapter in the…

Ancient genomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Der Sarkissian, Clio; Allentoft, Morten Erik; Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen

2015-01-01

throughput of next generation sequencing platforms and the ability to target short and degraded DNA molecules. Many ancient specimens previously unsuitable for DNA analyses because of extensive degradation can now successfully be used as source materials. Additionally, the analytical power obtained...... by increasing the number of sequence reads to billions effectively means that contamination issues that have haunted aDNA research for decades, particularly in human studies, can now be efficiently and confidently quantified. At present, whole genomes have been sequenced from ancient anatomically modern humans...

Attacks on South African monuments: Mediating heritage in post-conflict society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ntsikelelo B. Breakfast

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The controversy surrounding the notion of national heritage and what constitutes a proper heritage in post-apartheid South Africa intersects with issues of identity and identity formation in a post-conflict society. That it impinges powerfully on social cohesion has been thrust into the spotlight in view of recent protest action related to colonial and apartheid era monuments. We have made the point elsewhere that conflict resolution in South Africa through negotiations, the National Peace Accord and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has, at best, been partial, that it has not always been taken sufficiently seriously to engage with the fault-lines of protracted social conflict in the country. This article has employed a qualitative methodology because it is both descriptive and explorative in nature. The main aim of this article is to provide a critique on how issues of intersectionality (race, class and gender coincide with the attacks of the monuments by university students in South Africa. This article utilises two theoretical frameworks, namely, classical Marxism and Black Consciousness, simply because both the psychological and class analysis were invoked by the student bodies to diagnose and prognose the challenges of black South Africans within the context of higher education in South Africa. The central thesis of this article is that the attacks on monuments in South African universities were instigated by a group of young people who claim to be revolutionary in thinking and are calling for transformation, free education, dismantling gender oppression and doing away with institutionalisation of racism.

Tamil merchant in ancient Mesopotamia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malliya Gounder Palanichamy

Full Text Available Recent analyses of ancient Mesopotamian mitochondrial genomes have suggested a genetic link between the Indian subcontinent and Mesopotamian civilization. There is no consensus on the origin of the ancient Mesopotamians. They may be descendants of migrants, who founded regional Mesopotamian groups like that of Terqa or they may be merchants who were involved in trans Mesopotamia trade. To identify the Indian source population showing linkage to the ancient Mesopotamians, we screened a total of 15,751 mitochondrial DNAs (11,432 from the literature and 4,319 from this study representing all major populations of India. Our results although suggest that south India (Tamil Nadu and northeast India served as the source of the ancient Mesopotamian mtDNA gene pool, mtDNA of these ancient Mesopotamians probably contributed by Tamil merchants who were involved in the Indo-Roman trade.

Optimal setpoint operation of the climate control of a monumental church

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.; Neilen, D.; Schellen, H.L.; Aarle, van M.A.P.; Carmeliet, J.

2003-01-01

The paper presents the characteristics of the Walloon Church in Delft (Netherlands) and a description of constraints for the indoor climate, giving criteria for the indoor air temperature and relative humidity with the focus on the preservation of the monumental organ. The setpoint operation of the

Optimal setpoint operation of the climate controle of a monumental church

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.

2003-01-01

The paper presents the characteristics of the Walloon Church in Delft (Netherlands) and a description of constraints for the indoor climate, giving criteria for the indoor air temperature and relative humidity with the focus on the preservation of the monumental organ. The setpoint operation of the

METRIC SURVEY OF THE MONUMENT OF QUEEN ELISENDA'S TOMB IN THE MONASTERY OF PEDRALBES, BARCELONA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Núñez

2012-09-01

Full Text Available When an urban development is planned the cartography of this territory is necessary, in the same way before starting a project to rehabilitate a monument the graphic information about it has to be available. At present, different techniques are available which allow to obtain three-dimensional models with a different accuracy level and runtimes.This paper shows the work carried out to obtain the graphic information and three-dimensional models that are necessary for the rehabilitation project of the tomb of Queen Elisenda in the Monastery of Pedralbes, Barcelona (Spain. This monument has the peculiarity of being symmetrical about the wall separating monastery church and the cloister. To do this, different techniques have been used that allow us to obtain an accurate model and as complete as possible, for the analysis of the construction process of the monument. In order to achieve the complete architectural survey the integration of laser scanning and photogrammetric data, and CAD models has been necessary. Due to the detail of the sculptures and the Queen’s sarcophagus two sensors, with different resolution, range and accuracy, have been used to obtain the laser scanning data. Stereo pairs have been taken to obtain the 3D model of these elements to complete the model and obtain an ortophotography.In this way, a comparative analysis of both techniques has been carried out, in order to decide which one is the suitable for certain application. This investigation has been restricted to the tomb, in the two symmetrical parts of the monument.

IMPLEMENTING TQM IN RURAL MONUMENTAL BAROQUE SCULPTURE IN THE BANAT AREA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. PETROMAN

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The cultural patrimony preserves the memory and identity of the Banat’s rural area, defining the personality specific to each locality depending on the colonizing ethnic group after the liberation from the Turkish yoke. Steadily degrading, this baroque sculptural patrimony must be saved and integrated into a tourist circuit through the development of a managerial strategy and the implementation of a total quality management that cover the widest area possible of issues related to the intact preservation of monuments and to their conservation. The valorisation of monumental baroque sculpture in the rural area must be done together with the development of a managerial strategy of sustainable development thus contributing to the making up of an emblematic image specific to the Banat village and to the inclusion into regional, national, and international tourist circuits through such modern forms of tourism as cultural tourism, rural tourism, heritage tourism, interethnic tourism, religious tourism, and business tourism.

Creating/Curating Cultural Capital: Monuments and Museums for Post-Apartheid South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Rankin

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Since the first democratic elections in 1994, South Africa has faced the challenge of creating new cultural capital to replace old racist paradigms, and monuments and museums have been deployed as part of this agenda of transformation. Monuments have been inscribed with new meanings, and acquisition and collecting policies have changed at existing museums to embrace a wider definition of culture. In addition, a series of new museums, often with a memorial purpose, has provided opportunities to acknowledge previously marginalized histories, and honor those who opposed apartheid, many of whom died in the Struggle. Lacking extensive collections, these museums have relied on innovative concepts, not only the use of audio-visual materials, but also the metaphoric deployment of sites and the architecture itself, to create affective audience experiences and recount South Africa’s tragic history under apartheid.

Wiki Loves Monuments 2011: experiència a Espanya i reflexions des de la difusió del patrimoni cultural

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilio José Rodríguez Posada

2012-05-01

Full Text Available La Wikipedia va néixer al ciberespai. Els seus primers anys es van caracteritzar per una feina distribuïda i asíncrona entre usuaris de tot el planeta, que amb prou feines tenien relació personal fora de la xarxa. Amb el pas del temps, alguns dels seus voluntaris van fer les anomenades wikitrobades, però al començament les reunions de wikimedistes tenien la finalitat d'estrènyer llaços i no comportaven cap millora directa dels continguts dels projectes. Més endavant van sorgir iniciatives presencials en les quals es van involucrar, a més de voluntaris, algunes entitats culturals; la més recent i que ha tingut més impacte és Wiki Loves Monuments 2011, un concurs destinat a fotografiar monuments de divuit països europeus, entre els quals hi ha Espanya. Gràcies a l'alta participació, s'han pres en conjunt més de 160.000 fotografies de monuments. Espanya ha ocupat el tercer lloc en nombre d'imatges. En aquest article estudiem els orígens de Wiki Loves Monuments, com es va posar en marxa, com es va desenvolupar i els resultats obtinguts. L'èxit de l'edició 2011 i les peticions d'altres països han fet que ja es treballi en l'organització de Wiki Loves Monuments 2012, aquesta vegada a escala mundial.

Monumentality on space and cultural democratization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inês Alves

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article proposes a reflection on the idea of monumentality in political and religious power, and its reconversion of a democratic society. There are 3+1 types of cultural exhibition space that are analyzed: the traditional palace or the church, which contain great works of classical art, inside of the historic centers; the art galleries associated with market economy, tend to stimulate the city centre area, and the autonomy of the architectural object in the vicinity of the traditional city. Lastly it is referred the case study - Silo Cultural Space - inside the Norteshopping, but arranged in a peripheral form, which is distinguished by an apparent proximity to multiple public.

Balancing Acts Between Ancient and Modern Cities: The Ancient Greek Cities Project of C. A. Doxiadis

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Mantha Zarmakoupi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the inception and development of the Ancient Greek Cities (AGC research project (1963–77 of Constantinos A. Doxiadis and addresses the novelty of its methodological approach to the study of classical urbanism. With the AGC project, Doxiadis launched a comprehensive study of the ancient Greek built environment to provide an overview of the factors involved in its shaping. The project produced 24 published volumes — the first two laying out the historical and methodological parameters of the ensuing 22 monographs with case studies — as well as 12 unpublished manuscripts, and through international conferences initiated a wider dialogue on ancient cities beyond the classical Greek world. It was the first interdisciplinary study that attempted to tackle the environmental factors, together with the social and economic ones, underpinning the creation, development and operation of ancient Greek cities. Doxiadis’s innovative approach to the analysis of the ancient city was indebted to his practice as an architect and town planner and was informed by his theory of Ekistics. His purpose was to identify the urban planning principles of ancient Greek settlements in order to employ them in his projects. This paper examines the concept and methodology of the AGC project as well as the ways in which Doxiadis used the study of ancient cities in relation to his contemporary urban/architectural agendas, and explains this important moment in the historiography of ancient Greek urbanism.

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Monument Valley, Arizona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

The site observational work plan (SOWP) for the Monument Valley, Arizona, US Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action(UMTRA) Project site is one of the first site-specific documents developed to achieve ground water compliance at the site. This SOWP applies information about the Monument Valley site to a regulatory compliance framework that identifies strategies that could be used to meet ground water compliance. The compliance framework was developed in the UMTRA Ground Water programmatic environmental impact statement (DOE, 1996). The DOE`s goal is to implement a cost-effective site strategy that complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards and protects human health and the environment. The compliance strategy that emerges in the final version of the SOWP will be evaluated in the site-specific environmental assessment to determine potential environmental impacts and provide stakeholders a forum for review and comment. When the compliance strategy is acceptable, it will be detailed in a remedial action plan that will be subject to review by the state and/or tribe and concurrence by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Information for the preparation of this SOWP indicates active remediation is the most likely compliance strategy for the Monument Valley site. Additional data are needed to determine the most effective remediation technology.

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-03-01

The site observational work plan (SOWP) for the Monument Valley, Arizona, US Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action(UMTRA) Project site is one of the first site-specific documents developed to achieve ground water compliance at the site. This SOWP applies information about the Monument Valley site to a regulatory compliance framework that identifies strategies that could be used to meet ground water compliance. The compliance framework was developed in the UMTRA Ground Water programmatic environmental impact statement (DOE, 1996). The DOE's goal is to implement a cost-effective site strategy that complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards and protects human health and the environment. The compliance strategy that emerges in the final version of the SOWP will be evaluated in the site-specific environmental assessment to determine potential environmental impacts and provide stakeholders a forum for review and comment. When the compliance strategy is acceptable, it will be detailed in a remedial action plan that will be subject to review by the state and/or tribe and concurrence by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Information for the preparation of this SOWP indicates active remediation is the most likely compliance strategy for the Monument Valley site. Additional data are needed to determine the most effective remediation technology

Conservation and Management of Archaeological Monuments and Sites in Greece and Turkey: A Value-Based Approach to Anastylosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalliopi Vacharopoulou

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Heritage management and monument conservation play a significant role in the preservation of archaeological heritage. Anastylosis, a process with a long history in the Mediterranean region, is discussed with relevance to current debates concentrating on concepts of value-based approaches. Examination of the diverse values that may be attributed to monuments provides an insight into the evolution of ideas in heritage management, conservation and restoration practices. In the current theoretical framework the concept of values, as attributed by all stakeholders, and its application when preserving archaeological heritage, are constantly debated. The participation of stakeholders in the process of value identification is considered fundamental by heritage management experts. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted to collect the opinions of anastylosis and restoration professionals, with reference to case studies on a number of monuments subjected to anastylosis in Greece and Turkey, highlighting the importance of assessing values in order to establish the appropriate type and extent of intervention. The paper concludes that a value-based approach to decision-making and planning for anastylosis, or any other form of architectural conservation, is crucial for preserving monuments in a way that satisfies those who want to experience and benefit from heritage.

Biodiversity of cyanobacteria and green algae on monuments in the Mediterranean Basin: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Macedo, Maria Filomena; Miller, Ana Zélia; Dionísio, Amélia; Saiz-Jimenez, Cesareo

2009-11-01

The presence and deteriorating action of micro-organisms on monuments and stone works of art have received considerable attention in the last few years. Knowledge of the microbial populations living on stone materials is the starting point for successful conservation treatment and control. This paper reviews the literature on cyanobacteria and chlorophyta that cause deterioration of stone cultural heritage (outdoor monuments and stone works of art) in European countries of the Mediterranean Basin. Some 45 case studies from 32 scientific papers published between 1976 and 2009 were analysed. Six lithotypes were considered: marble, limestone, travertine, dolomite, sandstone and granite. A wide range of stone monuments in the Mediterranean Basin support considerable colonization of cyanobacteria and chlorophyta, showing notable biodiversity. About 172 taxa have been described by different authors, including 37 genera of cyanobacteria and 48 genera of chlorophyta. The most widespread and commonly reported taxa on the stone cultural heritage in the Mediterranean Basin are, among cyanobacteria, Gloeocapsa, Phormidium and Chroococcus and, among chlorophyta, Chlorella, Stichococcus and Chlorococcum. The results suggest that cyanobacteria and chlorophyta colonize a wide variety of substrata and that this is related primarily to the physical characteristics of the stone surface, microclimate and environmental conditions and secondarily to the lithotype.

A guide to ancient protein studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hendy, Jessica; Welker, Frido; Demarchi, Beatrice

2018-01-01

Palaeoproteomics is an emerging neologism used to describe the application of mass spectrometry-based approaches to the study of ancient proteomes. As with palaeogenomics (the study of ancient DNA), it intersects evolutionary biology, archaeology and anthropology, with applications ranging from....... Additionally, in contrast to the ancient DNA community, no consolidated guidelines have been proposed by which researchers, reviewers and editors can evaluate palaeoproteomics data, in part due to the novelty of the field. Here we present a series of precautions and standards for ancient protein research...

Characterization of historic lime mortars by neutron scattering and mercury porosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zouridakis, N.; Stefanopoulos, K.L.; Treimer, W.

1999-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Lime mortars were commonly used in building from ancient Greek times through to the beginning of the nineteenth century [1]. In the past few years, the increased interest in conservation and restoration of historic monuments requires a better knowledge of the structure and composition of lime mortars resulting from the various additives, as well as the preparation technique each time used. Lime mortars from ancient Greek monuments have been dated by using the radiocarbon method [2]. Furthermore, a wide selection of lime mortars from known historic periods and monuments in Greece has been examined by mercury porosimetry. It was found that their structure depends on the utilization of the monument which come from. In specific, lime mortars coming from residences have more or less the same structure, whereas the preparation technique differs for lime mortars coming from tombs and walls. The weathering effects on the porous system of the mortars are studied by neutron scattering. (author) [1] Brown, P.W., and Clifton, J.R., 'Air pollution and conservation', eds. J. Roswall and S. Aleby, 225 (1988), Elsevier, Amsterdam.; [2] N. Zouridakis, J.F. Sliege, A. Person et al., Archaeometry, 60 (1987) 29

Celebrating the Immigrant: An Administrative History of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, 1952-1982. Cultural Resource Management Study 10.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Barbara

This book focuses on the history of the Statue of Liberty National Monument from 1952 through 1982. It describes how the monument has come to symbolize an expanding set of ideals, how the symbolism has produced responses in various groups of people ranging from celebrations to physical attacks upon the Statue, and the manner in which the monument…

Aiding the Interpretation of Ancient Documents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roued-Cunliffe, Henriette

How can Decision Support System (DSS) software aid the interpretation process involved in the reading of ancient documents? This paper discusses the development of a DSS prototype for the reading of ancient texts. In this context the term ‘ancient documents’ is used to describe mainly Greek...... tool it is important first to comprehend the interpretation process involved in reading ancient documents. This is not a linear process but rather a recursive process where the scholar moves between different levels of reading, such as ‘understanding the meaning of a character’ or ‘understanding...

Medicine in Ancient Assur

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arbøll, Troels Pank

This dissertation is a microhistorical study of a single individual named Kiṣir-Aššur who practiced medicine in the ancient city of Assur (modern northern Iraq) in the 7th century BCE. The study provides the first detailed analysis of one healer’s education and practice in ancient Mesopotamia...

The eye and its diseases in Ancient Egypt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, S. Ry

1997-01-01

Ophthalmology, History of ophthalmology, eyes in the Ancient Egypt, eye disease in Ancient Egypt, porotic hyperostosis, mummification......Ophthalmology, History of ophthalmology, eyes in the Ancient Egypt, eye disease in Ancient Egypt, porotic hyperostosis, mummification...

Ancient Chinese Precedents in China

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Geddis, Robert

1999-01-01

... classics from ancient china. The assumption is that since China's political and military leaders state openly that their strategy is based on traditional Chinese strategic concepts, a study of ancient classics on strategy...

Dwarfs in ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozma, Chahira

2006-02-15

Ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced and productive civilizations in antiquity, spanning 3000 years before the "Christian" era. Ancient Egyptians built colossal temples and magnificent tombs to honor their gods and religious leaders. Their hieroglyphic language, system of organization, and recording of events give contemporary researchers insights into their daily activities. Based on the record left by their art, the ancient Egyptians documented the presence of dwarfs in almost every facet of life. Due to the hot dry climate and natural and artificial mummification, Egypt is a major source of information on achondroplasia in the old world. The remains of dwarfs are abundant and include complete and partial skeletons. Dwarfs were employed as personal attendants, animal tenders, jewelers, and entertainers. Several high-ranking dwarfs especially from the Old Kingdom (2700-2190 BCE) achieved important status and had lavish burial places close to the pyramids. Their costly tombs in the royal cemeteries and the inscriptions on their statutes indicate their high-ranking position in Egyptian society and their close relation to the king. Some of them were Seneb, Pereniankh, Khnumhotpe, and Djeder. There were at least two dwarf gods, Ptah and Bes. The god Ptah was associated with regeneration and rejuvenation. The god Bes was a protector of sexuality, childbirth, women, and children. He was a favored deity particularly during the Greco-Roman period. His temple was recently excavated in the Baharia oasis in the middle of Egypt. The burial sites and artistic sources provide glimpses of the positions of dwarfs in daily life in ancient Egypt. Dwarfs were accepted in ancient Egypt; their recorded daily activities suggest assimilation into daily life, and their disorder was not shown as a physical handicap. Wisdom writings and moral teachings in ancient Egypt commanded respect for dwarfs and other individuals with disabilities. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Casa do Alambique, estrutura rara e monumental

OpenAIRE

Cardoso, João Luís

2014-01-01

Uma intervenção arqueológica realizada em 2009 na Casa do Alambique, localizada na Quinta do Marquês de Pombal, em Oeiras, evidenciou a importância da produção de aguardente a partir da destilação do bagaço ou do vinho naquela quinta setecentista. O seu estudo, através da escavação e do registo, revelou assinaláveis cuidados técnicos, viabilizados por um já desenvolvido conhecimento científico, alicerçado no empirismo, conforme era usual na época. Trata-se de uma rara e monumental estru...

Facade renovation - replacement and restoration of the panels in a monument protected object

Science.gov (United States)

Novotný, Michal

2017-12-01

The article deals with problems of reconstruction of the facade and the associated problem of replacement or repair of the panels. In conventional buildings it is a smooth operation, but it is problematic in monument-protected objects. In the case of a common building, it is possible to choose any modern panels and simply replace them, but for historical objects we have to follow the claims and the rules of monument protection. In practice, it usually means the impossibility of use of modern panels, but at least a combination of old and modern technologies. Another possible solution to the problem is renovation, or repairs to the original state of the existing panels, of course with respect to the functionality of such panels. The implementation of such repairs must always be based on the technical and historical survey of the condition of the object and the repairs must be professionally designed. Subsequently, corrections are made, during which it is necessary to pay particular attention to observance of the technological procedures, rules and instructions particularly in terms of monument protection. However, the functionality of the works or elements made with regard to the quality of the environment within the building is not negligible. A common problem is the lack of control of technical requirements and functional requirements. Underestimation of the problems then leads to difficult repairs. The article points to the mistakes and problems of one such construction project on a historically protected chateau building.

Time–frequency analysis of GPR data to investigate the damage of monumental buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leucci, Giovanni; Persico, Raffaele; Masini, Nicola

2012-01-01

The presence of particular microclimatic conditions inside monumental buildings is responsible for bio-deterioration processes. In many cases, efflorescence and moulds are visible on the facades of several monuments of historical importance. In many other cases, the effects of decay processes are not visible, thus making difficult the diagnosis and the consequent setup of effective rehabilitation and preservation interventions, especially in the presence of a complex geometry and/or a large variability of construction materials. In such cases, a valuable contribution could be provided by geophysical methods (such as electrical resistivity, electromagnetic conductivity, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), etc), which have been proved to be successful tools for sub-surface investigation and characterization of historical buildings. In old monumental buildings, the masonry structures frequently exhibit cracks, voids, detachments and high moisture contrasts that can give rise to reflection events in radar signals. However, the complexity of the geometry and the structural heterogeneity that characterize these old structures often make the GPR results difficult to analyse and interpret. In particular, the spatial variation in GPR signal attenuation can provide important information about the electrical properties of the investigated materials that, in turn, can be used to assess the physical parameters associated with damage. In this paper, we propose an approach that analyses the data in the form of ‘frequency maps’ to evidence absorption losses probably linked to higher moisture content. Two real case histories back up the proposed method. (paper)

Air Quality at Devils Postpile National Monument, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Joel D. Burley; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Monica Buhler; Barbara Zielinska; Donald Schweizer; Ricardo Cisneros; Susan Schilling; Jennifer Chapman Varela; Mark McDaniel; Michelle Horn; Deanna Dulen

2016-01-01

Ambient concentrations of O3, PM2.5, NH3, NO, NO2, HNO3, SO2 and VOCs were measured at Devils Postpile National Monument (DEPO) during the summer seasons of 2013 and 2014. The measurements were impacted by the Aspen and Rim Fires in...

Ancient Biomolecules and Evolutionary Inference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cappellini, Enrico; Prohaska, Ana; Racimo, Fernando

2018-01-01

Over the last decade, studies of ancient biomolecules-particularly ancient DNA, proteins, and lipids-have revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary history. Though initially fraught with many challenges, the field now stands on firm foundations. Researchers now successfully retrieve nucleo...

Lipid residues preserved in sheltered bedrock features at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tammy Buonasera

2016-10-01

Bedrock features represent various economic, social, and symbolic aspects of past societies, but have historically received little study, particularly in North America. Fortunately, new techniques for analyzing spatial configurations, use-wear, and organic residues are beginning to unlock more of the interpretive potential of these features. Though preliminary in nature, the present study contributes to this trend by documenting an application of lipid analysis to bedrock features in a dry rockshelter. Results of this initial application indicate that bedrock features in dry rockshelters may provide especially favorable conditions for the preservation and interpretation of ancient organic residues. Abundant lipids, comparable to concentrations present in some pottery sherds, were extracted from a bedrock grinding surface at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Though the lipids were highly oxidized, degradation products indicative of former unsaturated fatty acids were retained. Comparisons to experimentally aged residues, and absence of a known biomarker for maize, indicate that the bulk of the lipids preserved in the milling surface probably derive from processing an oily nut or seed resource, and not from processing maize. Substantially lower amounts of lipids were recovered from a small, blackened cupule. It is hypothesized that some portion of the lipids in the blackened cupule was deposited from condensed smoke of cooking and heating fires in the caves. Potential for the preservation of organic residues in similar sheltered bedrock contexts is discussed, and a practical method for sampling bedrock features in the field is described.

Ancient and Current Chaos Theories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Güngör Gündüz

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Chaos theories developed in the last three decades have made very important contributions to our understanding of dynamical systems and natural phenomena. The meaning of chaos in the current theories and in the past is somewhat different from each other. In this work, the properties of dynamical systems and the evolution of chaotic systems were discussed in terms of the views of ancient philosophers. The meaning of chaos in Anaximenes’ philosophy and its role in the Ancient natural philosophy has been discussed in relation to other natural philosophers such as of Anaximander, Parmenides, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Leucippus (i.e. atomists and Aristotle. In addition, the fundamental concepts of statistical mechanics and the current chaos theories were discussed in relation to the views in Ancient natural philosophy. The roots of the scientific concepts such as randomness, autocatalysis, nonlinear growth, information, pattern, etc. in the Ancient natural philosophy were investigated.

Archaeologies of landscape : excavating the materialities of Hadrian's Wall.

OpenAIRE

Witcher, R. E.; Tolia-Kelly, Divya P.; Hingley, R.

2010-01-01

This article interrogates the materiality of Hadrian’s Wall beyond its widespread perception as a monument of/to Ancient Rome. Encounters with this monument have generated multitudinous materialities: hegemonic, conflicting and ambiguous. These trajectories have their own material circulations in both solid and narrative forms. Here, we consider materiality through the cultures inspired by/of the Wall. Through the formulation of an interdisciplinary methodology and praxis, we contribute to la...

LiDAR, geophysical and field surveys at Ancient Epomanduodurum site and its surrounding country (Doubs, Eastern France)

Science.gov (United States)

Laplaige, Clement; Bossuet, Gilles; Thivet, Matthieu

2010-05-01

Integrated geophysical studies were carried out over several years, at Mandeure-Mathay (Franche-Comté Region, Eastern France) for the archaeological evaluation of ancient Epomanduodurum. The site is of major scientific interest to understand the territorial structure of earlier agglomerations in Eastern Gaul at the end of the Iron Age and during the Roman period. As regards its size, urban equipment, monuments and function, the ancient town is considered rating second behind the civitas capital of Sequani, Besançon-Vesontio. It is located in the Doubs valley, where the plain of Alsace opens into the marches of Burgundy, in a traffic zone between the Vosges and the Jura. This location allows transit between the Rhône valley and the Rhein plain, through the Saône and Doubs valleys. This geographical situation was a significant factor in the creation of the late Iron Age settlement, later to turn into a major Gallo-roman town. The whole site of the Ancient town includes urban centre and two artisan suburbs. The buried ruins stretch on more than 500 hectares outside and inside a meander of the Doubs River. From the beginning of the survey, in 2001, high resolution and non invasive geophysical methods (magnetic mapping and Automatic Restivity Profiling (ARP) were performed on large scale, both on the terrace and in the floodplain). Excavations associated to geophysical prospection allow to produce a general plan of the Gallo roman structures and to reconstruct the settlement evolution. While human occupation on open land is certified by a lot of indications, on the contrary, the forest-covered zones on table-land appear as less documented areas. The explanation is that some of the classic methods (such as aerial reconnaissance and field walking) are less efficient in the archaeological prospection of table-lands and hills, naturally marked by omnipresent forest. In our new research program (LIEPPEC and PCR Mandeure, 2008-2010), it appears necessary to better

Radiocarbon dating of ancient Japanese documents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, H.

2001-01-01

History is a reconstruction of past human activity, evidence of which is remained in the form of documents or relics. For the reconstruction of historic period, the radiocarbon dating of ancient documents provides important information. Although radiocarbon age is converted into calendar age with the calibration curve, the calibrated radiocarbon age is still different from the historical age when the document was written. The difference is known as 'old wood effect' for wooden cultural property. The discrepancy becomes more serious problem for recent sample which requires more accurate age determination. Using Tandetron accelerator mass spectrometer at Nagoya University, we have measured radiocarbon ages of Japanese ancient documents, sutras and printed books written dates of which are clarified from the paleographic standpoint. The purpose is to clarify the relation between calibrated radiocarbon age and historical age of ancient Japanese document by AMS radiocarbon dating. This paper reports 23 radiocarbon ages of ancient Japanese documents, sutras and printed books. The calibrated radiocarbon ages are in good agreement with the corresponding historical ages. It was shown by radiocarbon dating of the ancient documents that Japanese paper has little gap by 'old wood effect'; accordingly, ancient Japanese paper is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating of recent historic period. (author)

Authenticity in ancient DNA studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, M Thomas P; Willerslev, Eske

2006-01-01

Ancient DNA studies represent a powerful tool that can be used to obtain genetic insights into the past. However, despite the publication of large numbers of apparently successful ancient DNA studies, a number of problems exist with the field that are often ignored. Therefore, questions exist as ...

The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy

CERN Document Server

Evans, James

1998-01-01

The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy combines new scholarship with hands-on science to bring readers into direct contact with the work of ancient astronomers. While tracing ideas from ancient Babylon to sixteenth-century Europe, the book places its greatest emphasis on the Greek period, when astronomers developed the geometric and philosophical ideas that have determined the subsequent character of Western astronomy. The author approaches this history through the concrete details of ancient astronomical practice. Carefully organized and generously illustrated, the book can teach reade

An investigation into the ancient abortion laws: comparing ancient Persia with ancient Greece and Rome.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarmohammadi, Hassan; Zargaran, Arman; Vatanpour, Azadeh; Abedini, Ehsan; Adhami, Siamak

2013-01-01

Since the dawn of medicine, medical rights and ethics have always been one of mankind's concerns. In any civilisation, attention paid to medical laws and ethics depends on the progress of human values and the advancement of medical science. The history of various civilisations teaches that each had its own views on medical ethics, but most had something in common. Ancient civilisations such as Greece, Rome, or Assyria did not consider the foetus to be alive and therefore to have human rights. In contrast, ancient Persians valued the foetus as a living person equal to others. Accordingly, they brought laws against abortion, even in cases of sexual abuse. Furthermore, abortion was considered to be a murder and punishments were meted out to the mother, father, and the person performing it.

The Ancient Greece's roots of Olimpism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bubka Sergej Nazarovich

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The paper focused on the phenomena of sport in Ancient Greece along with history, traditions, religion, education, culture and art. Economic and political conditions are analysed which promote or hamper development of Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Exceptional stability of Ancient Olympic games during more than eleven centuries are noted as well as their influence on the life of Greek polices of those days. Hellenistic period needs of individual consideration.

Urology and the scientific method in ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordetsky, Jennifer; O'Brien, Jeanne

2009-03-01

To examine the practice of urology in ancient Egypt using various sources, including the Edwin Smith and Ebers Papyri. The sources of knowledge of ancient Egyptian medicine include medical papyri, paleopathology, art, and hieroglyphic carvings. A brief overview of the medical system in ancient Egypt was completed, in addition to an examination of the training and specialization of the physician in the ancient world. Urologic diseases treated in ancient Egypt and some of the first documented urologic surgeries are presented. Finally, we studied the role of the physician-priest and the intertwined use of religion and magic in ancient Egyptian medicine. The same medical conditions urologists treat in the office today were methodically documented thousands of years ago. Medical papyri show evidence that the ancient Egyptians practiced medicine using a scientific method based on the clinical observation of disease. This has been exemplified by the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, a collection of surgical cases that gives a diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for each ailment, and the discovery of medical specialization in ancient Egypt, giving us perhaps the world's first urologists. Intertwined with the scientific method was also the rich mysticism and religion of ancient Egypt, which were integral components of the healing process. We present an overview of the practice of urology in ancient Egypt, in terms of both pharmacologic and surgical intervention, as well as with a look into the religion of medicine practiced at that time.

Indoor climate design for a monumental building with periodic high indoor moisture loads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.; Lony, R.J.M.; Schellen, H.L.

2008-01-01

The paper presents a case study on the performance based design for the indoor climate of a monumental building with periodic high indoor moisture loads. Several scenarios of the past performance and new control classes are simulated and evaluated. The results include the influence of hygric inertia

Indoor climate design for a monumental building with incidental high indoor moisture loads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.

2005-01-01

The paper presents a study of the indoor climate of a monumental building with periodic high indoor moisture loads. Several scenarios of the past performance and new control classes are simulated and evaluated. The results include the influence of hygric inertia on the indoor climate and

Terrestrial scanning or digital images in inventory of monumental objects? - case study

Science.gov (United States)

Markiewicz, J. S.; Zawieska, D.

2014-06-01

Cultural heritage is the evidence of the past; monumental objects create the important part of the cultural heritage. Selection of a method to be applied depends on many factors, which include: the objectives of inventory, the object's volume, sumptuousness of architectural design, accessibility to the object, required terms and accuracy of works. The paper presents research and experimental works, which have been performed in the course of development of architectural documentation of elements of the external facades and interiors of the Wilanów Palace Museum in Warszawa. Point clouds, acquired from terrestrial laser scanning (Z+F 5003h) and digital images taken with Nikon D3X and Hasselblad H4D cameras were used. Advantages and disadvantages of utilisation of these technologies of measurements have been analysed with consideration of the influence of the structure and reflectance of investigated monumental surfaces on the quality of generation of photogrammetric products. The geometric quality of surfaces obtained from terrestrial laser scanning data and from point clouds resulting from digital images, have been compared.

Science and Library in the Ancient Age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Sacit Keseroğlu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Science assumes its contemporary identity as a result of the stages of magic, religion and reason. The religious stage starts with the invention of writing and this stage leaves its place to reason with Thales in Ancient Greece. Knowledge eludes from religious beliefs. Ways to reach accurate, reliable and realistic knowledge are sought, along with the answer for what knowledge is. Therefore, beginning of the science is taken into consideration together with science and philosophy. The purpose of this study is to approach knowledge and science of the ancient age in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Ancient Greece in general terms and to determine the relationship between the knowledge produced in those places and libraries established. The hypothesis has been determined as “Egypt and Mesopotamia at the starting point of the history of science and science, and libraries in Ancient Greece have developed parallelly to each other.” The scope of the study has been limited to Mesopotamia, Egypt and Ancient Greece; and Ancient Greece has been explained, with descriptive method, in the frame of the topics of Ionia, Athens, Hellenistic Period and Rome. Many archives and libraries have been established in the ancient age. The difference between an archive and a library has been mentioned first, and then, various libraries have been introduced such as Nineveh in Mesopotamia, Alexandria in Ancient Greece and many others in Egypt. It has been clearly distinguished that there had been a very tight relationship between knowledge production and library, especially with the Library of Alexandria.

Paleo-Environmental Reconstruction Using Ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Mikkel Winther

The aim of this thesis has been to investigate and expand the methodology and applicability for using ancient DNA deposited in lake sediments to detect and determine its genetic sources for paleo-environmental reconstruction. The aim was furthermore to put this tool into an applicable context...... solving other scientifically interesting questions. Still in its childhood, ancient environmental DNA research has a large potential for still developing, improving and discovering its possibilities and limitations in different environments and for identifying various organisms, both in terms...... research on ancient and modern environmental DNA (Paper 1), secondly by setting up a comparative study (Paper 2) to investigate how an ancient plant DNA (mini)-barcode can reflect other traditional methods (e.g. pollen and macrofossils) for reconstructing floristic history. In prolongation of the results...

AN INTERESTING CASE OF ANCIENT SCHWANNOMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Binu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION : Schwannoma is a common benign tumour of nerve sheath. Degenerating type of schwannoma is called ancient schwannoma. Ancient schwannomas of scalp are rare and are often misdiagnosed as sebaceous cyst or dermoid cyst. CASE REPORT : We present a thirty two year old male presented with scalp swel ling of eight years duration. X - ray showed no intracranial extension. He underwent excision of the tumour and histopathology was reported as ancient schwannoma. DISCUSSION : Histopathologically , ancient schwannomas charecterised by cellular Antoni type A ar eas and less cellular Antoni type - B areas. 9 th , 7 th , 11 th , 5 th and 4 th cranial nerves are often affected and may be associated with multiple neuro fibramatosis (Von - Recklinghausen’s disease. Impact : Case is presented for its rarity and possible pre - operative misdiagnosis

Tanec v umění antického Řecka

OpenAIRE

Strouhalová, Markéta

2011-01-01

Title: Dance in the art of Ancient Greece Author: Bc. Markéta Strouhalová Department: Institute for Classical archeology, Charles University Supervisor: Doc. PhDr. Iva Ondřejová, Csc. Abstract: Dance is a manifestation of the social behavior. The art of dance was considered as very important part of life in Ancient Greece. The gods danced and Greeks imitated the divine example. The Ancient Greek preference for dancing is supported by evidence of many iconographical monuments, which are the ma...

On Ancient Babylonian Algebra and Geometry

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

ber system prevalent during the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In this article, we study the ... civilization provides a better insight into the thought processes of the ancient Babylonian mathematicians. In this context, consider the following ...

Ancient Biomolecules and Evolutionary Inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappellini, Enrico; Prohaska, Ana; Racimo, Fernando; Welker, Frido; Pedersen, Mikkel Winther; Allentoft, Morten E; de Barros Damgaard, Peter; Gutenbrunner, Petra; Dunne, Julie; Hammann, Simon; Roffet-Salque, Mélanie; Ilardo, Melissa; Moreno-Mayar, J Víctor; Wang, Yucheng; Sikora, Martin; Vinner, Lasse; Cox, Jürgen; Evershed, Richard P; Willerslev, Eske

2018-04-25

Over the last decade, studies of ancient biomolecules-particularly ancient DNA, proteins, and lipids-have revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary history. Though initially fraught with many challenges, the field now stands on firm foundations. Researchers now successfully retrieve nucleotide and amino acid sequences, as well as lipid signatures, from progressively older samples, originating from geographic areas and depositional environments that, until recently, were regarded as hostile to long-term preservation of biomolecules. Sampling frequencies and the spatial and temporal scope of studies have also increased markedly, and with them the size and quality of the data sets generated. This progress has been made possible by continuous technical innovations in analytical methods, enhanced criteria for the selection of ancient samples, integrated experimental methods, and advanced computational approaches. Here, we discuss the history and current state of ancient biomolecule research, its applications to evolutionary inference, and future directions for this young and exciting field. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biochemistry Volume 87 is June 20, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles as antibacterial/antifungal coatings for monumental stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aflori, Magdalena [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania); Simionescu, Bogdana [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania); “Costin D. Nenitescu” Centre of Organic Chemistry, 202B Splaiul Independentei, 7114 Bucharest (Romania); Bordianu, Irina-Elena; Sacarescu, Liviu; Varganici, Cristian-Dragos; Doroftei, Florica; Nicolescu, Alina [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania); Olaru, Mihaela, E-mail: olaruma@icmpp.ro [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania)

2013-11-20

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocomposites with noble metals having high antibacterial efficiency. • Silver nanoparticles antibacterial activity for monumental stone conservation. • A high antibacterial activity while assuring good stone protection. -- Abstract: The present paper reports on the evaluation of two silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles aimed as antibacterial coatings for monumental stones. Sol–gel reaction of titanium isopropoxide and/or 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, in the presence of silver nitrate and a primary amine surfactant, yielded new types of hybrid nanocomposites with high antibacterial/antifungal efficacy. Different polymer behaviours regarding a frequently used monumental stone originating from Romania were evidenced through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique. Conclusions regarding the stones acid-resistant character and lower influence of salt weathering on its durability, as well as a better protective coating containing titania units were revealed.

Silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles as antibacterial/antifungal coatings for monumental stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aflori, Magdalena; Simionescu, Bogdana; Bordianu, Irina-Elena; Sacarescu, Liviu; Varganici, Cristian-Dragos; Doroftei, Florica; Nicolescu, Alina; Olaru, Mihaela

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocomposites with noble metals having high antibacterial efficiency. • Silver nanoparticles antibacterial activity for monumental stone conservation. • A high antibacterial activity while assuring good stone protection. -- Abstract: The present paper reports on the evaluation of two silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles aimed as antibacterial coatings for monumental stones. Sol–gel reaction of titanium isopropoxide and/or 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, in the presence of silver nitrate and a primary amine surfactant, yielded new types of hybrid nanocomposites with high antibacterial/antifungal efficacy. Different polymer behaviours regarding a frequently used monumental stone originating from Romania were evidenced through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique. Conclusions regarding the stones acid-resistant character and lower influence of salt weathering on its durability, as well as a better protective coating containing titania units were revealed

UMTRA project water sampling and analysis plan, Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-04-01

The Monument Valley Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site in Cane Valley is a former uranium mill that has undergone surface remediation in the form of tailings and contaminated materials removal. Contaminated materials from the Monument Valley (Arizona) UMTRA Project site have been transported to the Mexican Hat (Utah) UMTRA Project site for consolidation with the Mexican Hat tailings. Tailings removal was completed in February 1994. Three geologic units at the site contain water: the unconsolidated eolian and alluvial deposits (alluvial aquifer), the Shinarump Conglomerate (Shinarump Member), and the De Chelly Sandstone. Water quality analyses indicate the contaminant plume has migrated north of the site and is mainly in the alluvial aquifer. An upward hydraulic gradient in the De Chelly Sandstone provides some protection to that aquifer. This water sampling and analysis plan recommends sampling domestic wells, monitor wells, and surface water in April and September 1994. The purpose of sampling is to continue periodic monitoring for the surface program, evaluate changes to water quality for site characterization, and provide data for the baseline risk assessment. Samples taken in April will be representative of high ground water levels and samples taken in September will be representative of low ground water levels. Filtered and nonfiltered samples will be analyzed for plume indicator parameters and baseline risk assessment parameters

Trepanation in Ancient China.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobert, Leah; Binello, Emanuela

2017-05-01

Trepanation, the process of making a burr hole in the skull to access the brain, is an ancient form of a primitive craniotomy. There is widespread evidence of contributions made to this practice by ancient civilizations in Europe, Africa, and South America, where archaeologists have unearthed thousands of trepanned skulls dating back to the Neolithic period. Little is known about trepanation in China, and it is commonly believed that the Chinese used only traditional Chinese medicine and nonsurgical methods for treating brain injuries. However, a thorough analysis of the available archeological and literary evidence reveals that trepanation was widely practiced throughout China thousands of years ago. A significant number of trepanned Chinese skulls have been unearthed showing signs of healing and suggesting that patients survived after surgery. Trepanation was likely performed for therapeutic and spiritual reasons. Medical and historical works from Chinese literature contain descriptions of primitive neurosurgical procedures, including stories of surgeons, such as the legendary Hua Tuo, and surgical techniques used for the treatment of brain pathologies. The lack of translation of Chinese reports into the English language and the lack of publications on this topic in the English language may have contributed to the misconception that ancient China was devoid of trepanation. This article summarizes the available evidence attesting to the performance of successful primitive cranial surgery in ancient China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms in ancient Chinese books with illustrations

CERN Document Server

Hsiao, Kuo-Hung

2014-01-01

This book presents a unique approach for studying mechanisms and machines with drawings that were depicted unclearly in ancient Chinese books. The historical, cultural and technical backgrounds of the mechanisms are explained, and various mechanisms described and illustrated in ancient books are introduced. By utilizing the idea for the conceptual design of modern mechanisms, all feasible designs of ancient mechanisms with uncertain members and joints that meet the technical standards of the subjects’ time periods are synthesized systematically. Ancient Chinese crossbows (the original crossbow and repeating crossbows), textile mechanisms (silk-reeling mechanism, spinning mechanisms, and looms), and many other artisan's tool mechanisms are used as illustrated examples.  Such an approach provides a logical method for the reconstruction designs of ancient mechanisms with uncertain structures. It also provides an innovative direction for researchers to further identify the original structures of mechanisms...

Endocrinology in ancient Sparta.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsoulogiannis, Ioannis N; Spandidos, Demetrios A

2007-01-01

This article attempts to analyze the crucial link between the plant Agnus castus and human health, particularly hormonal status, with special reference to the needs of the society of ancient Sparta. The ancient Spartans used Agnus both as a cure for infertility and as a remedy to treat battle wounds. These special properties were recognized by the sanctuary of Asclepios Agnita, which was located in Sparta, as well as by medical practitioners in Sparta during the classical, Hellenistic and Roman ages.

Reconnaissance Report of Damage to Historic Monuments in Cairo, Egypt Following the October 12, 1992 Dahshur Earthquake

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sykora, D

1993-01-01

.... Damage to historic monuments can be generally described as having resulted from the continuous degradation of foundation and structural masonry from environmental effects, especially groundwater...

Landscape of Memory. Commemorative monuments, memorials and public statuary in post-apartheid South-Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marschall, S.

2010-01-01

Under the aegis of post-apartheid government, much emphasis has been placed on the transformation and democratisation of the heritage sector in South Africa. The emergent new landscape of memory comprises a host of commemorative monuments, memorials and statues installed since 1994 to create a

Application of neutron activation analysis in study of ancient ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Guoxia; Zhao Weijuan; Gao Zhengyao; Xie Jianzhong; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

2000-01-01

Trace-elements in ancient ceramics and imitative ancient ceramics were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data are then analyzed by fuzzy cluster method and the trend cluster diagram is obtained. The raw material sources of ancient ceramics and imitative ancient ceramics are determined. The path for improving quality of imitative ancient ceramics is found

Comparative scaffolding and gap filling of ancient bacterial genomes applied to two ancient Yersinia pestis genomes

Science.gov (United States)

Doerr, Daniel; Chauve, Cedric

2017-01-01

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of the bubonic plague, a disease responsible for several dramatic historical pandemics. Progress in ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing rendered possible the sequencing of whole genomes of important human pathogens, including the ancient Y. pestis strains responsible for outbreaks of the bubonic plague in London in the 14th century and in Marseille in the 18th century, among others. However, aDNA sequencing data are still characterized by short reads and non-uniform coverage, so assembling ancient pathogen genomes remains challenging and often prevents a detailed study of genome rearrangements. It has recently been shown that comparative scaffolding approaches can improve the assembly of ancient Y. pestis genomes at a chromosome level. In the present work, we address the last step of genome assembly, the gap-filling stage. We describe an optimization-based method AGapEs (ancestral gap estimation) to fill in inter-contig gaps using a combination of a template obtained from related extant genomes and aDNA reads. We show how this approach can be used to refine comparative scaffolding by selecting contig adjacencies supported by a mix of unassembled aDNA reads and comparative signal. We applied our method to two Y. pestis data sets from the London and Marseilles outbreaks, for which we obtained highly improved genome assemblies for both genomes, comprised of, respectively, five and six scaffolds with 95 % of the assemblies supported by ancient reads. We analysed the genome evolution between both ancient genomes in terms of genome rearrangements, and observed a high level of synteny conservation between these strains. PMID:29114402

Památky starověké Núbie na známkách světa // Monuments of Ancient Nubia on postage stamps of the modern world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Břetislav Vachala

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The successful International UNESCO Campaign to Save the Monuments of (Egyptian and Sudanese Nubia became an important motif on the postage stamps of 47 countries of the world in the years 1960–1980. The stamps host famous rescued temples (listed here according to frequency of the used motifs, including general views, details of architecture and relief decoration of Abu Simbel, Philae, Wadi es-Sebua, and Dakka, the Kiosk of Qertassi and the South - ern temple of Buhen. Moreover, some of the unique painted murals found in the episcopal cathedral at Faras were reproduced on Polish stamps. The philatelic contribution to the campaign was far from symbolic. The total philatelic revenue (including income from the Philae Medals reached 112,665.64 US dollars. The philatelic activity of 47 countries substantially contributed to the publicity of the UNESCO Nubia Campaign around the world.

Archaeological Guidebooks from the Libraries of the Operosi and Their Circle Housed in the Seminary Library in Ljubljana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luka Vidmar

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Ljubljana's Academia Operosorum, which helped to regenerate scientific, cultural and artistic activities in the Carniola of the late 17th/early 18th century by introducing the influence of Baroque Italy, was deeply interested in researching and understanding the material and spiritual heritage of Roman antiquity. The Operosi believed that the memory of Emona, the ancient predecessor of Ljubljana, promised a successful development of the modern city, since it symbolically connected Ljubljana with the historical and artistic centre of Europe, the city of Rome. On the one hand, such views on the ancient past were reinforced by Carniolan historians of the previous generation, Janez Ludvik Schönleben and Janez Vajkard Valvasor; on the other, they stemmed from their own observation of Roman monuments, based on their journeys to Italy undertaken immediately after their studies or during their service, and on reading specialised books, bought either on these occasions or in Ljubljana. Many of these books are now housed in the Seminary Library in Ljubljana, as several Operosi donated their private libraries to this new public library, which they helped to establish in 1701. Janez Gregor Dolničar (1655-1719, a Ljubljana lawyer and historian, as well as one of the most prominent members of the Academia Operosorum, owned at least three guidebooks to Rome, written by Pietro Martire Felini and Matteo Mayer and containing detailed descriptions of mainly ancient monuments. His private library also included the architectural treatise by Vitruvius and the hydraulic treatise by Frontinus. Moreover, a few chapters of Dolničar's book on the history of Trieste, written by Father Ireneo della Croce, are devoted to the monuments of ancient Tergeste. Janez Anton Dolničar (1662-1714, the Dean of Ljubljana's Cathedral, owned a guide to Naples, written by Giuseppe Mormile and dealing mostly with ancient ruins in the countryside. Janez Krstnik Preseren (1656-1704, the

Monuments deterioration evaluation, using digited images. A methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ángel, María C.

1995-12-01

Full Text Available In this work a methodology is proposed for data processing, integrating the techniques of digital images processing and the analytical capacity of graphical referencing systems and relational databases, in relation with the monuments. The images are generated using the digital image processing and they are included into a graphical data processing systems associated with a database containing the characteristics of the ashars or constituent elements. By combination of the images with the database induced properties the information is processed. The results are thematic maps that we save such as images. These maps are layers of new information (deduced levels. The elaboration of these maps allows attacking the problems of the restoration, renovation or treatment of the different monumental spaces on a global way, paying special attention on the most gravely affected areas.

En este trabajo se propone una metodología para el tratamiento de la información, integrando las técnicas de proceso digital de imágenes, la capacidad de análisis de los sistemas de referenciación gráfica y las bases de datos relacionales, referidas a monumentos. Para ello se elaboran las imágenes base por algoritmos propios del proceso digital, incluyendo aquellas en una aplicación especifica que asocia cada capa a una base de datos con las propiedades petrofísicas, hídricas, etc., o bien entre si, dando lugar a mapas temáticos. La generación de estos mapas permite abordar los problemas de restauración, rehabilitación o tratamiento de los diferentes espacios monumentales de forma global, con incidencia especial en las zonas más afectadas.

MONITORING OF NATURAL MONUMENTS IN THE PARK ZAMKOWY IN ŻYWIEC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Elżbieta Salachna

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of monitoring of trees monumenst of Park Zamkowy in Żywiec, which is a one of most valuable dendrological collection in the Silesia region. It was found that among the 27 studied monuments of nature, most (76% is in a satisfactory state of health and requires only care intervention. Of the remaining group 13% presented of good condition and for 11% it is necessary to take immediate treatments.

Polymer-Silica nanoparticles composite films as protective coatings for stone-based monuments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manoudis, P [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece); Papadopoulou, S [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece); Karapanagiotis, I [' Ormylia' Art Diagnosis Centre, Ormylia, Chalkidiki, 63071 (Greece); Tsakalof, A [Medical Department, University of Thessaly, Larissa, 41222 (Greece); Zuburtikudis, I [Department of Industrial Design Engineering, TEI of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50100 (Greece); Panayiotou, C [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece)

2007-04-15

The decrease of surface energy of mineral substrates similar to those used in many stone monuments of cultural heritage by the application of protective polymer coatings along with the simultaneous increase of their surface roughness can increase their ability to repel water substantially. In this work, the effect of artificially induced roughness on the water repellency of mineral substrates coated with protective polymer films was investigated. Natural marble samples or home made calcium carbonate blocks were tried as the mineral substrates. The roughness increase was achieved by mineral chemical etching or by creation of nanoscale binary composition film on the substrate surface. PMMA and PFPE were the polymers used, while different-sized silica nanoparticles were employed for the production of the nanocomposite films. Examination of the coated and uncoated surfaces with profilometry and AFM and measurements of water contact angles reveal a pronounced effect of the surface roughness on water repellency. Especially in the case of nanocomposite coatings, the surfaces become super-hydrophobic. This result indicates that the nanoscale binary composition film scheme, which is characterized by its simplicity and low cost, is a suitable candidate for the water protection of stone-based monuments on large scale.

Polymer-Silica nanoparticles composite films as protective coatings for stone-based monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manoudis, P; Papadopoulou, S; Karapanagiotis, I; Tsakalof, A; Zuburtikudis, I; Panayiotou, C

2007-01-01

The decrease of surface energy of mineral substrates similar to those used in many stone monuments of cultural heritage by the application of protective polymer coatings along with the simultaneous increase of their surface roughness can increase their ability to repel water substantially. In this work, the effect of artificially induced roughness on the water repellency of mineral substrates coated with protective polymer films was investigated. Natural marble samples or home made calcium carbonate blocks were tried as the mineral substrates. The roughness increase was achieved by mineral chemical etching or by creation of nanoscale binary composition film on the substrate surface. PMMA and PFPE were the polymers used, while different-sized silica nanoparticles were employed for the production of the nanocomposite films. Examination of the coated and uncoated surfaces with profilometry and AFM and measurements of water contact angles reveal a pronounced effect of the surface roughness on water repellency. Especially in the case of nanocomposite coatings, the surfaces become super-hydrophobic. This result indicates that the nanoscale binary composition film scheme, which is characterized by its simplicity and low cost, is a suitable candidate for the water protection of stone-based monuments on large scale

Megaliths as land-marks. Chronicle of the territorial role of the megalithic monuments through written sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinón-Torres, Marcos

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Megalithic monuments have played dijferent roles throughout History. One of them has a spatial function, i.e. as landmarks. The aim of this paper has been to collect and analyse every written reference concerning Galician megaliths operating as landmarks between the 6th and 19th centuries AD. On this basis, the evolution of this social-territorial function of the monuments through time is reconstructed, and an interpretative hypothesis for this phenomenon is proposed. Finally, the importance of reviewing written sources as a methodology for archaeological survey and for studies of the topographic settings of monuments is emphasised.

A lo largo de la Historia, los monumentos megalíticos han desempeñado, entre otras, una función espacial, como marcos de territorio. Para este artículo se recogen y analizan las referencias escritas a megalitos gallegos funcionando como marcadores o identificadores espaciales, entre los siglos VI y XIX d.C. A partir de este registro de fuentes se reconstruye la evolución de este papel social-territorial de los monumentos en las distintas épocas. Se plantea un modelo interpretativo para este fenómeno, y se valora la revisión de fuentes escritas como metodología para la prospección arqueológica y para los estudios de emplazamiento de megalitos.

Gravity-induced stress as a factor reducing decay of sandstone monuments in Petra, Jordan

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Řihošek, J.; Bruthans, J.; Mašín, D.; Filippi, Michal; Carling, G. T.; Schweigstillová, Jana

2016-01-01

Roč. 19, 1 May (2016), s. 415-425 ISSN 1296-2074 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-28040S Institutional support: RVO:67985831 ; RVO:67985891 Keywords : Decay * Petra * sandstone monument * stability * stress Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 1.838, year: 2016

41 CFR 102-75.455 - May historic monuments be used for revenue-producing activities?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., rehabilitation, restoration, and maintenance of the property; (c) Approves the grantee's plan for financing the... connection with the management, operation, or development of the property for revenue producing activities... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May historic monuments...

“Tomar” e “Zona Monumental de Ajuda Belem”. Dois projectos de salvaguardia, dois casos de estudo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Maria Augusto de Sousa Rosa

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Prosseguindo os propósitos deste Il Seminário internacional “Conservazione del Património Arquitectónico e Urbano”, onde irão ser confrontadas as experiências realizadas em Itália e Portugal no âmbito da conservação do património arquitectónico e urbano, são apresentados dois casos de estudo, objectivando a salvaguarda dos centros históricos, realizados em duas cidades portuguesas - Tomar (Centro Histórico e Lisboa (Zona Monumental Ajuda-Belém. Os dois Planos então realizados – Tomar, em 1996, e zona monumental Ajuda-Belém, em 2004 – ambos recorrendo a suporte informático, evidenciam na “decalage” de 8 anos, a importância dos avanços tecnológicos e informáticos, patente no projecto mais recente (Zona Monumental Ajuda - Belém, quer na aquisição e processamento de dados, quer ainda na consulta dos mesmos, processos que se têm revelado valiosíssimos para a conservação e salvaguarda do património arquitectónico, urbano e ambiental desta zona da cidade de Lisboa.

Geologically ancient DNA: fact or artefact?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hebsgaard, Martin Bay; Phillips, Matthew J.; Willerslev, Eske

2005-01-01

Studies continue to report ancient DNA sequences and viable microbial cells that are many millions of years old. In this paper we evaluate some of the most extravagant claims of geologically ancient DNA. We conclude that although exciting, the reports suffer from inadequate experimental setup and...

Final audit report of remedial action construction at the UMTRA Project Mexican Hat, Utah -- Monument Valley, Arizona, sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-10-01

The final audit report for remedial action at the Mexican Hat, Utah, Monument Valley, Arizona, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites consists of a summary of the radiological surveillances/audits, quality assurance (QA) in-process surveillances, and QA remedial action close-out inspections performed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC); on-site construction reviews (OSCR) performed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); and a surveillance performed by the Navajo Nation. This report refers to remedial action activities performed at the Mexican Hat, Utah--Monument Valley, Arizona, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites

Monuments and energy efficiency between conservation and modernization; Denkmal und Energieeffizienz zwischen Konservierung und Anpassung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaiser, Roswitha [LWL - Amt fuer Denkmalpflege, Muenster (Germany)

2010-07-01

Protection of monuments does not necessarily mean conservation of buildings in their original state, but modernization with a view to energy conservation should be an important goal as well. The contribution shows how the two goals can be combined. (orig./AKB)

40 CFR 230.54 - Parks, national and historical monuments, national seashores, wilderness areas, research sites...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

....54 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING SECTION 404(b... Human Use Characteristics § 230.54 Parks, national and historical monuments, national seashores... -managed. Note: Possible actions to minimize adverse impacts regarding site or material characteristics can...

Architecture and monument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arjen Oosterman

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The relation between architectural history and heritage is ambiguous. Both domains are confronted with rapid changes in scale and complexity, leaving practitioners in both fields with the challenging task to provide new methods and a new vocabulary to enable research and communication. 70 years ago Nicolaus Pevsner could write about Lincoln cathedral and the bicycle shed to discern between architecture and building. These days not only housing and urban development have been accepted as ‘objects’ of research, in fact all material manifestation of human occupation, at least as far as design is involved, is considered worth studying. On the heritage side, developments are comparable: horizontally and vertically the domain has been enlarged tremendously: from a collection of ‘diamonds’ to complete cities, to landscapes and structures. This is not only true for scale and layers, but also for cultural norms of quality. Cultural relativism requires that ‘beauty’ and ‘quality’ are defined in relation to the social group or culture they refer to. The logic that an elite determines what is good and what is right is challenged by the notion that popular taste is in principle equal. So what does this do to our museum collections and lists of protected monuments? The consequences for architectural history are not yet clear. Including new realities like digital design and new fields of practice like the virtual, the knowledge base and toolbox of the architectural historian has to expand beyond the Renaissance ideal of the ‘uomo universale’.

Caracterización petrográfica y petrofísica de la piedra monumental en la Provincia de Segovia

OpenAIRE

Pedrazuela González, Fernando

2016-01-01

La piedra monumental es un material que se ha venido utilizando en todas las épocas históricas que nos han precedido, además de la contemporánea. Es necesario conocer la piedra monumental tanto para su uso en las nuevas edificaciones y obra civil, como para poder mantener y restaurar el magnífico patrimonio en piedra que nos ha sido legado. Esta tesis se circunscribe al ámbito geográfico actual de la provincia de Segovia, la cual cuenta con una gran variedad litológica; beneficiándose gr...

The conscious of Nightmares in ancient China

OpenAIRE

西林, 眞紀子

2006-01-01

The analaysis concerns Nightmares in ancient China. People in ancient China were very afraid of Nightmares. Nightmares are described in the『春秋左氏傳』etc. The exocis Nightmares is described in the『周禮』. The ceremony "難" of exocis Nightmares in the『禮記』. In the characters Meng (夢) had the conscious of Nightmares in ancient China. The analaysis is about the characters 'Meng', about the characters of the relationship 'Meng'

Unriddling of ancient-medieval culture by PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uda, M.

1997-01-01

Some examples are given for unriddling of ancient-medieval culture by PIXE. Effectiveness of PIXE to analyze art and archaeological objects is also explained. Objects employed here are 1) red, yellow, blue and white pigments painted on sun-dried bricks excavated in Egypt, 2) ancient glass beads used in the Near East, 3) South American mummy hair, 4) ancient slag excavated from Kansai-district, Japan 5) ink used by Galileo Galilei and 6) Renaissance style enameled gold jewelry. (author)

Een monument voor het land. Overheidsstatistiek in België, 1795-1870

OpenAIRE

Bracke, Nele

2008-01-01

In A monument to the country. Official statistics in Belgium, 1795-1870, Nele Bracke unravels why and how the Belgian state and its predecessors organized and developed an official statistical apparatus in order to collect numerical information. The study captures the underlying objectives and structures, as well as the methods to compile statistics. Nele Bracke investigates the meaning and significance of government statistics in the 19th-century State and society. In Belgium, early social s...

Determination of the origin and texture of marble artifacts using stable isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Dotsika, E.; Poutoukis, D.; Zisi, N.; Psomiadis, D.

2009-04-01

For the characterization of marble and the identification of the origin of marble artifacts, samples from several ancient monuments of Greece were analyzed using several techniques: stable isotopes of carbonates (13C, 18O), XRD analysis and optical microscopy, from which information can be obtained on the origin and texture of the marble used for the production of the artifacts. The full range of grain sizes and isotopic signatures that occur in a lot of different quarries has been measured and presented. In a δ13C versus δ18O diagram, the fields corresponding to all known ancient quarries (from Penteli, Cyclades, especially Naxos (Mela, Apol, Apir, Senax), Keros, Paros (Parlak, Parlyc) and Asia Minor (Prokon)) are reported. The plots representing the analyzed samples are also shown on the same diagram. The final results of the study indicate the origin of the carbonate material of the artefacts from each of the ancient monument. In cases that the samples plot on overlapping areas, a further study is proposed, using the maximum grain size of the material.

Reconstructing ancient genomes and epigenomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orlando, Ludovic Antoine Alexandre; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Willerslev, Eske

2015-01-01

DNA studies have now progressed to whole-genome sequencing for an increasing number of ancient individuals and extinct species, as well as to epigenomic characterization. Such advances have enabled the sequencing of specimens of up to 1 million years old, which, owing to their extensive DNA damage...... and contamination, were previously not amenable to genetic analyses. In this Review, we discuss these varied technical challenges and solutions for sequencing ancient genomes and epigenomes....

Pullman transportation plan : a transportation and access plan for Pullman National Monument and the surrounding neighborhood

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

The Pullman Transportation Plan provides a holistic set of recommendations to improve access to and from Pullman National Monument and its surrounding neighborhoods for both visitors and residents. In this plan, we identify short-, medium-, and long-...

[Ancient Greek in modern language of medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Marković, Vera

2007-01-01

In order to standardize language of medicine, it is essential to have a good command of ancient Greek and Latin. We cannot deny a huge impact of ancient Greek medicine on medical terminology. Compounds of Greek origin related to terms for organs, illnesses, inflammations, surgical procedures etc. have been listed as examples. They contain Greek prefixes and suffixes transcribed into Latin and they have been analysed. It may be concluded that the modern language of medicine basically represents the ancient Greek language transcribed into Latin.

78 FR 18783 - Establishment of the R[iacute]o Grande del Norte National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-28

... protection of religious and cultural sites in the monument and provide access to the sites by members of... Indian Religious Freedom Act (92 Stat. 469, 42 U.S.C. 1996) and Executive Order 13007 of May 24, 1996 (Indian Sacred Sites). Laws, regulations, and policies followed by the BLM in issuing and administering...

Deep sequencing of RNA from ancient maize kernels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fordyce, Sarah Louise; Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen; Rasmussen, Morten

2013-01-01

The characterization of biomolecules from ancient samples can shed otherwise unobtainable insights into the past. Despite the fundamental role of transcriptomal change in evolution, the potential of ancient RNA remains unexploited - perhaps due to dogma associated with the fragility of RNA. We hy...... maize kernels. The results suggest that ancient seed transcriptomics may offer a powerful new tool with which to study plant domestication....

The provenance investigation on ancient chinese Ru porcelains by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Songhua

1997-01-01

The 28 samples of glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Ru porcelains are analyzed by neutron activation. The 36 element contents in each sample are determined. The neutron activation analysis (NAA) data are analyzed by fuzzy cluster. The trend cluster diagram is obtained. The result shows that the ancient Chinese Ru porcelains were most probably from the same raw material source though they were from different time, fired in different kilns and in different colors. The near provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is preliminarily analyzed. The two modern Ru porcelains approximate to ancient Ru porcelains, one becomes estranged from ancient Ru porcelains. Jingdezhen porcelain is unconcerned with Ru porcelains

Ancient Egyptian Medicine: A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Adu-Gyamfi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Our present day knowledge in the area of medicine in Ancient Egypt has been severally sourced from medical papyri several of which have been deduced and analyzed by different scholars. For educational purposes it is always imperative to consult different literature or sources in the teaching of ancient Egypt and medicine in particular. To avoid subjectivity the author has found the need to re-engage the efforts made by several scholars in adducing evidences from medical papyri. In the quest to re-engage the efforts of earlier writers and commentaries on the medical papyri, we are afforded the opportunity to be informed about the need to ask further questions to enable us to construct or reconstruct both past and modern views on ancient Egyptian medical knowledge. It is this vocation the author sought to pursue in the interim, through a preliminary review, to highlight, comment and reinvigorate in the reader or researcher the need for a continuous engagement of some pertinent documentary sources on Ancient Egyptian medical knowledge for educational and research purposes. The study is based on qualitative review of published literature. The selection of those articles as sources was based on the focus of the review, in order to purposively select and comment on articles that were published based either on information from a medical papyrus or focused on medical specialization among the ancient Egyptians as well as ancient Egyptian knowledge on diseases and medicine. It was found that the Egyptians developed relatively sophisticated medical practices covering significant medical fields such as herbal medicine, gynecology and obstetrics, anatomy and physiology, mummification and even the preliminary form of surgery. These practices, perhaps, were developed as remedies for the prevailing diseases and the accidents that might have occurred during the construction of their giant pyramids. It must be stated that they were not without flaws. Also, the

Ancient Greek in modern language of medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marković Vera

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In order to standardize language of medicine, it is essential to have a good command of ancient Greek and Latin. We cannot deny a huge impact of ancient Greek medicine on medical terminology. Compounds of Greek origin related to terms for organs, illnesses, inflammations, surgical procedures etc. have been listed as examples. They contain Greek prefixes and suffixes transcribed into Latin and they have been analyzed. It may be concluded that the modern language of medicine basically represents the ancient Greek language transcribed into Latin.

Suicide in ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Tsoukalas, G; Kontaxaki, M-I; Karamanou, M; Androutsos, G

2014-01-01

The theme of suicide appears several times in ancient Greek literature. However, each such reference acquires special significance depending on the field from which it originates. Most of the information found in mythology, but the suicide in a mythological tale, although in terms of motivation and mental situation of heroes may be in imitation of similar incidents of real life, in fact is linked with the principles of the ancient Greek religion. In ancient drama and mainly in tragedies suicide conduces to the tragic hypostasis of the heroes and to the evolution of the plot and also is a tool in order to be presented the ideas of poets for the relations of the gods, the relation among gods and men and the relation among the men. In ancient Greek philosophy there were the deniers of suicide, who were more concerned about the impact of suicide on society and also these who accepted it, recognizing the right of the individual to put an end to his life, in order to avoid personal misfortunes. Real suicides will be found mostly from historical sources, but most of them concern leading figures of the ancient world. Closer to the problem of suicide in the everyday life of antiquity are ancient Greek medicines, who studied the phenomenon more general without references to specific incidents. Doctors did not approve in principal the suicide and dealt with it as insane behavior in the development of the mental diseases, of melancholia and mania. They considered that the discrepancy of humors in the organ of logic in the human body will cause malfunction, which will lead to the absurdity and consequently to suicide, either due to excessive concentration of black bile in melancholia or due to yellow bile in mania. They believed that greater risk to commit suicide had women, young people and the elderly. As therapy they used the drugs of their time with the intention to induce calm and repression in the ill person, therefore they mainly used mandragora. In general, we would say

The effects of wildfire on the peak streamflow magnitude and frequency, Frijoles and Capulin Canyons, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Veenhuis, J.E.

2004-01-01

In June of 1977, the La Mesa fire burned 15,270 acres in and around Frijoles Canyon, Bandelier National Monument and the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The Dome fire occurred in April of 1996 in Bandelier National Monument, burned 16,516 acres in Capulin Canyon and the surrounding Dome Wilderness area. Both canyons are characterized by extensive archeological artifacts, which could be threatened by increased runoff and accelerated rates of erosion after a wildfire. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the National Park Service monitored the fires' effects on streamflow in both canyons. Copyright 2004 ASCE.

Exploring Ancient Skies An Encyclopedic Survey of Archaeoastronomy

CERN Document Server

Kelley, David H

2005-01-01

Exploring Ancient Skies brings together the methods of archaeology and the insights of modern astronomy to explore the science of astronomy as it was practiced in various cultures prior to the invention of the telescope. The book reviews an enormous and growing body of literature on the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, the Far East, and the New World (particularly Mesoamerica), putting the ancient astronomical materials into their archaeological and cultural contexts. The authors begin with an overview of the field and proceed to essential aspects of naked-eye astronomy, followed by an examination of specific cultures. The book concludes by taking into account the purposes of ancient astronomy: astrology, navigation, calendar regulation, and (not least) the understanding of our place and role in the universe. Skies are recreated to display critical events as they would have appeared to ancient observers - events such as the supernova of 1054, the 'lion horoscope' or the 'Star of Bethlehem.' Exploring An...

Monumentalizing Landscape: from present perceptions to the original meanings of Galician Megalithism (NW Iberian Peninsula

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Criado Boado, Felipe

1998-06-01

Full Text Available The study of Landscape as social construction implies considering its economic and territorial dimensions, as much as its symbolic ones. A major topic in such kind of studies is to reconstruct the ways as natural and social space was perceived by past societies. We ought approach the project of building an Archaeology of Perception. One of the aims of such research programme would be to evaluate the effect of natural and artificial landscape features on past human observers. This paper will argue that a possible strategy for studying these dimensions of past landscapes could be based on the systematic analysis of visual features of the prehistoric monuments and in the characterization of the escenic effects and vistas related to them. A detailed analysis of the pattern of location of megalithic monuments, of their visibility and visibilization conditions, allow us to recognize certain regularities what display an intentional will to remark on the existence of the monument and provoke dramatic artificial effects. In such way we could approach a phenomenology of prehistoric perception without falling in mere subjetive solutions. This study is based in a systematic review of the megalithic monuments from Sierra de Barbanza (NW Iberia. Its final scope is proposing theoretical and methodological standpoints to approach these phenomena, but as well producing a case-study to reconstruct monumental strategies to shape cultural landscapes in Neolithic Europe and observe the diacrony (ie, continuities and changes of these traditions.

El estudio del paisaje como construcción social implica considerar sus dimensiones económicas, territoriales y simbólicas. Sería importante reconstruir cómo fue percibido el espacio natural y social, para lo que se debería construir una Arqueología de la Percepción que tendría entre sus objetivos evaluar el efecto de los rasgos naturales y artificiales del paisaje sobre sus observadores pretéritos. Aquí se

Beyond Restoration. Valorization of the Public. Monumental Heritage Asset The Istituto degli Innocenti and the MUDI Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlo Terpolilli

2012-04-01

Full Text Available While protection of our collective monumental heritage is a value and an objective we pass along to future generations, at the same time it must be conceived of a commitment to making these assets available to citizens of the present time. This means applying the disciplines of preservation and restoration and at the same time going beyond with a cultural approach that interprets the monumental asset as a fabbrica; that is, as a place of ongoing design activity: a workshop for a work in progress. This approach necessitates programs for valorization and productive investments that operate in full respect of the assets themselves while employing the innovative tools available for ensuring that the asset as a whole produces income. This is the framework for the MUDI project in Florence.

Twins in Ancient Greece: a synopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Malamitsi-Puchner, Ariadne

2016-01-01

This brief outline associates twins with several aspects of life in Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology twins caused ambivalent reactions and were believed to have ambivalent feelings for each other. Very often, they were viewed as the representatives of the dualistic nature of the universe. Heteropaternal superfecundation, which dominates in ancient myths, explains on one hand, the god-like qualities and, on the other hand, the mortal nature of many twins. An assumption is presented that legends referring to twins might reflect the territorial expansions of Ancient Greeks in Northern Mediterranean, around the Black Sea, in Asia Minor, as well as North East Africa. In conclusion, in Greek antiquity, twins have been used as transitional figures between myth and reality.

Who were the pharaohs' quarrymen?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Bloxam

2005-08-01

Full Text Available The monumental statuary, pyramids, temples and other major structures made of stone are among the most arresting and well known of the cultural achievements of ancient Egypt. The production of these involved the quarrying, preparation, transport and skilled working of huge masses of very hard rock. How were such massive rocks quarried and by whom? How were the quarries of ancient Egypt organized? These are some of the questions explored here.

Ground Penetrating Radar employment for searching ancient cisterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Semeraro, Grazia; Notario, Corrado; Persico, Raffaele

2017-04-01

Ground Penetrating Radar technology and methodology can provide support for the archaeological research. In particular, investigations in archaeological sites [1-3] and monuments of historical interest [4-6] have provided in many cases information of interest about the presence, the size, the shape and the depth of embedded anomalies, that can range from foundations to crypts, or also walled passages, walled doors, embedded voids or reinforcement bars, fractures and so on. In this contribution we will focus on the possibility to identify ancient cisterns with the aid of a GPR prospection. In particular, the attention will be focused on Messapic cisterns. The Messapians were a population that used to reside in the southern part of the Apulia region (the so called Salento), Their remains dates back from the 8th century B.C. up to the Roman conquest, in the 3rd century B.C. They used to build cisterns for gathering the rain water, both for drinking and for agricultural purposes. The shape of the cisterns can be quite different from case to case, and rarely they are found empty. Rether, in most cases the remains shows a structure with the roof collapsed and filled up with loose materials, which makes their identification with a GPR a challenging issue. At the conference, the results and the interpretation of GPR data gathered in the two Messapic sites of San Vito dei Normanni and Cavallino (both in the Salento area) will be shown and discussed. References 1) R. Lasaponara, G. Leucci, N. Masini, R. Persico, Investigating archaeological looting using satellite images and GEORADAR: the experience in Lambayeque in North Peru, Journal of Archaeological Science, vol. 42, pp. 216-230, 2014. 2) R. Castaldo, L. Crocco, M. Fedi, B. Garofalo, R. Persico, A. Rossi, F. Soldovieri, GPR Microwave Tomography for Diagnostic of Archaeological Sites: the Case of a high-way construction in Pontecagnano (Southern Italy), Archaeological Prospection, vol. 16, pp. 203-217, 2009. 3) L. Matera

The Ancient Kemetic Roots of Library and Information Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Zulu, Itibari M.

This paper argues that the ancient people of Kemet (Egypt), "the black land," built and operated the first major libraries and institutions of higher education in the world. Topics of discussion include the Ancient Egyptians as an African people; a chronology of Ancient Kemet; literature in Kemet; a history of Egyptian Librarianship; the…

Identification of Sungai Batu Sediment using 2-D Resistivity Imaging and Seismic Refraction Methods for Ancient River Mapping at Kedah, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Andika, F.; Saad, R.; Saidin, M. M.; Muztaza, N. M.; Amsir

2018-04-01

Sungai Batu is an earliest civilization in Southeast Asia with evidenced by the discovery of riverside jetty, iron smelting, and ritual monuments. The evidences can lead to prediction of buried river caused by geological and sedimentation process. This study was conducted to study sediment deposit characteristic and to map thickness of the sediments using 2-D resistivity imaging and seismic refraction for ancient river mapping. A total of thirty, 2-D resistivity and nine seismic survey lines were conducted at the study area. Four of the lines R1-R4 and S1-S4 were correlated and validated with existing on site boreholes BH1-BH4 to identify sediment type and thickness. The validated values applied to the remaining survey lines which no borehole record to map the subsurface of the study area. Based on the results, Sungai Batu area consist of clay with resistivity value of 6.6-25.9 Ω.m and velocity value of 716.9-1606.9 m/s; sandy clay with resistivity value of 6-265.1 Ω.m and velocity value of 1003.6-1901.4 m/s; while shale was identified with resistivity value of >668.6 Ω.m and velocity value of >2051.7 m/s. Boundary between clay/sandy clay with shale was identified with resistivity value of 314 Ω.m and velocity value of 1822 m/s. The integration of the 2-D resistivity and seismic refraction identified that the thickness of Sungai Batu sediment is 0-150 m and Sungai Batu ancient river was successfully map based on thickness of sediment which is >45 m.

Public works: Building a Monument to Modern Buenos Aires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anayvelyse Allen-Mossman

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Understanding the relationship between the project of modernity and urbanism has been key to understanding the city of Buenos Aires’ material transformations throughout the 20th century. This paper considers how thinking about the issues of modernity and urbanism from the perspective of monuments--namely, the Obelisk of Buenos Aires--sheds new light on how elements of this modernizing project were undertaken and how its material markers have been used and manipulated, and modified through their representation in cultural discourse on the city. Rethinking Buenos Aires from the Obelisk implies literally thinking from underground, from the subway lines that form its base and transform it into a popular symbol of mobility.

Ancient and modern women in the "Woman's World".

Science.gov (United States)

Hurst, Isobel

2009-01-01

Under the editorship of Oscar Wilde, the "Woman's World" exemplified the popular dissemination of Hellenism through periodical culture. Addressing topics such as marriage, politics, and education in relation to the lives of women in the ancient world, the magazine offered an unfamiliar version of the reception of ancient Greece and Rome in late-Victorian aestheticism, one that was accessible to a wide readership because it was often based on images rather than texts. The classical scholar Jane Ellen Harrison addressed herself to this audience of women readers, discussing the similarities between modern collegiate life and the "woman's world" that enabled Sappho to flourish in ancient Greece. The "Woman's World" thus questions gender stereotypes by juxtaposing ancient and modern women, implicitly endorsing varied models of womanhood.

Defining Astrology in Ancient and Classical History

Science.gov (United States)

Campion, Nicholas

2015-05-01

Astrology in the ancient and classical worlds can be partly defined by its role, and partly by the way in which scholars spoke about it. The problem is complicated by the fact that the word is Greek - it has no Babylonian or Egyptian cognates - and even in Greece it was interchangeable with its cousin, 'astronomy'. Yet if we are to understand the role of the sky, stars and planets in culture, debates about the nature of ancient astrology, by both classical and modern scholars, must be taken into account. This talk will consider modern scholars' typologies of ancient astrology, together with ancient debates from Cicero in the 1st century BC, to Plotinus (204/5-270 AD) and Isidore of Seville (c. 560 - 4 April 636). It will consider the implications for our understanding of astronomy's role in culture, and conclude that in the classical period astrology may be best understood through its diversity and allegiance to competing philosophies, and that its functions were therefore similarly varied.

The fingerprint element analysis on provenance of ancient chinese Jun porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Chen Songhua; Wang Jie; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

1997-01-01

Forty-three samples of ancient Jun porcelains and so on were chosen. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) was used to measure the 36 trace elements in every sample. Seven elements were chosen as the 'fingerprint elements'. The provenance of the glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Jun porcelain were investigated by the fingerprint element analysis method. The result shows that although the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain samples have been leapt over six hundred years, and glaze colors are utterly different and are from many different kilns, there are long term, stable and same mainly raw material source. The near provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is preliminarily analyzed. A few modern Jun porcelains approximate from ancient Jun porcelains, the majority become estranged from ancient Jun porcelain

Participative restoration of the monument national Bosque de Piedra Isabel Rubio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbarita Mijans Moreno

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The work was carried out in four hectares of the «Monument National» Bosque Piedra Isabel Rubio, belonging to the Forest Company Macurije municipality Guane. Ecosystem that possesses national significance because it constitutes a valuable monumental example, it summarizes natural aspects as their calcareous formations of the Jurassic period, besides their intangible values associated to the rural traditions. The objective of the research is to propose a plan of action participative for the restoration of this ecosystem starting from the results obtained in diagnose participative. Among the used scientific methods, they are the research Action Participative and the participant observation, for the collection of information the interview was used in depth, and the meetings in groups. As important results the presence of a strong pressure antropic is obtained on the flora, fauna and rocks of the minimogotes, the introduction of exotic and invasive species, and soil erosion, in consequence the degradation of the ecosystem and loss of the biodiversity. Another significant result constituted it the scarce level of the actors' knowledge regarding the category of this forest and the administrative juridical regulations that govern it. The removed evidences of these communities show that the necessity to diminish the antropics actions and to elevate the sensibility regarding the conservation, they impose a demand of knowledge to satisfy by means of training actions with the participation of the local actors and instrumentation of the regulative apparatus.

Phase II, Title I engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Monument Valley site, Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

An engineering assessment was made of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at the Monument Valley millsite in Arizona. The Phase II, Title I services include the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and other radium-contaminated materials, the evaluation of resulting radiation exposures of individuals residing nearby, the investigation of site hydrology and meteorology and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the tailings on the site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation are also factors. The sparse population and relatively low radiation levels yield minimal immediate environmental impact; hence, the two alternative actions presented are directed towards restricting access to the site and returning the windblown tailings to the pile and stabilizing the pile. Both options include remedial action costs for offsite locations where tailings have been placed. Cost estimates for the two options are $585,000 and $1,165,000

Data Validation Package, December 2015, Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Monument Valley, Arizona, Processing Site March 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tyrrell, Evan [Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., Oak Ridge, NV (United States); Denny, Angelita [USDOE Office of Legacy Management, Washington, DC (United States)

2016-03-23

Fifty-two groundwater samples and one surface water sample were collected at the Monument Valley, Arizona, Processing Site to monitor groundwater contaminants for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed compliance strategy as specified in the 1999 Final Site Observational Work Plan for the UMTRA Project Site at Monument Valley, Arizona. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and-analysis-plan-us-department- energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Samples were collected for metals, anions, nitrate + nitrite as N, and ammonia as N analyses at all locations.

Monumental Misjudgements? Early Conservative Interventions and their Impact on Orcadian Neolithic Sites

OpenAIRE

Ritchie, Georgina

2014-01-01

The contemporary experience of visiting many Neolithic sites in Orkney is dominated by the physical manifestations of early conservative interventions; the most striking of these being a series of cover-houses, installed over chambered tombs to ensure their protection from the elements. These shelters range in scale from small concrete domes enclosing the interior of the monuments (such as that over the Knowe of Yarso, depicted in the cover image), to a vast free-standing steel enclosure (see...

Microanalysis study on ancient Wiangkalong Pottery

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Museum Institutions in Monuments - Positive and Negative Aspects of Adaptation: The New Amber Museum and Museum of Science in Gdansk, Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Piatkowska, Ksenia

2017-10-01

The issue of the creation and location of new museums is a current topic. The decision of where and how to create new museum facilities will impact successful function in the future. Museums are either located in newly designed buildings or in existing buildings. In general, existing buildings adapted for museum use are either formally under conservational protection or not. With regard to museum location in preserved monuments, the author notes that the true impact on authentic monumental building structure still needs intense research. The adaptation of the Great Mill and St. Catherine’s Church - two preserved medieval objects located in the historical city center of Gdansk - provide case studies to investigate positive and negative aspects. In both cases, the author carried out architectural projects for the functional purposes of museums: The New Amber Museum and Museum of Science. The author concludes that mutual benefits of adaptation result from: the financial means of the museum institution to invest long-term; the institutional respect of the museum towards heritage, which translates into respect for conservational protection; and the competitive advantage created by the monumental features of the building and the privileged location in a well-established, branded space. Negative aspects result from: space limitations of monuments that disable the museum from extending its exposition and thus prevent institutional development; the overly restrictive requirements of restoration that take priority over the museum mission; and the lack of technically functional space required for contemporary museum technologies, which forces unconventional engineering solutions that are more expensive than the location of the museum in a newly constructed building.

Monument et espace urbain. Pour une Sémiotique des parcours et des structures de la ville

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruggero Ragonese

2012-11-01

Cependant, partant de cet exigu corpus bibliographique, on peut chercher des bases pour commencer un travail sur le texte architectural, à partir de l'étude de monuments, capable de décrire le processus de transformation urbaine et les formes de l'espace construit.

Historical floods in central Europe and their documentation by means of floodmarks and other epigraphical monuments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Munzar, Jan; Deutsch, M.; Elleder, L.; Ondráček, Stanislav; Kallabová, Eva; Hrádek, Mojmír

2006-01-01

Roč. 14, č. 3 (2006), s. 26-44 ISSN 1210-8812 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA3086601 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : historical floods * floodmarks * epigraphical monuments * Central Europe Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography

Architectonic context and technological implements for Teodoro Ansagasti’s Monumental Cinema

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A. Lavilla

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Overcoming the economical crisis that Spain suffered in the twentieth century allowed to build more edifices and made possible to follow the concepts of modern European movement. Cinemas were one of the best examples of this attempt of modernity. There are few examples of real quality architecture, and majority of them were built in Madrid or Barcelona. In this context, one of that years’ greatest works has to be put in value: Teodoro Anasagasti’s Monumental Cinema, providing additional architectonic and technological data to the existing historiography.

Legacy of the Ancient World: An Educational Guide. Understanding Ancient Culture through Art at the Tampa Museum of Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitelaw, R. Lynn

Among the many contributions made by Ancient Greeks and Romans to contemporary life, are those which influence art, architecture, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, theater, athletics, religion, and the founding of democracy. The Tampa Museum of Art's classical collection offers a unique opportunity to learn about Ancient Greeks and…

GENERATION OF GEOMETRIC ORNAMENTS IN ANCIENT MOSAIC ART

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SASS Ludmila

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The paper examines geometrical ornaments from ancient mosaic.We studied the geometric generation by using Computer Aided Graphics for three examples of ancient mosaic: a mosaic of Ancient Corinth, a mosaic of the sacred geometry Flower of Life (exposed in the National Museum of Israel and a mosaic of fortress Masada - Israel. The technique of drawing ancient mosaic is recomposed using computer aided graphics. A program has been developed that can help draw a petal-type arc (semicircle of the mosaic that is the Byzantine church of Masada. Based on these mosaics, other variants of aesthetic images in monochrome or black and white and polychrome were drawn, all of which can be materialized in decorative art to embellish various surfaces: walls, floors, pools, fountains, etc.

Topography and the road network in the territory of ancient Naissus

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Ljubomirović Irena V.

2016-01-01

the modern road and railroad to Svrljig. Further to the northeast, the road led through the valley of Svrljiški Timok and was passing through Plužina where a milestone of Trebonian Gallus was discovered (251-253 AD. The road left the river valley near a place called Palilula because the river was entering impassable canyons, and the road ran south of Knjaževac over the mountain pass Tresibaba, where it connected to the sections that led from the West (Praesidium Pompei and the South (Turres, Remesiana. Epigraphic monuments are of particular importance for studying the history of ancient Nais. These provide valuable information on the way of life, customs, religion, government, military and social organization of this city. Funerary inscriptions often contain data that could be used in topography or onomastic research. Honorary inscription set up by the city councils supply information about the communities that erected them.

Megaliths, myths and men an introduction to astro-archaeology

CERN Document Server

Brown, Peter Lancaster

2000-01-01

As commonly used, the term ""megaliths"" refers to huge, free-standing, neolithic stones whose origin and meaning have long been debated by archaeologists and students of prehistory. Perhaps the most famous neolithic site is Stonehenge, the great circle of giant stones on Salisbury Plain in England. Twentieth-century studies of Stonehenge and other megalithic monuments have given rise to the science of astra-archaeology, i.e, the study of early astronomical knowledge through the interpretation of ancient monuments and other archaeological data.The present volume, by a noted British astronomer

Monument protection and energy conservation. Status quo five years after the EnEV 2007; Denkmalschutz und Energieeinsparung. Stand der Dinge fuenf Jahre nach der EnEV 2007

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-11-01

The meeting ''Monument conservation and energy conservation'' at 9th February 2012 in Wiesbaden (Federal Republic of Germany) focuses on the status quo five years after the revised version of the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) in the year 2007. Within this meeting the following lectures were held: (1) Monument conservation and energy conservation - Status Quo five years after the EnEV 2007 (Roswitha Kaiser); (2) Interior insulation with exterior hydrophic treatment - material appropriate and monument appropriate? (Anatol Worch, Michael Auras); (3) Hints regarding to planning, execution and quality assurance of a subsequent core insulation (Heinrich Wigger, Kerstin Stoelken, Britta Schreiber); (4) Comparison of different interior insulation materials (Rudolf Platte); (5) Urban structural energy study Winterthur (Reto Bieli); (6) Remodelling of an industrial plant protected as a historical monument - Historical window systems, exposed masonry and modern installations (Andr Kramm, Marcel Kremer); (7) Model project - Facade insulation with VIP panels at a Ernst-May building protected as a historical building in Frankfurt (Main) (Juergen Werner); (8) The former tax office Wiesbaden - Energetic strengthening (Klaus Daniels); (9) House of the Evangelical Church in Wiesbaden - Energetic strengthening of the facades (Dominik Loh); (10) Conservation versus comfort and energy demand - Potentials of optimization by means of a targeting controlled operation of plant-technical systems in a historical monument (Harald Garrecht); (11) Energy efficient construction - Compound insulation materials as a disposal problem for dismantling and renovation (Ulrich Langer, Thomas Egloffstein).

Genetic diversity among ancient Nordic populations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melchior, Linea Cecilie; Lynnerup, Niels; Siegismund, Hans Redlef

2010-01-01

, the success rate varied substantially between sites; the highest rates were obtained with untouched, freshly excavated material, whereas heavy handling, archeological preservation and storage for many years influenced the ability to obtain authentic endogenic DNA. While the nucleotide diversity at two...... the ancient Danes (average 13%) than among extant Danes and Scandinavians ( approximately 2.5%) as well as among other ancient population samples reported. Haplogroup I could therefore have been an ancient Southern Scandinavian type "diluted" by later immigration events. Interestingly, the two Neolithic...... samples (4,200 YBP, Bell Beaker culture) that were typed were haplogroup U4 and U5a, respectively, and the single Bronze Age sample (3,300-3,500 YBP) was haplogroup U4. These two haplogroups have been associated with the Mesolithic populations of Central and Northern Europe. Therefore, at least...

Damage and repair of ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mitchell, David; Willerslev, Eske; Hansen, Anders

2005-01-01

degradation, these studies are limited to species that lived within the past 10(4)-10(5) years (Late Pleistocene), although DNA sequences from 10(6) years have been reported. Ancient DNA (aDNA) has been used to study phylogenetic relationships of protists, fungi, algae, plants, and higher eukaryotes...... such as extinct horses, cave bears, the marsupial wolf, the moa, and Neanderthal. In the past few years, this technology has been extended to the study of infectious disease in ancient Egyptian and South American mummies, the dietary habits of ancient animals, and agricultural practices and population dynamics......, and extensive degradation. In the course of this review, we will discuss the current aDNA literature describing the importance of aDNA studies as they relate to important biological questions and the difficulties associated with extracting useful information from highly degraded and damaged substrates derived...

Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples: Evaluating and Optimizing Mapping Parameters for Ancient Samples Using the TAPAS Tool

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Ulrike H. Taron

2018-03-01

Full Text Available High-throughput sequence data retrieved from ancient or other degraded samples has led to unprecedented insights into the evolutionary history of many species, but the analysis of such sequences also poses specific computational challenges. The most commonly used approach involves mapping sequence reads to a reference genome. However, this process becomes increasingly challenging with an elevated genetic distance between target and reference or with the presence of contaminant sequences with high sequence similarity to the target species. The evaluation and testing of mapping efficiency and stringency are thus paramount for the reliable identification and analysis of ancient sequences. In this paper, we present ‘TAPAS’, (Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples, a computational tool that enables the systematic testing of mapping tools for ancient data by simulating sequence data reflecting the properties of an ancient dataset and performing test runs using the mapping software and parameter settings of interest. We showcase TAPAS by using it to assess and improve mapping strategy for a degraded sample from a banded linsang (Prionodon linsang, for which no closely related reference is currently available. This enables a 1.8-fold increase of the number of mapped reads without sacrificing mapping specificity. The increase of mapped reads effectively reduces the need for additional sequencing, thus making more economical use of time, resources, and sample material.

Moessbauer studies on ancient Jizhon plain Temmoku porcelains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Zhengfang; Zheng Yufang; Lin Yongqiang

1994-01-01

Three kinds of ancient Jizhou plain Temmoku wares and their several ware-making raw materials were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Moessbauer spectroscopy. The firing technique of ancient Jizhou Temmoku porcelains is discussed. (orig.)

Can astronomy enhance UNESCO World Heritage recognition? The paradigm of 4th Dynasty Egyptian pyramids

Science.gov (United States)

Belmonte, Juan Antonio

2015-08-01

The pyramids of Egypt, notably those of the 4th Dinasty as Giza, have always be considered an unmistikable part of human world heritage as the only surviving wonders of the Ancient World. Their majesty, technical hability and innovative character have always beeen considered as representative of ancient Egyptian ingenuity. However, past and present fringe theories about the pyramids and astronomy have always polluted the role of our discipline in the design, construction and symbolism of these impressive monuments. This is indeed unfear. Fortunately, things have started to change in the last couple of decades and now astronomy is interpreted as a neccessary tool for the correct interpretation of the astral eschatology present in the 5th and 6th Dynasty Texts of the Pyramids. Although the pyramid complexes of the 4th Dynasty are mute, there is however recent research showing that a strong astral symbolism could be hidden in many aspects of the complex architecture and in the design of these exceptional monuments. This idea comes from several hints obtained not only from planning and construction, but also from epigraphy and the analysis of celestial and local landscapes. Chronology also plays a most relevant role on this. The pyramid complexes of the 4th Dynasty at Meidum, Dahshur, Giza and Abu Rowash -- all of which enjoy UNESCO World Heritage recognition -- willl be scrutinized. As a consequence, we will show how astronomy can certainly enhance the face value of these extraordinary monuments as a definitive proof of the ancient Egyptian quest for Ma'at, i.e. their perennial obsesion for Cosmic Order.

CONTESTED HERITAGE: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION OF DERRY/LONDONDERRY’S SIEGE MONUMENT

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Gehan Selim

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Transformations of Derry/Londonderry’s medieval city walls during the twentieth century have shaped an urbanism of segregated settlements within a city of religious confrontation. The heritage of military blockades, peace lines and watchtowers imposed upon the city’s Walls has influenced the disintegration of public space and created areas of no man’s land around the peripheries of the monument. The aim of this paper is to examine physical transformation and trace the consequences of urban planning regarding the historic city Walls. This change includes the shifting of residential settlements in the Bogside/Fountain areas and the movement of Protestant settlements towards the Waterside of Derry/Londonderry. The history and heritage of the Walls are analysed by focusing on four periods: 1600, when the first medieval walls were constructed; the housing crisis of 1948; the 1968 urban area plan and the beginning of the ‘Troubles’; and the present day. This analysis offers an understanding of the spatial relationships between enclaves and the monument over key moments of conflict and political change. The paper reveals that the manifestations of the Walls have aided in the further division of religiously segregated communities in Derry/Londonderry.

Tracking down human contamination in ancient human teeth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sampietro, María Lourdes; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Lao, Oscar

2006-01-01

DNA sequences can be used to support data authenticity is misleading in scenarios where the presence of old contaminant sequences is possible. We argue therefore that the typing of those involved in the manipulation of the ancient human specimens is critical in order to ensure that generated results......DNA contamination arising from the manipulation of ancient calcified tissue samples is a poorly understood, yet fundamental, problem that affects the reliability of ancient DNA (aDNA) studies. We have typed the mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region I of the only 6 people involved in the excavation...

Preliminary hydrogeologic assessment near Tassi and Pakoon Springs, western part of Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Truini, Margot

2013-01-01

Tassi and Pakoon Springs are both in the Grand Wash Trough in the western part of Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument on the Arizona Strip. The monument is jointly managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and the Bureau of Land Management. This study was in response to NPS’s need to better understand the influence from regional increases in groundwater withdrawals near Grand Canyon-Parashant on the groundwater discharge from Tassi and Pakoon Springs. The climate of the Arizona Strip is generally semiarid to arid, and springs in the monument provide the water for the fragile ecosystems that are commonly separated by large areas of dry washes in canyons with pinyon and juniper. Available hydrogeologic data from previous investigations included water levels from the few existing wells, location information for springs, water chemistry from springs, and geologic maps. Available groundwater-elevation data from the wells and springs in the monument indicate that groundwater in the Grand Wash Trough is moving from north to south, discharging to springs and into the Colorado River. Groundwater may also be moving from east to west from Paleozoic rocks in the Grand Wash Cliffs into sedimentary deposits in the Grand Wash Trough. Finally, groundwater may be moving from the northwest in the Mesoproterozoic crystalline rocks of the Virgin Mountains into the northern part of the Grand Wash Trough. Water discharging from Tassi and Pakoon Springs has a major-ion chemistry similar to that of other springs in the western part of Grand Canyon-Parashant. Stable-isotopic signatures for oxygen-18 and hydrogen-2 are depleted in the water from both Tassi and Pakoon Springs in comparison to other springs on the Arizona Strip. Tassi Spring discharges from multiple seeps along the Wheeler Fault, and the depleted isotopic signatures suggest that water may be flowing from multiple places into Lake Mead and seems to have a higher elevation or an older climate source. Elevated water

Detecting Ancient Tuberculosis

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Angela M. Gernaey

1998-12-01

Full Text Available Some diseases have played a more significant role in human development than others. Here we describe the results of a trial to diagnose ancient tuberculosis using chemical methods. Palaeo-epidemiological studies of the disease are compromised, but it has become apparent that tuberculosis (TB is a 'population-density dependent' disease. From modern studies, it is also apparent that the prevalence of TB can be used as an indicator of the level of poverty within the studied population. Mid-shaft rib samples from articulated individuals recovered from the former Newcastle Infirmary Burial Ground (1753-1845 AD were examined for mycolic acids that are species-specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The 24% of ribs positive for mycolic acids correlated with the documented 27% tuberculosis prevalence. Mycolic acid biomarkers have the potential to provide an accurate trace of the palaeo-epidemiology of tuberculosis in ancient populations, thereby providing an indication of the overall level of poverty - a useful adjunct for archaeology.

Fingerprint elements scatter analysis on ancient chinese Ru porcelains samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Xiande

1997-01-01

Altogether 28 samples, mainly including glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, were analyzed by NAA technique and the contents of 36 elements were compared. The scatter analysis for nine fingerprint-elements indicates that almost all ancient Chinese Ru porcelain samples had nearly identical and long-term stable source of raw materials although they were fired in different kilns, at varying time and with distinct colors, and moreover, the source of raw materials for modern Ru porcelain seems to approach that for ancient one. The close provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is also preliminarily verified. The glaze material of Jingdezhen white porcelain is totally different from all other samples. It shows that the former came from a separate source

Deciphering Equine Evolution and Spatial Ancestry with Ancient Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jónsson, Hákon

High-throughput sequencing has opened ancient DNA research to genomics, revolutionizing the amount of genetic information retrievable from archaeological and paleontological remains. Paleogenomics is still in infancy and requires substantial improvements in computational methods tailored to the s......High-throughput sequencing has opened ancient DNA research to genomics, revolutionizing the amount of genetic information retrievable from archaeological and paleontological remains. Paleogenomics is still in infancy and requires substantial improvements in computational methods tailored...... in the analysis of environmental bacterial sequences, which generally dominate ancient DNA extracts, and in the first pipeline completely devoted to the computational analysis of raw ancient DNA sequences. We then develop a spatially explicit method for determining which extant populations show the greatest...... genetic anity to ancient individuals, which often represents the key question in human paleogenomic projects. We applied the computational infrastructure developed to complete the genomic characterization of extant members of the genus Equus, which is composed of horses, asses and zebras. We sequenced...

Dreams in ancient Greek Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Moschos, M M; Koukaki, E; Vasilopoulos, E; Karamanou, M; Kontaxaki, M-I; Androutsos, G

2016-01-01

Dreams preoccupied the Greek and Roman world in antiquity, therefore they had a prominent role in social, philosophical, religious, historical and political life of those times. They were considered as omens and prophetic signs of future events in private and public life, and that was particularly accentuated when elements of actions which took place in the plot of dreams were associated directly or indirectly with real events. This is why it was important to use them in divination, and helped the growth of superstition and folklore believes. Medicine as a science and an anthropocentric art, could not ignore the importance of dreams, having in mind their popularity in antiquity. In ancient Greek medicine dreams can be divided into two basic categories. In the first one -which is related to religious medicine-dreams experienced by religionists are classified, when resorted to great religious sanctuaries such as those of Asclepius (Asclepieia) and Amphiaraos (Amfiaraeia). These dreams were the essential element for healing in this form of religious medicine, because after pilgrims underwent purifications they went to sleep in a special dwelling of the sanctuaries called "enkoimeterion" (Greek: the place to sleep) so that the healing god would come to their dreams either to cure them or to suggest treatment. In ancient Greek literature there are many reports of these experiences, but if there may be phenomena of self-suggestion, or they could be characterized as propaganda messages from the priesthood of each sanctuary for advertising purposes. The other category concerns the references about dreams found in ancient Greek medical literature, where one can find the attempts of ancient Greek physicians to interpret these dreams in a rational way as sings either of a corporal disease or of psychological distress. This second category will be the object of our study. Despite the different ways followed by each ancient Greek physician in order to explain dreams, their

Ancient DNA and Forensics Mutual Benefits a Practical Sampling and Laboratory Guide Through a Virtual Ancient DNA Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Cemper-Kiesslich

2014-09-01

In this review the authors give a general overview on the field of ancient DNA analysis focussing of the potentials and limits, fields of application, requirements for samples, laboratory setup, reaction design and equipment as well as a brief outlook on current developments, future perspectives and potential cross links with associated scientific disciplines. Key words: Human DNA, Ancient DNA, Forensic DNA typing, Molecular archaeology, Application.

CHANT (CHinese ANcient Texts): a comprehensive database of all ancient Chinese texts up to 600 AD

OpenAIRE

Ho, Che Wah

2006-01-01

The CHinese ANcient Texts (CHANT) database is a long-term project which began in 1988 to build up a comprehensive database of all ancient Chinese texts up to the sixth century AD. The project is near completion and the entire database, which includes both traditional and excavated materials, will be released on the CHANT Web site (www.chant.org) in mid-2002. With more than a decade of experience in establishing an electronic Chinese literary database, we have gained much insight useful to the...

La presa y el ninfeo del Sotillo (Alfaro, La Rioja: un conjunto monumental en la vía De Italia in Hispanias

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Antonio HERNÁNDEZ VERA

2009-12-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: Se estudian los restos de una construcción romana localizada junto al río Alhama, en las inmediaciones de la ciudad de Graccurris (Alfaro, La Rioja. La obra fue expoliada ya en época antigua, por lo que apareció incompleta, con buena parte de los materiales arquitectónicos que formaban parte de ella desplazados de su posición original. Los restos en mejor estado de conservación corresponden a una presa construida con grandes sillares de arenisca. A partir de los materiales arquitectónicos aislados respetados por el expolio, se puede restituir un gran conjunto monumental que, además de la presa, contaba con una fuente o ninfeo y un pequeño templo. Se documenta el paso por el sitio de la vía De Italia in Hispanias, ya que apareció también un miliario de Augusto. Tras ser expoliada, la obra fue definitivamente sepultada por un potente estrato de aluvión aportado por una crecida del Alhama. En este estrato la excavación proporcionó material cerámico romano, sin restos de épocas posteriores, lo que permite datar esta inundación hacia finales del siglo II.ABSTRACT: A study is made of Román remains located beside the Alhama River near the city of Gracurris (Alfaro, La Rioja. The site had already been plundered in ancient times so it was incomplete when uncovered, and a large number of the architectural materials had been moved from their original positions. The remains that are in the best state of preservation are those of a dam built of large sandstone blocks. A large monumental group can be restored from the isolated architectural materials left that were not plundered, including a nymphaeum and a small temple, in addition to the dam. It can also be shown that the Román road De Italia in Hispanias went through this site, since an Augustan milestone has also been found. After having been plundered, the site was completely buried by a layer of alluvium brought by a rise in the Alhama River. Román ceramic materials were

Ancient DNA analysis of dental calculus.

Science.gov (United States)

Weyrich, Laura S; Dobney, Keith; Cooper, Alan

2015-02-01

Dental calculus (calcified tartar or plaque) is today widespread on modern human teeth around the world. A combination of soft starchy foods, changing acidity of the oral environment, genetic pre-disposition, and the absence of dental hygiene all lead to the build-up of microorganisms and food debris on the tooth crown, which eventually calcifies through a complex process of mineralisation. Millions of oral microbes are trapped and preserved within this mineralised matrix, including pathogens associated with the oral cavity and airways, masticated food debris, and other types of extraneous particles that enter the mouth. As a result, archaeologists and anthropologists are increasingly using ancient human dental calculus to explore broad aspects of past human diet and health. Most recently, high-throughput DNA sequencing of ancient dental calculus has provided valuable insights into the evolution of the oral microbiome and shed new light on the impacts of some of the major biocultural transitions on human health throughout history and prehistory. Here, we provide a brief historical overview of archaeological dental calculus research, and discuss the current approaches to ancient DNA sampling and sequencing. Novel applications of ancient DNA from dental calculus are discussed, highlighting the considerable scope of this new research field for evolutionary biology and modern medicine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Truth Obviousness in Ancient Greek Philosophy

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Halyna I. Budz

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article examines the features of the axiomatic approach to the truth understanding in ancient Greek philosophy. Truth in the works by ancient philosophers has axiomatic essence, basing on divine origin of truth. As the truth has a divine origin, it is in reality. The reality, created by Gods is the solemn reality. Therefore, understanding of reality by man is the display of divine reality, which is true and clever. In of the context of ancient Greek philosophy, to know truth is to know something, existing in reality, in other words, something, truly existing, eternal reality. Consequently, to know truth is it to know the substantial reality base. That’s why the justification of the reality origin is the axiomatic doctrine of truth at the same time, because only fundamental principle “truly” exists and is the truth itself. The idea of fundamental principle in ancient Greek philosophy is the axiom, universal principle, which is the base of reality as a substance from ontological perspective and is realized as the truth from gnosiological perspective. Fundamental principle, as Greeks understand it, coincides with the truth, in other words, reality and thinking are identical. The idea of reality source is the universal criterion of world perception at the same time, in other words, it is the truth, which is perceived axiomatically.

3 CFR 8337 - Proclamation 8337 of January 6, 2009. Establishment of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument 8337 Proclamation 8337 Presidential Documents Proclamations Proclamation 8337 of January 6, 2009 Proc. 8337 Establishment of the Rose Atoll Marine National... 130 nautical miles east-southeast of Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa, lies Rose Atoll—the easternmost...

Monuments of the Giza Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggles, Clive L. N.

The colossal pyramids of the pharaohs Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mycerinus) have attracted a huge amount of astronomical interest over the years, both scholarly and popular. Less attention is usually given to the broader context of structures on the Giza Plateau. One of the most notorious ideas connecting the Giza Plateau with astronomy is that the three large pyramids are laid out on the ground so as to reflect the appearance of the three stars of Orion's Belt in the sky. This idea is unsupportable for several reasons but has succeeded in generating huge public interest. Of much greater serious interest is the fact that the three main pyramids were oriented cardinally to extraordinary precision, which raises the questions of why this was important and how it was achieved. Another idea that has attracted serious attention but also some confusion is that the orientations of some narrow shafts within Khufu's pyramid might have been deliberately aligned upon particular stars. The overall layout of monuments on the plateau may certainly have been designed so as to emphasize certain solar phenomena, for symbolic and ideological reasons relating to a dominant sun cult. It is also possible that it formed part of a wider cosmological "master plan" extending to other pyramids and temples up to 20 km distant.

Colour Perception in Ancient World

Science.gov (United States)

Nesterov, D. I.; Fedorova, M. Yu

2017-11-01

How did the human thought form the surrounding color information into the persistent semantic images of a mythological, pseudoscientific and religious nature? The concepts associated with colour perception are suggested. The existence of colour environment does not depend on the human consciousness. The colour culture formation is directly related to the level of the human consciousness development and the possibility to influence the worldview and culture. The colour perception of a person goes through the stages similar to the development of colour vision in a child. Like any development, the colour consciousness has undergone stages of growth and decline, evolution and stagnation. The way of life and difficult conditions for existence made their own adjustments to the development of the human perception of the surrounding world. Wars have been both a powerful engine of progress in all spheres of life and a great destructive force demolishing the already created and preserved heritage. The surrounding world has always been interesting for humans, evoked images and fantasies in the consciousness of ancient people. Unusual and inexplicable natural phenomena spawned numerous legends and myths which was reflected in the ancient art and architecture and, accordingly, in a certain manifestation of colour in the human society. The colour perception of the ancient man, his pragmatic, utilitarian attitude to colour is considered as well as the influence of dependence on external conditions of existence and their reflection in the colour culture of antiquity. “Natural Science” conducts research in the field of the colour nature and their authorial interpretation of the Hellenic period. Several authorial concepts of the ancient world have been considered.

Data for the geochemical investigation of UMTRAP designated site at Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markos, G.; Bush, K.J.

1983-09-01

This report contains the geochemical data and the methods of data collection from the former tailings site at Monument Valley, Arizona. Data are from a one-time sampling of waters and solid material from the background, the area adjacent to the site, and the site. Selected solid samples are water extracted to remove easily soluble salts. The waters and extracts of solid samples were analyzed for selected major and trace elements. 3 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

The impact of the eldritch city: Classical and alien urbanism in Lovecraft’s Mythos

OpenAIRE

Martinez Jimenez, Javier

2018-01-01

In the world of the Cthulhu Mythos ancient ruins and old towns (both human and alien) usually form an essential part of stories. These ancient constructions are usually depicted and explained by Lovecraft at length, and they give not only ambience to the narration but a background to the locations in which the story is set. Through the descriptions of these cities, various conclusions regarding Lovecraft’s use of classical urbanism and monumentality can be drawn. By looking at his description...

From the Palais des Papes in Avignon to the 'Chateau d'eau Perret' at Saclay: study of historical monuments to understand the long term behaviour on metal/concrete interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

L'Hostis, V.; Dillmann, Ph.; Chitty, W.J.; Millard, A.; Faquin, R.

2007-01-01

Corrosion of reinforcement is one of the major causes of concrete cracking and degradation of reinforced concrete structures in atmospheric environments. The life time of several reinforced concrete buildings (civil engineering, nuclear infrastructures, bridges, historical monuments...) depends on the interaction between metallic and cementitious materials. For instance, historical monuments contain an important quantity of iron since the roman period (30 tons for the dungeon of the 'Chateau de Vincennes', 100 tons for the Palais des Papes in Avignon), and play a role in the mechanical behaviour of the building. It is then necessary to determine the degradation state of metallic objects submitted to corrosion and to predict their behaviour with time. In this context, this paper shows how analysis of the metal/cementitious materials interface from a corpus of historical monuments allows to understand the corrosion mechanisms and to model them. Moreover, corrosion rates and products that are characterized can be used as input data for a macroscopic mechanical damage model of reinforced concrete submitted to corrosion of steels. This model is able to predict the cracking pattern of the monument. (authors)

Dacic Ancient Astronomical Research in Sarmizegetuza

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuel George Oprea

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The actual Romanian territory belongs to Carpatho-Danubian Space and to Ancient Europe. The Ancient European Society was a vast cultural entity based on a theocratic, matriarchal society, peaceful and art creating.Temples of Sarmizegetusa have given rise to several theories over time, proven by historians with the most diverse arguments. The largest complex of temples and sanctuaries was founded in Sarmizegetusa Regia, the Dacian’s main fortress and ancient capital of Dacia in the time of King Decebalus. The mysterious form of settlements has led researchers to the conclusion that the locations were astronomical observation shrines. Among the places of Dacian worship in Orastie Mountains the most impressive is the Great Circular Sanctuary, used to perform some celestial observations, and also as original solar calendar. This paper had the purpose to re-discover the Dacian Civilization and Dacian cosmogony based on the accumulated knowledge upon our country’s past.

Did the ancient egyptians discover Algol?

Science.gov (United States)

Jetsu, L.; Porceddu, S.; Porceddu, S.; Lyytinen, J.; Kajatkari, P.; Markkanen, T.; Toivari-Viitala, J.

2013-02-01

Fabritius discovered the first variable star, Mira, in 1596. Holwarda determined the 11 months period of Mira in 1638. Montanari discovered the next variable star, Algol, in 1669. Its period, 2.867 days, was determined by Goodricke (178). Algol was associated with demon-like creatures, "Gorgon" in ancient Greek and "ghoul" in ancient Arab mythology. This indicates that its variability was discovered much before 1669 (Wilk 1996), but this mythological evidence is ambiguous (Davis 1975). For thousands of years, the Ancient Egyptian Scribes (AES) observed stars for timekeeping in a region, where there are nearly 300 clear nights a year. We discovered a significant periodicity of 2.850 days in their calendar for lucky and unlucky days dated to 1224 BC, "the Cairo Calendar". Several astrophysical and astronomical tests supported our conclusion that this was the period of Algol three millennia ago. The "ghoulish habits" of Algol could explain this 0.017 days period increase (Battersby 2012).

Combination of three-dimensional laser scanning and digital photogrammetric shoot for fixing and measurement of architectural monuments

OpenAIRE

S.V. Tiurin; S.G. Tihonov

2010-01-01

Several variants of architectural monument fixing using photogrammetric method are considered: black-and-white and colour three-dimensional point models; black-and-white and colour orthophotomaps in format SPO; black-and-white and colour orthophotomaps in standard raster formats. For different aims authors recommend corresponding data formats.

A preliminary population study of alcove bog orchid (Platanthera zothecina) at Navajo National Monument, Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Laura E. Hudson

2001-01-01

This study on Platanthera zothecina (alcove bog orchid) was initiated by the National Park Service after a recent threatened and endangered species survey at Navajo National Monument. It is listed as Category 2 (species of special concern) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Category 3 (likely to become endangered) by the Navajo Nation. Because P. zothecina is a...

ADULT CADDISFLY (TRICHOPTERA) PHENOLOGY AT THE HANFORD REACH NATIONAL MONUMENT, WASHINGTON STATE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zack, Richard S.; Ruiter, David E.; Strenge, Dennis L.; Landolt, Peter J.

2006-01-01

Adult caddisflies were sampled on the Wahluke Wildlife Area and Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge subunits of the newly created (2000) Hanford Reach National Monument using 15-watt ''black lights'' from April 2002 through April 2003. A diverse fauna consisting of nine families, 21 genera, and 33 species were collected. Protoptila Coloma Ross, Agraylea multipunctata Curtis, Hydroptila xera Ross, Ceraclea alagma (Ross), Nectopsych Iahontanensis Haddock Oecetis cinerascens (Hagen), and Ylodes reuteri (MacLachlan) represent new records for Washington State. Species composition and phenology are presented in tabular form

Isolation and Identification of Phototrophic Microorganisms from Rudkhan Castle as a Biodeteriorating Agent

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Parisa Mohammadi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Phototrophic microorganisms are the first residents of different surfaces of ancient buildings’ walls. These organisms can expand to provide the colonization of other microorganisms and to form microbial biofilms. During biofilm growth, acids and metabolites production bore the substratum and cause surfaces damages. Rudkan Castle, the historic monument located in Gilan province, an area with a humid climate has an appropriate surfaces to grow these microorganisms. Materials and methods: In this study, morphological identification of algae and cyanobacteria which was isolated from different areas of the brick walls of Castle has been investigated. Samples were taken from 24 different areas of Castle walls and were aseptically cultured into Blue Green Medium (BGM and Bolds Basal Medium (BBM, and colonies were observed using light microscopy. Results: The dominant organisms which were isolated and identified, were Cladophora, Trentepohlia, Klebsormidium, Trebouxia, Pleurastrum, Chlorococcum as chlorophyta order and Scytonema, Tolypothrix, Leptolyngbya, Plectolyngbya, Phormidium, Gloeocapsa, Microcoleus, Nostoc as a cyanobacteria order. Discussion and conclusion: As expected, diversity of a large number of cyanobacteria and algae phototrophs was isolated. Diversity of organisms on the surface of monuments depends on many factors, including the weather condition such as moisture, the amount of radiation absorbed by the surface, temperature of area, the materials used in the monuments, the biological acceptance of surface and presence of variety of organisms in the soil surface and the air on. Study of destructive factors is the first step toward the protection and restoration of ancient monuments.

Linen in Ancient Egypt

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dr.Rehab Mahmoud Ahmed Elsharnouby

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Egypt was famous through the Ancient Near East for both weaving linen cloth and the produced quantities. Cloth was sent as expensive gifts from one king to another and given to a laborer as wages in return for his work. Cloth was regarded as an essential element in everyday life as it could be used for everything: clothing, bedding, trappings for animals, or sails of a ship. It was in fact one of the most widely used item throughout Ancient Egypt. Although other textile fibers were used in Pharaonic Egypt, namely, sheep's wool, goat hair and a form of coir, the majority of textiles were made from the plant Linum usitatissimum, flax. Cloth made from this fiber is defined as linen. The research starts with a brief definition of the flax, and then reviews the scenes representing the sowing and the harvesting of its seeds. It also focuses on the way of removing the seeds heads, the preparing of the flax for spinning: retting, beating and scutching. After that, it deals with transforming flax into orderly lengths, and rolling it into balls or coils. The researcher as well studies the Ancient Egyptian spinning techniques: grasped spindle, support spindle and drop spinning; the different types of weaving: tabby weaves, basket weaves, tapestry weaves and warps-patterned weave and the types of looms that were in use in Egypt, namely, the horizontal and vertical looms.

Ancient Wisdom, Applied Knowledge for a Sustainable Future

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, K.; Philippe, R. Elde; Dardar, T. M. Elde

2017-12-01

Ancient wisdom informs traditional knowledges that guide Indigenous communities on how to interact with the world. These knowledges and the ancient wisdom have been the life-giving forces that have prevented the complete genocide of Indigenous peoples, and is also the wisdom that is rejuvenating ancient ways that will take the world into a future that embraces the seventh generation philosophy.. Western scientists and agency representatives are learning from the work and wisdom of Native Americans. This presentation will share the ways in which the representatives of two Tribes along the coast of Louisiana have been helping to educate and apply their work with Western scientists.

Radiocarbon ages of Sorori ancient rice of Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyeong Ja, E-mail: kjkim@kigam.re.kr [Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yung-Jo; Woo, Jong-Yoon [Institute of Korean Prehistory, Cheongju (Korea, Republic of); Jull, A.J. Timothy [NSF Arizona AMS Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2013-01-15

Samples of Sorori ancient rice were excavated in 1998 from the Sorori Paleolithic site located at Sorori, Oksan-myeon, Cheong-won County in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. We have made new radiocarbon measurements for Sorori samples in 2009 at the NSF Arizona AMS Laboratory. Both ancient rice samples and surrounded peat from the Sorori site were dated. The AMS results confirmed that the ages of the rice and peat soil were 12,520 {+-} 150 and 12,552 {+-} 90 BP, respectively. These radiocarbon ages are consistent with the previously published data of quasi rice measured at Seoul National University and confirm that the Sorori rice is the oldest ancient rice currently reported.

An investigation of sulfur concentrations in soils and pine needles in Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladney, E.S.; Ferenbaugh, R.W.; Jones, E.A.; Bell, M.G.; Morgan, J.D.; Stallings, E.A.; Nelson, L.A.; Lundstrom, C.; Bowker, R.G.

1993-03-01

Sulfur measurements in different age groups of pinon pine needles and adjacent soil samples from ten sampling sites at Bandelier National Monument were determined using combustion elemental analysis and chromatographic techniques. The primary goal was to establish base-line levels for elemental sulfur in the Monument. Sulfur levels in foliage and soils were evaluated using analysis of variance techniques. Foliage sulfur concentrations differed significantly among the 10 sampling sites and among trees within sites; however, needles of different ages did not differ significantly in sulfur content. Average soil concentrations were very low, approximately 12% of the average needle concentrations. Soil sulfur concentrations also differed significantly among the 10 sampling sites and at different depths in the soil. No statistical differences were evident in soils sampled at the four compass points (N,S,E,W) around each tree. These differences imply that large numbers of samples are needed to identify small effects from anthropogenic inputs of sulfur into the system or that the effects must be large relative to the differences among sampling sites and individual trees in order to be detected

An Ancient Inca Tax and Metallurgy in Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Chemical Education, 2007

2007-01-01

The discovery of ancient Inca tax rulers and other metallurgical objects in Peru show that the ancient civilizations of the country smelted metals. The analysis shows that the smelters in Peru switched from the production of copper to silver after a tax was imposed on them by the Inca rulers.

Neutron activation analysis of some ancient and modern Chinese Jun Porcelain samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Songhua; Huang Zhongxiang; Han Song; Jia Xiuqin

1997-01-01

Up to 43 glaze and body samples of ancient and modern Chinese Jun Porcelain and other porcelain are chosen and contents of 36 elements for each sample are determined by NAA. The NAA data are then analysed by the fuzzy cluster method. The result shows that although the ancient Jun Porcelain samples span leaped 600 years and are from different kilns and their glaze colors are utterly different, they have a long-term, stable and mainly the same supply of raw material. The relation between ancient Jun Porcelain and ancient Ru Porcelain is also preliminarily analysed. It is found that only few modern Jun Porcelain samples are similar to ancient Jun Porcelain but the majority of them are different from ancient ones

Staryi Krym and Its Monuments through the Eyes of the Travelers of the late 18th – early 19th centuries

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Khrapunov N.I.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Research objective: This article addresses the accounts on Staryi Krym, a town in the Crimean Peninsula, supplied by travelogues written after the joining of the region to Russia. Research materials: Modern archaeolgoists can use these textual and visual accounts as a source of information on the condition of Moslem monuments, which were later damaged by anthropogenic and natural factors, and science historians can draw conclusions on the features of discoverying and interpretation of Moslem history and “Oriental” architecture in the period of the Enlightenment. The travelogues developed a multi-dimensional image of Staryi Krym. Abandoned and collapsing Moslem town, a living illustration from the outgoing age, with still standing ancient mosques, baths, fortifications, and graves, got virtual connections with classic past of the Crimea, finding itself to be a “heir” of one or another settlement documented by Greco-Roman geographers. Research results and novelty: Through the travellers’ eyes, Staryi Krym, by images of the Cimmerians and the Cimbrians, got a key role in the history of Crimean Peninsula, and even supplied it with the name of Crimea, which connected the “noble barbarians” of antiquity with the “modern Celts” – the Frenchs and the Scots, and the Past of Europe with its Present. Staryi Krym became a component of literatural discourse, allowing the classics of the Sentimentalism to think of the frailty of earthly life. This town also became a subject of painting, which made it a part of romantic appearance of Taurica.

Beyond the chalice: monuments manifesting utraquist religious identity in the Bohemian urban context in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Horníčková, Kateřina

2013-01-01

Roč. 20, č. 1 (2013), s. 137-152 ISSN 1350-7486 Institutional support: RVO:67985955 Keywords : utraquism * Bohemia * religious history * religious symbolism * denominational culture * denominational monuments Subject RIV: AA - Philosophy ; Religion

Mitogenomic analyses from ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paijmans, Johanna L. A.; Gilbert, Tom; Hofreiter, Michael

2013-01-01

The analysis of ancient DNA is playing an increasingly important role in conservation genetic, phylogenetic and population genetic analyses, as it allows incorporating extinct species into DNA sequence trees and adds time depth to population genetics studies. For many years, these types of DNA...... analyses (whether using modern or ancient DNA) were largely restricted to the analysis of short fragments of the mitochondrial genome. However, due to many technological advances during the past decade, a growing number of studies have explored the power of complete mitochondrial genome sequences...... yielded major progress with regard to both the phylogenetic positions of extinct species, as well as resolving population genetics questions in both extinct and extant species....

Ancient Egypt in our Cultural Heritage?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Vasiljević

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Inspiration derived from ancient Egypt is usually expressed through the Egyptian motifs in arts and popular culture of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as through the non-scientific interpretations of the culture, very much based upon the Renaissance ones. The number and variety of material and non-material traces of this fascination are most expressed in the countries where, along with the early support for the institutional development of Egyptology, there existed economically potent educated middle classes (Western and Central Europe, USA, but may also be traced elsewhere. The public fascination by ancient Egypt has not ceased by the times of foundation of Egyptology, marked by the decipherment of the hieroglyphic script in 1822. Until the end of the 20th century Egyptologists have rarely dealt with the prelude to their discipline, limiting their interest to the critical approach to ancient sources and to noting the attempts to interpret the hieroglyphic script and the function of pyramids. However, the rising importance of the reception studies in other disciplines raised the interest of Egyptologists for the "fascination of Egypt", thus changing the status of various modes of expressing "Egyptomania" – they have thus become a part of the cultural heritage, registered, documented, preserved and studied. The research of this kind is only beginning in Serbia. The line of inquiry enhances the knowledge of the scope, manifestations and roles of the interest in Egypt, not limited by the national or political borders. On the other hand, the existence of the cultural heritage similar to the wider European view of ancient Egypt – short remarks by Jerotej Račanin, Kandor by Atanasije Stojković, the usage of architectural motifs derived from Egypt, the emergence of small private collections, to mention several early examples – all show that the research into the reception of ancient Egypt may contribute to the knowledge about the history

The rights of patients as consumers: An ancient view.

Science.gov (United States)

Barapatre, Nishant Bhimraj; Joglekar, Vishnu Prabhakar

2016-01-01

As far as the rights of consumers are concerned, the International Organization of Consumer's Union (IOCU) in 1983 has specified about the eight rights of a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 1986 then prescribed six "Rights of Consumers," which are protected under the act. However, these rights can be observed in the ancient Indian texts such as Brihat-trayee , Narad Smruti , and Kautilya Arthashastra ., in the form of rights given to patients. For the purpose of present study, the implemented methodology includes - (1) study of the consumer rights described by IOCU and CPA, (2) detailed review of literature for observance of replication of these consumer rights in the ancient Indian texts and (3) a comparative study of the present consumer rights with the rights of patients observed in ancient Indian texts. This study shows that the substance of consumer rights is not a recent evolution, but the foundation of these rights has been laid well beforehand in the ancient times, which were provided to the patients by medical profession as well as by the rulers. The current scenario of protection of consumer rights is the replication of this ancient practice only.

عمارة جنائزیة وممارسات عقائدیة لیبیة- بونیة

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dr.Farida AMROUS

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Some funerary Libyan-Punic shrines contain special ideological accessories to practice rituals and beliefs; it has evolved from simple niche to a large tiled floor with wide corridors and facing the monument. Ancient societies knew a variety of funerary rituals practiced within graves and tombs.

Ancient Human Parasites in Ethnic Chinese Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Mitchell, Piers D

2016-10-01

Whilst archaeological evidence for many aspects of life in ancient China is well studied, there has been much less interest in ancient infectious diseases, such as intestinal parasites in past Chinese populations. Here, we bring together evidence from mummies, ancient latrines, and pelvic soil from burials, dating from the Neolithic Period to the Qing Dynasty, in order to better understand the health of the past inhabitants of China and the diseases endemic in the region. Seven species of intestinal parasite have been identified, namely roundworm, whipworm, Chinese liver fluke, oriental schistosome, pinworm, Taenia sp. tapeworm, and the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski . It was found that in the past, roundworm, whipworm, and Chinese liver fluke appear to have been much more common than the other species. While roundworm and whipworm remained common into the late 20th century, Chinese liver fluke seems to have undergone a marked decline in its prevalence over time. The iconic transport route known as the Silk Road has been shown to have acted as a vector for the transmission of ancient diseases, highlighted by the discovery of Chinese liver fluke in a 2,000 year-old relay station in northwest China, 1,500 km outside its endemic range.

Non-destructive sampling of ancient insect DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Philip Francis; Elias, Scott; Gilbert, Tom

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: A major challenge for ancient DNA (aDNA) studies on insect remains is that sampling procedures involve at least partial destruction of the specimens. A recent extraction protocol reveals the possibility of obtaining DNA from past insect remains without causing visual morphological...... of 77-204 base pairs (-bp) in size using species-specific and general insect primers. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The applied non-destructive DNA extraction method shows promising potential on insect museum specimens of historical age as far back as AD 1820, but less so on the ancient permafrost......-preserved insect fossil remains tested, where DNA was obtained from samples up to ca. 26,000 years old. The non-frozen sediment DNA approach appears to have great potential for recording the former presence of insect taxa not normally preserved as macrofossils and opens new frontiers in research on ancient...

Applied investigation of Moessbauer effect for the famous ancient chinese porcelains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Chen Songhua; Shen Zuocheng

1996-10-01

The famous Ru porcelain, Jun porcelain and Guan porcelain of Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty are analyzed. The Moessbauer parameters of the ancient porcelains and the imitative ancient porcelains are compared. The firing techniques, coloring mechanism and microstructures of the ancient Chinese porcelains have been discussed. (7 figs., 4 tabs.)

Ancient Chinese literature reveals pathways of eggplant domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jin-Xiu; Gao, Tian-Gang; Knapp, Sandra

2008-12-01

Changes in key traits occurring during the processes of plant domestication have long been subjects of debate. Only in the case of genetic analysis or with extensive plant remains can specific sets of changes be documented. Historical details of the plant domestication processes are rare and other evidence of morphological change can be difficult to obtain, especially for those vegetables that lack a substantial body of archaeological data. Botanical records chronicled in the ancient literature of established ancient civilizations, such as that of China, are invaluable resources for the study and understanding of the process of plant domestication. Here, the considerable body of ancient Chinese literature is used to explore the domestication process that has occurred with the eggplant (Solanum melongena), an important vegetable in Old World. Information about eggplant domestication in the ancient Chinese literature was retrieved using a variety of methods. The information obtained was then sorted by taxon, examined and taxonomic identifications verified. It was found that the earliest record of the eggplant documented in ancient Chinese literature was in a work from 59 bc. As far as is known, this is the earliest reliable and accurately dated record of eggplant in cultivation. The analysis reveals that the process of domestication of the eggplant in China involved three principal aspects of fruit quality: size, shape and taste. These traits were actively and gradually selected; fruit size changed from small to large, taste changed from not palatable to what was termed at the time sweetish, and that over time, a wider variety of fruit shapes was cultivated. The results indicate that, in addition to data gleaned from archaeology and genetics, evidence as to changes in key traits occurring during the process of plant domestication and selective forces responsible for these changes can be traced through the ancient literature in some civilizations.

Notions of "Rhetoric as Epistemic" in Ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William L.

The notion that rhetoric (and to a lesser extent, argument) is epistemic is an increasingly popular one today, although it can be traced to ancient Greece. The notion holds that rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, creates and shapes knowledge. Two ancient authors--Aristophanes and Plato--provide evidence that others had notions of rhetoric as…

The «discorso per immagini» of Superstudio: from Continuous Monument to Supersurface, 1968-1971

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Beatrice Lampariello

2016-06-01

With a Christmas card from 1968 in the form of a poster, Superstudio inaugurated the production of photomontages which were to bring fame to the group. It is, however, for the competition dedicated to the theme of Architecture and Freedom, launched in 1969 by the Tri-National Biennial of Graz, that photomontage became the preferred graphical tool for the construction of a «discorso per immagini» for Superstudio, a narrative in which project descriptions and traditional forms of architectural representation are replaced by images representing enigmatic volumes, seemingly devoid of function and open to multiple interpretations. Compared to similar and contemporary images produced, amonst others, by Archigram and Yona Friedman, the photomontages of Superstudio do not intend to give veracity to futuristic urban and territorial visions. The impenetrable volumes, designed beyond any program or structural logic, are an expression of absolute rationality and order which Superstudio has been searching for its founding to ward off the crisis and to ward for uncertainty of contemporary era. Graphic techniques used by the group for their representations evolved over the years, and were adapted to achieve different effects, all still oriented to building a strong environmental realism, as far away as possible from comic and surprising effects. Through the «discorso per immagini» the theory of the group became eloquent: after having imagined a new form of land occupation designed as a monumental infinite linear structure that crosses cities and virgin landscapes – the Continuous Monument – Superstudio staged the dissolution of conventional boundaries of architecture, to move towards its «non-physical» re-foundation. After all, the «happy death of architecture should not frighten anybody: we have been preparing for long, increasingly distancing ourselves from the physicality of the construction», as revealed by one of the members of the group in 1971. Key words

Surgical history of ancient China: Part 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Louis

2010-03-01

In this second part of ancient Chinese surgical history, the practice of bone setting in China began around 3000 years ago. Throughout this period, significant progress was made, some highlights of which are cited. These methods, comparable with Western orthopaedic technique, are still being practised today. In conclusion, the possible reasons for the lack of advancement in operative surgery are discussed, within context of the cultural, social and religious background of ancient China.

Social Norms in the Ancient Athenian Courts

OpenAIRE

Lanni, Adriaan M.

2013-01-01

Ancient Athens was a remarkably peaceful and well-ordered society by both ancient and contemporary standards. Scholars typically attribute Athens’ success to internalized norms and purely informal enforcement mechanisms. This article argues that the formal Athenian court system played a vital role in maintaining order by enforcing informal norms. This peculiar approach to norm enforcement compensated for apparent weaknesses in the state system of coercion. It mitigated the effects of under-e...

Musical ensembles in Ancient Mesapotamia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krispijn, T.J.H.; Dumbrill, R.; Finkel, I.

2010-01-01

Identification of musical instruments from ancient Mesopotamia by comparing musical ensembles attested in Sumerian and Akkadian texts with depicted ensembles. Lexicographical contributions to the Sumerian and Akkadian lexicon.

history repeats itself : saddam and the ancient mesopotamian royal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

harkhu

ancient Mesopotamia (present day Iraq)2, from the fourth millennium3 until its incorporation into the ..... aspects of Mesopotamian culture that could not be separated from the other. Saddam, on the ..... site of ancient Babylon. Large parts of the ...

Health benefits of ancient grains. Comparison among bread made with ancient, heritage and modern grain flours in human cultured cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Valli, Veronica; Taccari, Annalisa; Di Nunzio, Mattia; Danesi, Francesca; Bordoni, Alessandra

2018-05-01

Nowadays the higher nutritional value of whole grains compared to refined grains is recognized. In the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in the ancient wheat varieties for producing high-value food products with enhanced health benefits. This study compared two ancient grains, two heritage grains, and four modern grains grown in the same agronomic conditions considering not only their chemical characteristics, but also their biological effects. Whole grain flours were obtained and used to make bread. Bread was in vitro digested, the digesta were supplemented to HepG2 cells, and the biological effects of supplementation were evaluated. In addition, cells previously supplemented with the different digested bread types were then exposed to inflammatory agents to evidence possible protective effects of the pre-treatments. Despite the impossibility to discriminate bread made with different grains based on their chemical composition, results herein reported evidence that their supplementation to cultured cells exerts different effects, confirming the potential health benefits of ancient grains. This research represents an advancement for the evaluation of the apparent positive effects of ancient grains and the formulation of cereal-based products with added nutritional value. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dating ancient Chinese celadon porcelain by neutron activation analysis and bayesian classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Guoxi; Feng Songlin; Feng Xiangqian; Zhu Jihao; Yan Lingtong; Li Li

2009-01-01

Dating ancient Chinese porcelain is one of the most important and difficult problems in porcelain archaeological field. Eighteen elements in bodies of ancient celadon porcelains fired in Southern Song to Yuan period (AD 1127-1368) and Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644), including La, Sm, U, Ce, etc., were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA). After the outliers of experimental data were excluded and multivariate normal distribution was tested, and Bayesian classification was used for dating of 165 ancient celadon porcelain samples. The results show that 98.2% of total ancient celadon porcelain samples are classified correctly. It means that NAA and Bayesian classification are very useful for dating ancient porcelain. (authors)

Forests, fields, and the edge of sustainability at the ancient Maya city of Tikal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lentz, David L; Dunning, Nicholas P; Scarborough, Vernon L; Magee, Kevin S; Thompson, Kim M; Weaver, Eric; Carr, Christopher; Terry, Richard E; Islebe, Gerald; Tankersley, Kenneth B; Grazioso Sierra, Liwy; Jones, John G; Buttles, Palma; Valdez, Fred; Ramos Hernandez, Carmen E

2014-12-30

Tikal has long been viewed as one of the leading polities of the ancient Maya realm, yet how the city was able to maintain its substantial population in the midst of a tropical forest environment has been a topic of unresolved debate among researchers for decades. We present ecological, paleoethnobotanical, hydraulic, remote sensing, edaphic, and isotopic evidence that reveals how the Late Classic Maya at Tikal practiced intensive forms of agriculture (including irrigation, terrace construction, arboriculture, household gardens, and short fallow swidden) coupled with carefully controlled agroforestry and a complex system of water retention and redistribution. Empirical evidence is presented to demonstrate that this assiduously managed anthropogenic ecosystem of the Classic period Maya was a landscape optimized in a way that provided sustenance to a relatively large population in a preindustrial, low-density urban community. This landscape productivity optimization, however, came with a heavy cost of reduced environmental resiliency and a complete reliance on consistent annual rainfall. Recent speleothem data collected from regional caves showed that persistent episodes of unusually low rainfall were prevalent in the mid-9th century A.D., a time period that coincides strikingly with the abandonment of Tikal and the erection of its last dated monument in A.D. 869. The intensified resource management strategy used at Tikal-already operating at the landscape's carrying capacity-ceased to provide adequate food, fuel, and drinking water for the Late Classic populace in the face of extended periods of drought. As a result, social disorder and abandonment ensued.

Second-harmonic generation imaging of collagen in ancient bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, B; McIntosh, D; Fildes, T; Smith, L; Hargrave, F; Islam, M; Thompson, T; Layfield, R; Scott, D; Shaw, B; Burrell, C L; Gonzalez, S; Taylor, S

2017-12-01

Second-harmonic generation imaging (SHG) captures triple helical collagen molecules near tissue surfaces. Biomedical research routinely utilizes various imaging software packages to quantify SHG signals for collagen content and distribution estimates in modern tissue samples including bone. For the first time using SHG, samples of modern, medieval, and ice age bones were imaged to test the applicability of SHG to ancient bone from a variety of ages, settings, and taxa. Four independent techniques including Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, radiocarbon dating protocols, and mass spectrometry-based protein sequencing, confirm the presence of protein, consistent with the hypothesis that SHG imaging detects ancient bone collagen. These results suggest that future studies have the potential to use SHG imaging to provide new insights into the composition of ancient bone, to characterize ancient bone disorders, to investigate collagen preservation within and between various taxa, and to monitor collagen decay regimes in different depositional environments.

Ancient ports of Kalinga

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.

which plied between Kalinga and south east Asian countries. Nanda Raja, is said to have attacked Kalinga with the intention of getting access to the sea for the landlocked Kingdom of Magadha (Bihar). The ancient texa Artha Sastra (3rd-4th century B...

Ancient Greek in modern language of medicine

OpenAIRE

Marković Vera

2007-01-01

In order to standardize language of medicine, it is essential to have a good command of ancient Greek and Latin. We cannot deny a huge impact of ancient Greek medicine on medical terminology. Compounds of Greek origin related to terms for organs, illnesses, inflammations, surgical procedures etc. have been listed as examples. They contain Greek prefixes and suffixes transcribed into Latin and they have been analyzed. It may be concluded that the modern language of medicine basically represent...

From ancient Greek Logos to European rationality

OpenAIRE

APOSTOLOPOULOU GEORGIA

2016-01-01

Because of history, culture, and politics, European identity has its archetypical elements in ancient Greek culture. Ancient Greek philosophy brought Logos to fore and defined it as the crucial problem and the postulate of the human. We translate the Greek term Logos in English as reason or rationality. These terms, however, do not cover the semantic field of Logos since this includes, among other things, order of being, ground, language, argument etc. The juxtaposition of Logos (reason) to m...

Our National Monument of Art: Constructing and Debating the National Body at the Library of Congress

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Sarah J.

2010-01-01

It is not surprising that the Library of Congress would be defined as our national monument of art given the scale of the project, its federal sponsorship, and its posture as a public library with access to all Americans. Paralleling the assumption of the Library of Congress as not merely a building for housing books but a ritualistic center of…

The Greek Key: Getting Acquainted in Athens

Science.gov (United States)

Augeri, Hunter; Efstathiou, Eirene; Michou, Maria; Sanders, Jan Motyka

2011-01-01

Greece conjures up images of idyllic island landscapes, turquoise seas and venerable mythic deeds set among majestic monuments. These notions are, moreover, often associated with a history, religious culture and language that are ancient. Tourist posters and national sentiment aside, today the Hellenic Republic is a country that is as much…

Ancient analogues concerning stability and durability of cementitious wasteform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, W.; Roy, D.M.

1994-01-01

The history of cementitious materials goes back to ancient times. The Greeks and Romans used calcined limestone and later developed pozzolanic cement by grinding together lime and volcanic ash called open-quotes pozzolanclose quotes which was first found near Port Pozzuoli, Italy. The ancient Chinese used lime-pozzolanic mixes to build the Great Wall. The ancient Egyptians used calcined impure gypsum to build the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The extraordinary stability and durability of these materials has impressed us, when so much dramatically damaged infrastructure restored by using modern portland cement now requires rebuilding. Stability and durability of cementitious materials have attracted intensive research interest and contractors' concerns, as does immobilization of radioactive and hazardous industrial waste in cementitious materials. Nuclear waste pollution of the environment and an acceptable solution for waste management and disposal constitute among the most important public concerns. The analogy of ancient cementitious materials to modern Portland cement could give us some clues to study their stability and durability. This present study examines selected results of studies of ancient building materials from France, Italy, China, and Egypt, combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cement to evaluate the potential for stability and durability of such materials in nuclear waste forms

3D visibility analysis as a tool to validate ancient theatre reconstructions: the case of the large Roman theatre of Gortyn

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cristina Manzetti

2016-11-01

Full Text Available With the diffusion of Virtual Archaeology, many projects in the field of Cultural Heritage attempt to virtually reconstruct historical buildings of different types. Unfortunately, some of these 3D reconstructions still have as principal aim to impress the external users, while the correct interpretation of the buildings modeled is much more important in the domain of archaeological research. Still more critical is the situation when we have to encounter a reconstruction of a monument which is not visible anymore, or which consists only of few architectural remains. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative methodology to verify hypothetical scenarios of 3D architectural reconstructions, specifically for ancient theatres. In very recent time 3D visibility analysis applied to archaeological context using ArcGIS has been developed, in particular about social-urban studies. In this paper, visibility analysis in 3D contexts is used as an additional instrument to correctly reconstruct architectural elements of the large Roman theatre of Gortyn, in Crete. The results indicate that the level of visibility of the stage, and consequently of the presumed actors, from some of the more representative sectors of the cavea, is of crucial importance for leading to a right reconstruction model of the theatre.

Educational use of 3D models and photogrammetry content: the Europeana space project for Cypriot UNESCO monuments

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannides, M.; Chatzigrigoriou, P.; Bokolas, V.; Nikolakopoulou, V.; Athanasiou, V.

2016-08-01

Digital heritage data are now more accessible through crowdsourcing platforms, social media and blogs. At the same time, evolving technology on 3D modelling, laser scanning and 3D reconstruction is constantly upgrading and multiplying the information that we can use from heritage digitalisation. The question of reusing the information in different aspects rises. Educators and students are potential users of the digital content; developing for them an adaptable environment for applications and services is our challenge. One of the main objective of the EU Europeana Space project is the development of a holistic approach for educating people (grown ups and kids) on Monuments that are listed at UNESCO world heritage list, in Cyprus. The challenge was the use of Europeana Data (Pictures and the 3D objects) in a way that the information on the platform would be comprehensible by the users. Most of the data have little metadata information and they lack history and cultural value description (semantics). The proposed model ction is based on the cross cultural approach which responds to the multicultural features of present era but at the same time to the contemporary pedagogical and methodological directions. The system uses all innovative digital heritage resources, in order to help the user, in a UX friendly way, to learn about the different phases of the monument, the history, the pathology state, the architectural value and the conservation stage. The result is a responsive platform, accessible through smart devices and desktop computers, (in the frame of "Bring Your Own Device" a.k.a. BYOD) where every Monument is a different course and every course is addressed to different age groups (from elementary level to adults' vocational training).

Surveillance for White-Nose Syndrome in the bat community at El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Valdez, Ernest W.

2012-01-01

From late winter to summer 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey Arid Lands Field Station conducted mist-netting efforts at El Malpais National Monument and on adjacent lands belonging to Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to detect the occurrence of white-nose syndrome or causal fungal agent (Geomyces destructans). During this assessment, 421 bats belonging to 8 species were documented at El Malpais National Monument and adjacent lands. None of these captures showed evidence for the presence of white-nose syndrome or G. destructans, but it is possible that the subtle signs of some infections may not have been observed. Throughout the field efforts, Laguna de Juan Garcia was the only water source located on El Malpais National Monument and was netted on June 20 and 27, July 25, and August 2, 2011. During these dates, a total of 155 bats were captured, belonging to eight species including: Corynorhinus townsendii (Townsend's Big-Eared Bat), Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Lasionycterics noctivagans (Silver-Haired Bat), Myotis ciliolabrum (Small-Footed Myotis), M. evotis (Long-eared myotis), M. thysanodes (Fringed Myotis), M. volans (Long-Legged Myotis), and Tadarida brasiliensis (Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat). Overall, Laguna de Juan Garcia had the greatest number of captures (79 bats) during one night compared to the other sites netted on adjacent lands and had the greatest species diversity of 8 species netted, not including Euderma maculatum (Spotted Bat) that was detected by its audible calls as it flew overhead. Laguna de Juan Garcia is an important site to bats because of its accessibility by all known occurring species, including the less-maneuverable T. brasiliensis that is known to form large colonies in the park. Laguna de Juan Garcia is also important as a more permanent water source during drought conditions in the earlier part of the spring and summer, as observed in 2011.

Setting the stage - building and working in an ancient DNA laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, Michael; Clarke, Andrew C; Horsburgh, K Ann; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth A

2012-01-20

With the introduction of next generation high throughput sequencing in 2005 and the resulting revolution in genetics, ancient DNA research has rapidly developed from an interesting but marginal field within evolutionary biology into one that can contribute significantly to our understanding of evolution in general and the development of our own species in particular. While the amount of sequence data available from ancient human, other animal and plant remains has increased dramatically over the past five years, some key limitations of ancient DNA research remain. Most notably, reduction of contamination and the authentication of results are of utmost importance. A number of studies have addressed different aspects of sampling, DNA extraction and DNA manipulation in order to establish protocols that most efficiently generate reproducible and authentic results. As increasing numbers of researchers from different backgrounds become interested in using ancient DNA technology to address key questions, the need for practical guidelines on how to construct and use an ancient DNA facility arises. The aim of this article is therefore to provide practical tips for building a state-of-the-art ancient DNA facility. It is intended to help researchers new to the field of ancient DNA research generally, and those considering the application of next generation sequencing, in their planning process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The provenance study of Chinese ancient architectonical colored glaze by INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Lin; Feng Songlin; Li Rongwu; Lue Zhirong; Li Guoxia

2008-01-01

The colored glazes are very popular and famous in Chinese ancient architectures. In order to exactly locate the provenance of ancient architectonical colored glazes, 196 pieces of ancient colored glaze bodies and porcelain bodies fired in Xiyue Temple and Lidipo kiln are analyzed by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are reported and discussed in this paper

The provenance study of Chinese ancient architectonical colored glaze by INAA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng Lin [Key Laboratory of Beam Technology and Material Modification of Ministry of Education, College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Radiation Center, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)], E-mail: chenglin@bnu.edu.cn; Feng Songlin [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li Rongwu [Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100049 (China); Lue Zhirong [Shan' xi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xi' an 710054 (China); Li Guoxia [Institute of Physical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052 (China)

2008-12-15

The colored glazes are very popular and famous in Chinese ancient architectures. In order to exactly locate the provenance of ancient architectonical colored glazes, 196 pieces of ancient colored glaze bodies and porcelain bodies fired in Xiyue Temple and Lidipo kiln are analyzed by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are reported and discussed in this paper.

Resurrecting ancient animal genomes: the extinct moa and more.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynen, Leon; Millar, Craig D; Lambert, David M

2012-08-01

Recently two developments have had a major impact on the field of ancient DNA (aDNA). First, new advances in DNA sequencing, in combination with improved capture/enrichment methods, have resulted in the recovery of orders of magnitude more DNA sequence data from ancient animals. Second, there has been an increase in the range of tissue types employed in aDNA. Hair in particular has proven to be very successful as a source of DNA because of its low levels of contamination and high level of ancient endogenous DNA. These developments have resulted in significant advances in our understanding of recently extinct animals: namely their evolutionary relationships, physiology, and even behaviour. Hair has been used to recover the first complete ancient nuclear genome, that of the extinct woolly mammoth, which then facilitated the expression and functional analysis of haemoglobins. Finally, we speculate on the consequences of these developments for the possibility of recreating extinct animals. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

PIXE study on ancient pottery from Chinese Shanghai area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, H.S.; Zhang, Z.Q.; Song, J.; Gao, M.H.; Zhu, D.; Lin, J.W.; Feng, S.L.

2006-01-01

Shanghai is the largest city in China, and it also has a very long history. Archaeologists have found that six thousand yeas ago, there were ancient people living at Songze, Qingpu County, Shanghai. This paper reports the study of ancient potteries unearthed from the Guangfulin site located at Songjiang, Shanghai. The potteries unearthed from Guangfulin site belonged to two different culture types: the Liangzhu culture type (local culture) and a new culture, which might be derived from elsewhere. PIXE has been used to measure the chemical compositions of samples and factor analysis was used. Experimental results show that the compositions of the pottery from the two phases are different from each other. It means that the raw materials used to make the ancient pottery originate from different places. This results support the idea suggested by archaeologists that a group of ancient people migrated to the Shanghai area from some other place 4000 years ago

Second-harmonic generation imaging of collagen in ancient bone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Thomas

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Second-harmonic generation imaging (SHG captures triple helical collagen molecules near tissue surfaces. Biomedical research routinely utilizes various imaging software packages to quantify SHG signals for collagen content and distribution estimates in modern tissue samples including bone. For the first time using SHG, samples of modern, medieval, and ice age bones were imaged to test the applicability of SHG to ancient bone from a variety of ages, settings, and taxa. Four independent techniques including Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, radiocarbon dating protocols, and mass spectrometry-based protein sequencing, confirm the presence of protein, consistent with the hypothesis that SHG imaging detects ancient bone collagen. These results suggest that future studies have the potential to use SHG imaging to provide new insights into the composition of ancient bone, to characterize ancient bone disorders, to investigate collagen preservation within and between various taxa, and to monitor collagen decay regimes in different depositional environments.

The laboratory of quantitative methods in historic monument research at the CTU Prague

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musilek, L.; Cechak, T.; Kubelik, M.; Pavelka, K.; Pavlik, M.

2001-01-01

A 'Laboratory of Quantitative Methods in Historic Monument Research' has been established at the Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation of the CTU Prague. Its primary orientation is the investigation of historic architecture, although other objects of art can also be, investigated. In the first phase, one investigative method was established for each of the above groups: X-ray fluorescence as the analytic method, thermoluminescence for dating and photogrammetry for surveying. The first results demonstrate the need and usefulness of these methods for investigations in the rich architectural heritage of the Czech Republic.

Assessing the fidelity of ancient DNA sequences amplified from nuclear genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Binladen, Jonas; Wiuf, Carsten Henrik; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.

2006-01-01

To date, the field of ancient DNA has relied almost exclusively on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences. However, a number of recent studies have reported the successful recovery of ancient nuclear DNA (nuDNA) sequences, thereby allowing the characterization of genetic loci directly involved...... in phenotypic traits of extinct taxa. It is well documented that postmortem damage in ancient mtDNA can lead to the generation of artifactual sequences. However, as yet no one has thoroughly investigated the damage spectrum in ancient nuDNA. By comparing clone sequences from 23 fossil specimens, recovered from...... adenine), respectively. Type 2 transitions are by far the most dominant and increase relative to those of type 1 with damage load. The results suggest that the deamination of cytosine (and 5-methyl cytosine) to uracil (and thymine) is the main cause of miscoding lesions in both ancient mtDNA and nu...

Creative Ventures: Ancient Civilizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Rebecca

The open-ended activities in this book are designed to extend the imagination and creativity of students and encourage students to examine their feelings and values about historic eras. Civilizations addressed include ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mayan, Stonehenge, and Mesopotamia. The activities focus upon the cognitive and affective pupil…

Penile representations in ancient Greek art.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Medicine and psychiatry in Western culture: Ancient Greek myths and modern prejudices

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Clementi Nicoletta

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract The origins of Western culture extensively relate to Ancient Greek culture. While many ancient cultures have contributed to our current knowledge about medicine and the origins of psychiatry, the Ancient Greeks were among the best observers of feelings and moods patients expressed towards medicine and toward what today is referred to as 'psychopathology'. Myths and religious references were used to explain what was otherwise impossible to understand or be easily communicated. Most ancient myths focus on ambiguous feelings patients may have had towards drugs, especially psychotropic ones. Interestingly, such prejudices are common even today. Recalling ancient findings and descriptions made using myths could represent a valuable knowledge base for modern physicians, especially for psychiatrists and their patients, with the aim of better understanding each other and therefore achieving a better clinical outcome. This paper explores many human aspects and feelings towards doctors and their cures, referring to ancient myths and focusing on the perception of mental illness.

Originating relation studies on ancient porcelains of chines Ru and Jun by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Weijuan; Xie Jianzhong; Gao Zhengyao; Li Guoxia; Li Rongwu; Zhang Bin

2002-01-01

50 samples of glazes and bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, Jun porcelain and imitative ancient ceramics were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The contents of 36 elements in each sample were measured. The NAA data were statistically treated by fuzzy cluster method and the trend cluster diagram was obtained. Their classes and raw material sources were determined. The results show that although these samples spanned hundreds of years, came from different kilns and had different glazes colors, the bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain belong to the same kind, the glazes of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain is similar to the glazes of the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain. The originating places of the body raw material were concentrated, and that of the glaze raw materials were scattered, the source of the glaze raw material covered that the body raw material. The ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain have basically the same raw material sources and the sources of raw material are stable in long time. It is found that most modern Jun porcelain samples are similar to the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain. Two modern Ru porcelain samples are similar to the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, but another one drifts apart from the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain. Jingdezhen porcelain has no relation to Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

Molecular analysis of ancient caries

Science.gov (United States)

Simón, Marc; Montiel, Rafael; Smerling, Andrea; Solórzano, Eduvigis; Díaz, Nancy; Álvarez-Sandoval, Brenda A.; Jiménez-Marín, Andrea R.; Malgosa, Assumpció

2014-01-01

An 84 base pair sequence of the Streptococcus mutans virulence factor, known as dextranase, has been obtained from 10 individuals from the Bronze Age to the Modern Era in Europe and from before and after the colonization in America. Modern samples show four polymorphic sites that have not been found in the ancient samples studied so far. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity of this region have increased over time, which could be reflecting the footprint of a population expansion. While this segment has apparently evolved according to neutral evolution, we have been able to detect one site that is under positive selection pressure both in present and past populations. This study is a first step to study the evolution of this microorganism, analysed using direct evidence obtained from ancient remains. PMID:25056622

Non-destructive analysis for the inspection and control of metalic monuments and historical manuscripts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faubel, W.; Heissler, S.; Klewe-Nebenius, H.; Willin, E.

2003-01-01

As a contribution to the increasing efforts to preserve cultural heritage of historical bronze monuments exposed to atmospheric corrosion as well as historical books and manuscripts non-destructive analytical methods are highly desirable enabling an in-situ examination of the surface status of an object. The development and application of novel non-destructive analytical methods based on the photoacoustic and photothermal deflection spectroscopy allowed to investigate the state of bronze patina as well as the effectiveness of conservation procedures for historical manuscripts. (orig.)

The TL dating of ancient porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leung, P.L.; Stokes, M.J.; Wang Weida; Xia Junding; Zhou Zhixin

1997-01-01

The age determination of ancient porcelain using the pre-dose technique in TL dating was reported. The variation of beta dose with depth below the surface of the porcelain slice, the thermal activation characteristic (TAC) for 110 degree C peak, the measurement of paleodose and the estimation of annual dose were studied. The results show that this technique is suitable for authenticity testing of ancient porcelain, but both accuracy and precision for porcelain dating are worse than those for pottery, because porcelain differs from pottery on composition, structure and firing temperature. Besides, some complicated factors in the pre-dose technique would be the possible cause of the greater errors

TREATMENT OF FRACTURES IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. K. Bashurov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The most complete information about the medicine in Ancient Egypt two papyrus provided: a large medical papyrus of G. Ebers and papyrus about the surgery of E. Smith. Smith’s papyrus is of particular interest as it contains the information on the status of surgery in Ancient Egypt. Papyrus consists of descriptions of the clinical cases. To the present time, 48 cases have survived; it is arranged in order of location - from the head down to the feet. Orthopedic deformities were reflected in the figures on the walls of the pyramids and temples as well as the description of the mummies and archaeological finds.

X-ray fluorescence in research on Czech cultural monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cechak, T.; Gerndt, J.; Kopecka, I.; Musilek, L.

2004-01-01

Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis (RXRFA), as a non-destructive method, relatively simple and allowing measurements to be carried out in situ, is an excellent tool in research on various objects of art. A range of artefacts have been investigated by our laboratory, in part for the purposes of history of art and in part as a basis for restoration works - medieval frescoes in some Czech castles and churches, metal sculptures and objects of applied art, paints and inks of old manuscripts, paintings. Some of these are among the most valuable monuments in the Czech cultural heritage. The contribution of the results of the tests to the investigation of their 'life story' and, in some cases, to their conservation, is not negligible. Later additions and repairs can be recognised, and materials and technologies that are close to their historic counterparts can be used in restoration work

Issue of Separation of Powers in Ancient Iran

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Mohammad Javad Javid

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Cotemporary public law in Iran cannot ignore the elements of its identity in the past. Although analysis of public law issue in ancient Iran, the most researchers to be considered so it is not easy to speak about separation of powers, the part of the body of public law in the Iran primary governments but this article constants on hypothesis which with think and assimilation in history of ancient Iran which can laying the groundwork of strengthening people rights and limitation of authority's governors with emphasis on three periods of governorship on ancient Iran .for example Hakhamaneshian, Ashkanian and Sasanian. This article intent to clear haw can in these periods, the primary figure and foundation of separation of powers and functions division in body of previous governments of Iran to be observed.

Application of nuclear analysis techniques in ancient chinese porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Songlin; Xu Qing; Feng Xiangqian; Lei Yong; Cheng Lin; Wang Yanqing

2005-01-01

Ancient ceramic was fired with porcelain clay. It contains various provenance information and age characteristic. It is the scientific foundation of studying Chinese porcelain to analyze and research the ancient ceramic with modern analysis methods. According to the property of nuclear analysis technique, its function and application are discussed. (authors)

History through Art and Architecture: Ancient Greek Architecture [and] Ancient Greek Sculpture. Teacher's Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Ann

This document consists of two teaching manuals designed to accompany a commercially-available "multicultural, interdisciplinary video program," consisting of four still videotape programs (72 minutes, 226 frames), one teaching poster, and these two manuals. "Teacher's Manual: Ancient Greek Architecture" covers: "Ancient…

The Serpent Column : The persistent meanings of a pagan relic in Christian and Islamic Constantinople

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strootman, Rolf

2014-01-01

In the heart of Istanbul, on the site of the former Hippodrome, stand the remains of the Serpent Column, one of the most ancient and most enigmatic monuments in the city: a three-headed snake made of bronze to which various sacral and magical properties have been attributed in the past by pagans,

Politics of the Ptolemaic dynasty | Aneni | OGIRISI: a New Journal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hellenistic studies and Egyptology have concentrated on the spread and influence of Hellenism, on the one hand, and the value of ancient Egypt's monument and artifacts, on the other hand. This study focuses on the politics that directed and helped sustain the successors of Alexander the Great on the throne of Egypt.

Ancient Egypt: Personal Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolinski, Arelene

This teacher resource book provides information on ancient Egypt via short essays, photographs, maps, charts, and drawings. Egyptian social and religious life, including writing, art, architecture, and even the practice of mummification, is conveniently summarized for the teacher or other practitioner in a series of one to three page articles with…

Ancient literature in the teaching of the Ljubljana jesuits

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Nada Grošelj

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Members of the Jesuit Order came to Ljubljana in 1597, founding a »gymnasium« and later expanding it with a semi-university. In contrast to certain other orders, they fostered the classics, as is evidenced by their teaching, scholarly research, and literary composition. The scholarly work of the Jesuits active in present-day Slovenia was mostly concentrated on ancient philosophy, as is shown in the second section of this paper. Their teaching, on the other hand, included both classroom lessons and more creative activities, such as the writing and staging of school plays. The Jesuit school system with its six gymnasium classes is described in the first section of the paper, and the school curriculum (based almost exclusively on the teaching of Latin literature and methods in the third. The fourth section presents the documents relating to the final gymnasium examinations in ancient literature which took place in Ljubljana, with a survey of the contents of the questions. The fifth section outlines the characteristics of Jesuit school drama. The plays performed in Ljubljana are lost, but, judging by the preserved titles and synopses, ancient themes appear to have been relatively rare. Nevertheless, the paper succeeds in isolating seventeen works (discussed in the sixth section which must have either utilised plots from ancient literature or drawn inspiration from ancient stock characters and rhetoric.

Sin, Punishment And Forgiveness In Ancient Greek Religion: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper looks in particular at the special sin of hubris in ancient Greek religious thought. It examines what constitutes hubris and some cases in which hubris has been committed and punished. It demonstrates with examples that hubris is an unforgivable sin in ancient Greek religion and examines the reasons for this ...

Translation: an example from ancient Chinese to modern Chinese

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, X; Hoede, C.

2002-01-01

In this paper, we gave an idea of translation by means of knowledge graph theory from ancient Chinese to modern Chinese, by using an example story. Actually, we give the details of the method of translation from ancient Chinese to modern Chinese step by step as carried out by hand. From the example,

Characterization of water quality and suspended sediment during cold-season flows, warm-season flows, and stormflows in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, 2007–2015

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Lisa D.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.

2017-09-01

From 2007 through 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, conducted a study in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, to characterize surface-water quality and suspended-sediment conditions for three different streamflow regimes with an emphasis on characterizing water quality during storm runoff. Data collected during this study were used to evaluate the effects of stormflows and wastewater-treatment effluent discharge on Fountain and Monument Creeks in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area. Water-quality samples were collected at 2 sites on Upper Fountain Creek, 2 sites on Monument Creek, 3 sites on Lower Fountain Creek, and 13 tributary sites during 3 flow regimes: cold-season flow (November–April), warm-season flow (May–October), and stormflow from 2007 through 2015. During 2015, additional samples were collected and analyzed for Escherichia coli (E. coli) during dry weather conditions at 41 sites, located in E. coli impaired stream reaches, to help identify source areas and scope of the impairment.Concentrations of E. coli, total arsenic, and dissolved copper, selenium, and zinc in surface-water samples were compared to Colorado in-stream standards. Stormflow concentrations of E. coli frequently exceeded the recreational use standard of 126 colonies per 100 milliliters at main-stem and tributary sites by more than an order of magnitude. Even though median E. coli concentrations in warm-season flow samples were lower than median concentrations in storm-flow samples, the water quality standard for E. coli was still exceeded at most main-stem sites and many tributary sites during warm-season flows. Six samples (three warm-season flow and three stormflow samples) collected from Upper Fountain Creek, upstream from the confluence of Monument Creek, and two stormflow samples collected from Lower Fountain Creek, downstream from the confluence with Monument Creek, exceeded the acute water

Determination of ancient ceramics reference material by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Huhou; Sun Jingxin; Wang Yuqi; Lu Liangcai

1986-01-01

Contents of trace elements in the reference material of ancient ceramics (KPS-1) were determined by means of activation analysis, using thermal neutron irradiation produced in nuclear reactor. KPS-1 favoured the analysis of ancient ceramics because it had not only many kinds of element but also appropriate contents of composition. The values presented here are reliable within the experimental precision, and have shown that the reference material had a good homogeneity. So KPS-1 can be used as a suitable reference material for the ancient ceramics analysis

A new look at old bread: ancient Egyptian baking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delwen Samuel

1999-11-01

Full Text Available Despite abundant archaeological, pictorial and textual evidence of ancient Egyptian life and death, we have little detailed information about the staple diet of most of the population. Now experimental work by a postdoctoral Wellcome Research Fellow in Bioarchaeology at the Institute is revealing how the ancient Egyptians made their daily bread.

Peyzaj Mimarlığında Heykel Kullanımı: Trabzon Kenti Örneği / Monument Usage in Landscape Architecture: Example of Trabzon City

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Tuğba Düzenli

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Monuments play a key role in the formation of a common memory and community consciousness by symbolizing important events or situations in the lives of people and societies and establish diverse dialogues with their surroundings in this context. The monument-art works to be placed in open spaces are important in terms of shaping social life and fulfill functions such as warning and activating society. For this reason, the use of monuments in open spaces is a matter for landscape architects to explore. The aim of the study is to determine the purposes and functions of monuments in urban open spaces. In this context, monuments in the city center of Trabzon are photographed and their usage types are classified. As a result, the monuments in urban open spaces in Trabzon are mostly composed of Atatürk and the persons in the history of the city (Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, Yavuz Sultan Selim, Mimar Sinan Etc. And secondly the figures and events reflecting the culture of the city (horon/dancing figures, kamancha playing figures, anchovy, Trabzonspor etc. Finally, it is seen that the expressions (military, martyr, etc. reflect the national spirit. So in the monuments; it has been determined that the historical, cultural and social characteristics of the city are gaining more importance.   Öz Toplum ve bireylerin yaşamında yer alan önemli olayları simgeleyen, ortak toplumsal bilinç ve hafıza oluşturan heykeller çevreleriyle ilişki kurarlar. Açık mekanlarda yeralan heykeller, toplumun yaşantısında, sanatsal, estetik, kültürel öneme sahiptir. Bu nedenle heykellerin açık alanlardaki kullanım amaçları peyzaj mimarları için araştırılması gereken bir konudur. Çalışmada amaç kentsel açık mekanlardaki heykellerin kullanım amaçlarını belirlemektir. Bu bağlamda Trabzon kent merkezideki heykeller fotoğraflanarak kullanım türleri sınıflandırılmıştır. Sonuçta Trabzon’da kentsel açık mekanlardaki

Intraosseous neurilemmoma of the mandible: Report of a rare ancient type

OpenAIRE

Gholamreza Jahanshahi; Abbas Haghighat; Faezeh Azmoodeh

2011-01-01

The neurilemmoma is a benign neoplasm of Schwann cell origin. One of the histopathologic subtypes of this tumor is ancient schwannoma which is characterized by degenerative alterations including cystic change, calcification, hemorrhage, and hyalinization. Intraosseous schwannomas especially ancient ones are rare tumors. Here we present a case of intraosseous ancient schwannoma in the lower jaw of an 11-year-old girl which caused a non-tender expansion. Radiographic examination showed a well-c...

Ancient DNA from marine mammals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foote, Andrew David; Hofreiter, Michael; Morin, Philip A.

2012-01-01

such as bone, tooth, baleen, skin, fur, whiskers and scrimshaw using ancient DNA (aDNA) approaches provide an oppor- tunity for investigating such changes over evolutionary and ecological timescales. Here, we review the application of aDNA techniques to the study of marine mammals. Most of the studies have...... focused on detecting changes in genetic diversity following periods of exploitation and environmental change. To date, these studies have shown that even small sample sizes can provide useful information on historical genetic diversity. Ancient DNA has also been used in investigations of changes...... in distribution and range of marine mammal species; we review these studies and discuss the limitations of such ‘presence only’ studies. Combining aDNA data with stable isotopes can provide further insights into changes in ecology and we review past studies and suggest future potential applications. We also...

The use of nuclear analytical methods in the investigation of objects of art and historical monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janovsky, I.

2006-01-01

Special nuclear analytical methods contribute significantly to the identification of the origin, manufacturing technology and/or authenticity of objects of art and historical monuments, Such methods primarily include variants of X-ray fluorescence analysis and activation analysis. The former enables non/destructive testing of materials, the latter features a high sensitivity. The article presents numerous examples of use of such methods especially in the Czech Republic (or former Czechoslovakia). (author)

Mineralization of the ancient hydrogeological conditions in the northeast of Ordos basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Junyi

2012-01-01

Ordos basin, North East, to the Eocene as a turning point, in the generation of the ancient hydrogeological conditions have distinct changes experienced at least two ancient evolution of hydrogeological conditions, that is closed in the early flow into basin Late open drain basin. Closed in the early period of the inner flow basin, since the purpose of layer deposition, the direction of the ancient hydrodynamic interlayer oxidation is consistent with the direction of oxidation. Hydrogeological conditions of the ancient point of view, in the Ordos basin, North East looking for interlayer oxidation zone type uranium has a guiding role. (author)

Anticancer activity of botanical compounds in ancient fermented beverages (review).

Science.gov (United States)

McGovern, P E; Christofidou-Solomidou, M; Wang, W; Dukes, F; Davidson, T; El-Deiry, W S

2010-07-01

Humans around the globe probably discovered natural remedies against disease and cancer by trial and error over the millennia. Biomolecular archaeological analyses of ancient organics, especially plants dissolved or decocted as fermented beverages, have begun to reveal the preliterate histories of traditional pharmacopeias, which often date back thousands of years earlier than ancient textual, ethnohistorical, and ethnological evidence. In this new approach to drug discovery, two case studies from ancient Egypt and China illustrate how ancient medicines can be reconstructed from chemical and archaeological data and their active compounds delimited for testing their anticancer and other medicinal effects. Specifically, isoscopoletin from Artemisia argyi, artemisinin from Artemisia annua, and the latter's more easily assimilated semi-synthetic derivative, artesunate, showed the greatest activity in vitro against lung and colon cancers. In vivo tests of these compounds previously unscreened against lung and pancreatic cancers are planned for the future.

Next Generation Sequencing of Ancient DNA: Requirements, Strategies and Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Knapp

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The invention of next-generation-sequencing has revolutionized almost all fields of genetics, but few have profited from it as much as the field of ancient DNA research. From its beginnings as an interesting but rather marginal discipline, ancient DNA research is now on its way into the centre of evolutionary biology. In less than a year from its invention next-generation-sequencing had increased the amount of DNA sequence data available from extinct organisms by several orders of magnitude. Ancient DNA  research is now not only adding a temporal aspect to evolutionary studies and allowing for the observation of evolution in real time, it also provides important data to help understand the origins of our own species. Here we review progress that has been made in next-generation-sequencing of ancient DNA over the past five years and evaluate sequencing strategies and future directions.

Cosmologies of the ancient Mediterranean world

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John T. Fitzgerald

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Cosmology is concerned with the order of the universe and seeks to provide an account, not only of that order, but also of the mind or reason behind it. In antiquity, the cosmos was usually understood religiously, such that the cosmologies of the ancient Mediterranean world were either religious in nature or constituted a reaction to a religiously conceived understanding of the structures of the universe. The oldest form in which ancient cosmologies occur is myth, which, owing to its elasticity as a form, enabled them to be appropriated, adapted and used by different groups. In addition, different cosmologies co-existed within the same ancient culture, each having an authoritative status. This article provides an introductory overview of these cosmological myths and argues that a comparative approach is the most fruitful way to study them. Emphasis is given to certain prominent cosmological topics, including theogony (the genesis of the divine or the relationship of the divine to the cosmos, cosmogony (the genesis of the cosmos, and anthropogony (the origin of humans within the cosmos. Although these myths vary greatly in terms of content and how they envision the origin of the cosmos, many of them depict death as part of the structure of the universe.

Towards Reconstructing a Doric Column in a Virtual Construction Site

Science.gov (United States)

Bartzis, D.

2017-02-01

This paper deals with the 3D reconstruction of ancient Greek architectural members, especially with the element of the Doric column. The case study for this project is the Choragic monument of Nicias on the South Slope of the Athenian Acropolis, from which a column drum, two capitals and smaller fragments are preserved. The first goal of this paper is to present some benefits of using 3D reconstruction methods not only in documentation but also in understanding of ancient Greek architectural members. The second goal is to take advantage of the produced point clouds. By using the Cloud Compare software, comparisons are made between the actual architectural members and an "ideal" point cloud of the whole column in its original form. Seeking for probable overlaps between the two point clouds could assist in estimating the original position of each member/fragment on the column. This method is expanded with more comparisons between the reference column model and other members/fragments around the Acropolis, which may have not yet been ascribed to the monument of Nicias.

Monitoring of atmospheric pollutants passive sampling for the protection of historic buildings and monuments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Santis, F.; Fino, A.; Vazzana, C.; Allegrini, I. [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Inquinamento Atmosferico, Rome (Italy)

2001-12-01

When considering the various possibilities to assess the effects of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub 2} on historic buildings and monuments, a distinction can be made according to the completeness of the scope of the assessment itself. A first approach can be limited to gathering data as they become available through the official bodies established under air quality legislation. This approach is based on a single point measurement where a general purpose monitoring station is located, often quite far from the monument to protect and often without investigating local and temporal variations. A more comprehensive assessment should include a generalisation that covers the territory. This can be made on the basis of the knowledge of the spatial distribution of concentrations and the knowledge of the causes of air pollution. Passive samplers allow the measurement of air quality in numerous sites and to assess the pollutant spatial distribution over a large area with a high resolution. As an application of the method, the spatial distribution of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub 2} in the city of Siracusa, Sicily, Italy, has been studied to identify areas of high deposition fluxes in relation to the protection of buildings and monuments of the historic centre. [Italian] E' noto che gli inquinanti presenti in aria, tra questi in particolare l'SO{sub 2} e l'NO{sub 2}, sono causa di danno sui monumenti e sulle opere d'arte. La valutazione dell'impatto di questi due inquinanti viene solitamente effettuata sulla base del monitoraggio eseguito secondo la legislazione vigente ma spesso lontano dal monumento da proteggere. Cio', evidentemente, non consente di valutare correttamente il grado di rischio al quale un monumento e' esposto poiche' non fornisce informazioni sulle variazioni spaziali e temporali dei due inquinanti in prossimita' del monumento stesso. Allo scopo di raccogliere quindi informazioni complete sulla distribuzione degli inquinanti, e

Application of X-ray fluorescence in investigation of historical monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cechak, Tomas; Trojek, Tomas; Musilek, Ladislav; Paulusova, Hana

2008-01-01

Full text: Nuclear techniques represent invaluable tools in non-destructive diagnostics applied to archaeological findings and objects of arts, mainly for dating and determining the composition of materials used in the production of artefacts. In this work we present the application of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRFA). The X-ray fluorescence apparatus built and operated in the Laboratory of Quantitative Methods in Research of Ancient Monuments, constituent part of the Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation, FNSPE, was used for the purpose of old relics measurements. The X-ray sources (radionuclides) generate the characteristic X-ray photons from the sample. After processing the resulting signal, we obtain information about the chemical composition of the tested sample. These results give data for qualitative and quantitative analysis of samples. XRFA is relatively simple and non-destructive method. Capability of in-situ measurement is one of big advantages of this method. The radionuclide sources of exciting radiation (e.g. 55 Fe enables the excitation of elements with Z up to 23, 238 Pu is used in interval of Z from 20 to 39 etc.) and X-ray tube with Mo anode were used. Narrow collimation of the exciting beam makes it possible to select the measured area of e.g. pigments in old manuscripts. X-ray fluorescence analysis, both in its energy form and in its wave dispersive form, is one of the most widespread methods using ionising radiation to study the elemental composition of materials. It is frequently used for studies of various cultural and historic relicts and objects of art. This work summarizes the author's experience with X-ray fluorescence analysis in investigating historical relicts namely by means of portable spectroscopic devices. Utilization of these methods is demonstrated in the investigation of fresco paintings, metal objects and old manuscripts. The results of these measurements provide the information on the composition of

’The origins of art history in Hungary’’’ trans. and ed. Matthew Rampley

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernő Marosi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This text examines the early development of art history in Hungary, from antiquarianism to the 1880s. As with other states in Europe, a key driver behind the establishment of 'scientific' art history was the rising concern for ancient monuments. In particular, they came to be seen as repositories of collective memory, which increasingly came to be equated with 'national tradition'. In the early stages of this process, a prominent role was played by the Central Commission for the Investigation and Protection of Monuments in Vienna, but once Hungary gained almost complete autonomy in the Habsburg Monarchy after 1867, it was Hungarian art historians and the Hungarian Monuments Commission in Budapest that took over responsibility. The period thus saw the emergence of Hungarian art history from under Viennese tutelage, and with the emergence of a generation of art historians who established a Hungarian-language historiographic literature.

The importance of studying inherited hematological disorders in ancient Anatolian populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeşim Doğan Alakoç

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Before analysis of DNA from ancient remains was possible, anthropologists studied evolution and migration patterns using data obtained from population genetic studies on modern populations combined with data obtained from morphological evaluations of ancient remains. Currently, DNA analysis of ancient populations is making a valuable contribution to these efforts. Researchers that perform ancient DNA analysis prefer to study polymorphisms on the Y chromosome or mitochondrial DNA because the results are easier to statistically evaluate. To evaluate polymorphisms on diploid genomes, which are more informative, only mutations that have been extensively examined in modern populations should be chosen. The most extensively evaluated mutations are those related to prevalent inherited disorders. As such, beta-thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, FVL mutation of globin and the factor V genes are good candidates for DNA studies in ancient populations. These mutations are common in Anatolia, host to many civilizations since the Paleolithic period. This history makes Anatolia a good place for conducting research that could enhance our understanding of human evolution and migration patterns.

Printing Ancient Terracotta Warriors

Science.gov (United States)

Gadecki, Victoria L.

2010-01-01

Standing in awe in Xian, China, at the Terra Cotta warrior archaeological site, the author thought of sharing this experience and excitement with her sixth-grade students. She decided to let her students carve patterns of the ancient soldiers to understand their place in Chinese history. They would make block prints and print multiple soldiers on…

Assessment of the radiological impact of the inactive uranium-mill tailings at Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haywood, F.F.; Goldsmith, W.A.; Hubbard, H.M. Jr.; Fox, W.F.; Shinpaugh, W.H.

1979-12-01

Results of a radiological survey that was conducted at the inactive uranium-mill site at Monument Valley, Arizona, in March 1976, in cooperation with a team from Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc., are presented. Consideration of these data and of previously published information on radiological conditions at the site lead to the conclusion that potential health effects from exposure to radionuclides in the mill tailings are relatively small. The occupants of three residences within 0.8 km (0.5 mile) of the tailings constitute the principal population at risk, but direct gamma-exposure rate measurements near the two residences closest to the tailings and calculations of radon dispersion indicate that the tailings do not raise either pathway of radiation exposure significantly above the background level. Data are not available to evaluate fully other possible exposure pathways, but the available information indicates that it is unlikely that doses through these pathways will add significantly to the total population dose. The low estimates of potential health effects from exposure to direct radiation and to exposure to radionuclides in the Monument Valley tailings piles are ascribed to the low 226 Ra inventory, to almost complete absence of small particles that are readily moved by wind and water, and to a small population in the vicinity of the tailings

Inferring the palaeoenvironment of ancient bacteria on the basis of resurrected proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Gaucher, Eric A.; Thomson, J. Michael; Burgan, Michelle F.; Benner, Steven A.

2003-01-01

Features of the physical environment surrounding an ancestral organism can be inferred by reconstructing sequences of ancient proteins made by those organisms, resurrecting these proteins in the laboratory, and measuring their properties. Here, we resurrect candidate sequences for elongation factors of the Tu family (EF-Tu) found at ancient nodes in the bacterial evolutionary tree, and measure their activities as a function of temperature. The ancient EF-Tu proteins have temperature optima of 55-65 degrees C. This value seems to be robust with respect to uncertainties in the ancestral reconstruction. This suggests that the ancient bacteria that hosted these particular genes were thermophiles, and neither hyperthermophiles nor mesophiles. This conclusion can be compared and contrasted with inferences drawn from an analysis of the lengths of branches in trees joining proteins from contemporary bacteria, the distribution of thermophily in derived bacterial lineages, the inferred G + C content of ancient ribosomal RNA, and the geological record combined with assumptions concerning molecular clocks. The study illustrates the use of experimental palaeobiochemistry and assumptions about deep phylogenetic relationships between bacteria to explore the character of ancient life.

NIPGAT: new tool for investigating the deterioration of monuments and historic buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaafar Abdullah; Lahasen Norman Shah Dahing; Susan Maria Sipaun; Md Fakaruddin Abdul Rahman; Ismail Mustapha

2004-01-01

The degradation of some building materials such as brick and mortar is a major problem for the preservation of monuments or historic structures, especially where it is desirable to preserve the original fabric of the building. Such degradation often arises from the presence of contaminants in the constituent materials. Knowledge of the presence and distribution of contaminants is needed for effective treatment and preservation. In building materials, water and soluble salt are considered two unwanted contaminants. Their concentrations and distribution in these materials are very important factor in estimating the degree of building deterioration. Water is a major course of deterioration, both by acting as a solvent for various building materials components and by exerting stresses on the structure during thermal cycle. The soluble salts, notably chlorides, damage the structure either by periodically dissolving and recrystallising within the pores or by promoting corrosion. Neutrons are useful as probes for non-destructive examination of extended media because neutrons can travel relatively long distances before interacting with the nuclei of the media. Depending on the type of material, neutrons can have a mean free path of tens of centimeters to meters. It is for this reason that neutrons in conjunction with gamma-ray spectroscopy have been used extensively in oil-well logging and mineral exploration. For the same reason, a new method, called neutron-induced prompt gamma-ray technique, NIPGAT is being developed at MINT for preservation of monuments and historic buildings. NIPGAT can be used for in-situ quantitative determination and location of contaminants, particularly water and soluble salt in building materials. This paper presents a brief overview and gives preliminary results of NIPGAT research activities at MINT. It is hoped that it may raise awareness and promote further opportunities for the collaboration of the nuclear research scientists with the museum

Application of Ancient DNA Methods to the Study of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandoval Velasco, Marcela

As one of a limited number of biomolecules recording evolutionary events, DNA provides an unparalleled means of investigating genetic processes. Over three decades, ancient DNA research has matured in many ways, growing alongside technological and methodological advancements. However, due to DNA...... means of investigating genetic processes. Over three decades, ancient DNA research has matured in many ways, growing alongside technological and methodological advancements. However, due to DNA preservation, degradation and contamination, ancient DNA research presents significant limitations...... preservation, degradation and contamination, ancient DNA research presents significant limitations and challenges. Until recently, it was thought that DNA did not survive more than few hundred thousand years, and that it was impossible to retrieve whole genome data from ancient samples preserved under...

Views of Ancient Egypt. Teacher's Guide. School Arts: Looking/Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Downs, Linda; Brenner, Carla

This teaching guide discusses ancient Egyptian culture, the lithographs made by Napoleon's scientists in 1798-99 to study and record every aspect of Egypt, the world's subsequent fascination with Egypt, ancient Egyptian architecture, Egyptian writing, and archeologists' illustrations of Egypt. The guide suggests activities for elementary school,…

Vascular plants promote ancient peatland carbon loss with climate warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Tom N; Garnett, Mark H; Ward, Susan E; Oakley, Simon; Bardgett, Richard D; Ostle, Nicholas J

2016-05-01

Northern peatlands have accumulated one third of the Earth's soil carbon stock since the last Ice Age. Rapid warming across northern biomes threatens to accelerate rates of peatland ecosystem respiration. Despite compensatory increases in net primary production, greater ecosystem respiration could signal the release of ancient, century- to millennia-old carbon from the peatland organic matter stock. Warming has already been shown to promote ancient peatland carbon release, but, despite the key role of vegetation in carbon dynamics, little is known about how plants influence the source of peatland ecosystem respiration. Here, we address this issue using in situ (14)C measurements of ecosystem respiration on an established peatland warming and vegetation manipulation experiment. Results show that warming of approximately 1 °C promotes respiration of ancient peatland carbon (up to 2100 years old) when dwarf-shrubs or graminoids are present, an effect not observed when only bryophytes are present. We demonstrate that warming likely promotes ancient peatland carbon release via its control over organic inputs from vascular plants. Our findings suggest that dwarf-shrubs and graminoids prime microbial decomposition of previously 'locked-up' organic matter from potentially deep in the peat profile, facilitating liberation of ancient carbon as CO2. Furthermore, such plant-induced peat respiration could contribute up to 40% of ecosystem CO2 emissions. If consistent across other subarctic and arctic ecosystems, this represents a considerable fraction of ecosystem respiration that is currently not acknowledged by global carbon cycle models. Ultimately, greater contribution of ancient carbon to ecosystem respiration may signal the loss of a previously stable peatland carbon pool, creating potential feedbacks to future climate change. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warinner, Christina; Rodrigues, João F Matias; Vyas, Rounak

2014-01-01

Calcified dental plaque (dental calculus) preserves for millennia and entraps biomolecules from all domains of life and viruses. We report the first, to our knowledge, high-resolution taxonomic and protein functional characterization of the ancient oral microbiome and demonstrate that the oral...... cavity has long served as a reservoir for bacteria implicated in both local and systemic disease. We characterize (i) the ancient oral microbiome in a diseased state, (ii) 40 opportunistic pathogens, (iii) ancient human-associated putative antibiotic resistance genes, (iv) a genome reconstruction...... calculus permits the simultaneous investigation of pathogen activity, host immunity and diet, thereby extending direct investigation of common diseases into the human evolutionary past....

Ground-Water Flow Direction, Water Quality, Recharge Sources, and Age, Great Sand Dunes National Monument, South-Central Colorado, 2000-2001

Science.gov (United States)

Rupert, Michael G.; Plummer, Niel

2004-01-01

Great Sand Dunes National Monument is located in south-central Colorado along the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley. The Great Sand Dunes National Monument contains the tallest sand dunes in North America; some rise up to750 feet. Important ecological features of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument are palustrine wetlands associated with interdunal ponds and depressions along the western edge of the dune field. The existence and natural maintenance of the dune field and the interdunal ponds are dependent on maintaining ground-water levels at historic elevations. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study, in collaboration with the National Park Service, of ground-water flow direction, water quality, recharge sources, and age at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. A shallow unconfined aquifer and a deeper confined aquifer are the two principal aquifers at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Ground water in the unconfined aquifer is recharged from Medano and Sand Creeks near the Sangre de Cristo Mountain front, flows underneath the main dune field, and discharges to Big and Little Spring Creeks. The percentage of calcium in ground water in the unconfined aquifer decreases and the percentage of sodium increases because of ionic exchange with clay minerals as the ground water flows underneath the dune field. It takes more than 60 years for the ground water to flow from Medano and Sand Creeks to Big and Little Spring Creeks. During this time, ground water in the upper part of the unconfined aquifer is recharged by numerous precipitation events. Evaporation of precipitation during recharge prior to reaching the water table causes enrichment in deuterium (2H) and oxygen-18 (18O) relative to waters that are not evaporated. This recharge from precipitation events causes the apparent ages determined using chlorofluorocarbons and tritium to become younger, because relatively young precipitation water is mixing with older waters

Quantification and presence of human ancient DNA in burial place ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Quantification and presence of human ancient DNA in burial place remains of Turkey using real time polymerase chain reaction. ... A published real-time PCR assay, which allows for the combined analysis of nuclear or ancient DNA and mitochondrial DNA, was modified. This approach can be used for recovering DNA from ...

An Evaluation of the Historical Importance of Fertility and Its Reflection in Ancient Mythology.

Science.gov (United States)

Behjati-Ardakani, Zohreh; Akhondi, Mohammad Mehdi; Mahmoodzadeh, Homa; Hosseini, Seyed Hasan

2016-01-01

Myths are reflective of human concerns and needs during ancient times. By reviewing them, it turns out that many human problems today, have a historical background. Among the main themes of ancient mythologies, fertility and reproduction have various representations in ancient civilizations. The purpose of this paper was to review myths and common symbols of fertility and reproduction in ancient civilizations and evaluate the reasons of their continuous importance in different cultures. The data in this review study was obtained by scrutinizing the related literature. The gathered data indicated the multiplicity and variety of fertility symbols in ancient myths. Most ancient fertility symbols were inspired by the nature and some of them like earth and water were common in mythology of different civilizations. Therefore, the symbols consolidate the concept of conformity between human reproductive concerns and the nature's necessities.

Ancient tombs in China and shallow land disposal of low-intermediate level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.; Gu, C.

1987-01-01

The paper summerises the experiences of ancient tombs in China on tomb siting, configuration of tombs, backfilling materials, civil engineering techniques, sealing (or airlight) techniques, drainage system, antiseptic techniques and so on based upon site investigation. Comparison between ancient tombs in China and shallow land disposal of radioactive wastes has been made. The authors point out that the brilliant achievements of ancient tombs in China in keeping ancient corpses and funeral objects is a historical evidence for safety of shallow land disposal of radioactive wastes, and that the main experiences of ancient tombs can be used for reference to shallow land disposal of radioactive wastes

Genetic Drift. The ancient Egyptian dwarfs of the Walters Art Museum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozma, Chahira

2010-10-01

The ancient Egyptians left an impressive artistic legacy documenting many aspects of their society including the existence of dwarfs as highly valued members. In previous publications in the Journal, I discussed dwarfs and skeletal dysplasia in ancient Egypt. In this study, I examined the ancient Egyptian representations of dwarfs of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. One of the highlights of the collection is a group of five ivory figurines from Predynastic Times (pre 3500-3100 BCE) depicting a couple, a man with a child, and two females. Representations from other periods include ordinary as well as dwarf deities. The dwarf gods, Bes and Ptah, are frequently depicted holding or biting snakes or standing on crocodiles symbolizing their ability to ward off dangers. A couple of statuettes from the Greco-Roman Period that, in contrast to earlier Egyptian Periods, depict harsh physical anomalies, twisted bodies, and facial pain. The artistic impression can be interpreted as either tragic or humorous. The grotesque depiction of dwarfs during the Greco-Roman Period in ancient Egypt is believed to be due to a greater infusion of Hellenistic influence. This study provides a microcosm of the legacy of dwarfs in ancient Egypt and supports the premise that dwarfs were accepted and integrated in the ancient Egyptian society, and with a few exceptions, their disorder was not depicted as a physical handicap. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Research of Ancient Architectures in Jin-Fen Area Based on GIS&BIM Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Jing; Zheng, Qiuhong; Gao, Huiying; Sun, Hai

2017-05-01

The number of well-preserved ancient buildings located in Shanxi Province, enjoying the absolute maximum proportion of ancient architectures in China, is about 18418, among which, 9053 buildings have the structural style of wood frame. The value of the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) is gradually probed and testified in the corresponding fields of ancient architecture’s spatial distribution information management, routine maintenance and special conservation & restoration, the evaluation and simulation of related disasters, such as earthquake. The research objects are ancient architectures in JIN-FEN area, which were first investigated by Sicheng LIANG and recorded in his work of “Chinese ancient architectures survey report”. The research objects, i.e. the ancient architectures in Jin-Fen area include those in Sicheng LIANG’s investigation, and further adjustments were made through authors’ on-site investigation and literature searching & collection. During this research process, the spatial distributing Geodatabase of research objects is established utilizing GIS. The BIM components library for ancient buildings is formed combining on-site investigation data and precedent classic works, such as “Yingzao Fashi”, a treatise on architectural methods in Song Dynasty, “Yongle Encyclopedia” and “Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli”, case collections of engineering practice, by the Ministry of Construction of Qing Dynasty. A building of Guangsheng temple in Hongtong county is selected as an example to elaborate the BIM model construction process based on the BIM components library for ancient buildings. Based on the foregoing work results of spatial distribution data, attribute data of features, 3D graphic information and parametric building information model, the information management system for ancient architectures in Jin-Fen Area, utilizing GIS&BIM technology, could be constructed to support the

Activation and track analysis of the bone remains found in the territory of Uzbekistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasidov, A.; Saidullaev, B.J.; Akhmadshaev, A.

2014-01-01

Full text : As a rule bones of animals and persons, are plentiful enough in archeology monuments and are frequently also the most numerous materials. Therefore the research of components and microelements in bones can give the valuable information about age and lifestyle of prehistoric relicts on Earth. To ancient bone remains bear and archantrope concernfrom ancient settlement of Selungur located in the territory of Southern Fergana and was found out by Institute of Archaeology in Uzbekistan in 1980. Whereas in the scientific literature there is very poor information about element composition variation in bones during ground bedding

Ancient woodland boundaries in Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Szabó, Péter

2010-01-01

Roč. 36, č. 2 (2010), s. 205-214 ISSN 0305-7488 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050812 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : ancient woodland * historical ecology * landscape archaeology Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.983, year: 2010

Application of NAA in the sort discrimination of the ancient porcelains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Xiuqin; Huang Zhongxiang; Han Song

2002-01-01

The neutron activation analysis is applied for analyzing the rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements in the ancient porcelains of Yao Zhou and Ru. The results show that there are differences or even significant differences between glazes and roughcasts of these two ancient porcelains in the gross amounts of REE, normalized diagrams of REE and characteristics of trace element contents, which reflecting the composition differences in glazes and roughcasts of the two kinds of porcelains. Thus, the contents of REE and trace elements can be taken for discriminating the ancient porcelains

Metal exposure and effects in voles and small birds near a mining haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska.

Science.gov (United States)

Brumbaugh, William G; Mora, Miguel A; May, Thomas W; Phalen, David N

2010-11-01

Voles and small passerine birds were live-captured near the Delong Mountain Regional Transportation System (DMTS) haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument in northwest Alaska to assess metals exposure and sub-lethal biological effects. Similar numbers of animals were captured from a reference site in southern Cape Krusenstern National Monument for comparison. Histopathological examination of selected organs, and analysis of cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in liver and blood samples were performed. Voles and small birds captured from near the haul road had about 20 times greater blood and liver lead concentrations and about three times greater cadmium concentrations when compared to those from the reference site, but there were no differences in zinc tissue concentrations. One vole had moderate metastatic mineralization of kidney tissue, otherwise we observed no abnormalities in internal organs or DNA damage in the blood of any of the animals. The affected vole also had the greatest liver and blood Cd concentration, indicating that the lesion might have been caused by Cd exposure. Blood and liver lead concentrations in animals captured near the haul road were below concentrations that have been associated with adverse biological effects in other studies; however, subtle effects resulting from lead exposure, such as the suppression of the activity of certain enzymes, cannot be ruled out for some individual animals. Results from our 2006 reconnaissance-level study indicate that overall, voles and small birds obtained from near the DMTS road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument were not adversely affected by metals exposure; however, because of the small sample size and other uncertainties, continued monitoring of lead and cadmium in terrestrial habitats near the DMTS road is advised.

Ancient Terrestrial Carbon: Lost and Found

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, K. H.

2017-12-01

Carbon fluxes in terrestrial environments dominate the global carbon cycle. The fluxes of terrestrial carbon are strongly tied to regional climate due to the influences of temperature, water, and nutrient dynamics on plant productivity. However, climate also influences the destruction of terrestrial organic matter, through weathering, erosion, and biomass loss via fire and oxidative microbial processes. Organic geochemical methods enable us to interrogate past terrestrial carbon dynamics and learn how continental processes might accelerate, or mitigate carbon transfer to the atmosphere, and the associated greenhouse warming. Terrestrial soil systems represent the weathering rind of the continents, and are inherently non-depositional and erosive. The production, transport, and depositional processes affecting organics in continental settings each impart their own biases on the amount and characteristics of preserved carbon. Typically, the best archives for biomarker records are sediments in ancient lakes or subaqueous fans, which represents a preservation bias that tends to favor wetter environments. Paleosols, or ancient soils, formed under depositional conditions that, for one reason or another, truncated soil ablation, erosion, or other loss processes. In modern soils, widely ranging organic carbon abundances are almost always substantially greater than the trace amounts of carbon left behind in ancient soils. Even so, measureable amounts of organic biomarkers persist in paleosols. We have been investigating processes that preserve soil organic carbon on geologic timescales, and how these mechanisms may be sensitive to past climate change. Climate-linked changes in temperature, moisture, pH, and weathering processes can impact carbon preservation via organo-mineral sorption, soil biogeochemistry, and stability based on the physical and chemical properties of organic compounds. These will be discussed and illustrated with examples from our studies of Cenozoic

Peopling the past: New perspectives on the ancient Maya

OpenAIRE

Robin, Cynthia

2001-01-01

The new direction in Maya archaeology is toward achieving a greater understanding of people and their roles and their relations in the past. To answer emerging humanistic questions about ancient people's lives Mayanists are increasingly making use of new and existing scientific methods from archaeology and other disciplines. Maya archaeology is bridging the divide between the humanities and sciences to answer questions about ancient people previously considered bey...

Seismic and Restoration Assessment of Monumental Masonry Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panagiotis G. Asteris

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Masonry structures are complex systems that require detailed knowledge and information regarding their response under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake-resistant design and/or assessment. However, modelling a real structure with a robust quantitative (mathematical representation is a very difficult, complex and computationally-demanding task. The paper herein presents a new stochastic computational framework for earthquake-resistant design of masonry structural systems. The proposed framework is based on the probabilistic behavior of crucial parameters, such as material strength and seismic characteristics, and utilizes fragility analysis based on different failure criteria for the masonry material. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a historical and monumental masonry structure, namely the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Kaisariani Monastery, a byzantine church that was built in Athens, Greece, at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th century. Useful conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of the intervention techniques used for the reduction of the vulnerability of the case-study structure, by means of comparison of the results obtained.

Seismic and Restoration Assessment of Monumental Masonry Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Asteris, Panagiotis G.; Douvika, Maria G.; Apostolopoulou, Maria; Moropoulou, Antonia

2017-01-01

Masonry structures are complex systems that require detailed knowledge and information regarding their response under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake-resistant design and/or assessment. However, modelling a real structure with a robust quantitative (mathematical) representation is a very difficult, complex and computationally-demanding task. The paper herein presents a new stochastic computational framework for earthquake-resistant design of masonry structural systems. The proposed framework is based on the probabilistic behavior of crucial parameters, such as material strength and seismic characteristics, and utilizes fragility analysis based on different failure criteria for the masonry material. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a historical and monumental masonry structure, namely the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Kaisariani Monastery, a byzantine church that was built in Athens, Greece, at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th century. Useful conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of the intervention techniques used for the reduction of the vulnerability of the case-study structure, by means of comparison of the results obtained. PMID:28767073

Homosexuality according to ancient Greek physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Moschos, M M; Koukaki, E; Kontaxaki, M-I; Androutsos, G

2017-01-01

Homosexuality and pedophilia in ancient Greece greatly concerned many researchers who were mainly interested in highlighting the social aspect of this phenomenon in ancient Greek society. An important source on the subject was the paintings of a man and his lover in attic black and red figured pottery, up to the end of the 5th century BC. Another main source was the information that derived from the texts of ancient Greek literature, especially poetry. Homosexuality was not only referring to relationships between males, but it was also manifested in lesbian love. It is believed that in the Homeric world homosexuality was not favored. In Greek society of the archaic period, the restriction of women at home, the satisfaction of sexual needs with courtesans, the marriage for the purpose of maintaining and managing the property, put women aside, marginalizing them in terms of social life, impeding the cultivation of emotional relationships between sexes. At the same time, in the society of those times, the aristocratic ideal, the constant communication of men during military training and the war, the male nudity in sports and the promotion of beauty and bravery in athletic contests, as well as the gatherings and the entertainment of men at the symposia, created a suitable substrate in which male homosexuality could develop. In this context, pedophile relationships were developed mainly during the archaic period, as recorded on vase paintings, where a mature man developed a special relationship with a teenager of the same social class. The mature man had the role of mentor for the juvenile, he would look after him and cover his living expenses and education cost. In this relationship, exhibiting predominantly the social dimension of an initiation process and introduction to adult life, the erotic homosexual intercourse could find a place to flourish. The above-mentioned relationship could not last forever, given that this would later transform into an emotional

The study of human Y chromosome variation through ancient DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivisild, Toomas

2017-05-01

High throughput sequencing methods have completely transformed the study of human Y chromosome variation by offering a genome-scale view on genetic variation retrieved from ancient human remains in context of a growing number of high coverage whole Y chromosome sequence data from living populations from across the world. The ancient Y chromosome sequences are providing us the first exciting glimpses into the past variation of male-specific compartment of the genome and the opportunity to evaluate models based on previously made inferences from patterns of genetic variation in living populations. Analyses of the ancient Y chromosome sequences are challenging not only because of issues generally related to ancient DNA work, such as DNA damage-induced mutations and low content of endogenous DNA in most human remains, but also because of specific properties of the Y chromosome, such as its highly repetitive nature and high homology with the X chromosome. Shotgun sequencing of uniquely mapping regions of the Y chromosomes to sufficiently high coverage is still challenging and costly in poorly preserved samples. To increase the coverage of specific target SNPs capture-based methods have been developed and used in recent years to generate Y chromosome sequence data from hundreds of prehistoric skeletal remains. Besides the prospects of testing directly as how much genetic change in a given time period has accompanied changes in material culture the sequencing of ancient Y chromosomes allows us also to better understand the rate at which mutations accumulate and get fixed over time. This review considers genome-scale evidence on ancient Y chromosome diversity that has recently started to accumulate in geographic areas favourable to DNA preservation. More specifically the review focuses on examples of regional continuity and change of the Y chromosome haplogroups in North Eurasia and in the New World.

On the Development and Evolution of Astronomy in ancient Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Maravelias, S. E.

In the present paper the development and evolution of astronomy in = Ancient Egypt are briefly examined. Emphasis is given to the = applications of astronomy on: (i) the orientation of temples and = pyramids, and the subsequent determination of the year; (ii) the = reorientation of temples --after the lapse of several centuries-- (due = to the fact that the priesthood was empirically aware of the precession = of equinoxes, and the subsequent use of this very fact in order to = estimate the archaeological age of temples, tombs and pyramids; (iii) = the heliacal rising of Sirius, which was used by ancient = priests-astronomers in order to fix the New Year's Day and determine the = seasons of the civil year, although the discre pancy of the Sothic cycle = in their calendrical system was not seriously taken into account. = Finally the conclusion put forward is that astronomy in Ancient Egypt = never reached the grounds of pure science (as in Ancient Greece), at = least before the Ptolemaic era, but always remained under the influence = of traditionalism and mythology pertaining more to the sphere of = religion and dogma.

Medicine and psychiatry in Western culture: among Ancient Greek myths and modern prejudices.

Science.gov (United States)

Fornaro, Michele; Clementi, Nicoletta; Fornaro, Pantaleo

2009-01-01

While many ancient cultures contributed to our current knowledge about medicine and psychiatry origins, Ancient Greeks were among the best observers of feelings and moods patients could express toward medicine and toward what today referred as "psychopathology". Myths and religious references were used to explain what elsewhere impossible to understand or easily communicated. Most of ancient myths focus on ambiguous feelings patients could have towards drugs, especially psychotropic ones. Interestingly, such prejudices are common yet today. Recalling ancient findings and descriptions made using myths, should represent a valuable knowledge for modern physicians, especially for psychiatrists, and their patients, with the aim of better understanding each other and therefore achieving a better clinical outcome. The paper explores many human aspects and feelings toward doctors and their cures, referring to ancient myths, focusing on the perception of mental illness.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS ON THE TOPIC OF ANCIENT MINING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prentiss de JESUS

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Geological and archaeological research on ancient mining and metallurgy are actually targeting the same goals: understanding the nature and value of a mining operation. Geologists are intent on locating and qualifying ores and minerals for future use, whereas archaeologists strive to link ores to relevant historic and prehistoric metal artifacts and activities. This article discusses research into ancient Anatolian metallurgy by underscoring the overlap between geological and archeological practices. The work of archaeologists and geologists can be mutually beneficial through a close collaboration on the collection and analysis of field data. Their accumulated and combined knowledge would accelerate the progress towards placing ancient mining activities in a chronological and meaningful context.

Cathair Crobh Dearg: From Ancient Beliefs to the Rounds 2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frédéric Armao

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper will study the case of the stone enclosure of Cathair Crobh Dearg, Co. Kerry (also referred to as the City and Dá Chích Anann (or the Paps of Anu, the twin mountains that can be seen from the enclosure. The site is mentioned in ancient mythological texts as well as more modern accounts in connection with the Irish festival of Bealtaine, in early May. The author relied on archaeological evidence, an analysis of ancient documents, a number of manuscripts from the Irish National Folklore Collection, as well as personal visits to the site in order to try and understand the nature, and possibly origin, of both contemporary rituals and ancient beliefs.

The Icebreaker “Angara”

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Alexander Dulov

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The icebreaker “Angara” is one of the most ancient ships of that kind that still exist in Russia. It was built in Newcastle (England in 1899 and is now located on the shore of the Irkutsk water reservoir. It is a monument of regional significance. The ship’s technical data make it unique to our country. This monument comprises the age-old traditions of conquering the severe nature, Russian inventors’ innovations, English ship builders’ skillfulness, dramatic events of the Patriotic war, everyday life of Baikal sailors and public struggle for preservation of the best traditions of the past. It is necessary to provide the icebreaker with proper conditions, giving it a status of federal significance.

High-resolution analysis of cytosine methylation in ancient DNA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bastien Llamas

Full Text Available Epigenetic changes to gene expression can result in heritable phenotypic characteristics that are not encoded in the DNA itself, but rather by biochemical modifications to the DNA or associated chromatin proteins. Interposed between genes and environment, these epigenetic modifications can be influenced by environmental factors to affect phenotype for multiple generations. This raises the possibility that epigenetic states provide a substrate for natural selection, with the potential to participate in the rapid adaptation of species to changes in environment. Any direct test of this hypothesis would require the ability to measure epigenetic states over evolutionary timescales. Here we describe the first single-base resolution of cytosine methylation patterns in an ancient mammalian genome, by bisulphite allelic sequencing of loci from late Pleistocene Bison priscus remains. Retrotransposons and the differentially methylated regions of imprinted loci displayed methylation patterns identical to those derived from fresh bovine tissue, indicating that methylation patterns are preserved in the ancient DNA. Our findings establish the biochemical stability of methylated cytosines over extensive time frames, and provide the first direct evidence that cytosine methylation patterns are retained in DNA from ancient specimens. The ability to resolve cytosine methylation in ancient DNA provides a powerful means to study the role of epigenetics in evolution.

On the acoustics of ancient Greek and Roman theaters.

Science.gov (United States)

Farnetani, Andrea; Prodi, Nicola; Pompoli, Roberto

2008-09-01

The interplay of architecture and acoustics is remarkable in ancient Greek and Roman theaters. Frequently they are nowadays lively performance spaces and the knowledge of the sound field inside them is still an issue of relevant importance. Even if the transition from Greek to Roman theaters can be described with a great architectural detail, a comprehensive and objective approach to the two types of spaces from the acoustical point of view is available at present only as a computer model study [P. Chourmouziadou and J. Kang, "Acoustic evolution of ancient Greek and Roman theaters," Appl. Acoust. 69, re (2007)]. This work addresses the same topic from the experimental point of view, and its aim is to provide a basis to the acoustical evolution from Greek to Roman theater design. First, by means of in situ and scale model measurements, the most important features of the sound field in ancient theaters are clarified and discussed. Then it has been possible to match quantitatively the role of some remarkable architectural design variables with acoustics, and it is seen how this criterion can be used effectively to define different groups of ancient theaters. Finally some more specific wave phenomena are addressed and discussed.

Application of PIXE to study ancient Iranian silver coins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliaiy, P.; Shokouhi, F.; Lamehi-Rachti, M.; Rahighi, J. [Van de Graaff Laboratory, AEOI, Tehran (Iran); Andami, P.; Dilmaghani, J.; Etezadi, M. [Tamashagah-e-Pool, General Office of Museums, MDFIR, Tehran (Iran)

1999-07-01

Ancient Iranian silver coins minted in various parts of the ancient Iran from Transoxiana to Mesopotamia over a time span of 460 years (247BC-208AD) during Parthians dynasty were analysed by PIXE with a 2.2 MeV proton beam. Forty seven silver coins owned by Tamashagah-e-Pool (museum of money) in Tehran were examined in this study. The possible correlation between the composition of coins and the minting time or the minting location of coins has been the prime objective of the present study. Elemental analysis of ancient coins could also reveal the direct relation with the political and economical situation and also with the metallurgy of the minting time. Results on the contents of principal component elements (Fe, Ni, Cu, As, Br, Ag, Sn, Sb, Ba, Au and Pb) are presented and discussed. (author)

Tradition and Creativity. Toward a Study of Intericonicity in Ancient Egyptian Art

OpenAIRE

Laboury, Dimitri

2017-01-01

Although a key-concept in Art historical discourse and reasoning, creativity has almost always been avoided as an issue in the discussion of Ancient Egyptian Art, as if the notion was simply irrelevant in such a context. This surprising phenomenon has clearly deep roots in the history of the western vision of Ancient Egyptian Art (and civilization). Nonetheless, the investigation of some (actually quite rare) cases of true copies in Ancient Egyptian Art reveals that creativity operated within...

Bathymetry of NPS's Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (Inshore), St. John, US Virgin Islands 2005, 1M Grid, UTM 20 NAD83

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains an ESRI Grid with 1 meter cell size representing the bathymetry of an inshore portion of the NPS's Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument,...

Peopling the past: new perspectives on the ancient Maya.

Science.gov (United States)

Robin, C

2001-01-02

The new direction in Maya archaeology is toward achieving a greater understanding of people and their roles and their relations in the past. To answer emerging humanistic questions about ancient people's lives Mayanists are increasingly making use of new and existing scientific methods from archaeology and other disciplines. Maya archaeology is bridging the divide between the humanities and sciences to answer questions about ancient people previously considered beyond the realm of archaeological knowledge.

Perseus Project: Interactive Teaching and Research Tools for Ancient Greek Civilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Gregory; Harward, V. Judson

1987-01-01

Describes the Perseus Project, an educational program utilizing computer technology to study ancient Greek civilization. Including approximately 10 percent of all ancient literature and visual information on architecture, sculpture, ceramics, topography, and archaeology, the project spans a range of disciplines. States that Perseus fuels student…

Atmospheric composition and micro-climate in the Alhambra monument, Granada (Spain), in the context of preventive conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Horemans, B.; Schalm, O.; De Wael, K.; Cardell, C.; Van Grieken, R.

2012-07-01

The world famous Alhambra monument in Granada, Southern Spain, listed as UNESCO world cultural heritage since 1984, represents probably the most beautiful example of Islamic art and architecture from the Middle Ages in Europe. It is visited by ca. 2 million people annually. Granada is situated in a natural basin, surrounded by mountains with altitudes up to 3500 m. Due to this topography and the prevailing low wind speeds, pollution-derived and especially traffic-derived particulate matter often accumulates in the urban air. In order to evaluate the potential conservation risks from the surrounding air, the atmospheric composition in the Alhambra monument was evaluated. Indoor temperature and relative humidity fluctuations were evaluated for their potential degenerative effects. Furthermore, the atmospheric composition in the Alhambra was analyzed in terms of inorganic gases (NO2, SO2, O3, and NH3) and black carbon. It was found that the open architecture protected the indoor environments from developing a potentially harmful microclimate, such as the build-up of humidity resulting from the huge number of daily tourists. On the downside, the strong ventilation made the indoor air hardly different from outdoor air, as characterized by strong diurnal temperature and relative humidity gradients and high traffic-derived pollutant levels.

Atmospheric composition and micro-climate in the Alhambra monument, Granada (Spain), in the context of preventive conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horemans, B; Schalm, O; De Wael, K; Van Grieken, R; Cardell, C

2012-01-01

The world famous Alhambra monument in Granada, Southern Spain, listed as UNESCO world cultural heritage since 1984, represents probably the most beautiful example of Islamic art and architecture from the Middle Ages in Europe. It is visited by ca. 2 million people annually. Granada is situated in a natural basin, surrounded by mountains with altitudes up to 3500 m. Due to this topography and the prevailing low wind speeds, pollution-derived and especially traffic-derived particulate matter often accumulates in the urban air. In order to evaluate the potential conservation risks from the surrounding air, the atmospheric composition in the Alhambra monument was evaluated. Indoor temperature and relative humidity fluctuations were evaluated for their potential degenerative effects. Furthermore, the atmospheric composition in the Alhambra was analyzed in terms of inorganic gases (NO 2 , SO 2 , O 3 , and NH 3 ) and black carbon. It was found that the open architecture protected the indoor environments from developing a potentially harmful microclimate, such as the build-up of humidity resulting from the huge number of daily tourists. On the downside, the strong ventilation made the indoor air hardly different from outdoor air, as characterized by strong diurnal temperature and relative humidity gradients and high traffic-derived pollutant levels.

Ancient tombs in China and shallow ground burial of solid low-intermediate level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yawen; Gu Cunli

1987-01-01

Having reviewed the experiences with ancient tombs in China, particularly the experiences with tomb siting, configuration of tombs, backfilling materials, civil engineering techniques, sealing techniques, drainage system, antiseptic techniques, a comparison between the ancient tombs and the shallow ground burial of solid radioactive wastes is made. The authors believe that the brilliant achievements of ancient tombs in China in keeping ancient corpses and funeral objects are a historical evidence for safety of shallow ground burial of radioactive wastes, and that the main experiences with the ancient tombs may be useful to shallow ground burial of solid radioactive wastes

Trace elements measurement by PIXE in the appraisal of the ancient potteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Z.Q.; Cheng, H.S.; Xia, H.N.; Jiang, J.C.; Gao, M.H.; Yang, F.J.

2002-01-01

Fifty pieces of pottery samples were collected from two domains with different types of ancient Sino-civilization. The concentrations of trace elements Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Rb, Sr, Y and Zr were measured by proton-induced X-ray emission technique. Multivariate statistical processing of the results allows us to locate the provenance of the ancient potteries. The experimental results also show that the relative trace element contents Ni-Rb-Zr are useful for distinguishing these two types of Chinese ancient potteries

Sex and Gender Related Health Status Differences in Ancient and Contemporary Skeletal Populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Velissaria Vanna

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Human skeletal and dental remains are an invaluable source of information for interpreting the way of life of past people and also provide the only direct evidence of non-living populations’ health status. This research paper discusses the sex-related health differences observed in two skeletal populations from Greece, an ancient and a modern, by employing multiple health indicators, and aims at determining the biological and possible social factors that contribute to this variation. Particular emphasis is given to the importance of hypotheses-driven, population-based studies of human remains as the most effective means of reconstructing life in the past. The results showed that fracture ('ancient': females 0.08%, males 0.12%; 'modern': females 0.38%, males 0.19% and osteoarthritis ('ancient': females 0.7%, males: 3.0%; 'modern': females 4.4%, males 3.2% frequencies were higher for male individuals than females in the ancient population, which can be explained by greater engagement in strenuous and risky activity. Dental caries ('ancient': females 1.2%, males 1.8%; 'modern': females 23.6%, males 17.4% and ante-mortem tooth loss ('ancient': females 12.3%, males 7.7%; 'modern': females 69.5%, males 49.5% rates were higher for females than males (with the exception of the almost equal caries rates for the ancient population, most likely due to hormonal fluctuations, saliva content and flow, because female teeth erupt earlier and also perhaps as a result of differences in dietary habits. Periodontitis levels were more elevated in males ('ancient': females 9.6%, males 30.1%; 'modern': females 29.1%, males 38.3%, possibly due to poor oral hygiene practices and excessive masticatory loading. Dental enamel defects rates showed that in the ancient population, males had more chances of surviving childhood stress than females (females 19.5%, males 20.0%, whereas, in the modern population, the exact opposite was the case (females 6.1%, males 22.7%.

Intraosseous neurilemmoma of the mandible: report of a rare ancient type.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahanshahi, Gholamreza; Haghighat, Abbas; Azmoodeh, Faezeh

2011-01-01

The neurilemmoma is a benign neoplasm of Schwann cell origin. One of the histopathologic subtypes of this tumor is ancient schwannoma which is characterized by degenerative alterations including cystic change, calcification, hemorrhage, and hyalinization.Intraosseous schwannomas especially ancient ones are rare tumors. Here we present a case of intraosseous ancient schwannoma in the lower jaw of an 11-year-old girl which caused a non-tender expansion. Radiographic examination showed a well-circumscribed, unilocular radiolucent lesion with thin sclerotic borders in the mandibular body and the ramus. Histopathologic examination of the incisional biopsy showed areas of typical Antoni A with verocay bodies and Antoni B that was strongly suggestive of a schwannoma. Complete excision of the lesion was done under general anesthesia. The histopathologic examination confirmed the primary diagnosis and also degenerative changes such as hyalinization and calcification. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of ancient schwannoma was made. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up examination after 3 months.

Feature recognition and detection for ancient architecture based on machine vision

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Zheng; Wang, Niannian; Zhao, Peng; Zhao, Xuefeng

2018-03-01

Ancient architecture has a very high historical and artistic value. The ancient buildings have a wide variety of textures and decorative paintings, which contain a lot of historical meaning. Therefore, the research and statistics work of these different compositional and decorative features play an important role in the subsequent research. However, until recently, the statistics of those components are mainly by artificial method, which consumes a lot of labor and time, inefficiently. At present, as the strong support of big data and GPU accelerated training, machine vision with deep learning as the core has been rapidly developed and widely used in many fields. This paper proposes an idea to recognize and detect the textures, decorations and other features of ancient building based on machine vision. First, classify a large number of surface textures images of ancient building components manually as a set of samples. Then, using the convolution neural network to train the samples in order to get a classification detector. Finally verify its precision.

Attitudes to Ancient Greek in Three Schools: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Frances

2018-01-01

This study comes in response to recent changes in UK policy, whereby Ancient Greek and Latin have been included alongside modern languages as part of the curriculum at Key Stage 2. It aims to understand how Ancient Greek is surviving and thriving in three different types of schools. After a short overview of the history of Greek teaching in the…

The research of contamination regularities of historical buildings and architectural monuments by methods of computer modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuzmichev Andrey A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the active step of urbanization and rapid development of industry the external appearance of buildings and architectural monuments of urban environment from visual ecology position requires special attention. Dust deposition by polluted atmospheric air is one of the key aspects of degradation of the facades of buildings. With the help of modern computer modeling methods it is possible to evaluate the impact of polluted atmospheric air on the external facades of the buildings in order to save them.

Preliminary Study of Ancient Town Protection and Rural Tourism Development of Caoshi Town in Hengdong County, Hunan Province

OpenAIRE

Liu, Tian-zhao; Yang, Zai-tian; Liu Pei-lin

2012-01-01

The typical style and features of mountains and waters in Caoshi Ancient Town, have hitherto been well preserved. Caoshi Ancient Town boasts superior base of the natural eco-environment and deep-rooted background of regional culture, where mountains, waters, shoals, towns and other landscape elements are merged harmoniously, the transportation and geographical conditions have been fundamentally changed. Ancient towns, old temples, ancient forests, ancient wells and ancient piers are unique in...

Problem-oriented approach to Ancient philosophy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berstov, Igor

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Igor Berestov and Marina Wolf of the Institute of philosophy and law, Novosibirsk, discuss various methodological difficulties typical of studies in the history of Ancient Greek philosophy and try to develop their own problem-oriented approach.

Environmental diagnosis of the Monument Natural Pedra do Cachorro, Pernambuco, Brazil | Diagnóstico ambiental do Monumento Natural Pedra do Cachorro, Pernambuco , Brasil

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Deivide Benício Soares

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The Conservation Unit Monument Natural Pedra do Cachorro, located in Pernambuco Agreste, helped to increase the representativeness of the Caatinga legally protected in the state of Pernambuco, reconcile the preservation of biological diversity and the use of natural resources with ecotourism and tourism adventure already developed in the region with great potential for expansion. This protected area was established by a state decree in 2014, but were not realized, until now, environmental diagnostics to characterize the natural environment of this area, nor was it prepared its management plan. The objective of this work is then present the main environmental characteristics of the Monument Natural Pedra do Cachorro, regarding the physical and biotic environment. It is expected also that this text will serve as a basis for further technical studies to be conducted in this Conservation Unit.

The value of ancient architecture for educational program of masters of architectural space design

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Prishchepa Aleksandr

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The existence of archaeological sites of ancient Greek colony-towns and medieval fortresses gives a real insight into the interaction of all spheres of human activity in ancient times. Ancient Greek Emporium is a vivid example of the architecture, art, archaeology and urban planning synthesis. Archaeological excavations provide an opportunity to study the artefacts of the ancient world belonging to several fields, such as sculpture, decorative arts, fashion design and household. Studying history of archaeology right on the place of excavation of an ancient city masters can imagine the scale of buildings, streets layout and location of business, administrative and residential buildings. It allows students to form professional way of thinking in a short period in order to gather the material and work on the master thesis.

Water quality study at the Congaree Swamp National monument of Myers Creek, Reeves Creek and Toms Creek. Technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rikard, M.

1991-11-01

The Congaree Swamp National Monument is one of the last significant near virgin tracts of bottom land hardwood forests in the Southeast United States. The study documents a water quality monitoring program on Myers Creek, Reeves Creek and Toms Creek. Basic water quality parameters were analyzed. High levels of aluminum and iron were found, and recommendations were made for further monitoring

NIMI TANTRA (Opthalmology of Ancient India).

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandran, C K

1984-04-01

The art of opthalmology was well developed in ancient India and was known as Nimi Tantra. In this paper the author presents the main features of Nimi Tantra an authoritative treatises written by Nimi, a prominent opthalmologist of his time.

NIMI TANTRA (Opthalmology of Ancient India)

OpenAIRE

Ramachandran, C.K.

1984-01-01

The art of opthalmology was well developed in ancient India and was known as Nimi Tantra. In this paper the author presents the main features of Nimi Tantra an authoritative treatises written by Nimi, a prominent opthalmologist of his time.

Research of Ancient Architectures in Jin-Fen Area Based on GIS and BIM Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Jing; Zheng, Qiuhong; Gao, Huiying; Sun, Hai

2017-01-01

The number of well-preserved ancient buildings located in Shanxi Province, enjoying the absolute maximum proportion of ancient architectures in China, is about 18418, among which, 9053 buildings have the structural style of wood frame. The value of the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) is gradually probed and testified in the corresponding fields of ancient architecture’s spatial distribution information management, routine maintenance and special conservation and restoration, the evaluation and simulation of related disasters, such as earthquake. The research objects are ancient architectures in JIN-FEN area, which were first investigated by Sicheng LIANG and recorded in his work of “Chinese ancient architectures survey report”. The research objects, i.e. the ancient architectures in Jin-Fen area include those in Sicheng LIANG’s investigation, and further adjustments were made through authors’ on-site investigation and literature searching and collection. During this research process, the spatial distributing Geodatabase of research objects is established utilizing GIS. The BIM components library for ancient buildings is formed combining on-site investigation data and precedent classic works, such as “Yingzao Fashi”, a treatise on architectural methods in Song Dynasty, “Yongle Encyclopedia” and “Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli”, case collections of engineering practice, by the Ministry of Construction of Qing Dynasty. A building of Guangsheng temple in Hongtong county is selected as an example to elaborate the BIM model construction process based on the BIM components library for ancient buildings. Based on the foregoing work results of spatial distribution data, attribute data of features, 3D graphic information and parametric building information model, the information management system for ancient architectures in Jin-Fen Area, utilizing GIS and BIM technology, could be constructed to support

The Phenomenon of Pathological Dissociation in the Ancient Chinese Medicine Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, Hong Wang

2018-01-01

Dissociative symptoms and disorders have been reported in many different cultures. If pathological dissociation is naturally occurring and related to adverse experiences, such phenomena should have been witnessed and portrayed before the modern age. To investigate whether this is the case, the author made use of the rich ancient Chinese medicine literature and looked for descriptions of pathological dissociation in medical documents written by ancient Chinese medical practitioners. In this paper, the author presents six cases selected from the ancient Chinese medicine literature. The phenomenon of pathological dissociation is observed in these cases. This is the first report of case descriptions of pathological dissociation documented in Chinese cultures before 1900.

Biofilm forming cyanobacteria, algae and fungi on two historic monuments in Belgrade, Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ljaljević-Grbić Milica

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Biofilm on the sandstone substrata of the bridge 'Brankov most' and on the granite substrata of the 'Monument of the Unknown Hero' contains a complex consortia of cyanobacteria, algae, and fungi. Coccoid and filamentous cyanobacteria, green algae and diatoms make up the photosynthetic part of the biofilm while hyphal fragments, chlamydospores, fruiting bodies and spores take part as fungal components. These structures make a dense layer by intertwining and overlapping the stone surface. Five cyanobacterial, 11 algal and 23 fungal taxa were found. The interaction of the biofilm's constituents results in the bioweathering of the stone substrata through mechanical penetration, acid corrosion and the production of secondary mycogenic biominerals. .

Modelling human agency in ancient irrigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ertsen, M.W.

2011-01-01

Human activity is key in understanding ancient irrigation systems. Results of short term actions build up over time, affecting civilizations on larger temporal and spatial scales. Irrigation systems, with their many entities, social and physical, their many interactions within a changing environment

Statistical guidelines for detecting past population shifts using ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mourier, Tobias; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Gilbert, Tom

2012-01-01

Populations carry a genetic signal of their demographic past, providing an opportunity for investigating the processes that shaped their evolution. Our ability to infer population histories can be enhanced by including ancient DNA data. Using serial-coalescent simulations and a range of both...... quantitative and temporal sampling schemes, we test the power of ancient mitochondrial sequences and nuclear single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to detect past population bottlenecks. Within our simulated framework, mitochondrial sequences have only limited power to detect subtle bottlenecks and/or fast...... results provide useful guidelines for scaling sampling schemes and for optimizing our ability to infer past population dynamics. In addition, our results suggest that many ancient DNA studies may face power issues in detecting moderate demographic collapses and/or highly dynamic demographic shifts when...

A decision support system for the reading of ancient documents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roued-Cunliffe, Henriette

2011-01-01

The research presented in this thesis is based in the Humanities discipline of Ancient History and begins by attempting to understand the interpretation process involved in reading ancient documents and how this process can be aided by computer systems such as Decision Support Systems (DSS...... this process in the five areas: remembering complex reasoning, searching huge datasets, international collaboration, publishing editions, and image enhancement. This research contains a large practical element involving the development of a DSS prototype. The prototype is used to illustrate how a DSS......, by remembering complex reasoning, can aid the process of interpretation that is reading ancient documents. It is based on the idea that the interpretation process goes through a network of interpretation. The network of interpretation illustrates a recursive process where scholars move between reading levels...

Detect, map, and preserve Bronze & Iron Age monuments along the pre-historic Silk Road

Science.gov (United States)

Balz, Timo; Caspari, Gino; Fu, Bihong

2017-02-01

Central Asia is rich in cultural heritage generated by thousands of years of human occupation. Aiming for a better understanding of Central Asia’s archaeology and how this unique heritage can be protected, the region should be studied as a whole with regard to its cultural ties with China and combined efforts should be undertaken in shielding the archaeological monuments from destruction. So far, international research campaigns have focused predominantly on single-sites or small-scale surveys, mainly due to the bureaucratic and security related issues involved in cross-border research. This is why we created the Dzungaria Landscape Project. Since 2013, we have worked on collecting remote sensing data of Xinjiang including IKONOS, WorldView-2, and TerraSAR-X data. We have developed a method for the automatic detection of larger grave mound structures in optical and SAR data. Gravemounds are typically spatially clustered and the detection of larger mound structures is a sufficient hint towards areas of high archaeological interest in a region. A meticulous remote sensing survey is the best planning tool for subsequent ground surveys and excavation. In summer 2015, we undertook a survey in the Chinese Altai in order to establish ground-truth in the Hailiutan valley. We categorized over 1000 monuments in just three weeks thanks to the previous detection and classification work using remote sensing data. Creating accurate maps of the cemeteries in northern Xinjiang is a crucial step to preserving the cultural heritage of the region since graves in remote areas are especially prone to looting. We will continue our efforts with the ultimate aim to map and monitor all large gravemounds in Dzungaria and potentially neighbouring eastern Kazakhstan.

Water availability and flood hazards in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Frank J.; Oster, E.A.

1979-01-01

The rock formations of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument area are aquifers that can be expected to yield less than 10 gallons of water per minute to wells. The most permeable of the geologic units is the alluvium that occurs at low elevations along the John Day River and most of the smaller streams. Wells in the alluvial deposits can be expected to yield adequate water supplies for recreational areas; also, wells completed in the underlying bedrock at depths ranging from 50 to 200 feet could yield as much as 10 gallons per minute. Pumping tests on two unused wells indicated yields of 8 gallons per minute and 2 gallons per minute. Nine of the ten springs measured in and near the monument area in late August of 1978 were flowing 0.2 to 30 gallons per minute. Only the Cant Ranch spring and the Johnny Kirk Spring near the Sheep Rock unit had flows exceeding 6 gallons per minute. Chemical analyses of selected constituents of the ground water indicated generally low concentrations of dissolved minerals. Although cloudbursts in the Painted Hills unit could generate a flood wave on the valley floors, flood danger can be reduced by locating recreational sites on high ground. The campground in Indian Canyon of the Clarno unit is vulnerable to cloudburst flooding. About 80 percent of the proposed campground on the John Day River in the Sheep Rock unit is above the estimated level of 1-percent chance flood (100-year flood) of the river. The 1-percent chance flood would extend about 120 feet from the riverbank into the upstream end of the campground. (USGS).

Lipids of aquatic sediments, recent and ancient

Science.gov (United States)

Eglinton, G.; Hajibrahim, S. K.; Maxwell, J. R.; Quirke, J. M. E.; Shaw, G. J.; Volkman, J. K.; Wardroper, A. M. K.

1979-01-01

Computerized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is now an essential tool in the analysis of the complex mixtures of lipids (geolipids) encountered in aquatic sediments, both 'recent' (less than 1 million years old) and ancient. The application of MS, and particularly GC-MS, has been instrumental in the rapid development of organic geochemistry and environmental organic chemistry in recent years. The techniques used have resulted in the identification of numerous compounds of a variety of types in sediments. Most attention has been concentrated on molecules of limited size, mainly below 500 molecular mass, and of limited functionality, for examples, hydrocarbons, fatty acids and alcohols. Examples from recent studies (at Bristol) of contemporary, 'recent' and ancient sediments are presented and discussed.

AMS radiocarbon dating of ancient Japanese sutras

CERN Document Server

Oda, H; Nakamura, T; Fujita, K

2000-01-01

Radiocarbon ages of ancient Japanese sutras whose historical ages were known paleographically were measured by means of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Calibrated radiocarbon ages of five samples were consistent with the corresponding historical ages; the 'old wood effect' is negligible for ancient Japanese sutras. Japanese paper has been made from fresh branches grown within a few years and the interval from trimming off the branches to writing sutra on the paper is within one year. The good agreement between the calibrated radiocarbon ages and the historical ages is supported by such characteristics of Japanese paper. It is indicated in this study that Japanese sutra is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating in the historic period because of little gap by 'old wood effect'.

AMS radiocarbon dating of ancient Japanese sutras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, Hirotaka; Yoshizawa, Yasukazu; Nakamura, Toshio; Fujita, Keiko

2000-01-01

Radiocarbon ages of ancient Japanese sutras whose historical ages were known paleographically were measured by means of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Calibrated radiocarbon ages of five samples were consistent with the corresponding historical ages; the 'old wood effect' is negligible for ancient Japanese sutras. Japanese paper has been made from fresh branches grown within a few years and the interval from trimming off the branches to writing sutra on the paper is within one year. The good agreement between the calibrated radiocarbon ages and the historical ages is supported by such characteristics of Japanese paper. It is indicated in this study that Japanese sutra is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating in the historic period because of little gap by 'old wood effect'

Ancient aliens on mars

CERN Document Server

Bara, Mike

2013-01-01

Best-selling author and Secret Space Program researcher Bara brings us this lavishly illustrated volume on alien structures on Mars. Was there once a vast, technologically advanced civilization on Mars, and did it leave evidence of its existence behind for humans to find eons later? Did these advanced extraterrestrial visitors vanish in a solar system wide cataclysm of their own making, only to make their way to Earth and start anew? Was Mars once as lush and green as the Earth, and teeming with life? Did Mars once orbit a missing member of the solar system, a "Super Earth” that vanished in a disaster that devastated life on Earth and Venus and left us only the asteroid belt as evidence of its once grand existence? Did the survivors of this catastrophe leave monuments and temples behind, arranged in a mathematical precision designed to teach us the Secret of a new physics that could lift us back to the stars? Does the planet have an automated defense shield that swallows up robotic probes if they wander int...

Comparing particle-size distributions in modern and ancient sand-bed rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, E. A.; Lynds, R. M.; Huzurbazar, S. V.

2011-12-01

Particle-size distributions yield valuable insight into processes controlling sediment supply, transport, and deposition in sedimentary systems. This is especially true in ancient deposits, where effects of changing boundary conditions and autogenic processes may be detected from deposited sediment. In order to improve interpretations in ancient deposits and constrain uncertainty associated with new methods for paleomorphodynamic reconstructions in ancient fluvial systems, we compare particle-size distributions in three active sand-bed rivers in central Nebraska (USA) to grain-size distributions from ancient sandy fluvial deposits. Within the modern rivers studied, particle-size distributions of active-layer, suspended-load, and slackwater deposits show consistent relationships despite some morphological and sediment-supply differences between the rivers. In particular, there is substantial and consistent overlap between bed-material and suspended-load distributions, and the coarsest material found in slackwater deposits is comparable to the coarse fraction of suspended-sediment samples. Proxy bed-load and slackwater-deposit samples from the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic, Utah/Colorado, USA) show overlap similar to that seen in the modern rivers, suggesting that these deposits may be sampled for paleomorphodynamic reconstructions, including paleoslope estimation. We also compare grain-size distributions of channel, floodplain, and proximal-overbank deposits in the Willwood (Paleocene/Eocene, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA), Wasatch (Paleocene/Eocene, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, USA), and Ferris (Cretaceous/Paleocene, Hanna Basin, Wyoming, USA) formations. Grain-size characteristics in these deposits reflect how suspended- and bed-load sediment is distributed across the floodplain during channel avulsion events. In order to constrain uncertainty inherent in such estimates, we evaluate uncertainty associated with sample collection, preparation, analytical

Reducing visitor noise levels at Muir Woods National Monument using experimental management.

Science.gov (United States)

Stack, David W; Peter, Newman; Manning, Robert E; Fristrup, Kurt M

2011-03-01

Noise impacts resources and visitor experience in many protected natural areas, and visitors can be the dominant source of noise. This experimental study tested the efficacy and acceptability of signs asking visitors to be quiet at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Signs declaring a "quiet zone" (at the park's Cathedral Grove) or a "quiet day" (throughout the park) were posted on a randomized schedule that included control days (no signs). Visitor surveys were conducted to measure the cognitive and behavioral responses of visitors to the signs and test the acceptability of these management practices to visitors. Visitors were highly supportive of these management practices and reported that they consciously limited the amount of noise they produced. Sound level measurements showed substantial decreases on days when signs were posted. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

[On the issue of healers of the Ancient China].

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarenko, V G

2010-01-01

The article is devoted to the first physicians of the Ancient China--I-Ing (XVII-XVI centuries BC) and I-Ho (VI-V centuries BC). On the basis of the investigation of the ancient sources the significant input of the mentioned physicians into the development of the traditional Chinese medicine, dietetics and diet therapy included is testified. In addition, their scientific approach to the issues of diagnostics and treatment on the basis of applying the natural philosophy principles of Yin-Yan and Y-Sin is demonstrated.

The potential for biologically catalyzed anaerobic methane oxidation on ancient Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlow, Jeffrey J; Larowe, Douglas E; Ehlmann, Bethany L; Amend, Jan P; Orphan, Victoria J

2014-04-01

This study examines the potential for the biologically mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction on ancient Mars. Seven distinct fluids representative of putative martian groundwater were used to calculate Gibbs energy values in the presence of dissolved methane under a range of atmospheric CO2 partial pressures. In all scenarios, AOM is exergonic, ranging from -31 to -135 kJ/mol CH4. A reaction transport model was constructed to examine how environmentally relevant parameters such as advection velocity, reactant concentrations, and biomass production rate affect the spatial and temporal dependences of AOM reaction rates. Two geologically supported models for ancient martian AOM are presented: a sulfate-rich groundwater with methane produced from serpentinization by-products, and acid-sulfate fluids with methane from basalt alteration. The simulations presented in this study indicate that AOM could have been a feasible metabolism on ancient Mars, and fossil or isotopic evidence of this metabolic pathway may persist beneath the surface and in surface exposures of eroded ancient terrains.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ORKHON INSCRIPTIONS IN TURKISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN TERMS OF VALUE TRANSFER I: TUNYUQUQ MONUMENT - ORHUN ABİDELERİNİN TÜRKÇE ÖĞRETİMİNDE DEĞER AKTARIMI AÇISINDAN ÖNEMİ I: TONYUKUK ABİDESİ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Nuri KARDAŞ

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Orkhon Inscriptions is one of the largest cultural heritages of the Turkish nation. These cultural assets are the property of being the memory of the nation they were born through. Indeed since these monuments transfer the values they contain to the future, they have a characteristic that is the masterpiece of the Turkish nation which plays a significant role. What a nation keeps alive is its values. In this sense, for the Turkish nation, it is important that these monuments is examined in terms of the transfer value and is used in educational activities. The aim of this study is to identify the values in Tunyuquq Monument which is the first of Orkhon Inscriptions and to determine the importance of these values in Turkish value transfer. In the study, the descriptive analysis, one of the qualitative research techniques, has been used. By the researcher, values form was prepared in consultation with experts and the value elements in Tunyuquq Monument were determined and then with the problem of the study, the following conclusions were reached: ?\tIn Tunyuquq Monument, about 179 value elements have been identified, directly or indirectly, including 25 different values of the Turkish nation. These values and their handling frequencies in the Monument are given as follows: Bravery - bravery value (f = 24, Leadership value (f = 21, Nation-family unity value (f = 15, Homeland - the nation benefit (f = 15, Taking responsibility value (f = 12, Freedom and independence value (f = 11, Diligence value (f = 9; Farsightedness value (f = 9, belief in God value (f = 9; Sacrifice value (f = 7, Integrity value (f = 5, Sensitivity-kindness value (f = 5, Respect value (f = 5, Solidarity value (f = 4, Loyalty value (f = 4, Tradition-customs value (f = 4, Wisdom value (f = 4, Peace value (f = 3, comply with laws-law of value (f = 3, Protect the language value (f = 3, Patriotism value (f = 2, Esteeming Elder’s sayings value (f= 2, faithfulness value (f=1

Earthquake Archaeology: a case study from Ancient Cnidus

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, I. S.; Altunel, E.; Piccardi, L.

2003-04-01

Ancient earthquakes can leave their mark in the mythical practices and literary accounts of ancient peoples, the stratigraphy of their site histories, and the structural integrity of their constructions. The ancient Greek/Roman city of Cnidus in southwestern Turkey records all three. A spectacular exposed fault plane cliff bordering the northern edge of the city appears to have been an important revered site, bearing votive niches carved into the near-vertical slip plane and associated with a Sanctuary of Demeter that implies a connection to the underworld. Stratigraphic evidence for earthquake faulting can be found in the form of a destruction horizon of contorted soil, relics and human remains exposed in the original excavations of the Sanctuary of Demeter by Sir Charles Newton (1857-58) and in a destruction horizon of burnt soil and bone uncovered by the ongoing excavation of a colonnaded street. Structural damage to constructions is widespread across the site, with warped and offset walls in the Sanctuary of Demeter, collapsed buildings in several places, and a parallel arrangement of fallen columns in the colonnaded street. The most remarkable structural evidence for fault activity, however, is the rupture of the ancient city's famous Round Temple of Aphrodite, whose podium reveals a history of damage and which is unambiguously displaced across a bedrock fault. While these phenomena are equivocal when viewed in isolation, collectively they imply at least two damaging earthquakes at the site, one (possibly both) of which ruptured along the fault on which the city is found. The Cnidus case study highlights how reliable identification of archaeoseismic damage relies on compiling an assemblage of indicators rather than the discovery of a diagnostic "smoking gun".

Geomorphic reconstructions in the environs of ancient troy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, J C; Kayan, I; Erol, O

1980-08-15

Sea level rise, deltaic progradation, and floodplain aggradation have changed the landscape in the vicinity of ancient Troy during the past 10,000 years. With the waning of the last major world glaciation and resultant sea level rise and fluctuation, a marine embayment protruded nearly 10 kilometers south of the site of Troy at Hisarlik in the Troad of northwest Turkey. As the sea approached its present level approximately 6000 years ago, fluvial and marine deposition caused a northerly migration of the delta and floodplain of the Scamander and Simois Rivers past the site of Troy toward the present-day coast about 6 kilometers north of the site. In view of these major changes in morphology, interpretations of ancient geographies related to historical or historical-mythological settings must be changed. A number of paleogeographic maps have been reconstructed with the use of subsurface data that records the continuing landscape change since the first occupancy of the site at Troy 5000 years ago. These show that ancient Troy was located on an embayment of the sea. If the Trojan War occurred, then the axis of the battlefield and associated events must be relocated to the south and west of Troy.

Qué hacer con un modelo arqueológico virtual. Aplicaciones de la inteligencia artificial en visualización científica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan A. Barceló

2011-05-01

Full Text Available For years, artists have collaborated with archaeologists in order to “reconstruct” all those ancient things not preserved in the archaeological record, and they have provided archaeologists with artistic depictions of the past. Regrettably, modern “computer visualizations” do not modify this attitude. There are thousands of “computer reconstructions” of ancient monuments and prehistoric objects available today, but most of them are absolutely useless. Alternatively, we propose a different approach where computer visualization is defined as the automatic logical deduction of visual properties of three-dimensional objects instrumentally acquired. A general framework inspired in modern artificial intelligence is here proponed.

PLEIADES IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

OpenAIRE

Verderame, L.

2016-01-01

In this paper I will analyse the different features of the Pleiades in the astronomical, astrological, and calendrical interpretation as well as their mythical and cultural background in ancient Mesopotamia. According to cuneiform sources, the Pleiades are among the most important stars. They are simply known in Sumerian as ―the Stars‖ (MUL.MUL), while their Akkadian name, ―the Bristle‖ (zappu), links them to the imagery and the cultural context of the ―Bull of Heaven‖ constellation (Taurus),...

Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Monument Valley site, Monument Valley, Arizona. A summary of the Phase II, Title I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has performed an engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at the Monument Valley millsite in Arizona. The Phase II, Title I services include the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and other radium-contaminated materials, the evaluation of resulting radiation exposures of individuals residing nearby, the investigation of site hydrology and meteorology and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the tailings on the site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation are also factors. The sparse population and relatively low radiation levels yield minimal immediate environmental impact; hence, the two alternative actions presented are directed towards restricting access to the site (Options I and II), and returning the windblown tailings to the pile and stabilizing the pile with 2 ft of cover material (Option II). Both options include remedial action costs for offsite locations where tailings have been placed. Cost estimates for the two options are $585,000 and $1,165,000. Reprocessing the tailings for uranium is not economically feasible

Modern tree species composition reflects ancient Maya "forest gardens" in northwest Belize.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Nanci J

2011-01-01

Ecology and ethnobotany were integrated to assess the impact of ancient Maya tree-dominated home gardens (i.e., "forest gardens"), which contained a diversity of tree species used for daily household needs, on the modern tree species composition of a Mesoamerican forest. Researchers have argued that the ubiquity of these ancient gardens throughout Mesoamerica led to the dominance of species useful to Maya in the contemporary forest, but this pattern may be localized depending on ancient land use. The tested hypothesis was that species composition would be significantly different between areas of dense ancient residential structures (high density) and areas of little or no ancient settlement (low density). Sixty-three 400-m2 plots (31 high density and 32 low density) were censused around the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve in northwestern Belize. Species composition was significantly different, with higher abundances of commonly utilized "forest garden" species still persisting in high-density forest areas despite centuries of abandonment. Subsequent edaphic analyses only explained 5% of the species composition differences. This research provides data on the long-term impacts of Maya forests gardens for use in development of future conservation models. For Mesoamerican conservation programs to work, we must understand the complex ecological and social interactions within an ecosystem that developed in intimate association with humans.

LUTETIAN LIMESTONES IN THE PARIS REGION: PETROGRAPHIC AND COMPOSITIONAL EXAMINATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BLANC, A.; HOLMES, L.L.; HARBOTTLE, G.

1998-01-01

Stone for building and decorating monuments in the Paris Basin from antiquity to the present came from numerous quarries in the Lutetian limestone formations of the region. To identify specific-stone sources used for masonry and sculptures in these monuments, a team of geologists and archaeologists has investigated 300 quarries and collected 2,300 limestone samples for study in a collaborative effort by geologists and chemists. Petrographic and paleontologic examinations of thin sections enable geologists to distinguish the Tertiary Lutetian limestones from similar stone in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata. The methods of the geologist have been supplemented by those of the chemist whose compositional studies by neutron activation analysis can differentiate among the fine-grained upper Lutetian limestones extracted from specific ancient quarries

Persian architecture and mathematics

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

This volulme features eight original papers dedicated to the theme “Persian Architecture and Mathematics,” guest edited by Reza Sarhangi. All papers were approved through a rigorous process of blind peer review and edited by an interdisciplinary scientific editorial committee. Topics range from symmetry in ancient Persian architecture to the elaborate geometric patterns and complex three-dimensional structures of standing monuments of historical periods, from the expression of mathematical ideas to architectonic structures, and from decorative ornament to the representation of modern group theory and quasi-crystalline patterns. The articles discuss unique monuments Persia, including domed structures and two-dimensional patterns, which have received significant scholarly attention in recent years. This book is a unique contribution to studies of Persian architecture in relation to mathematics.

Epigrafía latina e historia antigua

OpenAIRE

Abascal Palazón, Juan Manuel

1995-01-01

This article contains a rapid review of the abundant information furnished by the Latin inscriptions to our knowledge of Ancient History. To this effect a rapid balance is made of the Latin epigraphs known today and the advances made in the study of their supports and the context of the texts, and the study ends with an evaluation of the architectural function of some of the monuments.

The Development of Museology in Turkey, a Spatial Analysis of Museums and their Contribution to Tourism in Turkey

OpenAIRE

Ismail Kervankiran; Kadir Temurcin; Mustafa Yakar

2016-01-01

Cultural attractions include museums, art galleries, festivals, ancient structures, historical and architectural monuments, heritage sites, artistic activities and demonstrations as well as religious trips, language characteristics, local and authentic values, olimpiads, clothing style, traditions, and food culture. As being one of the most important components of cultural tourism, the museums in recent years have experienced a change in their functions, increased the number of tourists and p...

The Teotihuacan Anomaly: The Historical Trajectory of Urban Design in Ancient Central Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smith Michael E.

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The ancient Mexican city of Teotihuacan had the most aberrant design of any city in ancient Mesoamerica. I examine similarities and differences between the design of Teotihuacan and other Mesoamerican cities. During the Preclassic period, a set of common Mesoamerican planning principles emerged. The designers of Teotihuacan rejected most of these principles in favor of a new and radical set of planning concepts. After the fall of Teotihuacan, subsequent urban planners ignored the Teotihuacan principles and returned to ancient Mesoamerican planning ideas. Elements of the Teotihuacan plan did not resurface until the Mexica of Tenochtitlan revived them for a specific goal. The historical sequence of central Mexican city layouts highlights the anomalous character of Teotihuacan’s principles of urban design within the canons of ancient Mesoamerican urbanism.

Ancient Israelite and African proverbs as advice, reproach, warning, encouragement and explanation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David T. Adamo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available With few exceptions, the majority of biblical scholars (Euroamericans and Africans concentrate on comparing ancient Israelite proverbs with the so-called ancient Near Eastern proverbs. Despite the importance of proverbs in Sub-Saharan Africa it is doubly unfortunate that the majority of African biblical scholars did not think it wise to compare proverbs from ancient Israel with Sub-Saharan African proverbs. It is also a double tragedy that young people in Sub-Saharan Africa are ignorant of proverbs because they have refused to learn them because they think them archaic. Proverbs in both ancient Israel and in Africa are similar in function and classification. Thus, they serve as advice, reproach, warning, encouragement and further explanation of some facts. They have great value and importance, such as giving a sense of identity, community, culture, respect for authority and elders, sacredness of everything under the sun and a sense of hospitality and others.

Paleo-oncology: the role of ancient remains in the study of cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Halperin, Edward C

2004-01-01

Paleo-oncology is the study of carcinomas and sarcomas in ancient human populations and their hominid precursors. These populations are informative concerning the possible influences on cancer of morphologic and functional evolution, diet, lifestyle, and other environmental factors. The prevalence of cancer in ancient populations might have differed from that in modern humans, because of substantial differences in tobacco and alcohol use, diet, life expectancy, and the availability of treatment. The available physical data concerning cancer in antiquity includes evidence of its existence in animal fossils and ancient humans and their precursors. The difficulties of paleo-oncologic research include a limited soft tissue record. In evaluating cancer in ancient remains, one must also deal with the problem of pseudopathology: whether an observed tissue change is all antemortem pathologic lesion or a postmortem artifact. Future archeological discoveries and the application of improved diagnostic techniques may enable paleo-oncology to make further contributions to our understanding of cancer.

Mycorrhizal symbiosis: ancient signalling mechanisms co-opted

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geurts, R.; Vleeshouwers, V.G.A.A.

2012-01-01

Mycorrhizal root endosymbiosis is an ancient property of land plants. Two parallel studies now provide novel insight into the mechanism driving this interaction and how it is used by other filamentous microbes like pathogenic oomycetes.

Application of INAA in analysis of Chinese ancient greenish white porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Cheng; Songlin Feng; Rongwu Li

2009-01-01

This paper reports the applications of INAA in analysis of Chinese ancient porcelain fired from early Northern Song dynasty (AD 1004-1127) to Late Yuan dynasty (AD 1320-1368) in Hutian Kiln. Minor and trace elements of 168 pieces of ancient porcelain bodies were determined by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are also discussed in this paper. (author)

Unlocking the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Riechers, Maggie

1995-01-01

Describes the work of Egyptologist William Murnane who is recording the ritual scenes and inscriptions of a great columned hall from the days of the pharaohs. The 134 columns, covered with divine imagery and hieroglyphic inscriptions represent an unpublished religious text. Briefly discusses ancient Egyptian culture. Includes several photographs…

Intraosseous neurilemmoma of the mandible: Report of a rare ancient type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gholamreza Jahanshahi

2011-01-01

Intraosseous schwannomas especially ancient ones are rare tumors. Here we present a case of intraosseous ancient schwannoma in the lower jaw of an 11-year-old girl which caused a non-tender expansion. Radiographic examination showed a well-circumscribed, unilocular radiolucent lesion with thin sclerotic borders in the mandibular body and the ramus. Histopathologic examination of the incisional biopsy showed areas of typical Antoni A with verocay bodies and Antoni B that was strongly suggestive of a schwannoma. Complete excision of the lesion was done under general anesthesia. The histopathologic examination confirmed the primary diagnosis and also degenerative changes such as hyalinization and calcification. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of ancient schwannoma was made. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up examination after 3 months.

The Service Status and Development Strategy of the Mobile Application Service of Ancient Books Database

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Yang Siluo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available [Purpose/significance] The mobile application of ancient books database is a change of the ancient books database from the online version to the mobile one. At present, the mobile application of ancient books database is in the initial stage of development, so it is necessary to investigate the current situation and provide suggestions for the development of it. [Method/process] This paper selected two kinds of ancient books databases, namely WeChat platform and the mobile phone client, and analyzed the operation mode and the main function. [Result/conclusion] We come to conclusion that the ancient database mobile application has some defects, such as resources in a small scale, single content and data form, and the function of single platform construction is not perfect, users pay inadequate attention to such issues. Then, we put forward some corresponding suggestions and point out that in order to construct ancient books database mobile applications, it is necessary to improve the platform construction, enrich the data form and quantity, optimize the function, emphasize the communication and interaction with the user.

Study on the provenance of ancient porcelain excavated in Maojiawan ruin by WDXRF analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Guoxi

2007-01-01

In order to determine the provenance of two different kinds of ancient celadons which were excavated in Maojiawan ruin located in Beijing of China and named FLQ (imitated celadon) and WLNQ which is celadon outside and blue-white inside, ten components of each sample's body and glaze were measured by the wave length dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) analysis. Multivariates statistical analysis was used to analyze and compare the experiment data with those of LQY (ancient celadon) made in Zhejiang and ancient Jingdezhen porcelain (JDZ) made in Jingdezhen. The results show that the two different kinds of ancient celadons have the same provenance as JDZ, that is, they were produced in Jingdezhen. (authors)

Sun-Earth Day 2005: Ancient Observatories: Timeless Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Thieman, J. R.; Cline, T.; Lewis, E.; Hawkins, I.; Odenwald, S.; Mayo, L.

2005-05-01

The NASA Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum (SECEF) annually promotes an event called Sun-Earth Day. For Sun-Earth Day 2005 SECEF has selected a theme called "Ancient Observatories: Timeless Knowledge. This year's Sun-Earth Day theme is your ticket to a fascinating journey through time as we explore centuries of sun watching by a great variety of cultures. From ancient solar motion tracking to modern solar activity monitoring the Sun has always occupied an important spot in mankind's quest to understand the Universe. Sun-Earth Day events usually are centered on the spring equinox around March 21, but this year there has already been a webcast from the San Francisco Exploratorium and the Native American ruins at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico on the day of winter solstice 2004. There will be another webcast on March 20 live from Chichen Itza, Mexico highlighting the solar alignment that makes a serpent appear on one of the ancient pyramids. The website http://sunearthday.nasa.gov has been developed to provide the necessary resources and opportunities for participation by scientists and educators in giving school or general public programs about Sun-Earth Day. The goal is to involve as much of the student population and the public in this event as possible and to help them understand the importance of the Sun for ancient and modern peoples. Through engaging activities available on the website, classrooms and museums can create their own event or participate in one of the opportunities we make available. Scientists, educators, amateur astronomers, and museums are invited to register on the website to receive a free packet of materials about Sun-Earth Day for use in making presentations or programs about the event. Past and future Sun-Earth Days will be discussed as well.

Enlightenment from ancient Chinese urban and rural stormwater management practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Che; Qiao, Mengxi; Wang, Sisi

2013-01-01

Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Chinese implemented several outstanding projects to cope with the changing climate and violent floods. Some of these projects are still in use today. These projects evolved from the experience and knowledge accumulated through the long coexistence of people with nature. The concepts behind these ancient stormwater management practices, such as low-impact development and sustainable drainage systems, are similar to the technology applied in modern stormwater management. This paper presents the cases of the Hani Terrace in Yunnan and the Fushou drainage system of Ganzhou in Jiangxi. The ancient Chinese knowledge behind these cases is seen in the design concepts and the features of these projects. These features help us to understand better their applications in the contemporary environment. In today's more complex environment, integrating traditional and advanced philosophy with modern technologies is extremely useful in building urban and rural stormwater management systems in China.

Ancient sea reptile found at Syncrude formally described

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2008-05-15

This article provided details of an ancient reptile that once swam in ancient seas near the present location of Alberta's oil sands region. The plesiosaur has now been named after a curator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum who was also a renowned paleontologist. The nearly complete remains of one of the oldest plesiosaur fossils were recovered at a Syncrude Canada mine near Fort McMurray in 1994. Paleontologists from the University of Calgary have recently published a paper on the prehistoric aquatic predator in a German research journal. A plaster cast of the plesiosaur found at the Syncrude site is now on display at the Oil Sands Discovery Centre in Fort McMurray. 1 fig.

Unusually large quiescent ancient schwannoma of hypoglossal nerve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangeeta P Wanjari

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Ancient schwannoma is considered as a variant of schwannoma, comprising about 10% of all schwanommas. Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm derived from the nerve sheath of peripheral motor, sensory and sympathetic nerves and from the cranial nerve pairs. It usually presents as a solitary soft-tissue lesion which is slow growing, encapsulated and is often associated with nerve attached peripherally. Diagnosis is often confirmed with the microscopic examination. The long standing schwannoma attributes to degenerative changes and is termed "ancient" schwannoma. Present case is of a 68-year-old female patient who reported with an asymptomatic large swelling below mandible on the left side since last 23 years. The lesion was surgically excised under general anesthesia.

Insights into Modern Human Prehistory Using Ancient Genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Melinda A; Fu, Qiaomei

2018-03-01

The genetic relationship of past modern humans to today's populations and each other was largely unknown until recently, when advances in ancient DNA sequencing allowed for unprecedented analysis of the genomes of these early people. These ancient genomes reveal new insights into human prehistory not always observed studying present-day populations, including greater details on the genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow that characterized past human populations, particularly in early Eurasia, as well as increased insight on the relationship between archaic and modern humans. Here, we review genetic studies on ∼45000- to 7500-year-old individuals associated with mainly preagricultural cultures found in Eurasia, the Americas, and Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

History, etymology, and fallacy: attitudes toward male masturbation in the ancient Western world.

Science.gov (United States)

Elia, J P

1987-01-01

This article examines the attitudes toward male masturbation in the ancient western world. More specifically, this work deals with ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. By comparing each epoch and geographic region, intolerance of autoerotic activity can be seen. Although there is a pattern of intolerance, the act of masturbation is always viewed provisionally. In addition, by examining these three periods of history not only can attitudes be scrutinized, but also it can be seen quite clearly that there was no golden age of sexuality: The attitude of accepted and encouraged unlimited and varied sexual practices does not exist in the ancient western world. As in many other cultures in various stages of history, procreative sexuality is the dominating theme. Thus, current attitudes of sex are derived from, and still survive due to the influence of, ancient western civilization.

Ancient hepatitis B viruses from the Bronze Age to the Medieval period

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mühlemann, Barbara; Jones, Terry C.; Damgaard, Peter de Barros

2018-01-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of human hepatitis. There is considerable uncertainty about the timescale of its evolution and its association with humans. Here we present 12 full or partial ancient HBV genomes that are between approximately 0.8 and 4.5 thousand years old. The ancient se...

Cardiovascular benefits from ancient grain bread consumption: findings from a double-blinded randomized crossover intervention trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sereni, Alice; Cesari, Francesca; Gori, Anna Maria; Maggini, Niccolò; Marcucci, Rossella; Casini, Alessandro; Sofi, Francesco

2017-02-01

Ancient grain varieties have been shown to have some beneficial effects on health. Forty-five clinically healthy subjects were included in a randomized, double-blinded crossover trial aimed at evaluating the effect of a replacement diet with bread derived from ancient grain varieties versus modern grain variety on cardiovascular risk profile. After 8 weeks of intervention, consumption of bread obtained by the ancient varieties showed a significant amelioration of various cardiovascular parameters. Indeed, the ancient varieties were shown to result in a significant reduction of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and blood glucose, whereas no significant differences during the phase with the modern variety were reported. Moreover, a significant increase in circulating endothelial progenitor cells were reported after the consumption of products made from the ancient "Verna" variety. The present results suggest that a dietary consumption of bread obtained from ancient grain varieties was effective in reducing cardiovascular risk factors.

Resource Economics and Institutions in Ancient Athens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Brooks

Institutional development in ancient Athens ranged from banking and legally recorded and sustained private ownership of a variety of goods and services that enabled domestic and international trade to liturgical mechanisms for procurement of public goods. These institutions in turn provided...... agreements with Macedonia (IG I2 105). However, no regular channels of trade or transactions are identified before this Macedonian agreement (407/6). We know that some constructed ships were forcefully appropriated to one degree or another through hegemonic tribute or battle (through which they might also......, the “most silent and least recorded of the major ancient industries” (Meiggs). Aristotle highlighted both the threat of illegal forest use and the need for public intervention to curtail it by identifying forest wardens as one of the key items needing state provision for democratic governance (Aristot. Pol...

Moessbauer study of ancient iron smelting slag in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakanishi, A.

2008-01-01

For an investigation of the ancient iron manufacturing technique, a reproducing experiment was carried out by archaeologists, where ancient type of iron smelting furnace was built and iron sand with high titanium contents was used as the raw material. During the operation of furnace, a large amount of slag flowed away from the furnace. In order to investigate the possibility for the estimation about the operative condition of furnace and the raw material, 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy was applied for characterizing these slags and it was found that these slags mainly consisted of ferropseudobrookite (FeTi 2 O 5 ).

The fingerprint elements analysis on the provenance relation between ancient chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Weijuan; Xie Jianzhong; Li Guoxia; Gao Zhengyao; Li Rongwu; Zhang Bin; Feng Songlin; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

2002-01-01

The 46 samples of glazes and bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, Jun Porcelain and imitative porcelain were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The contents of 36 elements for each sample were measured, the eight elements were chosen as the fingerprint elements to complete scatter analysis. The result showed that the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain had almost identical and stable sources of raw materials. The close provenance relation between ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain was preliminarily verified. It is found that most modern Jun porcelain samples were similar to the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain, three modern Ru porcelain samples were similar to the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain. Jingdezhen porcelain has no relation to Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

On Ancient Babylonian Algebra and Geometry

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 8; Issue 8. On Ancient Babylonian Algebra and Geometry. Rahul Roy. General Article Volume 8 Issue 8 August 2003 pp 27-42. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/008/08/0027-0042. Keywords.

Eternal Egypt: Masterworks of Ancient Art from the British Museum. Learning from Exhibitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Mark M.

2001-01-01

Introduces the exhibition "Eternal Egypt: Masterworks of Ancient Art from the British Museum" that explores the four major periods of Egyptian history. Provides background information on ancient Egypt and describes the art that was present in each of the four kingdoms. (CMK)

The history of parkinsonism: descriptions in ancient Indian medical literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Ovallath, Sujith; Deepa, P

2013-05-01

The clinical syndrome of parkinsonism was identified in ancient India even before the period of Christ and was treated methodically. The earliest reference to bradykinesia dates to 600 bc. Evidences prove that as early as 300 bc, Charaka proposed a coherent picture of parkinsonism by describing tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and gait disturbances as its components. The scenario was further developed by Madhava, Vagbhata, and Dalhana all through history. The 15th-century classic "Bhasava rajyam" introduced the term kampavata, which may be regarded as an ayurvedic analogue of parkinsonism. The pathogenesis of kampavata centered on the concept of imbalance in the vata factor, which controls psychomotor activities. The essential element in therapy was the administration of powdered seed of Mucuna pruriens, or atmagupta, which as per reports, contains 4%-6% of levodopa. In addition to proving the existence and identification of parkinsonism in ancient India, the study points to the significance of ancient Indian Sanskrit works in medical history. Copyright © 2013 Movement Disorder Society.

Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Warinner, Christina; Matias Rodrigues, João F.; Vyas, Rounak; Trachsel, Christian; Shved, Natallia; Grossmann, Jonas; Radini, Anita; Hancock, Y.; Tito, Raul Y.; Fiddyment, Sarah; Speller, Camilla; Hendy, Jessica; Charlton, Sophy; Luder, Hans Ulrich; Salazar-García, Domingo C.; Eppler, Elisabeth; Seiler, Roger; Hansen, Lars; Samaniego Castruita, José Alfredo; Barkow-Oesterreicher, Simon; Teoh, Kai Yik; Kelstrup, Christian; Olsen, Jesper V.; Nanni, Paolo; Kawai, Toshihisa; Willerslev, Eske; von Mering, Christian; Lewis, Cecil M.; Collins, Matthew J.; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Rühli, Frank; Cappellini, Enrico

2014-01-01

Calcified dental plaque (dental calculus) preserves for millennia and entraps biomolecules from all domains of life and viruses. We report the first high-resolution taxonomic and protein functional characterization of the ancient oral microbiome and demonstrate that the oral cavity has long served as a reservoir for bacteria implicated in both local and systemic disease. We characterize: (i) the ancient oral microbiome in a diseased state, (ii) 40 opportunistic pathogens, (iii) the first evidence of ancient human-associated putative antibiotic resistance genes, (iv) a genome reconstruction of the periodontal pathogen Tannerella forsythia, (v) 239 bacterial and 43 human proteins, allowing confirmation of a long-term association between host immune factors, “red-complex” pathogens, and periodontal disease, and (vi) DNA sequences matching dietary sources. Directly datable and nearly ubiquitous, dental calculus permits the simultaneous investigation of pathogen activity, host immunity, and diet, thereby extending the direct investigation of common diseases into the human evolutionary past. PMID:24562188

Architecture Of Uzbekistan Of The Ancient Period Style Features And Composition Laws

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurmukhamedova Shoira Zahidovna

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Specific features of the development of architecture in Uzbekistan in ancient period are considered in the paper. The author emphasizes the role of building materials and structures studies the composition of ancient settlements in Khorezm and Bactria reveals a high level of military architecture and planning principles of residential and castle structures.

Ancient DNA from nomads in 2500-year-old archeological sites of Pengyang, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yong-Bin; Li, Hong-Jie; Cai, Da-Wei; Li, Chun-Xiang; Zhang, Quan-Chao; Zhu, Hong; Zhou, Hui

2010-04-01

Six human remains (dating approximately 2500 years ago) were excavated from Pengyang, China, an area occupied by both ancient nomadic and farming people. The funerary objects found with these remains suggested they were nomads. To further confirm their ancestry, we analyzed both the maternal lineages and paternal lineages of the ancient DNA. From the mitochondrial DNA, six haplotypes were identified as three haplogroups: C, D4 and M10. The haplotype-sharing populations and phylogenetic analyses revealed that these individuals were closely associated with the ancient Xiongnu and modern northern Asians. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis of Y chromosomes from four male samples that were typed as haplogroup Q indicated that these people had originated in Siberia. These results show that these ancient people from Pengyang present a close genetic affinity to nomadic people, indicating that northern nomads had reached the Central Plain area of China nearly 2500 years ago.

An ancient relation between units of length and volume based on a sphere.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Zapassky

Full Text Available 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.

Intrinsic challenges in ancient microbiome reconstruction using 16S rRNA gene amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziesemer, Kirsten A; Mann, Allison E; Sankaranarayanan, Krithivasan; Schroeder, Hannes; Ozga, Andrew T; Brandt, Bernd W; Zaura, Egija; Waters-Rist, Andrea; Hoogland, Menno; Salazar-García, Domingo C; Aldenderfer, Mark; Speller, Camilla; Hendy, Jessica; Weston, Darlene A; MacDonald, Sandy J; Thomas, Gavin H; Collins, Matthew J; Lewis, Cecil M; Hofman, Corinne; Warinner, Christina

2015-11-13

To date, characterization of ancient oral (dental calculus) and gut (coprolite) microbiota has been primarily accomplished through a metataxonomic approach involving targeted amplification of one or more variable regions in the 16S rRNA gene. Specifically, the V3 region (E. coli 341-534) of this gene has been suggested as an excellent candidate for ancient DNA amplification and microbial community reconstruction. However, in practice this metataxonomic approach often produces highly skewed taxonomic frequency data. In this study, we use non-targeted (shotgun metagenomics) sequencing methods to better understand skewed microbial profiles observed in four ancient dental calculus specimens previously analyzed by amplicon sequencing. Through comparisons of microbial taxonomic counts from paired amplicon (V3 U341F/534R) and shotgun sequencing datasets, we demonstrate that extensive length polymorphisms in the V3 region are a consistent and major cause of differential amplification leading to taxonomic bias in ancient microbiome reconstructions based on amplicon sequencing. We conclude that systematic amplification bias confounds attempts to accurately reconstruct microbiome taxonomic profiles from 16S rRNA V3 amplicon data generated using universal primers. Because in silico analysis indicates that alternative 16S rRNA hypervariable regions will present similar challenges, we advocate for the use of a shotgun metagenomics approach in ancient microbiome reconstructions.

Climate and Ancient Societies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Climate, and human responses to it, have a strongly interconnected relationship. This when climate change occurs, the result of either natural or human causes, societies should react and adapt to these. But do they? If so, what is the nature of that change, and are the responses positive...... or negative for the long-term survival of social groups? In this volume, scholars from diverse disciplines including archaeology, geology and climate sciences explore scientific and material evidence for climate changes in the past, their causes, their effects on ancient societies and how those societies...

Mathematics in ancient Greece

CERN Document Server

Dantzig, Tobias

2006-01-01

More than a history of mathematics, this lively book traces mathematical ideas and processes to their sources, stressing the methods used by the masters of the ancient world. Author Tobias Dantzig portrays the human story behind mathematics, showing how flashes of insight in the minds of certain gifted individuals helped mathematics take enormous forward strides. Dantzig demonstrates how the Greeks organized their precursors' melange of geometric maxims into an elegantly abstract deductive system. He also explains the ways in which some of the famous mathematical brainteasers of antiquity led

Illuminating the evolution of equids and rodents with next-generation sequencing of ancient specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mouatt, Julia Thidamarth Vilstrup

enrichment methods and the massive throughput and latest advances within DNA sequencing, the field of ancient DNA has flourished in later years. Those advances have even enabled the sequencing of complete genomes from the past, moving the field into genomic sciences. In this thesis we have used these latest......The sequencing of ancient DNA provides perspectives on the genetic history of past populations and extinct species. However, ancient DNA research presents specific limitations mostly due to DNA survival, damage and contamination. Yet with stringent laboratory procedures, the sensitivity of target...... developments within ancient DNA research, including target enrichment capture and Next-Generation Sequencing, to address a range of evolutionary questions related to two major mammalian groups, equids and rodents. In particular we have resolved phylogenetic relationships within equids using complete mitochond...

Oscillatory ripples, evaluation of ancient wave climates and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Oscillatory ripples, evaluation of ancient wave climates and epierogeny in the Anambra ... conditions, epierogenic patterns and paleogeographic history of the basins. ... shallow and marked by low to moderate hydrodynamic energy conditions.

Ancient Chinese Fangzhongshu (Sexual Skills and Methods Therapy for Premature Ejaculation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Zhu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Premature ejaculation (PE is a common male sexual dysfunction that can have significant effects on a couple’s relationship. Behavioral therapy and psychotherapy are both safe and effective methods of treating PE. Ancient Chinese fangzhongshu (sexual skills and methods, which reflects a summary of expert experiences in sexology, contains many therapies for sexual dysfunction that are similar to those used in behavioral therapy or psychotherapy. A brief introduction dealing with the latest definitions of PE and treatment strategies drawn from behavioral therapy and psychotherapy is provided. Typical therapies for PE from ancient Chinese fangzhongshu are listed and briefly analyzed in order to define their domain of applicability and instructions for use. Ancient Chinese fangzhongshu contains many effective and safe therapies for PE. It should be incorporated into modern medical practice after critical analysis, and its scientific aspects should be promoted as a way of improving reproductive health, both to benefit individuals affected by PE and to promote traditional Chinese culture. Based on an analysis of the condition of the individual patient, one or multiple therapies guided by fangzhongshu can be expected to have an effect on the patient. Ancient Chinese fangzhongshu is of great value and should to be popularized and applied as a remedy for PE.

Ancient schwannoma at the olfactory groove mimicking meningioma: A case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heo, Young Jin; Jeong, Hae Woong [Dept. of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

Schwannomas are benign slow-growing nerve sheath tumors, which can develop in any peripheral or central nerve that contains Schwann cells. Schwannomas located near the olfactory groove are extremely rare and radiological diagnosis can be difficult. Moreover, ancient schwannoma is an uncommon variant, and radiologic findings are rarely reported. Herein, we reported a surgically confirmed case of ancient schwannoma at the olfactory groove in a 44-year-old woman presenting with headache and visual disturbance. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a solid and cystic extra-axial mass located in the subfrontal area mimicking an olfactory groove meningioma. Histopathologic diagnosis of ancient schwannoma was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for S100, CD56, vimentin, and other markers. Furthermore, we described the clinical manifestations, MRI characteristics, and histopathologic findings of the case, and presented a review of related literature.

SOCIOLOGIC EXAMINATION OF HELLENISTIC ART IN THE LIGHT OF ANCIENT ERA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Aslıhan OZTURK

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, the emergence of Hellenistic Art, historical and social background that constitutive it, important features that put it forward and important artworks in the light of Ancient Era Society and Art general framework will be examined. Hellenistic Art as an Ancient Era Art was existed blending Greek culture and art which are dominant elements of the empire and cultures of conquered lands, progressed as a mixed culture. On the wide geography that Alexander the Great conquered, in time differences showed up in the direction of the beliefs, social structure and sense of art of this region and powerful and effective artworks were revealed taking form of this differences with a common understanding. In this reseach, Hellenistic Art that showed a common understanding belongs to almost whole known World in Ancient Era and its sociologic Fundamentals will be analyzed.

Teff, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth: Ancient whole grain gluten-free egg-free pasta

Science.gov (United States)

This report demonstrates innovative ancient whole grains, gluten-free, egg-free pasta (no chemicals added) made using a kitchen counter-top appliance. Whole grain, fusilli pasta was prepared with teff, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth flours. These ancient grains are called “Super Foods” due to thei...

Ancient DNA and the rewriting of human history: be sparing with Occam's razor.

Science.gov (United States)

Haber, Marc; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Xue, Yali; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2016-01-11

Ancient DNA research is revealing a human history far more complex than that inferred from parsimonious models based on modern DNA. Here, we review some of the key events in the peopling of the world in the light of the findings of work on ancient DNA.

Measuring change over time: the use of geotagged photographs to evaluate the weathering of monuments

Science.gov (United States)

Doehne, E.

2012-04-01

Evaluating the condition of weathered stone surfaces on a monument, building or sculpture requires information on how those surfaces have evolved. In a number of cases, the documentation related to a site or object is either not readily available or has been lost (due to war, fire, etc.). Exploring the use of geotagged photographs to supplement the evaluation of surface changes to monuments was tested using two sites: the Mausoleum at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California and the Duomo in Florence, Italy. Increasingly, photographs are being geo-located or geotagged, either automatically via GPS/WiFi or manually. Geolocation tags increase the value of a photograph to researchers by providing the geographic location where the image was taken, often along with the date and time the photograph was acquired. Estimates of the number of geolocated photographs posted to the Internet include 148 million on Flickr.com (as of June 3, 2011) increasing to 172 million as of January 15, 2012. On Panarimo.com five million geolocated images were archived as of October 2007. Tools such as auto-geotag and PhotoOverlay are making it easier for users to locate and exactly position existing photographs and historic photographs on sites such as Google Earth (PhotoOverlays are images that are directly embedded in the Google Earth's landscape). 42 photo sharing websites are listed currently on Wikipedia, with seven having Alexa rankings of less than 200, indicating the popularity of photo sharing and the vast nature of this resource. Preliminary results from the Huntington and the Duomo indicate that geolocated images are indeed a useful tool for aiding in understanding stone weathering patterns and changes over time. However, greater software support and new tools are needed to enable researchers to search, organize and analyze groups of photographs from a single geolocation. Such software would have obvious uses beyond the conservation

Radiological audit of remedial action activities at the processing sites Mexican Hat, Utah and Monument Valley, Arizona. Audit date: May 3--7, 1993, Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-05-01

The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project's Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC) performed a radiological audit of the Remedial Action Contractor (RAC), MK-Ferguson and CWM Federal Environmental Services, Inc., at the processing sites in Mexican Hat, Utah, and Monument Valley, Arizona. This audit was conducted May 3--7, 1993, by Bill James and Gerry Simiele of the TAC. Three site-specific findings and four observations were identified during the audit and are presented in this report. The overall conclusion from the audit is that the majority of the radiological aspects of the Mexican Hat, Utah, and Monument Valley, Arizona, remedial action programs are performed adequately. However, the findings identify that there is some inconsistency in following procedures and meeting requirements for contamination control, and a lack of communication between the RAC and the DOE on variances from the published remedial action plan (RAP)

Sources and Resources for Teaching about Ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Spiridakis, John N.; Mantzanas, Theophilos

1977-01-01

This article identifies print, non-print, and human sources and resources useful to elementary and secondary teachers of ancient Greek history. A rationale for teaching Greek history is also included. (Author/RM)

Isolation and characterisation of barium sulphate and titanium oxides in monument crusts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luis Perez-Rodriguez, Jose; Carmen Jimenez de Haro, Maria del; Maqueda, Celia

2004-10-25

Black crusts from historical ornamental materials contain Ba and Ti. These elements are in low proportion, making their determination difficult and especially the characterisation of the phases in which they are present. For this reason, works on the mineralogical composition of the two elements in black crusts is scarce. Thus the isolation, previous to their characterisation, is important for the study of the surface layer in altered monuments. An acid attack for the isolation of barium sulphate and titanium oxides in black crusts from polluted areas has been used. The acid employed is a mixture of HF, HNO{sub 3} and HClO{sub 4}. The residue isolated by acid attack was analysed by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. It was characterised, and the percentages of barite (barium sulphate), anatase (titanium oxide), and rutile (titanium oxide) phases present in the surface layers were calculated.

Contributions of non-destructive testing for determining the provenance of the granites used in the Roman Amphitheatre from Emerita Augusta, Badajoz, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Mota, M. Isabel; Alvarez de Buergo, Monica; Fort, Rafael; Pizzo, Antonio

2015-04-01

The Archaeological Ensemble of Emérita Augusta (Mérida, Badajoz, Spain) was listed a World Heritage Site in 1993 by UNESCO. One of the monuments that belongs to this Archaeological Ensemble is the Roman amphitheatre, mainly built with granite from quarries located near the city. Every urban centre in the Roman Empire, in addition to many rural sites, had one or more local quarries from which they extracted the bulk of their stone. In Mérida, there are a group of documented quarries located near the ancient city. In this work the authors have been investigating five of these documented outcrops which, due the distance from the monument or the existence of ancient Roman routes of communication with the city, can be the possible original quarries. The provenance of these materials with which the monument is built is of significant interest in terms of the restoration and conservation and from a historical point of view of the monument. Nowadays, there are many examples of identification of the original quarries that use destructive procedures and techniques which are based on the physical, petrographical, geochemical, magnetic or mechanical properties that are a function of the mineralogical and textural characteristics of the rock. In this work, the combined use of two non-destructive and on-site techniques, ultrasonic velocity and surface hardness determined with a Schmidt hammer rebound tester, allows to determine first, the quality and degree of decay in the granites, usually affecting the material surface and consisting of a decline in surface cohesion, and second, it can discriminate possible provenance areas of the rock used in the building. These two techniques are very useful for this purpose for several reasons. Their combined use allows the selection of the most representative blocks and ashlars for sampling. This reduces sampling to a minimum showing representative results for the whole building, especially in the case of performing ageing tests in the

MAIN PRINCIPLES OF RESEARCH OF THE OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE OF BUILDERS IN PRE-MONGOLIAN RUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gatsunaev Konstantin Nikolaevich

2012-10-01

A considerable amount of information can be obtained from ancient sources, such as monuments, although they do not constitute any accurate evidence of the construction process. We may identify the number of the so-called "artels" (construction gangs, as well as trace their routes from one construction centre to another. By the commencement of the Mongolian invasion, construction gangs had already established close connections with the prince in power, and their routes were always determined by dynastic relationships of princes. Their work was strongly influenced by Byzantine and West European countries. Therefore, the analysis of the whole construction industry is a vital constituent of the study of the history and culture of ancient Russians.

Photo Scanner 3D Survey for Monitoring Historical Monuments. the Case History of Porta Praetoria in Aosta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Salonia

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Accessibility to cultural heritage is one of the most important factors in cultural heritage preservation, as it assures knowledge, monitoring, Public Administration management and a wide interest on cultural heritage sites. Nowdays 3D surveys give the geometric basis for an effective artefact reconstruction but most of the times 3D data are not completely and deeply investigated to extract other useful information on historical monuments for their conservation and safeguard. The Cultural Heritage Superintendence of Aosta decided to run a time continual project of monitoring of the Praetorian Roman Gate with the collaboration of the ITABC, CNR of Italy. The Praetorian Roman Gate in Aosta, Italy, of Augustus ages, is one of the most well-known roman monumental gates, it is a double gate with three arches each side, 12 meters high, 20 meters wide, made of pudding stone ashlars, Badoglio, travertine, marble blocks and other stone insertion due to restorations between 1600 and 1950. In years 2000 a final restoration intervention brought the gate at the present state of art, within the frame of a restoration and conservation building site with the purpose of treat the different decay pathologies and conditions. A complete 3D geometric survey campaign has been the first step for the monitoring of the gate morphologic changes and decay progress in time. The main purpose is to collect both quantitative data, related to the geometry of the gate, and the qualitative data, related to the chromatic change on the surface due to the stone decay. The geometric data with colour information permits to associate materials and stone pathologies to chemical or mechanical actions and to understand and analyse superficial decay kinetics. The colours survey will also permit to directly locate on the 3D model areas of different stratigraphic units. The project aims to build a rigorous quantitative-qualitative database so to be uploaded into a GIS. The GIS will become

Sundanese ancient manuscripts search engine using probability approach

Science.gov (United States)

Suryani, Mira; Hadi, Setiawan; Paulus, Erick; Nurma Yulita, Intan; Supriatna, Asep K.

2017-10-01

Today, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a regular thing for every aspect of live include cultural and heritage aspect. Sundanese ancient manuscripts as Sundanese heritage are in damage condition and also the information that containing on it. So in order to preserve the information in Sundanese ancient manuscripts and make them easier to search, a search engine has been developed. The search engine must has good computing ability. In order to get the best computation in developed search engine, three types of probabilistic approaches: Bayesian Networks Model, Divergence from Randomness with PL2 distribution, and DFR-PL2F as derivative form DFR-PL2 have been compared in this study. The three probabilistic approaches supported by index of documents and three different weighting methods: term occurrence, term frequency, and TF-IDF. The experiment involved 12 Sundanese ancient manuscripts. From 12 manuscripts there are 474 distinct terms. The developed search engine tested by 50 random queries for three types of query. The experiment results showed that for the single query and multiple query, the best searching performance given by the combination of PL2F approach and TF-IDF weighting method. The performance has been evaluated using average time responds with value about 0.08 second and Mean Average Precision (MAP) about 0.33.

Uxoricide in pregnancy: ancient Greek domestic violence in evolutionary perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Deacy, Susan; McHardy, Fiona

2013-10-24

Previous studies of ancient Greek examples of uxoricide in pregnancy have concluded that the theme is used to suggest tyrannical abuse of power and that the violence is a product of the patriarchal nature of ancient society. This article uses evolutionary analyses of violence during pregnancy to argue that the themes of sexual jealousy and uncertainty over paternity are as crucial as the theme of power to an understanding of these examples and that the examples can be seen as typical instances of spousal abuse as it occurs in all types of society.

Comparing ancient DNA preservation in petrous bone and tooth cementum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henrik B.; Damgaard, Peter de Barros; Margaryan, Ashot

2017-01-01

Large-scale genomic analyses of ancient human populations have become feasible partly due to refined sampling methods. The inner part of petrous bones and the cementum layer in teeth roots are currently recognized as the best substrates for such research. We present a comparative analysis of DNA...... to thymine deamination damage and lower proportions of mitochondrial/nuclear DNA in petrous bone compared to tooth cementum. Lastly, we show that petrous bones from ancient cremated individuals contain no measurable levels of authentic human DNA. Based on these findings we discuss the pros and cons...

Science Academies' Refresher Course on Modern and Ancient ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Orissa coast will help to understand the process - product relationship while the ancient Baripada marine beds ... Interested applicants must submit their application ONLINE by clicking on the following link ... Address for communication: Prof.

Pb and Sr isotopic compositions of ancient pottery: a method to discriminate production sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xun; Chen Jiangfeng; Ma Lin; He Jianfeng; Wang Changsui; Qiu Ping

2004-01-01

The discriminating of production sites of ancient pottery samples using multi-isotopic systematics was described. Previous work has proven that Pb isotopic ratios can be used for discriminating the production sites of ancient pottery under certain conditions. The present work suggests that although Nd isotopic ratios are not sensitive to the production sites of ancient pottery, Sr isotopic ratios are important for the purpose. Pb isotopic ratios are indistinguishable for the pottery excavated from the Jiahu relict, Wuyang, Henan Province and for famous Qin Terra-cotta Figures. But, the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios for the former (about 0.715) are significantly lower than that of the latter (0.717-0.718). The authors concluded that a combined use of Pb and Sr isotopes would be a more powerful method for discriminating the production site of ancient pottery. (authors)

Drevnyaya astronomiya Yuzhnoj Ameriki %t Ancient astronomy of the South America

Science.gov (United States)

Yurevich, V. A.

The article portrays our knowledge of the astronomy of the South America before its discovery by European. The archeoastronomical monuments display that the astronomy was the basis for the calendar, and its probable reconstruction is proposed. The author demonstrated that all solar and moon directions of the horizon astronomy were used in it. First chronicles and ethnographic data give information about the cosmological ideas of native-Americans, their worships of the celestial objects (the Sun, Moon), implication of astronomical phenomena in their religious rituals and feasts.

75 FR 57825 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Ancient Chinese Bronzes...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-22

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 7181] Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``Ancient Chinese Bronzes From the Shouyang Studio: The Katherine and George Fan Collection... ``Ancient Chinese Bronzes from the Shouyang Studio: The Katherine and George Fan Collection,'' imported from...

Evaluation of the structural health status of the covering of Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carpani, B.

2015-01-01

'Villa dei Misteri' is one of the most visited monuments of the archaeological area of Pompeii. It is sited just outside the ancient city and takes its name from the superb frescoes cycle depicting ritual mysteries. The ancient masonry structures, dating from the 2. century B.C. to the Vesuvian eruption, are protected from weathering by modern roofs built in various materials (reinforced concrete, timber, steel). After the collapse, in the fall of 2012, of a decayed timber beam, the Suprintendence decided to carry out, in collaboration with ENEA, a detailed survey of all the covering structures to evaluate its health status and to assess the safety condition of the monument. This paper illustrates the research methodology developed, which is based on a multidisciplinary approach including historical research, geometrical and structural surveys, damage assessment based on both in situ and laboratory diagnostic test, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) remote sensing to inspect area and coverings not easy to reach in safe, and, as basis for seismic safety assessment, ambient vibration measurement to characterize the dynamic response of the soil and of the most relevant structural components of the 'Villa'. The preliminary results of the first stage of the diagnostic campaign are also presented.

Beyond modern landscape features: New insights in the archaeological area of Tiwanaku in Bolivia from satellite data

Science.gov (United States)

Lasaponara, Rosa; Masini, Nicola

2014-02-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the cultural landscape of the archaeological area of Tiwanaku (Bolivia) using multiscale, multispectral and multitemporal satellite data. Geospatial analysis techniques were applied to the satellite data sets in order to enhance and map traces of past human activities and perform a spatial characterization of environmental and cultural patterns. In particular, in the Tiwanaku area, the approach based on local indicators of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) applied to ASTER data allowed us to identify traces of a possible ancient hydrographic network with a clear spatial relation with the well-known moat surrounding the core of the monumental area. The same approach applied to QuickBird data, allowed us to identify numerous traces of archaeological interest, in Mollo Kontu mound, less investigated than the monumental area. Some of these traces were in perfect accordance with the results of independent studies, other were completely unknown. As a whole, the detected features, composing a geometric pattern with roughly North-South orientation, closely match those of the other residential contexts at Tiwanaku. These new insights, captured from ASTER and QuickBird data processing, suggested new questions on the ancient landscape and provided important information for planning future field surveys and archaeogeophyical investigations.

Reconstructing ancient river dynamics from the stratigraphic record: can lessons from the past inform our future?

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, E. A.; Chamberlin, E.; Baisden, T.

2014-12-01

The richness of the deep-time record and its potential for revealing important characteristics of ancient fluvial landscapes has been demonstrated time and again, including compelling examples of rivers altering their behavior in response to changes in vegetation patterns or abrupt shifts in water and sediment discharge. At present, reconstructions of ancient river and floodplain dynamics are commonly qualitative, and when quantitative metrics are used, it is often for comparison among ancient deposits. Without being able to reconstruct, more comprehensively, important aspects of ancient river and floodplains dynamics, this information has only anecdotal relevance for evaluating and managing present-day landscapes. While methods for reconstructing hydrodynamic and morphodynamic aspects of ancient rivers and floodplains are useful, uncertainties associated with these snapshots complicate the ability to translate observations from geologic to engineering scales, thereby limiting the utility of insight from Earth's past in decision-making and development of sustainable landscape-management practices for modern fluvial landscapes. Here, we explore the degree to which paleomorphodynamic reconstructions from ancient channel and floodplain deposits can be used to make specific, quantitative inferences about ancient river dynamics. We compare a suite of paleoenvironmental measurements from a variety of ancient fluvial deposits (including reconstructions of paleoflow depth, paleoslope, paleo-channel mobility, the caliber of paleo-sediment load, and paleo-floodplain heterogeneity) in an effort to evaluate sampling and empirical uncertainties associated with these methods and identify promising avenues for developing more detailed landscape reconstructions. This work is aimed at helping to develop strategies for extracting practicable information from the stratigraphic record that is relevant for sustainably managing and predicting changes in today's environments.

Insights into Ancient Human Populations and their Environment through Stable Isotope Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Macko, S. A.

2011-12-01

Fundamental to the understanding of human history is the ability to make interpretations based on artifacts and other remains which are used to gather information about an ancient population. Sequestered in the organic matrices of these remains can be information concerning incidence of disease, population interactions, genetic defects and diet. Stable isotopes have long been used to interpret diet and trophic interactions in modern ecosystems. We suggest that the isotope compositions of a commonly overlooked material, human hair, is an ideal tool to be used in gleaning information, especially on human diets, about ancient civilizations. Hair can be well-preserved and is amenable to routine measurements of 13C, 15N and 34S isotope analyses and distinguishing sources of nutrition. We have isotopically characterized hair from both modern and ancient individuals. There is a wide diversity in isotope values owing, at least partially, to the levels of seafood, corn-fed animals and other grains in diet. Using these isotope tracers, new information regarding historical figures (George Washington, 1799 AD) to perhaps the most ancient of mummies, the Chinchorro of Chile (more than 7000 BP) as well as the Moche of Peru (1500 BP) and the best preserved mummy, the Neolithic Ice Man of the Oetztaler Alps (5200 BP), have been deciphered. It appears that the often-overlooked hair in archaeological sites represents a significant approach for understanding ancient human communities and their environments, as well as new perspectives on our use of our own modern nutritional sources.

Migration of vascular plant species to a recent wood adjoining ancient woodland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zbigniew Dzwonko

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Woodland communities can be restored by natural succession in sites adjoining ancient woodlands which can act as seed sources for trees, shrubs and woodland herbs. The influence of dominant tree species and the distance from an adjacent ancient oak-hornbeam woodland upon the floristic composition of species in a recent pine wood planted on dry rendzina soil were studied. It was found that, in spite of a 52-year long succession, the border between woods was sharp and the composition of species in the recent wood were significantly different than in the adjacent ancient woodland. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA showed that the distance to the ancient woodland had a significant influence on species distributions in the recent wood. The numbers of species from the Querco-Fagetea class, vegetatively reproducing species and myrmecochores decreased with this distance, whereas the numbers of anemochores increased. The migration rate of many woodland species, calculated on occurrence of the farthest individuals was very slow, varying from 0.0 m year-1 to 0.38 m year-1. The restoration of the field layer vegetation in the studied pine wood was much slower than in recent deciduous woods on rich and moist soils where the migration rate of some species exceeded 1.50 m year-1. Recent woods adjacent to ancient woodlands can be more effectively colonised by woodland species only when they are dominated by broad-leaved trees with quickly decomposing litter, and the spatial continuity of these woods persists for a long period.

[The image of the ancient Indian pharmacists in the Chinese Buddhist scriptures].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, D W; Gao, Y X

2016-09-28

In the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures, there are many stories or topics about the ancient Indian pharmacist, however, they are not the Medicine Buddha as people knows, but real doctors. In the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures, the doctors gave the medical service to the monks and the laymen. Some of them are respected as the "miracle doctor" or the "king of doctor" , influencing the medicine of ancient East Asian.

Limited contribution of ancient methane to surface waters of the U.S. Beaufort Sea shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Sparrow, Katy J.; Kessler, John D.; Southon, John R.; Garcia-Tigreros, Fenix; Schreiner, Kathryn M.; Ruppel, Carolyn D.; Miller, John B.; Lehman, Scott J.; Xu, Xiaomei

2018-01-01

In response to warming climate, methane can be released to Arctic Ocean sediment and waters from thawing subsea permafrost and decomposing methane hydrates. However, it is unknown whether methane derived from this sediment storehouse of frozen ancient carbon reaches the atmosphere. We quantified the fraction of methane derived from ancient sources in shelf waters of the U.S. Beaufort Sea, a region that has both permafrost and methane hydrates and is experiencing significant warming. Although the radiocarbon-methane analyses indicate that ancient carbon is being mobilized and emitted as methane into shelf bottom waters, surprisingly, we find that methane in surface waters is principally derived from modern-aged carbon. We report that at and beyond approximately the 30-m isobath, ancient sources that dominate in deep waters contribute, at most, 10 ± 3% of the surface water methane. These results suggest that even if there is a heightened liberation of ancient carbon–sourced methane as climate change proceeds, oceanic oxidation and dispersion processes can strongly limit its emission to the atmosphere.

Urology in ancient India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sakti Das

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The practice of medical and surgical measures in the management of urological ailments prevailed in ancient India from the Vedic era around 3000 BC. Subsequently in the Samhita period, the two stalwarts - Charaka in medicine and Susruta in surgery elevated the art of medicine in India to unprecedented heights. Their elaboration of the etiopathological hypothesis and the medical and surgical treatments of various urological disorders of unparalleled ingenuity still remain valid to some extent in our contemporary understanding. The new generation of accomplished Indian urologists should humbly venerate the legacy of the illustrious pioneers in urology of our motherland.

Experimental Evolution of Escherichia coli Harboring an Ancient Translation Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Kacar, Betül; Ge, Xueliang; Sanyal, Suparna; Gaucher, Eric A

2017-03-01

The ability to design synthetic genes and engineer biological systems at the genome scale opens new means by which to characterize phenotypic states and the responses of biological systems to perturbations. One emerging method involves inserting artificial genes into bacterial genomes and examining how the genome and its new genes adapt to each other. Here we report the development and implementation of a modified approach to this method, in which phylogenetically inferred genes are inserted into a microbial genome, and laboratory evolution is then used to examine the adaptive potential of the resulting hybrid genome. Specifically, we engineered an approximately 700-million-year-old inferred ancestral variant of tufB, an essential gene encoding elongation factor Tu, and inserted it in a modern Escherichia coli genome in place of the native tufB gene. While the ancient homolog was not lethal to the cell, it did cause a twofold decrease in organismal fitness, mainly due to reduced protein dosage. We subsequently evolved replicate hybrid bacterial populations for 2000 generations in the laboratory and examined the adaptive response via fitness assays, whole genome sequencing, proteomics, and biochemical assays. Hybrid lineages exhibit a general adaptive strategy in which the fitness cost of the ancient gene was ameliorated in part by upregulation of protein production. Our results suggest that an ancient-modern recombinant method may pave the way for the synthesis of organisms that exhibit ancient phenotypes, and that laboratory evolution of these organisms may prove useful in elucidating insights into historical adaptive processes.