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Sample records for early medieval period

  1. The Conservation of Early Post-Medieval Period Coins Found in Estonia

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    Aive Viljus

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available This article deals with archaeological find material with a low silver content and the problems of conserving such material. The aim of the research was to find the most suitable method for the conservation of poorly preserved early post-medieval period coins with varying composition. For this, first, the composition of both the metal and the corrosion products of the archaeological coins were analysed, after which comparative experiments of different cleaning methods were carried out in order to find out the least harmful and most efficient method. A test was also performed to determine the necessity and efficiency of stabilizing the surface of the coins after cleaning.

  2. Medieval Chinese syntax

    OpenAIRE

    Anderl, Christoph

    2017-01-01

    Medieval Chinese Syntax” aims to provide a sketch of the development of function words and syntactic structures during the Chinese Medieval period, including Early Medieval Chinese (ca. 0-700 A.D.) and Late Medieval Chinese (ca. 700-1100).

  3. Diet and mobility in Early Medieval Bavaria: a study of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes.

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    Hakenbeck, Susanne; McManus, Ellen; Geisler, Hans; Grupe, Gisela; O'Connell, Tamsin

    2010-10-01

    This study investigates patterns of mobility in Early Medieval Bavaria through a combined study of diet and associated burial practice. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were analyzed in human bone samples from the Late Roman cemetery of Klettham and from the Early Medieval cemeteries of Altenerding and Straubing-Bajuwarenstrasse. For dietary comparison, samples of faunal bone from one Late Roman and three Early Medieval settlement sites were also analyzed. The results indicate that the average diet was in keeping with a landlocked environment and fairly limited availability of freshwater or marine resources. The diet appears not to have changed significantly from the Late Roman to the Early Medieval period. However, in the population of Altenerding, there were significant differences in the diet of men and women, supporting a hypothesis of greater mobility among women. Furthermore, the isotopic evidence from dietary outliers is supported by "foreign" grave goods and practices, such as artificial skull modification. These results reveal the potential of carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis for questions regarding migration and mobility. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  4. Genealogical relationships between early medieval and modern inhabitants of Piedmont.

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    Vai, Stefania; Ghirotto, Silvia; Pilli, Elena; Tassi, Francesca; Lari, Martina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Matas-Lalueza, Laura; Ramirez, Oscar; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Achilli, Alessandro; Olivieri, Anna; Torroni, Antonio; Lancioni, Hovirag; Giostra, Caterina; Bedini, Elena; Pejrani Baricco, Luisella; Matullo, Giuseppe; Di Gaetano, Cornelia; Piazza, Alberto; Veeramah, Krishna; Geary, Patrick; Caramelli, David; Barbujani, Guido

    2015-01-01

    In the period between 400 to 800 AD, also known as the period of the Barbarian invasions, intense migration is documented in the historical record of Europe. However, little is known about the demographic impact of these historical movements, potentially ranging from negligible to substantial. As a pilot study in a broader project on Medieval Europe, we sampled 102 specimens from 5 burial sites in Northwestern Italy, archaeologically classified as belonging to Lombards or Longobards, a Germanic people ruling over a vast section of the Italian peninsula from 568 to 774. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial hypervariable region I (HVR-I) of 28 individuals. Comparisons of genetic diversity with other ancient populations and haplotype networks did not suggest that these samples are heterogeneous, and hence allowed us to jointly compare them with three isolated contemporary populations, and with a modern sample of a large city, representing a control for the effects of recent immigration. We then generated by serial coalescent simulations 16 millions of genealogies, contrasting a model of genealogical continuity with one in which the contemporary samples are genealogically independent from the medieval sample. Analyses by Approximate Bayesian Computation showed that the latter model fits the data in most cases, with one exception, Trino Vercellese, in which the evidence was compatible with persistence up to the present time of genetic features observed among this early medieval population. We conclude that it is possible, in general, to detect evidence of genealogical ties between medieval and specific modern populations. However, only seldom did mitochondrial DNA data allow us to reject with confidence either model tested, which indicates that broader analyses, based on larger assemblages of samples and genetic markers, are needed to understand in detail the effects of medieval migration.

  5. Genealogical relationships between early medieval and modern inhabitants of Piedmont.

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    Stefania Vai

    Full Text Available In the period between 400 to 800 AD, also known as the period of the Barbarian invasions, intense migration is documented in the historical record of Europe. However, little is known about the demographic impact of these historical movements, potentially ranging from negligible to substantial. As a pilot study in a broader project on Medieval Europe, we sampled 102 specimens from 5 burial sites in Northwestern Italy, archaeologically classified as belonging to Lombards or Longobards, a Germanic people ruling over a vast section of the Italian peninsula from 568 to 774. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial hypervariable region I (HVR-I of 28 individuals. Comparisons of genetic diversity with other ancient populations and haplotype networks did not suggest that these samples are heterogeneous, and hence allowed us to jointly compare them with three isolated contemporary populations, and with a modern sample of a large city, representing a control for the effects of recent immigration. We then generated by serial coalescent simulations 16 millions of genealogies, contrasting a model of genealogical continuity with one in which the contemporary samples are genealogically independent from the medieval sample. Analyses by Approximate Bayesian Computation showed that the latter model fits the data in most cases, with one exception, Trino Vercellese, in which the evidence was compatible with persistence up to the present time of genetic features observed among this early medieval population. We conclude that it is possible, in general, to detect evidence of genealogical ties between medieval and specific modern populations. However, only seldom did mitochondrial DNA data allow us to reject with confidence either model tested, which indicates that broader analyses, based on larger assemblages of samples and genetic markers, are needed to understand in detail the effects of medieval migration.

  6. Environment and Economy of the Early Medieval Settlement in Žatec

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kočár, P.; Čech, Petr; Kozáková, Radka; Kočárová, R.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 1, 1-2 (2010), s. 45-60 ISSN 1804-848X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA800020706 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : Žatec * Early Medieval Period * plant macroremains * agriculture * cereals * pollen analysis * charcoal analysis * three field system Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology http://www.iansa.eu/papers/IANSA-2010-01-02-kocar.pdf

  7. The long-term impact of developmental stress. Evidence from later medieval and post-medieval London (AD1117-1853).

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    Watts, Rebecca

    2015-12-01

    Episodes of ill-health in childhood can predispose affected individuals to further periods of illness and early adult mortality. This study uses nonspecific indicators of stress to examine how growth disruptions during infancy/early childhood, and late childhood/early adolescence affected adult longevity in later medieval and post-medieval London. Hazards analysis was used to evaluate the effect of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) and the size of the anteroposterior (AP) and transverse (TR) diameters of the vertebral neural canal (VNC) on adult age-at-death. This was applied to skeletal samples from later medieval (n = 461) and post-medieval (n = 480) London. Growth disruptions during infancy/early childhood (LEH and AP VNC diameters) were not associated with longevity, or with impaired growth at later stages of development (TR VNC diameters). Growth disruptions during late childhood/early adolescence (TR VNC diameters) were associated with a significantly increased risk of adult mortality. Macroscopic hypoplasia represent short periods of stress during infancy/early childhood which did not disrupt future investments in growth or cause long-term damage to health. Small TR diameters represent chronic stress during late childhood/early adolescence which resulted in greater susceptibility to infections and increased risk of mortality. These interactions were influenced by sex and socioeconomic status, suggesting that socioeconomic circumstances in both childhood and adult life could influence exposure and resistance to stressors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. The virtues of balm in late medieval literature.

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    Truitt, Elly R

    2009-01-01

    This article argues that balm, or balsam, was, by the late medieval period, believed to be a panacea, capable of healing wounds and illnesses, and also preventing putrefaction. Natural history and pharmacological texts on balm from the ancient and late antique periods emphasized specific qualities of balm, especially its heat; these were condensed and repeated in medieval encyclopedias. The rarity and cost of balsam, from antiquity through the medieval period, and the high rate of counterfeiting also demonstrate its high demand and significance in medicine and religious ritual. Travel writing and itineraria from the early and central medieval periods added a new layer to ideas about the capabilities of balsam: that it originated from a Christian miracle and was a particularly Christian plant.

  9. Micromorphological Approaches to the Formation and Biographies of Early Medieval Towns in Northwest Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wouters, Barbora

    Even after decades of intensive research, the complex stratigraphy of many early medieval and Viking towns in continental Europe remains poorly understood. Debate continues about crucial aspects such as their origins, the changes they underwent through time and, in some cases, their supposed...... on - the youngest early medieval urban phases 7. Post-depositional transformations This framework makes it possible to gain a deeper, more detailed understanding of the sites’ evolution through time as well their spatial organisation, and to mutually compare them without losing sight of their individual...... idiosyncrasies. At the same time, this approach bypasses a generalising discourse of early medieval towns. By juxtaposing the results of these five case studies with existing debates on early medieval towns, a number of set historical narratives can be challenged....

  10. Van Giffen’s Dogs : Cranial Osteometry of Iron Age to Medieval Period Dogs from the Northern Netherlands

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    Scheele, Esther E.; Çakirlar, Canan

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents biometric data from a collection of 488 dogs skulls originating from 58 (archaeological) sites in the northern Netherlands dating from the Iron Age to the Medieval Period. The crania were originally collected and documented in the early 20th century by Prof. Albert Egges van

  11. The Cross-Cultural Kingship in Early Medieval Kāmarūpa: Blood, Desire and Magic

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    Paolo Eugenio Rosati

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Kingship in early medieval Kāmarūpa (Assam was influenced by the collision of orthodox and heterodox Brahmanic traditions with various tribal cultures. Since the last part of the Śālastambha period (seventh–tenth century the royal tutelary deity of Kāmarūpa was the menstruating Kāmākhyā, an ancient kirāta goddess. According to the Puranic tradition, the cult of Kāmākhyā was absorbed within Hindu religious folds by the mytho-historical king Naraka of Kāmarūpa. According to textual and epigraphic records, Naraka was conceived by Pṛthvī (Earth goddess during her menstrual period, through a sexual intercourse with varāha (boar form of Viṣṇu. All early medieval dynasties of Kāmarūpa traced back their origins to Naraka, connecting their lines to the divine power but also to the menstrual blood—a substance considered extremely impure though powerful in Vedic and post-Vedic traditions. The king operated as a cross-cultural mediator: he was the only actor who was able to harness the produced polluted forces, through the Tantric rituals, in order to strengthen the political power. Thence, this essay aims to demonstrate, through inter- and intra-textual evidences, epigraphic records, and ethnographic data, that in Assam throughout the early medieval ages, the kingship grounded its roots in an osmotic cross-cultural process which was influenced by tribal traditions and orthodox and heterodox Hindu sects.

  12. Archaeomagnetic Study performed on Early Medieval Buildings from western France

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    Chauvin, A.; Lanos, P.; Dufresne, P.; Blain, S.; Guibert, P.; Oberlin, C.; Sapin, C.

    2009-05-01

    A multiple dating study, involving a collaboration between specialists of dating techniques (thermoluminescence (TL) and radiocarbon), historians of art and archaeologists, has been carried out on several early medieval buildings from western France. The early medieval period is not well known especially in France where there is a lack of visible evidence that identifies pre-Romanesque architecture. The majority of buildings to have survived from this period are religious ones, considered important enough to be made of strong, non-perishable material such as stone or brick, as for example the churches of Notre-Dame-sous- Terre in the Mont-Saint-Michel or St Martin in Angers. Due to their significance in architectural history, it is imperative to position them accurately in the chronology of the history of art. Bricks are often used to build up round-headed arches or to reinforce the frame of a wall with bonding courses in those churches. TL dating and archeomagnetic analysis were performed on cores drilled within bricks while radiocarbon dating were undertaken on coals found within mortars. In order to increase the number of data during the early Middle Ages, archeointensity determinations using the classical Thellier technique with anisotropy of thermal remanence and cooling rate corrections were performed. Archaeomagnetic directions were used to recognize the firing position of bricsk during manufacture. Reliable and precise ages were obtained on the church Notre-Dame-sous-Terre; they indicate two phases of building in 950±50AD and 990±50AD. Mean archeointensities obtained on 17 (21) samples from the first (second) phases appears very closed 69.1±1.2 and 68.3±1.6 microTesla. Ages and archeomagnetic results obtained on 4 other sites will be presented and compared to the available data in western Europe.

  13. Historical DNA reveals the demographic history of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in medieval and early modern Iceland.

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    Ólafsdóttir, Guðbjörg Ásta; Westfall, Kristen M; Edvardsson, Ragnar; Pálsson, Snæbjörn

    2014-02-22

    Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) vertebrae from archaeological sites were used to study the history of the Icelandic Atlantic cod population in the time period of 1500-1990. Specifically, we used coalescence modelling to estimate population size and fluctuations from the sequence diversity at the cytochrome b (cytb) and Pantophysin I (PanI) loci. The models are consistent with an expanding population during the warm medieval period, large historical effective population size (NE), a marked bottleneck event at 1400-1500 and a decrease in NE in early modern times. The model results are corroborated by the reduction of haplotype and nucleotide variation over time and pairwise population distance as a significant portion of nucleotide variation partitioned across the 1550 time mark. The mean age of the historical fished stock is high in medieval times with a truncation in age in early modern times. The population size crash coincides with a period of known cooling in the North Atlantic, and we conclude that the collapse may be related to climate or climate-induced ecosystem change.

  14. Archaeology of Architecture and Archaeology of houses in Early Medieval Europe

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    Quirós Castillo, Juan Antonio

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to introduce the «Archaeology of Architecture and Household Archaeology in Early Medieval Europe» dossier, the object of which is to explore the different approaches, methodologies and themes analysed in the study of early medieval architecture in western Europe. More specifically, in what follows, analysis is undertaken of the contexts which explain the recent development of studies on this topic, as well as the main contributions of the seven papers which form this dossier. In addition, the main historical and archaeological problems raised by the analysis of this material record are also discussed.En este trabajo se presenta el dossier «Archaeology of Architecture and Household Archaeology in Early Medieval Europe», que pretende explorar los distintos enfoques, metodologías y temáticas analizadas en el estudio de las arquitecturas altomedievales en el marco de Europa occidental. Más concretamente se analizan los contextos que explican el desarrollo reciente de los estudios sobre esta materia, las principales aportaciones de los siete trabajos que conforman este dossier y se discuten los principales problemas históricos y arqueológicos que plantea el análisis de este registro material.

  15. Rules & legislation on love charms in early medieval Ireland

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    Borsje, J.

    2010-01-01

    Love magic is defined as verbal and material instruments by which erotic and affectionate feelings are believed to be aroused or destroyed in a supernatural way. This is a discussion of love magic as it is presented in early medieval Hiberno-Latin penitentials and Irish legal texts.

  16. Water consumption in Iron Age, Roman, and Early Medieval Croatia.

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    Lightfoot, E; Slaus, M; O'Connell, T C

    2014-08-01

    Patterns of water consumption by past human populations are rarely considered, yet drinking behavior is socially mediated and access to water sources is often socially controlled. Oxygen isotope analysis of archeological human remains is commonly used to identify migrants in the archeological record, but it can also be used to consider water itself, as this technique documents water consumption rather than migration directly. Here, we report an oxygen isotope study of humans and animals from coastal regions of Croatia in the Iron Age, Roman, and Early Medieval periods. The results show that while faunal values have little diachronic variation, the human data vary through time, and there are wide ranges of values within each period. Our interpretation is that this is not solely a result of mobility, but that human behavior can and did lead to human oxygen isotope ratios that are different from that expected from consumption of local precipitation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The Resources of the Past in Early Medieval Europe

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    Gantner, C.; McKitterick, R.M.; Meeder, S.M.

    2015-01-01

    This volume analyses the importance of history, the textual resources of the past and the integration of Christian and imperial Rome into the cultural memory of early medieval Europe within the wider question of identity formation. The case studies in this book shed new light on the process of

  18. The Health Status of the Early Medieval Population of Greater Moravia in Relation to Social and Economic Structures

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Velemínský, P.; Dobisíková, M.; Stránská, Petra; Trefný, P.; Likovský, Jakub

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 56, č. 6 (2009), s. 91-101 ISSN 0567-8250 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/07/0699 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : Early Medieval period * Great Moravian population * social -economic structure * demography * Enamel Hypoplasy * Cribra orbitalia * Harris lines * Dental health state * Degenerative changes joints Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  19. Some Early Optics: Classical and Medieval. Experiment No. 6.

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    Devons, Samuel

    Information related to the history of optics with emphasis on the classical and medieval periods is presented. Notes are included on experiments dealing with refraction at a plane interface between two media; refraction by transparent spheres; light, color, and reflection by transparent spheres. (Author/SA)

  20. Vertebrate fauna of the Roman period, migrations period and Medieval period in Vojvodina (Serbia

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    Radmanović Darko P.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on current published and unpublished research results, a total of 16 vertebrate species members of mammal (Mammalia, bird (Aves and osteichthyes (Osteichthyes classes have been registered at 11 archaeological sites from the Roman Period in Vojvodina. Mammals dominate with 12 species and one genus, birds are present with 3 species, and osteichthyes with one. From the Migration Period, at 9 sites, 22 vertebrate species have been registered, of which 13 species and one genus of mammals, 4 species and one genus of birds, and 5 species from the Osteichthyes class. At 8 sites from the Medieval Period, 16 vertebrate species have been registered. Mammals are the most numerous class with 10 species and one genus, while birds are present with 4 species and one genus. Furthermore, two species of osteichthyes have also been registered.

  1. Charlemagne's summit canal: an early medieval hydro-engineering project for passing the Central European Watershed.

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    Zielhofer, Christoph; Leitholdt, Eva; Werther, Lukas; Stele, Andreas; Bussmann, Jens; Linzen, Sven; Schneider, Michael; Meyer, Cornelius; Berg-Hobohm, Stefanie; Ettel, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The Central European Watershed divides the Rhine-Main catchment and the Danube catchment. In the Early Medieval period, when ships were important means of transportation, Charlemagne decided to link both catchments by the construction of a canal connecting the Schwabian Rezat and the Altmühl rivers. The artificial waterway would provide a continuous inland navigation route from the North Sea to the Black Sea. The shortcut is known as Fossa Carolina and represents one of the most important Early Medieval engineering achievements in Europe. Despite the important geostrategic relevance of the construction it is not clarified whether the canal was actually used as a navigation waterway. We present new geophysical data and in situ findings from the trench fills that prove for the first time a total length of the constructed Carolingian canal of at least 2300 metres. We have evidence for a conceptual width of the artificial water course between 5 and 6 metres and a water depth of at least 60 to 80 cm. This allows a crossing way passage of Carolingian cargo scows with a payload of several tons. There is strong evidence for clayey to silty layers in the trench fills which reveal suspension load limited stillwater deposition and, therefore, the evidence of former Carolingian and post-Carolingian ponds. These findings are strongly supported by numerous sapropel layers within the trench fills. Our results presented in this study indicate an extraordinarily advanced construction level of the known course of the canal. Here, the excavated levels of Carolingian trench bottoms were generally sufficient for the efficient construction of stepped ponds and prove a final concept for a summit canal. We have evidence for the artificial Carolingian dislocation of the watershed and assume a sophisticated Early Medieval hydrological engineering concept for supplying the summit of the canal with adequate water.

  2. Pedo-sedimentary record of human-environment interaction in ditches and waterlogged depressions on tableland (roman and early medieval period) : micromorphological cases studies from Marne-la-Vallée area (Paris Basin, France)

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    Cammas, C.; Blanchard, J.; Broutin, P.; Berga, A.

    2012-04-01

    , ferruginous infilling of the microporosity and some vertic pedo-features alternated with higher energy deposits (fine sands). Some other important results are to be considered. The sedimentary matrix characteristics succession, a more calcareaous and lœss like sediments for the roman period and the beginning of the early medieval period, and a decarbonated matrix with clay, probably coming from the erosion of a luvisol, at the end of early medieval period. As a conclusion these elements show that two differents areas of the plateau were successively exploited. Furthermore, in all the profile, sedimentary and pedological features indicate successive water flows of variable intensity, wich could have been influenced by meteorological / climatical events, but our results suggest that they were more likely to have been controlled mainly by human activities, in connection with soils and ditch system management, especially during the early medieval period.

  3. Cranial vault trauma and selective mortality in medieval to early modern Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boldsen, Jesper L; Milner, George R; Weise, Svenja

    2015-01-01

    to interpersonal violence in past populations. Three medieval to early modern Danish skeletal samples are used to estimate the effect of selective mortality on males with cranial vault injuries who survived long enough for bones to heal. The risk of dying for these men was 6.2 times higher than...

  4. Frequency of dental caries in children in the Early Iron Age and the Medieval populations from Ukraine

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    Yanko Nataliia Valentinovna

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we determine the caries frequency in children of the Early Iron Age (EIA (the 9th - the 3d centuries BC and the Medieval populations (the 8th - the beginning of the 15th century AD from the Ukraine area, and compare the results with the data from several European populations who lived at the same time. The EIA is presented by 41 children skeletons, three of which were Cimmerian (the 9th - the 7th centuries BC from the territory of contemporary Poltava region; 38 skulls from the territory of contemporary Poltava region and Crimea represented Scythian period (the 7th - the 3d centuries BC. Remains of 24 children from the Medieval populations were also examined, three of which were the ancient Hungarians from the Poltava region (the 8th - the 9th centuries AD, 6 Khazars from the Kharkiv region (the 8th - the 9th centuries, 1 child related the Old Rus culture from the Kyiv region (the 9th century, and 14 representatives of the nomadic populations in the Golden Horde period (the 13th - the beginning of the 15th century from the Poltava and Zaporizhzhya regions. Taking in consideration the letter archaeobotanical studies we suggest that there were no major changes in the plants exploited during all the studied periods. The frequency of carious lesions in children from the Medieval populations (8.3% in individuals, 0.5% in deciduous teeth, and 0.4% in permanent teeth is only slightly higher than those from the EIA period (2.4% in individuals and 0.2% in deciduous teeth. These indexes were not larger those of majority of European populations dated to the same historic period. Further isotopic, chemical and palaeobotanical studies of the additional sites, with sufficient sample sizes, allow us to learn so much more of the cariogenic factors in children of the past populations from the Ukraine area.

  5. Climatic changes during the early Medieval and recent periods inferred from δ13C and δ18O of Siberian larch trees

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    Sidorova, O. V.; Matthias Saurer, Rolf Siegwolf

    2010-12-01

    We report unique isotope datasets for δ13C and δ18O of wood and cellulose of larch trees (Larix cajanderi Mayr.) from Northeastern Yakutia [70°N-148°E] for the early Medieval (AD 900-1000) and recent (AD 1880-2004) periods. During the recent period June, July, and August air temperatures were positively correlated with δ13C and δ18O of wood and cellulose, while July precipitation was negatively correlated. The positive correlation with one of the warmest months (July) in Northeastern Yakutia could indicate high photosynthetic capacity, because warm and dry conditions cause stomatal closure and lower the isotopic fractionation, leading to less negative δ13C values. Because during July, the soil water is still frozen at a soil depth of 20-30 cm, the water accessibility for trees is limited, which can lead to drought situations. An increase in water availability allows for a higher stomatal conductance, resulting in lower δ13C values, leading to a negative relationship with summer precipitation. Furthermore, the vapor pressure deficit of July and August was significantly correlated with δ13C of wood and cellulose, indicating decreased stomatal conductance, an expression of moderate drought. This leads to reduced 13CO2 discrimination and less negative δ13C values. The simultaneous increase of δ18O also indicates a reduction in stomatal conductance under rather dry conditions or drought. Comparative analyses between mean isotope values for the AD 900-1000 and AD 1880-2004 periods indicate similar ranges of climatic conditions, with the exception of the period AD 1950-2004, which is characterized by increased summer drought. Whilst isotopic ratios in cellulose are reliably related to climatic variables, those in whole wood showed even stronger relationships during some periods. Strong positive correlations between δ18O of cellulose and Greenland ice-core data were detected for the beginning of the Medieval period (r=0.86; pdata, and gain a wider insight into

  6. Climate change. Climate in Medieval time.

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    Bradley, Raymond S; Hughes, Malcolm K; Diaz, Henry F

    2003-10-17

    Many papers have referred to a "Medieval Warm Period." But how well defined is climate in this period, and was it as warm as or warmer than it is today? In their Perspective, Bradley et al. review the evidence and conclude that although the High Medieval (1100 to 1200 A.D.) was warmer than subsequent centuries, it was not warmer than the late 20th century. Moreover, the warmest Medieval temperatures were not synchronous around the globe. Large changes in precipitation patterns are a particular characteristic of "High Medieval" time. The underlying mechanisms for such changes must be elucidated further to inform the ongoing debate on natural climate variability and anthropogenic climate change.

  7. Characterisation of early medieval frescoes by μ-PIXE, SEM and Raman spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zucchiatti, A.; Prati, P.; Bouquillon, A.; Giuntini, L.; Massi, M.; Migliori, A.; Cagnana, A.; Roascio, S.

    2004-01-01

    We have studied the VIII-IX century frescoes of the Longobard temple of Cividale del Friuli in Italy with noninvasive sampling and, for the first time in such a context, with high chemical and spatial sensitivity techniques (PIXE, SEM and Raman). Results demonstrate richness of manufacturing details and integrate in a substantial way the historic and artistic framework of this early medieval monument

  8. Characterisation of early medieval frescoes by {mu}-PIXE, SEM and Raman spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zucchiatti, A. E-mail: zucc@ge.infn.it; Prati, P.; Bouquillon, A.; Giuntini, L.; Massi, M.; Migliori, A.; Cagnana, A.; Roascio, S

    2004-06-01

    We have studied the VIII-IX century frescoes of the Longobard temple of Cividale del Friuli in Italy with noninvasive sampling and, for the first time in such a context, with high chemical and spatial sensitivity techniques (PIXE, SEM and Raman). Results demonstrate richness of manufacturing details and integrate in a substantial way the historic and artistic framework of this early medieval monument.

  9. The archaeology of early medieval violence: the mass grave at Budeč, Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Štefan, I.; Stránská, Petra; Vondrová, H.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 90, č. 351 (2016), s. 759-776 ISSN 0003-598X Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : Czech Republic * Bohemia * Budeč * tenth-eleventh centuries * early medieval * mass grave * violence * warfare Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 1.536, year: 2016

  10. Luminescence dating of architectural ceramics from an early medieval abbey: The St Philbert Intercomparison (Loire Atlantique, France)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guibert, P. [CNRS-Universite Bordeaux, UMR 5060, IRAMAT-CRP2A, Maison de l' Archeologie, F-33607 Pessac (France)], E-mail: guibert@u-bordeaux3.fr; Bailiff, I.K. [University of Durham, Department of Archaeology, Luminescence Laboratory, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Blain, S. [CNRS-Universite Bordeaux, UMR 5060, IRAMAT-CRP2A, Maison de l' Archeologie, F-33607 Pessac (France); University of Durham, Department of Archaeology, Luminescence Laboratory, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Gueli, A.M. [LDL and BBCC, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Centro Siciliano di Fisica Nucleare e di Struttura della Materia, Universita di Catania and INFN Sezione di Catania, via Santa Sofia 64, I-95123 Catania (Italy); Martini, M.; Sibilia, E. [INFN, CNR-INFN and CUDAM, Univ. Milano Bicocca, U5, via R. Cozzi 53, I-20125 Milano (Italy); Stella, G.; Troja, S.O. [LDL and BBCC, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Centro Siciliano di Fisica Nucleare e di Struttura della Materia, Universita di Catania and INFN Sezione di Catania, via Santa Sofia 64, I-95123 Catania (Italy)

    2009-05-15

    An experimental intercomparison was performed with brick samples from an early medieval building in the west of France, the St-Philbert-de-Grandlieu abbey. A potentially complex set of microdosimetric problems emerged from characterisation measurements, providing a robust test of the routine procedures used by each laboratory. The dating results obtained using quartz coarse grains and fine grain samples span over a large period of time, exhibiting overdispersion, and where systematic deviations appear between quartz and fine grain chronologies. Factors causing such scatter are analysed in detail, including internal radioactivity of quartz grains, millimetre-scale heterogeneity in the fabric, and the observation and modelling of fading behaviour of fine grain minerals.

  11. Luminescence dating of architectural ceramics from an early medieval abbey: The St Philbert Intercomparison (Loire Atlantique, France)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guibert, P.; Bailiff, I.K.; Blain, S.; Gueli, A.M.; Martini, M.; Sibilia, E.; Stella, G.; Troja, S.O.

    2009-01-01

    An experimental intercomparison was performed with brick samples from an early medieval building in the west of France, the St-Philbert-de-Grandlieu abbey. A potentially complex set of microdosimetric problems emerged from characterisation measurements, providing a robust test of the routine procedures used by each laboratory. The dating results obtained using quartz coarse grains and fine grain samples span over a large period of time, exhibiting overdispersion, and where systematic deviations appear between quartz and fine grain chronologies. Factors causing such scatter are analysed in detail, including internal radioactivity of quartz grains, millimetre-scale heterogeneity in the fabric, and the observation and modelling of fading behaviour of fine grain minerals.

  12. Bone fractures as indicators of intentional violence in the eastern Adriatic from the antique to the late medieval period (2nd-16th century AD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slaus, Mario; Novak, Mario; Bedić, Zeljka; Strinović, Davor

    2012-09-01

    To test the historically documented hypothesis of a general increase in deliberate violence in the eastern Adriatic from the antique (AN; 2nd-6th c.) through the early medieval (EM; 7th-11th c.) to the late-medieval period (LM; 12th-16th c.), an analysis of the frequency and patterning of bone trauma was conducted in three skeletal series from these time periods. A total of 1,125 adult skeletons-346 from the AN, 313 from the EM, and 466 from the LM series-were analyzed. To differentiate between intentional violence and accidental injuries, data for trauma frequencies were collected for the complete skeleton, individual long bones, and the craniofacial region as well as by type of injury (perimortem vs. antemortem). The results of our analyses show a significant temporal increase in total fracture frequencies when calculated by skeleton as well as of individuals exhibiting one skeletal indicator of deliberate violence (sharp force lesions, craniofacial injuries, "parry" fractures, or perimortem trauma). No significant temporal increases were, however, noted in the frequencies of craniofacial trauma, "parry" fractures, perimortem injuries, or of individuals exhibiting multiple skeletal indicators of intentional violence. Cumulatively, these data suggest that the temporal increase in total fracture frequencies recorded in the eastern Adriatic was caused by a combination of factors that included not only an increase of intentional violence but also a significant change in lifestyle that accompanied the transition from a relatively affluent AN urban lifestyle to a more primitive rural medieval way of life. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Medieval and early modern approaches to fractures of the proximal humerus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brorson, S.

    2010-01-01

    The diagnosis and management of complex fractures of the proximal humerus have challenged surgical practitioners and medical writers since the earliest recorded surgical texts. Current knowledge of fractures of the proximal humerus has been obtained through pathoanatomical and biomechanical studies...... within the last two centuries. However, the historical preconditions for this development have not been studied. This paper reviews written sources from the fall of the Roman Empire to the late eighteenth century. Medieval and early modern writers mainly rely on the Hippocratic writings De Fracturis...

  14. Patterns and prevalence of violence-related skull trauma in medieval London.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krakowka, Kathryn

    2017-11-01

    This study aims to identify the patterns and prevalence of violence-related skull trauma (including the cranium and mandible) among a large sample of skeletons from medieval London (1050-1550 AD). In total, data from 399 skulls, representing six different sites from across medieval London, were analyzed for evidence of trauma and assessed for the likelihood that it was caused by violence. The sites include the three parish cemeteries of St Nicholas Shambles (GPO75), St Lawrence Jewry (GYE92), and St Benet Sherehog (ONE94); the two monastic houses of London Blackfriars (PIC87) and St Mary Graces (MIN86); and the early inmate cemetery from the medieval hospital of St Mary Spital (NRT85). The overall findings suggest that violence affected all aspects of medieval London society, but how that violence was characterized largely depended on sex and burial location. Specifically, males from the lay cemeteries appear to have been the demographic most affected by violence-related skull injuries, particularly blunt force trauma to the cranial vault. Using both archaeological and historical evidence, the results suggest that violence in medieval London may have been more prevalent than in other parts of medieval England, particularly rural environments, but similar to other parts of medieval Europe. However, more studies focusing on medieval trauma, and violence specifically, need to be carried out to further strengthen these results. In particular, males from the lay cemeteries were disproportionately affected by violence-related trauma, especially blunt force trauma. It perhaps indicates a means of informal conflict resolution as those of lower status did not always have the newly established medieval legal system available to them. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Population-Area Relationship for Medieval European Cities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rudolf Cesaretti

    Full Text Available Medieval European urbanization presents a line of continuity between earlier cities and modern European urban systems. Yet, many of the spatial, political and economic features of medieval European cities were particular to the Middle Ages, and subsequently changed over the Early Modern Period and Industrial Revolution. There is a long tradition of demographic studies estimating the population sizes of medieval European cities, and comparative analyses of these data have shed much light on the long-term evolution of urban systems. However, the next step-to systematically relate the population size of these cities to their spatial and socioeconomic characteristics-has seldom been taken. This raises a series of interesting questions, as both modern and ancient cities have been observed to obey area-population relationships predicted by settlement scaling theory. To address these questions, we analyze a new dataset for the settled area and population of 173 European cities from the early fourteenth century to determine the relationship between population and settled area. To interpret this data, we develop two related models that lead to differing predictions regarding the quantitative form of the population-area relationship, depending on the level of social mixing present in these cities. Our empirical estimates of model parameters show a strong densification of cities with city population size, consistent with patterns in contemporary cities. Although social life in medieval Europe was orchestrated by hierarchical institutions (e.g., guilds, church, municipal organizations, our results show no statistically significant influence of these institutions on agglomeration effects. The similarities between the empirical patterns of settlement relating area to population observed here support the hypothesis that cities throughout history share common principles of organization that self-consistently relate their socioeconomic networks to structured

  16. Population-Area Relationship for Medieval European Cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cesaretti, Rudolf; Lobo, José; Bettencourt, Luís M A; Ortman, Scott G; Smith, Michael E

    2016-01-01

    Medieval European urbanization presents a line of continuity between earlier cities and modern European urban systems. Yet, many of the spatial, political and economic features of medieval European cities were particular to the Middle Ages, and subsequently changed over the Early Modern Period and Industrial Revolution. There is a long tradition of demographic studies estimating the population sizes of medieval European cities, and comparative analyses of these data have shed much light on the long-term evolution of urban systems. However, the next step-to systematically relate the population size of these cities to their spatial and socioeconomic characteristics-has seldom been taken. This raises a series of interesting questions, as both modern and ancient cities have been observed to obey area-population relationships predicted by settlement scaling theory. To address these questions, we analyze a new dataset for the settled area and population of 173 European cities from the early fourteenth century to determine the relationship between population and settled area. To interpret this data, we develop two related models that lead to differing predictions regarding the quantitative form of the population-area relationship, depending on the level of social mixing present in these cities. Our empirical estimates of model parameters show a strong densification of cities with city population size, consistent with patterns in contemporary cities. Although social life in medieval Europe was orchestrated by hierarchical institutions (e.g., guilds, church, municipal organizations), our results show no statistically significant influence of these institutions on agglomeration effects. The similarities between the empirical patterns of settlement relating area to population observed here support the hypothesis that cities throughout history share common principles of organization that self-consistently relate their socioeconomic networks to structured urban spaces.

  17. The origins of intensive marine fishing in medieval Europe: the English evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, James H.; Locker, Alison M.; Roberts, Callum M.

    2004-01-01

    The catastrophic impact of fishing pressure on species such as cod and herring is well documented. However, the antiquity of their intensive exploitation has not been established. Systematic catch statistics are only available for ca.100 years, but large-scale fishing industries existed in medieval Europe and the expansion of cod fishing from the fourteenth century (first in Iceland, then in Newfoundland) played an important role in the European colonization of the Northwest Atlantic. History has demonstrated the scale of these late medieval and post-medieval fisheries, but only archaeology can illuminate earlier practices. Zooarchaeological evidence shows that the clearest changes in marine fishing in England between AD 600 and 1600 occurred rapidly around AD 1000 and involved large increases in catches of herring and cod. Surprisingly, this revolution predated the documented post-medieval expansion of England's sea fisheries and coincided with the Medieval Warm Period--when natural herring and cod productivity was probably low in the North Sea. This counterintuitive discovery can be explained by the concurrent rise of urbanism and human impacts on freshwater ecosystems. The search for 'pristine' baselines regarding marine ecosystems will thus need to employ medieval palaeoecological proxies in addition to recent fisheries data and early modern historical records. PMID:15590590

  18. Hidden library : Visualizing fragments of medieval manuscripts in early-modern bookbindings with mobile macro-XRF scanner

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duivenvoorden, Jorien R.; Käyhkö, Anna; Kwakkel, Erik; Dik, J.

    2017-01-01

    This experiment demonstrates the large potential of macro-XRF imaging for the visualization of fragments of medieval manuscripts hidden in early-modern bookbindings. The invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century made manuscripts obsolete and bookbinders started recycling their

  19. Human intestinal parasites in crusader Acre: Evidence for migration with disease in the medieval period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Piers D; Anastasiou, Evilena; Syon, Danny

    2011-12-01

    The aim of this research is to highlight the role of ancient parasites as evidence for human migration in past populations. The material analysed was soil sediment from the excavation of a medieval cesspool in the city of Acre, in Israel. Archaeological stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating of a fragment of animal bone from the cesspool confirm its use in the 13th century CE, during the crusader period. At that time Acre was located in the Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem. Soil samples from the cesspool were analysed and eggs of the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and fish tapeworm (Diphyllobothrium latum) were identified. The fish tapeworm has only been found in the mainland Near East once before, in a latrine of the crusader Order of St. John (Knights Hospitaller). It has been absent in all earlier cesspools, latrines and coprolites so far studied in the region. In contrast to its rarity in the Levant, the fish tapeworm was common in northern Europe during the medieval period. The presence of fish tapeworm eggs in a crusader period cesspool in Acre suggests its use by crusaders or pilgrims from northern Europe who travelled to the Levant carrying these parasites in their intestines. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. How did Humans Adapt in the Eastern Farming-pastoral zone during the Medieval Warm Period?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, X.

    2017-12-01

    With its extremely warm climate, the "medieval warm period" is considered analogous to the climate change humans are likely to face due to future global warming. Thus, the ability of humans to adapt to an extremely warm climate during the medieval period in Eurasia's farming-pastoral zone has attracted some attention. The warmth of the climate during this period (900-1300 BC) is demonstrated by evidence of bamboo in charcoal remains and phytoliths found in the settlement sites and tomb murals of the Western Liao river basin in Northeast China. This warmth probably promoted agricultural diversification, as the presence of foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, wheat, barley, soybean, hemp, and buckwheat in this region can be seen in plant seeds and phytoliths found in archaeological sites. The bones of deer and birds also provide evidence of hunting, and the practice of animal husbandry is indicated in pig, dog, cattle, ovicaprid, horse and camel bones. Diversity in food structures is also shown in stable isotopes from human and animal bones. Competence in animal husbandry and hunting, and the availability of stable food resources may have contributed to the rise of the Liao people in military prowess and power, and promoted the expansion of Khitan-Liao culture.

  1. An early medieval symbol carved on a tree trunk. Pathfinder or territorial marker?

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dreslerová, Dagmar; Mikuláš, Radek

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 84, č. 326 (2010), s. 1067-1075 ISSN 0003-598X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00020701; GA AV ČR IAA300130505 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508; CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : Central Europe * early medieval * wood carving * fossil oak * alluvial setting Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 0.969, year: 2010 http://antiquity.ac.uk/ant/084/ant0841067.htm

  2. Locomotory Apparatus and Health Status of the Early medieval population in Great Moravia (the Czech Republic)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Velemínský, P.; Stránská, Petra; Dobisíková, M.; Zikán, V.; Likovský, Jakub; Zítková, J.; Žaloudková, M.; Fialová, L.; Stloukal, M.; Poláček, L.

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 126, č. 40 (2005), s. 112-113 ISSN 0002-9483. [Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologist. 06.04.05-09.04.05, Milwaukee] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : early medieval Slavonic population * ontogenesis * sexual dimorphism Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology , Ethnology

  3. Some early medieval swords in the Wallace Collection and elsewhere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edge, David

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of eight early medieval swords shows that some were made from a single piece of steel, while others had a steel cutting edge welded on. Heat-treatment to harden the steel was undertaken in six out of seven cases; the other proved to be a modern replica.

    El análisis de ocho espadas altomedievales muestra que algunas de ellas fueron hechas a partir de una sola pieza de acero, mientras que a otras se les ha soldado un cortante filo de este material. El endurecimiento del acero mediante forja fue realizado en seis de siete casos, mientras que el restante se demostró que era una réplica moderna.

  4. The Dichotomy of Insularity: Islands between Isolation and Connectivity in Medieval and Early Modern Europe, and Beyond

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sicking, L.H.J.

    2014-01-01

    The importance of islands in maritime and global history is not yet understood in a comparative and long term perspective. This article aims to contribute to understanding the role of islands for the establishment, preservation and extension of maritime connections in medieval and early modern

  5. Ancient genomes reveal a high diversity of Mycobacterium leprae in medieval Europe.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verena J Schuenemann

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Studying ancient DNA allows us to retrace the evolutionary history of human pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae, the main causative agent of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded and most stigmatizing diseases in human history. The disease was prevalent in Europe until the 16th century and is still endemic in many countries with over 200,000 new cases reported annually. Previous worldwide studies on modern and European medieval M. leprae genomes revealed that they cluster into several distinct branches of which two were present in medieval Northwestern Europe. In this study, we analyzed 10 new medieval M. leprae genomes including the so far oldest M. leprae genome from one of the earliest known cases of leprosy in the United Kingdom-a skeleton from the Great Chesterford cemetery with a calibrated age of 415-545 C.E. This dataset provides a genetic time transect of M. leprae diversity in Europe over the past 1500 years. We find M. leprae strains from four distinct branches to be present in the Early Medieval Period, and strains from three different branches were detected within a single cemetery from the High Medieval Period. Altogether these findings suggest a higher genetic diversity of M. leprae strains in medieval Europe at various time points than previously assumed. The resulting more complex picture of the past phylogeography of leprosy in Europe impacts current phylogeographical models of M. leprae dissemination. It suggests alternative models for the past spread of leprosy such as a wide spread prevalence of strains from different branches in Eurasia already in Antiquity or maybe even an origin in Western Eurasia. Furthermore, these results highlight how studying ancient M. leprae strains improves understanding the history of leprosy worldwide.

  6. Ancient genomes reveal a high diversity of Mycobacterium leprae in medieval Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuenemann, Verena J; Avanzi, Charlotte; Krause-Kyora, Ben; Seitz, Alexander; Herbig, Alexander; Inskip, Sarah; Bonazzi, Marion; Reiter, Ella; Urban, Christian; Dangvard Pedersen, Dorthe; Taylor, G Michael; Singh, Pushpendra; Stewart, Graham R; Velemínský, Petr; Likovsky, Jakub; Marcsik, Antónia; Molnár, Erika; Pálfi, György; Mariotti, Valentina; Riga, Alessandro; Belcastro, M Giovanna; Boldsen, Jesper L; Nebel, Almut; Mays, Simon; Donoghue, Helen D; Zakrzewski, Sonia; Benjak, Andrej; Nieselt, Kay; Cole, Stewart T; Krause, Johannes

    2018-05-01

    Studying ancient DNA allows us to retrace the evolutionary history of human pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae, the main causative agent of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded and most stigmatizing diseases in human history. The disease was prevalent in Europe until the 16th century and is still endemic in many countries with over 200,000 new cases reported annually. Previous worldwide studies on modern and European medieval M. leprae genomes revealed that they cluster into several distinct branches of which two were present in medieval Northwestern Europe. In this study, we analyzed 10 new medieval M. leprae genomes including the so far oldest M. leprae genome from one of the earliest known cases of leprosy in the United Kingdom-a skeleton from the Great Chesterford cemetery with a calibrated age of 415-545 C.E. This dataset provides a genetic time transect of M. leprae diversity in Europe over the past 1500 years. We find M. leprae strains from four distinct branches to be present in the Early Medieval Period, and strains from three different branches were detected within a single cemetery from the High Medieval Period. Altogether these findings suggest a higher genetic diversity of M. leprae strains in medieval Europe at various time points than previously assumed. The resulting more complex picture of the past phylogeography of leprosy in Europe impacts current phylogeographical models of M. leprae dissemination. It suggests alternative models for the past spread of leprosy such as a wide spread prevalence of strains from different branches in Eurasia already in Antiquity or maybe even an origin in Western Eurasia. Furthermore, these results highlight how studying ancient M. leprae strains improves understanding the history of leprosy worldwide.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garton, Harry A.; Woodbury, Virginia Garton

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

  8. Neutron activation analysis of medieval and early modern times ceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kies, A.; Reitsamer, G.; Bauer, W.

    1985-01-01

    Provenience studies of medieval and early modern times ceramics from the Eastern Danube area of Austria have been performed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. All sherds examined were selected from pottery which was specially charactrized by pottery marks ('Cross Potent', 'Crossmark within a circle', 'Latin Cross', 'Cross Paty'). With respect to the chemical composition five different pottery groups could be evaluated by cluster analysis. Archaeological results: The'Cross Patent' was used by different potter's workshops whereas the 'Crossmark within a circle' was more likely restricted to one manufacture entre. The distribution of the 'Latin Cross' and The 'Cross Paty' over all five clusters indicated the usage of clay from different deposits. The assignment of the 'Cross Paty' exclusively to the area of Passau could be disproved. (Author)

  9. The stars and the state: Astronomy, astrology, and the politics of natural knowledge in early medieval Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhrman, Kristina Mairi

    medieval Japan. As a result, specialists of astrology and astronomy employed a number of strategies to ensure a receptive audience for their work, at least among some members of the court. Many entered into client-patron relationships with the top level of the nobility, wherein knowledge and technical skill were traded for economic and social rewards. Two groups in particular, the members of the Bureau of Onmyo (Jp. Onmyō-ryō) and Buddhist monks, cultivated an aura of supernatural power and ritual efficacy. While the primary goal of this strategy might not have been debates over the stars at court, the use of this capital is clearly documented in the historical sources. Therefore, the social history of debates about astrology and astronomy in the Heian (794-1192) court provides valuable insight into the rise and social perception of the onmyōji, a group of specialists in divination, exorcism, and apotropaic ritual who loom large in the Japanese cultural imagination. In examining the social history of astrology and astronomy in Japan late classical and early medieval periods—how debates first arose then came to shape the very practices of astrology and astronomy themselves—this dissertation also demonstrates the vitality and political importance of these fields in the eighth through thirteenth centuries. In contrast to previous scholarship on the history of science in pre-modern Japan, this dissertation shows that astrology and astronomy were hardly stagnant during this period. It becomes clear, therefore, that the pursuit of natural knowledge in Japan, while it did not develop along expected Western or Chinese trajectories, was still an active part of the intellectual world in pre-modern Japan. Pre-modern Japan's "failure" to follow either of these paths was not in fact stagnation or devolution, but a separate trajectory shaped by the political and social realities of the early medieval period.

  10. Bohemian so-called surgical early medieval knives

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hošek, Jiří; Profantová, Naďa; Šilhová, Alena; Ottenwelter, Estelle

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 2007, č. 1 (2007), s. 932-937 ISSN 1335-1532. [Metallography 2007. Stará Lesná, 02.05.2007-04.05.2007] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA800020603; GA ČR GA404/05/0232 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : knife * medieval * archaeometallurgy Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  11. Representations of Lancet or Phlebotome in Serbian Medieval Art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pajić, Sanja; Jurišić, Vladimir

    2015-01-01

    The topic of this study are representations of lancet or phlebotome in frescoes and icons of Serbian medieval art. The very presence of this medical instrument in Serbian medieval art indicates its usage in Serbian medical practices of the time. Phlebotomy is one of the oldest forms of therapy, widely spread in medieval times. It is also mentioned in Serbian medical texts, such as Chilandar Medical CodexNo. 517 and Hodoch code, i.e. translations from Latin texts originating from Salerno-Montpellier school. Lancet or phlebotome is identified based on archaeological finds from the Roman period, while finds from the Middle Ages and especially from Byzantium have been scarce. Analyses of preserved frescoes and icons has shown that, in comparison to other medical instruments, lancet is indeed predominant in Serbian medieval art, and that it makes for over 80% of all the representations, while other instruments have been depicted to a far lesser degree. Examination of written records and art points to the conclusion that Serbian medieval medicine, both in theory and in practice, belonged entirely to European traditions of the period.

  12. Orgin of Slag from Early Medieval Age Furnaces in Nitra

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julius Dekan

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Two types of archaeological artefacts from remains of Early Medieval Age furnaces excavated in Nitra are analysed. They are supposed to originate from slag of glass and iron production. Employing Mossbauer spectrometry, iron crystallographic sites are identified and compared. In all samples, Fe2+ and Fe3+ structural positions were revealed. Some of the archeological artefacts including those that were supposed to originate from glass production show a presence of metallic iron and/or magnetic oxides. Based on the results of Mossbauer effect measurements performed at room temperature as well as 77 K (liquid nitrogen temperature analytical evidence is provided that the iron sites identified are not as those usually encountered in glasses. Consequently, a conclusion is proposed that neither of the investigated furnaces was used for glass production.

  13. Exploring the Middle Ages with the Medieval Map.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parry, Joseph D.

    1998-01-01

    Illustrates how medieval maps provide a means for studying the Middle Ages by allowing students to explore the ideology and representations of the medieval world conveyed by the maps. Explains that students also can compare the maps with literature from the same time period to further analyze the representations of the culture. (CMK)

  14. The Challenge of Folklore to Medieval Studies

    OpenAIRE

    John Lindow

    2018-01-01

    When folklore began to emerge as a valid expression of a people during the early stages of national romanticism, it did so alongside texts and artifacts from the Middle Ages. The fields of folklore and medieval studies were hardly to be distinguished at that time, and it was only as folklore began to develop its own methodology (actually analogous to medieval textual studies) during the nineteenth century that the fields were distinguished. During the 1970s, however, folklore adopted a wholly...

  15. Medieval and early modern approaches to fractures of the proximal humerus: an historical review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brorson, S.

    2010-01-01

    The diagnosis and management of complex fractures of the proximal humerus have challenged surgical practitioners and medical writers since the earliest recorded surgical texts. Current knowledge of fractures of the proximal humerus has been obtained through pathoanatomical and biomechanical studies...... within the last two centuries. However, the historical preconditions for this development have not been studied. This paper reviews written sources from the fall of the Roman Empire to the late eighteenth century. Medieval and early modern writers mainly rely on the Hippocratic writings De Fracturis...

  16. Historical fencing and scientific research medieval weapons: common ground

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. V. Hrynchyshyn

    2015-07-01

    We considered various approaches to the reconstruction of the historical fencing. It is proved that the activities of such societies has a positive effect on the process research of features of medieval weapons, fighting tactics of different periods The various approaches to the reconstruction of the historical fencing. Proved that the activities of such societies has a positive effect on the process research of features of medieval weapons, fighting tactics of different periods.

  17. [Who were the healers in medieval Trondheim?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pape, K; Westin, S

    1998-12-10

    When Trondheim celebrated its millenium in 1997, this also marked a 1000 year-old medical tradition. In medieval times, sick and disabled people made their pilgrimage to the Nidaros cathedral and the grave of Saint Olav (995-1030). Working from the assumption that every organized society develops rituals and rules to deal with disease and death, we have looked for evidence of what kind of healers one would expect there were in medieval Trondheim up to the reformation in 1537. Sources include reports from archaeological excavations, written material of both medieval and more recent origin, buildings and objects, and living traditions. Three kinds of healer traditions can be identified: The popular and "wise" folk healers were based on traditional pre-Christian mythology and belief in natural forces. The charitable clerics emerged with Christianity. The "professional" wound healers evolved from the needs of the military, later to merge with the early barber surgeons. Traces of scientific traditions, the Salerno school and early European university medicine can be found in local texts, but there is no evidence of any university educated doctor practising in Trondheim before the 17th century.

  18. Sex-related risks of trauma in medieval to early modern Denmark, and its relationship to change in interpersonal violence over time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milner, G R; Boldsen, J L; Weise, S; Lauritsen, J M; Freund, U H

    2015-06-01

    Skeletons from three Danish cemeteries, Sortebrødre, Tirup, and St. Mikkel, that collectively held 822 adults (>15 years) and spanned the medieval to early modern periods (ca. AD 1100-1610) show that men, in general, experienced more bone fractures than women. Men were three times more likely to have healed cranial vault and ulnar shaft fractures than women, with many of these bones presumably broken in interpersonal violence. More women, however, broke distal radii, presumably often the result of falls. Both sexes suffered more cranial fractures than modern Danes, with the proportional difference for men and women being about the same. The difference in cranial trauma frequencies between historic-period and modern Danes has implications for a decline over the past several centuries in interpersonal violence that scholars in other disciplines have inferred from historical sources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Higher-than-present Medieval pine (Pinus sylvestris treeline along the Swedish Scandes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leif Kullman

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The upper treeline of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. is renowned as a sensitive indicator of climate change and variability. By use of megafossil tree remains, preserved exposed on the ground surface, treeline shift over the past millennium was investigated at multiple sites along the Scandes in northern Sweden. Difference in thermal level between the present and the Medieval period, about AD 1000-1200, is a central, although controversial, aspect concerning the detection and attribution of anthropogenic climate warming. Radiocarbon-dated megafossil pines revealed that the treeline was consistently positioned as much as 115 m higher during the Medieval period than today (AD 2000-2010, after a century of warming and substantial treeline upshift. Drawing on the last-mentioned figure, and a lapse rate of 0.6 °C/100 m, it may be inferred that Medieval summer temperatures were about 0.7 °C warmer than much of the past 100 years. Extensive pine mortality and treeline descent after the Medieval warming peak reflect substantially depressed temperatures during the Little Ice Age. Warmer-than-present conditions during the Medieval period concur with temperature reconstructions from different parts of northern Fennoscandia, northwestern Russia and Greenland. Modern warming has not been sufficient to restore Medieval treelines. Against this background, there is little reason to view further modest warming as unnatural.

  20. Effects of Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age on the hydrology of Mediterranean region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markonis, Y.; Kossieris, P.; Lykou, A.; Koutsoyiannis, D.

    2012-04-01

    Medieval Warm Period (950 - 1250) and Little Ice Age (1450 - 1850) are the most recent periods that reflect the magnitude of natural climate variability. As their names suggest, the first one was characterized by higher temperatures and a generally moister climate, while the opposite happened during the second period. Although their existence is well documented for Northern Europe and North America, recent findings suggest strong evidence in lower latitudes as well. Here we analyze qualitatively the influence of these climatic fluctuations on the hydrological cycle all over the Mediterranean basin, highlighting the spatial characteristics of precipitation and runoff. We use both qualitative estimates from literature review in the field of paleoclimatology and statistical analysis of proxy data series. We investigate possible regional patterns and possible tele-connections with large scale atmospheric circulation phenomena such as North Atlantic Oscillation, Siberian High, African Sahel Rainfall and Indian Monsoon.

  1. Premaxillary hyperdontia in medieval Norwegians: a radiographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stermer Beyer-Olsen, E M

    1989-11-01

    An excavation of a part of the graveyard of St Olav's church, Trondheim, Norway, uncovered 389 tombs from the medieval period (1100-1600). Radiographic examination of 140 skulls with an intact premaxilla revealed hyperdontia in the form of a mesiodens in two (1.4%) cases. This is within the same range as similar medieval and present Nordic populations. Change in functional pattern does not seem to influence the prevalence.

  2. Van Giffen’s Dogs: Cranial Osteometry of Iron Age to Medieval Period Dogs from the Northern Netherlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. E. Scheele

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents biometric data from a collection of 488 dogs skulls originating from 58 (archaeological sites in the northern Netherlands dating from the Iron Age to the Medieval Period. The crania were originally collected and documented in the early 20th century by Prof. Albert Egges van Giffen, one of the pioneers of Dutch archaeology and archaeozoology. The ‘De honden van Van Giffen’ project has transcribed, translated and digitized the original handwritten records and tables, supplementing the information with new photographs of a selection of the specimens, and made the dataset openly accessible for researchers worldwide on easy.dans.knaw.nl. This dataset is an unparalleled treasure trove of canid osteometric data with sustainable reuse potential for research into dog domestication, the evolution of dog breeds, and cranial variability in canids.   Funding statement: Making the data digitally available in an open access environment was funded by the Koninklijke Nederlandse Academie van Wetenschappen (KNAW via Data Archiving and Network Services (DANS as a Kleine Data Projecten (KDP grant. The original data and facilities for carrying out the project were provided by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology of the University of Groningen.

  3. Fahl during the Early Mamluk Period

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walmsley, Alan George; Mcphillips, Stephen Alexander

    2007-01-01

    Excavations at Pella (Fihl, Fahl) in the Jordan Valley have identified significant occupation to Mamluk times, ca. 13th-15th centuries CE. The article reviews the importance of the Jordan Valley in medieval Islamic archaeology, written sources on Mamluk Fahl, and the archaeological discoveries...... at Mamluk Fahl (mosque, village and cemetery). An interim report on the medieval Islamic ceramics from Fahl is also presented....

  4. Gioacchino Volpe and the medieval religious movements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrico Artifoni

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This article is a widened version of a lecture held in 2005 at the congress: ‘Gioacchino Volpe between past and present’, issued in the volume edited by R. Bonuglia (Rome 2007. It analyzes the main topics present in the work by Gioacchino Volpe: Movimenti religiosi e sette ereticali nella società medievale italiana (secoli XI-XIV (‘Religious movements and heretical sects in Italian Medieval society (11th-14th century', of 1922, and connects such essay to the author’s interests for ‘social’ history in the period after the 11th century. It also casts light on the influence of  Volpe’s thesis on many Italian Medieval scholars, who studied the medieval heresies over the 20th century (Morghen, Dupré Theseider, Manselli, Violante.

  5. The Religion of the Muslims of Medieval and Early Modern Castile : Interdisciplinary Research and Recent Studies on Mudejar Islam (2000-2014)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Colominas Aparicio, M.; Wiegers, G.A.

    2016-01-01

    The present article examines recent contributions to the study of Islam and Muslim communities in Medieval and Early Modern Castile (2000-2014). Our aim is to identify the main areas of focus, the topics and the key issues addressed by scholars in the field; and to consider the significance of the

  6. Flavorings in Context: Spices and Herbs in Medieval Near East

    OpenAIRE

    Lewicka, Paulina B.

    2011-01-01

    Throughout history, the approach towards imported spices varied from culture to culture. In medieval and early post-medieval Europe, where spices became an exotic object of temporary desire, they were often used unskillfully and in a haphazard manner. In the Ottoman Constantinople, unlike in Europe, it was the moderate use of spices, and not overdosing them, that became a manifestation of status. As deliberate paragons of refinement, the Ottomans depreciated what they considered uncivilized w...

  7. Anthony Davenport. Medieval Narrative – An Introduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard TRIM

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available This latest book by Tony Davenport represents not only a very useful guide to the different types of narrative associated with the Middle Ages but also succinctly describes their origins in Antiquity as well as linking up the various genres of medieval story-telling to present-day fiction in prose and film. The introductory pages thus give a global picture of narrative both before and after the medieval period and the Middle Ages are thereby not left in a vacuum. Although the focus is on Engl...

  8. New astronomical references in two Catalonian late medieval documents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, María José; Marco, Francisco J

    2014-01-01

    In 2008, after 13 years of preparation, the Generalitat of Catalunya finished the publication of the 10 volumes of the Dietaris de la Generalitat de Catalunya. The Dietaris, as well as a closely related source, the llibre de Jornades 1411/1484 de Jaume Safont, cover the period of 1411 to 1539. In this article, we examine astronomical references contained in these two sources, and place them in their historical context. Our main focus lies on astronomical phenomena that have not previously been published in the astronomical literature. In fact, relatively few astronomical records are accessible in Spanish medieval and early modern history, and our paper intends to fill this gap partially.

  9. Hip Dislocation and Dystocia in Early Medieval Times: Possible Evidence of Labor Maneuver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malgosa, Assumpció; Carrascal, Susana; Piga, Giampaolo; Isidro, Albert

    2016-12-01

    In ancient times, maternal mortality would occur frequently, particularly during labor. Evidence of dystocia resulting in the death of a pregnant woman is very infrequent in paleopathologic literature, with only a few cases being demonstrated. In the early medieval site of Casserres, the skeleton of a young woman with a fetus in the pelvic region was found. Some abnormal findings of the maternal skeleton were evaluated, including a sacral anomaly, femoral head wound, the rare position of the lower left limb with the femoral head dislodged anteriorly and cephalad from the socket, and a fibular fracture. Examining the anomalies all together, a case of anterior hip dislocation related to a McRoberts-like maneuver performed during labor is a plausible explanation of the findings.

  10. Towards the Study of the Early Medieval Site Bashanta-II

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ochir-Goryaeva Maria A.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The authors offer preliminary results on study of a new early medieval site discovered in the Gorodovikovo District (Kalmykia during a field survey near Bashanta-I hillfort at Chapaevskoe Lake (or Tsagan nur in Kalmyk language. The new site is found 8 km to the south-west from Bashanta-I hillfort, on the bank of the Egorlyk River. The site is dated by two radiocarbon dates by the middle of the 7th – late 8th centuries, i.e. by the time of Khazar Khanate. Some preliminary studies on the site included topographical mapping, collection of stray finds and a few prospection pits. These activities yielded numerous ceramic sherds, roof tiles and debris of masonry. Judging by the existing cultural stratum, remains of stone structures made of shell stone blocks and numerous ceramic finds of good quality, the new site was a settlement of Saltovo-Mayaki Culture, presumably a satellite hillfort. The identity of ceramics and construction materials allowed the authors to name this new site as Bashanta-II.

  11. The prevalence and distribution of dental caries in four early medieval non-adult populations of different socioeconomic status from Central Europe

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Stránská, Petra; Velemínský, P.; Poláček, Lumír

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 60, č. 1 (2015), s. 62-76 ISSN 0003-9969 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36938G Institutional support: RVO:67985912 ; RVO:68081758 Keywords : bioarchaeology * early medieval population * Great Moravia * non-adult individuals * dental caries * socio-economic status Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 1.733, year: 2015

  12. The Vicissitudes of a Medieval Japanese Warrior

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oxenbøll, Morten

    2007-01-01

    In standard accounts of medieval Japanese society, enormous stress is put on the conflicts between local landholders (zaichi ryôshu) and absentee proprietors. Fuelled by the debate on feudalism that divided scholars up until the early 1990s, these conflicts have widely been recognised as proof...

  13. Solar and Calendrical Symbolism in the Early Medieval Finnish Church Murals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridderstad, Marianna

    2015-05-01

    The earliest church murals of the first stone churches in Finland were painted at the time when Christianity had only just become the official faith in the region and the old ethnic religion was still widely practiced. The 'pagan' motifs of these Early Medieval Finnish church murals reflect the complexity of the religious beliefs in this transition phase. The church actively transformed the festivals of the vernacular religion by giving Christian meanings to the symbols and rituals, as well as by replacing the ethnic deities with Christian figures. The solar symbolism and the calendrical motifs of the church murals are interpreted as imagery largely based on the Christianized remnants of the pre-Christian annual festivals. The earliest church murals thus provide important insight into the pre-Christian religious beliefs of late Iron Age Finland. Many of the motifs and symbols represented in the murals are related to the annual fertility cult and the solar goddess as one of its central figures.

  14. Abu-Sahl al-Masihi (died circa 1010 AD): The Persian physician in the early medieval era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taghavi-Shirazi, Maryam; Ghods, Roshanak; Hashem-Dabaghian, Fataneh; Zargaran, Arman

    2018-01-01

    In the early medieval era, in the time which is called the Islamic Golden Age, medicine flourished through the practice of Persian physicians (9th to 12th century AD). Abu-Sahl al-Masihi (died circa 1010 AD) was one of the physicians in that period who had great influence on the progress of medicine by his own writings as well as his influence on great scholars like Biruni and Avicenna as their teacher. He was a polymath and had many writings in various fields of science, in particular medical sciences. Some of his manuscripts in medicine were Al-Mia fil-Tibb (Book of the Hundred), Kitab al-Teb al-Koli (The General Medicine), Ezhar al-Hekmat Allah Ta'ala fi Khalgh al-Ensan (God's Mystery on the Creation of Man), Resalat al-Adwiya (Treatise of Drugs), Osool Elm Nabz (the Principles of Pulse), and Resala f ī Taḥqiq Amral-Waba' (On the determination of the matter of infectious diseases). As a sign of his impact in Persian medicine, many later physicians (until 19th century) referred to and cited his works in their manuscripts several times.

  15. Early Medieval ceramics from the Viile Tecii archaeological site (Romania: an optical and XRD study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corina Ionescu

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Mineralogical and petrographic studies of Early Medieval potshards exhumed in the Viile Tecii archaeological site (North Transylvania, Romania show a ceramic body composed of a microcrystalline to amorphous matrix, various clasts and voids. The microscopical features and XRD patterns indicate that illitic-kaolinitic clays were used as raw materials, together with quartzitic sands as tempering material. The ceramic vessels were obtained with the potter’s wheel, but the fabric is only slightly oriented, due either to the fast modeling or to the coarseness of the clayish paste. The thermal alteration of mineral phases points to relatively high firing-temperatures, between 800 and 900°C.

  16. A glimpse into the early origins of medieval anatomy through the oldest conserved human dissection (Western Europe, 13(th) c. A.D.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlier, Philippe; Huynh-Charlier, Isabelle; Poupon, Joël; Lancelot, Eloïse; Campos, Paula F; Favier, Dominique; Jeannel, Gaël-François; Bonati, Maurizio Rippa; de la Grandmaison, Geoffroy Lorin; Hervé, Christian

    2014-05-12

    Medieval autopsy practice is very poorly known in Western Europe, due to a lack of both descriptive medico-surgical texts and conserved dissected human remains. This period is currently considered the dark ages according to a common belief of systematic opposition of Christian religious authorities to the opening of human cadavers. The identification in a private collection of an autopsied human individual dated from the 13(th) century A.D. is an opportunity for better knowledge of such practice in this chrono-cultural context, i.e. the early origins of occidental dissections. A complete forensic anthropological procedure was carried out, completed by radiological and elemental analyses. The complete procedure of this body opening and internal organs exploration is explained, and compared with historical data about forensic and anatomical autopsies from this period. During the analysis, a red substance filling all arterial cavities, made of mercury sulfide (cinnabar) mixed with vegetal oil (oleic and palmitic acids) was identified; it was presumably used to highlight vascularization by coloring in red such vessels, and help in the preservation of the body. Of particular interest for the description of early medical and anatomical knowledge, this "human preparation" is the oldest known yet, and is particularly important for the fields of history of medicine, surgery and anatomical practice.

  17. Research output in medieval and crusades studies 1981-2011

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Torben Kjersgaard

    2017-01-01

    This article investigates the numerical research output of crusade studies over the past thirty years. The article compares its findings to the output of medieval studies in general in the same period. It shows in detail how the applied bibliometric statistics are generated and elaborates on some...... of the methodological considerations necessary in carrying out this kind of quantitative research. On the basis of bibliometric statistics generated from the International Medieval Bibliography (IMB) and Bibliographie de Civilisation Médiévale (BCM), the article identifies a numeric decrease in research output both...... in crusade studies in particular and in medieval studies in general. The article proposes further discussion on the “why” and “how” of this somewhat surprising result....

  18. Ideal kingship in the late medieval world: The Ottoman case

    OpenAIRE

    Yelçe, Zeynep Nevin; Yelce, Zeynep Nevin

    2003-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the characteristics of the ideal ruler as seen through the eyes of the members of late medieval societies. Throughout the study, main features attributed to the ideal ruler in various cultures have been pursued. Comparing the concepts and attributes apparent in these cultures, it has become possible to talk about a single ideal of kingship as far as the "Christian" and "Muslim" realms of the late medieval era is concerned. The early Ottoman enterprise has b...

  19. Climate during the Roman and early-medieval periods in North-western Europe: a review of climate reconstructions from terrestrial archives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichelmann, Dana F. C.; Gouw-Bouman, Marjolein T. I. J.; Hoek, Wim Z.; van Lanen, Rowin J.; Stouthamer, Esther; Jansma, Esther

    2016-04-01

    High-resolution palaeoclimate reconstructions are essential to identify possible influences of climate variability on landscape evolution and landscape-related cultural changes (e.g., shifting settlement patterns and long-distance trade relations). North-western Europe is an ideal research area for comparison between climate variability and cultural transitions given its geomorphological diversity and the significant cultural changes that took place in this region during the last two millennia (e.g., the decline of the Roman Empire and the transition to medieval kingdoms). Compared to more global climate records, such as ice cores and marine sediments, terrestrial climate proxies have the advantage of representing a relatively short response time to regional climatic change. Furthermore for this region large quantity of climate reconstructions is available covering the last millennium, whereas for the first millennium AD only few high resolution climate reconstructions are available. We compiled climate reconstructions for sites in North-western Europe from the literature and its underlying data. All these reconstructions cover the time period of AD 1 to 1000. We only selected data with an annual to decadal resolution and a minimum resolution of 50 years. This resulted in 18 climate reconstructions from different archives such as chironomids (1), pollen (4), Sphagnum cellulose (1), stalagmites (6), testate amoebae (4), and tree-rings (2). The compilation of the different temperature reconstructions shows similar trends in most of the records. Colder conditions since AD 300 for a period of approximately 400 years and warmer conditions after AD 700 become apparent. A contradicting signal is found before AD 300 with warmer conditions indicated by most of the records but not all. This is likely the result of the use of different proxies, reflecting temperatures linked to different seasons. The compilation of the different precipitation reconstructions also show similar

  20. Seasonal modulation of the Asian summer monsoon between the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age: a multi model study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamae, Youichi; Kawana, Toshi; Oshiro, Megumi; Ueda, Hiroaki

    2017-12-01

    Instrumental and proxy records indicate remarkable global climate variability over the last millennium, influenced by solar irradiance, Earth's orbital parameters, volcanic eruptions and human activities. Numerical model simulations and proxy data suggest an enhanced Asian summer monsoon during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) compared to the Little Ice Age (LIA). Using multiple climate model simulations, we show that anomalous seasonal insolation over the Northern Hemisphere due to a long cycle of orbital parameters results in a modulation of the Asian summer monsoon transition between the MWP and LIA. Ten climate model simulations prescribing historical radiative forcing that includes orbital parameters consistently reproduce an enhanced MWP Asian monsoon in late summer and a weakened monsoon in early summer. Weakened, then enhanced Northern Hemisphere insolation before and after June leads to a seasonally asymmetric temperature response over the Eurasian continent, resulting in a seasonal reversal of the signs of MWP-LIA anomalies in land-sea thermal contrast, atmospheric circulation, and rainfall from early to late summer. This seasonal asymmetry in monsoon response is consistently found among the different climate models and is reproduced by an idealized model simulation forced solely by orbital parameters. The results of this study indicate that slow variation in the Earth's orbital parameters contributes to centennial variability in the Asian monsoon transition.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

  1. The metallographic examination of sword no. 438 as part of a systematic survey of swords from the early medieval stronghold of Mikulčice, Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hošek, Jiří; Košta, J.; Bárta, P.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 32, prosinec (2012), s. 87-102 ISSN 0436-029X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP405/12/2289 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : Mikulčice * Great Moravia * early medieval sword * archaeometallurgy Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  2. Charcoal analyses as an environmental tool for the study of Early Medieval sunken houses infills in Roztoky near Prague, Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Novák, J.; Lisá, Lenka; Pokorný, P.; Kuna, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 39, č. 4 (2012), s. 808-817 ISSN 0305-4403 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP405/10/2289; GA AV ČR IAAX00020701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516; CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : anthracology * geoarchaeology * pollen analysis * Early Medieval sunken houses * vegetation * firewood * post-depositional processes Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 1.889, year: 2012

  3. THE ORIGIN OF THE CONCEPT OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN IN EARLY MEDIEVAL PERSIA (9TH-12TH CENTURY CE).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heydari, Mojtaba; Shams, Mesbah; Hashempur, Mohammad Hashem; Zargaran, Arman; Dalfardi, Behnam; Borhani-Haghighi, Afshin

    2015-01-01

    Neuropathic pain is supposed to be a post-renaissance described medical entity. Although it is often believed that John Fothergill (1712-1780) provided the first description of this condition in 1773, a review of the medieval Persian medical writings will show the fact that neuropathic pain was a medieval-originated concept. "Auojae Asab" [Nerve-originated Pain] was used as a medical term in medieval Persian medical literature for pain syndromes which etiologically originated from nerves. Physicians like Rhazes (d. 925 CE), Haly Abbas (d. 982 CE), Avicenna (d. 1037 CE), and Jorjani (d. 1137 CE) have discussed multiple aspects of nerve-originated pain including its classification, etiology, differentiating characteristics, different qualities, and pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments. Recognizing medieval scholars' views on nerve-originated pain can lighten old historical origins of this concept.

  4. Disintegration of monetary system of medieval Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gnjatović Dragana

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The subject matter of this paper is the process of gradual disintegration of monetary system of medieval Serbia during the second half of the 14th and the first half of the 15th century. This period is characterized by an appearance of frequent usurpations of the ruling right to mint coinage by local landlords and the attempts of the rulers from Lazarević and Branković families to restore unified monetary system. Common debasements and restorations of silver coinage provoked economic instability and induced frequent turning backwards to the custom of using weighted silver instead of silver coins as commodity monetary standard. The aim of this paper is to explain the reasons for those phenomena. We apply qualitative, historical, empirical analysis where we consider money minting right holders and their decisions to debase and restore the value of silver dinars. We found that gradual disintegration of monetary system of medieval Serbian State continued until the fall of Serbian Despotate as a consequence of political instability following dissolution of medieval Serbian Empire and economic and financial exhaustion of Serbia by Ottoman suzerains.

  5. Medieval Nomads – Sixth International Conference on the Medieval History of the Eurasian Steppe (Szeged, Hungary, November 23–26, 2016

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandar Uzelac

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Sixth international conference dedicated to the Medieval History of the Eurasian Steppe took place in the Hungarian city of Szeged on November 23-26, 2016. The organizer of the event was MTA-SZTE (“Hungarian Academy of Sciences – University of Szeged” Turkological Research group of the departments of Altaic and Medieval Studies at the Faculty of Arts, University of Szeged. More than thirty scholars from Hungary, Russia, Turkey, China, Spain, Bulgaria and Serbia took part in this event. The working languages of the conference were English and Russian. Presented papers dealt with various aspects of the history of Eurasian nomads, from the Early Middle Ages up to the seventeenth century. Among them, several have been related to the history of the Golden Horde. The proceedings of the conference are planned to be published in 2017, as a separate volume of the journal Chronica – Annual of The Institute of History, University of Szeged. Considering the quality and variety of the papers, presented at this occasion, there is no doubt it will attract the attention of the growing community of researchers and scholars interested in the medieval history of Eurasia.

  6. Ancient and medieval Iberia seen through glass: An archaeometric perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juan Ares, J. de; Nadine Schibille, N.

    2017-01-01

    The study of ancient and medieval glasses has identified distinct compositional groups as a result of the chemical characteristics of the raw materials used for its production. Archaeometric analysis can determine the provenance of the glass, and has demonstrated a large-scale production and commercialisation of raw glass throughout the Mediterranean during the ancient and medieval periods. Secondary workshops on the Iberian Peninsula imported raw glass from the Near East for the better part of the first millennium CE, following a similar pattern observed elsewhere in the Mediterranean region. However, there are some indications that point to a local production of glass and that deserve further investigation. In the ninth century, natron glass was replaced in al-Ándalus by plant ash and lead-rich glass that may represent a local production. Little is known about the production or use of glass in the Christian parts of the peninsula during this period. The increasing volume of analytical data on Spanish glass demonstrates the potential of an archaeometric approach to shed light not only on the production and trade of glass on the Iberian Peninsula but also on the ancient and medieval economy more generally. [es

  7. Medieval monsters, in theory and practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The past two decades have witnessed a plethora of studies on the medieval monster. These studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of religion, art, literature, and science in the Middle Ages. However, a tendency to treat the medieval monster in purely symbolic and psychological terms ignores the lived experiences of impaired medieval people and their culture's attitudes toward them. With the aid of recent insights provided by disability studies, this article aims to confront "real" medieval monsters--e.g., physically impaired human beings--in both their human and monstrous aspects.

  8. Psychiatry and psychology in medieval Persia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vakili, Nasser; Gorji, Ali

    2006-12-01

    The history of psychological sciences and especially the ways in which related disorders were treated in medieval Persia are not well known in the West. The main objective of this article is to review the clinical approaches to psychological disorders used by practitioners in medieval Persia. Several documents still exist from which the clinical data on different psychological syndromes in medieval Persia can be ascertained. Data for this review were identified by searches of MEDLINE, Current Contents, the Internet, references from relevant articles and books, the Astan-e-Ghods Razavi Library, the Tehran University Library, the Mashhad University Library, and the files of the authors. Search terms included psychiatry, psychology, Persian, medieval, Avicenna, and pharmacotherapy. The medieval practitioners defined various signs and symptoms, apparent causes, and hygienic and dietary rules for prevention of these disorders. Medieval Persian medical writings encouraged the treatment of psychological disorders by tackling the conditions that cause or contribute to the disorder and through the use of electrical-shock therapy, phlebotomy, psychotherapy, music and color therapy, and especially prescription of long lists of medicaments. Some of the approaches of doctors in medieval Persia are accepted today, although most remain largely unexamined. With further research, more of these treatments may be shown to be of use to modern medicine.

  9. Sex differentials in frailty in medieval England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeWitte, Sharon N

    2010-10-01

    In most modern populations, there are sex differentials in morbidity and mortality that favor women. This study addresses whether such female advantages existed to any appreciable degree in medieval Europe. The analyses presented here examine whether men and women with osteological stress markers faced the same risks of death in medieval London. The sample used for this study comes from the East Smithfield Black Death cemetery in London. The benefit of using this cemetery is that most, if not all, individuals interred in East Smithfield died from the same cause within a very short period of time. This allows for the analysis of the differences between men and women in the risks of mortality associated with osteological stress markers without the potential confounding effects of different causes of death. A sample of 299 adults (173 males, 126 females) from the East Smithfield cemetery was analyzed. The results indicate that the excess mortality associated with several osteological stress markers was higher for men than for women. This suggests that in this medieval population, previous physiological stress increased the risk of death for men during the Black Death to a greater extent than was true for women. Alternatively, the results might indicate that the Black Death discriminated less strongly between women with and without pre-existing health conditions than was true for men. These results are examined in light of previous analyses of East Smithfield and what is known about diet and sexually mediated access to resources in medieval England. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  10. What Is Medieval European Literature?

    OpenAIRE

    Borsa, Paolo; Høgel, Christian; Mortensen, Lars Boje; Tyler, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    The editors of Interfaces: A Journal of Medieval European Literatures explain the scope and purpose of the new journal by mapping out the significance and possible meanings of the three key terms of the subtitle: ‘literature,’ ‘medieval,’ ‘Europe.’ The specific theme of Issue 1 is introduced: ‘Histories of Medieval European Literatures: New Patterns of Representation and Explanation.’ With respect to this theme, theoretical problems concerning teleology and the present possibilities for liter...

  11. Two cases of joint disease in post-medieval church cemetery of St. Ilija.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durić, Marija; Rakocević, Zoran; Bumbasirević, Marko; Lesić, Aleksandar; Kelecević, Julija

    2004-01-01

    Evidence of disease was analyzed from the skeletal remains of 11 individuals dating to the post-Medieval period from church cemetery of St. Ilija in Serbia. Two individuals showed pathological condition affecting joints. It was supposed that first individual had been suffering from Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. It seems that this condition remained untreated, with extensive bone remodeling, and that the deformity of femoral head and acetabulum caused secondary degenerative joint disease at a relatively early age of this individual. Second case was related to the bony akylosis of the hand finger, probably caused by Dupuytren's disease. In addition, we discussed development of differential diagnosis in both pathological conditions.

  12. Essays on medieval computational astronomy

    CERN Document Server

    Bergón, José Chabás

    2014-01-01

    In Essays on Medieval Computational Astronomy the authors provide examples of original and intelligent approaches and solutions given by medieval astronomers to the problems of their discipline, mostly presented in the form of astronomical tables.

  13. ECOHYDROLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES OF DEGRADING BAOLIS DURING MEDIEVAL PERIOD IN DELHI: traditional practices of water management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subhash Anand

    2017-03-01

    Baolis es el depósito de agua en los monumentos arquitectónicos que habían sido construidos por varios sultanato de Delhi en diferentes períodos de tiempo y la mayoría de Baolis fueron construidos durante el período de tiempo medieval. Los Baolis se encuentran en todo el país, pero todos son diferentes en lo que respecta al arte y la arquitectura. Los sultanatos de Delhi habían construido una serie de Baolis en Delhi para mostrar su control y prestigio en la sociedad. Hay alrededor de 12 Baolis existentes en Delhi y de ellos, cuatro Baolis están a punto de extinguirse y pocos Baolis como Nizamuddin, Firoz Shah y Rajon ki Baolis están siendo utilizados por la gente local. Este artículo comprende la información relacionada con Baolis que fue construida por sultanatos de Delhi durante el período de tiempo medieval en Delhi. El presente trabajo intenta describir el método tradicional de gestión del agua como Baolis en época medieval y su estado actual. El estudio se basa en fuentes primarias y secundarias de información y se realizó una encuesta primaria y personal y se han utilizado fuentes secundarias de datos e información en este documento. El artículo concluyó que Baolis no está teniendo buenas condiciones y estas están muy contaminadas y degradadas y su degradación también conduce a la pérdida ecológica hidrológica en sus áreas adyacentes. Los acercamientos descuidados de la gente hacia estos Baolis son causas principales detrás de la extinción y de la degradación de estos Baolis. La conciencia de la comunidad y la participación es la única manera de proteger a estos Baolis de la extinción. Palabras clave: Baolis; Arquitectónico; Monumento; Medieval; Degradación; Eco hidrología; Contaminación; Manejo.

  14. Review of Periodical Literature on the History of Education Published in 2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Mark; Kirke, Alice

    2017-01-01

    This review considers the periodical literature on the history of education published in 2016. It discusses general long-term trends in the field, but focuses mainly on the key areas of research in 2016 itself. The review is divided into several sections: ancient, medieval and early modern history; schooling and education policy; the history of…

  15. Is Medieval Warm Period (MWP) wetter in Nagaland?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misra, S.; Agarwal, D. S.; Bhattacharyya, D. A.

    2017-12-01

    Dzukou Valley, Nagaland is one of the biodiversity rich regions in northeast India. It is house to 113 families of plants where primitive angiosperms and endemic plants species contribute 19% and 6% respectively to this unique floristic wealth. Floristic uniqueness of the valley is that 50 families are represented by single genus and 128 genuses are represented by single species. Present work is the first attempt to use soil organic matter (SOM) d13C and pollen data to understand climate vis-à-vis vegetation dynamics in an area where climatic changes were not strong enough to induce a significant change in vegetation cover. The d13C values in our study range from -29.1‰ to -27.7‰ during late Holocene. These values are typical of forest soils and suggest organic carbon derived exclusively from C3 vegetation. Generated proxy data reveals three phases of climatic and vegetational shifts in the region since 3100 yr BP. During the first phase from 3100 yr BP to 2300 yr BP isotope data shows higher values, indicating towards a comparatively dry climate and area was occupies by dry Pine-Oak forest. Subsequently in second phase from 2300 yr BP to 1060 yr BP increase in arboreal pollens (tree elements) and gradually decreasing trend in d13C values from 2300 to 1060 yrs BP by 1.4 ‰ indicate towards comparatively moist climatic conditions corresponding to Medieval Warm Period. Later on in the third phase from 1060 yr BP onwards climate again climate turned dry and continued till date as postulated from the increasing trend in d13C values and good recovery of Pinus-Oak forest pollens.This study holds its significance not only as the first attempt to address palaeoclimate and palaeo-vegetation study from Nagaland but also as the first attempt to use SOM d13C along with pollen data to understand the influence of fluctuating rainfall (in a high rainfall zone) in altering the floristic wealth of a region. This type of study is essentially needed to address several issues

  16. Osseous Frame Index calculations of the early medieval South-West Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jasch, Isabelle; Langer, Antje; Boley, Moritz; Mumm, Rebekka; Riesenberg, Martin; Mann, Robert; Wahl, Joachim

    2018-05-15

    The proper description of former populations is one of the most difficult tasks in anthropology. Archaeological material is often limited due to fragmented and sometimes poorly preserved bone material resulting in incomplete data. Published skeletal raw data are available from the past, but much of this data is either unavailable or not used for scientific studies. The authors seek to elicit more information about prehistoric times by using this dataset to introduce a new method. The purpose is to provide an approach to reconstruct a former population in respect to robusticity and health status. For this in the pilot study the Body Mass Index (BMI) and Frame Index (FI) of early medieval South-West Germany have been analysed. The FI, in contrast to the BMI, has not yet been used for robusticity analysis utilizing only skeletal remains. As far as we know, this is the first time that the FI has been calculated using archaeological material. Due to unknown soft-tissue thickness we introduce the Osseous Frame Index (OFI). The measured OFI reveals new insights in (pre-)historic populations and allows comparisons with modern reference samples. Our OFI calculations are relatively similar to modern calculations. Males have a higher robusticity than females, slightly increasing during life-time compared to females. These calculations provide a better historical understanding of human body composition.

  17. Soil archives of a Fluvisol, part II. Archaeostratigraphical model of the subsurface of the medieval city centre of Vlaardingen, the Netherlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kluiving, Sjoerd; De Ridder, Tim; van Dasselaar, Marcel; Prins, Maarten

    2017-04-01

    In Medieval times the city of Vlaardingen (the Netherlands) was strategically located on the confluence of three rivers, the Meuse, the Merwede and the Vlaarding. A church of early 8th century was already located here. In a short period of time Vlaardingen developed into an international trading place, the most important place in the former county of Holland. Starting from the 11th century the river Meuse threatened to flood the settlement. These floods have been registered in the archives of the fluvisol and were recognised in a multidisciplinary sedimentary analysis of these archives. To secure the future of this vulnerable soil archive an extensive interdisciplinary research (76 mechanical drill holes, grain size analysis (GSA), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), archaeological remains, soil analysis, dating methods, micromorphology, and microfauna has started in 2011 to gain knowledge on the sedimentological and pedological subsurface of the mound as well as on the well-preserved nature of the archaeological evidence. Pedogenic features are recorded with soil descriptive, micromorphological and geochemical (XRF) analysis. The soil sequence of 5 meters thickness exhibits a complex mix of 'natural' as well as 'anthropogenic layering' and initial soil formation that enables to make a distinction for relatively stable periods between periods with active sedimentation. In this paper the results of this large-scale project are demonstrated in a number of cross-sections with interrelated geological, pedological and archaeological stratification. Distinction between natural and anthropogenic layering is made on the occurrence of chemical elements phosphor and potassium. A series of four stratigraphic / sedimentary units record the period before and after the flooding disaster. Given the many archaeological remnants and features present in the lower units, we know that the medieval landscape was drowned while it was inhabited in the 12th century AD. After a final

  18. Seismic Activity in Medieval Jeroným Mine, West Bohemia, During Period 2006-2009

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kaláb, Zdeněk; Lednická, Markéta; Knejzlík, Jaromír; Hrubešová, E.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 5, č. 2 (2010), s. 67-77 ISSN 1896-3145. [Ochrona środowiska w górnictwie podziemnym, odkrywkowym i otworowym. Zawiercie, 19.05.2010-21.05.2010] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA105/09/0089 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : medieval Jeroným mine * seismic load * numerical modelling of underground spaces Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure

  19. Socio-cultural factors in dental diseases in the Medieval and early Modern Age of northern Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Belen; Pardiñas, Antonio F; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva; Dopico, Eduardo

    2012-02-01

    The aim of this study is to present, discuss and compare the results of pathological conditions in teeth from skeletal remains found in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) in four Medieval cemeteries (late 15th century) and three cemeteries from the Modern Age (late 18th century). The final objective was to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic and cultural changes that took place during the early Modern Age in Spain, on oral health. Dental caries and antemortem tooth loss were considered as indicators of dental disease. A significant increase of both dental caries and antemortem tooth loss occurred in Modern Age individuals when compared to Medieval values, as reported for other regions. Increased trade with other continents may explain this deterioration of dental health, as food exchanges (mainly with America) contributed to diet changes for the overall population, including higher carbohydrate consumption (introduction of potatoes) at the expense of other vegetables. A sex-specific increase of dental disease with age, and a significantly higher prevalence of carious lesions in Modern Age females than in males, were also found. These changes can be explained by women having had limited access to dental care after the Middle-Modern Age transition, as a consequence of socio-cultural and political changes. In these changes, an increasing influence of the Catholic Church in Spanish society has to be noted, as it can contribute to the explanation of the unequal dental health of men and women. Women were socially excluded from dental care by regulations inspired by religious precepts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Medievalism: From Ruskin toChesterton

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marko Jenko

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available This article deals with the topic of medievalism as all existing, still evolving, and future forms of reception of the Middle Ages, focusing primarily on the issues of the term itself and the problems that arise with its definition, its occurrence in John Ruskin’s time, various historical forms, and their variations, especially considering some of the implications of its official or academic aspect – namely, medieval studies in general. Consequently, the article shows that medievalism entails a step beyond or beneath the usual opposition between the real and false Middle Ages. In terms of objectivity as an ideal, as the search or quest for the real Middle Ages (and also as a reaction against subjective receptions, colored by presuppositions, preconceptions, and prejudice, medievalism shifts our perspective on the opposition between the objective and subjective, inaugurating a field of study that centers on the objective-subjective, which should not be seen or taken as a synthesis. Furthermore, it pinpoints a change or shift in the status of truth itself: a truth with no guarantee. Primarily making reference to art history, the article emphasizes the importance of medievalist fantasies and proposes a much needed re-reading of Panofsky’s take on the scholastic habitus. Both terms, fantasy and/or habitus, permeate the field of medievalism, opening what is perhaps the most important question: that of (works of art and materiality.

  1. Morbidity, rickets and long-bone growth in post-medieval Britain--a cross-population analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinhasi, R; Shaw, P; White, B; Ogden, A R

    2006-01-01

    Vitamin D deficiency rickets is associated with skeletal deformities including swollen rib junctions, bowing of the legs, and the flaring and fraying of the wrist and long-bone metaphyses. There is, however, scarce information on the direct effect of rickets on skeletal growth in either present or past populations. The study investigated the effect of vitamin D deficiency rickets on long-bone growth in two post-medieval skeletal populations from East London (Broadgate and Christ Church Spitalfields). Subsequently, inter-population growth variations in relation to non-specific environmental stress (dental enamel defects), industrialization, urbanization and socio-economic status during infancy (birth to 3 years) and early childhood (3-7 years) were examined. Data on long-bone diaphyseal length dimensions and stress indicators of 234 subadults from Anglo-Saxon, late medieval and post-medieval archaeological skeletal samples were analysed using both linear and non-linear growth models. Rickets had no effect on the growth curves for any of the long bones studied. However, pronounced variations in growth between the four populations were noted, mainly during infancy. The diaphyseal length of long bones of Broadgate were significantly smaller-per-age than those of Spitalfields and the other samples up to the age of 4 years, and were associated with a high prevalence of enamel defects during early infancy. Socio-economic status, rather than urbanization, industrialization or rickets, was the central factor behind the observed differences in growth among the post-medieval populations. The observed inter-population growth variations were only significant during infancy.

  2. Why We Need a Medieval Narratology: A Manifesto

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva von Contzen

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In the wake of the growing interest in diachronic approaches and the historicizing of narratology, a medieval narratology is called for which systematically scrutinizes medieval forms and functions of narration. In the first part of the article, the problems of applying classical narratological theories to medieval literature are sketched, as well as the reasons for the relative invisibility of the narratological studies already conducted by medievalists. In the second part, the main parameters of a medieval narratology are outlined by means of selected sample analyses across a range of genres. A medieval narratology, it is argued, requires necessary shifts and modifications of existing theories, but also an open dialogue between the disciplines. Both narratologists and medievalists can profit from such an endeavor, which does not reject classical and post-classical theories. Rather, it is based on an informed understanding of the historical grounding of narrative forms and their place in the history of literature. The essay rounds off with a proposal of “Ten Theses for a Medieval Narratology”.

  3. Duration and severity of Medieval drought in the Lake Tahoe Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleppe, J.A.; Brothers, D.S.; Kent, G.M.; Biondi, F.; Jensen, S.; Driscoll, N.W.

    2011-01-01

    Droughts in the western U.S. in the past 200 years are small compared to several megadroughts that occurred during Medieval times. We reconstruct duration and magnitude of extreme droughts in the northern Sierra Nevada from hydroclimatic conditions in Fallen Leaf Lake, California. Stands of submerged trees rooted in situ below the lake surface were imaged with sidescan sonar and radiocarbon analysis yields an age estimate of ∼1250 AD. Tree-ring records and submerged paleoshoreline geomorphology suggest a Medieval low-stand of Fallen Leaf Lake lasted more than 220 years. Over eighty more trees were found lying on the lake floor at various elevations above the paleoshoreline. Water-balance calculations suggest annual precipitation was less than 60% normal from late 10th century to early 13th century AD. Hence, the lake’s shoreline dropped 40–60 m below its modern elevation. Stands of pre-Medieval trees in this lake and in Lake Tahoe suggest the region experienced severe drought at least every 650–1150 years during the mid- and late-Holocene. These observations quantify paleo-precipitation and recurrence of prolonged drought in the northern Sierra Nevada.

  4. Analysing Medieval Urban Space; a methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlous L. Craane MA

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available This article has been written in reaction to recent developments in medieval history and archaeology, to study not only the buildings in a town but also the spaces that hold them together. It discusses a more objective and interdisciplinary approach for analysing urban morphology and use of space. It proposes a 'new' methodology by combining town plan analysis and space syntax. This methodology was trialled on the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. By comparing the results of this 'new' methodology with the results of previous, more conventional, research, this article shows that space syntax can be applied successfully to medieval urban contexts. It does this by demonstrating a strong correlation between medieval economic spaces and the most integrated spaces, just as is found in the study of modern urban environments. It thus provides a strong basis for the use of this technique in future research of medieval urban environments.

  5. Medieval Romances: "Perceval" to "Monty Python."

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jehle, Dorothy M.

    A selection of romances from medieval literature can be used successfully in undergraduate literature classes to trace the appearance and relevance of medieval themes, motifs, and characters in works of modern poetry, fiction, and film. New scholarly editions, historiographies, translations, and modernizations give both teachers and students more…

  6. “De interpretatione recta...”: Early Modern Theories of Translation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zaharia Oana-Alis

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Translation has been essential to the development of languages and cultures throughout the centuries, particularly in the early modern period when it became a cornerstone of the process of transition from Latin to vernacular productions, in such countries as France, Italy, England and Spain. This process was accompanied by a growing interest in defining the rules and features of the practice of translation. The present article aims to examine the principles that underlay the highly intertextual early modern translation theory by considering its classical sources and development. It focuses on subjects that were constantly reiterated in any discussion about translation: the debate concerning the best methods of translation, the sense-for-sense/ word-for-word dichotomy - a topos that can be traced to the discourse on translation initiated by Cicero and Horace and was further developed by the Church fathers, notably St. Jerome, and eventually inherited by both medieval and Renaissance translators. Furthermore, it looks at the differences and continuities that characterise the medieval and Renaissance discourses on translation with a focus on the transition from the medieval, free manner of translation to the humanist, philological one.

  7. The structure of the medieval town of Rupea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borcoman, M.

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The town of Rupea, set up at the beginning of the 12th century, was the capital of the county of Rupea between 1337 and 1876. Its urban structure and organization prove that it belonged to group of Transylvania’s German medieval towns. Here, alongside with the German (established in the central area, Romanians lived in the outskirts. This structure was preserved until the early 1800s, and even until nowadays although the initial ethnical composition has altered.

  8. On the threshold of adulthood: A new approach for the use of maturation indicators to assess puberty in adolescents from medieval England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Mary; Shapland, Fiona; Watts, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    This study provides the first large scale analysis of the age at which adolescents in medieval England entered and completed the pubertal growth spurt. This new method has implications for expanding our knowledge of adolescent maturation across different time periods and regions. In total, 994 adolescent skeletons (10-25 years) from four urban sites in medieval England (AD 900-1550) were analyzed for evidence of pubertal stage using new osteological techniques developed from the clinical literature (i.e., hamate hook development, cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), canine mineralization, iliac crest ossification, and radial fusion). Adolescents began puberty at a similar age to modern children at around 10-12 years, but the onset of menarche in girls was delayed by up to 3 years, occurring around 15 for most in the study sample and 17 years for females living in London. Modern European males usually complete their maturation by 16-18 years; medieval males took longer with the deceleration stage of the growth spurt extending as late as 21 years. This research provides the first attempt to directly assess the age of pubertal development in adolescents during the 10th-17th centuries. Poor diet, infections, and physical exertion may have contributed to delayed development in the medieval adolescents, particularly for those living in the city of London. This study sheds new light on the nature of adolescence in the medieval period, highlighting an extended period of physical and social transition. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Medieval Japan. Grade 7 Model Lesson for Standard 7.5. World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times. California History-Social Science Course Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zachlod, Michelle, Ed.

    California State Standard 7.5 is delineated in the following manner: "Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of medieval Japan." Seventh-grade students describe the significance of Japan's proximity to China and Korea and the influence of these countries on Japan; discuss the reign of…

  10. [Neurology in medieval regimina sanitatis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Frutos González, V; Guerrero Peral, A L

    2011-09-01

    In medical medieval literature some works about dietetics stand out. Dietetics, as a separate branch of medicine, includes not only food or drinks, but other environmental factors influencing on health. They are known as regimina sanitatis or salutis, and specially developed in the Christian west. They generally consisted of a balance between the Galenic "six non-natural things"; factors regulating health and its protection: environment, exercise, food, sleep, bowel movements and emotions. After reviewing the sources and defining the different stages of this genre, we have considered three of the most out-standing medieval regimina, the anonymous Regimen sanitatis salernitanum, Arnaldo de Vilanova's Regimen sanitatis ad regem aragonum and Bernardo de Gordon's Tractatus of conservatione vite humane. In them we review references to neurological disease. Though not independently considered, there is a significant presence of neurological diseases in the regimina. Dietetics measures are proposed to preserve memory, nerves, or hearing, as well as for the treatment of migraine, epilepsy, stroke or dizziness. Regimina are quiet representative among medical medieval literature, and they show medieval physicians vision of neurological diseases. Dietetics was considered useful to preserve health, and therapeutics was based on natural remedies. 2010 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  11. Growth dynamics of tree-line and lake-shore Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. in the central Scandinavian Mountains during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the early Little Ice Age

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans W Linderholm

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Trees growing at their altitudinal or latitudinal distribution in Fennoscandia have been widely used to reconstruct warm season temperatures, and the region hosts some of the world’s longest tree-ring chronologies. These multi-millennial long chronologies have mainly been built from tree remains found in lakes (subfossil wood from lake-shore trees. We used a unique dataset of Scots pine tree-ring data collected from wood remains found on a mountain slope in the central Scandinavian Mountains, yielding a chronology spanning over much of the last 1200 years. This data was compared with a local subfossil wood chronology with the aim to 1 describe growth variability in two environments during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA and the early Little Ice Age (LIA, and 2 investigate differences in growth characteristics during these contrasting periods. It was shown that the local tree-line during both the MCA and early LIA was almost 150 m higher that at present. Based on living pines from the two environments, tree-line pine growth was strongly associated with mid-summer temperatures, while the lake-shore trees showed an additional response to summer precipitation. During the MCA, regarded to be a period of favourable climate in the region, the tree-ring data from both environments showed strong coherency and moderate growth variability. In the early LIA, the two chronologies were less coherent, with the tree-line chronology showing more variability, suggesting different growth responses in the two environments during this period of less favourable growing conditions. Our results indicate that tree-ring width chronologies mainly based on lake-shore trees may need to be re-evaluated.

  12. Medieval Europe. Grade 7 Model Lesson for Standard 7.6. World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times. California History-Social Science Course Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zachlod, Michelle, Ed.

    California State Standard 7.6 is delineated in the following manner: "Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe." Seventh-grade students study the geography of Europe and the Eurasian land mass; describe the spread of Christianity north of the Alps and…

  13. Materiality of Body: The Material Practices of Life and Death in Medieval Britain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mabast A. Muhammad Amin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate the ways people understood their body during the medieval period in Britain. I bring together the multiple different ways in which the body was treated in death, I focus on the role and power of grave goods and evidence found in dead bodies for plasticity in life to embrace the complexity of the medieval body, I examine the cultural practice of nutrition and environment affected the bodily mold. Another point I take into consideration is the practice of dietary through differentiation between male and female body in which we explore how medieval people socially and culturally constructed body based on their notion and understanding of gender identity. In addition, religion had a great influence on people’s understanding to deal with dead bodies and I concentrate on how bodily resurrection impacted on people’s preparation for the Day of Judgment by placing the goods in burials.

  14. JEWISH SUFISM IN MEDIEVAL ISLAM

    OpenAIRE

    Epafras, Leonard C.

    2011-01-01

    This article is a literary research and preliminary examination to a unique interaction between Jews and Sufism that taken place in medieval Islamic ruling. In the face of the present antagonistic posture of Jews and Muslims relationship that dominates the public sphere, in history, there are some examples of interaction of the two people beyond confictual narrative. One of them is Jewish mysticism that adopted Sufism into their spiritual ideal, which took place in the medieval era. We might ...

  15. Wind Diagrams in Medieval Iceland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kedwards, Dale

    2014-01-01

    This article presents a study of the sole wind diagram that survives from medieval Iceland, preserved in the encyclopaedic miscellany in Copenhagen's Arnamagnæan Institute with the shelf mark AM 732b 4to (c. 1300-25). It examines the wind diagram and its accompanying text, an excerpt on the winds...... from Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. It also examines the perimeter of winds on two medieval Icelandic world maps, and the visual traditions from which they draw....

  16. Cities and Socialization of Libraries in Medieval Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilek Bayır Toplu

    2000-09-01

    Full Text Available In this study, socialization of libraries in Medieval Europe has been examined by means of the growing of cities and movements of ideologies. Cities, as results of economic based changes, caused the apperance of merchantiles in produce and consumption flows. Cities, by selecting an area outside of feudal city walls, and by consisting new living habits which shows differances from village living habits took its place in Medieval Feudal Regime. While cities consist their conceits, conceits consists the specialisatians which identifies the city from the village. Technologic developments, innovations, the movements of different social classes, the changes in produce and consumption models, movements of ideologies; carried Medieval Europe to Enlighment Period after very long and difficult experiements. While the man in “Enlighment Period” ideologically based on rationalism and critical thinking; it realized knowledge as a product of rationalism. That realisation gave start to the socialisation of libraries and books and books which includes the “knowledge” stating with the innovation of press, the gobalization of books and the movements in cities gave speed to the interaction between cultures and effected the extansi-on of knowledge in a positive way. While knowledge was socialized by means of the opportunities of cities, libraries became space which knowledge can easily reachable by society. Cities arosed in Middle ageesand by effecting social structures, they became an indirect effect for reaching of libraries to society and moneyfree service.

  17. "Quid dant artes nisi luctum?": Learning, Ambition, and Careers in the Medieval University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferruolo, Stephen C.

    1988-01-01

    Focusing on the medieval university during its formative years (late 1100s and early 1200s), the author addresses questions such as "How did the ambitions of students and masters influence the organization and curriculum of these new institutions?" Concludes that society was served by these universities despite the indication that the…

  18. Integrated Geophysycal Prospecting in Late Antiquity and Early Medieval Sites in Italy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giannotta, Maria Teresa; Leucci, Giovanni; De Giorgi, Lara; Matera, Loredana; Persico, Raffaele; Muci, Giuseppe

    2016-04-01

    In this contribution, the results of some integrated geophysical prospecting (magnetometric and GPR) are exposed. This work has been performed in collaboration between archaeologists and geophysicists within the research project "History and Global Archaeology of the Rural Landascapes in Italy, between Late Antiquity and Medieval period. Integrated systems of sources, methodologies, and technologies for a sustainable development", financed by the Italian Ministry for Instruction, University and Research MIUR. In particular, the archaeological sites of Badia and San Giovanni in Malcantone, both in the Apulia Region (eastern-southern Italy) have been prospect. The sites have been identified on the basis of available documents, archaeological surveys and testimonies. In particular, we know that in Badia [1] it was probable the presence of an ancient roman villa of the late ancient period (strongly damaged by the subsequent ploughing activities). Whereas in San Giovanni there is still, today, a small chapel (deconsecrated) that was likely to be part of a previous larger church (probably a basilica of the early Christian period) restricted in the subsequent centuries (probably in more phases). The Saracen raids of the XVI centuries made the site ruined and abandoned. In both sites integrated prospecting have been performed [2-6] with a the integration of archaeological, magnetometer and a GPR data have provided some interesting results, allowing to overcome the difficulties relative to an extensive GPR prospecting, that could not be performed because of the intrinsic superficial roughness and/or the intensive ploughing activities. The prospecting activities, in particular, have added elements that seem to confirm the main archaeological hypothesis that motivate their performing, as it will be show at the conference. References [1] M. T, Giannotta, G. Leucci, R. Persico, M. Leo Imperiale, The archaeological site of Badia in terra d'Otranto: contribution of the

  19. The use of geothermal energy at a chieftan's farm in medieval Iceland

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    Gudrun Sveinbjarnardottir

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Archaeological investigations at the farm site of Reykholt, in the Reykholtsdalur valley in western Iceland (Fig. 1 , have produced evidence of sophisticated use of geothermal energy in the medieval period that is unmatched by comparable finds elsewhere in this geothermally and volcanically active country.

  20. Dramatic Aspects of Medieval Magic in Scandinavia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Leif

    2011-01-01

    The arcle deal with the performative aspects of medieval spells and rituals. The most important spells are cited in extenso and commented uopn.......The arcle deal with the performative aspects of medieval spells and rituals. The most important spells are cited in extenso and commented uopn....

  1. Stable isotope evidence for sex- and status-based variations in diet and life history at medieval Trino Vercellese, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reitsema, Laurie J; Vercellotti, Giuseppe

    2012-08-01

    The medieval period in Europe was a time of unprecedented social complexity that affected human diet. The diets of certain subgroups-for example, children, women, and the poor-are chronically underrepresented in historical sources from the medieval period. To better understand diet and the distribution of foods during the medieval period, we investigated stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of 30 individuals from Trino Vercellese, Northern Italy (8th-13th c.). Specifically, we examined diet differences between subgroups (males and females, and high- and low-status individuals), and diet change throughout the life course among these groups by comparing dentine and bone collagen. Our results show a diet based on terrestrial resources with input from C(4) plants, which could include proso and/or foxtail millet. Diets of low-status males differ from those of females (both status groups) and of high-status males. These differences develop in adulthood. Childhood diets are similar among the subgroups, but sex- and status-based differences appear in adulthood. We discuss the possibility of cultural buffering and dietary selectivity of females and high-status individuals. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Human Parasites in Medieval Europe: Lifestyle, Sanitation and Medical Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Piers D

    2015-01-01

    Parasites have been infecting humans throughout our evolution. However, not all people suffered with the same species or to the same intensity throughout this time. Our changing way of life has altered the suitability of humans to infection by each type of parasite. This analysis focuses upon the evidence for parasites from archaeological excavations at medieval sites across Europe. Comparison between the patterns of infection in the medieval period allows us to see how changes in sanitation, herding animals, growing and fertilizing crops, the fishing industry, food preparation and migration all affected human susceptibility to different parasites. We go on to explore how ectoparasites may have spread infectious bacterial diseases, and also consider what medieval medical practitioners thought of parasites and how they tried to treat them. While modern research has shown the use of a toilet decreases the risk of contracting certain intestinal parasites, the evidence for past societies presented here suggests that the invention of latrines had no observable beneficial effects upon intestinal health. This may be because toilets were not sufficiently ubiquitous until the last century, or that the use of fresh human faeces for manuring crops still ensured those parasite species were easily able to reinfect the population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Auditory Ossicles in Archaeological Skeletal Material from Medieval Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qvist, M; Grøntved, A M

    2000-01-01

    Auditory ossicles were collected from two skeletal materials from early medieval Denmark. A total of 147 and 1,162 ossicles were obtained from the 2 materials, constituting 23% and 55% of the possible in vivo ossicles. The numbers and percentages found are among the highest reported from studies...... of archaeological skeletal material. Archaeological ossicles may be used in palaeopathological evaluation of chronic otitis media and otosclerosis, and morphometric studies of the ossicles might be valuable in analysis of population genetics and taxonomy....

  4. Orientation of English Medieval Parish Churches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoare, Peter G.

    Our understanding of the alignment of English medieval parish churches, after more than three centuries of research, is far from complete. The arrangement of relatively few structures has been explained beyond reasonable doubt, and tests of the overwhelmingly popular festival orientation theory are often insufficiently rigorous to provide convincing answers. Much work remains to be done, including verifying and analyzing some of the existing raw data, determining whether the present church was dedicated at the time of construction, examining wills for evidence of early dedications, measuring the effect of eastern horizons on sunrise azimuths, and consulting excavation reports to assess whether earlier buildings may have influenced the arrangement of those churches that replaced them.

  5. Medieval Theatre: It's More Fun than It Looks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzhugh, Mike

    1996-01-01

    Explores production ideas for plays other than works by Shakespeare, including medieval plays such as the "Wakefield Noah" by the Wakefield Master. Lists some questions to consider when deciding to perform a medieval play. (PA)

  6. Three cases of feet and hand amputation from Medieval Estremoz, Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Teresa; Liberato, Marco; Marques, Carina; Cunha, Eugénia

    2017-09-01

    Peri-mortem limb amputations are rarely reported in the paleopathological literature. The cases reported here concern severing of both hands and feet observed in three adult male skeletons, exhumed from the medieval Portuguese necropolis of Rossio do Marquês de Pombal, Estremoz, Portugal. The fact that they were found in the same site, in graves placed side by side, that all are young males, and that the three skeletons show similar perimortem injuries, make this a unique case meriting detailed analysis. Considering the lesions' location and pattern, as well as historical data, we hypothesize that this is a case of amputation as a consequence of judicial punishment. Estremoz was an important city in sustaining the Royal power at a regional scale during the medieval period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A Morphology of Medieval Notations in the Optical Neume Recognition Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate Helsen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The study of medieval notations depends on effective categorization of individual signs in order to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of their musical meaning. Over the past century, chant scholars have developed several kinds of neume tables which arrange and contextualize neumes either according to graphical type, chronology, or scribal tradition. Some neume tables contain longer strings of neumes that link certain notation conventions with performance traditions. The course of neume table development reads like a history of the study of early notations, itself, and reveals the evolving interests and pursuits of the scholars who created them. It also sets the stage for the latest use of the neume table as a reference for document analysis software applied to digital images of medieval manuscripts. Now, instead of presenting a static list of discrete signs, the neume table can be understood as a reflection of the notational variety and nuance of the hundreds of thousands of neumes contained in every book of liturgical chant. On this scale, neume tables help scholars to understand the use of medieval neumes in the same way a linguist understands the morphology of words. This article presents the principles on which this new kind of neume table has been developed and suggests the ways in which this new way of thinking might inform the discipline in the future.

  8. Early Medieval silver pearl from Lumbe's garden cemetery at Prague Castle: Composition, manufacture, deterioration, and conservation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Děd, J.; Ottenwelter, Estelle; Šejvlová, Ludmila

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 61, č. 3 (2016), s. 174-183 ISSN 0039-3630 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP405/12/2195 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : medieval jewellery * Lumbe's Garden * archaeometry Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 0.578, year: 2016

  9. Passagens de Antiguidade Romana ao Ocidente Medieval: leituras historiográficas de um período limítrofe Passages from Roman Antiquity to the Middle Ages: historiographic lectures of a transition period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José D'Assunção Barros

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo busca examinar algumas interpretações e perspectivas sob as quais se pode ou tem sido examinada a questão da passagem da Antiguidade Greco-Romana para a Civilização Medieval no ocidente europeu, atentando para as oscilações historiográficas produzidas nestas perspectivas em decorrência de mutações teóricas e metodológicas oriundas dos campos históricos surgidos com as novas tendências do século XX. São discutidas aqui não apenas as teses que têm norteado a compreensão sobre o fim do Império Romano do Ocidente, como também as flutuações entre as demarcações no período de transição que conduz do mundo antigo ao mundo medieval.This article aims to examine some interpretations and perspectives which can be or have been examined with regards to the question of the transition period from Greco-Roman Antiquity to the civilizations of the Middle Ages within Western Europe. It also tries to show the historiographic oscillations produced in these perspectives in consequence of the theoretical and methodological changes in the historiographic fields arising from the new tendencies of the 20th century. The discussion at hand covers not only the theses which have guided the understanding of the end of the Western Roman Empire, but also deals with the fluctuations among the limits in the transition period that leads from antiquity to the medieval world.

  10. Interest in medieval accounts: Examples from England, 1272-1340

    OpenAIRE

    Adrian R. Bell; Chris Brooks; Tony Moore

    2008-01-01

    Research into medieval interest rates has been hampered by the diversity of terms and methods used by historians, creating serious misconceptions in the eporting of medieval interest rates, which have then been taken at face value by later scholars. This has had important repercussions on the wider debate on the credit risk of different forms of medieval governments and the costs of borrowing as a bar to investment. This paper seeks to establish a standardised methodology to accurately calcul...

  11. Pulp fictions of medieval England: Essays in popular romance

    OpenAIRE

    McDonald, Nicola

    2004-01-01

    Middle English popular romance is the most audacious and compendious testimony to the imaginary world of the English Middle Ages. Yet, with few exceptions, it remains under read and under studied. Pulp fictions of medieval England demonstrates that popular romance merits and rewards serious critical attention and that it is crucial to our understanding of the complex and conflicted world of medieval England. Pulp fictions of medieval England comprises ten essays on individual romances that, w...

  12. The Barbarian North in Medieval Imagination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen-Rix, Robert William

    This book examines the sustained interest in legends of the pagan and peripheral North, tracing and analyzing the use of an ‘out-of-Scandinavia’ legend (Scandinavia as an ancestral homeland) in a wide range of medieval texts from all over Europe, with a focus on the Anglo-Saxon tradition. The pagan...... origins, showing how an ‘out-of-Scandinavia’ legend can be found in works by several familiar writers including Jordanes, Bede, ‘Fredegar’, Paul the Deacon, Freculph, and Æthelweard. The book investigates how legends of northern warriors were first created in classical texts and since re-calibrated to fit...... the disciplines of poetry, history, rhetoric, linguistics, and archaeology. After years of intense critical interest in medieval attitudes towards the classical world, Africa, and the East, this first book-length study of ‘the North’ will inspire new debates and repositionings in medieval studies....

  13. Medieval codes of ius commune in Portugal: status quaestionis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Domingues

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Portugal inherited from the kingdom of León legal sources and its earliest law code. With the “rebirth” of Roman law, the Ius commune –arriving very early in the twelfth century– soon came to shape everyday life, from the middle ages until the Enlightenment of the late eighteenth century. Enormous research efforts have been made to locate chronologically and spatially medieval remnants of these legal texts. This work aims to provide a summary, including a comprehensive and updated picture, of the status quaestionis of this theme.

  14. Paleoparasitological Findings in Medieval and Early Modern Archaeological Deposits from Hradební Street, Chrudim, Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bartošová, L.; Ditrich, Oleg; Beneš, J.; Frolík, Jan; Musil, J.

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 2, č. 1 (2011), s. 27-38 ISSN 1804-848X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518; CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : paleoparasitology * medieval town * cesspit * helmints * hygiene Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology http://www.iansa.eu/papers/IANSA-2011-01-bartosova.pdf

  15. [Description of an early medieval skull from Biel-Mett with peculiar dental findings].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roulet, J F; Ulrich-Bochsler, S

    1978-04-01

    During the excavation of a church in Biel a medieval cranium was found (600-700 a.c.) which showed a large radicular cyst in the middle facial area, located on tooth 16 which caused considerable facial deformation. Furthermore carious lesions and evidence of chronic periodontal disease were discovered, which gave some indications on the way of life the individual had conducted. The examinations proved that a combination of methods of examination was able to increase the yield of information on the given object. Such studies should be conducted more often on an interdisciplinary way.

  16. Renewing Audience Response in Study of Medieval Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, David V.

    Although modern readers often find the interpretation of medieval literature difficult, they should be encouraged to use their imagination to resolve the dilemmas they encounter. Often, these are the same issues with which medieval audiences had to wrestle and which the poets intended to raise. W. Iser's and H. R. Jauss's principles of…

  17. Migration to the medieval Middle East with the crusades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Piers D; Millard, Andrew R

    2009-11-01

    During the 12th and 13th centuries thousands of people moved from Europe to the Middle East to fight, undertake pilgrimage, or settle and make a new life. The aim of this research is to investigate two populations from the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem, by determining who was born in Europe and who came from the Middle East. Oxygen and strontium stable isotope analyses were conducted on the enamel of teeth from skeletal remains excavated from Crusader contexts. Twenty individuals from the coastal city of Caesarea (10 high status and 10 low status), and two local Near Eastern Christian farmers from the village of Parvum Gerinum (Tel Jezreel) were analyzed as a control sample. Results were compared with known geographic values for oxygen and strontium isotopes. The population of the city of Caesarea appears to have been dominated by European-born individuals (probably 19/20, but at least 13/20), with few locals. This was surprising as a much higher proportion of locals were expected. Both controls from the farming village of Parvum Gerinum had spent their childhood in the area of the village, which matches our understanding of limited mobility among poor Medieval farmers. This is the first time that stable isotope analysis has been applied to the study of the migration of peoples between Medieval Europe and the Middle East at the time of the crusades. In view of these findings, we must now rethink past estimations of population social structure in Levantine coastal Medieval cities during the Crusader period.

  18. Isotopic examination of links between diet, social differentiation, and DISH at the post-medieval Carmelite Friary of Aalst, Belgium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintelier, Kim; Ervynck, Anton; Müldner, Gundula; Van Neer, Wim; Richards, Michael P; Fuller, Benjamin T

    2014-02-01

    Stable isotope ratios (δ(13) C and δ(15) N) were measured in human burials from the post-medieval (16th-18th c. AD) Carmelite friary burial grounds at Aalst, a town in Flanders, Belgium. Dietary patterns of 39 adult individuals were analyzed, from a mixed monastic and lay population buried in three different locations, reflecting groups with differing social status. The data show significant variation in the consumption of perhaps meat, but certainly also marine protein between females and males. This result represents a remarkable continuity with medieval dietary patterns, suggesting that the social and economic changes of the early modern period had a limited effect on everyday life. When both sexes were examined together, individuals buried in the cloister garth consumed significantly less marine protein compared to people buried in the church, likely reflecting social stratification. No statistical differences were observed between isotopic values from the church and the cloister alley, suggesting a similarly diverse diet of the monastic part of the buried population and that of the richer lay population. Finally, the hypothesis that diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is linked to a diet rich in animal protein was tested. No systematic or statistically significant differences between pathological and non-pathological bones from the same individuals affected with DISH were observed, and no statistical differences were found between individuals with DISH and individuals without DISH. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. The Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age in Chesapeake Bay and the North Atlantic Ocean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cronin, T. M.; Hayo, K.; Thunell, R.C.; Dwyer, G.S.; Saenger, C.; Willard, D.A.

    2010-01-01

    A new 2400-year paleoclimate reconstruction from Chesapeake Bay (CB) (eastern US) was compared to other paleoclimate records in the North Atlantic region to evaluate climate variability during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA). Using Mg/Ca ratios from ostracodes and oxygen isotopes from benthic foraminifera as proxies for temperature and precipitation-driven estuarine hydrography, results show that warmest temperatures in CB reached 16-17. ??C between 600 and 950. CE (Common Era), centuries before the classic European Medieval Warm Period (950-1100. CE) and peak warming in the Nordic Seas (1000-1400. CE). A series of centennial warm/cool cycles began about 1000. CE with temperature minima of ~. 8 to 9. ??C about 1150, 1350, and 1650-1800. CE, and intervening warm periods (14-15. ??C) centered at 1200, 1400, 1500 and 1600. CE. Precipitation variability in the eastern US included multiple dry intervals from 600 to 1200. CE, which contrasts with wet medieval conditions in the Caribbean. The eastern US experienced a wet LIA between 1650 and 1800. CE when the Caribbean was relatively dry. Comparison of the CB record with other records shows that the MCA and LIA were characterized by regionally asynchronous warming and complex spatial patterns of precipitation, possibly related to ocean-atmosphere processes. ?? 2010.

  20. Magna Carta: Teaching Medieval Topics for Historical Significance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzger, Scott Alan

    2010-01-01

    The Middle Ages are an immensely important era in the Western experience. Unfortunately, medieval studies are often marginalized or trivialized in school curriculum. With the approach of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, the famous charter of rights from medieval England, one has a timely and useful example for considering what a focus on…

  1. Mobility histories of 7th-9th century AD people buried at early medieval Bamburgh, Northumberland, England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, S E; Roberts, C A; Lucy, S; Pearson, G; Gröcke, D R; Nowell, G; Macpherson, C G; Young, G

    2013-07-01

    Early Medieval England is described historically as a time when people migrated from the Continent to English shores. This study tests the hypothesis that those buried in the Bowl Hole cemetery, Bamburgh, Northumberland were nonlocally born, because of its royal status. Ninety-one male and female adult, and nonadult, skeletons were studied. Isotope ratios of strontium ((87) Sr/(86) Sr) and oxygen (δ(18) O) were generated for 78 individuals (28 females, 27 males, five "adults," 18 nonadults). The mean Sr value for human enamel was 0.71044, standard deviation (sd) 0.001, and the mean O (δw) value is -5.9‰, sd 1.6‰. Additionally, animal tooth enamel (mean Sr value 0.710587, sd 0.001; mean O value -6.5‰, sd 1.5‰), local soil (mean Sr value 0.709184, sd 0.0006), snail shells (mean Sr value 0.708888, sd 0.0001), and soil samples from a 5 km transect heading inland (mean Sr value 0.709121, sd 0.0003), were analyzed for an indication of the isotopic composition of bioavailable Sr in the modern environment and to assess the impact of sea-spray; water samples from a well, local rivers, and standing water were analyzed for local δ(18) O values (mean O value -6.4‰, relative to VSMOW, sd 2.8‰). Over 50% of those buried at Bamburgh were nonlocal. All ages and both sexes produced "nonlocal" signatures; some suggested childhood origins in Scandinavia, the southern Mediterranean or North Africa. Stature and other indicators of health status indicated differences in quality of life between local and migrant groups. These differences did not extend to burial practices. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Medieval Pictorial Art and Medieval Spanish Literature: A Case in Point for the Use of the Visual Arts in the Literature Class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergstrom, Stanford E.

    1991-01-01

    An exploration of the connection between literature and the visual arts and its application in the foreign language literature class includes an illustration of how a medieval literary Spanish masterpiece becomes more clear when the text is compared with medieval pictorial art pieces. (four references) (Author/CB)

  3. Insight into the Fulnek Church and Parish Medieval Building Chronology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Augustinková Lucie

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The church of the Holy Trinity and parish in Fulnek was for nearly four centuries an Augustinian canonry and collegiate church (1293-1389. The medieval church and parish building chronology, however, have not been thus far established. From research between 2015 and 2016 we have been able to identify medieval portions of the buildings, clarify the site medieval construction phases and date the parish buildings (formerly the canonry from dendrochronological analysis of embedded wooden scaffolding.

  4. Skin pathology and medical prognosis in medieval Europe: the secrets of Hippocrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ackerman Smoller, L

    2000-12-01

    This article analyzes a medieval text known as The Secrets of Hippocrates. Neither secret (because of its wide circulation in manuscript and print) nor by Hippocrates, the work offered readers a means of offering a prognosis of impending death based on observable signs on the skin. Although the aphorisms that make up the text make little sense in a modern medical understanding, the Secrets of Hippocrates fits well within three medieval traditions: the tradition of secrets literature, the medieval medical tradition, and the tradition of medieval Christian views about the body. First, like other books of secrets, a genre to whose conventions the text closely adheres, the Secrets of Hippocrates offered a shortcut to socially useful knowledge: the ability to offer an accurate medical prognosis. Second, the treatise corresponded to the medieval physician's concern for the so-called nonnaturals, such as diet and exercise. Third, it fit with a medieval Christian notion that sickness and sin were related, as were sin and ugliness. Just as a leper's deformities were a window to his sinful soul, so skin pathologies could clue a medieval physician to the lethal disease hidden inside the body.

  5. The Medieval Swedish Horror Ballad in the Romantic Era

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fyhr, Mattias

    2014-01-01

    In the late 18th century the Horror Ballad became popular in Sweden. The rediscovery of medieval tales and ballads inspired the Romantic authors. Clas Livijn uses the medieval folksong of "Hafsfrun" in his dramatic play of the same title (1806). In Livijn’s own library we also find many......” by Baggesen, in turn based on German and English sources. Anna Maria Lenngren followed with several ballads, often based on Danish sources. One more purely Swedish medieval ballad is “Varulven”. From 1810 unto 1971 thirteen versions of this Swedish ballad was discovered and printed. I place the focus...

  6. The Medieval Warm Period, the Little Ice Age and simulated climatic variability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hunt, B.G. [CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, VIC (Australia)

    2006-12-15

    The CSIRO Mark 2 coupled global climatic model has been used to generate a 10,000-year simulation for 'present' climatic conditions. The model output has been analysed to identify sustained climatic fluctuations, such as those attributed to the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA). Since no external forcing was permitted during the model run all such fluctuations are attributed to naturally occurring climatic variability associated with the nonlinear processes inherent in the climatic system. Comparison of simulated climatic time series for different geographical locations highlighted the lack of synchronicity between these series. The model was found to be able to simulate climatic extremes for selected observations for century timescales, as well as identifying the associated spatial characteristics. Other examples of time series simulated by the model for the USA and eastern Russia had similar characteristics to those attributed to the MWP and the LIA, but smaller amplitudes, and clearly defined spatial patterns. A search for the frequency of occurrence of specified surface temperature anomalies, defined via duration and mean value, revealed that these were primarily confined to polar regions and northern latitudes of Europe, Asia and North America. Over the majority of the oceans and southern hemisphere such climatic fluctuations could not be sustained, for reasons explained in the paper. Similarly, sustained sea-ice anomalies were mainly confined to the northern hemisphere. An examination of mechanisms associated with the sustained climatic fluctuations failed to identify a role for the North Atlantic Oscillation, the El Nino-Southern Oscillation or the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. It was therefore concluded that these fluctuations were generated by stochastic processes intrinsic to the nonlinear climatic system. While a number of characteristics of the MWP and the LIA could have been partially caused by natural processes within

  7. ACTIVE BRIBERY IN CROATIAN MEDIEVAL AND MODERN LAW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mijo Galiot

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available When it comes to writing about the history of punishment, it is always linked with critically re-thinking and better understanding of the contemporary system of punishment, as a result of its long historical development. In such a way, „contemporary criminal law cannot be seen as a result of an effort made by a certain nation or in a certain epoch“. „Permanently faced with social changes, in its long historical development, criminal law has been modifying its fundamental principles and categories, by building new institutes and instruments, in order to become less cruel and more human, but not less efficient than in earlier stages of its development, characterized by rudeness, cruelty and exemplarity of its sanctions. Although it is not easy to answer the question, if there is the measure, in which social understanding of punishment and its purpose, determines the civilizational level in the society, there is no doubt about the fact that civilizational and legal point of view towards punishment derives from a waste range of factors: general, cultural, sociological, psychological, religious, political and other factors that should be taken altogether in their historical dimension. The genesis of criminal law is linked with the moment of establishing the public authorities and the state. According to different criteria, it is possible to introduce different periodization of criminal law. When it comes to the historical criterion, there can be made a historical division into periods of ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary criminal law (punishment, which periods should not be taken as absolutely inseparable. The point of this paper is to present a review and development of punishing active bribery in the Croatian medieval and modern law.

  8. Geriatric management in medieval Persian medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emami, Morteza; Sadeghpour, Omid; Zarshenas, Mohammad M.

    2013-01-01

    In Iran, a large group of patients are elderly people and they intend to have natural remedies as treatment. These remedies are rooted in historical of Persian and humoral medicine with a backbone of more than 1000 years. The current study was conducted to draw together medieval pharmacological information related to geriatric medicine from some of the most often manuscripts of traditional Persian medicine. Moreover, we investigated the efficacy of medicinal plants through a search of the PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. In the medieval Persian documents, digestible and a small amount of food such as chicken broth, honey, fig and plum at frequent intervals as well as body massage and morning unctioning are highly recommended. In the field of pharmacotherapy, 35 herbs related to 25 families were identified. Plants were classified as tonic, anti-aging, appetizer, memory and mood enhancer, topical analgesic and laxative as well as health improvement agents. Other than historical elucidation, this paper presents medical and pharmacological approaches that medieval Persian practitioners applied to deal with geriatric complications. PMID:24381461

  9. Finger printing of medieval investment cast idols by radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatraman, B.; Babu Rao, C.; Bhattacharya, D.K.; Raj, Baldev

    1993-01-01

    Among the various methods, radiography is an important technique that can be used to fingerprint an idol. This is because, these idols are cast structures, and radiography is the most reliable technique for the detection of internal features like casting defects. This paper presents the radiographic methodology adopted and the results of the studies to characterise radiographically three medieval cast idols belonging to different periods 9th, 13th, and 16th century obtained from the government museum Madras. (author). 2 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs

  10. Accentuated lines in the enamel of primary incisors from skeletal remains: A contribution to the explanation of early childhood mortality in a medieval population from Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Żądzińska, Elżbieta; Lorkiewicz, Wiesław; Kurek, Marta; Borowska-Strugińska, Beata

    2015-07-01

    Physiological disruptions resulting from an impoverished environment during the first years of life are of key importance for the health and biological status of individuals and populations. Studies of growth processes in archaeological populations point to the fact that the main causes of childhood mortality in the past are to be sought among extrinsic factors. Based on this assumption, one would expect random mortality of children, with the deceased individuals representing the entire subadult population. The purpose of this study is to explore whether differences in early childhood survival are reflected in differences in deciduous tooth enamel, which can provide an insight into the development of an individual during prenatal and perinatal ontogeny. Deciduous incisors were taken from 83 individuals aged 2.0-6.5 years from a medieval inhumation cemetery dated AD 1300-1600. Prenatal and postnatal enamel formation time, neonatal line width, and the number of accentuated lines were measured using an optical microscope. The significantly wider neonatal line and the higher frequency of accentuated lines in the enamel of the incisors of children who died at the age of 2-3 years suggest the occurrence of stronger or more frequent stress events in this group. These results indicate that in skeletal populations mortality was not exclusively determined by random external factors. Individuals predisposed by an unfavorable course of prenatal and perinatal growth were more likely to die in early childhood. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Qutb al-Dīn Shīrāzī (1236-1311), Persian polymath physician in the medieval period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadim, Mostafa; Farjam, Mojtaba

    2016-08-01

    Qutb al-Dīn Shīrāzī, a great physician in the medieval period of the Iranian Islamic age, is also called Allāma (polymath) for his extraordinary expertise in almost all fields of contemporary sciences. The peaceful and cultural environment of his hometown and family contributed to his development despite a time of horror from Mongolian repeated invasions of the Islamic countries. Shīrāzī never ceased learning and researching and migrated widely in order to find scientists to learn from them. He worked in many centres as a teacher and researcher. He practised medicine and educated students, and his books on other fields of science reflect his comprehensive mastery of most of the basic sciences and the humanities. Shīrāzī 's social and political roles make him one of the paramount of Iranian elites who contributed to the re-establishment of the Iranian-Islamic civilisation after its destruction by the Mongolians in the thirteenth century. © The Author(s) 2016.

  12. Diet and diversity at later medieval Fishergate: the isotopic evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müldner, Gundula; Richards, Michael P

    2007-10-01

    We present the results of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of bone collagen for 155 individuals buried at the Later Medieval (13th to early 16th century AD) Gilbertine priory of St. Andrew, Fishergate in the city of York (UK). The data show significant variation in the consumption of marine foods between males and females as well as between individuals buried in different areas of the priory. Specifically, individuals from the crossing of the church and the cloister garth had consumed significantly less marine protein than those from other locations. Isotope data for four individuals diagnosed with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) are consistent with a diet rich in animal protein. We also observe that isotopic signals of individuals with perimortem sharp force trauma are unusual in the context of the Fishergate dataset. We discuss possible explanations for these patterns and suggest that there may have been a specialist hospital or a local tradition of burying victims of violent conflict at the priory. The results demonstrate how the integration of archaeological, osteological, and isotopic data can provide novel information about Medieval burial and society. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  13. Un suelo referible al periodo calido medieval en Patagonia Austral y Tierra del Fuego (Argentina. Aspectos cronologicos y paleoclimaticos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Favier Dubois, C. M.

    2002-08-01

    Full Text Available Geoarchaeological work done in Southernmost Patagonia and in the north of Tierra del Fuego, have revealed the recurrent presence of a paedogenesis interval represented by a soil of an A-AC-C profile, with a mollic epipedon, in the upper section of eolian and colluvial deposits of the late Holocene. This soil is today buried in the sites that have been analyzed, while it remains exposed in other areas of the landscape. Radiocarbon dates obtained on materials placed below it (maximum ages and those obtained by OCR (Oxidizable Carbon Ratio in the AC horizon of this soil (minimum ages, indicate the beginning of its development around the year 1000 BP. Its chronology and environmental implications suggest a relationship with the medieval climatic fluctuations called Medieval Warm Period or Medieval Optimum in Europe. This period has correlates detected in Patagonia by dendroclimatic studies.Estudios geoarqueológicos realizados en 5 localidades de Patagonia austral y norte Tierra del Fuego han revelado la recurrente presencia de un suelo de perfil A-AC-C, de epipedon mólico, en depósitos eólicos y coluviales del Holoceno tardío. Este suelo se observa sepultado en los yacimientos arqueológicos analizados, mientras que permanece expuesto en otras posiciones del paisaje. Numerosas edades máximas y mínimas obtenidas por 14C y por la técnica de OCR (Oxidizable Carbon Ratio indican el comienzo de su desarrollo hacia el 1000 AP. Su cronología e implicancias ambientales permiten vincularlo con fluctuaciones climáticas desarrolladas durante el denominado Período Cálido Medieval u Optimo Medieval Europeo, con correlatos detectados en Patagonia a través de estudios dendroclimáticos.

  14. Herbal diuretics in medieval Persian and Arabic medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoja, Mohammadali M; Tubbs, R Shane; Bosmia, Anand N; Fakhree, Mohammad A A; Jouyban, Abolghasem; Balch, Margaret Wood; Loukas, Marios; Khodadoust, Kazem; Khalili, Majid; Eknoyan, Garabed

    2015-06-01

    In accord with the notions of humoralism that prevailed in medieval medicine, therapeutic interventions, including diuretics, were used to restore the disturbed balance among the four humors of the human body: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Most diuretics were derived from plants. The primary textual reference on herbal diuretics was Dioscorides's De Materia Medica, which was written during the first century CE. The authors reviewed the medieval medical texts written in Persian and Arabic and compiled a list of 135 herbal diuretics used by the medieval medical authorities for treating various ailments. Between the 8th and 11th centuries CE, Middle Eastern physicians systematically reviewed extant books on medicine and pharmacotherapy and compiled new and expanded lists of herbal medicines, diuretics in particular. Furthermore, they introduced new chemical methods of extraction, distillation, and compounding in the use of herbal medicines. Several herbal remedies now are considered as potentially safe and affordable alternatives to chemical pharmaceuticals. Thus, research on medieval herbal therapies may prove to be relevant to the practice of current cardiovascular and renal pharmacotherapy. The authors propose that modern research methods can be employed to determine which of these agents actually are effective as diuretics.

  15. [Medieval scenes of ritual circumcision as a reflection of sociopolitical circumstances].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pust, R A; Drost, C; Willerding, H; Bschleipfer, T

    2005-03-01

    Ritual circumcision in males is regarded as one of the oldest surgical procedures. Whereas their medieval illustrations are mostly interpreted within a religious context, this study tries to prove the influence of the political and social situation of the above-mentioned period.Selected iconography of ritual male circumcision in the Middle Ages from Germany, France, Italy, and the Byzantine Empire was critically examined. Special attention was paid to the stained glass windows recently returned to St. Mary's Church in Frankfurt/Oder, where circumcision of the so-called Antichrist is also shown. Up to now we could not find any medical historical information about this subject. Clerical fine art of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries shows more frequently than before illustrations of ritual circumcision, which evidently demonstrate the political, economic, and social tensions and controversies of that period. In many cases this iconography indicates a rejection of this old Jewish tradition and its confessors. Also the stained glass image of the Antichrist posthetomy could be interpreted as criticism or aversion.This study expands our approach to medieval illustrations of ritual circumcision that have hitherto mostly been interpreted in religious terms. The influence of changing political and social situations in the Middle Ages is evident.

  16. Genetic research at a fivefold children's burial from medieval Berlin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothe, Jessica; Melisch, Claudia; Powers, Natasha; Geppert, Maria; Zander, Judith; Purps, Josephine; Spors, Birgit; Nagy, Marion

    2015-03-01

    Berlin originated from the two twin cities Berlin and Cölln, which both were founded at the beginning of the 13th century. However the real date of their foundation as well as the origin of the first settlers is still unknown. On the Berlin site the historic city center is still visible in the Nikolaiviertel, but the medieval origin of Cölln disappeared almost completely. In 2007 a large scale excavation, which comprised an area of about 1700m(2) of the historical center of the St. Peters church, recovers the remains of Cölln's first citizens and span a period of 500 years of medieval population. Here we present the first genetic analysis of a fivefold children's burial from excavations in Berlin. The genetic data unveiled next to ancestry and eye color data also the kinship and the gender of the five individuals. Together with the archeological context the new gained information help to shed more light on the possible reasons for this burial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. “A most detestable crime”. Representations of Rape in the Popular Press of Early Modern England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donatella Pallotti

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available In early modern England the legal definition of rape underwent an important revision and gradually, from crime against property, rape became a crime against the person. While reflecting the classical, medieval and biblical assumptions, the period brought about new concerns. The purpose of this article is to explore representations of rape in a variety of popular texts of the English early modern period, by focussing attention on broadside ballads, cheap pamphlets as well as accounts of trials that took place at the Old Bailey. These texts constitute valuable sources of information about people’s attitudes and beliefs and help us construct the views of rape circulating in early modern English culture.

  18. Medieval Settlement Formation in Catalonia: Villages, their Territories and communication paths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordi BOLÒS

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses its attention on Catalonia and points to the importance of using several literary sources as a means of identifying the main characteristics of Catalan settlements throughout the Early Middle Ages (6th-10th Centuries. Apart from the need to use written and archaeological documents, the study highlights the importance of understanding and interpreting place-names and of reconstructing landscape history. Special emphasis is placed on the interest of interpreting by means of consulting documents, maps and orthophotomaps as witnesses that allow us to know the boundaries of the Early Medieval settlements. At the centre of these boundaries stand several small population centres (hamlets and a church. Several agricultural territories of various villages are reconstructed. Likewise, the study relates population with communication paths, churches and necropolis of the Early Middle Ages.

  19. Ancient and medieval Iberia seen through glass: An archaeometric perspective; La Hispania antigua y medieval a través del vidrio: la aportación de la arqueometría

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Juan Ares, J. de; Nadine Schibille, N.

    2017-11-01

    The study of ancient and medieval glasses has identified distinct compositional groups as a result of the chemical characteristics of the raw materials used for its production. Archaeometric analysis can determine the provenance of the glass, and has demonstrated a large-scale production and commercialisation of raw glass throughout the Mediterranean during the ancient and medieval periods. Secondary workshops on the Iberian Peninsula imported raw glass from the Near East for the better part of the first millennium CE, following a similar pattern observed elsewhere in the Mediterranean region. However, there are some indications that point to a local production of glass and that deserve further investigation. In the ninth century, natron glass was replaced in al-Ándalus by plant ash and lead-rich glass that may represent a local production. Little is known about the production or use of glass in the Christian parts of the peninsula during this period. The increasing volume of analytical data on Spanish glass demonstrates the potential of an archaeometric approach to shed light not only on the production and trade of glass on the Iberian Peninsula but also on the ancient and medieval economy more generally. [Spanish] El estudio del vidrio antiguo y medieval ha permitido identificar distintos grupos composicionales que son resultado de las características químicas de las materias primas empleadas en su fabricación. Los análisis arqueométricos permiten determinar la procedencia del vidrio, demostrando que el vidrio primario fue producido y comercializado a gran escala a través del Mediterráneo durante la Antigüedad y la Edad Media. Los talleres hispanos importaron vidrio primario desde Próximo Oriente durante la mayor parte del primer milenio d. C. siguiendo un patrón paralelo al resto del Mediterráneo. Sin embargo, algunos indicios señalan que pudieron convivir con vidrios de fabricación local que merecen ser investigados. En el siglo IX el vidrio de

  20. Wrestling with Stephen and Matilda: Planning Challenging Enquiries to Engage Year 7 in Medieval Anarchy

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDougall, Hannah

    2013-01-01

    McDougall found learning about Stephen and Matilda fascinating, was sure that her pupils would also and designed an enquiry to engage them in "the anarchy" of 1139-1153 AD. Pupils enjoyed exploring "the anarchy" and learning about it enhanced their knowledge and understanding of the medieval period considerably. However,…

  1. ‘Locality, nation and the “primitive” – notions about the identities of late medieval non-professional wall painters in Finnish historiography from 1880 to 1940’

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja Fält

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The article examines a group of medieval wall paintings and how they have been dealt with in the Finnish research history during the period from 1880 to 1940. The paintings have long been referred to ‘primitive paintings’ and thought to have been executed by local men. This interpretation has been in connection to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century history-writing and its attempts to establish and validate a shared national past for Finland. The notion of the ‘primitive paintings’ as something essentially local or ‘native’, was an endeavour of cultural construction that aimed to recreate a continuous, plausible narrative as a part of ‘writing the nation’ in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Finnish historiography.

  2. The Medieval Dublin Project: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niall O'hOisin

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper provides an overview of the Medieval Dublin Project. It covers the development and release of the DVD ‘Medieval Dublin: From Vikings to Tudors (Schools Edition,’ and outlines the major virtual and interactive features developed for that release. The paper also covers the collaboration that took place between the DVD development team and the academic community and discusses the ways in which 3D visualisations, timelines, interactivity and character-based storytelling were used to present Dublin’s archaeological heritage in an engaging and interesting way

  3. Episodes in the mathematics of medieval Islam

    CERN Document Server

    Berggren, J L

    2016-01-01

    This book presents an account of selected topics from key mathematical works of medieval Islam, based on the Arabic texts themselves. Many of these works had a great influence on mathematics in Western Europe. Topics covered in the first edition include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and numerical approximation; this second edition adds number theory and combinatorics. Additionally, the author has included selections from the western regions of medieval Islam—both North Africa and Spain. The author puts the works into their historical context and includes numerous examples of how mathematics interacted with Islamic society.

  4. Greek Astronomy and the Medieval Arabic Tradition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saliba, George

    2002-07-01

    Islamic scholars of the Middle Ages are often credited with preserving the scientific writings of Antiquity through the Dark Ages of Europe. Saliba argues that the medieval Islamic astronomers did far more—actually correcting and improving on Greek astronomy by creating new mathematical tools to explain the motions of celestial objects. These tools were so useful that Copernicus appears to have borrowed them for use in his heliocentric cosmology. In this new light, the medieval Islamic astronomers played a fundamental role in the scientific revolution that was forged in Europe during the Renaissance.

  5. Determination of the origin of the medieval glass bracelets discovered in Dubna, Moscow Region, Russia, using the neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dmitrieva, S.O.; Frontasyeva, M.V.; Dmitriev, A.Yu.; Dmitriev, A.A.

    2017-01-01

    The work is dedicated to the determination of the origin of archaeological finds from medieval glass using the method of neutron activation analysis (NAA). Among such objects we can discover things not only produced in ancient Russian glassmaking workshops but also imported from Byzantium. The authors substantiate the ancient Russian origin of the medieval glass bracelets of pre-Mongol period, found on the ancient Dubna settlement. The conclusions are based on data on the glass chemical composition obtained as a result of NAA of 10 fragments of bracelets at the IBR-2 reactor, FLNP, JINR.

  6. New evidence for the occurrence of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in medieval Britain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hetherington, David A.; Lord, Tom C.; Jacobi, Roger M.

    2006-01-01

    The presence of Eurasian lynx as a former native species in Britain during the Holocene is known from bones recovered from several sites. AMS radiocarbon dating of lynx bone recovered from two sites in the Craven area of northern England gave 1842 +/- 35 14C yr BP and 1550 +/- 24 14C yr BP, together representing the youngest dates for lynx from England, and in the case of the latter, the youngest for Britain as a whole. These dates support the view that the game animal whose occurrence in the nearby Lake District is described in the early 7th century Cumbric text Pais Dinogad, and whose translation to date has been problematic, is a lynx. The occurrence of lynx in early medieval Britain shows that earlier periods of climate change, previously blamed for the species' extinction in Britain, were not responsible. Instead, anthropogenic factors such as severe deforestation, declining deer populations, and persecution, are likely to have caused the extirpation of lynx in Britain. Consequently, the lynx qualifies as a candidate for reintroduction. Large-scale reafforestation, the growth of deer populations, and more positive attitudes towards carnivores in modern society, could permit the restoration of lynx to Britain, particularly in Scotland.

  7. An Introduction to the Medieval English: The Historical and Literary Context, Traces of Church and Philosophical Movements in the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esmail Zare Behtash

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The Transition from Greek to medieval philosophy that speculated on religion, nature, metaphysics, human being and society was rather a rough transition in the history of English literature. Although the literature content of this age reflected more religious beliefs, the love and hate relationship of medieval philosophy that was mostly based on the Christianity with Greek civilization was exhibited clearly. The modern philosophical ideologies are the continuation of this period’s ideologies. Without a well understanding of the philosophical issues related to this age, it is not possible to understand the modern ones well. The catholic tradition as well as the religious reform against church called Protestantism was organized in this age. In Medieval Period, philosophy and theoretical thoughts related to the Christianity were well-organized and the philosophy, science and theoretical thoughts served religion. Philosophy had different forms and orientations in various stages of this period. One of these philosophical thoughts was the Augustinian philosophy which was strongly in favor of church with its different practices and styles. It used Platonic and Neo-Platonic traditions to prove that faith is the result of divine dispensations, not the result of human will power and wisdom. On the other hand, according to Aquinas, we experience different types of the effects that existed in the world around us. He believed that we assign an effective cause to each effect we experienced around us. Additionally, he claimed that reasoning was the only way to reach the real faith. In fact, philosophy of Medieval Period attempted to prove that religious assertions and ideologists were in search of matching their philosophical beliefs with the beliefs of Christianity. Christianity as the dominant factor in Middle English Literature helped English to be stablished as a literary language.

  8. Archaeometrical studies on medieval silver coins at the Bucharest TANDEM Accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bugoi, R.; Constantin, F.; Constantinescu, B.; Oberlaender-Tarnoveanu, E.; Parvan, K.

    2003-01-01

    An extensive study on Medieval Moldavian (XIVth - XVIth Centuries) silver coins (Groschen) using 3 MeV protons PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) and '2 41 Am source based XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) was performed in order to determine the evolution of the coinage (debasement, metal sources, minting technologies). XRF was used to determine heavier elements concentrations. Comparing the trace elements results (Bi, Pb, Zn, Au) obtained on these samples with the ones on coins from Hungary, Poland, Tatar Khanate, Bohemia we bring support to the curator hypothesis that a lot of Moldavian emissions were made by melting foreign coins, possibly obtained as customs taxes or from trade with these neighbouring countries. For the late medieval silver coins, the high Hg content may be an indication of an imperfect metallurgical processing of the local silver ores. The relationship between the silver content of the coins and the military conflicts corresponding to the minting periods is discussed, taking into account the fact that crisis times are characterized by a decrease in the precious metal concentration. (authors)

  9. Archaeometrical studies on medieval silver coins at the Bucharest Tandem Accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bugoi, Roxana; Constantin, Florin; Constantinescu, Bogdan

    2005-01-01

    An extensive study on Medieval Moldavian (XIVth - XVIth Centuries) silver coins (groschen) using 3 MeV protons PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) and 241 Am source based XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) was performed in order to determine the evolution of the coinage (debasement, metal sources, minting technologies). XRF was used to determine the heavier elements concentrations. Comparing the trace element results (Bi, Pb, Zn, Au) obtained on these samples with the ones on coins from Hungary, Poland, Tatar Khanate, Bohemia, we bring support to the curator hypothesis that a lot of Moldavian emissions were made by melting foreign coins, possibly obtained as customs taxes or from trade with these neighbouring countries. For the late medieval silver coins, the high Hg content may be an indication of an imperfect metallurgical processing of the local silver ores. The relationship between the silver content of the coins and the military conflicts corresponding to the minting periods is discussed, taking into account the fact that crisis times are characterized by a decrease in the precious metal concentration. (authors)

  10. The Bistrup Project: a comparison of floor-tiles from Medieval churches by means of neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Als Hansen, B.; Aaman Soerensen, M.; Heydorn, K.; Hoejslet Christensen, L.; Mejdahl, V.; Winther-Nielsen, M.; Conradsen, K.

    1982-01-01

    Medieval, decorated floor-tiles from a number of churches in and around Roskilde, Denmark, have been compared with identically ornamented wasters of floor-tiles found inside two kilns excavated at Bistrup near Roskilde and with clay from Bistrup and Oroe. For each sample the concentrations of 14 elements were determined by means of neutron activation analysis, and the results were submitted to a stepwise discriminant analysis. All floor-tile groups showed a distinct similarity to the groups of wasters and clay from Bistrup, and the result is thus compatible with the archaeological view that during the Medieval period Bistrup functioned as a production centre for tiles impregnated with these particular ornamentations. (author)

  11. Norse agriculture in Greenland? Farming in a remote medieval landscape

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Peter Steen

    The aim of the project Norse Farming in Greenland: Agriculture on the edge was to determine whether the Norse farmers actually cultivated crops in Greenland during colonisation in the Viking age and the medieval period. This was investigated by analysing macrofossils extracted from soil samples...... giving information about the local vegetation. Charred grains and threshing waste of barley was found in samples from four sites, strongly indicating that barley was cultivated in Greenland by the Norse farmers. The phosphate analyses showed no sign of any deliberate manuring of the infields as high...

  12. Medieval and Renaissance Music Conference, Birmingham 3.–6. 7. 2014

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mráčková, Veronika; Baťa, J.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 51, 3-4 (2014), s. 414-417 ISSN 0018-7003. [Medieval and Renaissance Music Conference. Birmingham, 03.07.2014-06.07.2014] Institutional support: RVO:68378076 Keywords : conference * medieval * music Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

  13. The Pleasure of Discovery: Medieval Literature in Adolescent Novels Set in the Middle Ages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnhouse, Rebecca

    1999-01-01

    Discusses three recent novels for young adults set in medieval times, illustrating several ways that modern writers incorporate medieval material into fiction. Argues that pairing such novels with medieval texts such as "Beowulf" and "The Canterbury Tales" offers opportunities to explore traditional literary topics while providing a gateway into…

  14. The Medieval Climate Anomaly and Byzantium: A review of the evidence on climatic fluctuations, economic performance and societal change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xoplaki, Elena; Fleitmann, Dominik; Luterbacher, Juerg; Wagner, Sebastian; Haldon, John F.; Zorita, Eduardo; Telelis, Ioannis; Toreti, Andrea; Izdebski, Adam

    2016-04-01

    At the beginning of the Medieval Climate Anomaly, in the ninth and tenth century, the medieval eastern Roman empire, more usually known as Byzantium, was recovering from its early medieval crisis and experiencing favourable climatic conditions for the agricultural and demographic growth. Although in the Balkans and Anatolia such favourable climate conditions were prevalent during the eleventh century, parts of the imperial territories were facing significant challenges as a result of external political/military pressure. The apogee of medieval Byzantine socio-economic development, around AD 1150, coincides with a period of adverse climatic conditions for its economy, so it becomes obvious that the winter dryness and high climate variability at this time did not hinder Byzantine society and economy from achieving that level of expansion. Soon after this peak, towards the end of the twelfth century, the populations of the Byzantine world were experiencing unusual climatic conditions with marked dryness and cooler phases. The weakened Byzantine socio-political system must have contributed to the events leading to the fall of Constantinople in AD 1204 and the sack of the city. The final collapse of the Byzantine political control over western Anatolia took place half century later, thus contemporaneous with the strong cooling effect after a tropical volcanic eruption in AD 1257. We suggest that, regardless of a range of other influential factors, climate change was also an important contributing factor to the socio-economic changes that took place in Byzantium during the Medieval Climate Anomaly. Crucially, therefore, while the relatively sophisticated and complex Byzantine society was certainly influenced by climatic conditions, and while it nevertheless displayed a significant degree of resilience, external pressures as well as tensions within the Byzantine society more broadly contributed to an increasing vulnerability in respect of climate impacts. Our

  15. Crop Protection in Medieval Agriculture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zadoks, J.C.

    2013-01-01

    Mediterranean and West European pre-modern agriculture (agriculture before 1600) was by necessity ‘organic agriculture’. Crop protection is part and parcel of this agriculture, with weed control in the forefront. Crop protection is embedded in the medieval agronomy text books but specialised

  16. Determination of the origin of the medieval glass bracelets discovered in Dubna (Moscow Region, Russia), using the neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dmitrieva, S.O.; Frontas'eva, M.V.; Dmitriev, A.Yu.; Dmitriev, A.A.

    2016-01-01

    The work is dedicated to the determination of the origin of archaeological finds from medieval glass using the method of neutron activation analysis (NAA). Among such objects we can discover things not only produced in ancient Russian glassmaking workshops but also brought from Byzantium. The authors substantiate the ancient Russian origin of the medieval glass bracelets of pre-Mongol period, found on the ancient Dubna settlement. The conclusions are based on the data about the glass chemical composition obtained as a result of NAA of ten fragments of bracelets at the IBR-2 reactor, FLNP, JINR. [ru

  17. A method for estimating age of medieval sub-adults from infancy to adulthood based on long bone length

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Primeau, Charlotte; Friis, Laila Saidane; Sejrsen, Birgitte

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To develop a series of regression equations for estimating age from length of long bones for archaeological sub-adults when aging from dental development cannot be performed. Further, to compare derived ages when using these regression equations, and two other methods. MATERIAL AND ME...... as later than the medieval period, although this would require further testing. The quadratic equations are suggested to yield more accurate ages then using simply linear regression equations. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.......OBJECTIVES: To develop a series of regression equations for estimating age from length of long bones for archaeological sub-adults when aging from dental development cannot be performed. Further, to compare derived ages when using these regression equations, and two other methods. MATERIAL...... AND METHODS: A total of 183 skeletal sub-adults from the Danish medieval period, were aged from radiographic images. Linear regression formulae were then produced for individual bones. Age was then estimated from the femur length using three different methods: equations developed in this study, data based...

  18. Books authored/co-authored and edited/co-edited by members of staff of the Department of Medieval/Medieval and Renaissance Archaeology, Aarhus University, 1971-2014

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roesdahl, Else

    2015-01-01

    Chronologically organized list of books authored/co-authored and edited/co-edited by members of staff of the Department of Medieval and Renaissance Archaeology, Aarhus University, 1971-2014......Chronologically organized list of books authored/co-authored and edited/co-edited by members of staff of the Department of Medieval and Renaissance Archaeology, Aarhus University, 1971-2014...

  19. Proper Living - Exploring Domestic Ideals in Medieval Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristiansen, Mette Svart

    2014-01-01

    Houses frame homes, households, and daily life, and it is reasonable to suggest that ideas of domestic space in medieval society, and ideas of how to live in an orderly and acceptable manner in the eyes of one’s peers and oneself are reflected in domestic architecture, its layout, fittings......, and ornaments. This paper addresses ideas of proper living in affluent rural and urban milieus in medieval Denmark, particularly as they are expressed through houses, inventories, and murals, and it also addresses current challenges in understanding the materialized ideas based on excavations and analysis...

  20. To the question of the Georgian influence on architecture of mono-apsishall churches of the North Caucasus of the Medieval period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pishchulina Victoria

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A mono-apsishall church – is the most popular temple type of the Medieval period in the North Caucasus. The transformations of their design in the North Caucasus during the considered period are connected both with the introduction of samples from Kartli, Abkhazia, Armenia, Albania and Svaneti in the XI-XII centuries, and development of Christian culture of Alania. Temples of this type in the North Caucasus can be divided into three big groups according to the character of their planning composition: three-part hall churches, churches with the entered apsis, churches with the projecting apsis. The first two types of temples are traditionally connected with the Georgian influence. As the composite type, this temple was created in Armenia where from the IXth century it is presented by a significant number of monuments. With nuance changes and additions made by the Georgian missionaries this type has found its way to Dvaletiya’s territory where it is presented by a large number of objects, and also to the kingdom Serir where only two temples of this composition remain. For Dvaletiya’s temples it is Kartli, for temples in Dido – not only Kartli, but also Armenia, for temples in the river basin of the Kuban – Abkhazia, but this region was also influenced by the Armenian architecture due involvement of craftsmen from Kafy.

  1. Locality and Distance in Cults of Saints in Medieval Norway

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Nils Holger

    2017-01-01

    A discussion of the Norwegian medieval cult of the purported Irish St Sunniva, a cult in which holiness is seen as foreign and distant in the cultural memory of the saint.......A discussion of the Norwegian medieval cult of the purported Irish St Sunniva, a cult in which holiness is seen as foreign and distant in the cultural memory of the saint....

  2. Reflexões sobre o gênero e o monacato hispânico medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréia Cristina Lopes Frazão

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available From a presentation of the main approaches to the study of medieval hispanic monasticism, this article provides theoretical and methodological reflections and exposes the dilemmas resulting from the use of gender category to the study of monastic life. Such reflections are associated with the research that I am developping, which is scoped to the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla into two periods: 1076-1109 and 1227-1265.

  3. Social representations of memory and gender in later medieval England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kane, Bronach

    2012-12-01

    Social representations in later medieval culture have attracted little attention amongst psychologists, pre-dating the development of the so-called 'public sphere' in the eighteenth century. In addition, the association of pre-modern societies with 'traditional' modes of communication in social psychology places implicit limits on areas that may be studied through the lens of social representation theory. This article analyses the way in which knowledge circulated in late medieval society, noting initially the plural nature of representations of events and marginal groups, and the myriad channels through which beliefs were consolidated. In later medieval England perceptions of the past depended on collective and group memory, with customary rights and local histories forged through 'common knowledge', hearsay and the opinions of 'trustworthy men' of the village. The final section of this commentary provides an analysis of testimony from the late medieval church courts, in which witnesses articulated gender ideologies that reflected perceptions drawn from everyday life. Social representations of women were thus deployed in ecclesiastical suits, on the one hand supporting evidence of female witnesses and on the other justifying misogynistic stereotypes of women's behaviour.

  4. The Image of Medieval Woman

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wade, Marjorie D.

    1978-01-01

    California State University offered a course concerning the roles and positions of women in medieval society as depicted in Middle High German literature. The course was open to all undergraduate students and required no prerequisites or knowledge of German. The content and structure of the course are outlined. (SW)

  5. Periodic Early Childhood Hearing Screening: The EHDI Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Jeff; Houston, K. Todd; Munoz, Karen F.; Bradham, Tamala S.

    2011-01-01

    State coordinators of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs completed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, or SWOT, analysis that examined 12 areas within state EHDI programs. Concerning periodic early childhood hearing screening, 47 coordinators listed 241 items and themes were identified within each SWOT…

  6. Dendroclimatic transfer functions revisited: Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm Period summer temperatures reconstructed using artificial neural networks and linear algorithms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Helama, S.; Holopainen, J.; Eronen, M. [Department of Geology, University of Helsinki, (Finland); Makarenko, N.G. [Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation). Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory; Karimova, L.M.; Kruglun, O.A. [Institute of Mathematics, Almaty (Kazakhstan); Timonen, M. [Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit (Finland); Merilaeinen, J. [SAIMA Unit of the Savonlinna Department of Teacher Education, University of Joensuu (Finland)

    2009-07-01

    Tree-rings tell of past climates. To do so, tree-ring chronologies comprising numerous climate-sensitive living-tree and subfossil time-series need to be 'transferred' into palaeoclimate estimates using transfer functions. The purpose of this study is to compare different types of transfer functions, especially linear and nonlinear algorithms. Accordingly, multiple linear regression (MLR), linear scaling (LSC) and artificial neural networks (ANN, nonlinear algorithm) were compared. Transfer functions were built using a regional tree-ring chronology and instrumental temperature observations from Lapland (northern Finland and Sweden). In addition, conventional MLR was compared with a hybrid model whereby climate was reconstructed separately for short- and long-period timescales prior to combining the bands of timescales into a single hybrid model. The fidelity of the different reconstructions was validated against instrumental climate data. The reconstructions by MLR and ANN showed reliable reconstruction capabilities over the instrumental period (AD 1802-1998). LCS failed to reach reasonable verification statistics and did not qualify as a reliable reconstruction: this was due mainly to exaggeration of the low-frequency climatic variance. Over this instrumental period, the reconstructed low-frequency amplitudes of climate variability were rather similar by MLR and ANN. Notably greater differences between the models were found over the actual reconstruction period (AD 802-1801). A marked temperature decline, as reconstructed by MLR, from the Medieval Warm Period (AD 931-1180) to the Little Ice Age (AD 1601-1850), was evident in all the models. This decline was approx. 0.5 C as reconstructed by MLR. Different ANN based palaeotemperatures showed simultaneous cooling of 0.2 to 0.5 C, depending on algorithm. The hybrid MLR did not seem to provide further benefit above conventional MLR in our sample. The robustness of the conventional MLR over the calibration

  7. The first coronation churches of medieval Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kalić Jovanka

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The medieval ceremony of coronation as a rule took place in the most important church of a realm. The sites of the coronation of Serbian rulers before the establishment of the Žiča monastery church as the coronation church of Serbian kings in the first half of the thirteenth century have not been reliably identified so far. Based on the surviving medieval sources and the archaeological record, this paper provides background information about the titles of Serbian rulers prior to the creation of the Nemanjić state, and proposes that Stefan, son of the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty, was crowned king (1217 in the church of St Peter in Ras.

  8. [Paleopathological skeleton findings. Macroscopical and radiographical studies of 364 individuals from a medieval graveyard].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ittrich, H; Kleibscheidel, C; Nizze, H

    2004-03-01

    Paleopathological examinations can give an idea of diseases and living conditions in ancient populations. An archaeological collection of 364 late medieval/early modern skeletons from the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries, excavated from a church cemetery in the Rostock town center, was examined palaeopathologically. The type and frequency of certain diseases within this north German urban population are described. The majority of the skeletons were from adults with a remarkably low percentage of children. Skeletal malformations (e.g. gap formations of the spinal column) were not abnormally represented. With the exception of single individuals, metabolic disorders or unusual infectious diseases could not be diagnosed. Degenerative diseases often found at the joints and the spinal column showed substantially lower prevalences in comparison with reference rural populations. Individual cases of benign and rare malignant neoplasms could be documented. Traumatic injuries as well as dental pathological changes were rare. In summary it can be concluded that the individuals buried here belonged to a better social class within the medieval population of Rostock.

  9. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who...

  10. Thermally and optically stimulated luminescence of early medieval blue-green glass mosaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galli, A. E-mail: anna.galli@mater.unimib.it; Martini, M.; Montanari, C.; Sibilia, E

    2004-12-01

    The preliminary results of a study related to luminescent mechanisms in glass mosaic tesserae are presented. The samples came from a medieval glass deposit found during archaeological excavations in the S. Lorenzo Church in Milan. Energy Dispersive X-rays Fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements were performed to obtain information on the elemental composition of the materials. Thermally Stimulated Luminescence (TSL, both conventional and wavelength resolved) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) analyses allowed to get information about traps and luminescence centres. The observed luminescence characteristics were close to that of quartz, showing the presence of an easy to bleach trap (300 deg. C, 1.95 eV) and of a hard to bleach trap (350 deg. C, 2.20 eV); charge transfer phenomena, involving the low-temperature peaks have been observed. There is a strong indication that the easy to bleach traps are responsible for both OSL and TSL emission at 300 deg. C.

  11. Thermally and optically stimulated luminescence of early medieval blue-green glass mosaics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galli, A.; Martini, M.; Montanari, C.; Sibilia, E.

    2004-01-01

    The preliminary results of a study related to luminescent mechanisms in glass mosaic tesserae are presented. The samples came from a medieval glass deposit found during archaeological excavations in the S. Lorenzo Church in Milan. Energy Dispersive X-rays Fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements were performed to obtain information on the elemental composition of the materials. Thermally Stimulated Luminescence (TSL, both conventional and wavelength resolved) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) analyses allowed to get information about traps and luminescence centres. The observed luminescence characteristics were close to that of quartz, showing the presence of an easy to bleach trap (300 deg. C, 1.95 eV) and of a hard to bleach trap (350 deg. C, 2.20 eV); charge transfer phenomena, involving the low-temperature peaks have been observed. There is a strong indication that the easy to bleach traps are responsible for both OSL and TSL emission at 300 deg. C

  12. Archaeological culture and medieval ethnic community: theoretical and methodical problems of correlation (the case of medieval Bulgaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Izmaylov Iskander L.

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Problems related to archaeological culture and ethnos comparison in the case of medieval Bulgaria are discussed in the article. According to the author, in recent years it has become evident that the traditional concept and methodology of the study of the Bulgars’ ethnogenesis and ethnic history are in contradiction with the facts accumulated. The methods of “archaeological ethno-genetics”, which dictated solving problems of ethnogenesis of the ancient population belonging to an archaeological culture in direct correlation with ethnicity, are currently being criticized. According to modern ideas about ethnos and ethnicity, ethnicity is based upon identity with a complex hierarchical nature. Contemporary methodology requires proceeding with the integrated study of the problems of ethnogenesis on the basis of archaeology and ethnology. This kind of analysis is based upon the study of the medieval Bulgar mentality as a source of information on key aspects of ethno-political ideas. The analysis of authentic historical sources, historiographical tradition elements and folklore materials makes it possible to reconstruct the basic ideas that were significant for an ethnic group. The archaeological culture of the population of Bulgaria is characterized by two clearly distinguished and interconnected elements – the common Muslim culture and that of the elite military “druzhina” (squad. These elements directly characterize the Bulgar ethno-political community. These theoretical conclusions and empirical research concerning the case of the medieval Bulgars’ ethnogenesis attest to the productivity of ethnological synthesis techniques on an interdisciplinary basis.

  13. Experimental Analyses of Yellow Tuff Spandrels of Post-medieval Buildings in the Naples Area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calderoni, B.; Cordasco, E. A.; Lenza, P.; Guerriero, L.

    2008-01-01

    Experimental analyses have been carried out on tuff masonry specimens in order to investigate the structural behaviour of historical buildings in the Naples area (Southern Italy). Spandrels of post-medieval buildings (late XVI to early XX century) have been analysed, with emphasis on morphological characteristics according to chronological indicators. Results of the experimentation on scaled models (1:10) are discussed and the better behaviour of historical masonry typologies on respect to the modern one is highlighted. Comparison with theoretical formulations of ultimate shear resistance are provided too

  14. Building, inhabiting and «perceiving» private houses in early medieval Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianchi, Giovanna

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The first part of the article sums up the evolution of the subject of private houses and homes in Italian historiography, beginning mainly in the 1970s, when scholars began to take an interest in this subject, also thanks to the development of the modern discipline of Medieval Archeology. After identifying current lines of research, the second section analyzes the main kinds of dwellings, their geographical distribution, and their various chronologies. The third section goes on to discuss the issue of how these residential buildings were the product of particular technical skills, analyzing the characteristics of the knowledge of the people who built them, in some cases also attested to in written sources. The fourth section seeks to link specific choices of construction solution to the socio-economic context of the time, trying to establish a connection between the type of buildings that were built, the kind of life their inhabitants led, and the contemporary mentality. The last section is dedicated to a sort of final synthesis, with a brief, further examination of the various issues dealt with in the article as a whole.La primera parte del artículo hace un resumen de la evolución de las casas particulares y viviendas domésticas en la historiografía italiana a partir de los años 70, cuando los estudiosos empezaron a interesarse por el tema y también gracias al desarrollo de la disciplina moderna de arqueología medieval. Tras identificar las actuales líneas de investigación, la segunda parte analiza los principales tipos de vivienda, su distribución geográfica y diversas cronologías. La tercera aborda el concepto de las viviendas residenciales como el resultado de determinadas habilidades técnicas y analiza las características del conocimiento del pueblo que las levantó, corroborando algunos casos con fuentes documentales. La cuarta parte intenta encontrar una relación entre las decisiones tomadas en determinadas soluciones

  15. Medieval Stars in Melk Abbey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, P. G.; Zotti, G.

    2012-05-01

    Melk Abbey, a marvel of European high baroque architecture, is one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in Austria, attracting 450 000 visitors each year. The monastery's museum presents selected aspects of Benedictine life in Melk since the monastery's foundation in 1089. After the church, the library is the second-most important room in a Benedictine monastery. Due to the wide scientific interests and contacts of the medieval monks, these libraries also contain manuscripts on mathematics, physics and astronomy. In 2009, the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009), the annual library exhibition was fully dedicated to astronomical manuscripts and early prints from the past 1000 years. Following earlier research work on astronomical manuscripts in Melk's library, we were invited to organise the exhibition. In addition, we also presented a lecture series and provided more background in an accompanying book. Because of positive feedback from the visitors, the exhibition was extended until March 2011. In the two years of its duration, the exhibition was seen by more than 900 000 visitors. In this article, we describe the background to the scientific project, how the exhibition was organised and lessons learned from this project.

  16. Cereal production, high status and climate in Medieval Iceland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erlendsson, Egill; Riddell, Scott

    2017-04-01

    At Hrísbrú (formerly the medieval Mosfell estate) in the Mosfell Valley, southwest Iceland, archaeologists have excavated a medieval skáli (hall) proposed to be the high status residence of a chieftain. This is indicated by the size of the skáli, artefacts (foreign goods), archaeofaunal (cattle/sheep bone) ratios and macrobotanical remains (cereal grain). The analysis of pollen from nearby natural contexts suggests that cereals were grown locally. Using multiple profile palynological approach, this paper examines if the apparent cereal production is representative of high status in the Icelandic context. First as a correlate by confirming that cereals were grown in association with the archaeological features characteristic of high status; secondly, as an indicator in its own right through comparison with other palynological datasets from inferred lower status farms. The presence or absence of cereal-type pollen (cf. barley) and other arable correlates was examined for each site. The results suggest that medieval cereal cultivation in the Mosfell Valley was confined to the landholding of the medieval Mosfell estate. This feature is seen as an attribute of the locale's greater status in relation to the other farms in Mosfell Valley. The abandonment of cereal cultivation at the Mosfell estate around AD 1200 is probably associated with interactions between changes in the nation's social power structure and how marginal cereal production in Iceland was (and is) in terms of climate.

  17. Problems in the study of the medieval heritage in the Lim valley

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popović Marko

    2005-01-01

    century when a stone block was found there bearing the opening part of an inscription: "+ Te Criste auctore pontifex...", long believed to date from the 9th-10th century. Following the excavations, but based on this dating the church remains were interpreted as pre- Romanesque, and the interpretation entailed some major historical conclusions. From a more recent and careful analysis, the inscription has been correctly dated to the 6th century. With this dating as his starting-point, the author examines the fieldwork results and suggests that the block is an early-Byzantine spolium probably from the late-antique site of Kolovrat near Prijepolje, reused in the medieval period as a tombstone in the churchyard, where such examples are not lonely. It follows that the inscribed block is not directly relatable to the church remains and that it cannot be used as dating evidence. On the other hand, the church remains show features of the Romanesque-Gothic style of architecture typical of the Pomorje, the Serbian Adriatic coast. According to close analogies found for some elements of its stone decoration, the date of the church could not precede the middle of the 13th century. The question remains open as to who had the church built and what its original function was, that is whether a monastic community center round it. Its founder may be sought for among members of the ruling Nemanjić house, but a church dignitary cannot be ruled out. Anumber of complex issues raised by this site are yet to be resolved, but the study should be relieved of earlier misconceptions. Fresh information about this ruined medieval church should be provided by revision excavations in the future.

  18. Genome-wide comparison of medieval and modern Mycobacterium leprae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schuenemann, Verena J; Singh, Pushpendra; Mendum, Thomas A

    2013-01-01

    Leprosy was endemic in Europe until the Middle Ages. Using DNA array capture, we have obtained genome sequences of Mycobacterium leprae from skeletons of five medieval leprosy cases from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In one case, the DNA was so well preserved that full de novo assembly...... origin for leprosy in the Americas, and the presence of an M. leprae genotype in medieval Europe now commonly associated with the Middle East. The exceptional preservation of M. leprae biomarkers, both DNA and mycolic acids, in ancient skeletons has major implications for palaeomicrobiology and human...

  19. Medieval emergence of sweet melons, Cucumis melo (Cucurbitaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paris, Harry S; Amar, Zohar; Lev, Efraim

    2012-07-01

    Sweet melons, Cucumis melo, are a widely grown and highly prized crop. While melons were familiar in antiquity, they were grown mostly for use of the young fruits, which are similar in appearance and taste to cucumbers, C. sativus. The time and place of emergence of sweet melons is obscure, but they are generally thought to have reached Europe from the east near the end of the 15th century. The objective of the present work was to determine where and when truly sweet melons were first developed. Given their large size and sweetness, melons are often confounded with watermelons, Citrullus lanatus, so a list was prepared of the characteristics distinguishing between them. An extensive search of literature from the Roman and medieval periods was conducted and the findings were considered in their context against this list and particularly in regard to the use of the word 'melon' and of adjectives for sweetness and colour. Medieval lexicographies and an illustrated Arabic translation of Dioscorides' herbal suggest that sweet melons were present in Central Asia in the mid-9th century. A travelogue description indicates the presence of sweet melons in Khorasan and Persia by the mid-10th century. Agricultural literature from Andalusia documents the growing of sweet melons, evidently casabas (Inodorous Group), there by the second half of the 11th century, which probably arrived from Central Asia as a consequence of Islamic conquest, trade and agricultural development. Climate and geopolitical boundaries were the likely causes of the delay in the spread of sweet melons into the rest of Europe.

  20. The Barbarian North in Medieval Imagination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen-Rix, Robert William

    different medieval understandings of identity and ethnicity. Among other things, the ‘out-of-Scandinavia’ tale was exploited to promote a legacy of ‘barbarian’ vigor that could withstand the negative cultural effects of Roman civilization. This volume employs a variety of perspectives cutting across...

  1. The island of Skyros from Late Roman to Early Modern times : an archaeological survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karambinis, Michalis

    2015-01-01

    Aegean archaeology has mainly concentrated on Prehistoric and Greco-Roman times and has provided relatively little information on human activity and material culture in the medieval period. Historical research concerning the medieval era is sufficiently developed but archaeological research on the

  2. Limitations imposed by wearing armour on Medieval soldiers' locomotor performance

    OpenAIRE

    Askew, Graham N.; Formenti, Federico; Minetti, Alberto E.

    2011-01-01

    In Medieval Europe, soldiers wore steel plate armour for protection during warfare. Armour design reflected a trade-off between protection and mobility it offered the wearer. By the fifteenth century, a typical suit of field armour weighed between 30 and 50 kg and was distributed over the entire body. How much wearing armour affected Medieval soldiers' locomotor energetics and biomechanics is unknown. We investigated the mechanics and the energetic cost of locomotion in armour, and determined...

  3. On the distribution of trace element concentrations in multiple bone elements in 10 Danish medieval and post-medieval individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lund Rasmussen, Kaare; Skytte, Lilian; D'imporzano, Paolo; Orla Thomsen, Per; Søvsø, Morten; Lier Boldsen, Jesper

    2017-01-01

    The differences in trace element concentrations among 19 different bone elements procured from 10 archaeologically derived human skeletons have been investigated. The 10 individuals are dated archaeologically and some by radiocarbon dating to the medieval and post-medieval period, an interval from ca. AD 1150 to ca. AD 1810. This study is relevant for two reasons. First, most archaeometric studies analyze only one bone sample from each individual; so to what degree are the bones in the human body equal in trace element chemistry? Second, differences in turnover time of the bone elements makes the cortical tissues record the trace element concentrations in equilibrium with the blood stream over a longer time earlier in life than the trabecular. Therefore, any differences in trace element concentrations between the bone elements can yield what can be termed a chemical life history of the individual, revealing changes in diet, provenance, or medication throughout life. Thorough decontamination and strict exclusion of non-viable data has secured a dataset of high quality. The measurements were carried out using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (for Fe, Mn, Al, Ca, Mg, Na, Ba, Sr, Zn, Pb and As) and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (for Hg) on ca. 20 mg samples. Twelve major and trace elements have been measured on 19 bone elements from 10 different individuals interred at five cemeteries widely distributed in medieval and renaissance Denmark. The ranges of the concentrations of elements were: Na (2240-5660 µg g -1 ), Mg (440-2490 µg g -1 ), Al (9-2030 µg g -1 ), Ca (22-36 wt. %), Mn (5-11450 µg g -1 ), Fe (32-41850 µg g -1 ), Zn (69-2610 µg g -1 ), As (0.4-120 µg g -1 ), Sr (101-815 µg g -1 ), Ba (8-880 µg g -1 ), Hg (7-78730 ng g -1 ), and Pb (0.8-426 µg g -1 ). It is found that excess As is mainly of diagenetic origin. The results support that Ba and Sr concentrations are effective provenance or dietary indicators. Migrating

  4. The European Circulation of Nordic Texts in the Romantic Period

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen-Rix, Robert William

    2017-01-01

    history of rediscovering Old Norse texts (i.e., poetry and prose written in the North Germanic language until the 14th century, known primarily from Icelandic manuscripts) and medieval Nordic folklore (found in medieval ballads, sagas, and heroic legends) differed in various European countries......, there was also a remarkable sense of common aim and purpose in the reception history as it developed during the Romantic period. This was because European scholars and writers had come to see medieval Nordic texts as epitomizing the manners and literature of a common Germanic past. In particular, Old Norse texts...... from Icelandic manuscripts were believed to preserve the pre-Christian religion, as this was once shared by Scandinavians, Anglo-Saxons, Germans, and the Franks. Thus, interest in such texts circulated with particular intensity between Scandinavia, Germany, and Britain, as well as, to a lesser degree...

  5. Genre and text-type conventions in Early Modern Women´s recipe books

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel de la Cruz Cabanillas

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Early Modern recipe books map onto women’s roles in the period. Women were responsible for the health and care of all their household members. This explains the women´s interest in gathering information on the topic, usually put together in manuscripts which circulated in the women´s intellectual and domestic circles to serve this purpose. The manuscript is viewed as an artefact likely to be changed to meet the needs of its users. The article seeks to explore genre and text-type conventions in a corpus of medical and culinary recipes written or compiled by women in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries of Early Modern Britain. The recipes in this period show patterns of continuity from medieval times but also patterns of variation to foreshadow the shape of modern recipes.

  6. The Case for Medieval Drama in the Classroom: An Approach through Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieblein, Leanore; Pare, Anthony

    1983-01-01

    Argues that medieval drama in performance suggests a number of important issues about the nature of literature, particularly about the way narrative and dramatic art can express the life of a community. Presents a series of exercises that start with familiar, nonthreatening situations in order to approach the richness of medieval plays and the…

  7. "Fossils" of practical medical knowledge from medieval Cairo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lev, Efraim; Amar, Zohar

    2008-09-02

    To asses the scientific value of the practical medical fragments found in the Cairo Genizah (10th century), as a useful source for ethnopharmacological purposes (in exposing rare and usually inaccessible original medieval practical knowledge of medicinal substances to present-day researchers), and to reconstruct the practical drugs and their uses. A methodology distinguishing between theoretical (about 1500 fragments) and practical medical knowledge (about 230 fragments) was created and used. The information regarding the practical medicinal substances was extracted from prescriptions (140), lists of drugs (70) and few letters of physicians. The reconstructed lists of practical (278) and theoretical (414) drugs allow us to recognize and quantify the gap between them in medieval times (136). We propose that the data obtained from ancient prescriptions is comparable to ethnopharmacological surveys. The finding of plants such as myrobalan, saffron, licorice, spikenard and lentisk, all of which have scientifically proven anti-microbial/bacterial and anti-fungal activity, sheds a helpful light on the medical decision-making of the medieval practitioners in respect of the plants they applied as drugs. With the wealth of information meticulously assembled from these time capsules we expect to make a significant contribution to contemporary efforts at locating modern drugs in ancient roots and gauging their feasibility.

  8. Beads of the Birsk Burial Ground in the Context of the Antiquities of the Early Middle Ages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruslanova Rida Raisovna

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Early Middle Ages in the Southern Urals is the time of the tumultuous ethnocultural processes, that is an echo of the era of the Great Migration. At this time, the bakhmutinskaya culture was formed (3rd-8th centuries A.D.. The Birsk burial ground is one of the unique monuments of this period – it appeared in the second third of the 1st millennium B.C. The Birsk burial ground is a fiducial monument for studying history, ethno-cultural, migration and trade processes occurring in the Southern Urals, and the content in the composition of grave goods makes it supplies an important source in the study of early medieval history of East European forest. A variety of types of beads from the Birsk burial ground allows suggesting that the necropolis was one of the major points on the caravan trade and exchange path. According to it, the exchange could take place on imports of products (furs, honey, metals. The article describes a set of beads from the Birsk burials – evidence of a monument in the system of early medieval antiquities (3rd-8th centuries A.D.. The complex morpho-technological research dealt with 218 complexes containing 6705 instances of beads and jewelry. The feature of the monument is the presence of necklaces jewelry from all the selected materials along with the material. The Birsk burial ground demonstrates various forms of products, colors used glass for monochrome and polychrome decorations. The presented work can be used in the study of material culture and trade exchange operations of the medieval population of the Urals.

  9. Puesta en valor de yacimientos arqueológicos amortizados. La hipótesis virtual al servicio de la arqueología de gestión y la difusión cultural. El yacimiento medieval de La Poza. Baltanás (Palencia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José R. Almeida Olmedo

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The archaeological site of La Poza in Baltanás (Palencia provides new data on medieval rural society in the area of El Cerrato between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. Again emergency archaeology has allowed the recovery of a settlement destined to disappear new data that provide insight into early medieval domestic architecture held in perishable materials.

  10. Trends in mortality and biological stress in a medieval polish urban population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betsinger, Tracy K; DeWitte, Sharon

    2017-12-01

    Urbanization in pre-modern populations may have had a variety of consequences related to population crowding. However, research on the effects of urbanization have provided inconsistent results regarding the biological impact of this transition on human populations. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that urbanization caused an increase in overall biological stress in a medieval (10th-13th centuries AD) Polish population. A human skeletal sample (n=164) was examined for the presence of porotic hyperostosis, cribra orbitalia, linear enamel hypoplasia, periosteal reaction, and specific infectious diseases. Prevalence rates were compared among three temporal samples: initial urbanization, early urbanization, and later urbanization. Results indicate no significant trends for any of the pathological conditions. Cox proportional hazards analyses, however, revealed a significant increase in the risk of death over time, which supports the hypothesis. These results reflect the necessity of using multiple analyses to address bioarchaeological questions. The lack of significant results from skeletal indicators may be due to an earlier urbanization trend in the population. This study illustrates that the association of urbanization with elevated biological stress is complicated and dependent on various factors, including culture and time period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. On the Jewish Nature of Medieval Spanish Biblical Translations Linguistic Differences between Medieval and Post-Exilic Spanish Translations of the Bible

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schwarzwald, Ora

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available A linguistic comparison of medieval Spanish translations of the Hebrew Bible and the Constantinople and Ferrara post exilic Ladino translations reveals systematic lexical and grammatical variations. These differences can be explained by the population groups to which the translations were targeted: Christian for the medieval translations; Jewish (or former converso for the post-exilic ones. The conclusion is that the medieval translations are not Jewish in nature and could therefore not have been a source for the post-exilic versions which were based on oral tradition.

    Una comparación lingüística de las traducciones hispano-medievales de la Biblia hebrea y las postexílicas de Constantinopla y Ferrara revela variaciones sistemáticas léxicas y gramaticales. Esas diferencias pueden explicarse por la audiencia a las que iban dirigidas dichas traducciones: cristiana, en el caso de las medievales; judía (o exconversa en el de las post-exílicas. La autora concluye que las traducciones medievales no son judías, por naturaleza, y en consecuencia, no podrían haber sido una fuente para las versiones post-exílicas que estaban basadas en la tradición oral.

  12. [Caries of permanent dentition in medieval inhabitants of Wrocław].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staniowski, Tomasz; Dabrowski, Paweł; Gawlikowska-Sroka, Aleksandra

    2011-01-01

    The study of dentition plays an important role in the reconstruction of the diet and in assessment of the overall health and living conditions of paleopopulations. The aim of this study was to determine the condition of permanent dentition of medieval inhabitants of Wrocław basing on the prevalence and intensity of caries in permanent dentition. The material consisted of 1156 permanent teeth from 118 skulls recovered from two medieval cemeteries in Wrocław: the parish cemetery at the St. Elisabeth Church (13th-14th century) and the cemetery in Ołbin (12th-13th century). Two age classes were formed taking into account anthropologic assessment and group size. The younger class consisted of material up to the age of 35 years; the remaining skulls were assigned to the older class. The prevalence and incidence of caries was determined. The prevalence and intensity of caries was 56.91% and 15.7%, respectively. Carious lesions predominated in males and in the older age class. The prevalence and intensity of caries in permanent dentition did not differ from other medieval populations and increased with age. High prevalence of caries reflects a high proportion of carbohydrates in the diet of medieval inhabitants of Wrocław, their high socioeconomic status, and poor oral hygiene.

  13. Un gobierno medieval en un mundo global.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gisele Becerra

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario is a unique case in the World of corporate governance enduring, by which this university, one of the most prestigious institutions in Colombia, could preserve its culture and medieval tradition in the election of their authorities and governance becoming a modern higher education institution that educate the future social leaders. Nova et Vetera – the New and the Old– the integration of today reality and dynamics, and its future projection, with the more ancient university tradition of the Medieval concept of “Universitas Scholarium” becoming a modern institution of 354 years old. These successful combinations produced by the continuity of traditional corporate governance since 1653 has empowered the institution and permit it to lead the most important intellectual, political and social changes of the country.

  14. Medieval Universities, Legal Institutions, and the Commercial Revolution. NBER Working Paper No. 17979

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantoni, Davide; Yuchtman, Noam

    2012-01-01

    We present new data documenting medieval Europe's "Commercial Revolution'' using information on the establishment of markets in Germany. We use these data to test whether medieval universities played a causal role in expanding economic activity, examining the foundation of Germany's first universities after 1386 following the Papal Schism. We…

  15. Farm Studies and Post-Medieval Rural Archaeology in Denmark: Comments on the Past, the Present and the Future

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristiansen, Mette Svart

    2012-01-01

    legislation and administrative practice, has left the post-medieval cultural heritage in a rather peculiar and to some extent neglected position. This paper will address research on post-medieval rural buildings and farms in particular and discuss the current challenges within post-medieval rural archaeology...

  16. Changing Settlements and Landscapes: Medieval Whittlewood, its Predecessors and Successors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Jones

    2006-09-01

    approach. Methodologies have included test pitting in village cores, larger excavations and trial trenches both within and outside the village, geophysical and earthwork survey, extensive fieldwalking, exhaustive documentary research, retrospective analysis of a rich corpus of early maps, targeted palaeoenvironmental sampling, detailed place-name study, and the comprehensive survey of the standing buildings of the area. This has generated a substantial body of evidence, the broader conclusions from which are due to be published in 2006 in a monograph entitled Medieval Villages in an English Landscape: Beginnings and Ends (Macclesfield, Windgather Press. In embracing the unique opportunity offered by e-publishing and its integration with extensive digital archives, this article thus aims to achieve far more than simply duplicating its sister publication. It does not offer the in-depth explanations for change that are set out in the monograph, but rather focuses on the mechanics of change. But by presenting all the data on which reconstructions of these villages' territories have been based, readers will be able to test the veracity of the conclusions outlined both here and in the monograph, and to identify the intrinsic strengths and weaknesses of each class of evidence. It is hoped that by providing access to the data, readers will be encouraged to explore their own research agenda and to develop different readings of the evidence on which alternative models of medieval settlement and landscape change can be built.

  17. Two medieval doctors: Gilbertus Anglicus (c1180-c1250) and John of Gaddesden (1280-1361).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearn, John

    2013-02-01

    Biographies of medieval English doctors are uncommon and fragmentary. The two best-known English medieval physicians were Gilbertus Anglicus and John of Gaddesden. This paper brings together the known details of their lives, compiled from extant biographies and from internal references in their texts. The primary records of their writings exist in handwritten texts and thereafter in incunabula from the time of the invention of printing in 1476. The record of the lives of these two medieval physicians can be expanded, as here, by the general perspective of the life and times in which they lived. Gilbertus Anglicus, an often-quoted physician-teacher at Montpellier, wrote a seven-folio Compendium medicinae in 1271. He described pioneering procedures used later in the emergent disciplines of anaesthetics, cosmetic medicine and travel medicine. Gilbertus' texts, used extensively in European medical schools, passed in handwritten copies from student to student and eventually were printed in 1510. John of Gaddesden, an Oxford graduate in Arts, Medicine and Theology, wrote Rosa Anglica, published circa 1314. Its detailed text is an exemplar of the mixture of received Hippocratic and Galenic lore compounded by medieval astronomy and religious injunction, which mixture was the essence of medieval medicine. The writings of both these medieval English physicians formed part of the core curriculum that underpinned the practice of medicine for the next 400 years.

  18. Temporal trends in vertebral size and shape from medieval to modern-day.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juho-Antti Junno

    Full Text Available Human lumbar vertebrae support the weight of the upper body. Loads lifted and carried by the upper extremities cause significant loading stress to the vertebral bodies. It is well established that trauma-induced vertebral fractures are common especially among elderly people. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological factors that could have affected the prevalence of trauma-related vertebral fractures from medieval times to the present day. To determine if morphological differences existed in the size and shape of the vertebral body between medieval times and the present day, the vertebral body size and shape was measured from the 4th lumbar vertebra using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and standard osteometric calipers. The modern samples consisted of modern Finns and the medieval samples were from archaeological collections in Sweden and Britain. The results show that the shape and size of the 4th lumbar vertebra has changed significantly from medieval times in a way that markedly affects the biomechanical characteristics of the lumbar vertebral column. These changes may have influenced the incidence of trauma- induced spinal fractures in modern populations.

  19. Swords and sabers during the Early Islamic Period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander, David

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available The present article offers a discussion on early swords and sabers during the Early Islamic Period, from the Topkap’ Sarayi collection to written, iconographic and archeological sources.

    El presente art’culo trata las espadas y sables utilizados en los primeros tiempos del Islam a partir de la colecció—n del Topkap’ Sarayi y de las fuentes escritas, iconogr‡ficas y arqueol—gicas.

  20. Early stage of weathering of medieval-like potash-lime model glass: evaluation of key factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gentaz, Lucile; Lombardo, Tiziana; Loisel, Claudine; Chabas, Anne; Vallotto, Marta

    2011-02-01

    Throughout history, a consequent part of the medieval stained glass windows have been lost, mostly because of deliberate or accidental mechanic destruction during war or revolution, but, in some cases, did not withstand the test of time simply because of their low durability. Indeed, the glasses that remain nowadays are for many in a poor state of conservation and are heavily deteriorated. Under general exposure conditions, stained glass windows undergo different kinds of weathering processes that modify their optical properties, chemistry, and structure: congruent dissolution, leaching, and particle deposition (the combination of those two leading together to the formation of neocrystallisations and eventually crusts). Previous research has studied the weathering forms and the mechanisms from which they are originated, some others identified the main environmental parameters responsible for the deterioration and highlighted that both intrinsic (glass composition) and extrinsic (environmental parameters) factors influence glass degradation. Nevertheless, a clear quantification of the impact of the different deterioration extrinsic factors has not been performed. By analysing the results obtained with model glass (durable and nondurable) exposed in the field, this paper proposes a simple mathematical computation evaluating the contribution of the different weathering factors for the early stages of exposure of the stained glasses. In the case of non durable glass, water runoff was identified as the main factor inducing the leaching (83.4 ± 2.6% contribution), followed by gas (6.4 ± 1.5%) and particle deposition (6.8 ± 2.2%) and adsorbed water (3.4 ± 0.6%). Moreover, it was shown that the extrinsic stimuli superimposes with the impact of glass composition to the weathering. Those results show that the role played by dry deposition, even if less important than that of the wet deposition, cannot be neglected.

  1. “I” of the author of the 12th century: rhetoric and subjectivity of medieval literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolgorukova Natalia Mikhailovna

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available This article attempts to answer a series of questions relevant to the study of medieval literature: is it possible to create a typology of the medieval “I” and to distinguish rhetorical use of personal constructions from more subjective types which was the author's “I” in the 12th century. Is it possible to talk about subjectivity of medieval literature, and, if so, how is it expressed?

  2. Medieval European medicine and Asian spices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nam, Jong Kuk

    2014-08-01

    This article aimed to explain the reasons why Asian spices including pepper, ginger, and cinnamon were considered as special and valuable drugs with curative powers in the Medieval Europe. Among these spices, pepper was most widely and frequently used as medicine according to medieval medical textbooks. We analyzed three main pharmacology books written during the Middle Ages. One of the main reasons that oriental spices were widely used as medicine was due to the particular medieval medical system fundamentally based on the humoral theory invented by Hippocrates and Galen. This theory was modified by Arab physicians and imported to Europe during the Middle Ages. According to this theory, health is determined by the balance of the following four humors which compose the human body: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Each humor has its own qualities such as cold, hot, wet, and dry. Humoral imbalance was one of the main causes of disease, so it was important to have humoral equilibrium. Asian spices with hot and dry qualities were used to balance the cold and wet European diet. The analysis of several major medical textbooks of the Middle Ages proves that most of the oriental spices with hot and dry qualities were employed to cure diverse diseases, particularly those caused by coldness and humidity. However, it should be noted that the oriental spices were considered to be much more valuable and effective as medicines than the local medicinal ingredients, which were not only easily procured but also were relatively cheap. Europeans mystified oriental spices, with the belief that they have marvelous and mysterious healing powers. Such mystification was related to the terrestrial Paradise. They believed that the oriental spices were grown in Paradise which was located in the Far East and were brought to the Earthly world along the four rivers flowing from the Paradise.

  3. Early to high medieval colonization and alluvial landscape transformation of the Labe valley (Czech Republic): evaluation of archaeological, pollen and macrofossil evidence

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kozáková, Radka; Pokorný, P.; Mařík, Jan; Čulíková, Věra; Boháčová, Ivana; Pokorná, Adéla

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 23, č. 6 (2014), s. 701-718 ISSN 0939-6314 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA404/08/1696 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : human impact * medieval * pollen * macrofossils * stronghold * alluvial landscapes Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 2.648, year: 2014

  4. Early medieval touchstones from Sowinki, Greater Poland

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ježek, Martin; Krzyszowski, A.; Zavřel, J.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 91, 1-2 (2013), s. 177-186 ISSN 0016-8874 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : Early Middle Ages * graveyards * touchstones * metals * electron microscopy * social structure Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  5. PREVENTION OF NIPPLE CRACKS OF THE MAMMARY GLAND IN THE EARLY POSTNATAL PERIOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina L. Travina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Preservation and prolongation of the lactation period is not only a guarantee of the child's full physical and mental development but also one of the most important methods for reducing the risk of developing breast cancer. Problems with the mammary gland nipple in a woman in the early postnatal period lead to a refusal of lactation. We carried out a retrospective analysis (period from 2010 to 2016 of the causes of traumatizing mammary gland nipples in the early postnatal period in 172 women (mean age 29.1 ± 4.3 years. Methods of prevention and treatment of nipple injuries in the early postnatal period have been offered for the lactation period prolongation.

  6. Melancholia in medieval Persian literature: The view of Hidayat of Al-Akhawayni.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalfardi, Behnam; Yarmohammadi, Hassan; Ghanizadeh, Ahmad

    2014-06-22

    "Melancholia" seems to be the oldest term used to describe the manifestations of depression. Throughout the history of medicine, melancholia has been the focus of consideration of many scholars who have provided varying definitions of this disorder and its manifestations. This continual process has resulted in the gradual development of the concept of melancholia over time. Persian scholars were among the scientists who have studied the melancholia and contributed to its concept. One figure, Al-Akhawayni Bukhari (?-983 AD), a Persian physician whose reputation was based on the treatment of patients with mental problems, investigated this disorder. He described Melancholia and explained its clinical manifestations and treatment methods. Al-Akhawayni provided an early classification of the patients suffering from this disorder. Since the medieval Persian concept of melancholia is not well-known, this paper aims to review Al-Akhawayni's 10(th) century knowledge on melancholia which can represent the early concept of this disorder in the Near East.

  7. Melancholia in medieval Persian literature: The view of Hidayat of Al-Akhawayni

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalfardi, Behnam; Yarmohammadi, Hassan; Ghanizadeh, Ahmad

    2014-01-01

    “Melancholia” seems to be the oldest term used to describe the manifestations of depression. Throughout the history of medicine, melancholia has been the focus of consideration of many scholars who have provided varying definitions of this disorder and its manifestations. This continual process has resulted in the gradual development of the concept of melancholia over time. Persian scholars were among the scientists who have studied the melancholia and contributed to its concept. One figure, Al-Akhawayni Bukhari (?-983 AD), a Persian physician whose reputation was based on the treatment of patients with mental problems, investigated this disorder. He described Melancholia and explained its clinical manifestations and treatment methods. Al-Akhawayni provided an early classification of the patients suffering from this disorder. Since the medieval Persian concept of melancholia is not well-known, this paper aims to review Al-Akhawayni’s 10th century knowledge on melancholia which can represent the early concept of this disorder in the Near East. PMID:25019055

  8. Development in Harbour Construction, Infrastructure and Topography on the Eve of the Early Modern Age in the Baltic (1450-1600)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Springmann, Maik Jens O R

    2016-01-01

    Ships are no Flying Dutchmen! They need a harbour. Therefore, the development of ship construction is pretty much connected with that of harbour construction, and beyond this, they influence the topography and infrastructure of a harbour. The transition between the Medieval period and the Early M...... construction, topography and infrastructure follow the development of ship construction. The paper focuses on the deep impact that larger multi-mast sailing ships had on the development of Baltic harbours...

  9. COLONIAL AMERICAN LITERATURE: MARVELOUS WONDERS AND THE MEDIEVAL TRADITION IN LUSO-BRAZILIAN HISTORIOGRAPHICAL CHRONICLES COLONIAL American Literature: WONDERS maravilhoso e da tradição medieval NO LUSO-BRASILEIRA historiográfica CHRONICLES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Fonseca

    1996-01-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo apresenta uma analise interpretativa de certos aspectos do imaginário literário medieval e sua influência na formação tropológica das crônicas do Novo Mundo. A abordagem examina algumas das motivações estéticas e mentais da tradição medieval no discurso historiográfico luso-brasileiro colonial, principalmente em relação a alguns relatos de descobrimentos e ocupação inicial de terras brasileiras na América. This article presents an interpretative analysis of certain aspects of the medieval literary imaginary and its influence in the tropological formation of the New World chronicles. The approach examines some of the aesthetic and mental motivations of the medieval tradition in the colonial Luso-Brazilian historiographical discourse, principally in regards to some accounts of discoveries and initial occupation of Brazilian lands in America.  

  10. THz reflectometric imaging of medieval wall paintings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dandolo, Corinna Ludovica Koch; Jepsen, Peter Uhd

    2013-01-01

    Terahertz time-domain reflectometry has been applied to the investigation of a medieval Danish wall painting. The technique has been able to detect the presence of carbonblack layer on the surface of the wall painting and a buried insertion characterized by high reflectivity values has been found...

  11. Episodes in the mathematics of medieval Islam

    CERN Document Server

    Berggren, J L

    1986-01-01

    From the reviews: The book is, in spite of the author's more modest claims, an introductory survey of main developments in those disciplines which were particularly important in Medieval Islamic mathematics...No knowledge of mathematics (or of the history of mathematics) beyond normal high-school level is presupposed, and everything required beyond that (be it Apollonian theory of conics or the definitions of celestial circles) is explained carefully and clearly. Scattered throughout the work are a number of lucid remarks on the character of Islamic mathematics or of mathematical work in general. The book will hence not only be an excellent textbook for the teaching of the history of mathematics but also for the liberal art aspect of mathematics teaching in general. - Jens Høyrup, Mathematical Reviews ...as a textbook, this work is highly commendable...It is definitely the product of a skillful mathematician who has collected over the years a reasonably large number of interesting problems from medieval Arab...

  12. Did medieval trade activity and a viral etiology control the spatial extent and seasonal distribution of Black Death mortality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bossak, Brian H; Welford, Mark R

    2009-06-01

    Recent research into the world's greatest recorded epidemic, the Medieval Black Death (MBD), has cast doubt on Bubonic Plague as the etiologic agent. Prior research has recently culminated in outstanding advances in our understanding of the spatio-temporal pattern of MBD mortality, and a characterization of the incubation, latent, infectious, and symptomatic periods of the MBD. However, until now, several mysteries remained unexplained, including perhaps the biggest quandary of all: why did the MBD exhibit inverse seasonal peaks in mortality from diseases recorded in modern times, such as seasonal Influenza or the Indian Plague Epidemics of the early 1900 s? Although some have argued that climate changes likely explain the observed differences between modern clinical Bubonic Plague seasonality and MBD mortality accounts, we believe that another factor explains these dissimilarities. Here, we provide a synthetic hypothesis which builds upon previous theories developed in the last ten years or so. Our all-encompassing theory explains the causation, dissemination, and lethality of the MBD. We theorize that the MBD was a human-to-human transmitted virus, originating in East-Central Asia and not Africa (as some recent work has proposed), and that its areal extent during the first great epidemic wave of 1347-1350 was controlled hierarchically by proximity to trade routes. We also propose that the seasonality of medieval trade controlled the warm-weather mortality peaks witnessed during 1347-1350; during the time of greatest market activity, traders, fairgoers, and religious pilgrims served as unintentional vectors of a lethal virus with an incubation period of approximately 32 days, including a largely asymptomatic yet infectious period of roughly three weeks. We include a description of the rigorous research agenda that we have proposed in order to subject our theory to scientific scrutiny and a description of our plans to generate the first publicly available

  13. Uncovering the Secret: Medieval Women, Magic and the Other

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludwikowska Joanna

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available For medieval audiences women occupied a specific, designated cultural area which, while they could freely form it according to their will and nature, was in fact imaginary and immaterial. Women in social, legal, and religious contexts were mostly counted among the receptive, inactive, and non-ruling groups. On both levels, there was a group of features universally defining all women: the strong, virtuous and independent model Aquinas lamented was replaced in real life by the sinful, carnal and weak stereotype, and the erotic, emotional, mysterious, and often wild type present predominantly in literature. Indeed, women were a source of scientific, theological, and cultural fascination because of their uncanny and complex nature, producing both fear and desire of the source and nature of the unattainable and inaccessible femininity. In social contexts, however, the enchantress seems to lose that veil of allure and, instead, is forced to re-define her identity by suppressing, denying, or losing her supernatural features. With the example of Saint Agnes from the South English Legendary Life of Saint Agnes, and Melior from Partonope of Blois (ca. 1450, the article will explore how medieval texts dealt with the complex and unruly female supernatural, and how its neutralization and subduing fitted into the moral, scientific, and cultural norms of medieval society.

  14. „Incendula“ or „monedula“? An Enigmatic Bird Name in Medieval Latin-Written Sources

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šedinová, Hana

    -, č. 74 (2016), s. 89-109 ISSN 1376-7453 Institutional support: RVO:67985955 Keywords : latin lexicography * ancient and medieval zoology * ancient and medieval zoology * latin names of birds * Bartholomaeus de Solencia dictus Claretus * Aristoteles * Aristoteles Latinus * Michael Scotus * Thomas of Cantimpré Subject RIV: AI - Linguistics OBOR OECD: Specific languages

  15. Taming the unknown a history of algebra from antiquity to the early twentieth century

    CERN Document Server

    Katz, Victor J

    2014-01-01

    What is algebra? For some, it is an abstract language of x's and y's. For mathematics majors and professional mathematicians, it is a world of axiomatically defined constructs like groups, rings, and fields. Taming the Unknown considers how these two seemingly different types of algebra evolved and how they relate. Victor Katz and Karen Parshall explore the history of algebra, from its roots in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, China, and India, through its development in the medieval Islamic world and medieval and early modern Europe, to its modern form in the early twentieth century. Defining algebra originally as a collection of techniques for determining unknowns, the authors trace the development of these techniques from geometric beginnings in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and classical Greece. They show how similar problems were tackled in Alexandrian Greece, in China, and in India, then look at how medieval Islamic scholars shifted to an algorithmic stage, which was further dev...

  16. La confrontación de Heidegger con san Agustín y la mística medieval: Nota crítica en torno a Estudios sobre mística medieval de Martin Heidegger

    OpenAIRE

    Santiesteban, Luis César

    2007-01-01

    El presente artículo da cuenta de algunos aspectos de la confrontación de Heidegger con san Agustín y la mística medieval, así como de la manera en que Heidegger, en su camino a Ser y tiempo, hace suya una parte del ideario del filósofo de Tagaste, y del modo en que se perfila y va tomando cuerpo su diálogo con la mística medieval y, a una con ello, su propia actitud religiosa. Para ello, se toma como base de la interpretación el texto de Heidegger Estudios sobre mística medieval. This art...

  17. Investigation of medieval ceramics from Ras by physicochemical methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zindović Nataša D.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Although early medieval Serbian ceramic is well described by the archeologists and historians, knowledge of the Balkan ceramic production is still limited. Archaeometric study of ceramics provenance, technology of preparation and used pigments as well as influence of neighboring countries and specific characteristics of different workshops has never been performed so far. The detailed knowledge of the micro-chemical and micro-structural nature of an archaeological artifact is critical in finding solutions to problems of restoration, conservation, dating and authentication in the art world. In this work we present results of systematic investigation of pottery shards from archeological site Ras. The term Ras, which signifies both the fortress and the region encompassing the upper course of Raška River, used to be the center of the medieval Serbian state. Both the ceramic body and the polychromatic glaze of the artifacts were studied by a multianalitical approach combining optical microscopy (OM, FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence (XRF. Mineralogical composition of pottery shards has been determined combining results obtained by FT-IR spectroscopy, after deconvolution of the spectra, and XRPD analysis. Firing temperature has been estimated based on the mineralogical composition and positions of Si-O stretching (-1000 cm-1 and banding (-460 cm-1 vibrations. Investigated samples have been classified into two groups based on the mineralogical composition, cross sections and firing temperature. Larger group consists of samples of fine-grained, homogeneous ceramics with firing temperatures bellow 800 °C which indicates imported products. Second, smaller group consists of inhomogeneous ceramics with firing temperatures between 850 and 900 °C produced in the domestic workshops. The obtained results will be used to build up a national database for the compositions of bodies, glazes and pigments.

  18. The early period of the universal Fermi interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tiomno, J.

    1984-01-01

    A critical analysis of the contributions which lead, in the early period, to the discovery of the universality of Fermi-type weak interactions is made. In particular the current references to this universality as 'Puppi's triangle' are shown to be incorrect. (Author) [pt

  19. Study of medieval enamelling on gilded objects combining SEM-EDAX and PIXE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chamon, J.; Barrio, J.; Arroyo, M.; Gutierrez, P.C.; Climent-Font, A.

    2010-01-01

    A set of fragments of metallic artefacts from the medieval period excavated from Ciudad Real in Spain has been studied. The objects are gilded copper buckles with a champleve enamelling decoration. The composition of predominantly blue-coloured enamels has been analysed using three non-destructive techniques, SEM-EDAX (scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission). Analyses show that Co is responsible for the blue colour. The results of the two techniques are compared, as well as the main components which constitute the enamel. Analyses suggest that Cu is responsible for red colour. (orig.)

  20. Human diet in the early medieval period: Tooth wear, mastication, enamel thickness and its relationship to social stratification

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ibrová, A.; Dupej, J.; Stránská, Petra; Velemínský, P.; Poláček, Lumír; Velemínská, J.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 162, S64 (2017), s. 226 ISSN 0002-9483. [Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists /86./. 19.04.2017-22.04.2017, New Orleans] Institutional support: RVO:67985912 ; RVO:68081758 Keywords : Early Middle Ages * human diet * anthropology * tooth wear * Central Europe Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology; AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology (ARUB-Q) OBOR OECD: Archaeology; Archaeology (ARUB-Q) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.23210/pdf

  1. Paradise, pleasure and desire: Edenic delight in some late-medieval dramatic fragments

    OpenAIRE

    James, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    This paper explores the biblical Paradise and its relationship with the concept of delight or pleasure. In the first section it discusses the changing descriptions and interpretations of Paradise, from the biblical text to later medieval works; it goes on to explore the Augustinian and Thomist philosophies of pleasure and delight. Finally it brings together three late-medieval dramatic texts, all of which share an interest in Paradise, and explores the ways in which these texts utilise the co...

  2. Mercury and sulphur among the High Medieval alchemists: from Rāzī and Avicenna to Albertus Magnus and pseudo-Roger Bacon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, William R

    2014-11-01

    This essay challenges the often expressed view that the principles of metals, namely mercury and sulphur, were generally viewed by alchemists as being of a 'metaphysical' character that made them inaccessible to the tools and operations of the laboratory. By examining a number of Arabo-Latin and Latin alchemical texts in circulation before the end of the thirteenth century, the author presents evidence that most alchemists of the period considered mercury and sulphur to be materials subject to techniques of purification in the same way that naturally occurring salts and minerals could be freed of their impurities or dross. The article also points to the immense influence of Avicenna and Albertus Magnus in formulating the theory that mercury and sulphur were compounds of different materials, containing both fixed and unfixed components. Finally, the author briefly examines the relationship between this materialist approach to the principles and the chymical atomism of early modern authors who were deeply aware of medieval alchemical literature.

  3. Los animales en el mundo medieval cristiano-occidental : actitud y mentalidad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Dolores Carmen Morales Muñiz

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available El presente trabajo analiza el peso que los animales tuvieron en la sociedad medieval y especialmente en la mentalidad del hombre. Se subraya la importancia que el uso material de los animales tuvo a la hora de conformar esa actitud. En la segunda parte del trabajo se profundiza en manifestaciones como la simbología o la magia en donde los animales jugaron un papel principal. Un último punto del trabajo comenta la hipótesis de J. Salisbury sobre el descubrimiento, a partir del siglo xii, del animal interior presente en los hombres.The present paper reviews the role played by animals in medieval society and mentality. In particular we stress the importance which the material use of each species had in determining specific roles. The second part of the work deals with symbolic and magical connotations, fields in which animáis played a most prominent role throughout medieval times. One final aspect comments on J. Salisbury's hypothesis of «the beast within man» which seems to date back to the tweifth century.

  4. Diabetes and related remedies in medieval Persian medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarshenas, Mohammad M.; Khademian, Sedigheh; Moein, Mahmoodreza

    2014-01-01

    Diabetes Mellitus is a common metabolic disorder presenting increased amounts of serum glucose and will cover 5.4% of population by year 2025. Accordingly, this review was performed to gather and discuss the stand points on diagnosis, pathophysiology, non-pharmacological therapy and drug management of diabetes this disorder as described in medieval Persian medicine. To this, reports on diabetes were collected and analyzed from selected medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of Traditional Persian Medicine. A search on databases as Pubmed, Sciencedirect, Scopus and Google scholar was also performed to reconfirm the Anti diabetic activities of reported herbs. The term, Ziabites, was used to describe what is now spoken as diabetes. It was reported that Ziabites, is highly associated with kidney function. Etiologically, Ziabites was characterized as kidney hot or cold dystemperament as well as diffusion of fluid from other organs such as liver and intestines into the kidneys. This disorder was categorized into main types as hot (Ziabites-e-har) and cold (Ziabites-e-barid) as well as sweet urine (Bole-e-shirin). Most medieval cite signs of Ziabites were remarked as unusual and excessive thirst, frequent urination and polydipsia. On the management, life style modification and observing the essential rules of prevention in Persian medicine as well as herbal therapy and special simple manipulations were recommended. Current investigation was done to clarify the knowledge of medieval scientists on diabetes and related interventions. Reported remedies which are based on centuries of experience might be of beneficial for- further studies to the management of diabetes. PMID:24741508

  5. Reconstructing diet by stable isotope analysis: Two case studies from Bronze Age and Early Medieval Lower Austria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rumpelmayr, K.

    2012-01-01

    Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis is nowadays a method frequently applied for the reconstruction of past human diets. The principles of this technique were developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, when it was shown that the isotopic composition of an animal's body reflected that of its diet. Given that the investigated material (often bone collagen) is well enough preserved, several aspects of diet can be investigated by carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures - expressed as δ13C- und δ15N-values - as e.g. whether nutrition was based on C3 or C4 plants. Furthermore, these signatures can be used for the detection of a marine component in the diet and they contain information about the trophic level of an individual. The goal of the work presented in this talk was to investigate certain aspects of diet using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human and animal skeletal remains from Austrian archaeological sites. Two sites (both in Lower Austria) were selected for this study, the Bronze Age Cemetery of Gemeinlebarn and the Early Medieval settlement of Thunau/Gars am Kamp. Previous archaeological and anthropological examinations suggested that both sites were inhabited by socially differentiated populations. Hence, during the stable isotope analysis special attention was paid to the detection of variation in nutritional habits due to sociogenic or gender-related differences. δ13C- und δ15N-values were measured in collagen, extracted from bone samples, by means of elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). The obtained stable isotope data were examined for significant differences between social groups and the sexes using statistical hypothesis testing (MANOVA and ANOVA). (author)

  6. The Symbolism of Death in the Later Middle Ages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helgeland, John

    1985-01-01

    Discusses the gruesome images of death occurring in medieval art and letters. Suggests that the images are a form of symbolism based on body metaphors. By means of decomposing bodies, artists and poets symbolized the disintegration of medieval institutions and the transition to the early modern period in Europe. (JAC)

  7. [Women, bodies, and Hebrew medieval medical literature].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navas, Carmen Caballero

    2008-01-01

    This essay explores different views on the female body articulated within Hebrew medieval texts on women's health care. It also investigates whether texts also integrate women's own perceptions of their bodies, and of their needs and care. I have analysed how this genre of Hebrew literature understood two key issues in the construction of sexed bodies: menstruation and cosmetics.

  8. SharedCanvas: A Collaborative Model for Medieval Manuscript Layout Dissemination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanderson, Robert D. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Albritton, Benjamin [Stanford University; Schwemmer, Rafael [e-codices; Van De Sompel, Herbert [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we present a model based on the principles of Linked Data that can be used to describe the interrelationships of images, texts and other resources to facilitate the interoperability of repositories of medieval manuscripts or other culturally important handwritten documents. The model is designed from a set of requirements derived from the real world use cases of some of the largest digitized medieval content holders, and instantiations of the model are intended as the input to collection-independent page turning and scholarly presentation interfaces. A canvas painting paradigm, such as in PDF and SVG, was selected based on the lack of a one to one correlation between image and page, and to fulfill complex requirements such as when the full text of a page is known, but only fragments of the physical object remain. The model is implemented using technologies such as OAI-ORE Aggregations and OAC Annotations, as the fundamental building blocks of emerging Linked Digital Libraries. The model and implementation are evaluated through prototypes of both content providing and consuming applications. Although the system was designed from requirements drawn from the medieval manuscript domain, it is applicable to any layout-oriented presentation of images of text.

  9. Carabelli's trait in contemporary Slovenes and inhabitants of a medieval settlement (Sredisce by the Drava River).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stamfelj, Iztok; Stefancić, Marija; Gaspersic, Dominik; Cvetko, Erika

    2006-06-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine the total frequency, expression and asymmetry of Carabelli's trait in permanent dentitions of contemporary Slovenes and a medieval skeletal population from northeastern Slovenia. A total of 254 dental casts from contemporary Slovene children were examined. The population of a medieval settlement (10th-15th centuries), was represented by 94 skeletons. A modification of the method of Alvesalo and associates was used to classify Carabelli's trait on a five-grade scale. The trait was expressed on the upper first molars of 79.7% of the contemporary subjects and 75.8% of the medieval sample. Positive expressions of the trait were found in 10.1% of the contemporary subjects and 15.2% of the medieval sample. While the observed total frequency of the trait in both samples is characteristic of Europeans, the rates of positive expressions are surprisingly low but consistent with data from a recently published worldwide literature survey. Both populations showed a low rate of left-right fluctuating asymmetry of the trait. This finding might reflect a pronounced ability of individuals in the medieval population to buffer unfavourable influences from the environment and a relatively low level of environmental stress in the contemporary population.

  10. Investigation of original bricks from Ventspils castle for the purpose of restorations of medieval brick masonry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bajare, D.; Shvinka, V.

    2000-01-01

    This paper mainly tries to characterize Middle Age brick taken from Ventspils Castle (13-17th century). To this aim, the following techniques were applied: visual inspection, X-ray diffraction, mercury porosimetry, physical laboratory tests (water absorption, density, open porosity, saturation coefficient, Mage's index) and chemical analysis. The medieval bricks are still in good condition, any visible damages were not recognized in the course of visual inspection. According to the results of chemical analysis, three types of bricks made from different clays in different centuries were used. According to X-ray diffraction analysis data no one type of medieval bricks contains illite. So sintering temperature of the medieval bricks studied was higher than 900 deg C. The secondary calcite was formed in the structure of bricks from lime mortars under influence of water migration during several centuries. All medieval bricks studied are porous - open porosity of them amounts to 26-30 %. 14-15th century bricks have inclusions of chamotte additive, which makes the bricks less durable to soluble salts and frost, and of organic additive, that imparts the higher porosity. Mage's index for all medieval is less than 0.55, but saturation coefficient is close to 0,78 and it means that these bricks are not enough durable to soluble salts and frost

  11. Multi-Ethnicity and Material Exchangesin Late Medieval Tallinn

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naum, Magdalena

    2014-01-01

    his article examines the cultural and social dynamics of a multi-ethnic medieval town. Taking the lower town of Tallinn as a case study, this paper identifies the major urban ethnic groups living in the town and discusses their co-existence, self-definition, and processes of categorization...

  12. Some more earthquakes from medieval Kashmir

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Bashir; Shafi, Muzamil

    2014-07-01

    Kashmir has the peculiarity of having written history of almost 5,000 years. However, the description of earthquakes in the archival contents is patchy prior to 1500 a.d. Moreover, recent search shows that there exist certain time gaps in the catalogs presently in use especially at medieval level (1128-1586 a.d.). The presence of different ruling elites in association with socioeconomic and political conditions has in many ways confused the historical context of the medieval sources. However, by a meticulous review of the Sanskrit sources (between the twelfth and sixteenth century), it has been possible to identify unspecified but fair number (eight seismic events) of earthquakes that do not exist in published catalogs of Kashmir or whose dates are very difficult to establish. Moreover, historical sources reveal that except for events which occurred during Sultan Skinder's rule (1389-1413) and during the reign of King Zain-ul-Abidin (1420-1470), all the rediscovered seismic events went into oblivion, due mainly to the fact that the sources available dedicated their interests to the military events, which often tended to overshadow/superimpose over and even concealed natural events like earthquakes, resulting in fragmentary accounts and rendering them of little value for macroseismic intensity evaluation necessary for more efficient seismic hazard assessment.

  13. Making medieval art modern

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth den Hartog

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Janet T. Marquardt’s book ‘Zodiaque. Making medieval art modern’ discusses the historical context, history and impact of the Zodiaque publications issued by the monks from the abbey of Ste-Marie de la Pierre-qui-Vire in Burgundy between 1951 and 2001 and links the striking photogravures, the core business of these books, to the modern movement. Although Marquardt’s view that the Zodiaque series made a great impact on the study of Romanesque sculpture is somewhat overrated, her claim that the photogravures should be seen as avant-garde works of art and the books as a “museum without walls” is entirely convincing.

  14. Russian Medieval Military Architecture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rappoport, Pavel

    1969-12-01

    Full Text Available In Russia defensive works were not less important than in Western Europe. Russian chronicles are full of reports of the building of towns, of their siege and defence. In Ancient Russian the word town meant not a town in the modern sense, but only a fortified settlement as distinct from an unfortified one. Thus the concept town applied to medieval towns proper and to citadels, feudal castles and even fortified villages. Every population centre with a wall round it was called a town. Moreover, until the 17th century this word was frequently applied to mean the fortifications themselves.

  15. Leprosy in Medieval Denmark--osteological and epidemiological analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boldsen, Jesper L

    2009-12-01

    A total of 3033 skeletons from 11 medieval Danish cemeteries and 99 skeletons from the North Scandinavian medieval site of Westerhus were examined for seven lesions indicative of leprosy. The seven lesions are: rounding to the edge of the nasal aperture, degeneration of spina nasalis anterior, degeneration of the alveolar process of the pre-maxilla, porosity or perforation of the palatine process of maxilla, sub-periostal exostoses on the fibula, general swelling of the shaft of the fibula, and degeneration of the 5th metatarsal bone. The dichotomous scores of these lesions were used to estimate sensitivity and specificity of the lesion scores in relation to leprosy and to estimate sample point prevalence of leprosy at death among adults. In turn the estimates of sensitivity and specificity were used to calculate an individual comprehensive statistic, lamda, indicating leprosy status. Among adults the lamda statistic did not associate with age at death, but this cannot be taken as a sign of lack of selective mortality for leprosy but a combination of the opposing effects of long waiting time before developing leprosy related lesions and short survival with these lesions. In urban communities sufferers of leprosy were institutionalized when the leprosarium was established (in Odense around 1275); in rural communities this did not happen but the pattern of burial does indicate an internal segregation of sufferers. In the early Middle Ages (AD 1150-1350) the point prevalence at death among adults of leprosy was higher in rural (25-40 percent) than in urban (10-20 percent) communities, and villages close to town showed lower frequencies of leprosy than villages situated further away from these centers. Leprosy declined in the late Middle Ages, first in towns and cities, later in rural communities. In Odense and Malmö it appears that leprosy was effectively eliminated by 1350 whereas there were still sufferers of leprosy at Øm Kloster around 1550. Leprosy appears to

  16. An application of luminiscence dating to building archaeology: The study of ceramic building materials in early medieval churches in north-western France and south-eastern England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blain, Sophie

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The research reported in this thesis concerns the re-evaluation of an archaeological assumption surrounding the origin of Ceramic Building Materials (CBM used from the 9th to the 11th century in religious buildings of north-western France and south-eastern England. Are the bricks used in the masonry structures Roman spolia or a novo productions? Amongst the dating methods that can contribute to building archaeology, it is the technique of stimulated luminescence applied to CBM that is the focus of this study. Results from thermoluminescence (TL and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL dating performed on 52 CBM samples from 11 churches showed that the practice of reusing Roman brick was commonplace in small parish churches, but also that brick-making was not a totally unknown skill of the early medieval craftsmen as it has long been supposed. Most importantly, by identifying that the building material is contemporary to the church, a defined chronology emerges resulting in a new and extremely useful reference point in the history of early medieval architecture.La investigación presentada en esta tesis se ocupa de la reevaluación de un supuesto arqueológico entorno al origen del material cerámico constructivo (CBM empleado entre los siglos IX y XI en los edificios religiosos del Noroeste de Francia y el Sudeste de Inglaterra. ¿Son los ladrillos empleados en las estructuras de fábrica spolia romana o producciones a novo? Entre los métodos de datación que pueden contribuir a la arqueología del edificio, la técnica de luminiscencia estimulada aplicada al CBM es el centro de este estudio. Los resultados de la termoluminiscencia (TL y de la luminiscencia estimulada ópticamente (OSL, aplicadas en 52 muestras de CBM tomadas en 11 iglesias, evidencian que la práctica de reutilizar ladrillos romanos era común en pequeñas iglesias parroquiales, pero que también la técnica de elaboración de ladrillos no era totalmente desconocida para los

  17. Ethnic Identities and Christianities between Late Antiquity and Early Medieval Period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walter Pohl

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to re-read Roman-Barbarian ethnicity as a cultural construct not least based on Biblical models viewed and interpreted as founded as well as authoritative instruments of self-definition. The study intends to overturn the traditional historiographical paradigm, according to which ethnicity emerges as a purely “Barbaric” construction in opposition to the Christian-Roman universalism. Starting from such a model, European history was often represented as a conflict between universalistic and nationalistic issues. According to A.’s analysis, the political role of ethnicity in Latin Europe doesn’t emerge, at least partially, as a Barbarian “import”. Far from representing an antithesis to the Universal Church, ethnicity assumes its politic role through Christianity and, more specifically, on the basis of exegesis as well as of re-adaptation of ethnic self-definitions well attested in Biblical texts.

  18. Analysis of early medieval glass beads - Glass in the transition period

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smit, Ziga, E-mail: ziga.smit@ijs.si [Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, P.O.B. 3000, SI-1001 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Knific, Timotej [National Museum of Slovenia, Presernova 20, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Jezersek, David [Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, P.O.B. 3000, SI-1001 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Istenic, Janka [National Museum of Slovenia, Presernova 20, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

    2012-05-01

    Glass beads from graves excavated in Slovenia and dated archaeologically to the 7th-10th century AD were analysed by the combined PIXE-PIGE method. The results indicate two groups of glass; natron glass made in the Roman tradition and glass made with alkalis from the ash of halophytic plants, which gradually replaced natron glass after c. 800 AD. The alkalis used in the second group of glass seem to be in close relation to a variant of the Venetian white glass that appeared several centuries later. The origin of this glass may be traced to glass production in Mesopotamia and around the Aral Sea. All the mosaic beads with eye decoration, as well as most of the drawn-segmented and drawn-cut beads analysed, are of plant-ash glass, which confirms their supposed oriental origin.

  19. Nutritional Transition Period in Early Larvae Clarias Gariepinus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ing, N.S.; Chew, H.H.

    2015-01-01

    The nutritional transition period of Clarias gariepinus were described based on the early development from hatching to 120 hours after hatching (hAH) reared at 27.5 - 28.6 degree Celsius. Newly hatched larvae had a large greenish yolk sac volume (0.99 ± 0.31 mm"3) located below a straight undeveloped digestive tract, mouth not opened, eyes unpigmented and the larvae lie on the bottom of rearing tank. During endogenous feeding period, the larval feeding system has developed rapidly with development oesophagus. Yolk sac were not completely depleted at the onset of exogenous feeding (36 hAH, 0.19 ± 0.11 mm"3), and a period of mixed nutrition was observed up to 68 hAH when yolk was completely exhausted. Yolk sac volume was significantly different by time at hatching, 6, 12 and 18 to 36 hAH (ANOVA, P<0.05). At 36 hAH, the larvae commenced feeding once morphologically developed with opened anus, functional jaw and intestine, and demonstrated horizontally swimming. The rudimentary chemoreceptors like olfactory organs and taste buds that were found on the barbels and oral cavity assisted in food detection and commenced feeding without vision. Due to the cannibalistic behaviour at early stage, feed are suggested to be provided during 36 hAH and avoided delay feeding in the larval rearing. (author)

  20. Evolution of Management Thought in the Medieval Times.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, C. L.

    The medieval times witnessed progress toward the growth of larger and more complex organizations and the application of increasingly sophisticated management techniques. Feudalism contributed the concept of decentralization. The concepts evolved by the Catholic Church can scarcely be improved on and are very much pertinent to the management of…

  1. Genome-wide comparison of medieval and modern Mycobacterium leprae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuenemann, Verena J; Singh, Pushpendra; Mendum, Thomas A; Krause-Kyora, Ben; Jäger, Günter; Bos, Kirsten I; Herbig, Alexander; Economou, Christos; Benjak, Andrej; Busso, Philippe; Nebel, Almut; Boldsen, Jesper L; Kjellström, Anna; Wu, Huihai; Stewart, Graham R; Taylor, G Michael; Bauer, Peter; Lee, Oona Y-C; Wu, Houdini H T; Minnikin, David E; Besra, Gurdyal S; Tucker, Katie; Roffey, Simon; Sow, Samba O; Cole, Stewart T; Nieselt, Kay; Krause, Johannes

    2013-07-12

    Leprosy was endemic in Europe until the Middle Ages. Using DNA array capture, we have obtained genome sequences of Mycobacterium leprae from skeletons of five medieval leprosy cases from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In one case, the DNA was so well preserved that full de novo assembly of the ancient bacterial genome could be achieved through shotgun sequencing alone. The ancient M. leprae sequences were compared with those of 11 modern strains, representing diverse genotypes and geographic origins. The comparisons revealed remarkable genomic conservation during the past 1000 years, a European origin for leprosy in the Americas, and the presence of an M. leprae genotype in medieval Europe now commonly associated with the Middle East. The exceptional preservation of M. leprae biomarkers, both DNA and mycolic acids, in ancient skeletons has major implications for palaeomicrobiology and human pathogen evolution.

  2. "La Chanson de Roland" in the Elementary School Classroom: A Case for Medieval Literature and Young Language Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petry, Karla L.

    1981-01-01

    Describes successful experiment in teaching of medieval literature to elementary French language classes in the Cincinnati public schools. Purpose was to strengthen linguistic awareness and expand social studies unit on medieval France. (BK)

  3. The Interwoven Evolution of the Early Keyboard and Baroque Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Stevenson

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact that Baroque society had in the development of the early keyboard. While the main timeframe is Baroque, a few references are made to the late Medieval Period in determining the reason for the keyboard to more prominently emerge in the musical scene. As Baroque society develops and new genres are formed, different keyboard instruments serve vital roles unique to their construction. These new roles also affect the way music was written for the keyboard as well. Advantages and disadvantages of each instrument are discussed, providing an analysis of what would have been either accepted or rejected by Baroque culture. While music is the main focus, other fine arts are mentioned, including architecture, poetry, politics, and others. My research includes primary and secondary resources retrieved from databases provided by Cedarville University. By demonstrating the relationship between Baroque society and early keyboard development, roles and music, this will be a helpful source in furthering the pianist's understanding of the instrument he or she plays. It also serves pedagogical purposes in its analysis of context in helping a student interpret a piece written during this time period with these early keyboard instruments.

  4. The modern enterprise – successor of business organization forms in ancient Rome and medieval Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anca Pacala

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, researchers and practitioners are increasingly interested in the role and influence of the forms of business organization on the economy and society. Interpretations of the role of companies in the modern period, ranging from enthusiastic support (as the most important invention of capitalism, an explanation of the Western civilization’s expansion to moderate and often critical positions, where the company is seen as a solution, not necessarily optimal, to market imperfections. On the other hand, we often ponder upon the explanation of political, administrative and infrastructural success of ancient Rome: the state or the enterprise (the private initiative? Closer to our time, we rediscover with amazement that the "dark" Middle Ages are not at all dark and lacking in progress, at least in terms of capitalist organization and logic. The development of trade in the two poles of medieval Europe (the Mediterranean and the BaltoScandinavian area, of industry and trade in the North-Western quadrant (Flanders and neighbouring regions, was concurrent with the improvement of organizational forms of business, with the diversity and flexibility of entrepreneurial or even corporate frameworks. Of course, the study of historical sources (ancient or medieval cannot provide direct answers or solutions to the questions of modern society, because the challenges of today are rather different to those of the past. On the other hand, understanding history can help companies to build a more complete and a wiser enterprise functionality and role in the modern society, to reformulate the questions and to find new solutions. Our paper, with a clear juridical perspective on economic history, focuses on the organization of firms in ancient Rome and medieval Europe, tries to provide examples, useful interpretations and diverse solutions to the problems of contemporary society and economy.

  5. The Gendered Nose and its Lack: "Medieval" Nose-Cutting and its Modern Manifestations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Patricia

    2014-01-01

    Time magazine's cover photograph in August 2010 of a noseless Afghan woman beside the emotive strap line, "What happens if we leave Afghanistan," fuelled debate about the "medieval" practices of the Taliban, whose local commander had instructed her husband to take her nose and ears. Press reports attributed the violence to the Pashtun tradition that a dishonored husband "lost his nose." This equation of nose-cutting with tradition begs questions not only about the Orientalist lens of the western press when viewing Afghanistan, but also about the assumption that the word "medieval" can function as a label for such practices. A study of medieval nose-cutting suggests that its identification as an "eastern" practice should be challenged. Rather clearer is its connection with patriarchal values of authority and honor: the victims of such punishment have not always been women, but this is nevertheless a gendered punishment of the powerless by the powerful.

  6. Limitations imposed by wearing armour on Medieval soldiers' locomotor performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Askew, Graham N; Formenti, Federico; Minetti, Alberto E

    2012-02-22

    In Medieval Europe, soldiers wore steel plate armour for protection during warfare. Armour design reflected a trade-off between protection and mobility it offered the wearer. By the fifteenth century, a typical suit of field armour weighed between 30 and 50 kg and was distributed over the entire body. How much wearing armour affected Medieval soldiers' locomotor energetics and biomechanics is unknown. We investigated the mechanics and the energetic cost of locomotion in armour, and determined the effects on physical performance. We found that the net cost of locomotion (C(met)) during armoured walking and running is much more energetically expensive than unloaded locomotion. C(met) for locomotion in armour was 2.1-2.3 times higher for walking, and 1.9 times higher for running when compared with C(met) for unloaded locomotion at the same speed. An important component of the increased energy use results from the extra force that must be generated to support the additional mass. However, the energetic cost of locomotion in armour was also much higher than equivalent trunk loading. This additional cost is mostly explained by the increased energy required to swing the limbs and impaired breathing. Our findings can predict age-associated decline in Medieval soldiers' physical performance, and have potential implications in understanding the outcomes of past European military battles.

  7. The Medieval inquisition: scale-free networks and the suppression of heresy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ormerod, Paul; Roach, Andrew P.

    2004-08-01

    Qualitative evidence suggests that heresy within the medieval Church had many of the characteristics of a scale-free network. From the perspective of the Church, heresy can be seen as an infectious disease. The disease persisted for long periods of time, breaking out again even when the Church believed it to have been eradicated. A principal mechanism of heresy was through a small number of individuals with very large numbers of social contacts. Initial attempts by the inquisition to suppress heresy by general persecution, or even mass slaughter, of populations thought to harbour the ‘disease’ failed. Gradually, however, inquisitors learned about the nature of the social networks by which heresy both spread and persisted. Eventually, a policy of targeting key individuals was implemented, which proved to be much more successful.

  8. Medieval Day at Reynolds: An Interdisciplinary Learning Event

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Nancy S.

    2012-01-01

    Medieval Day at Reynolds turned a typical Friday class day into an interdisciplinary learning event, which joined faculty and students into a community of learners. From classrooms issued tales of Viking and Mongol conquests, religious crusaders, deadly plague, and majestic cathedrals and art, all told by costumed faculty members with expertise in…

  9. Discourse on pulse in medieval Persia--the Hidayat of Al-Akhawayni (?-983 A D.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodadoust, Kazem; Ardalan, Mohammadreza; Ghabili, Kamyar; Golzari, Samad E J; Eknoyan, Garabed

    2013-06-20

    In a period of compilation, original observations and expansion (900-1100 A.D.), Persians described new clinical manifestations of the diseases and expanded the earlier knowledge of materia medica. In the epoch of the Arabic language domination in the scientific literature of this period, advent of medical authors to write in Farsi shined in the Persian principalities. Akhawayani Bokhari was by far the most outstanding scholar of the time who wrote one of the earliest pandects of medicine of the period, the Hidayat al-Mutallimin fi al-Tibb (Learner's Guide to Medicine) in new Persian. The Hidayat is a relatively short and simplified digest of medicine at the time providing a glimpse of high level of medical education at the Samanid period (819-999). The present article is a translation of the sections of the Hidayat related to the pulse and its characters and conditions affecting the pulse in an attempt to increase our knowledge of the medicine, and particularly the pulse examination throughout the medieval era. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The use of strontium and barium analyses for the reconstruction of the diet of the early medieval coastal population of Gdańsk (Poland): A preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szostek, Krzysztof; Głab, Henryk; Pudło, Aleksandra

    2009-01-01

    Barium and strontium analyses yield an important perspective on temporal shifts in diet in relation to social and environmental circumstances. This research focuses on reconstructing dietary strategies of individuals in the early medieval (12-13th century) population of Gdańsk on the coast of the Baltic Sea. To describe these strategies where seafood rich in minerals was included in the diet, levels of strontium, barium, calcium and phosphorus were measured in first permanent molars of adult men and women whose remains were excavated from the churchyard in the city centre. Faunal remains from the excavation were analysed as an environmental background with respect to the content of the above-mentioned elements. The impact of diagenesis on the odontological material under study was also determined by an analysis of the soil derived from the grave and non-grave surroundings. For verification of diagenetic processes, the calcium/phosphorus index was used. Strontium, calcium, phosphorus and barium levels were determined with the spectrophotometric method using the latest generation plasma spectrophotometer Elan 6100 ICP-MS. From the results of the analysis of taphonomic parameters such as the soil pH, potential ion exchange in the grave surroundings and the Ca/P ratio, it can be inferred that diagenetic factors had little impact on the studied material. From this pilot study we can conclude that in the early Middle Ages in the Baltic Sea basin, seafood was included in the diet from early childhood and at the same time the diet contained calcium-rich milk products (also rich in minerals). The lack of sex differences may indicate the absence of a sex-specific nutritional strategy in childhood and early adolescence.

  11. The climatic context of major plague outbreaks in late medieval England

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pribyl, Kathleen

    2017-04-01

    The climatological triggers of major plague outbreaks in late medieval and early modern Europe remain unclear; recent studies have been inconclusive. Plague is primarily a rodent disease and due to the involvement of rodent hosts and insect vectors, the epidemiology of plague is complicated, but research on outbreaks in the Third Pandemic, which began in the late nineteenth century, has shown that in central and eastern Asia plague is linked to specific meteorological conditions. The disease adapts to a varied spectrum of ecological and climatological settings, which influence the development of plague waves, and due to Europe's geographical diversity, this paper focuses on one region, England, in its search for meteorological parameters contributing to plague outbreaks. The study period of this paper is defined by the arrival of Yersinia pestis in the British Isles in 1348 and the end of the fifteenth century. During this time, England's population dynamics were mortality-driven due to recurrent epidemic disease; and public health measures, such as quarantining, had not yet been introduced, hence the influence of social factors on the formation of major plague waves was very limited. The geographical and temporal focus of this study allows for the combination of the series of English major plague outbreaks, verified in the original texts, with the high-quality climate reconstructions based on both documentary sources and proxy data available for this region. The detailed analysis of the mechanisms contributing to English plague waves presented in this paper, reveals a complex interplay of time-lag responses and concurrent conditions involving temperature and precipitation parameters.

  12. Gold and not so real gold in Medieval treatises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srebrenka Bogovic-Zeskoski

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to evidence diverse materials and processes used by artisans (and alchemists required to synthesize a visually viable replacement for gold. The emphasis of the research is upon the production of mosaic gold or porporina, a pigment that has survived into modern times, which was used as ink and as paint. Base metals, mostly tin, but also alloys were used both into foils coated with glazes and varnishes and as pigment. The research focuses upon recipes documented in treatises dating from Antiquity to the late Medieval period (ca. 1500 and an attempt is made to answer two questions. In the first place, why was there a need for a surrogate? Secondly, why are there so few tangible examples detected on surviving artifacts? In conclusion, an argument is offered pointing out that, although much can be learned by scientific examination of artifacts, textual analysis is equally important and necessary to unravel mysteries of ancient technologies

  13. Malocclusions in a juvenile medieval skull material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsson, E

    1983-01-01

    From a mostly medieval skull material--the "Schreiner collections" in Oslo--juvenile crania were selected as follows: Group A: Crania with complete and intact primary dentition. n = 20. Group B: Crania with early mixed dentition. Incisors only erupted or under eruption. n = 47. Group C: Crania with late mixed dentition. n = 14. The author recorded visually: Sagittal and transversal dental relation, frontal dental contact, anterior cross-bite, rotation and crowding. There was good basal stability. Sagittally 1 moderately postnormal dentition was recorded, transversally there were no anomalies. Slight anterior cross-bite was recorded in 1 case, anterior cross-bite of one and two lateral incisors respectively in 2 others, and tête-à-tête contact in 3 cases. Crowding was recorded in 6 cases, in one of them being general, in the others located solely in the mandibular incisor segment. Broken contact and more or less pronounced rotation occurred in these dentitions. Rotation was also recorded in 2 other cases. The prevalence of malocclusions of the type that can be related to continuing finger-sucking or sucking of dummylike objects was very low in this material. This observation prompted the author to discuss a hypothesis concerning the aetiology of dummy- and finger-sucking habits.

  14. Medieval monastic mortality: hazard analysis of mortality differences between monastic and nonmonastic cemeteries in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeWitte, Sharon N; Boulware, Jessica C; Redfern, Rebecca C

    2013-11-01

    Scholarship on life in medieval European monasteries has revealed a variety of factors that potentially affected mortality in these communities. Though there is some evidence based on age-at-death distributions from England that monastic males lived longer than members of the general public, what is missing from the literature is an explicit examination of how the risks of mortality within medieval monastic settings differed from those within contemporaneous lay populations. This study examines differences in the hazard of mortality for adult males between monastic cemeteries (n = 528) and non-monastic cemeteries (n = 368) from London, all of which date to between AD 1050 and 1540. Age-at-death data from all cemeteries are pooled to estimate the Gompertz hazard of mortality, and "monastic" (i.e., buried in a monastic cemetery) is modeled as a covariate affecting this baseline hazard. The estimated effect of the monastic covariate is negative, suggesting that individuals in the monastic communities faced reduced risks of dying compared to their peers in the lay communities. These results suggest better diets, the positive health benefits of religious behavior, better living conditions in general in monasteries, or selective recruitment of healthy or higher socioeconomic status individuals. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. The medieval feminine personage in the romance O guarani

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afrânio Gurgel Lucena

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available We objectify to present a intertextual analysis of the literary text that contemplates a process of mythical constitution of the personages of the romance the Guarani (1857 of the writer Jose de Alencar. Focamos the analysis on the Cecília young for where we discover its “static” adaptation as medieval myth in the Brazilian romantic romance. The unconditional, protective and servile love of the Peri indian (One arquétipo of the medieval knight. conditions the construction of the loved one, therefore under the medieval myth of the gracious love, a personage is formed in function of the other, is opposing destinations that search the balance in the love. Exactly being something distant and inaccessible, as they present the trovadorescas Cantigas of love. In the theoretical recital, we have: MOISÉS (2004 - 2005 characterizing the mythos and the definitions of the plain and round personages; a platonic reference to the servile love in the Slap-up meal; Spalding (1973, Brunel (1988 for the dicionarizações concerning the thematic one and of the critical one; in the literary theory, Brunel, Pichois and Rousseau (1995, p.115: the myth, “a narrative set consecrated by the tradition”; in Samuel (2000, the mythical literariedade in the formation of a people; Bosi (1994, information on the indianismo and Coutinho (1988, gênese of our literariedade and the romantic romance. Thus, our work presents a result to the literary study: the thematic influence of the Average Age and its mythical love (gracious and servile in the composition of the indianista romance.

  16. Postmortem Inventories in Medieval Valencia. A Source for the Study of Household Consumption and Living Standards

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    Luis Almenar Fernández

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Basic questions about the nature of postmortem inventories in late medieval Valencia have rarely been asked. What distinguished them from other lists of goods and what was their legal basis? Why were inventories made? Which goods were listed and which ones omitted? How many inventories are preserved today? Which sectors of medieval society requested them? The answers that this paper provides clearly show the potential of a serial and quantitative usage of the Valencian inventory for the study of household consumption, an analysis that would enable us to measure far more accurately the changes in living standards in late medieval society to a degree that is difficult to achieve in other regions of Europe.

  17. Judicial astrology in theory and practice in later medieval Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Hilary M

    2010-06-01

    Interrogations and elections were two branches of Arabic judicial astrology made available in Latin translation to readers in western Europe from the twelfth century. Through an analysis of the theory and practice of interrogations and elections, including the writing of the Jewish astrologer Sahl b. Bishr, this essay considers the extent to which judicial astrology was practiced in the medieval west. Consideration is given to historical examples of interrogations and elections mostly from late medieval English manuscripts. These include the work of John Dunstaple (ca. 1390-1453), the musician and astrologer who is known have served at the court of John, duke of Bedford. On the basis of the relatively small number of surviving historical horoscopes, it is argued that the practice of interrogations and elections lagged behind the theory.

  18. Soil archives of a Fluvisol: subsurface analysis and soil history of the medieval city centre of Vlaardingen, the Netherlands - an integral approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kluiving, Sjoerd; de Ridder, Tim; van Dasselaar, Marcel; Roozen, Stan; Prins, Maarten

    2016-06-01

    The medieval city of Vlaardingen (the Netherlands) was strategically located on the confluence of three rivers, the Maas, the Merwede, and the Vlaarding. A church of the early 8th century AD was already located here. In a short period of time, Vlaardingen developed in the 11th century AD into an international trading place and into one of the most important places in the former county of Holland. Starting from the 11th century AD, the river Maas repeatedly threatened to flood the settlement. The flood dynamics were registered in Fluvisol archives and were recognised in a multidisciplinary sedimentary analysis of these archives. To secure the future of these vulnerable soil archives an extensive interdisciplinary research effort (76 mechanical drill holes, grain size analysis (GSA), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), archaeological remains, soil analysis, dating methods, micromorphology, and microfauna) started in 2011 to gain knowledge on the sedimentological and pedological subsurface of the settlement mound as well as on the well-preserved nature of the archaeological evidence. Pedogenic features are recorded with soil description, micromorphological, and geochemical (XRF - X-ray fluorescence) analysis. The soil sequence of 5 m thickness exhibits a complex mix of "natural" as well as "anthropogenic" layering and initial soil formation that enables us to make a distinction between relatively stable periods and periods with active sedimentation. In this paper the results of this interdisciplinary project are demonstrated in a number of cross-sections with interrelated geological, pedological, and archaeological stratification. A distinction between natural and anthropogenic layering is made on the basis of the occurrence of the chemical elements phosphor and potassium. A series of four stratigraphic and sedimentary units record the period before and after the flooding disaster. Given the many archaeological remnants and features present in the lower units, in

  19. Historical and Technical Notes on Aqueducts from Prehistoric to Medieval Times

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    Giovanni De Feo

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present the evolution of aqueduct technologies through the millennia, from prehistoric to medieval times. These hydraulic works were used by several civilizations to collect water from springs and to transport it to settlements, sanctuaries and other targets. Several civilizations, in China and the Americas, developed water transport systems independently, and brought these to high levels of sophistication. For the Mediterranean civilizations, one of the salient characteristics of cultural development, since the Minoan Era (ca. 3200–1100 BC, is the architectural and hydraulic function of aqueducts used for the water supply in palaces and other settlements. The Minoan hydrologists and engineers were aware of some of the basic principles of water sciences and the construction and operation of aqueducts. These technologies were further developed by subsequent civilizations. Advanced aqueducts were constructed by the Hellenes and, especially, by the Romans, who dramatically increased the application scale of these structures, in order to provide the extended quantities of water necessary for the Roman lifestyle of frequent bathing. The ancient practices and techniques were not improved but survived through Byzantine and early medieval times. Later, the Ottomans adapted older techniques, reintroducing large-scale aqueducts to supply their emerging towns with adequate water for religious and social needs. The scientific approach to engineering matters during the Renaissance further improved aqueduct technology. Some of these improvements were apparently also implemented in Ottoman waterworks. Finally the industrial revolution established mechanized techniques in water acquisition. Water is a common need of mankind, and several ancient civilizations developed simple but practical techniques from which we can still learn. Their experience and knowledge could still play an important role for sustainable water supply

  20. [Tooth pathology analysis of osteological material from the Medieval locality of Saint Pantelejmon church in Nis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitić, Nadica; Mitić, Aleksandar; Crnoglavac, Vesna; Vlak, Dejana; Nikolić, Marija

    2008-01-01

    Medieval necropolis at the porch of St. Panteleimon church in Nis, from 12th century represents a typical Serbian necropolis, which has its analogies in several areas in Serbia. Preservation of the skeletal remains belongs to category of good and medium preservation. The aim of the work was to study the skeletal remains for the prevalence of tooth caries, localization of caries lesions, presence of abrasion, supragingival tartar and resorption of alveolar bone as the indicator of periodontal disease. The analyses included 42 skeletal remains. The anthropological analyses involved paleopathological findings on 954 teeth of 22 men and 20 women. The pathological changes of teeth were determined by inspection, dental probe, dental mirror and x-ray examination. Epidemiological research was done using average caries index. The antropological tooth pathology research of osteological material from the medieval localization of St. Pantaleimon Church in Nis showed the presence of caries in 7.86% cases, 9.93% women and 6.07% men. In 76% caries were localized on the approximal surfaces of teeth. Abrasion of the second and third degree was registered on the side and front teeth with transformation of contact points into contact surfaces and the creation of approximal, interstitial, scolded surfaces. A large quantity of supragingival tartar was found in all individuals aged over 25 years. Expressed alveolar bone resorption is the indicator of generalized periodontal disease. The prevalence of caries in the studied medieval population from the 12th century was sporadic, with localization on secondary predilection places. The abrasion of the second and third degree was present, and the resorption of the alveolar bone was registered in all the examined skeletal remains, which was the indicator of spread periodontal disease in this period.

  1. Analysis of ancient and medieval glasses by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuleff, I.; Djingova, R.; Penev, I.

    1984-01-01

    A scheme for instrumental neutron activation analysis of ancient and medieval glasses is proposed. The combination of three irradiations (short time, pile and epithermal) enables the determination of 34 elements. The accuracy of the method is evaluated by analyzing two glass standard reference materials. Results from the analysis of three glasses from different times are presented. (author)

  2. Ocular anatomy in medieval arabic medicine. A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laios, Konstantinos; Moschos, Marilita M; George, Androutsos

    2016-01-01

    In medieval Arabic medicine Ophthalmology had a central role. Ocular anatomy was described in many ophthalmological treatises of the physicians of the time. These physicians followed the doctrines of Galen according ocular anatomy, nevertheless their contribution to the history of ocular anatomy was the presentation of ocular anatomical sketches in their manuscripts for the fist time in medical history.

  3. Measuring the Measuring Rod: Bible and Parabiblical Texts within the History of Medieval Literature

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    Lucie Doležalová

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In spite of the acknowledged crucial role it had in forming medieval written culture, the Bible and a wide-range of parabiblical texts still remain largely ignored by histories of medieval literatures. The reason for this striking omission of an important group of medieval texts from the 'canonical' narratives is, as I argue, the strong bias in favour of national, secular, fictional, and original texts which shapes literary studies – an inheritance from the nineteenth-century nationalising approaches discussed in the first issue of the Interfaces journal. Of course, the discipline of literary studies and therefore selection, hierarchization, and interpretation are complex social, cultural and political processes where almost anything is possible. It is the environment, the interpretive community, in which the interpretation takes place that has a decisive role. And that, too, is constantly being transformed. Thus, there are no final categories and answers because as long as there are interpretive communities, meanings are generated and operate in new ways. That is why the present discussion does not aim to claim that many of the parabiblical texts are literature and should have been included in the canon of medieval literature. Rather, I examine what the nineteenth-century notion of canon did to these texts and how the current questioning and substantial reshaping of notions of canon can transform our understanding of parabiblical texts.

  4. A motive of the Bull’s Head as a Decoration of the Medieval Churches in Southern Caucasus

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    Ekaterina Endoltseva

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the examples of a syncretism of the traditional believes and Christianity in the Middle Ages. There is a representation of the bull’s head in the architectural decoration of some of the medieval churches (f. i. Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta, XI c., Georgia; the Holy Cross Cathedral on the Island of Akdamar, X c., Turkey; monasteries of Geghard, XIII c. and Sanain, XII c., Armenia; it is obviously connected with an ancient cult of the bull wide-spread in the Mediterranean world from the Neolithic period until modern time.

  5. Excavating a Silk Road City: the Medieval Citadel of Taraz, Kazakhstan

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    Giles Dawkes

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The city of Taraz, located near the southern border with Uzbekistan, is one of the most significant historic settlements in Kazakhstan, and two seasons of fieldwork in the central market-place have revealed a substantial depth of medieval stratigraphy. Despite frequent mentions in Arabic and Chinese written sources, both the form and evolution of this important Silk Road city remain poorly understood. Evidence for a series of successive medieval buildings, including a bathhouse and a Zoroastrian flame shrine, was found in the area of the former citadel. These excavations, undertaken as a joint initiative between the Centre for Applied Archaeology and Kazakh archaeologists, were the first for 50 years in the city and form part of a wider public outreach programme.

  6. The Desirability of Medieval Germany: Some Observations on an Introductory Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jillings, Lewis G.; Murdoch, Brian O.

    1975-01-01

    This paper discusses the problems and advantages of a course in Medieval Germany, including history, culture and literature along with language. Attention is given to issues and texts to be studied. (CHK)

  7. The case of the pregnant woman from the medieval site of “Preko Slatine” in Omoljica

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    Đukić Ksenija

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the case of the pregnant woman discovered at the medieval necropolis of “Preko Slatine” in Omoljica, a village near Pančevo. The necropolis is dated to the period of the 12th-13th century AD. It deals with a woman aged 25-30 (probably around 28 years old in the advanced stages of pregnancy, discovered in grave No. 13. This paper presents the possible conditions that led to the death of this woman, but also the problems faced by anthropologists when they attempt to resolve individual cases like this. In paleodemographic research, the mortality rate of pregnant woman is an important element of a population’s progress. Pregnant woman mortality is considered an adequate criterion for the social and sanitation conditions of a community and a sensitive indicator of health care and, sometimes, the skill level possessed by midwives or doctors. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 45005: Functional, functionalized and advanced nano materials, Grant no. 177007: Romanization, urbanization and transformation of urban centers of civil, military and residential character in Roman provinces on the territory of Serbia and Grant no. 177021: Urbanization processes and development of medieval society

  8. The effect of fires on the development and appearance of medieval towns

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    Domen Kušar

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of fires was one of the main dangers, which slowed down development of medieval towns. Frequent fires, whether they occurred due to carelessness, poorly maintained fireplaces and chimneys or military attacks, caused damage, particularly to those towns and buildings, which were constructed of inflammable materials such as timber and straw. In medieval times most towns were built using such materials, except those near the coast. Citizens tried to reduce fire hazards and the consequences of fires. With substitution of inflammable materials, apparatus and with the improved maintenance of fireplaces and chimneys, as well as other preventive measures, they influenced the development of towns and thus changed their architectural image.

  9. Dementia, personhood and embodiment: what can we learn from the medieval history of memory?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katz, Stephen

    2013-05-01

    Memory and dementia are historical ideas that preceded the development of modern neuroscientific, psychogeriatric and medical approaches to aging and cognitive impairment. This article explores the value of such historical ideas in order to understand the discourses and metaphors by which Western thought has individualized memory as the guarantor of rational personhood, while at the same, treating memory decline as a threat to healthy and successful aging. Discussion focuses on the relationship between memory and the body in the classical and medieval ars memoria (the art of memory) and in the early modern philosophies of personhood, particularly the work of John Locke. Conclusions consider the significance of Western culture's history of embodied memory as it moved from cosmic to individual to neurocognitive sites for our wider views about the treatment of dementia.

  10. Translation Memory and Computer Assisted Translation Tool for Medieval Texts

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    Törcsvári Attila

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Translation memories (TMs, as part of Computer Assisted Translation (CAT tools, support translators reusing portions of formerly translated text. Fencing books are good candidates for using TMs due to the high number of repeated terms. Medieval texts suffer a number of drawbacks that make hard even “simple” rewording to the modern version of the same language. The analyzed difficulties are: lack of systematic spelling, unusual word orders and typos in the original. A hypothesis is made and verified that even simple modernization increases legibility and it is feasible, also it is worthwhile to apply translation memories due to the numerous and even extremely long repeated terms. Therefore, methods and algorithms are presented 1. for automated transcription of medieval texts (when a limited training set is available, and 2. collection of repeated patterns. The efficiency of the algorithms is analyzed for recall and precision.

  11. The Works of Modern Russian Historians and the Historiography of Medieval Lithuania before and after the Red October

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    Megem M.

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the views of modern Russian scholars A. Dvornichenko, M. Krom, A. Filyushkin, and S. Mikhalchenko on the pre-revolutionary and Soviet historiography of medieval Lithuania. Chronological problem analysis constitutes the methodological framework of the study. Special attention is paid to the priorities of the Russian scholars in the analysis of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet Lithuanian studies. It is shown that the disintegration of the Soviet Union marked a new period in research on the historiography of medieval Lithuania. The activation of historical and historiographical studies was a result of a revision of views of Lithuanian past. The authors believe that modern historiography exhibits a “nostalgic” attitude to pre-revolutionary works, while the reception of the later, Soviet-era publications is more critically inclined. Post-Soviet historians do not restrict themselves by describing previous historiography: they also consider factors behind the change in the attitudes to Lithuani an past. Thus, the scholars pay special attention to studying the connection between the political situation and the evolution of the views of Russian scholars on the events of Lithuanian history.

  12. Pervivencias del cuento medieval en la tradición sefardí contemporánea

    OpenAIRE

    Sánchez-Pérez, María

    2015-01-01

    El objetivo de este artículo es poner de manifiesto cómo diferentes cuentos medievales de la tradición hispánica han pervivido en la cultura sefardí contemporánea. Para ello, hemos estructurado el trabajo en varias partes: una introducción, una comparación entre el cuento medieval y la konseja sefardí, un breve estado de la cuestión y, posteriormente, un análisis comparativo de tres casos concretos. The aim of this article is to highlight how different medieval tales of the ...

  13. 1969 MLA International Bibliography of Books and Articles on the Modern Languages and Literatures. Volume I: General, English, American, Medieval and Neo-Latin, and Celtic Literatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meserole, Harrison T., Comp.

    Volume 1 of the 4-volume, international bibliography contains some 9,000 entries referring to books and articles which focus on general, English, American, medieval and neo-Latin, and Celtic literatures. The master list of the nearly 1,500 periodicals from which entries are derived is furnished at the beginning of the volume with a table of…

  14. 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)

  15. Trepanation Procedures/Outcomes: Comparison of Prehistoric Peru with Other Ancient, Medieval, and American Civil War Cranial Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kushner, David S; Verano, John W; Titelbaum, Anne R

    2018-06-01

    More prehistoric trepanned crania have been found in Peru than any other location worldwide. We examine trepanation practices and outcomes in Peru over nearly 2000 years from 400 BC to provide a perspective on the procedure with comparison with procedures/outcomes of other ancient, medieval, and American Civil War cranial surgery. Data on trepanation demographics, techniques, and survival rates were collected through the scientific analysis of more than 800 trepanned crania discovered in Peru, through field studies and the courtesy of museums and private collections in the United States and Peru, over nearly 3 decades. Data on procedures and outcomes of cranial surgery ancient, medieval, and during 19th-century through the American Civil war were obtained via a literature review. Successful trepanations from prehistoric times through the American Civil War likely involved shallow surgeries that did not pierce the dura mater. Although there are regional and temporal variations in ancient Peru, overall long-term survival rates for the study series were about 40% in the earliest period (400-200 BC), with improvement to a high of 91% in samples from AD 1000-1400, to an average of 75%-83% during the Inca Period (AD 1400s-1500). In comparison, the average cranial surgery mortality rate during the American Civil war was 46%-56%, and short- and long-term survival rates are unknown. The contrast in outcomes highlights the astonishing success of ancient cranial surgery in Peru in the treatment of living patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. “Þur sarriþu þursa trutin”: monster-fighting and medicine in early medieval Scandinavia

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    Hall, Alaric

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper seeks evidence among our extensive Scandinavian mythological texts for an area which they seldom discuss explicitly: the conceptualisation and handling of illness and healing. Its core evidence is two runic texts (the Canterbury Rune-Charm and the Sigtuna Amulet which conceptualise illness as a þurs (‘ogre, monster’. The article discusses the semantics of þurs, arguing that illness and supernatural beings could be conceptualised as identical in medieval Scandinavia. This provides a basis for arguing that myths in which gods and heroes fight monsters provided a paradigm for the struggle with illness. The article proceeds, more speculatively, to use the Eddaic poem Skírnismál and the Finnish Riiden synty as the basis for arguing that one cause of illness could be the transgression of moral norms.

    Este artículo tiene por objetivo encontrar pruebas en los numerosos textos mitológicos escandinavos sobre un tema sobre el que pocas veces estos tratan de forma explícita: la conceptualización y el tratamiento de las enfermedades y su curación. La principal prueba se encuentra en dos textos rúnicos (el Canterbury Rune-Charm (El conjuro rúnico de Canterbury y el Sigtuna Amulet (El amuleto de Sigtuna que conceptualizan la enfermedad como un þurs (‘ogro, monstruo’. El artículo trata sobre la semántica de þurs y sostiene que las enfermedades y los seres sobrenaturales podían conceptualizarse como idénticos en la Escandinavia de la época medieval, en base a lo cual afirma que los mitos en los que los dioses y los héroes luchan contra los monstruos representaban un paradigma de la lucha contra las enfermedades. De forma más especulativa, el artículo utiliza el poema eddaico Skírnismál y el poema finlandés Riiden synty como base para sostener que la transgresión de las normas morales podía considerarse una posible causa de las enfermedades.

  17. Education and transmission of knowledge in medieval India

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    Saiyid Zaheer Husain Jafri

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The various regions of the Indian subcontinent came into contact with the Islamic cultural tradition in the seventh century CE. Indian scholars were able to leave a mark on the world of Islamic scholarship especially in the fields of ḥadīth and other connected disciplines, significantly underlining their recognition for contributions in the Islamic East. An attempt has been made to analyse and to understand the processes of transmission of knowledge through formal and informal means, including the transfer of accumulated experience to the next generation and even the passing of “intuitive knowledge” to the seeker of knowledge. It has been argued that the level of Indian scholarship in certain disciplines was at par with the level of scholarship in the Islamic East. It has also been examined that during the medieval period Sanskrit based studies flourished at important Hindu pilgrimage centres such as Benaras, often described by European travellers as the Athens of India. The Royal and private libraries functioned with firm footings. Finally, it is shown that education and transmission of knowledge was organized in a manner that owes much to the best of Greco-Arab tradition.

  18. Advances in optics in the medieval Islamic world

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khalili, Jim

    2015-04-01

    This paper reviews the state of knowledge in the field of optics, mainly in catoptrics and dioptrics, before the birth of modern science and the well-documented contributions of men such as Kepler and Newton. The paper is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of the subject such as one might find in history of science journals; instead, it is aimed at the curious physicist who has probably been taught that nothing much of note was understood about the behaviour of light, beyond outdated philosophical musings, prior to the seventeenth century. The paper will focus on advances during the medieval period between the ninth and fourteenth centuries, in both the east and the west, when the theories of the Ancient Greeks were tested, advanced, corrected and mathematised. In particular, it concentrates on a multivolume treatise on optics written one thousand years ago by the Arab scholar, Ibn al-Haytham, and examines how it influenced our understanding of the nature of reflection and refraction of light. Even the well-informed physicist should find a few surprises here, which will alter his or her view of the debt we owe to these forgotten scholars.

  19. The late medieval kidney--nephrology in and about the fourteenth century.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eknoyan, Garabed

    2012-01-01

    The Late Medieval Period was a decisive period in the history of medicine. It was then that medical education was integrated into the universities that were coming into existence and when medicine made its transition from a menial trade to a regulated profession with a statutory basis of learning and graduation. It was also then that the necessities of understanding the fabric of the body was realized; for the first time in history, the study of anatomy and of human dissection were incorporated into the medical curriculum. This was a defining change whose subsequent expansion and evolution would bring about the study of function (physiology) and changes in disease (pathology). Few advances were made in the study of the kidney, which was considered part of the venous circulation, whose function was subservient to that of nutrition in eliminating excess fluid. Uroscopy flourished and reached unrealistic levels of dominance in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognostication of any and all diseases, especially in the hands of quacks and charlatans. Alchemy, a mysterious pseudo-science, blossomed into a discipline that nurtured experimentation and laid the rudimentary foundations of scientific study, chemistry, and pharmacology. It was also then that surgery took form as a specialty that actually provided much of the medical care of the period including that of the principal diseases of the kidney, obstruction and calculi, and thereby laid the foundations of what in time would become urology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. [Hospitals and other philanthropic foundations in early Byzantine period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yildirim, R Vedat; Ataç, Adnan

    Early Byzantine Period includes between A.D. 330 when Constantinople was established and A.D. 518 when Justinus I became emperor. In this time period, a lot of philanthropic foundations such as hospitals, hospices, orphanages, rest homes and soup kitchens are established. Many of patriarchs and religious men opened them. In some of them, it refers to there was patients' care. The oldest hospital in Constantinople was established by Hasios Marcianos, and was next to Saint Irene Church. In addition to this Empress Flacilla wife of Theodosius the Great made hospitals restored and visited patients regularly. Hospitals were not limited in the center of Empire. Hospitals and other philanthropic foundations were established in Antiochia, Alexandria, Nikea, Adrianopolis, Castoria and Jerusalem. The concept of the modern hospital (the actual care, 'hospitality' and treatment of visitors) for the civilian masses in Europe didn't come to fruition until post Constantine and the rise of Christianity. While these early Christian hospitals were grossly over their heads regarding medical capability (they essentially served as last stops for the dying or quarantine centers), the concept of providing care to the public was the actual intent. In this regard, the first civilian hospitals were developed.

  1. The Function of the Medieval in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Nouvelle Heloise : A Rereading of the Abelard and Heloise Motif

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Montoya, Alicia C.

    2010-01-01

    Jean-Jacques Rousseau's critical rewriting in his Nouvelle H,lo medieval works-the letters of Ab,lard and H,lo medieval played in his own moral vision. This article both identifies a possible eighteenth-century

  2. Early Outcomes of Endoscopic Vein Harvesting during the Initial Learning Period

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    Do Yeon Kim

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: The endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH method has been used in coronary artery bypass surgery in many countries. We started using the EVH method recently, and investigated the results during the early learning period. Methods: Between March 2012 and June 2014, 75 patients (31 patients in the EVH method group, and 44 patients in the open method group who underwent isolated first-time coronary artery bypass grafting using vein grafts were retrospectively analyzed with respect to the early outcomes including graft patency and risk factors for leg wound complications. For assessing the patency of vein graft, we performed coronary computed tomography angiography during the immediate postoperative period and 6 months later. Results: Mean harvesting time of endoscopic method was about 15 minutes. Patency rate during the immediate operative period and the 6-month patency rate were similar between the two groups (postoperative period: EVH 100% vs. open method 94.4%, p=0.493; at 6 months: EVH 93.3% vs. open method 90.9%, p=0.791. Leg wound complications occurred more frequently in the open method group (EVH 3.2% vs. open method 13.6%, p=0.127. According to the analysis, age was an independent risk factor for leg wound complications. Conclusion: EVH is a feasible method even for beginners and can be performed satisfactorily during their learning period.

  3. Orientation of medieval churches of Morava school

    OpenAIRE

    Tadić Milutin; Gavrić Gordana

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we present the mathematical and topographic analysis of orientation of the most significant churches (11) of Morava school, the last style in architecture of medieval Serbia whose executors were chief architects. The deviation from equinox East of the main axis of each church and the dates when the Sun rises on the physical horizon, in the extension of the main axis, have been calculated. These were the dates when the church could have been oriented towards the rising Sun....

  4. Ion-beam analysis of a medieval glass bottle excavated in Gyoer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uzonyi, I.; Szoboszlai, Z.; Kertesz, Zs.; Simon, A.; Kiss, A.Z.

    2008-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. To the east of the historical downtown of Gyoer on the place of the former Wagon Factory an archaeological excavation lead by P. Tomka and E. Szoenyi was carried out in the years 2004-2005. At the site remnants from the Roman Period (1st-2nd c.), and from various periods of the Middle Ages (10th-15th c.) came to light. From a storage pit (feature Nr. 259.) pieces of a glass bottle were saved. The bottle was completely restored. It is 18 cm tall, transparent: the well preserved material has a greenish tint (see fig. 1.). Intact or complete pieces of medieval glass bottles are almost unknown in Hungary. Similar bottlenecks were unearthed in Buda not only on the territory of the former Royal Castle but also in the town. A depot-found, which could be a ware stock of a merchant perished in a fire, was saved in Fortuna Street, Buda. The sloping shoulder and biconical body of these bottles are different from the bottle from Gyoer. The 'goiter necked' glass bottles were spread in large areas of Southern and Central Europe. The closest parallels to the piece from Gyoer can be found in Austria (Vienna) in Moravia (Brno) and a piece with unknown provenience (Milano). Further analogies can be cited from the Balkan Peninsula (Panik in Bosnia, Korinthos in Greece), from Italy (Cividale), from Germany (Landshut and Baunschweig) and from Switzerland (Basel). The find spots suggest that producing centres lay in Central Europe, but one has to keep in mind that luxury goods were transported pretty far in medieval times. According to the latest theories the predominance of early Byzantine glasses can be questioned and Italian production seems to be more important. The find from Gyoer can be dated with great probability to the 2nd half or to the end of the 13th century. Analytical characterization of the glass bottle was performed in ATOMKI. For the determination of the elemental concentrations two non-destructive ion beam analytical (IBA

  5. [Subjectivity and objectivity, semiotics and diagnosis. An approach to the medieval concept of illness].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riha, O

    1996-01-01

    Relying on their patients' complaints, medieval physicians did not discriminate theoretically between sickness and health. As for the types of illness, there were two different concepts of disease: The semiotic tracts (sphygmology, uroscopy, hematoscopy) describe signs of dyscrasia and locus affectus, while the medical handbooks combine symptoms like fever, pain, nausea, constipation etc. with the signs of pulse, urine and blood. The term "diagnosis" should be used only for this latter type of disease. Because of the ancient model of humoral pathology and because of the deductive construction of symptomatology, "medieval" illnesses cannot be compared with "ours".

  6. Primstav and Apocalypse : Time and its Reckoning in Medieval Scandinavia

    OpenAIRE

    Powell, Avery Myers

    2011-01-01

    This work is intended as an exploration of methods of time-reckoning and conception in Medieval Scandinavia. In the main this is tied to the dynamism between a duality: that of the cyclical and linear models of time’s progression. Involved in this study are sources verbal and pictoral.

  7. From the Dictionary of Medieval Latin in Czech Lands. Gracocenderius

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šedinová, Hana

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 140, č. 3/4 (2017), s. 455-470 ISSN 0024-4457 Institutional support: RVO:67985955 Keywords : ravens * ancient and medieval zoology * Latin names of birds * Bartholomaeus de Solencia dictus Claretus * Aristotle * Aristoteles Latinus * Michael Scotus * Thomas of Cantimpré Subject RIV: AI - Linguistics OBOR OECD: Specific languages

  8. Living History with a Medieval Banquet in the Alhambra Palace.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shabbas, Audrey

    1996-01-01

    Recommends that students learn about Islamic civilization by presenting a "medieval banquet in the Alhambra Palace." Provides information about middle eastern culture and history that students could use to plan and produce the banquet. Includes a list of 26 "guests" who would be role-played by students. (CFR)

  9. Hypereutectoid steel in early medieval sword production in Europe

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kucypera, P.; Hošek, Jiří

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 27, [1] (2014), s. 31-39 ISSN 0860-0007 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP405/12/2289 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : swords * Early Middle Ages * hypereutectoid steel Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  10. Early Period of Modern Architecture in Turkey - A Case Study of Eskisehir

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karasozen, Rana

    2017-10-01

    Modern architecture in the Western World bore fruit at the beginning of the 20th Century in consequence of the process of modernity and seeking of the proper architecture for it. It was formed firstly towards the end of the 1920s. The main reason of this nonsynchronous development was the inadequacy of enlightenment and industrial revolution during the Ottoman Empire and the lack of formation of an intellectual infrastructure which provides the basis of modernity. However, the Ottoman Westernization occurring in the 19th century constituted the foundations of the Republic modernity founded in 1923. The earliest modern architectural designs in Turkey were first practised by European architects after the foundation of the Republic and internalised and practised extensively by the native architects afterwards. The early modern architecture of Turkey, named as “1930s Modernism”, continued until the beginning of the World War II. This period was formed in between the periods of first and second nationalist architecture movements. The early modern architecture period of Turkey was a period which high-quality designs were made. It was practised and internalised not only in big cities such as Ankara and in Istanbul, but also in the medium and small cities of the country. This situation was not just about a formal exception but about the internalisation of modernity by the society. Eskisehir is one of the most important pioneering cities of the Republic period in terms of industrial and educational developments. The earliest modern buildings were built as the public buildings by the state and non-citizen architects in the inadequate conditions of the country in terms of economy and professional people. The earliest modern houses of the city designed by these architects were the prototypes for the later practices which offered the citizens a new lifestyle. The modern houses were the symbols of prestige and status for the owners and the dwellers. The features of early

  11. Social inequality and death as illustrated in late-medieval death dances

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.P. Mackenbach (Johan)

    1995-01-01

    textabstractLate-medieval murals and books of the then-popular "dances of death" usually represented the living according to their social standing. These works of art thus provide an interesting opportunity to study the relationship between social inequality and death

  12. Mirrors in the Burial Rites of Saryarka Population in the Golden Horde Period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khasenova Bakhyt M.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The authors analyze the mirrors which were originally discovered in ancient Turkic burials, but became widely spread as late as in the Golden Horde period, which was largely accounted for by the intensification of contacts due to the establishment of the Mongol Empire. High-quality Chinese mirrors and their local imitations have been discovered across the entire vast territory in which the steppe peoples established new state formations. The authors support the opinion advanced by many researchers, according to which the mirrors represent ritual items. There is evidence of the fact that in the ancient Turkic period mirrors were characteristic of female burials. This information is partially confirmed for the developed medieval period as well, for paleoanthropological characteristics are not always available. The authors provide information on the conditions in which mirrors have been discovered in the burials of the historical period in question. The article features the first description of individual mirrors discovered in the burials of the steppe area of Kazakhstan. Of considerable interest is the discovery of one of the mirrors underneath a grave in a female burial conducted in accordance with the Muslim funerary rite. The authors attempt to identify the role of individual items in the burial rite of the medieval period, in this case mirrors, as a marker of gender identity.

  13. Sappho's shifting fortunes from antiquity to the early Renaissance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penrose, Walter

    2014-01-01

    Although Sappho was revered as the greatest woman poet of all time by the Greeks, in later antiquity and the Middle Ages, her love of women was considered shameful and overshadowed her excellent reputation. She was also called a prostitute, and fictional accounts of her affairs with men further "tarnished" her reputation. Dual representations of Sappho existed within two centuries of her death. On the one hand, she was a role model for other poets to follow in their quest for fame, on the other she was the quintessential representation of female vice, which, at least by the Roman period, brought her infamy. Late antique and medieval Christian authors inherited this latter view, and vilified Sappho's sexuality, while church authorities, at least according to legend, had her works publicly burned. In the initial stages of the Renaissance, then, the humanist desire to reconnect with the pagan past had to proceed in the context of late medieval Christianity. Sappho's homoeroticism was erased, ultimately, in order that her skill could be lauded to fight misogyny. Hence, the humanists "rehabilitated" Sappho's virtue in a Christian context where same-sex love was considered an "unmentionable" vice. In order to argue that women were smart and capable, the humanists needed Sappho. She was perhaps the most famous, and most skilled, woman who had ever lived, and her example was used in an attempt to improve the lot of women in the early Renaissance.

  14. Detection and strain typing of ancient Mycobacterium leprae from a medieval leprosy hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, G Michael; Tucker, Katie; Butler, Rachel; Pike, Alistair W G; Lewis, Jamie; Roffey, Simon; Marter, Philip; Lee, Oona Y-C; Wu, Houdini H T; Minnikin, David E; Besra, Gurdyal S; Singh, Pushpendra; Cole, Stewart T; Stewart, Graham R

    2013-01-01

    Nine burials excavated from the Magdalen Hill Archaeological Research Project (MHARP) in Winchester, UK, showing skeletal signs of lepromatous leprosy (LL) have been studied using a multidisciplinary approach including osteological, geochemical and biomolecular techniques. DNA from Mycobacterium leprae was amplified from all nine skeletons but not from control skeletons devoid of indicative pathology. In several specimens we corroborated the identification of M. leprae with detection of mycolic acids specific to the cell wall of M. leprae and persistent in the skeletal samples. In five cases, the preservation of the material allowed detailed genotyping using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Three of the five cases proved to be infected with SNP type 3I-1, ancestral to contemporary M. leprae isolates found in southern states of America and likely carried by European migrants. From the remaining two burials we identified, for the first time in the British Isles, the occurrence of SNP type 2F. Stable isotope analysis conducted on tooth enamel taken from two of the type 3I-1 and one of the type 2F remains revealed that all three individuals had probably spent their formative years in the Winchester area. Previously, type 2F has been implicated as the precursor strain that migrated from the Middle East to India and South-East Asia, subsequently evolving to type 1 strains. Thus we show that type 2F had also spread westwards to Britain by the early medieval period.

  15. Detection and strain typing of ancient Mycobacterium leprae from a medieval leprosy hospital.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Michael Taylor

    Full Text Available Nine burials excavated from the Magdalen Hill Archaeological Research Project (MHARP in Winchester, UK, showing skeletal signs of lepromatous leprosy (LL have been studied using a multidisciplinary approach including osteological, geochemical and biomolecular techniques. DNA from Mycobacterium leprae was amplified from all nine skeletons but not from control skeletons devoid of indicative pathology. In several specimens we corroborated the identification of M. leprae with detection of mycolic acids specific to the cell wall of M. leprae and persistent in the skeletal samples. In five cases, the preservation of the material allowed detailed genotyping using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA. Three of the five cases proved to be infected with SNP type 3I-1, ancestral to contemporary M. leprae isolates found in southern states of America and likely carried by European migrants. From the remaining two burials we identified, for the first time in the British Isles, the occurrence of SNP type 2F. Stable isotope analysis conducted on tooth enamel taken from two of the type 3I-1 and one of the type 2F remains revealed that all three individuals had probably spent their formative years in the Winchester area. Previously, type 2F has been implicated as the precursor strain that migrated from the Middle East to India and South-East Asia, subsequently evolving to type 1 strains. Thus we show that type 2F had also spread westwards to Britain by the early medieval period.

  16. Outside St. Jørgen: leprosy in the medieval Danish city of Odense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boldsen, Jesper L; Mollerup, Lene

    2006-07-01

    Leprosy was a common and dreaded disease in the Danish Middle Ages (AD 1050-1536). Starting in the second half of the 13th century, leprosaria were established in many Danish towns and cities. In the city of Odense (on the island of Funen, Denmark), the cemetery of the leprosarium was totally excavated, and four nonleprosarium medieval and early modern cemeteries have been partly excavated. This paper explores the frequency of leprosy in the nonleprosarium cemeteries in Odense, and looks for evidence of selective exclusion from the ordinary population. The analyses are based on 733 skeletons from four cemeteries in Odense: the Gray Friars monastery, St. Albani parish church, St. Knuds cathedral, and Black Friars monastery. Seven lesions are scored and, based on known epidemiological properties (i.e., specificity and sensitivity) of these lesions, scores were transformed to statistics characterizing an individual's risk of having suffered from leprosy. This statistical approach remains of primary theoretical value, pending confirmation by independent research groups at other sites. Prevalence of the skeletal manifestation of leprosy at death varied between 0-17% among the different cemeteries in Odense. The highest prevalence was seen in cemeteries with many burials before AD 1400. It is estimated that before AD 1400, between 14-17% of those buried in the nonleprosarium cemeteries suffered from leprosy. In all nonleprosarium cemeteries, there was evidence for selective exclusion of people with facial leprosy lesions. For a short period just up to AD 1300, the cemetery of the Odense leprosarium had, on average, more than 20 yearly burials. The establishment of the leprosarium was followed within a relatively short period by a dramatic decline in the number of sufferers of leprosy in the nonleprosarium cemeteries. The number of yearly burials in the leprosarium cemetery also declined rapidly during the 14th century. The present analyses do not permit conclusions about

  17. The language and style of Latin rubrics in medieval liturgical Easter drama

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vršecká-Kvízová, Kateřina

    -, č. 71 (2013), s. 267-280 ISSN 1376-7453 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LD13043 Institutional support: RVO:67985955 Keywords : Easter drama * Medieval Latin * Latin rubrics Subject RIV: AI - Linguistics

  18. The ethics of heroism in medieval and American Indian tales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, A

    1990-01-01

    Oral-traditional stories detail their heroes' growth through a narrative pattern of exile and return that places the heroes in situations repeatedly challenging their strength and resolve. Through the motif of the quest, medieval and American Indian tales alike reaffirm general psychological truths that bear upon our understanding of human nature. Stories about heroes are stories about us: about our desires to grow up, to defeat death, to prove ourselves in difficult situations, and to achieve recognition or admiration among our peers (Becker, 1973, p. 4). In this way, medieval and American Indian tales are about self-actualization. They maintain that "one has within oneself proclivity toward growth and unity of personality ... and an automatic thrust toward expression" of these qualities (Yalom, 1980, p. 9). All forms of literature, however, reflect ideas peculiar to their cultures. The ways in which these basic human truths are represented in medieval and American Indian tales suggest the differing religious or social concerns that have informed these truths and have given them shape. To a large degree, the medieval knight's view of "self" and "other" encompasses the view that Western humanity has had (and continues to have) of itself. This is a view conditioned upon the superiority of the "self" as measured against the inferiority of the "other," reinforced through existing social (hierarchial) and religious (Judeo-Christian) codes of behavior. Such codes are not only inadequate to the task of interpreting American Indian perceptions of "self" and "other," they are inimical to the ethical foundation underlying them. Scott Momaday remarks that "you cannot understand how the Indian thinks of himself in relation to the world around him unless you understand his conception of what is appropriate; particularly what is morally appropriate within the context of that relationship" (Basso, 1984, p. 46). For the American Indian hero, self-actualization is self

  19. Corruption as a Legacy of the Medieval University: Financial Affairs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osipian, Ararat L.

    2004-01-01

    Looking back upon the centuries one would suspect that in earlier ages universities of medieval France and Italy were very different from the multiplicity of organizational and institutional forms of higher education institutions in modern times, and yet one would be surprised how much these old "universitas" and modern universities have…

  20. The "Endura" of The Cathars' Heresy: Medieval Concept of Ritual Euthanasia or Suicide?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsiamis, Costas; Tounta, Eleni; Poulakou-Rebelakou, Effie

    2016-02-01

    The aim of the study is to explore the medieval concepts on the voluntary death of severely sick people, as they emerge through the endura (endurance) of the heresy of the Cathars in France (twelfth to fourteenth centuries). The endura was the prerequisite act of repentance that would allow the fallen soul to return to heaven. The endura was a necessary act of repentance, after the performance of a ceremonial purification of the soul (consolamentum), and consisted of the patients' voluntary abstention from vital food. The consolamentum and endura could be performed in the final stage of a disease with the consent of the patients or their relatives. The role of the Cathar physician was only to determine the severity of the disease and the forthcoming death of the patient. The physician was not allowed to take steps that would deprive the life of the patient, and the performance of the ritual endura was duty of the spiritual leaders of the community. The modern ethical approach to this subject is dictated by the medieval belief on the salvation of the soul and tries to answer the question of whether the endura could be seen as a medieval concept of a ritual euthanasia or fell within the theological sin of suicide.

  1. Visions of the Future: Dream narratology in (Proto-)Science Fiction

    OpenAIRE

    Clarke, Jim

    2014-01-01

    Dream narration has a lengthy history in the Western literary tradition, functioning as the earliest iteration of the frame story. Dream narratives can be found in the Bible, and in Greek and Latin classical literature, but perhaps reached a zenith during the Medieval period, when dream visions became a central narratological strategy in theological texts and secular romances alike. Deriving from this Medieval tradition, early speculative literature utilises the dream narrat...

  2. A lime based mortar for thermal insulation of medieval church vaults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, P.K.; Hansen, Tessa Kvist

    A new mortar for thermal insulation of medieval church vaults was tested in a full scale experiment in Annisse Church, DK. The mortar consists of perlite, a highly porous aggregate, mixed with slaked lime. These materials are compatible with the fired clay bricks and the lime mortar joints....... The lambda-value of the insulation mortar is 0.08 W/m K or twice the lambda-value for mineral wool. The water vapour permeability is equal to a medieval clay brick, and it has three times higher capacity for liquid water absorption. The mortar was applied to the top side of the vaults in a thickness of 10 cm......, despite a water vapour pressure gradient up to 500 Pa between the nave and attic. There was no reduction in energy consumption the first winter, possibly due to the increased heat loss related to the drying of the mortar....

  3. Max Dvořák and the History of Medieval Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans H. Aurenhammer

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The intellectual development of Max Dvořák (1874-1921, one of the protagonists of the ‘Vienna School of Art History’, was characterized by a constant process of methodological self-criticism. His changing views on Medieval Art are known above all by two texts: The Enigma of the Art of the Van Eyck Brothers (1904, strongly influenced by Wickhoff and Riegl and by an ‘impressionistic’ view of modernity, and Idealism and Naturalism in Gothic Sculpture and Painting (1918, an essay dating to Dvořák’s late, ‘expressionistic’, period. Knowing only these two texts, the decisive turn undertaken by Dvořák around 1920 could be interpreted as a sudden change of paradigm. As the paper wants to show, this view has to be revised after having read and analyzed Dvořák’s hitherto unpublished university lectures on Western European Art in the Middle Ages which were given four times from 1906 to 1918.

  4. Stable isotope ratio analysis of breastfeeding and weaning practices of children from medieval Fishergate House York, UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burt, Nicole M

    2013-11-01

    Rib collagen of 51 juveniles and 11 adult females from the late medieval Fishergate House cemetery site (York, UK) were analyzed using nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratio analysis to determine the weaning age for this population and to reconstruct diet. The juveniles' ages ranged from fetal to 5-6 years, while the females were of reproductive age. Previous researchers suggested that the children from Fishergate House might have been weaned later than the medieval British norm of 2 years, based on a mortality peak at 4-6 years of age. The results show weaning was complete by 2 years of age, agreeing with previous British weaning studies. The adult female δ(15) N values have a mean of 11.4‰ ± 1.1‰ and the δ(13) C values have a mean of -19.4‰ ± 0.4‰. These findings are consistent with previous isotopic studies of female diet in York during this period, though slightly lower. The weaned juvenile nitrogen values were found to be higher than the adult females (12.4‰ ± 1.0‰ for δ(15) N and -19.7‰ ± 0.5‰ for δ(13) C), which might indicate a dependence on higher trophic level proteins such as marine fish or pork. Marine fish is considered a high status food and children are considered low-status individuals at this time, making this a particularly interesting finding. Weaning does not appear to coincide with peak mortality, suggesting environment factors may be playing a larger role in child mortality at Fishergate House. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Palaeopathological Evidence of Infectious Disease in a Skeletal Population from Late Medieval Riga, Latvia (15Th-17Th Centuries AD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerhards Guntis

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of infectious disease in the Dome Church (Riga Cathedral Cemetery population, dating from the late medieval period (15th-17th centuries AD. A total of 274 individuals were macroscopically observed for evidence of infectious disease, and seven individuals with lesions possibly associated with a bacterial infection affecting the skeleton were selected for further analysis. Pathological changes on the outer table of the skull and in the long bones of legs characteristic of venereal syphilis were observed in four female and one male individual. Likewise, changes possibly related to late congenital syphilis were observed in a 14-15-year-old non-adult individual. All these individuals were buried in a small area adjacent to the northern wall of the Dome Church, which possibly belonged to a hospital or a shelter. The evidence for venereal syphilis from the cemetery complements historical data about the spread of the disease in Riga during the 16th-17th centuries AD. One adult male individual had destructive changes in the lower spine, which could be associated with tuberculosis (TB. So far, this is the first individual with possible TB from the archaeological populations of Riga. This research provides unique evidence about infectious disease in skeletal populations from the late medieval period in Latvia, and the results will be used as the basis for future research in the subject, including extraction of ancient pathogen DNA.

  6. Gardens, knowledge and the sciences in the early modern period

    CERN Document Server

    Remmert, Volker; Wolschke-Bulmahn, Joachim

    2016-01-01

    This volume focuses on the outstanding contributions made by botany and the mathematical sciences to the genesis and development of early modern garden art and garden culture. The many facets of the mathematical sciences and botany point to the increasingly “scientific” approach that was being adopted in and applied to garden art and garden culture in the early modern period. This development was deeply embedded in the philosophical, religious, political, cultural and social contexts, running parallel to the beginning of processes of scientization so characteristic for modern European history. This volume strikingly shows how these various developments are intertwined in gardens for various purposes.

  7. Origen y evolución urbana de Alcañiz. De la villa medieval a la ciudad renacentista

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan José Barragán Villagrasa

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available La ciudad de Alcañiz (Aragón constituye un ejemplo de las reformas que el urbanismo renacentista impulsó en las villas medievales, ligado en este caso al desarrollo del Concejo, y la progresiva independencia municipal respecto al señorío de la Orden de Calatrava, con sede en el castillo. Hemos indagado en el modelo de urbanismo medieval impulsado por los calatravos desde la repoblación del territorio, formado por dos líneas de muralla, una de ellas inédita, y que hemos denominado «muralla alta». Desde el Concejo medieval, con sede en las Casas Comunes, se desarrolla un nuevo modelo de urbanismo, con nuevos espacios públicos como la Plaza Mayor, una trama de calles más anchas y regulares, y el desarrollo de una edificación más estandarizada, que convivirá con lo culminando en la construcción de la Casa Consistorial por el Concejo posmedieval, institución que actualmente conocemos como Ayuntamiento.The town of Alcañiz, in Aragon, is a good example of the reforms that Renaissance town plannings spread in medieval towns. In this case, it is linked to the development of the town Council, and the progressive local independence from the Calatrava Lordship, whose headquarter were inside the castle. We have researched the medieval town planning promoted by the Calatravos since the repopulation of the territory. It is formed by two lines of city walls, one of which was unknown and we have called it «the high wall». From the medieval Council House, sited in the Common Houses, a new model of urbanism is developed, with new public spaces like the Main Square, wider and more regular street patterns and the development of a more standarized way of building that has co-existed with the medieval quarters until the present days.

  8. Protracted fluvial recovery from medieval earthquakes, Pokhara, Nepal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolle, Amelie; Bernhardt, Anne; Schwanghart, Wolfgang; Andermann, Christoff; Schönfeldt, Elisabeth; Seidemann, Jan; Adhikari, Basanta R.; Merchel, Silke; Rugel, Georg; Fort, Monique; Korup, Oliver

    2016-04-01

    River response to strong earthquake shaking in mountainous terrain often entails the flushing of sediments delivered by widespread co-seismic landsliding. Detailed mass-balance studies following major earthquakes in China, Taiwan, and New Zealand suggest fluvial recovery times ranging from several years to decades. We report a detailed chronology of earthquake-induced valley fills in the Pokhara region of western-central Nepal, and demonstrate that rivers continue to adjust to several large medieval earthquakes to the present day, thus challenging the notion of transient fluvial response to seismic disturbance. The Pokhara valley features one of the largest and most extensively dated sedimentary records of earthquake-triggered sedimentation in the Himalayas, and independently augments paleo-seismological archives obtained mainly from fault trenches and historic documents. New radiocarbon dates from the catastrophically deposited Pokhara Formation document multiple phases of extremely high geomorphic activity between ˜700 and ˜1700 AD, preserved in thick sequences of alternating fluvial conglomerates, massive mud and silt beds, and cohesive debris-flow deposits. These dated fan-marginal slackwater sediments indicate pronounced sediment pulses in the wake of at least three large medieval earthquakes in ˜1100, 1255, and 1344 AD. We combine these dates with digital elevation models, geological maps, differential GPS data, and sediment logs to estimate the extent of these three pulses that are characterized by sedimentation rates of ˜200 mm yr-1 and peak rates as high as 1,000 mm yr-1. Some 5.5 to 9 km3 of material infilled the pre-existing topography, and is now prone to ongoing fluvial dissection along major canyons. Contemporary river incision into the Pokhara Formation is rapid (120-170 mm yr-1), triggering widespread bank erosion, channel changes, and very high sediment yields of the order of 103 to 105 t km-2 yr-1, that by far outweigh bedrock denudation rates

  9. Eyeless in Gaza: Some Reflections on Teaching Early English Literature in Israel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebel, Julia

    1973-01-01

    The author makes, in her words, a simplistic parallel between the rejection of white culture by American Negroes and the rejection of western literature, particularly the predominantly Christian literature of the Medieval and Renaissance periods in England. (MM)

  10. The Religious Significance of the Medieval Body and Flannery O'Connor's Fiction

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Novak, Kenneth

    2002-01-01

    Flannery O'Connor based what she called her "anagogic vision" on the medieval way of seeing the world that allowed the reader of a text to discern "different levels of reality in one image or one situation...

  11. The influence of canon law on ius commune in its formative period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmeti Sami

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In the Medieval period, Roman law and canon law formed ius commune or the common European law. The similarity between Roman and canon law was that they used the same methods and the difference was that they relied on different authoritative texts. In their works canonists and civilists combined the ancient Greek achievements in philosophy with the Roman achievements in the field of law. Canonists were the first who carried out research on the distinctions between various legal sources and systematized them according to a hierarchical order. The Medieval civilists sought solutions in canon law for a large number of problems that Justinian’s Codification did not hinge on or did it only superficially. Solutions offered by canon law were accepted not only in the civil law of Continental Europe, but also in the English law.

  12. Corruption as a Legacy of the Medieval University

    OpenAIRE

    Osipian, Ararat

    2004-01-01

    Looking back upon the centuries one would suspect that in earlier ages universities of medieval France and Italy were very different from the multiplicity of organizational and institutional forms of higher education institutions in modern times, and yet one would be surprised how much these old universitas and modern universities have in common. The increasing scale and scope of corruption in higher education in the former Soviet Bloc as well as numerous other countries urges a better unders...

  13. 'A WONDERFULL MONSTER BORNE IN GERMANY': HAIRY GIRLS IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN GERMAN BOOK, COURT AND PERFORMANCE CULTURE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katritzky, M A

    2014-09-24

    Human hirsuteness, or pathological hair growth, can be symptomatic of various conditions, including genetic mutation or inheritance, and some cancers and hormonal disturbances. Modern investigations into hirsuteness were initiated by nineteenth-century German physicians. Most early modern European cases of hypertrichosis (genetically determined all-over body and facial hair) involve German-speaking parentage or patronage, and are documented in German print culture. Through the Wild Man tradition, modern historians routinely link early modern reception of historical hypertrichosis cases to issues of ethnicity without, however, recognising early modern awareness of links between temporary hirsuteness and the pathological nexus of starvation and anorexia. Here, four cases of hirsute females are reconsidered with reference to this medical perspective, and to texts and images uncovered by my current research at the Herzog August Library and German archives. One concerns an Italian girl taken to Prague in 1355 by the Holy Roman Empress, Anna von Schweidnitz. Another focuses on Madeleine and Antonietta Gonzalez, daughters of the 'Wild Man' of Tenerife, documented at German courts in the 1580s. The third and fourth cases consider the medieval bearded Sankt Kümmernis (also known as St Wilgefortis or St Uncumber), and the seventeenth-century Bavarian fairground performer Barbara Urslerin. Krankhafter menschlicher Hirsutismus kann aufgrund unterschiedlicher Ursachen auftreten, zu denen u.a. genetische Veländerungen und Vererbung, verschiedene Krebserkrankungen und hormonelle Störungen gehören. Die moderne Hirsutismus-Forschung ist im 19. Jh. von deutschen Forschern initiiert worden. Die meisten europäischen frühneuzeitlichen Erscheinungen von Hypertrichose (dem genetisch bedingten Haarwuchs am gesamten Körper und im Gesicht) gehen auf deutschsprachige Eltern oder Förderer zurück und sind in Deutschland in den Druck gelangt. Bei Untersuchungen des Motivs des Wilden

  14. Evidence for the Continued Use of Medieval Medical Prescriptions in the Sixteenth Century: A Fifteenth-Century Remedy Book and its Later Owner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connolly, Margaret

    2016-04-01

    This article examines a fifteenth-century remedy book, Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson c. 299, and describes its collection of 314 medieval medical prescriptions. The recipes are organised broadly from head to toe, and often several remedies are offered for the same complaint. Some individual recipes are transcribed with modern English translations. The few non-recipe texts are also noted. The difference between a remedy book and a leechbook is explained, and this manuscript is situated in relation to other known examples of late medieval medical anthologies. The particular feature that distinguishes Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson c. 299 from other similar volumes is the evidence that it continued to be used during the sixteenth century. This usage was of two kinds. Firstly, the London lawyer who owned it not only inscribed his name but annotated the original recipe collection in various ways, providing finding-aids that made it much more user-friendly. Secondly, he, and other members of his family, added another forty-three recipes to the original collection (some examples of these are also transcribed). These two layers of engagement with the manuscript are interrogated in detail in order to reveal what ailments may have troubled this family most, and to judge how much faith they placed in the old remedies contained in this old book. It is argued that the knowledge preserved in medieval books enjoyed a longevity that extended beyond the period of the manuscript book, and that manuscripts were read and valued long after the advent of printing.

  15. An Introduction to the Medieval English: The Historical and Literary Context, Traces of Church and Philosophical Movements in the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behtash, Esmail Zare; Toroujeni, Seyyed Morteza Hashemi; Samani, Farzane Safarzade

    2017-01-01

    The Transition from Greek to medieval philosophy that speculated on religion, nature, metaphysics, human being and society was rather a rough transition in the history of English literature. Although the literature content of this age reflected more religious beliefs, the love and hate relationship of medieval philosophy that was mostly based on…

  16. Vessels from Late Medieval cemeteries in the Central Balkans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bikić Vesna

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Although a rare occurrence in late medieval cemeteries, vessels have been found on almost all major sites of the period, such as Novo Brdo, Trgovište, Reljina Gradina and the churchyard of St Peter’s near Novi Pazar, the churchyard of St Nicholas’ at Kuršumlija, the churchyard of St Stephen’s at Milentija near Brus, Mali Zvečan, Mirijevo, Vinča. Vessels occur in different places, both on top of and in graves. Fragments of pottery and glass vessels are relatively abundant in layers of earth filling burial pits and chambers, and in those immediately overlaying burial pits or gravestones. The available data make it possible to recognize almost all functional types. The most frequently found pottery shapes are larger liquid containers - jugs and pitchers, and apparently there have also been many pots, both hearth cooking and glazed (figs. 1-3; 5-9. Recognizable among the glass vessels are bottles, usually those with long fluted necks and biconical, as well as infrequent icon lamps. The data about the vessels found buried with the deceased is much more detailed. Such finds are recorded at Mačvanska Mitrovica (fig. 10/3, Brestovik (fig. 13/3, Mirijevo (fig. 4/1, Vinča (figs. 4/2; 10/4, Stragari near Kragujevac, Milentija near Brus, round the church of St Peter near Novi Pazar, at the monastery of Končulić (fig. 13/2 and the monastery of Gradac. The relatively plentiful and diverse vessels discovered at the cemeteries of medieval Trgovište are especially illustrative (fig. 10/2, 7. The available descriptions of vessels and archaeological contexts provide a general impression about the types of vessels recorded in the cemeteries of a late medieval and early modern date in the central Balkans. Glass bottles as a rule were laid in graves, while earth-fill layers, apart from bottles, contained plentiful shards of drinking vessels. As for the bottles, two types were registered: biconical and those with long fluted necks (figs. 10; 12/1. Among

  17. Radioecological studies in early period of NIRS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ichikawa, Ryushi

    2004-01-01

    Japanese tuna-fishing boat Fukuryumaru No.5 was exposed to heavy radioactive fallout due to the nuclear test explosion carried out by U.S.A. at Bikini Atoll of Marshal Islands in the central part of Pacific Ocean on March 1, 1954. Following this accident, radioactivity was detected in various environmental samples including rain, marine fishes and agricultural crops. Science Council of Japan organized the new research group of many scientists in the field of fisheries, agricultural, medical and biological studies and radiation protection studies. Government of Japan established National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) in 1957. In this Institute various radioecological studies have been carried out. In this paper, some of these radioecological studies carried out in early period of NIRS are described. (author)

  18. The decline of uroscopy in early modern learned medicine (1500-1650).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolberg, Michael

    2007-01-01

    From the early sixteenth century, uroscopy lost much of the great appeal it had possessed among medieval physicians. Once valued as an outstanding diagnostic tool which ensured authority and fame, it became an object of massive criticism if not derision. As this paper shows, growing awareness of theoretical inconsistencies, the new medical empiricism and humanistic opposition against Arabic and medieval predecessors can explain this drastic revaluation only in part. Uroscopy, it is argued here, came to be perceived above all as a threat to the physicians' professional authority. Faced with persistent demands that they diagnose diseases primarily if not exclusively from urine, they were left with an awkward choice. They risked making fools of themselves by blatant misdiagnosis, but if they rejected the patients' demands people would deem them incapable of a task which many of their less educated competitors were perfectly happy to perform. In the end, in spite of the physicians' massive campaign against it, uroscopy remained very much alive. On the highly competitive early modern medical market patient power had once more prevailed.

  19. Chronology of the early period of the Ananyino cultural and historical area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuzminykh Sergei V.

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Problems related to the chronology of the early period in the Ananyino cultural and historical area development are discussed in the article. The chronology is based upon the objects imported from the Black Sea region, Northern Caucasus and Transcaucasia and their Ananyino replicas or imitations. Radiocarbon dates have also been taken into account. The period under consideration is divided into two stages (I-1 and I-2. They are characterized by differing technological facilities that had determined the appearance of a differing set of material culture objects. The first stage, the transition from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, is dated within the 9th to mid-8th century BC. The second phase (mid-8th to first quarter/first half of the 7th century BC is associated with the spread of Caucasian imports in the Volga-Kama area and mostly in the post-Maklasheevka culture sites. On the basis of these imports it is possible to claim that the Ananyino area was included into the international trade and exchange system of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Monuments of the early period of the Ananyino cultural and historical area are primarily synchronized with the pre-Scythian funeral monuments of the steppe zone of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.

  20. New light on the early urbanisation of Copenhagen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahlström, Hanna Sofia Strandmark

    2013-01-01

    Copenhagen’s origin and early development have long been subject to study, and has since the nineteenth century resulted in numerous and sometimes conflicting theories. The dearth of large excavations in the old parts of the city in modern times has resulted in fragmentary archaeological evidence...... and a concomitant lack of synthesis of a more modern nature. In connection with the current, large-scale, excavations connected to the Metro Cityring project (2009–), the Museum of Copenhagen has had the opportunity to conduct major excavations pertinent to the development of the medieval town. The site...... at Rådhuspladsen (the Town Hall Square) lies on the borders of the high and late medieval town, but in an area traditionally seen as located outside the earliest settlement. The preliminary results from this excavation, together with indications from excavations and watching briefs in recent years, enable us...

  1. The Disputed Authorship of a Medieval Text: A New Solution to the Attribution Problem in the Case of Guillaume D’Angleterre

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Slautina

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a case of disputed authorship concerning a literary medieval text, the Old French romance Guillaume d’Angleterre, and describes a new attempt to use the mathematical method of authorship attribution called the "method of pattern recognition”. After presenting an overview of previous approaches to the problem of the authorship of this text, I argue for the advantages of a statistical syntactic based method for authorship attribution of medieval texts. The method of pattern recognition consists in the identification of a domain of syntactic parameters and a measurement of the proximity or distance of texts as located in a multi-dimensional syntactic space. I find that the medieval text most likely belongs to Chrétien de Troyes, one of the most famous French authors of the twelfth century. I present for the first time an attempt to apply the method of pattern recognition to determine the authorship of a medieval text written in Old French.

  2. A Review of The Architecture of the Scottish Medieval Church 1100–1560

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ian Campbell

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available If ever a book could be described as a ‘magnum opus’ it is this: indeed it is a summa. Richard Fawcett has been publishing on Scottish medieval architecture, mainly ecclesiastical, for three decades, ranging from articles on minute changes in Gothic mouldings (the subject of his doctoral research at the University of East Anglia such as ‘Dunblane Cathedral: evidence for a change in the design of the nave’ (1982 to a survey of architecture between 370 and 1560, Scottish Architecture from the Accession of the Stewarts to the Reformation (1994. For much of that time he was an Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Historic Scotland, allowing him unfettered access to all the key monuments for most of which he has written authoritative guidebooks. However, besides Scotland, his knowledge of other European medieval architecture, especially in England, France and the Low Countries is encyclopaedic. His researches have made unsustainable the inferiorist attitude that Scottish medieval architecture was insular and backward, by pointing out countless foreign parallels, which demonstrate that Scotland’s patrons and masons were always aware of contemporary developments beyond its borders and shores. This monumental book brings together the fruits of these years of study into a rich synthesis. At last MacGibbon and Ross’ groundbreaking Ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland (1896-7 has been superseded.

  3. Adolescent health in medieval Serbia: signs of infectious diseases and risk of trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djurić, M; Janović, A; Milovanović, P; Djukić, K; Milenković, P; Drasković, M; Roksandic, M

    2010-04-01

    Although pattern of health in adults has been frequently assessed in past human populations, health status of adolescents as a distinct life stage has usually been overlooked. Inconsistency in number and meaning of recognised age categories in anthropological literature, as well as chronological age ranges used to define them, further complicate the interpretation of adolescent health. In this study, we analysed signs of pathological conditions on skeletal remains of 81 adolescents from a medieval site of Stara Torina (northern Serbia). Diagnostic palaeopathological procedures comprised gross examination, digital radiography, and histological analysis. Skeletal signs of anaemia such as cribra orbitalia and other porotic phenomena as well as signs of non-specific bone infection were observed frequently, while evidence of bone trauma was recorded in a very low percentage of individuals. In addition, we recorded two conditions relatively rarely observed in palaeopathological contexts: a case of skull and vertebral asymmetry indicative of congenital muscular torticollis, and a case of a fibrous cortical defect on distal femur. Comparison with available information from other medieval adolescent samples from Serbia demonstrated that while mortality was relatively constant throughout the sample, Stara Torina showed a much higher occurrence of bone disease. Characteristics of observed skeletal conditions, supported by available historical reports, suggest that the health of medieval adolescents in the examined population was most significantly affected by infectious processes. Copyright 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. Managing Uncertainty through Profit sharing Contracts from medieval Italy to Silicon Valley

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brouwer, M.

    2005-01-01

    Organizational innovation is essential to economic development. But, the way successful societies have organized new ventures has been remarkably similar in both past and present. The commenda organizations of medieval Italy shared many characteristics with modern startups that are financed by

  5. Alteration of medieval stained-glasses. Contribution to the long-term behaviour of vitrified wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sterpenich, J.

    1998-01-01

    In this work, the behaviour of glasses during alteration have been studied in two different ways: 1)study of the alteration of medieval stained-glasses 2)experimental leaching of modelled glasses. Medieval stained-glasses have a silico-calcic and alkaline composition. It appears three different alteration modes for these glasses: 1)by condensation waters 2)by atmospheric agents 3)by porosity waters and humic acids. A chemical study of the altered areas has allowed to understand the alteration behaviour of a lot of elements: in particular transition elements, heavy metals and some rare earths. On the other hand, two vitrified wastes and a glass having the same composition of the potassic medieval stained-glasses have been leached in a static mode (pH=1 to 10, T=20 to 80 degrees Celsius, T=12 hours to 6 months). These experiments have revealed that the alteration mechanisms depend on the pH of the solution and on the chemical composition of the glass. An increasing durability of glasses in terms of the global polymerization degree has been revealed too. At last, the behaviours of glasses during alteration, observed with natural and experimental conditions, show that it is necessary to study natural analogous for predicting the long-term behaviour of vitrified wastes. (O.M.)

  6. Ethics in the medieval university: the importance of classics reading for the elaboration of Thomas Aquinas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatyana Murer Cavalcante

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to present some considerations about the importance of reading to the development of the ethics conceptions of Thomas Aquinas (1224 - 5? / 1274. At the dawn of the thirteenth century, the townspeople of Medieval West created a new institution designed for knowledge and education: the University. In it, teachers and disciples were debating key issues for the new society using mainly texts of Ancient Philosophy and Christians, but also Arab and Jewish writings. The literacy forms used encompassed mainly lectio and disputatio , and counteracted by distinct theoretical bases, those thinkers eventually recreated the summa , in a original and fundamental form to the philosophical elaboration of that time. To discuss the importance of reading in the formulation of the concept of ethics in the medieval university, we will present some characteristics of the production of knowledge in the thirteenth century linked to its historical context and then discuss some ethical considerations of Thomas Aquinas, one of the most prominent authors of that period. Considering the limits of this article, only one text, “The object of charity” based on Aquinas major work, the Summa of Theology, will be discussed in depth. Preliminarily, it is possible to state that as well as the reading of classical authors by Thomas Aquinas and other masters of the thirteenth century, helped them develop knowledge about ethics conforming to their time, historical reading of these authors helps in the understanding of today.

  7. Restorian of outdoor plaster pavement floors in a medieval Czech castle

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Slížková, Zuzana; Drdácký, Miloš

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 14, č. 3 (2008), s. 81-98 ISSN 1355-6207 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA103/06/1609 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20710524 Keywords : floor plaster * metakaoline modified mortar * medieval castle rampart * non-standard testing Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

  8. The Accreditation of Hildegard Von Bingen as Medieval Female Technical Writer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauch, Susan

    2012-01-01

    Although scholars have acknowledged technical texts written during the Middle-Ages, there is no mention of "technical writer" as a profession except for Geoffrey Chaucer, and historically absent is the accreditation of medieval female writers who pioneered the field of medical-technical communication. In an era dominated by identifiable medieval…

  9. Tablet-woven and tabby-woven braids from the Czech late medieval archaeological findings

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Březinová, Helena

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 23, - (2010), s. 47-51 ISSN 0860-0007 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : textile fragments * tablet -woven braids * tabby-woven braids * late medieval Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  10. FORMATION OF THE PRECONDITIONS FOR THE EMERGENCE OF GENDER PSYCHOLOGY IN MIDDLE AGES PERIOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veronika Olegovna Mokhova

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this article is to analyze the main ideas of the Medieval Period authors in Europe and in Russia, in terms of identifying the most important theses of this historical period for the formation and development of the ideas of gender psychology. It is being considered the role of Christianity and the emergence of the women's education issue in the formation of gender stereotypes. In this article the Middle Ages period is being considered as a separate historical phase for the basic ideas formation in the gender psychology, which is a new approach to the history of gender science. To estimate medieval texts - European and Russian, the method of qualitative content analysis is used, by means of which the most relevant to the period ideas associated with the sexes are identified. For Europe, it inter-sexual features, for Russia - different behavioral requirements of the society associated with sexes. Conclusions contain ideas of the Middle Ages in Europe and in Russia that are relevant to the development and establishment of gender psychology. In Europe: the continuation of the ancient thesis of the initial androgyny of a human being; impact of the woman's education on her ability for development; consideration of sexuality as sinful; the issue of women's emancipation, the declining value of the large numerous families despite of a ban on interference in the reproductive cycle in the middle of the Medieval period. In Russia: the perception of inter-sexual characteristics as defined by the God; unconditional obedience of a woman to her husband; androgyny in the distribution of the farmers’ responsibilities.Objective: To analyze the main ideas of the authors of the Middle Ages in Europe and in Russia, in terms of identifying the significant theses of this historical period for the formation and development of the ideas of the gender psychology.Method of the research work: A qualitative content analysis of the texts by the authors

  11. Crossdressing medieval troubadours, Castile to Brazil : Cristóbal de Castillejo (d. 1550) and Augusto de Campos (b. 1931)

    OpenAIRE

    Roy Rosenstein

    2014-01-01

    Starting out from a reading of Cristóbal de Castillejo's sixteenth-century sonnet referencing the medieval Occitan troubadours, "Garcilaso y Boscán, siendo llegados", this article reflects on cultural and temporal translations of medieval troubadour lyric. In the second part, it examines in more detail Augusto de Campos's modern Brazilian translations or "transcreations" of Arnaut Daniel's works – the only complete poetic translation in any language of his works.

  12. Some considerations on X-ray fluorescence use in museum measurements - The case of medieval silver coins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Constantinescu, B.; Bugoi, R.; Oberlaender-Tarnoveanu, E.; Parvan, K.

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to give a general layout for the potential applications of Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) technique for ancient silver coin characterization, using in-situ (in museums) measurements. Examples concerning originality testing, provenance (mines, workshops) identification, counterfeits selection, historical studies (manufacturing technologies, commercial, military and political relationships) are given. Two study cases of medieval coins are described: German brakteaten pfennige and Moldavian groschen. Other analysis methods and their use in the study of medieval coins are illustrated with the example of Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique. (authors)

  13. Intestinal Obstruction in Early Neonatal Period: A 3-Year Review Of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    BACKGROUND: Failure to pass meconium by a full-term neonate within the first 24 hours should raise a suspicion of bowel obstruction. The objective of this study was to determine pattern of presentation, diagnosis and outcome of management of intestinal obstruction in the early neonatal period in the Neonatal Care Unit ...

  14. Disputing strategies in medieval Scandinavia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Orning, Hans Jacob

    In Scandinavia the study of disputes is still a relatively new topic: The papers offered here discuss how conflicts were handled in Scandinavian societies in the Middle Ages before the emergence of strong centralized states. What strategies did people use to contest power, property, rights, honour......, and other kinds of material or symbolic assets? Seven essays by Scandinavian scholars are supplemented by contributions from Stephen White, John Hudson and Gerd Althoff, to provide a new baseline for discussing both the strategies pursued in the political game and those used to settle local disputes. Using...... practice and process as key analytical concepts, these authors explore formal law and litigation in conjunction with non-formal legal proceedings such as out-of-court mediation, rituals, emotional posturing, and feuding. Their insights place the Northern medieval world in a European context of dispute...

  15. Harris lines of the tibia across centuries: a comparison of two populations, medieval and contemporary in Central Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ameen, S.; Vock, P.; Anderson, S.E.; Staub, L.; Ulrich, S.; Ballmer, F.

    2005-01-01

    To determine the incidence of Harris lines in two medieval populations which inhabited the Canton of Berne, in Central Switzerland, and to compare the results with those of a contemporary population living in the same geographical area. A simplified method is described for measuring the age of the individual at the time of formation of Harris lines, with possible future applications. Radiographs of 112 well-preserved tibiae of skeletons of two medieval populations from the eighth to fifteenth centuries were reviewed for the incidence of Harris lines. The results were compared with those of 138 current patients living in the same geographic location in Central Switzerland. Age and gender of the medieval individual were determined using known anthropological methods. Age of bone at the time of formation of Harris lines was estimated according to the method of Maat. Harris lines were found in 88 of 112 (80%) of the examined medieval skeletons and in 28 of 138 (20%) of the living individuals. Higher incidences of Harris lines were found at the age of 2 years and at ages between 8 and 12 years in both populations. No gender difference was found regarding the incidence of Harris lines. In both populations the occurrence of Harris lines was associated with certain diseases such as degenerative bone disease, trauma, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, peripheral vascular diseases, rickets and bony deformities. (orig.)

  16. Harris lines of the tibia across centuries: a comparison of two populations, medieval and contemporary in Central Europe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ameen, S.; Vock, P.; Anderson, S.E. [University Hospital of Bern, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Bern (Switzerland); Staub, L.; Ulrich, S. [University of Bern, Institute of Historical Medicine, Bern (Switzerland); Ballmer, F. [University Hospital of Bern, Department of Orthopaedics, Bern (Switzerland)

    2005-05-01

    To determine the incidence of Harris lines in two medieval populations which inhabited the Canton of Berne, in Central Switzerland, and to compare the results with those of a contemporary population living in the same geographical area. A simplified method is described for measuring the age of the individual at the time of formation of Harris lines, with possible future applications. Radiographs of 112 well-preserved tibiae of skeletons of two medieval populations from the eighth to fifteenth centuries were reviewed for the incidence of Harris lines. The results were compared with those of 138 current patients living in the same geographic location in Central Switzerland. Age and gender of the medieval individual were determined using known anthropological methods. Age of bone at the time of formation of Harris lines was estimated according to the method of Maat. Harris lines were found in 88 of 112 (80%) of the examined medieval skeletons and in 28 of 138 (20%) of the living individuals. Higher incidences of Harris lines were found at the age of 2 years and at ages between 8 and 12 years in both populations. No gender difference was found regarding the incidence of Harris lines. In both populations the occurrence of Harris lines was associated with certain diseases such as degenerative bone disease, trauma, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, peripheral vascular diseases, rickets and bony deformities. (orig.)

  17. High-resolution paleoclimatology of the Santa Barbara Basin during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and early Little Ice Age based on diatom and silicoflagellate assemblages in Kasten core SPR0901-02KC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barron, John A.; Bukry, David B.; Hendy, Ingrid L.

    2015-01-01

    Diatom and silicoflagellate assemblages documented in a high-resolution time series spanning 800 to 1600 AD in varved sediment recovered in Kasten core SPR0901-02KC (34°16.845’ N, 120°02.332’ W, water depth 588 m) from the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) reveal that SBB surface water conditions during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and the early part of the Little Ice Age (LIA) were not extreme by modern standards, mostly falling within one standard deviation of mean conditions during the pre anthropogenic interval of 1748 to 1900. No clear differences between the character of MCA and the early LIA conditions are apparent. During intervals of extreme droughts identified by terrigenous proxy scanning XRF analyses, diatom and silicoflagellate proxies for coastal upwelling typically exceed one standard deviation above mean values for 1748-1900, supporting the hypothesis that droughts in southern California are associated with cooler (or La Niña-like) sea surface temperatures (SSTs). Increased percentages of diatoms transported downslope generally coincide with intervals of increased siliciclastic flux to the SBB identified by scanning XRF analyses. Diatom assemblages suggest only two intervals of the MCA (at ~897 to 922 and ~1151 to 1167) when proxy SSTs exceeded one standard deviation above mean values for 1748 to 1900. Conversely, silicoflagellates imply extreme warm water events only at ~830 to 860 (early MCA) and ~1360 to 1370 (early LIA) that are not supported by the diatom data. Silicoflagellates appear to be more suitable for characterizing average climate during the 5 to 11 year-long sample intervals studied in the SPR0901-02KC core than diatoms, probably because diatom relative abundances may be dominated by seasonal blooms of a particular year.

  18. ‘A Wonderfull Monster Borne in Germany’: Hairy Girls in Medieval and Early Modern German Book, Court and Performance Culture*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katritzky, MA

    2014-01-01

    Human hirsuteness, or pathological hair growth, can be symptomatic of various conditions, including genetic mutation or inheritance, and some cancers and hormonal disturbances. Modern investigations into hirsuteness were initiated by nineteenth-century German physicians. Most early modern European cases of hypertrichosis (genetically determined all-over body and facial hair) involve German-speaking parentage or patronage, and are documented in German print culture. Through the Wild Man tradition, modern historians routinely link early modern reception of historical hypertrichosis cases to issues of ethnicity without, however, recognising early modern awareness of links between temporary hirsuteness and the pathological nexus of starvation and anorexia. Here, four cases of hirsute females are reconsidered with reference to this medical perspective, and to texts and images uncovered by my current research at the Herzog August Library and German archives. One concerns an Italian girl taken to Prague in 1355 by the Holy Roman Empress, Anna von Schweidnitz. Another focuses on Madeleine and Antonietta Gonzalez, daughters of the ‘Wild Man’ of Tenerife, documented at German courts in the 1580s. The third and fourth cases consider the medieval bearded Sankt Kümmernis (also known as St Wilgefortis or St Uncumber), and the seventeenth-century Bavarian fairground performer Barbara Urslerin. Krankhafter menschlicher Hirsutismus kann aufgrund unterschiedlicher Ursachen auftreten, zu denen u.a. genetische Veränderungen und Vererbung, verschiedene Krebserkrankungen und hormonelle Störungen gehören. Die moderne Hirsutismus-Forschung ist im 19. Jh. von deutschen Forschern initiiert worden. Die meisten europäischen frühneuzeitlichen Erscheinungen von Hypertrichose (dem genetisch bedingten Haarwuchs am gesamten Körper und im Gesicht) gehen auf deutschsprachige Eltern oder Förderer zurück und sind in Deutschland in den Druck gelangt. Bei Untersuchungen des Motivs des

  19. Growth and health status of children and adolescents in medieval Central Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krenz-Niedbała Marta

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Subadult growth and health have been analyzed in three cemetery samples from medieval Poland, including two early-urban sites: Cedynia dated to the 10t-14th centuries AD, and Ostrów Lednicki dated to the 13th-15th centuries AD, and a rural site Słaboszewo dated to the 14th-17th centuries AD. The nutritional status was not expected to have substantially differed among the settlements, due to the culturally induced undiversified diet of children, and predominant share of medium-to-low status individuals. However, city life and village life were supposed to differ in factors correlated with the spread of infections, and as such it was expected to find significant differences in respiratory health among early-urban and rural dwellers.The prevalences of diet-dependent diseases, scurvy and rickets, were found to be statistically indistinguishable among the three studied populations, while higher frequency of skeletal signs of poor respiratory health was observed in early-urban Cedynia than rural Słaboszewo. Slightly lower prevalences of skeletal stress indicators were found for the rural than the early-urban site. Skeletal growth profiles and the dynamics of long bone growth were found to be remarkably similar for the early-urban samples (Cedynia and Ostrów Lednicki, with the rural subadults having the shortest diaphyseal lengths, and lower growth dynamics.It can be concluded that adverse factors associated with the urban settlement were more detrimental to respiratory health than those in the village. A variety of factors are potentially responsible for this pattern, including population density, building structure, quality of air and water, sanitation, and occupation. Perhaps, the key factor in response to environmental and socio-cultural constraints was the stability of living conditions in the village, which allowed the inhabitants to develop sufficient adaptive mechanisms. In contrast, the history of strongholds such as Cedynia was changeable

  20. Acoustic emission monitoring of medieval towers considered as sensitive earthquake receptors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Carpinteri

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Many ancient masonry towers are present in Italian territory. In some cases these structures are at risk on account of the intensity of the stresses they are subjected to due to the high level of regional seismicity. In order to preserve this inestimable cultural heritage, a sound safety assessment should take into account the evolution of damage phenomena. In this connection, acoustic emission (AE monitoring can be highly effective. This study concerns the structural stability of three medieval towers rising in the centre of Alba, a characteristic town in Piedmont (Italy. During the monitoring period a correlation between peaks of AE activity in the masonry of these towers and regional seismicity was found. Earthquakes always affect structural stability. Besides that, the towers behaved as sensitive earthquake receptors. Here a method to correlate bursts of AE activity in a masonry building and regional seismicity is proposed. In particular, this method permits to identify the premonitory signals that precede a catastrophic event on a structure, since, in most cases, these warning signs can be captured well in advance.

  1. Archaeometrical studies on medieval silver coins at the Bucharest Tandem Accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bugoi, Roxana; Constantin, Florin; Constantinescu, Bogdan

    2002-01-01

    The analysis of archaeological objects requires simultaneously, non-destructive, fast, versatile, sensitive and multielemental methods. The purpose of our work is to help Romanian curators to identify objects' provenance (workshops, technologies, mines) and to establish commercial, military and political connections. Medieval Moldavian (XIV-XVI Centuries) silver coins (groschen) were studied to determine the evolution of the coinage (debasement, metal sources, minting technologies). For these coins, two methods were used: 3 MeV protons PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) and 241 Am source based XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence). XRF was used to determine the heavier elements concentrations. Comparing the trace elements results (Bi, Pb, Zn, Au, Sb) obtained on these samples with the ones on coins from the neighboring countries (Hungary, Poland, Tatar Khanate, Bohemia) we concluded that a lot of Moldavian emissions were made by melting foreign coins, probably obtained as customs taxes. For some coins, the Hg presence is an indication of the use of local silver ores to manufacture local money. The relationship between the silver content of the coins and the military conflicts during various periods is discussed. (authors)

  2. Two incrusted medieval swords from Zbaszyn, Lubusz voivodship

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Głosek, Marian

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents two interesting medieval swords that can be dated between the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 14th century AD. Both display, engraved in the fuller, inscriptions in silver and copper inlay, one of them a Latin text, the other heraldic symbols.

    Se presentan dos espadas medievales fechables entre finales del S. XII y principios del XIV, decoradas con damasquinados en plata y aleación de cobre. Una presenta un texto latino y mativos ornamentales; la otra, elementos heráldicos.

  3. XRF and UV-Vis-NIR analyses of medieval wall paintings of al-Qarawiyyin Mosque (Morocco)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fikri, I.; El Amraoui, M.; Haddad, M.; Ettahiri, A. S.; Bellot-Gurlet, L.; Falguères, C.; Lebon, M.; Nespoulet, R.; Ait Lyazidi, S.; Bejjit, L.

    2018-05-01

    Medieval wall painting fragments, taken at the medieval Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, have been investigated by means of X-ray fluorescence and UV-Vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. The analyses permitted to determine the palette of pigments used by craftsmen of the time. Hematite or red ochre were used to obtain red brown colours, calcite for white, copper-based pigments for blue and blue-grey shades while a mixture of cinnabar, lead-based pigments and hematite was adopted to make red-orange colours. Furthermore, the analysis of mortars (external layer and plaster) on these wall painting samples revealed that they are composed mainly by calcite and sometimes by additional compounds such as quartz and gypsum.

  4. Becoming Artifacts Medieval Seals, Passports and the Future of Digital Identity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chango, Mawaki

    2012-01-01

    What does a digital identity token have to do with medieval seals? Is the history of passports of any use for enabling the discovery of Internet users' identity when crossing virtual domain boundaries during their digital browsing and transactions? The agility of the Internet architecture and its simplicity of use have been the engines of its…

  5. Solidarity and Brotherhood in Medieval Italian Confraternities: AWay of Inclusion or Exclusion? Solidarity and Brotherhood in Medieval Italian Confraternities: A Way of Inclusion or Exclusion?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Gazzini

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available

    Historians usually consider medieval confraternities as lay religious communities involved in devotional and charitable practices which carried out a socializing function as well. Confraternities, when seen through this lens, fundamentally appear to be inclusive communities which helped strengthen the identities of good believers and good citizens by focusing on the solidarity created among the members of the association itself. This ecumenical vision depends essentially on a positive prejudice which is automatically ascribed to the concept of solidarity, and which often leads one to forget that, though solidarity in some cases may have rationales for inclusion, in many others it can be a source of exclusion. Yet, these opposite characteristics only seem to conflict, because to exclude someone means including someone else at the same time. The aim of this short paper is to discuss these aspects, especially with respect to northern late medieval Italy, along the lines of the question posed in these preliminary remarks: were medieval confraternities inclusive communities or exclusive institutions?

    Gli studi sulle confraternite medievali, oltre che agli aspetti devozionali e caritativi, sono soliti guardare alle finalità solidaristiche e inclusive di tali associazioni. E, a proposito di queste ultime, la solidarietà che si instaurava all’interno del gruppo confraternale, e fra questo e quella parte della popolazione destinataria di solidarietà e assistenza, spirituale come materiale, viene vista come funzionale al rafforzamento del ruolo e dell’identità di buon cittadino (o buon suddito e di buon fedele. Un pregiudizio positivo grava però sul concetto di solidarietà: se vi sono solidarietà che includono, ne esistono tuttavia altre che escludono. Una confraternita infatti prevedeva spazi chiusi di azione, fisici e metaforici, tali da escludere chi se ne trovava al di fuori. Sulla base di esemplificazioni relative all’Italia del

  6. Embroided Portraits in the Romanian Medieval Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ecaterina Marghidan

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available If the artistic value of the Romanian medieval embroidery is obvious, it is no less real its documentary value. Most embroided portraits are made on liturgical pieces and they are a proof of the relationship of the rulers with the Orthodox Church. The position of the characters is a mute way of communicating the status that the voievod had. The vertical rigid representations, kneeling, the gestures of the palms and elbows, the beneficence objects, the way characters are grouped, the proportion or their placement in the work can be symbolically interpreted depending on the type of the Liturgical item on which the embroidery was done.

  7. In praise of death : history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamphorst, Janet

    2008-01-01

    This study of heroic and epic “war poetry” transmitted by the poets of pastoral-nomadic communities in medieval Marwar (Rajasthan) evokes the lived past of the Rajput, Bhil and Charan of the Marwari desert with a detailed analysis of poetic sources concerning Pabuji, a fourteenth-century warrior and

  8. Optical spectroscopy applied to the analysis of medieval and post-medieval plain flat glass fragments excavated in Belgium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meulebroeck, W.; Wouters, H.; Baert, K.; Ceglia, A.; Terryn, H.; Nys, K.; Thienpont, H.

    2010-04-01

    Window glass fragments from four Belgian sites were studied and for a set of eighty-five samples the UV-VIS-NIR transmission spectra were analyzed. This collection contains historical and archaeological finds originating from religious buildings namely the Basilica of Our Lady of Hanswijk in Mechelen (17th-20thc) and the Church of Our Lady in Bruges (16th-20thc) as well as from secular buildings as a private house/Antwerp (18th-1948) and the castle of Middelburg-in-Flanders (1448-17thc). All sites contain material on the hinge point between the medieval and the industrial tradition. The variation in composition of the analyzed samples can be explained by the use of different glassmaking recipes, more specifically the use of different raw materials. The composition of window glass differs essentially in the type of flux, using a potash rich fluxing agent until the post-medieval times and industrial soda from the 19th century onwards. A second difference concerns the iron impurities in the glass. For all fragments a clear compositional classification could be made based on the iron concentration. These conclusions were based on archaeological research and drawn after submitting samples to expensive, complex, time-consuming and destructive chemical analyzing methods. Our study indicates that similar conclusions could be made applying the proposed optical based methodology for plain window glass. As a whole, the obtained results make it possible to cluster the fragments for a particular site based on three different sensing parameters: the UV absorption edge, the color and the presence of characteristic absorption bands. This information helps in identifying trends to date window glass collections and indicating the use of different raw materials, production technologies and/or provenance.

  9. New radiocarbon data to study the history of roman and medieval Florence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnoldus-Huyzendveld, A.; Fedi, M.E.; Cantini, F.; Bruttini, J.; Cartocci, A.; Calabrisotto, C. Scire

    2010-01-01

    Florence is a town worldwide known for its Renaissance masterpieces. It is often forgotten that it was founded during Roman times and remained a small village until the end of the early Middle Ages, practically confined within the ancient Roman boundaries. Since 2003, an extended archaeological research executed by the University of Sienna has studied the most ancient layers in the centre of Florence with the aim to enhance both the archaeological and paleo-environmental reconstruction of this area. One of the peculiarities of these excavations is that the early medieval layers were poor in datable ceramics, thus charcoals were sampled from different stratigraphic layers in order to contribute to the dating. Several data have already been published; here we focus on the excavation site of Palazzo Vecchio, now the seat of the municipality of Florence. This area is located close to the Arno river, along the eastern margin of the slightly elevated height upon which the Roman town was founded; actually, in the layers beneath the surface, the Roman theatre is still preserved. Radiocarbon dating of charcoals was performed in the LABEC laboratory in Florence, at the AMS beam line of the AMS-IBA 3 MV Tandetron accelerator. Comparison of these new data with the former ones and with the archaeological and geological data adds new information especially on natural phenomena like floods and on the human occupation of this area in the past.

  10. Prediction of leakage current of non-ceramic insulators in early aging period

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Hag, Ayman H. [Electrical Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah (United Arab Emirates); Jahromi, Ali Naderian [Kinectrics Inc., Transmission and Distribution Technologies, Toronto (Canada); Sanaye-Pasand, Majid [Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Tehran (Iran)

    2008-10-15

    The paper presents a neural network based prediction technique for the leakage current (LC) of non-ceramic insulators during salt-fog test. Nearly 50 distribution class silicone rubber (SIR) insulators with three different voltage classes have been tested in a salt-fog chamber, where the LC has been continuously recorded for at least 100 h. A boundary for early aging period is defined by the rate of change of the LC instead of a fixed threshold value. Consequently, the Gaussian radial basis network has been adopted to predict the level of LC at the early stage of aging of the SIR insulators and is compared with a classical network. The initial values of LC and its rate of change at 10 min intervals for the first 5 h are selected as the input to the network, and the final value of LC of the early aging period is considered as the output of the network. It is found that Gaussian radial basis function network with a random optimizing training method is an appropriate network to predict the LC with a 3.5-5.3% accuracy, if the training data and the testing data are selected from the same type of SIR insulators. (author)

  11. A Middle English Version of Saint Ursula’s Prayer Instruction in Nijmegen, Universiteitsbibliotheek, HS 194

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chardonnens, L.S.; Drieshen, C.

    2013-01-01

    Dating back to the late antique period, the martyrdom of St. Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins became a focus of devotion in the late medieval and early modern period in continental Europe and the British Isles. Jacobus de Voragine discussed St. Ursula’s martyrdom in detail in the Legenda

  12. Reflections on literary history and Netherlandic cultural identity in the medieval period

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oostrom, F.P. van

    2000-01-01

    I have flown 4000 miles to share with you two interrelated questions I find extremely perplexing. The two questions are the following: Did Dutch literature have an identity of its own as early as the Middle Ages? And if so, does this bear any relation to characteristics that are considered

  13. Waste Management and Attitudes Towards Cleanliness in Medieval Central Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Havlíček Filip

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the relationships between people and waste in the Middle Ages, primarily in urban environments in Central Europe. At the center of interest are the attitudes of the inhabitants of medieval cities towards cleanliness and a description of different waste management practices. This paper also describes an experiment using ashes to launder clothing as one possible use of a particular waste material.

  14. Material Culture and Diasporic Experiences: A Case of Medieval Hanse Merchantsin the Baltic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naum, Magdalena

    2015-01-01

    The Hanseatic League, a late medieval merchant association with roots in northern German towns, is credited with the establishment of extensive economic and geographic connections and considerable impact on the development of urban culture around the Baltic and the North Sea. Its merchants...

  15. X-ray fluorescence analysis of ancient and medieval brass artifacts from south Moravia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hložek, M.; Komoróczy, B.; Trojek, T.

    2012-01-01

    This paper deals with an investigation of archeological finds using X-ray fluorescence analysis and microanalysis. The main aim of the investigation was to prove the production of brass in the South Moravian Region (part of the Czech Republic) in former times. The probable brass production technology is described. Various objects dating back to Antiquity and to the Middle Ages were investigated using two X-ray fluorescence systems, and the results of the analyses are discussed. The measurements showed, e.g., that fragments of Roman scale armor and a belt fitting dating back to Antiquity were made of brass. Brass was also identified on the surfaces of various ancient and medieval molds and melting pots. - Highlights: ► Semiquantitative X-ray fluorescence analysis of archeological finds. ► Two different gilding techniques of a brass belt terminal found in Brno. ► Use of brass before the Great Moravian period. ► Evidence of brass casting in the 12th century in Brno.

  16. The Role of Forcing and Internal Dynamics in explaining the 'Medieval Climate Anomaly'

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goossee, Hugues; Crespin, Elisabeth; Dubinkina, Svetlana; Loutre, Marie-France; Mann, Michael E.; Renssen, Hans; Shindell, Drew

    2012-01-01

    Proxy reconstructions suggest that peak global temperature during the past warm interval known as the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, roughly 950-1250 AD) has been exceeded only during the most recent decades. To better understand the origin of this warm period, we use model simulations constrained by data assimilation establishing the spatial pattern of temperature changes that is most consistent with forcing estimates, model physics and the empirical information contained in paleoclimate proxy records. These numerical experiments demonstrate that the reconstructed spatial temperature pattern of the MCA can be explained by a simple thermodynamical response of the climate system to relatively weak changes in radiative forcing combined with a modification of the atmospheric circulation, displaying some similarities with the positive phase of the so-called Arctic Oscillation, and with northward shifts in the position of the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio currents. The mechanisms underlying the MCA are thus quite different from anthropogenic mechanisms responsible for modern global warming.

  17. Environmental drivers of Yersinia pestis - a holistic perspective on Medieval Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buentgen, U.

    2009-09-01

    Recent studies have indicated some evidence for a link between climate variability and plague (Yersinia pestis) dynamics in Central Asia and during most of the 20th century. An intensification of plague outbreaks via population peaks in its host-species, the great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) and its fleas (Xenopsylla spp) has been found to occur during periods of warmer spring and wetter summer climate. This is important, as human epidemics of plague ultimately originate in its wildlife reservoirs. Given the fact that Medieval Europe was strongly devastated by the Black Death - the second pandemic after the Justinian plague ~540AD, and that the worldwide highest quality and quantity of climate proxy data exist for Europe, we here present, for the first time, a holistic approach to enhance understanding of the mid-14th century Black Death. This is of primary importance not only for medical/epidemiological research, but also for other scientific communities, because the Black Death disease had a sustainable impact on the socio-economic development, culture, art, and religion of Medieval Europe. Palaeoclimatic records of annually resolved European temperature and drought variability are compiled, a high-resolution time-series of anthropogenic deforestation is utilized, documentary archives of socio-economic relevance are considered, and the animal-born plague bacterium is placed in the ecological web. Considering the European/North Atlantic sector and the last millennium, periods of high solar radiation and reduced volcanic activity shift the North Atlantic Oscillation into a generally positive mode, yielding towards warmer temperatures and an intensification of the hydrological cycle. We now argue that increased internal circulation resulted in an overall wetter and warmer climate ~1350AD, which most likely was able to promote the prevalence of existing and widespread Yersinia pestis bacillus. Resulting outbreaks of bubonic plague could have been also supported by the

  18. La tradición medieval prearistotélica y la formación de la politica como teoría a partir de 1265

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Bertelloni

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the gradual constitution of the politica as theory in the middle ages within the division of the philosophiamoralis in ethica, oeconomica and politica. The author organizes the paper in three parts in accordance with three different stages of medieval treatment of the politica as science. First he gives an overview of the medieval notion of politica until the first half of the thirteenth century. Secondly he analyzes Albert's conception of politica in the treatise Super Ethica. Thirdly he shows Albert's modifications of his own conception after the medieval reception of Aristotle's Politics.

  19. Objekt z pozdní doby hradištní v Opavě – Kateřinkách

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Juchelka, Jiří

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 2010, č. 51 (2010), s. 109-112. ISBN 978-83-85871-58-3. ISSN N Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80010507 Keywords : Early Medieval period * Czech Silesia * settlement Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  20. Interpreting Medieval Inter-tidal Features at Weelie's Taing on Papa Westray, Orkney, NE Scotland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollard, Edward; Gibson, Julie; Littlewood, Mark

    2016-12-01

    Investigation of the inter-tidal heritage of the Orkney Islands is used to interpret a previously perplexing complex at Weelie's Taing on Papa Westray. The study revealed a previously unknown type of harbour since identified in several locations around Orkney. Situated in exposed environmental situations, shelter is formed by an `ayre', a type of spit that encloses a loch, and which has been used historically as a landing place or crossing of the inter-tidal zone. A complex landing area, pier, tower and ship-blockage suggest Weelie's Taing was used as a harbour. Important fishing grounds exploited since the Neolithic are nearby, and Papa Westray was the site of water-focussed religious communities. It is suggested that Weelie's Taing was in use in the medieval period when Papa Westray was less isolated than today with the presence of ecclesiastical communities and situation on the Orkney-Shetland route.

  1. Early Seizures Prematurely Unsilence Auditory Synapses to Disrupt Thalamocortical Critical Period Plasticity

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    Hongyu Sun

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Heightened neural excitability in infancy and childhood results in increased susceptibility to seizures. Such early-life seizures are associated with language deficits and autism that can result from aberrant development of the auditory cortex. Here, we show that early-life seizures disrupt a critical period (CP for tonotopic map plasticity in primary auditory cortex (A1. We show that this CP is characterized by a prevalence of “silent,” NMDA-receptor (NMDAR-only, glutamate receptor synapses in auditory cortex that become “unsilenced” due to activity-dependent AMPA receptor (AMPAR insertion. Induction of seizures prior to this CP occludes tonotopic map plasticity by prematurely unsilencing NMDAR-only synapses. Further, brief treatment with the AMPAR antagonist NBQX following seizures, prior to the CP, prevents synapse unsilencing and permits subsequent A1 plasticity. These findings reveal that early-life seizures modify CP regulators and suggest that therapeutic targets for early post-seizure treatment can rescue CP plasticity.

  2. Early medieval coinage in the territory of Slovenia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smit, Z.; Semrov, A.

    2006-01-01

    Silver coins minted in the territory of present Slovenia and neighboring countries Italy and Austria between the 12th and 14th century were analyzed by PIXE. Gold and bismuth were found as predominant impurities, which allowed distribution of coins into two groups. Coins with the predominant Bi impurity were minted from silver that was very likely mined in Carinthia and diffusion of this type of silver towards the mints in eastern Slovenia was observed. This finding confirms the historical hypothesis that silver currency in this period was largely produced for the trade with the east

  3. Actively Engaging Students in Culture, Gender, and Class Issues in Medieval Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, Colleen E.

    2017-01-01

    Students often find it difficult to understand literature of another era and a world that differs from their own. From interacting with illuminated manuscript pages to conducting a mock trial, this article discusses ways in which visual and active learning techniques can be used to engage students in medieval literature and culture.

  4. Medieval iconography of watermelons in Mediterranean Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paris, Harry S.; Daunay, Marie-Christine; Janick, Jules

    2013-01-01

    Background and Aims The watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Cucurbitaceae), is an important fruit vegetable in the warmer regions of the world. Watermelons were illustrated in Mediterranean Antiquity, but not as frequently as some other cucurbits. Little is known concerning the watermelons of Mediterranean Europe during medieval times. With the objective of obtaining an improved understanding of watermelon history and diversity in this region, medieval drawings purportedly of watermelons were collected, examined and compared for originality, detail and accuracy. Findings The oldest manuscript found that contains an accurate, informative image of watermelon is the Tractatus de herbis, British Library ms. Egerton 747, which was produced in southern Italy, around the year 1300. A dozen more original illustrations were found, most of them from Italy, produced during the ensuing two centuries that can be positively identified as watermelon. In most herbal-type manuscripts, the foliage is depicted realistically, the plants shown as having long internodes, alternate leaves with pinnatifid leaf laminae, and the fruits are small, round and striped. The manuscript that contains the most detailed and accurate image of watermelon is the Carrara Herbal, British Library ms. Egerton 2020. In the agriculture-based manuscripts, the foliage, if depicted, is not accurate, but variation in the size, shape and coloration of the fruits is evident. Both red-flesh and white-flesh watermelons are illustrated, corresponding to the typical sweet dessert watermelons so common today and the insipid citron watermelons, respectively. The variation in watermelon fruit size, shape and coloration depicted in the illustrations indicates that at least six cultivars of watermelon are represented, three of which probably had red, sweet flesh and three of which appear to have been citrons. Evidently, citron watermelons were more common in Mediterranean Europe in the past than they are today. PMID:23904443

  5. Medieval Dobrun

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popović Marko Đ.

    2002-01-01

    below the castle. Its central part seems to have occupied a piece of flat land at the hill foot on the right bank, where in the mid-nineteenth century streets and traces of houses were still discernible. According to research by Đ. Mazalić, part of the settlement was on the left bank as well in the area known as Podrogovi and stretching from the former mosque towards the Budimlija creek. Unlike the walls and towers of Dobrun, occasionally quite well preserved, of the nearby monastic complex only the vestiges of the church narthex have survived till this day. The church kept its original appearance until the end of the nineteenth century, when it was thoroughly altered. Eventually, its main part was blown up by German mines in early 1945 (Fig. 9.From earlier documentation and the surviving physical remains it is obvious that the building of the monastery church at Dobrun went through several phases (Fig. 10. The original church, erected in 1343 as an endowment of župan Pribil, as inferable from the now gone ktetor's inscription, was a one-nave edifice with a semicircular apse. It was barrel-vaulted and had no dome, while its walls were of limestone blocks Besides the foundations, considerable and well-preserved areas of the original floor have survived. In the middle of the central bay the ambo rosette still stands (Fig. 11. Especially interesting are the stone slabs next to the south church wall. The one in the west bay apparently covers the ktetor's grave. Two similar slabs in the central bay may also be interpreted as grave markers. In a later phase, presumably not long after the building of Pribil's endowment, the church received a narthex. A peculiarity of its architecture is a shallow arched porch on the west front, an unusual element in Serbian medieval architecture. Subsequently added to the narthex, an open exonarthex was torn down during the late-nineteenth-century rebuilding. A northern annexe, divided into two smaller rooms and connected with the apse by a

  6. RESENHA: BROADIE, A. Introduction to medieval logic. Segunda edição. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2002.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Cabeceiras

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Nessa obra, Broadie, após discutir qual seria a melhor ordem de exposição paraum texto sobre lógica medieval, decide tratar primeiro dos termos, depois dasproposições e, por fim, das inferências. Mas, não se restringindo ao que era uniforme oupredominante na Idade Média, explora disputas envolvendo lógicos ou filósofos daqueleperíodo. Delimitando seu objeto, estabelece que a obra lidará, hegemonicamente, commaterial produzido no período entre a segunda metade do século XIII e o final do séculoXV, por considerar essa a fase mais produtiva no que se refere à lógica medieval.

  7. Conservation of a medieval climbing stem by freeze-drying and resin impregnation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaudy, R.; Slais, E.; Eibner, C.

    1985-12-01

    The conservation of a climbing stem originating from a medieval mining adit is described. The fragile wet object was preserved by a combined process consisting of freeze-drying after a polyethylene glycol bath and consecutive resin impregnation with curing by gamma irradiation. The whole conservation process took 1 year. The result is discussed. (Author)

  8. Red layered medieval stained glass window characterization by means of micro-PIXE technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ortega-Feliu, I., E-mail: iofeliu@us.es [Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Thomas A. Edison 7, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Gomez-Tubio, B. [Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Thomas A. Edison 7, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Departamento de Fisica Aplicada III, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain); Respaldiza, M.A. [Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Thomas A. Edison 7, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Departamento de Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain); Capel, F. [Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (Spain)

    2011-10-15

    Red layered medieval stained glass windows on a transparent greenish substrate are characteristic of European medieval cathedrals, but few compositional analyses have been performed on the coloured layers. The PIXE technique has been performed on a red layered stained glass window obtained during the restoration works carried out in Las Huelgas Monastery in Burgos (Spain). Protons of 3 MeV with a beam of 4 x 5 {mu}m{sup 2} were used to acquire elemental maps of a cross section of the sample, in order to observe the homogeneity of the layered structure and its substrate. In our work, copper was detected as in other layered glasses but a correspondence with lower amounts of zinc has also been determined. Both elements appear enriched in the red coloured layers, while the other quantified elements have the same relative composition along the sample. Corrosion layers, due to the lead supporting structure of the window, were also found.

  9. Touchstones from early medieval burials in Tuna in Alsike, Sweden

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ježek, Martin

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 42, February (2014), s. 422-429 ISSN 0305-4403 Grant - others:Rada Programu interní podpory projektů mezinárodní spolupráce AV ČR(CZ) M300021203 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : Early Middle Ages * Viking Age * elite * boat burial * touchstone * precious metal * zinc * nickel Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 2.196, year: 2014

  10. On the street and in the bathhouse: medieval Galenism in action?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coomans, J.

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available In this article we combine the perspective of medieval urban hygiene and the fi ndings of medical and intellectual historians by tracing some ways in which medieval urban residents and governments attempted to limit disease and promote health by recourse to preventative measures. In both of the urban regions and domains in focus, namely Italian streets and Dutch bathhouses, considerable thought had been put into reducing the health risks perceived as attending upon them, at times devising arguments and procedures that possibly refl ect insights from prevailing medical theories and the advice of practitioners. We suggest that the relation between medical learning and health practices was more complex than a trickledown process, and analyze them in the context of pre-modern “healthscaping”: a physical, social, legal, administrative, and political process by which urban individuals, groups, and especially governments sought to safeguard and improve collective wellbeing.En este artículo combinamos la perspectiva de la higiene urbana medieval con los hallazgos de los historiadores de la medicina y de la intelectualidad, analizando algunas de las formas con que los habitantes y los gobiernos urbanos medievales intentaron limitar las enfermedades y promover la salud mediante medidas preventivas. En las dos regiones que se toman en consideración (las calles italianas y los baños holandeses, se hizo un esfuerzo de reflexión considerable para reducir los riesgos de la salud, elaborando a veces argumentos y procedimientos que reflejaban las ideas de las teorías médicas imperantes y los consejos de los profesionales. Sugerimos que la relación entre el aprendizaje médico y las prácticas de salud era más compleja que un simple proceso de propagación, y la analizamos en el contexto de la preservación de la salud de carácter pre-moderno: un proceso físico, legal, administrativo y político mediante el cual individuos, grupos y, especialmente

  11. DNA and bone structure preservation in medieval human skeletons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coulson-Thomas, Yvette M; Norton, Andrew L; Coulson-Thomas, Vivien J; Florencio-Silva, Rinaldo; Ali, Nadir; Elmrghni, Samir; Gil, Cristiane D; Sasso, Gisela R S; Dixon, Ronald A; Nader, Helena B

    2015-06-01

    Morphological and ultrastructural data from archaeological human bones are scarce, particularly data that have been correlated with information on the preservation of molecules such as DNA. Here we examine the bone structure of macroscopically well-preserved medieval human skeletons by transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry, and the quantity and quality of DNA extracted from these skeletons. DNA technology has been increasingly used for analyzing physical evidence in archaeological forensics; however, the isolation of ancient DNA is difficult since it is highly degraded, extraction yields are low and the co-extraction of PCR inhibitors is a problem. We adapted and optimised a method that is frequently used for isolating DNA from modern samples, Chelex(®) 100 (Bio-Rad) extraction, for isolating DNA from archaeological human bones and teeth. The isolated DNA was analysed by real-time PCR using primers targeting the sex determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY) and STR typing using the AmpFlSTR(®) Identifiler PCR Amplification kit. Our results clearly show the preservation of bone matrix in medieval bones and the presence of intact osteocytes with well preserved encapsulated nuclei. In addition, we show how effective Chelex(®) 100 is for isolating ancient DNA from archaeological bones and teeth. This optimised method is suitable for STR typing using kits aimed specifically at degraded and difficult DNA templates since amplicons of up to 250bp were successfully amplified. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Das representações míticas à cultura clerical: as Fadas da Literatura Medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio P.V. Morás

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available O presente artigo estuda a permanência dos mitos celtas no folclore medieval e como seus temas e motivos são assimilados pela cultura clerical do século XII em diante. O principal propósito do mesmo é analisar a dimensão simbólica dos mitos celtas e o deslocamento de seu sentido original nos textos produzidos no meio cavaleiresco.The present article studies the constancy of the celtic myths in the medieval folklore and how its themes and motifs are assimilated for the clerical culture of the XIIth. century and forth. The principal purpose of this article is analyse the symbolical dimension of the celtic myths and the displacement of its original sense in the literary texts produced in the chivalrous environment.

  13. [An unexpected stage of alkalosis in the dynamics of the early posthemorrhagic period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beliaev, A V

    2000-01-01

    A study was made on acid-base metabolism in early posthemorrhagic period as exemplified by examination of patients presenting with gastrointestinal hemorrhage. It has been ascertained that hemorrhage is accompanied by a mixed variant of the acid-base state (ABS) deviation, namely metabolic lactate-acidosis and respiratory alkalosis. In the time-related course of posthemorrhagic period such deviations persist in patients with lethal outcome; with the disease running a favourable course the above deviations are found to return to normal quite soon. The development of complications leads to staging in ABC, its stages being as follows: stage I--the initial stage, stage II--persisting metabolic acidosis and respiratory alkalosis, stage III--alkalosis, stage IV--normalization, with stage III of ABS being encouraged by hypocapnia caused by function disorders of the lungs in early posthemorrhagic period, normalization of cell metabolism, increase in the rate of urination as a reflection of the third earlier identified stage of water metabolism, with the H+ excretion in the urine at the previous level. The identified ABS stage III threatens coming trouble, being accompanied by metabolic deviations together with a risk of function disorder of the myocardium.

  14. Changes in food processing and occlusal dental wear during the early agricultural period in northwest Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, James T

    2008-01-01

    Crown dimensions and occlusal surface wear rate and wear plane were evaluated using paired first and second mandibular molars from a sample of 84 Early Agricultural period (1600 B.C.-A.D. 200) skeletons from northwest Mexico. Although this period represents a major shift in subsistence strategies in the Sonoran Desert, from food-foraging to agriculture, archaeological and dental pathology studies have identified this period as one of relative dietary stability. It was therefore predicted that very little variation in occlusal wear would have occurred between the early phase (San Pedro: 1600-800 B.C.) and late phase (Cienega: 800 B.C.-A.D. 200). Comparison of crown diameters identified some phenotypic differences between sexes but not between archaeological phases. Molar occlusal surfaces were then divided into four quadrants, and wear scores recorded for each quadrant. Principle axis analysis was performed between total wear scores of paired, adjacent first and second mandibular molars to assess rate and occlusal wear plane over time. The analysis demonstrated that both wear rate and wear plane increased from the early to the late phase of the Early Agricultural period. These results indicate that although diet may have indeed remained stable during this period in the Sonoran Desert increases in the rate of wear and wear plane may reflect changes in food-processing techniques. It is suggested that more intensive processing of agricultural products during the Cienega phase simultaneously softened the diet to create more tooth-contact wear and introduced more grit to cause faster and more angled wear on the molar occlusal surfaces. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  15. Galeata: chronic migraine independently considered in a medieval headache classification

    OpenAIRE

    Guerrero-Peral, Ángel Luís; de Frutos González, Virginia; Pedraza-Hueso, María Isabel

    2014-01-01

    Background Chronic migraine is a quite recent concept. However, there are descriptions suggestive of episodic migraine since the beginning of scientific medicine. We aim to review main headache classifications during Classical antiquity and compared them with that proposed in the 11th century by Constantine the African in his Liber Pantegni, one of the most influential texts in medieval medicine. Method We have carried out a descriptive review of Henricum Petrum's Latin edition, year 1539. Re...

  16. Incidence of double ovulation during the early postpartum period in lactating dairy cows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusaka, Hiromi; Miura, Hiroshi; Kikuchi, Motohiro; Sakaguchi, Minoru

    2017-03-15

    In lactating cattle, the incidence of twin calving has many negative impacts on production and reproduction in dairy farming. In almost all cases, natural twinning in dairy cattle is the result of double ovulation. It has been suggested that the milk production level of cows influences the number of ovulatory follicles. The objective of the present study was to investigate the incidence of double ovulations during the early postpartum period in relation to the productive and reproductive performance of dairy cows. The ovaries of 43 Holstein cows (26 primiparous and 17 multiparous) were ultrasonographically scanned throughout the three postpartum ovulation sequences. The incidence of double ovulation in the unilateral ovaries was 66.7%, with a higher incidence in the right ovary than in the left, whereas that in bilateral ovaries was 33.3%. When double ovulations were counted dividing into each side ovary in which ovulations occurred, the total frequency of ovulations deviated from a 1:1 ratio (60.3% in the right side and 39.7% in the left side, P cows, double ovulation occurred more frequently than in primiparous cows (58.8% vs. 11.5% per cow and 30.0% vs. 3.8% per ovulation, respectively P cows, the double ovulators exhibited higher peak milk yield (P cows. Two multiparous cows that experienced double ovulation during the early postpartum period subsequently conceived twin fetuses. It can be speculated that the incidence of double ovulations during the early postpartum period partly contributes to the increased incidence of undesirable twin births in multiparous dairy cows. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. A medieval city within Assyrian walls: the continuity of the town of Arbil in Northern Mesopotamia

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nováček, K.; Amin, A.M.; Melčák, Miroslav

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 75, autumn (2013), s. 1-42 ISSN 0021-0889 Institutional support: RVO:68378009 Keywords : medieval Arbil * North Mesopotamia * topography * remote sensing * archeology Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

  18. Opisthorchiasis in infant remains from the medieval Zeleniy Yar burial ground of XII-XIII centuries AD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergey Mikhailovich Slepchenko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a paleoparasitological analysis of the medieval Zeleniy Yar burial ground of the XII-XII centuries AD located in the northern part of Western Siberia. Parasite eggs, identified as eggs of Opisthorchis felineus, were found in the samples from the pelvic area of a one year old infant buried at the site. Presence of these eggs in the soil samples from the infant’s abdomen suggests that he/she was infected with opisthorchiasis and imply consumption of undercooked fish. Ethnographic records collected among the population of the northern part of Western Siberia reveal numerous cases of feeding raw fish to their children. Zeleniy Yar case of opisthorchiasis suggests that this dietary custom has persisted from at least medieval times.

  19. Reconstructing the Middle Ages. Dirck van Bleyswijck’s Beschryvinge der stadt Delft and its uneasy relationship with the past

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcin Polkowski

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Dirck van Bleyswijck's Beschryvinge der stadt Delft presents an ambiguous and problematic attitude to the medieval history of Delft, which makes it interesting to scholars wishing to explore the perception of the Middle Ages as it crystallized during the early modern period. The aim of this contribution is to determine the intellectual origins of Van Bleyswijck's work as a historian in the context of his perception of the medieval past. The analysis of Van Bleyswijck's performance as a historian is based on a case study derived from the narrative: quotations from source texts and commentary about the life of the medieval Delft beguine Geertruyd van Oosten will be compared. Van Bleyswijck's representation of the Middle Ages was formed by a combination of humanist and proto-Enlightenment concepts, which entailed a critical reaction to forms of religious culture known to medieval society.

  20. Sugli studi medievali e il mutamento digitale On the medieval studies and the digital change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Redazione Reti Medievali (a cura di

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available

    La sezione raccoglie tre brevi comunicazioni, tenute nell’ambito del seminario Medium-Evo. Gli studi medievali e il mutamento digitale (Firenze, 2001 e dedicate rispettivamente ai periodici e alle forme di comunicazione del sapere (Giorgio Chittolini, al problema del reperimento delle risorse e della repertoriazione delle fonti (Paolo Delogu, ai contraccolpi dell’uso del mezzo informatico sulla scrittura della storia (Giuseppe Sergi.

    This section includes three short papers - presented at the seminar on Medium-Evo. Gli studi medievali e il mutamento digitale (Firenze, 2001 (Medium-Evo. Medieval studies and the digital change - which are respectively focused on periodicals, different types of learning communication (Giorgio Chittolini, problems linked to document searching and filing (Paolo Delogu, backlashes  coming from the use of computer in writing history (Giuseppe Sergi.

  1. Preliminary Investigations of The Bioarchaeology of Medieval Giecz (XI-XII C.: Examples of Trauma and Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnew Amanda M.

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Human skeletal remains from past populations are an invaluable source to objectively study biological history. The combined biological and cultural assessment of bioarchaeology offers a unique perspective on the adaptation of people to their environment. This study summarizes a portion of ongoing work to decipher trends related to health and lifestyle in early medieval (XI-XII c. Giecz, Poland. The skeletal assemblage from Giecz, the “Giecz Collection”, represents a community positioned at a major center of political, economic, and religious power during this important time in Polish history. Non-violent traumatic injuries were investigated to elucidate trends related to possible types and rigor of activities and linear femoral growth trends were analyzed to assess patterns of stress. Preliminary results suggest that all members of the community (men, women, and adolescents contributed to a lifestyle characterized by repetitive hard-work. Furthermore, it appears that most individuals suffered from health insults negatively affecting their development and perhaps their mortality.

  2. [Tooth macromorphological and ultrastructural analysis of osteological material from the medieval locality of St. Panteleimon Church in Nis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitić, Nadica; Mitić, Aleksandar; Mitić, Vladimir; Savić, Vojin; Nikolić, Marija

    2010-01-01

    Analysis of macromorphological and ultrastructural tooth characteristics of osteological material from the medieval site of St. Pantaleimon Church in Nis provides us with insight on the life, nutrition and habits of medieval population, as well as the structure and composition of their teeth. The aim of this research, based on the tooth inspection of skeletal remains from the medieval site of St. Pantaleimon Church in Nis, was to analyze macromorphological characteristics, ultrastructure of the dental tissue of maxillary and mandibular molars, canines and incisors, as well as their chemical composition. Macromorphological and ultrastructural analysis of the dental tissue of osteological material dating from the 12th century included 1312 teeth with advanced abrasion. Macromorphological changes were detected by using a dental mirror, probe and radiography. After irrigation, the teeth were prepared using the standard procedure and analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (JEOL-JSM-5300). Chemical analysis was done by expanded downscaling (EDS) method for Mg, P, Ca. The analysis detected second degree abrasions of all teeth in individuals aged 20-25 years. Third and fourth degree abrasions of teeth were detected in individuals aged over 40 years. Ultrastructural analysis showed a complete obliteration of dentin tubules and pulp of the lower incisors, the apposition of intratubular dentin inside the tubules, as well as extensive deformity and loss of dentin structure on molars with preserved pulp volume and nerve fiber calcification. The calcification of nerve fibers showed that the formation of intratubular dentin was proportional with the biological potential of pulp and the degree of abrasion, and inversely proportional with the size of dentin surface. Chemical analysis showed that in the analyzed teeth Ca composition was slightly lower than that in the control group, P composition was almost identical, while Mg composition was multiply increased in comparison to

  3. Law before Gratian

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This volume, the third in the series, contains the proceedings of the conference 'Law before Gratian' and covers a wide range of topics from individual and local studies to broader reflections on the status and function of law in medieval European societies before the scholastic legal 'revolution......' of the later twelfth century. Seeking to broaden our view of what constituted law in this period, the articles examine these earlier developments in their own right and provide new insights into the variety and complexity of early and high medieval approaches to law and jurisprudence. Contributors...

  4. Law before Gratian: Law in Western Europe c. 500-1100

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This volume, the third in the series, contains the proceedings of the conference 'Law before Gratian' and covers a wide range of topics from individual and local studies to broader reflections on the status and function of law in medieval European societies before the scholastic legal 'revolution......' of the later twelfth century. Seeking to broaden our view of what constituted law in this period, the articles examine these earlier developments in their own right and provide new insights into the variety and complexity of early and high medieval approaches to law and jurisprudence. Contributors...

  5. Man, nutrition and mobility: A comparison of teeth and bone from the Medieval era and the present from Pb and Sr isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aberg, G.; Stray, H.; Fosse, G.

    1998-01-01

    Naturally occurring isotopic systems, such as strontium (Sr) and lead (Pb), are very useful for characterizing different sources and to produce background information. Norwegian teeth from the Medieval era have 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios between 18.8 and 18.2, in comparison with present day ratios of between 18.0 and 17.6 showing the impact of Pb from modern industrialization and from traffic. Sr analyses of Medieval teeth show that an individual living in a coastal town on the west coast of Norway can easily be distinguished from one in a rural area at that time. The Sr signature shows that Medieval people lived on local products while present people to a greater degree live on imported or domestic industrially processed food. Medieval and modern teeth from one site give similar Pb signatures and concentrations indicating no increase in pollution over time. However, the impact of industrial pollution can be seen from Pb analyses on contemporary teeth, so that the method can be used to monitor emission of heavy metals from local industry. Whilst the Pb and Sr natural isotopic systems individually provide valuable information, a combination of the two techniques is a very powerful tool in environmental and archaeological research. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

  6. Early and late hot extremes, and elongation of the warm period over Greece

    Science.gov (United States)

    Founda, Dimitra; Giannakopoulos, Christos; Pierros, Fragiskos

    2017-04-01

    The eastern Mediterranean has been assigned as one of the most responsive areas in climate change, mainly with respect to the occurrence of warmer and drier conditions. In Greece in particular, observations suggest prominent increases in the summer air temperature which in some areas amount to approximately 1 0C/decade since the mid 1970s, while Regional Climate Models simulate further increases in the near and distant future. These changes are coupled with simultaneous increase in the occurrence of hot extremes. In addition to changes in the frequency and intensity of hot extrems, timing of occurrence is also of special interest. Early heat waves in particular, have been found to increase thermal risk in humans. The study explores variations and trends in timing, namely the date of first and last occurrence of hot extremes within the year, and subsequently the hot extremes period (season), defined as the time interval (number of days) between first and last hot extremes occurrence, over Greece. A case study for the area of Athens covering a longer than 100-years period (1897-2015) was conducted first, which will be extended to other Greek areas. Several heat related climatic indices were used, based either on predefined temperature thresholds such as 'tropical days' (daily maximum air temperature, Tmax >30 0C), 'tropical nights' (daily minimum air temperature, Tmin >20 0C), 'hot days' (Tmax >35 0C), or on local climate statistics such as days with Tmax (or Tmin) > 95th percentile. The analysis revealed significant changes in the period of hot extremes and specifically elongation of the period, attributed to early rather than late hot extremes occurrence. An earlier shift of the first tropical day and the first tropical night occurrence by approximately 2 days/decade was found over the study period. An overall elongation of the 'hot days' season by 2.6 days/decade was also observed, which is more prominent since the early 1980s. Over the last three decades, earlier

  7. A spectroscopic study of Brazilwood paints in medieval books of hours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melo, Maria João; Otero, Vanessa; Vitorino, Tatiana; Araújo, Rita; Muralha, Vânia S F; Lemos, Ana; Picollo, Marcello

    2014-01-01

    In this work, microspectrofluorimetry was for the first time applied to the identification of the red organic lakes that are characteristic of the lavish illuminations found in 15(th) century books of hours. Microspectrofluorimetry identified those red paints, ranging from opaque pink to dark red glazes, as brazilwood lakes. An unequivocal characterization was achieved by comparison with reference paints produced following recipes from the medieval treatise The Book on How to Make Colours, and was further confirmed by fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS). For these treasured cultural objects, microspectrofluorimetry and FORS proved to be the only techniques that could identify, in situ or in microsamples, the chromophore responsible for the pinkish hues: a brazilein-Al(3+) complex. Additionally, a multi-analytical approach provided a full characterization of the color paints, including pigments, additives, and binders. Microspectroscopic techniques, based on infrared and X-ray radiation, enabled us to disclose the full palette of these medieval manuscripts, including the elusive greens, for which, besides malachite, basic copper sulfates were found; Raman microscopy suggested a mixture of brochantite and langite. Infrared analysis proved invaluable for a full characterization of the additives that were applied as fillers or whites (chalk, gypsum, and white lead) as well as the proteinaceous and polysaccharide binders that were found pure or in mixture.

  8. Schedules for home visits in the early postpartum period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yonemoto, Naohiro; Dowswell, Therese; Nagai, Shuko; Mori, Rintaro

    2017-08-02

    Maternal complications including psychological and mental health problems and neonatal morbidity have been commonly observed in the postpartum period. Home visits by health professionals or lay supporters in the weeks following the birth may prevent health problems from becoming chronic with long-term effects on women, their babies, and their families. To assess outcomes for women and babies of different home-visiting schedules during the early postpartum period. The review focuses on the frequency of home visits, the duration (when visits ended) and intensity, and on different types of home-visiting interventions. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (28 January 2013) and reference lists of retrieved articles. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (including cluster-RCTs) comparing different types of home-visiting interventions enrolling participants in the early postpartum period (up to 42 days after birth). We excluded studies in which women were enrolled and received an intervention during the antenatal period (even if the intervention continued into the postnatal period) and studies recruiting only women from specific high-risk groups. (e.g. women with alcohol or drug problems). Study eligibility was assessed by at least two review authors. Data extraction and assessment of risk of bias were carried out independently by at least two review authors. Data were entered into Review Manager software. We included data from 12 randomised trials with data for more than 11,000 women. The trials were carried out in countries across the world, and in both high- and low-resource settings. In low-resource settings women receiving usual care may have received no additional postnatal care after early hospital discharge.The interventions and control conditions varied considerably across studies with trials focusing on three broad types of comparisons: schedules involving more versus fewer postnatal home visits (five studies), schedules

  9. El comercio de los esclavos musulmanes en el Portugal medieval : rutas y papel económico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    François Soyer

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Actualmente existen muy pocos estudios acerca de la esclavitud musulmana en Portugal. Cuando se trata el comercio de los esclavos en la historia portuguesa, generalmente los trabajos se refieren al comercio de los esclavos africanos que los navegantes portugueses comenzaron traer de vuelta a Europa desde el año 1441 en adelante, a pesar de que desde el siglo XI existía una pobulación de esclavos musulmanes —los llamados mouros cativos—. En este artículo propongo estudiar, de la forma la más detallada posible, las características y dinámicas del comercio de los esclavos musulmanes en el reino cristiano de Portugal durante la Edad Media, tratando de responder a preguntas relevantes, como las de cuál era el origen y el papel económico de los esclavos musulmanes en el Portugal medieval, qué sabemos del comercio de los esclavos en aquel reino, o a la cuestión de si Portugal fue un país exportador o importador de esclavos.Whilst the presence of Muslim slaves in medieval Spain has attracted considerable scholarly attention from historians both inside and outside of the Iberian Peninsula, the same cannot be said of the history of Muslim slaves in the medieval Christian kingdom of Portugal. Most studies of slavery in Portugal focus on captives from sub-Saharan Africa brought back by Portuguese slavers to Europe from 1441 onwards even though Muslim slaves were present in Portugal from the eleventh century at the very least. We know next-to-nothing about these Muslim slaves. This article proposes to examine in as much detail as possible the characteristics and dynamics of the commerce of Muslim slaves in medieval Portugal. It addresses problematic questions regarding the origins and economic role of Muslim slaves in premodern Portugal, the nature of slave trading and whether Portugal was an importer or exporter of slaves.

  10. The basis of the modern medical hygiene in the medieval Medical School of Salerno.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bifulco, Maurizio; Capunzo, Mario; Marasco, Magda; Pisanti, Simona

    2015-01-01

    The link between hygiene and the concept of transmission of infective diseases was established earlier than the birth of microbiology, thanks to the studies of two neglected physicians of maternity clinic, Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis and Oliver Holmes, in the mid-1800s. Surprisingly, centuries earlier, a medieval women physician, Trotula de Ruggiero, introduced for the first time the notion of diseases’ prevention, highlighting the importance of the association of personal hygiene, balanced nutrition and physical activity for better health. Moreover, she was particularly concerned of hands hygiene for the midwives during child birth, to preserve the good health of both the mother and the baby. She practiced inside the medieval Medical School of Salerno, whose main text, the “Regimen Sanitatis Salerni” has an entire part dedicated to hygiene, providing hygienic precepts that anticipate the concepts derived from the revolutionary discoveries in medical science only centuries later.

  11. Classification of medieval ceramics in the Rhineland and neighbouring areas by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mommsen, H.; Hein, A.

    1997-01-01

    Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is known to be well suited for provenance determinations of ceramics, since more than 25 minor and trace elements can be measured with precisions high enough to discriminate between different pottery production workshops. INAA-data are presented for more than 1500 shards, mostly wasters, produced in different places such as Brueggen/Elmpt, Brunssum/Schinveld, Frechen/Cologne, Hoehr-Grenzhausen, Mayen, Paffrath, Pingsdorf/Bruehl, Raeren and Siegburg, to name only the most important earthen and stoneware production centres of the Rhine area in medieval and post medieval times. It turned out, that the wares of these different centres, although by archeological criteria often very similar, can be clearly recognized by INAA. This large reference databank can now be used to determine export pieces from these centres and to trace trade relations in the Middle Ages. An examples of a provenance determination of questionable finds of Pingsdorf and Paffrath Ware from Emden is given. (author)

  12. X-ray fluorescence analysis of ancient and medieval brass artifacts from south Moravia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hlozek, M. [Methodical Centre of Conservation-Technical Museum in Brno, Purkynova 105, 612 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Komoroczy, B. [Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic, Kralovopolska 147, 612 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Trojek, T., E-mail: tomas.trojek@fjfi.cvut.cz [Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation, Czech Technical University in Prague, Brehova 7, 115 19 Praha 1 (Czech Republic)

    2012-07-15

    This paper deals with an investigation of archeological finds using X-ray fluorescence analysis and microanalysis. The main aim of the investigation was to prove the production of brass in the South Moravian Region (part of the Czech Republic) in former times. The probable brass production technology is described. Various objects dating back to Antiquity and to the Middle Ages were investigated using two X-ray fluorescence systems, and the results of the analyses are discussed. The measurements showed, e.g., that fragments of Roman scale armor and a belt fitting dating back to Antiquity were made of brass. Brass was also identified on the surfaces of various ancient and medieval molds and melting pots. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Semiquantitative X-ray fluorescence analysis of archeological finds. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two different gilding techniques of a brass belt terminal found in Brno. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Use of brass before the Great Moravian period. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Evidence of brass casting in the 12th century in Brno.

  13. Early Mongols – the Ethno-Political History to the 13th Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nenad Vidaković

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper examines the etnogenesis of the Mongol tribes from the period of the Rouran and Shiwei tribal alliances to the unification in the early 13th century under Genghis Khan’s leadership. The initial period of the ethnogenesis of medieval Mongols’ ancestors is associated with Rouran and Shiwei tribal alliances while news about them are written in Chinese dynastic chronicles. Within the Shiwei association there was the Mengwu tribe that inhabited forest expanses of north-western Manchuria, and the Argun river basin is considered to be the original homeland of the Mongols. The directions and time of migration processes which played an important role in the transformation of part of Mongol tribes from forest hunters to steppe nomads have been further investigated. The ethnic history of the Mongol tribes is closely associated with the Turkic and Tungus-Manchurian tribes. The Turkic tribes, that inhabited the steppes of Mongolia today, had a crucial importance in the development of Mongol nomadic tribes, while the Tungus-Manchu and northern Mongol tribes shared forest expanses of Manchuria and Trans-Baikal. The following text describes the events in the Turkic khaganates and kingdoms in the north of China, which influenced the historical development of the Mongol tribes. The period of the Qidan Liao dynasty (10th ‒ 12th century is of great importance because the core of the Mongol nomadic tribes was formed at that time in the northeastern Mongolia, that were gradually spreading over the steps to the west. During the Jurchen Jin dynasty (12th ‒ 13th century the importance of the Mongol tribes in the steppe increased. The attempts of political unification of the Mongols appeared during that period – for the first time in the mid-12th century, during the reign of Khabul Khan. The final part of the paper describes the struggle of Temujin (Temüjin, the future Genghis Khan, for the unification of the Mongol-Turkic tribes. After victory over

  14. Una mención medieval de los ispallenses de Plinto (Nh.III, 24

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Javier CABALLERO CASADO

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available RESUMEN: En este artículo se plantea la identidad de los ispallenses citados por Plinto (NH, III, 24 en la lista de pueblos pertenecientes al Convento Jurídico Cesaraugustano con el topónimo Spalanam, señalado como límite común de las diócesis de Osea y Caesaraugusta en la División de Wamba, documento medieval de principios del siglo XII.A partir de la relación entre ambos topónimos y el texto del triffinium de Fuentes de Ebro (Zaragoza, se realiza un ensayo de localization de los ispallenses plinianos.ABSTRACT: In this paper we propose the identity between the ispallenses mentioned by Pliny's Natural History (III, 24 and the place-name Spallanam, mentioned as common boundery between the bishoprics of Osea and Caesaraugusta in the book División de Wamba, a medieval document probably written at the beginning of 12th. Century From the relationship between this two place-names and the text conserved in Fuentes de Ebro's (Zaragoza triffinium, we try to situate those plinian's ispallenses.

  15. Exposition des ymages des figures qui sunt: discourses about images in Medieval Occident

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Cristina Correia Leandro Pereira

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Contrary to what indicates the famous – and questionable – formula "Bible des illetrés”, the medieval discourses on images went well beyond just highlighting its didactic function. In this article, we present a sample of this diversity, analyzing a number of medieval texts dealing with images, which we have divided into five broad categories (not mutually exclusive: on the contrary, sometimes complementary. The first and most numerous are the theoretical discourses on images involving theological questions. Then, still based on arguments of theological order, a second group corresponds to those texts that seek to intervene in the practice of images through normative propositions. As a result from the previous two types is the third group: the speeches dealing with the reception of images and the reactions they cause. A fourth group are the writings that mention the producers of images: both practical documents and those that express value judgments about their Works. And finally, there are texts that describe the images, both their iconographic content and their materiality.

  16. Combined GPR and ERT exploratory geophysical survey of the Medieval Village of Pancorbo Castle (Burgos, Spain)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Álvarez, José-Paulino; Rubio-Melendi, David; Quirós Castillo, Juan Antonio; González-Quirós, Andrés; Cimadevilla-Fuente, David

    2017-09-01

    Ground-penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) have been fruitfully employed for archaeological purposes. An area at the Pancorbo medieval site in Burgos (Spain) has been jointly explored by GPR and ERT in the search for the buried remains of the Pancorbo medieval village. After data collection, quality control and merging, a shallow depth of interest was identified and studied in detail. 3D resistivity simulation, considering sensible geometrical structures of the targets helped discover anomalies present in the area. On the other hand, visual GPR inspection was considerably enhanced by trace energy attribute analysis which provided a plan view of the existing anomalies. Two posterior archaeological excavations have a very good correlation between the identified anomalies and the excavated remains. The survey also provides hints for the continuation of the excavation.

  17. Interdisciplinary landscape research in a medieval mound in one of the oldest Dutch towns, Vlaardingen, the Netherlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Ridder, Tim; Kluiving, Sjoerd; van Dasselaar, Marcel

    2013-04-01

    In Medieval times the city of Vlaardingen (the Netherlands) was strategically located on the confluence of three rivers, the Meuse, the Merwede and the Vlaarding. A church of early 8th century was already located here. In a short period of time Vlaardingen developed into an international trading place, the most important place in the former county of Holland. Starting from the 11th century the river Meuse threatened to flood the settlement, and as a reaction to it inhabitants started to raise the surface. This resulted eventually in an enormous mound, surface: 200 by 250 meter, built up in a four to five meter thick sequence of clay and manure in which organic rests of former occupation are extremely well preserved, e.g. wooden posts, mesh walls, but also leather objects. Early 2002 graves were found in the city centre, dating 1000-1050, in which not only the wooden coffins, but also the straw that covered the deceased. In human teeth DNA appeared to be well preserved, classified as the oldest in the nation, turning the church hill into a large database of human DNA. To secure the future of this vulnerable soil archive currently an extensive interdisciplinary research (mechanical drilling, grain size, TGA, archeological remains, osteology, hydrology, dating methods, micromorphology, microfauna, molluscs, diatoms) has started in 2011 to gain knowledge on the internal structure of the mound as well as on the well-preserved nature of the archaeological evidence. In this presentation the results of this large-scale project are demonstrated in a number of cross-sections with interrelated geological and archaeological stratification. Results of GSA (including end-member analysis EMMA), TGA, XRF and micromorphology analyses are presented. Distinction between natural and anthropogenic layering is made on the occurrence of chemical elements phosphor and potassium. Results of this research are also applied in the construction of the 3D model of the subsurface (this session

  18. Location-based technology and game-based learning in secondary education: learning about medieval Amsterdam

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Admiraal, W.; Akkerman, S.; Huizenga, J.; van Zeijts, H.

    2009-01-01

    Mobile games in education are excellent ways to combine situated, active and constructive learning with fun. In the mobile city game Frequency 1550 teams -of four students each- step into the game's world. With help of the Internet, smart phones and GPS technology, Amsterdam changes into a medieval

  19. Universality of revealed Law and reflections on religions in Medieval Islamic philosophy: a few considerations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Barchiesi

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available By analysing some Medieval Islamic philosophical theories, this paper aims at investigating the approach adopted by authors such as Avicenna and Averroës in respect of religions different from those of origin (Judaism, Christianism, Zoroastrianism and Sabeism. Moreover, it reflects on the universality of Islamic religion. The author will examine these philosophers' thoughts on prophetic teaching, recalling the Platonic sources from which they were developed, she will motivate the relevance of such thoughts in political science and she will explain their purposes. Furthermore, through a comparison with several scholars who have focused on whether Islamic Law has a conventional or natural status, she will try to investigate the origins of this problem, by examining the universal message that those Islamic Medieval philosophers found in revealed Law and the reasons that led them to present it as addressed to the whole mankind.

  20. Medieval herbal iconography and lexicography of Cucumis (cucumber and melon, Cucurbitaceae) in the Occident, 1300-1458.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paris, Harry S; Janick, Jules; Daunay, Marie-Christine

    2011-09-01

    The genus Cucumis contains two species of important vegetable crops, C. sativus, cucumber, and C. melo, melon. Melon has iconographical and textual records from lands of the Mediterranean Basin dating back to antiquity, but cucumber does not. The goal of this study was to obtain an improved understanding of the history of these crops in the Occident. Medieval images purportedly of Cucumis were examined, their specific identity was determined and they were compared for originality, accuracy and the lexicography of their captions. The manuscripts having accurate, informative images are derived from Italy and France and were produced between 1300 and 1458. All have an illustration of cucumber but not all contain an image of melon. The cucumber fruits are green, unevenly cylindrical with an approx. 2:1 length-to-width ratio. Most of the images show the cucumbers marked by sparsely distributed, large dark dots, but images from northern France show them as having densely distributed, small black dots. The different size, colour and distribution reflect the different surface wartiness and spininess of modern American and French pickling cucumbers. The melon fruits are green, oval to serpentine, closely resembling the chate and snake vegetable melons, but not sweet melons. In nearly all manuscripts of Italian provenance, the cucumber image is labelled with the Latin caption citruli, or similar, plural diminuitive of citrus (citron, Citrus medica). However, in manuscripts of French provenance, the cucumber image is labelled cucumeres, which is derived from the classical Latin epithet cucumis for snake melon. The absence of melon in some manuscripts and the expropriation of the Latin cucumis/cucumer indicate replacement of vegetable melons by cucumbers during the medieval period in Europe. One image, from British Library ms. Sloane 4016, has a caption that allows tracing of the word 'gherkin' back to languages of the geographical nativity of C. sativus, the Indian

  1. PIXE and PGAA - Complementary methods for studies on ancient glass artefacts (from Byzantine, late medieval to modern Murano glass)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constantinescu, Bogdan; Cristea-Stan, Daniela; Szőkefalvi-Nagy, Zoltán; Kovács, Imre; Harsányi, Ildikó; Kasztovszky, Zsolt

    2018-02-01

    Combined external milli-beam Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) analysis was applied to characterize the composition of paste and colorants from some fragments of Byzantine bracelets (10th-12th Centuries AD), late medieval (17th-18th Centuries AD) and modern Murano glass pieces. As fluxes, PGAA revealed the samples are soda-lime glass, except four samples - two medieval vessel white shards and two dark Byzantine fragments of bracelets - which have potash flux. Aluminium was detected in various proportions in all samples indicating different sources for the added sand. The presence of Magnesium is relevant only in one bracelet fragment suggesting the use of plant (wood?) ash and confirming that the Byzantine bracelet is manufactured from the mixture of both types of glass (natron and plant ash based). PGAA also indicated the presence of low quantities of Cadmium, high level of Arsenic and Lead (possibly lead arsenate) in one medieval sample and of ZnO in Murano glass, and of CoO traces (maximum 0.1%) in all blue-colored Byzantine, late medieval to modern Murano glass artefacts. PIXE confirmed the use of small quantities of CoO for blue color, indicated Manganese combined with Iron for dark glass, Copper for green, Lead, Tin and an Arsenic compound (orpiment?) for yellow and in the case of modern Murano glass Selenium and Cadmium to obtain a reddish color. Despite PIXE - PIGE combination is probably the best one for glass analysis, our external milli-PIXE - PGAA methods proved to be adequate complementary tools to determine many chemical elements from glass composition - Si, Na, K, Ca, Al, Mg, various metallic oxides.

  2. Man, nutrition and mobility: A comparison of teeth and bone from the Medieval era and the present from Pb and Sr isotopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aberg, G.; Stray, H. [Institute for Energy Technology, Box 40, N-2007 Kjeller (Norway); Fosse, G. [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Bergen, N-5009 Bergen (Norway)

    1998-12-11

    Naturally occurring isotopic systems, such as strontium (Sr) and lead (Pb), are very useful for characterizing different sources and to produce background information. Norwegian teeth from the Medieval era have {sup 206}Pb/{sup 204}Pb ratios between 18.8 and 18.2, in comparison with present day ratios of between 18.0 and 17.6 showing the impact of Pb from modern industrialization and from traffic. Sr analyses of Medieval teeth show that an individual living in a coastal town on the west coast of Norway can easily be distinguished from one in a rural area at that time. The Sr signature shows that Medieval people lived on local products while present people to a greater degree live on imported or domestic industrially processed food. Medieval and modern teeth from one site give similar Pb signatures and concentrations indicating no increase in pollution over time. However, the impact of industrial pollution can be seen from Pb analyses on contemporary teeth, so that the method can be used to monitor emission of heavy metals from local industry. Whilst the Pb and Sr natural isotopic systems individually provide valuable information, a combination of the two techniques is a very powerful tool in environmental and archaeological research. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

  3. Impact of industrialization: comparative study of child health in four sites from medieval and postmedieval England (A.D. 850-1859).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Mary E

    2002-11-01

    The morbidity and mortality profiles of 831 non-adult skeletons from four contrasting sites in medieval and postmedieval England were compared to assess whether urbanization and later industrialization, had a detrimental effect on the health of the inhabitants. Failure in the population's ability to adapt to these environments should be evident in the higher rates of mortality, retarded growth, higher levels of stress, and a greater prevalence of metabolic and infectious disease in the urban groups. Non-adult skeletons were examined from Raunds Furnells in Northamptonshire, from St. Helen-on-the-Walls and Wharram Percy in Yorkshire, and from Christ Church Spitalfields in London. Results showed that a greater number of older children were being buried at the later medieval sites and that the skeletal growth profiles of the medieval urban and rural children did not differ significantly. A comparison of the growth profiles of St. Helen-on-the-Walls (urban) and Spitalfields (industrial) showed that the Spitalfields children were up to 3 cm shorter than their later medieval counterparts. At Spitalfields, cribra orbitalia and enamel hypoplasias occurred during the first 6 months of life, and 54% of the non-adults had evidence of metabolic disease. It is argued that differences in the morbidity and mortality of non-adults from urban and rural environments did exist in the past, but that it was industrialization that had the greatest impact on child health. Environmental conditions, urban employment, socioeconomic status, and changes in weaning ages and infant feeding practices contributed to differences in health in rural, urban, and industrial environments. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  4. Custodians of Sacred Space : Constructing the Franciscan Holy Land through texts and sacri monti (ca. 1480-1650)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ritsema van Eck, M.P.

    2017-01-01

    This dissertation investigates the construction of the Franciscan Holy Land as an ideological construct during the late medieval and early modern period. Based on an extensive corpus of texts, defined as Franciscan Holy Land writing, and a (re-)consideration of the sacri monti of Varallo and La

  5. Three individuals, three stories, three burials from medieval Trondheim, Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suppersberger Hamre, Stian; Ersland, Geir Atle; Daux, Valérie; Parson, Walther; Wilkinson, Caroline

    2017-01-01

    This article presents the life stories of three individuals who lived in Trondheim, Norway, during the 13th century. Based on skeletal examinations, facial reconstructions, genetic analyses, and stable oxygen isotope analyses, the birthplace, mobility, ancestry, pathology, and physical appearance of these people are presented. The stories are discussed within the relevant historical context. These three people would have been ordinary citizens, without any privileges out of the ordinary, which makes them quite rare in the academic literature. Through the study of individuals one gets a unique look into the Norwegian medieval society.

  6. Social Perception of Infertility and Its Treatment in Late Medieval Italy: Margherita Datini, an Italian Merchant’s Wife

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jong Kuk NAM

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Because the perception of infertility in medieval Europe ranged from the extremely religious view of it as a malediction of God or the devil’s work, to the reasonable medical conception of it as a sort of disease to treat, it is very difficult to determine the general attitudes of ordinary people towards infertility. This article seeks to elucidate the common social perception of infertility and its treatment in late medieval Europe by analyzing the case of Margherita Datini, an Italian merchant’s wife who lived in the 1400s. It relies heavily on the documents left by her and her husband, Francesco Datini; the couple left many records, including letters of correspondence between them. Margherita and those around her regarded infertility not as the devil’s curse or a punishment by God but as a disease that can be cured. Margherita and her husband, Francesco, tried hard to cure their infertility. They received treatment and prescriptions from several doctors while also relying on folk remedies, religious therapies, and even magical remedies. The comparative analysis of Datini documents, medical books, and theoretical treatises or prescriptive essays by clerics suggests that the general perception of infertility in medieval Europe was located between the extremely religious and modern medical conceptions of it.

  7. À la recherche de la senefiance… — Lecture intertextuelle des récits de rêve médiévaux // In search of the senefiance… — Intertextual study of dream scenes in medieval French texts

    OpenAIRE

    Linda Németh

    2015-01-01

    The modern reader cannot read and interpret a medieval text in the same way as the medieval reader because of remoteness in time, the distance between our cultural space and medieval cultural space. We should understand them in terms of their own context, treat all énoncés in their specific historical and socio-cultural contexts. Special attention must be paid to dream scenes in medieval French texts which are separate events from narrative structure. On the one hand, our study fo...

  8. Interaction of pulse laser radiation of 532 nm with model coloration layers for medieval stone artefacts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colson, J. [University of Vienna, Department of Physical Chemistry, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Nimmrichter, J. [Austrian Federal Office for the Care of Monuments, Department for Conservation and Restoration, Arsenal, Objekt 15, Tor 4, A-1030 Vienna (Austria); Kautek, W., E-mail: wolfgang.kautek@univie.ac.at [University of Vienna, Department of Physical Chemistry, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

    2014-05-01

    Multilayer polychrome coatings on medieval and Renaissance stone artefacts represent substantial challenges in laser cleaning. Therefore, polychromic models with classical pigments, minium (Pb{sub 2}{sup 2+}Pb{sup 4+}O{sub 4}), zinc white (ZnO), and lead white ((PbCO{sub 3}){sub 2}·Pb(OH){sub 2}) in an acrylic binder, were irradiated with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser emitting at 532 nm. The studied medieval pigments exhibit strongly varying incubation behaviours directly correlated to their band gap energies. Higher band gaps beyond the laser photon energy of 2.3 eV require more incubative generation of defects for resonant transitions. A matching of the modification thresholds after more than four laser pulses was observed. Laser cleaning with multiple pulsing should not exceed ca. 0.05 J/cm{sup 2} when these pigments coexist in close spatial proximity.

  9. «Las tres ilustres ordenes y religiosas cavallerias» Instituidas por los Reyes de Castilla y León: Santiago, Calatrava y Alcántara

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena POSTIGO CASTELLANOS

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available RESUMEN: Se examinan de manera resumida tres tipos de cuestiones referidas todas ellas a las órdenes castellanas de Santiago, Calatrava y Alcántara, en las épocas medieval y moderna (siglos XIl-XVIl. Se ocupa en primer lugar de dos momentos claves en la vida de estas instituciones: la fundación y principios y la incorporación de sus maestrazgos a la Corona de Castilla. Analiza igualmente la estructura institucional y la caracterización de estos corpora, así como la forma de gobierno a la que estuvieron sujetos. Finalmente, y también de manera esquemática, se revisa su misión fundacional y el papel que, de acuerdo a ella, se les asignó tanto en la época medieval como en la moderna.ABSTRACT: This article refers, briefly, to three types of questions concerning Castilian Military Orders: Santiago, Calatrava and Alcántara during Medieval and Early Modern periods (XII-XVII centuries. In first instance it deals with two basic moments in the life of these institutions: the foundation and the beginnings and the Incorporación de los Maestrazgos to the Castilian Crown. At the same time it analyses the institutional structure and the characterization of these corpora as well as the form of government they were submitted to. Finally, and also in a schematic way, its foundational mission is examined and the role they played according to this mission during the Medieval and Early Modern periods.

  10. Voyages of a successful text. The Dialogi of Gregory the Great in Medieval Sicily (XII-XIV Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rossana Barcellona

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available This essay reconstructs two “Sicilian chapters” of great success from the Dialogi by Gregorius Magnus which were enjoyed in the medieval era. These are the legend of Placido (Placido is a Benedict's young disciple mentioned in the Dialogi, which has Sicily as a background, as recounted by Pietro, Deacon of Montecassino between the XI and the XII centuries, and the Sicilian vulgarization of the work, carried out by Giovanni Campolo in the first half of the XIV century. The literary voyage of Placido and the work of Campolo are two excellent examples of the circulation and the fruition of an exemplary and authoritative text. Each highlights the complex intricacy of religion, culture and politics in the various systems of power and in the various historical settings that the medieval age explored.

  11. Two medieval swords from the regional museum in Jagodina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cvetković Branislav

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The author analyzes two medieval swords (one found near Kalenić monastery and one near the Ćuprija town from the funds of the Department of Archaeology in the Regional Museum in Jagodina. He presents arguments in opposition to the typological classification existent in scholarly literature of the first one, and concludes that the both specimens most probably originate from the same workshop, as were being stamped with identical maker-marks. In the end the author draws one’s attention to circumstances of the site find of the first sword, and also points towards possible directions of research of the sacred topography of the Kalenić monastery environs.

  12. Factors in Dry Period Associated with Intramammary Infection and Subsequent Clinical Mastitis in Early Postpartum Cows

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    Kansuda Leelahapongsathon

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine cow characteristics and farm management factors during the dry period associated with early postparturient intramammary infection (IMI and subsequent clinical mastitis (CM. Data were collected three times: before drying off (P1, during the dry period (P2, and 5 to 14 days after calving (P3, using questionnaires and farm investigation. Milk samples were aseptically collected for bacterial identification at P1 and P3. Factors associated with IMI and CM were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models. The final model showed that IMI in early postpartum was significantly associated with full insertion of dry cow antibiotic, dry cows in barns with a combination of tie and free stalls, body condition score (BCS in dry period and after calving, and milk yield before drying off. For IMI cows, factors significantly associated with clinical expression of mastitis were having daily barn cleaning, teat disinfected with alcohol before administration of dry cow therapy, BCS before drying off, milk yield before drying off, and days in milk at drying off. In conclusion, both cow and farm management factors are associated with the IMI rate and subsequent expression of clinical signs of mastitis in early postpartum cows.

  13. Support for global climate reorganization during the ''Medieval Climate Anomaly''

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Graham, N.E. [Hydrologic Research Center, San Diego, CA (United States); Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA (United States); Ammann, C.M. [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Fleitmann, D. [University of Bern, Institute of Geological Sciences, Bern (Switzerland); University of Bern, Oeschger Centre for Climatic Change Research, Bern (Switzerland); Cobb, K.M. [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Luterbacher, J. [Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen (Germany)

    2011-09-15

    Widely distributed proxy records indicate that the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA; {proportional_to}900-1350 AD) was characterized by coherent shifts in large-scale Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation patterns. Although cooler sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific can explain some aspects of medieval circulation changes, they are not sufficient to account for other notable features, including widespread aridity through the Eurasian sub-tropics, stronger winter westerlies across the North Atlantic and Western Europe, and shifts in monsoon rainfall patterns across Africa and South Asia. We present results from a full-physics coupled climate model showing that a slight warming of the tropical Indian and western Pacific Oceans relative to the other tropical ocean basins can induce a broad range of the medieval circulation and climate changes indicated by proxy data, including many of those not explained by a cooler tropical Pacific alone. Important aspects of the results resemble those from previous simulations examining the climatic response to the rapid Indian Ocean warming during the late twentieth century, and to results from climate warming simulations - especially in indicating an expansion of the Northern Hemisphere Hadley circulation. Notably, the pattern of tropical Indo-Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) change responsible for producing the proxy-model similarity in our results agrees well with MCA-LIA SST differences obtained in a recent proxy-based climate field reconstruction. Though much remains unclear, our results indicate that the MCA was characterized by an enhanced zonal Indo-Pacific SST gradient with resulting changes in Northern Hemisphere tropical and extra-tropical circulation patterns and hydroclimate regimes, linkages that may explain the coherent regional climate shifts indicated by proxy records from across the planet. The findings provide new perspectives on the nature and possible causes of the MCA

  14. La imagen del judío en la España medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Cantera Montenegro

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Desde fechas tempranas de la Edad Media fue configurándose y difundiéndose una imagen peyorativa de los judíos, expresión de la profunda antipatía que hacia ellos sentía la población mayoritaria cristiana. La imagen del judío medieval, que fue conformada a lo largo de los siglos por los derechos civil y canónico, consiste en un estereotipo, con rasgos muy semejantes entre los diferentes ámbitos geo-históricos del Occidente europeo. Lejos de ser un reflejo fiel de la realidad, guarda una estrecha relación con el lugar que la minoría hebrea ocupaba en la conciencia colectiva cristiana medieval: de este modo, pese a que los judíos constituían un grupo heterogéneo desde los más diversos puntos de vista socio-económico, religioso o cultural, aparecían homogeneizados a través de diversos rasgos que el subconsciente de la población mayoritaria convertía en universales. Entre los rasgos que identificaban hacia el exterior a la minoría hebrea se escogían los más llamativos: determinados rasgos físicos y del carácter; el uso de ciertas prendas de vestir; el ejercicio de algunas actividades profesionales, principalmente el préstamo con interés, y la posesión de enormes riquezas; o la práctica de ciertos crímenes rituales. Esta homogeneización del grupo actuaba como un auténtico estigma, y explica en buena medida la actitud hostil hacia la minoría hebrea, tanto desde un punto de vista teórico como en la práctica. En este trabajo se analizan los distintos argumentos que conformaron la imagen del judío medieval, a su vez generadores de odio hacia la población hebrea y legitimadores de las actitudes hostiles de la población mayoritaria.Since the early beginning of the Middie Ages, the jewish bad image spread among the christian - majority population as an expression of a deep feeling of rejection towards them. The middie ages jewish image is a result of the influence of the civil and religious laws through centuries and

  15. Archaeometric investigation of medieval Bulgarian glasses and sgraffito ceramics by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dzhingova, R.; Kulev, I.

    1985-01-01

    Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to determine the content of Au, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cl, Cr, Co, Cs, Cu, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Rb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, Sb, V and Yb in glass samples excavated from medieval glassworkshops in Pliska and Preslav and in 20 glass finds from Preslav. Sgraffito ceramic samples excavated in Veliko Tarnovo were also analysed and the elements Al, As, Au, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Si, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V and Yb were determined. In order to localize the production site of the archaeological finds, the results from the analysis were subjected to cluster analysis, and stepwise discriminant analysis using the program package BMDP. A variety of the production of the medieval glass workshop in Preslav was identified and evaluated. It was proved that a part of the sgraffito ceramics samples have been produced in one and the same place and that the chemical composition might be successfully used to differentiate between the production of two workshops

  16. Evidence of skeletal treponematosis from the medieval burial ground of St. Mary Spital, London, and implications for the origins of the disease in Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Don; Powers, Natasha; Connell, Brian; Redfern, Rebecca

    2015-01-01

    Treponematosis is a syndrome of chronic infectious diseases. There has been much debate on its origins and spread, particularly with regard to venereal syphilis, an unsightly and debilitating disease in preantibiotic populations. The osteological analysis of 5,387 individuals excavated by Museum of London Archaeology from the medieval burial ground of St. Mary Spital in London (dated c 1120-1539) provided an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the nature and prevalence of disease over a period of time. Twenty-five individuals were found with suspected treponematosis, originating from all but the earliest period of the burial ground. Descriptions of affected individuals from each period, together with supporting images, are provided. In this work, particular emphasis was given to the distribution of lesions on the skeleton and the variation in patterns by sex and over time. Little change was observed in the distribution of bony change between individuals dated to pre- and post-Columbian periods. However, a dramatic rise in the prevalence of the disease in the final period (c 1400-1539) may reflect documentary reports of a European epidemic from the late 15th century. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The history of the calculus and its conceptual development

    CERN Document Server

    Boyer, Carl B

    1959-01-01

    Fluent description of the development of both the integral and differential calculus. Early beginnings in antiquity, medieval contributions, and a century of anticipation lead up to a consideration of Newton and Leibniz, the period of indecison that followed them, and the final rigorous formulation that we know today.

  18. Karg S., D.E. Robinson (2002): Secondary food plants from medieval sites in Denmark: fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices. In: K. Viklund, R. Engelmark (eds.) Nordic Archaeobotany-NAG 2000 in Umeå.

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karg, Sabine

    2002-01-01

    Secondary food plants from medieval sites in Denmark: fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices.......Secondary food plants from medieval sites in Denmark: fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices....

  19. From Egypt to Umbria: Jewish Women and Property in the Medieval Mediterranean

    OpenAIRE

    Frank, Karen A

    2010-01-01

    This article compares the financial activities of medieval Jewish women in Italy and the Mediterranean. Contrary to Jewish legal tradition, which curtailed women’s financial autonomy, by the later Middle Ages communities across the region increasingly allowed women to manage their own dotal property, inherit property from a variety of sources, and engage in loan banking. An examination of the historical developments of some Jewish communities in Egypt, Spain, and central Italy suggests that t...

  20. Finger of a saint, thumb of a priest: medieval relics in the Diocese of Turku, and the archaeology of lived bodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Visa Immonen

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The relics of Turku Cathedral are remains belonging to the bodies of holy persons, different from ours, even today, although the cathedral is the see for the archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and relics are not on public display. Among the relics of the cathedral, there is a fragment of a radius, which according to its authentica, belongs to St Henry. Relics and reliquaries were in the core of medieval piety, and the cult of saints had infused throughout the society. Due to their central position in culture, relics offer glimpses at a range of material, social and cultural phenomena related to medieval embodiment.The Department of Archaeology at the University of Turku began to study the finger relic of St Eric and other items in the assemblage of Turku Cathedral in 2007. Relics and reliquaries are being opened and documented and organic as well as inorganic samples are being taken for a range of scientific analyses. So far the project has concentrated on building a chronological chart of individual artefacts. The majority of the relics date to the fourteenth century, although much more recent datings have also been obtained. The challenge of the project is not to stop when a better understanding of materials, their origins and age has been accomplished, but to use the results as a steppingstone into a study of the practices of medieval relic veneration. Medieval bodies and those material processes which authenticate relics, or distinguish saints’ bodies from other human remains, are thus at the heart of this article discussing embodiment.

  1. Aristotle's carp as Claretus' bird comor? Tracing the origin of one medieval term

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šedinová, Hana

    -, č. 2 (2016), s. 111-123 ISSN 0567-8269 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LD13043 Institutional support: RVO:67985955 Keywords : ancient and medieval zoology * Latin lexicography * Aristoteles * Aristoteles Latinus * Michael Scotus * Thomas of Cantimpré * Claretus * carp * komor * comor Subject RIV: AI - Linguistics http://www.karolinum.cz/ink2_stat/index.jsp?include=AUC_clanek&id=2668&casopis=94&zalozka=0&predkl=0

  2. Arqueología Medieval en Guipúzcoa. Estado actual y perspectivas de futuro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Mercedes Urteaga Artigas

    1990-01-01

    Full Text Available La Arqueología Medieval en Guipúzcoa tiene una larga trayectoria. Iniciada a principios de siglo, las actuaciones se han sucedido hasta el presente, de manera intermitente. En la actualidad presenta una evolución acelerada, ligada, sobre todo, a las intervenciones de salvamento. El futuro de la misma, parece especialmente vinculado a este tipo de actuaciones arqueológicas.

  3. Raman microscopy and x-ray fluorescence analysis of pigments on medieval and Renaissance Italian manuscript cuttings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgio, Lucia; Clark, Robin J H; Hark, Richard R

    2010-03-30

    Italian medieval and Renaissance manuscript cuttings and miniatures from the Victoria and Albert Museum were analyzed by Raman microscopy to compile a database of pigments used in different periods and different Italian regions. The palette identified in most manuscripts and cuttings was found to include lead white, gypsum, azurite, lazurite, indigo, malachite, vermilion, red lead, lead tin yellow (I), goethite, carbon, and iron gall ink. A few of the miniatures, such as the historiated capital "M" painted by Gerolamo da Cremona and the Petrarca manuscript by Bartolomeo Sanvito, are of exceptional quality and were analyzed extensively; some contained unusual materials. The widespread usage of iron oxides such as goethite and hematite as minor components of mixtures with azurite is particularly notable. The use of a needle-shaped form of iron gall ink as a pigment rather than a writing material was established by both Raman microscopy and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for the Madonna and Child by Franco de' Russi.

  4. Anthropological research on the urban population inhabiting the city of Iaşi during the medieval period. The 17th century necropolis located on the eastern side of ’’Curtea Domneasca’’

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasilica-Monica Groza

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available This article contains anthropological data regarding a series of 111 human skeletons (discovered in 60 inhumation tombs unearthed from the medieval necropolis (17th century located on the eastern side of ’’Curtea Domnească’’ of Iaşi. By analysing each skeleton according to the methodology used in paleoanthropological research, we distinguished a set of biometric and morphological features which signalized in the end the common anthropological features of the group inhumed in this medieval necropolis. We point out that the anthropological research conducted upon 96 adult skeletons (70 males and 26 females indicates, on average, a population of over-medium height in the case of males and tall in the case of females, with a wide, high and moderately long neurocranium, a brachycephalic cranial index, hypsicranic and metriocranic skullcap, oval metriometope forehead, with intermediate crests and medium-sized occipital bone. The faces are mesoprosope and mesene with mesoconch orbits and mesorrhine noses. The mandibular robustness is moderate in the case of males and reduced in the case of females, while the shaping of the cranial bone is more accentuated at the former. Analyzing the main biometric and morphological indicators, we established that the primary background for this population group can be defined as dinarico-mediteranido, with secondary Alpinoid, Nordoid and East-Europoid influences.

  5. Acerca de la evolución semántica de los adjetivos relacionales en español medieval y clásico

    OpenAIRE

    Serradilla Castaño, Ana

    2010-01-01

    En este artículo se analiza la evolución semántica que sufren algunos adjetivos relacionales en español medieval y, sobre todo, en español clásico. Se trata de adjetivos como ageno, carnal, divino, mortal, criminal…, que en la época medieval funcionan como relacionales con el valor de ‘relativo a’ ‘perteneciente a’, ‘procedente de’, etc., independientemente del contexto sintáctico en que se encuentren: anteposición, posposición, construcciones superlativas… Frente a esta situación, a part...

  6. 'Fro Paris to Inglond'? The danse macabre in text and image in late-medieval England

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oosterwijk, Sophia

    2009-01-01

    This thesis examines the character, spread, development and influence of the Dance of Death or danse macabre theme in late-medieval England within its literary, socio- and art-historical context. It traces the origins of the theme and, following the deaths in 1422 of the English king Henry V and

  7. Druids, deer and ‘words of power’: coming to terms with evil in medieval Ireland

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Borsje, J.; van Doorn-Harder, N.; Minnema, L.

    2008-01-01

    This contribution describes what is understood by evil, as perceived within Irish medieval texts, both by the authors and by the groups described in the texts. It attempts to include the points of view of possible audiences or readers of the texts as well. The definition of evil employed here thus

  8. Vanuatu mortuary practices over three millenia : Lapita to early European contact period

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valentin, F.; Spriggs, M.; Bedford, S.; Buckley, H.

    2011-01-01

    New discoveries and previously-unpublished data on burials from south, central, and north Vanuatu are reviewed in this paper, offering a synthesis of mortuary practices over three millennia, from Lapita to the early European contact period. Relying on five attributes describing the practices and behaviours (body and bone treatment, position and orientation of the body, ornaments and associated artefacts, and use of single or multiple burial), the analysis emphasizes two major episodes of structural changes in the overall funerary system following initial settlement of Vanuatu. The first occurred towards the end of the Lapita period and the second is indicated by the distinctiveness of the second millennium AD burials. A possible interpretation of these changes, following the lines of Thomas's 'genealogical approach' (2001) is proposed. (author). 70 refs., 5 figs.

  9. Application of geographic information systems to investigating associations between social status and burial location in medieval Trino Vercellese (Piedmont, Italy).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Marissa C; Vercellotti, Giuseppe

    2017-09-01

    Socioeconomic status differences in skeletal populations are often inferred from skeletal indicators of stress and burial location. However, to date, the association between osteometric parameters and spatial location in relation to socioeconomic status in medieval Italy has not been explicitly tested. This study examined the spatial distribution of osteometric data in the medieval (8th-13th c.) cemetery of San Michele di Trino (Trino Vercellese, VC, Italy) to determine whether skeletal correlates of socioeconomic status correspond with privileged burial locations. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that greater growth outcomes are associated with privileged burials located inside the church by examining osteometric data (femoral bicondylar length [N = 74], maximum tibial length [N = 62], and the sum of the two measurements [N = 59]) in a geographic information system (GIS) of the cemetery. Getis-Ord G Hot Spot analysis identified significant (90% CI) spatial clustering of high osteometric values within the church, while low values clustered in areas of the cemetery farther from the church. These results, supported by the results of interpolation analyses, became more pronounced when z-scores were calculated to combine the male and female samples and the analyses were repeated. Overall, the findings corroborate the observation that the spatial distribution of osteometric data reflects socioeconomic status differences within the population. This research exemplifies the advantages of integrating bioarchaeology and spatial analysis to examine mortuary behavior and health outcomes in highly stratified societies where access to resources is demarcated in both life and in death. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Medieval capital markets. Markets for renten between state formation and private investment in Holland (1300-1550)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuijderduijn, C.J.

    2007-01-01

    The book is structured as follows. Chapter 1 introduces medieval Holland as a significant entity for institutional-economic development by discussing how the state created a county wide societal structure. As a proto-territorial state Holland had a uniform judiciary, a government apparatus that gave

  11. Studies on tofts, peasants and hierarchies in medieval rural Denmark - some comments from an archaeological perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristiansen, Mette Svart

    2013-01-01

    A classical starting point for an archaeological discussion of hierarchy in Danish settlement research is the toft, particularly its size and position in the spatial arrangement of the medieval village. The main concern of this article is to identify and discuss related problems, in particular...

  12. Maternal Alcohol Consumption During the Perinatal and Early Parenting Period: A Longitudinal Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Weiwei; Mumford, Elizabeth A; Petras, Hanno

    2016-02-01

    Despite potential health risks for women and children, one in five women report alcohol use during pregnancy and a significant proportion of those who quit during pregnancy return to drinking post-delivery. This study seeks to understand the longitudinal patterns of alcohol consumption before, during pregnancy and post-delivery, and the role of maternal characteristics for purposes of informing prevention design. General growth mixture models were used to describe the average developmental patterns of maternal weekly drinking quantity at six time points, from preconception through child entering kindergarten, as well as heterogeneity in these patterns among 9100 mothers from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study representing the 2001 US national birth cohort. Four distinct classes of mothers were defined by their longitudinal alcohol consumption patterns: Low Probability Drinkers (50.3 %), Escalating Risk Drinkers (12.0 %), Escalating Low Risk Drinkers (27.4 %), and Early Parenting Quitters (10.2 %). Heterogeneous covariate associations were observed. For example, mothers who gave birth after age 36 were twice as likely to be Escalating Risk Drinkers and Escalating Low Risk Drinkers (vs Low Probability Drinkers), but not more likely to be Early Parenting Quitters, when compared to mothers who gave birth between the ages of 26 and 35. There is significant heterogeneity in maternal longitudinal alcohol use patterns during the perinatal period. Baseline maternal characteristics and behavior associated with these heterogeneous patterns provide valuable tools to identify potential risky drinkers during this critical time period and may be synthesized to tailor pre- and postnatal clinical counseling protocols.

  13. Investigation of Maternal-Infant Attachment In The Early Postpartum Period With Evidence Based Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asli Gulesen

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Healthy attachment is a key concept in creating a positive environment for the development of the infant after birth. The earlier and the healthier the mother creates a communication and interaction with her baby, a stronger maternal-infant attachment will be developed. The time period immediately after birth is the most convenient time for the initiation of positive mother-infant relationship as it is the most intense period of attachment. The aim of this article was to define mother-infant attachment and to examine the evidence-based practices for midwives and nurses who play a role in the development of this attachment in the early postpartum period. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2013; 12(2.000: 177-182

  14. The wine trade, piracy and maritime contract law in late medieval Southampton

    OpenAIRE

    Pamuk, Fatih

    2014-01-01

    Ankara : The Department of History, İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University, 2014. Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 2014. Includes bibliographical references leaves 102-105. In late medieval Southampton, wine was a commodity, which was extensively traded, and quite precious to the pirates of the English Channel because it was easy to sell and the vessels loaded with wine had less protection than the ships of precious metals. Therefore, increase of wine trade in the late m...

  15. Post-Mortem Projections: Medieval Mystical Resurrection and the Return of Tupac Shakur

    OpenAIRE

    Spencer-Hall, A.

    2012-01-01

    Medieval hagiographies abound with tales of post-mortem visits and miracles by saints. The saint was a powerful religious individual both in life and in death, a conduit of divine grace and lightning rod for Christian fervour. With her post-mortem presence, the presumptive boundary between living and dead, spirit and flesh, is rent apart: showing the reality of the hereafter and shattering the fantasies of the mortal world. The phenomenon of a glorified individual returning to ...

  16. Physical education of the medieval knight La educación física del caballero medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Buenaventura DELGADO

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The medieval knight was required to perform the same physical exercices and have the same capabilities as Spartan, Athenian and Roman soldiers. They had to be agile, strong, fast and able to use weapons on foot as on horseback. To be pysically fit was as important as knowing history as explained by tutors and sung by jugglers in moments of leisure during which they learnt of legends, nationals heroes and the paradigms that distinguish nations. All the heroes praised through generations provide models shaped the collective personality of entire peoples. San Isidoro de Sevilla, Ramón Llull, King Alfonso X the Wise and Don Juan Manuel were the principal writers to exalt the figure of the knight and his education. During the XII, XIII, XIV and XV centuries and including the Renaissance, there were exhibitions of physical games, during which knights sought fame and fortune: jousts, tournaments, staged games, games using canes and processions of arms called «pasos honrosos» were undertaken with popular enthusiasm in Western and central Europe in the Byzantine Empire and throughout the Moslem world.Los ejercicios y habilidades físicas exigidos al caballero medieval fueron semejantes a los que se pedían al militar espartano, ateniense y romano. Debían ser ágiles, fuertes, rápidos y diestros en el manejo de las armas a pie y a caballo. Tan importante como una buena forma física era conocer la Historia cantada por ayos y juglares en los momentos de ocio, a través de la cual se familiarizaban con las tradiciones, leyendas, héroes nacionales y los paradigmas que distinguían a un pueblo de otro. El abanico de héroes alabados y ensalzados de generación en generación eran otros tantos modelos destinados a troquelar la personalidad colectiva de cada pueblo. San Isidoro de Sevilla, Ramón Llull, el rey Alfonso X el Sabio y Don Juan Manuel son los principales escritores interesados en ensalzar la figura del caballero y su educación. En los siglos

  17. Making computers noble. An experiment in automatic analysis of medieval texts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Colli

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available L’analisi informatica di testi filosofici, la creazione di database, ipertesti o edizioni elettroniche non costituiscono più unicamente una ricerca di frontiera, ma sono da molti anni una risorsa preziosa per gli studi umanistici. Ora, non si tratta di richiedere alle macchine un ulteriore sforzo per comprendere il linguaggio umano, quanto piuttosto di perfezionare gli strumenti affinché esse possano essere a tutti gli effetti collaboratori di ricerca. Questo articolo è concepito come il resoconto di un esperimento finalizzato a documentare come le associazioni lessicali di un gruppo selezionato di testi medievali possa offrire qualche suggerimento in merito ai loro contenuti teorici. Computer analysis of texts, creation of databases hypertexts and digital editions are not the final frontier of research anymore. Quite the contrary, from many years they have been representing a significant contribution to medieval studies. Therefore, we do not mean to make the computer able to grasp the meaning of human language and penetrate its secrets, but rather we aim at improving their tools, so that they will become an even more efficient equipment employed in research activities. This paper is thought as a sort of technical report with the proposed task to verify if an automatic identification of some word associations within a selected groups of medieval writings produces suggestions on the subject of the processed texts, able to be used in a theoretical inquiry.

  18. Finding the Sacred Direction: Medieval Books on the Qibla

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rius, M.

    2009-08-01

    Medieval Islamic scholars wrote a great number of books on the qibla, the Sacred Direction. These books had a huge readership and provided instructions for finding the direction of Mecca by either exact or approximate means. In principle, the qibla was a purely religious subject, but in practice its determination required the use of astronomy as an applied science. As so often, religion and politics had many points of contact and, in this case, it was generally political considerations that prevailed. Finally, the analysis of nautical charts can offer new perspectives. As yet, modern scholarship has not established the link between this area of study and the classical literature on this subject.

  19. Comparing Early Postoperative Period Analgesic Effect of Dexketoprofene Trometamol and Lornoxicam in Mediastinoscopy Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sagiroglu, Gonul

    2011-01-01

    Objective: In this study, we aimed comparing early postoperative period analgesic effectiveness and the effects on opioid consumption of intravenous dexketoprofen and lornoxicam that are given preemptively. Materials and Methods: Forty patients, planned elective mediastinoscopy, were included in this prospective randomized study. These patients were classified in two groups, group D for dexketoprofene trometamol and group L for lornoxicam, randomly. 20 minutes before the operation 50 mg dexketoprofene trometamol and 8 mg lornoxicam were injected intravenously for group D and group L respectively. In postoperative intensive care unit, pain scores, mean arterial pressures, heart rates and peripheric O2 saturations of patients were recorded at 0, 10, 20, 60, 90 and 120th minutes. Results: When we evaluate the VAS score of the groups, there was a significant decrease in group D in all measured timesstatistically compairing to group L (p0.05). Conclusion: Since intravenous dexketoprofen, applied preemptively, has more potent analgesic effect and causing less opioid consumption in early postoperative period, is better than intravenous lornoxicam. PMID:25610155

  20. Isidoro de Sevilla: el banco de datos medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Américo Abad

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available San Isidoro de Sevilla, el Doctor egregius de Ios siglos VI y VII, constituye una referencia medieval de suma importancia y en varios aspectos. Su obra enciclopédica, su pensamiento jurídico y filosófico, su conducción de los asuntos políticos, su apología de la iglesia como institución ecuménica, cuando apenas se dibujaban los primeros rasgos -impalpables casi - de la sociedad civil y del estado y la organizacJón del saber y del conocimiento llegados a su tiempo.Contenido: Presentación. El proyecto enciclopédico. Universo y sistema. Etimologías y otros textos. La ley y el gobierno. La filosofía. Comunidad y comunidades. Consideraciones finales

  1. La sciencia theorica speculativa en la construcción gótica. El promotor eclesiástico de la catedral medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lluis i Ginovart, Josep

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The construction of Gothic cathedrals can be seen as a transfer of knowledge between ecclesiastical figures the bishop and Chapter, and medieval architect. The beauty of the cathedral depended on the practica of medieval mason, versus the teorica of the church promoter. An example of this is the example of mainstreaming, the one of the construction of the Cathedral of Tortosa. Metrology and proportion of the architecture of the cathedral, derived directly from the philosophical sources of the Gothic order. The main authors of reference are identified in the chapter library; Augustine ACTo 20, Calcidius and Capella ACTo nº 80, Macrobius ACTo 236. This has allowed us to establish contact points between knowledge of the promoter and the gothic builder.La construcción de las catedrales góticas puede considerarse como un trasvase de conocimiento entre las figuras eclesiásticas del obispo y Capítulo, y el arquitecto medieval. La belleza de la catedral dependía de la practica del constructor medieval, y de la teorica de sus promotores. Una muestra de esta transversalidad es el ejemplo de la construcción de la catedral de Tortosa. La metrología y la proporción de la arquitectura de la catedral, emanan directamente de las fuentes filosóficas del orden gótico. Los principales autores de referencia están identificados en su biblioteca capitular: San Agustín (ACTo 20, Calcidio y Capella (ACTo nº 80 y Macrobio (ACTo 236. Esta circunstancia ha permitido establecer unos puntos de contacto entre los saberes del promotor y del constructor góticos.

  2. Does the Length of Fielding Period Matter? Examining Response Scores of Early Versus Late Responders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigman Richard

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the potential effects of a shortened fielding period on an employee survey’s item and index scores and respondent demographics. Using data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s 2011 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, we investigate whether early responding employees differ from later responding employees. Specifically, we examine differences in item and index scores related to employee engagement and global satisfaction. Our findings show that early responders tend to be less positive, even after adjusting their weights for nonresponse. Agencies vary in their prevalence of late responders, and score differences become magnified as this proportion increases. We also examine the extent to which early versus late responders differ on demographic characteristics such as grade level, supervisory status, gender, tenure with agency, and intention to leave, noting that nonminorities and females are the two demographic characteristics most associated with responding early.

  3. Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration in First-Time Mothers: Exploring the Impact of Father Involvement in the Early Post-Partum Period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theresa Hunter

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: The early post-partum period is a crucial time for breastfeeding support. Mothers who have physical and emotional support during this period are more likely to be successful in breastfeeding. This study examined the relationship between father involvement and support for breast feeding initiation and duration in first-time mothers. Methods: Overall, 146 women who attended a childbirth education class or breastfeeding course at BABS were asked to fill out the Childbirth Experiences Survey, which explored key topics such as (1 breastfeeding initiation, (2 early post-partum breastfeeding, (3 breastfeeding plan, (4 post-partum breastfeeding support and (5 breast feeding duration. This was a voluntary self-reported questionnaire. The surveys were completed by the mothers during the post-partum period. Results: 45.9% (n=67 of mothers received helped from their husband or partner with breastfeeding while in the hospital, while 54.1% (n=79 of mothers did not receive support from their partners. Mothers who received early post-partum breastfeeding support were more likely to continue breastfeeding after leaving the hospital. Conclusion: First-time mothers who identified as having breastfeeding support from their partners, the infant’s father, during the early post-partum period were more likely to initiate breastfeeding and had longer breastfeeding durations.

  4. Relevance of medieval, Egyptian and American dates to the study of climatic and radiocarbon variability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berger, R.

    1990-01-01

    Basic radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology have been combined to yield calibrated dates that are more accurate than conventional radiocarbon dates. This has been shown to be true for medieval and Egyptian dynastic dating. Because radiocarbon is a cosmogenically produced radioisotope, heliomagnetic and geomagnetic fields play a major role in its synthesis in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Inasmuch as a calibrated radiocarbon record exists for nearly 10 000 years, we now seem to possess in the short-time variations of the production rate a history of solar activity expressed via heliomagnetic fields carried by the solar wind. In turn, solar activity has a controlling effect on climate on Earth within modifications provided by the complex interactions of the atmosphere-Earth-ocean system. Both radiocarbon measurements and other empirical research methods agree on variations of climate during historically more recent periods on Earth. This leads to the suggestion that the radiocarbon calibration curve may be also a significant indicator or tracer for climatic changes for the Holocene or the Neolithic-Mesolithic. (author)

  5. Relevance of medieval, Egyptian and American dates to the study of climatic and radiocarbon variability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berger, R [California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (USA). Inst. of Geophysics and Planetary Physics

    1990-04-24

    Basic radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology have been combined to yield calibrated dates that are more accurate than conventional radiocarbon dates. This has been shown to be true for medieval and Egyptian dynastic dating. Because radiocarbon is a cosmogenically produced radioisotope, heliomagnetic and geomagnetic fields play a major role in its synthesis in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Inasmuch as a calibrated radiocarbon record exists for nearly 10 000 years, we now seem to possess in the short-time variations of the production rate a history of solar activity expressed via heliomagnetic fields carried by the solar wind. In turn, solar activity has a controlling effect on climate on Earth within modifications provided by the complex interactions of the atmosphere-Earth-ocean system. Both radiocarbon measurements and other empirical research methods agree on variations of climate during historically more recent periods on Earth. This leads to the suggestion that the radiocarbon calibration curve may be also a significant indicator or tracer for climatic changes for the Holocene or the Neolithic-Mesolithic. (author).

  6. Temporal trends of latency period and perinatal survival after very early preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Mesa, Ernesto; Herrera, José A; Urgal, Amaya; Lazarraga, Cristina; Benítez, María J; Gómez, Cristina

    2012-08-01

    This paper shows temporal trends of latency period and perinatal survival after preterm premature rupture of membranes at or before 28 weeks (very early PPROM). We have studied retrospectively medical records of all cases of very early PPROM attended in our Obstetric Department from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2010. A total of 327 cases of very early PPROM were attended, representing 0.4 % of all deliveries, 3.68 % of all preterm births and 15 % of cases all of PPROM. The mean gestational age at delivery was 27 weeks (range 20-34). The mean duration of latency period for the total of 327 cases was 12.1 days (range 0-83, SD 13.3), with a clear trend to its increase from 2005 (p 2000-2010, perinatal deaths reached 30.6 % of all cases, with a clear trend to decrease as gestational age at diagnosis increased, and over the years of study. We have also found a high rate of obstetric complications and a high rate of cesarean deliveries. The upward trend in the duration of latency period in all groups over the years of study and the encouraging perinatal survival observed, even in previable PPROM, are incentives to follow expectant/conservative management in these cases.

  7. Perspectives in Linguistics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waterman, John T.

    Intended for the student of linguistics or the structural grammarian, who must develop an awareness of their intellectual heritage, the present work surveys the study of language in ancient times, the medieval and early modern periods, the nineteenth century, and the twentieth century to 1950. (This second edition includes additional material on…

  8. Environmental imperatives reconsidered: demographic crises in western North America during the medieval climatic anomaly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, T L; Brown, G M; Raab, L M; McVickar, J L; Spaulding, W G; Kennett, D J; York, A; Wlaker, P L

    1999-04-01

    Review of late Holocene paleoenvironmental and cultural sequences from four regions of western North America show striking correlations between drought and changes in subsistence, population, exchange, health, and interpersonal violence during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (A.D. 800-1350). While ultimate causality is difficult to identify in the archaeological record, synchrony of the environmental and cultural changes and the negative character of many human responses--increased interpersonal violence, deterioration of long-distance exchange relationships, and regional abandonments--suggest widespread demographic crises caused by decreased environmental productivity. The medieval droughts occurred at a unique juncture in the demographic history of western North America when unusually large populations of both hunter-gathers and agriculturalists had evolved highly intensified economies that put them in unprecedented ecological jeopardy. Long-term patterns in the archaeological record are inconsistent with the predicted outcomes of simple adaptation or continuous economic intensification, suggesting that in this instance environmental dynamics played a major role in cultural transformations across a wide expanse of western North America among groups with diverse subsistence strategies. These events suggest that environment should not be overlooked as a potential cause of prehistoric culture change.

  9. Post-Mortem Projections: Medieval Mystical Resurrection and the Return of Tupac Shakur

    OpenAIRE

    Spencer-Hall, Alicia

    2012-01-01

    Medieval hagiographies abound with tales of post-mortem visits and miracles by saints. The saint was a powerful religious individual both in life and in death, a conduit of divine grace and lightning rod for Christian fervour. With her post-mortem presence, the presumptive boundary between living and dead, spirit and flesh, is rent apart: showing the reality of the hereafter and shattering the fantasies of the mortal world. The phenomenon of a glorified individual returning to a worshipful co...

  10. The role of forcing and internal dynamics in explaining the ''Medieval Climate Anomaly''

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goosse, Hugues; Crespin, Elisabeth; Dubinkina, Svetlana; Loutre, Marie-France; Sallaz-Damaz, Yoann [Universite Catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaitre Centre for Earth and Climate Research, Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Mann, Michael E. [Pennsylvania State University, Department of Meteorology and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA (United States); Renssen, Hans [Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Section Climate Change and Landscape Dynamics, Department of Earth Sciences, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Shindell, Drew [NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York City, NY (United States)

    2012-12-15

    Proxy reconstructions suggest that peak global temperature during the past warm interval known as the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, roughly 950-1250 AD) has been exceeded only during the most recent decades. To better understand the origin of this warm period, we use model simulations constrained by data assimilation establishing the spatial pattern of temperature changes that is most consistent with forcing estimates, model physics and the empirical information contained in paleoclimate proxy records. These numerical experiments demonstrate that the reconstructed spatial temperature pattern of the MCA can be explained by a simple thermodynamical response of the climate system to relatively weak changes in radiative forcing combined with a modification of the atmospheric circulation, displaying some similarities with the positive phase of the so-called Arctic Oscillation, and with northward shifts in the position of the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio currents. The mechanisms underlying the MCA are thus quite different from anthropogenic mechanisms responsible for modern global warming. (orig.)

  11. El simbolismo animal en la cultura medieval

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolores Carmen Morales Muñiz

    1996-01-01

    Full Text Available Abordar un tema tan amplio y complejo como el de la simbología animal en los siglos medievales en un espacio tan corto, me obliga a seleccionar los puntos prioritarios a tratar. En primer lugar adelanto que el trabajo aquí presentado es parte de una línea de investigación más amplia sobre culturas zoológicas en la España medieval, entendiendo comparativamente a la cristiana, a la musulmana y a la judía. Como se sabe, la zoohistoria y sus implicaciones en la vida del Inombre —sobre todo esto último— es una especialidad cada vez más cultivada dentro de la investigación reciente, también para la Edad Media. La simbología, dentro de aquella especialidad, resulta uno de los aspectos más sugerentes, y en estas líneas queremos plantear los puntos más relevantes de esta contribución.

  12. Orientation of medieval churches of Morava school

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tadić Milutin

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we present the mathematical and topographic analysis of orientation of the most significant churches (11 of Morava school, the last style in architecture of medieval Serbia whose executors were chief architects. The deviation from equinox East of the main axis of each church and the dates when the Sun rises on the physical horizon, in the extension of the main axis, have been calculated. These were the dates when the church could have been oriented towards the rising Sun. This possibility has been ruled out for four churches. As for the other churches, the matching of the mentioned dates with the patron’s days wasn’t established. The churches in monasteries Ljubostinja and Kalenic are oriented with astronomical precision towards equinox East, an admirable fact considering the tools available to the builders. Rade Borovic, the only chief architect who put his signature on his work, was the chief architect of Ljubostinja.

  13. Visitors’ Motivations, Satisfaction and Loyalty Towards Castro Marim Medieval Fair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iolanda Márcia Barbeitos

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The study tests the relationship between motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty using a structural equation model. Data have been collected through a questionnaire applied to visitors attending a local festival, Castro Marim Medieval Fair, which hosts every year between 45.000 and 60.000 visitors. Results show that satisfaction towards controlled variables of the event within the venue’s boundaries, such as animation, gastronomy, and handicraft, influences visitors’ overall satisfaction towards the event. On the other hand, they also reveal a direct relationship between overall satisfaction and loyalty. The study contributes to a better understanding of visitors’ behaviour and provides useful guidance to festival ideation and design.

  14. Elites and their children : a study in the historical anthropology of medieval China, 500-1000 AD

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pissin, Annika

    2009-01-01

    The history of children in medieval China, as in other parts of the world and in pre-modern times, stands in marked contrast to the traditional areas of historical inquiry such as the history of the state, the history of the economy or intellectual history. Children generally do not have political

  15. Progressive changes in arch width from primary to early mixed dentition period: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sangwan, S; Chawla, H S; Goyal, A; Gauba, K; Mohanty, U

    2011-01-01

    The present study was conducted to evaluate, on a longitudinal basis, the changes in intercanine and intermolar widths form the primary to the early mixed dentition periods. A total of 38 children aged 4-5 years, with normal occlusion without any proximal caries or any dental anomalies, were selected. The impressions were recorded and casts were prepared. Intercanine and intermolar widths were measured on these dental casts with the help of a digital vernier calliper. After 3 years follow-up, the impressions were recorded again and dental casts were prepared. Intercanine and intermolar widths were measured again at this stage and were compared with the baseline data using the paired t-test and the chi square test. There is a significant increase in the intercanine (3.93 + 1.70 mm) and intermolar width (1.49 + 1.77 mm) during the transition period from primary to early mixed dentition in both the arches and both the sexes. The gender-wise comparison showed a greater increase in males than in females, but this was not statistically significant. A thorough knowledge of growth changes during various stages of the mixed dentition period are important for a pediatric dentist to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment planning during preventive and interceptive orthodontics.

  16. There is no mass spectrometry evidence that the C14 sample from the Shroud of Turin comes from a “medieval invisible mending”

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bella, Marco, E-mail: Marco.Bella@uniroma1.it [Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma (Italy); Garlaschelli, Luigi [Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 10, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Samperi, Roberto [Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma (Italy)

    2015-10-10

    Highlights: • This editorial regards a paper published on Thermochimica Acta, 425 (2005) 189. • The author hypothesized a “medieval invisible mending” on the Shroud of Turin. • There is no evidence of such a “medieval invisible mending”. • The two mass spectra presented differ only by the presence of a contaminant. • When the peaks due to the contaminant are removed, the two mass spectra look alike. - Abstract: This is an editorial regarding a paper published on Thermochimica Acta (R.N. Rogers, Thermochimca Acta, 425 (2005) 189–194). A close-up analysis of the pyrolysis-mass spectra reported in the original paper reveals that the differences found between the samples coming from different parts of the Shroud are just due to the presence of a contaminant with a long aliphatic chain. Except for the presence of the contaminant, the two pyrolysis-mass spectra look alike rather than different. Therefore, the pseudoscientific theory stating that the C14 sample might come from a “medieval invisible mending” remains unsupported by evidences.

  17. De herba lunatica (London, Wellcome Library, 573, f. 149v): edition and translation of a medieval opuscule on the magical properties of common moonwort (Botrychium lunaria Swartz)

    OpenAIRE

    Ferraces Rodríguez, Arsenio

    2014-01-01

    This article provides the first edition of a medieval text on the properties of a plant named herba lunatica. From the description of the plant found in this text as well as in other medieval sources, together with its iconographic representation on the lower margin of the manuscript, we propose its identification with the ‘Botrychium lunaria’ Swartz. The edition of the Latin text includes its translation into Spanish.

  18. Construction of a taxonomy for medieval Portuguese history: problems and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Medeiros, Filipa

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Our main goal was to design and build a taxonomy of medieval Portuguese history using an interdisciplinary approach based on doctoral research. First, the criteria used for the selection of the vocabulary and its formal and semantic normalization were determined. Then species were listed, followed by the characterization of categories and their respective subclasses. As conclusions we highlight the successful application of the selected terms, as well as the fact that the taxonomy’s categories are being continuously updated and expanded, both in their global extension and in the depth of their thematic representation. In addition we offer proposals for continuing the ontological development of this taxonomy.Se ha fijado como objetivo principal diseñar y elaborar una taxonomía sobre Historia medieval portuguesa, y hacerlo mediante un abordaje interdisciplinar y como fruto de las investigaciones de tesis. En su proceso se determinaron, primero, los criterios seguidos para la selección y normalización formal y semántica del vocabulario. Luego se listaron las especies y se caracterizaron las categorías y las respectivas subclases. Como conclusión se destaca el hecho de que se han experimentado con éxito métodos antes ya probados en otros estudios para proyectar, desarrollar y mantener taxonomías, con independencia del nivel de especificidad temática, hecho que plantea otro tipo de retos. Sin olvidarse de avanzar propuestas que le den continuidad hacia su desarrollo ontológico.

  19. Medieval women's writing: Works by and for Women in England, 1100-1500

    OpenAIRE

    Watt, D

    2007-01-01

    Medieval Women's Writing is a major new contribution to our understanding of women's writing in England, 1100-1500. The most comprehensive account to date, it includes writings in Latin and French as well as English, and works for as well as by women. Marie de France, Clemence of Barking, Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe, and the Paston women are discussed alongside the Old English lives of women saints, The Life of Christina of Markyate, the St Albans Psalter, and the legends of women saints...

  20. Richard Rufus's theory of mixture: a medieval explanation of chemical combination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisberg, Michael; Wood, Rega

    2003-05-01

    Richard Rufus of Cornwall offered a novel solution to the problem of mixture raised by Aristotle. The puzzle is that mixts or mixed bodies (blood, flesh, wood, etc.) seem to be unexplainable through logic, even though the world is full of them. Rufus's contribution to this long-standing theoretical debate is the development of a modal interpretation of certain Averroistic doctrines. Rufus's account, which posits that the elemental forms in a mixt are in accidental potential, avoids many of the problems that plagued non-atomistic medieval theories of mixture. This paper is an initial examination of Rufus' account.

  1. [Crusading and Chronicle Writing on the Medieval Baltic Frontier: A Companion to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia] / Michael Amundsen

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Amundsen, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Arvustus: Crusading and chronicle writing on the medieval Baltic frontier : a companion to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia / edited by Marek Tamm, Linda Kaljundi, Carsten Selch Jensen. Farnham : Ashgate, 2011

  2. Medicus Petrus Hispanus (c1205-77 Peter of Spain): a XIII century Pope and Author of a Medieval Sex Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrose, Charles T

    2013-05-01

    Petrus Hispanus was the only practicing physician ever to become Pope (1276-77). By all accounts he was an interim choice when rival French and Italian Cardinals could not elect one of their own nationality. Although not clearly responsible for any major political actions by the Church, Petrus was famous for several centuries after his death because of his secular writings - a text on logic (Summulae logicales) and a handbook on medicine (Thesaurus pauperum). The latter is noteworthy because it contains two sections on coitus - how to enhance the sexual act and how to subdue sexual urges. Promoting coitus seems an odd topic for a medieval Catholic cleric-writer and raises the question as to whether the first section may have been added by a later copyist or editor, but an examination of a very early manuscript of the Thesaurus gives assurance that the two sexual sections were written by Petrus, probably around 1270.

  3. Early Modern “Citation Index”? Medical Authorities in Academic Treatises on Plague (1480–1725

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karel Černý

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the problem of early modern scientific citations. It attempts to establish a measure of scientific popularity in a specific area of the academic medicine in a way which resembles a modern evaluation of scientific activity (citation index. For this purpose an analysis of a series of plague treatises written between 1480 and 1725 in Europe was conducted. Citations for various historical medical authorities (Hippocrates, Galen, etc. are given in Tables which reflect a long time development of popularity. The authorities from various groups (Ancient, Medieval, Arabic, Early Modern are linked together, and “generic authorities” are explained and discussed.

  4. [Angiopoietins predict long-term outcomes after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage during an early period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yi; Wang, Dong; Wei, Huijie; Tian, Ye; Jiang, Rongcai; Yue, Shuyuan; Zhang, Jianning

    2015-05-19

    To evaluate the association between serum levels of angiopoietins (Ang) during an early period (within 72 h) and clinical outcomes after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). This prospective study was conducted at Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Blood samples from 37 aSAH patients were collected at 8 h (or GOSE). Those with GOSE > 5 were counted as a good outcome while those with GOSE ≤ 5 had a poor outcome. A total of 37 patients with aSAH and 39 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. The aSAH patients showed a significant rise of Ang-1 within 8 h as compared with HC. The outcomes were good (n = 15) and poor (n = 22). Serum Ang-1 at 8 h (or < 8 h), 24 h and 72 h in good outcomers showed significantly higher than that in poor outcomers [(52 ± 24) vs (37 ± 17) mg/L, (62 ± 26) vs (45 ± 17) mg/L, (107 ± 27) vs (72 ± 18) mg/L]. The serum level of Ang-1 at 8 h and 24 h was one of independent risk factors for aSAH patients by multiariable Logistic regression analysis [adjected OR (95% CI) 1.095 (1.015-1.181) and 1.109 (1.016-1.211)] (P < 0.05). High serum level of Ang-1 during an early period (within 72 h) was associated with good outcomers (r = 0.627, P < 0.001). The serum levels of angiopoietins are significantly altered in aSAH patients, especially higher in good outcomers. And abnormal levels of angiopoietins may affect early brain injury (EBI) after SAH, structural integrity and recovery of blood-brain barrier (BBB) and long-term outcomes in aSAH patients.

  5. Risk of Porphyromonas gingivalis recolonization during the early period of periodontal maintenance in initially severe periodontitis sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujise, Osamu; Miura, Mayumi; Hamachi, Takafumi; Maeda, Katsumasa

    2006-08-01

    Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered a critical pathogen of periodontal diseases including recurrent periodontitis. The profound effects of active periodontal treatment (APT) on P. gingivalis elimination were previously demonstrated and revealed that the subsequent P. gingivalis-free or -suppressed status seems to be maintained during early periodontal maintenance (PMT). The aim of the present study was to show the occurrence of microbial recolonization during this early PMT period. In total, 128 sites from 11 generalized chronic periodontitis patients and one generalized aggressive periodontitis patient underwent clinical and microbiologic examination at baseline (Exam-I), after APT (Exam-II), and in PMT (Exam-III). Exam-III was carried out an average of 4.5 +/- 3.5 months after Exam-II. Detection and quantification of putative pathogens were performed using a polymerase chain reaction-based method. The PMT used was effective in maintaining the clinical conditions improved by APT. However, in microbiological examinations, Exam-III showed higher detection frequency and levels of P. gingivalis than Exam-II. This suggests that a P. gingivalis recolonization started in the early PMT period. P. gingivalis-increased sites then showed significantly more severe signs of periodontitis in Exam-I than P. gingivalis-stable sites (bleeding on probing frequency: 76.7% versus 56.5%; suppuration frequency: 41.9% versus 12.9%). On the other hand, in Exam-II, no significant differences of clinical parameters were noted between P. gingivalis-increased and -stable sites. Severe periodontitis sites before APT seemed to place them at risk of P. gingivalis recolonization in the early PMT period, and this microbial restoration could be a cause of recurrent periodontitis.

  6. Is the Predictability of New-Onset Postpartum Depression Better During Pregnancy or in the Early Postpartum Period? A Prospective Study in Croatian Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakić Radoš, Sandra; Herman, Radoslav; Tadinac, Meri

    2016-01-01

    The researchers' aim was to examine whether it was better to predict new-onset postpartum depression (PPD) during pregnancy or immediately after childbirth. A prospective study conducted in Croatia followed women (N = 272) from the third trimester of pregnancy through the early postpartum period (within the first 3 postpartum days), to 6 weeks postpartum. Questionnaires on depression, anxiety, stress, coping, self-esteem, and social support were administered. Through regression analyses we showed that PPD symptoms could be equally predicted by variables from pregnancy (30.3%) and the early postpartum period (34.0%), with a small advantage of PPD prediction in the early postpartum period.

  7. The religious polemics of the Muslims of Late Medieval Christian Iberia : Identity and religious authority in Mudejar Islam

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Colominas Aparicio, M.

    2016-01-01

    This dissertation investigates the politics of identity of the Muslims in Late Medieval Christian Iberia (Mudejars). Mudejars had to endure the pressure exerted by the Christian majority society and also the criticism from their co-religionists in Muslim lands who contested their exceptional

  8. El uso político de la edad media. The myth of nations. The medieval origins of Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abel Ignacio López

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available El uso político de la edad media. Geary, Patrick, The Myth of Nations. The Medieval Origins of Europe. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002, pp: 199. El libro de Patrick Geary es una brillante crítica a los abusos que políticos e incluso historiadores han hecho a propósito de la temprana Edad Media. En efecto, este historiador norteamericano muestra que ideólogos del nacionalismo europeo de nuestro tiempo se han basado y aún se basan en un conocimiento erróneo de la época medieval para fundamentar sus propios prejuicios y exclusiones. Según esa interpretación, los pueblos modernos de hoy se constituyeron por primera vez en el período posterior a la caída del Imperio Romano y a la consolidación en Europa de los llamados pueblos germanos.

  9. A Passage to Infinity Medieval Indian Mathematics from Kerala and Its Impact

    CERN Document Server

    Joseph, George Gheverghese

    2009-01-01

    This book traces the first faltering steps taken in the mathematical theorisation of infinity which marks the emergence of modern mathematics. It analyses the part played by Indian mathematicians through the Kerala conduit, which is an important but neglected part of the history of mathematics. Passage to Infinity: Medieval Indian Mathematics from Kerala and its Impact begins with an examination of the social origins of the Kerala School and proceeds to discuss its mathematical genesis as well as its achievements. It presents the techniques employed by the School to derive the series expansion

  10. Depression in pregnancy and postpartum period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Mamta; Sood, A K

    2003-01-01

    This prospective study was carried out in a service hospital, with the aim to study the prevalence and incidence of depression in pregnancy and postpartum period. Eighty Four consecutive patients attending the antenatal outpatient in the Obstetrics & Gynaecology department in their last trimester of pregnancy were recruited for the study. They were assessed on Beck Depression Inventory thrice viz. during third trimester of pregnancy, within 3 days of delivery (early postpartum period) & within 4-8 weeks of delivery (late postpartum period).The prevalence of depression was 8.3%, 20% and 12.8% respectively at three ratings. The incidence was 16% and 10% in the early & late postpartum period respectively. Further analysis revealed that depression in pregnancy correlated significantly with depression in early postpartum period, but not with late postpartum period. Depression in early postpartum period correlated with depression in late postpartum period.These findings have implications for early detection and care of women at risk for developing depression.

  11. Endothelial dysfunction in the early postoperative period after major colon cancer surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekeloef, S; Larsen, M H H; Schou-Pedersen, A M V

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that endothelial dysfunction in the early postoperative period promotes myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of colon cancer surgery on endothelial function and the association with the l-arginine-nitric oxide...... was attenuated in the first days after colon cancer surgery indicating acute endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction correlated with disturbances in the L-arginine - nitric oxide pathway. Our findings provide a rationale for investigating the hypothesized association between acute endothelial...... dysfunction and cardiovascular complications after non-cardiac surgery. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02344771....

  12. Endothelial dysfunction in the early postoperative period after major colon cancer surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ekeløf, Sara; Larsen, Mikkel Hjordt; Schou-Pedersen, Anne Marie Voigt

    2017-01-01

    Background. Evidence suggests that endothelial dysfunction in the early postoperative period promotes myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of colon cancer surgery on endothelial function and the association with the l-arginine-nitric oxide...... was attenuated in the first days after colon cancer surgery indicating acute endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction correlated with disturbances in the L-arginine – nitric oxide pathway. Our findings provide a rationale for investigating the hypothesized association between acute endothelial...... dysfunction and cardiovascular complications after non-cardiac surgery. Clinical trial registration. NCT02344771....

  13. A Historical Review of Curriculum in American Higher Education: 1636-1900.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denham, Thomas J.

    The U.S. college curriculum has its origin in the medieval university of England. This classical education based on the seven liberal arts formed the basis for the early colonial colleges. From its earliest days, the curriculum was relevant in the preparation of students for the professions of the period. Over time, the curriculum evolved and…

  14. History of development of the Azerbaijanian Medieval psychological thought (11-16th centuries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tunzaliya R. Musaeva

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The period of the Middle Ages became a new progressive stage of development of psychological thought. Daily supervision and generalization in the course of communication, activities gained further development in the form of philosophical judgment and a formulation of the most general laws and offers. In the Middle Ages, under the influence of the developed objective historical reality, in Azerbaijan the number of the poets and prose writers writing in the native language though before this work were created by them, generally in the Arab and farsidsky languages has increased. The ancient period comes to the end at this stage and the medieval period of the Azerbaijani literature when in parallel the psychology passed the stage of consecutive studying and the analysis of human knowledge which is saved up in the course of communication of people with each other begins. In article it is told about culture, customs, literary and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people. The main attention is paid to studying of prescientific and scientific psychological science of Azerbaijan during various periods when it developed as one of the field of philosophy. Also merits of such prominent representatives of public and scientific thought as Bahmanyar, Siradzheddin Urmavi, Nizami Gyandzhevi, Nasireddin Tusi, etc. are emphasized. Researches show that history of science and culture of Azerbaijan, models of folklore and references are rich with psychological thoughts and ideas. Azerbaijan has ancient traditions in the history of forming of the first psychological views. After declaration of independence as Azerbaijan in modern literature the main place is taken by universal ideas, subjects of return of the occupied native lands, love for the country, justice, etc. In spite of the fact that now the Azerbaijani literature is based on reflection and a celebration of ideas of an azerbaydzhanizm, modernist and post-modernist aspirations are also shown in a varying

  15. Historical Epidemics Cartography Generated by Spatial Analysis: Mapping the Heterogeneity of Three Medieval "Plagues" in Dijon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galanaud, Pierre; Galanaud, Anne; Giraudoux, Patrick

    2015-01-01

    Objectives This work was designed to adapt Geographical Information System-based spatial analysis to the study of historical epidemics. We mapped "plague" deaths during three epidemics of the early 15th century, analyzed spatial distributions by applying the Kulldorff's method, and determined their relationships with the distribution of socio-professional categories in the city of Dijon. Materials and Methods Our study was based on a database including 50 annual tax registers (established from 1376 to 1447) indicating deaths and survivors among the heads of households, their home location, tax level and profession. The households of the deceased and survivors during 6 years with excess mortality were individually located on a georeferenced medieval map, established by taking advantage of the preserved geography of the historical center of Dijon. We searched for clusters of heads of households characterized by shared tax levels (high-tax payers, the upper decile; low-tax payers, the half charged at the minimum level) or professional activities and for clusters of differential mortality. Results High-tax payers were preferentially in the northern intramural part, as well as most wealthy or specialized professionals, whereas low-tax payers were preferentially in the southern part. During two epidemics, in 1400–1401 and 1428, areas of higher mortality were found in the northern part whereas areas of lower mortality were in the southern one. A high concentration of housing and the proximity to food stocks were common features of the most affected areas, creating suitable conditions for rats to pullulate. A third epidemic, lasting from 1438 to 1440 had a different and evolving geography: cases were initially concentrated around the southern gate, at the confluence of three rivers, they were then diffuse, and ended with residual foci of deaths in the northern suburb. Conclusion Using a selected historical source, we designed an approach allowing spatial analysis of

  16. Borderline Personality Disorder in the perinatal period: early infant and maternal outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blankley, Gaynor; Galbally, Megan; Snellen, Martien; Power, Josephine; Lewis, Andrew J

    2015-12-01

    This study examines pregnancy and early infant outcomes of pregnant women with a clinical diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder presenting for obstetric services to a major metropolitan maternity hospital in Victoria, Australia. A retrospective case review of pregnancy and early infant outcomes on 42 women who had been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder via psychiatric assessment using DSM-IV-R criteria was undertaken. Outcomes were compared with a control group of 14,313 consisting of women and infants of non-affected women from the same hospital over the same period of time. Women presenting for obstetric services with a clinical diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder experienced considerable psychosocial impairment. They anticipated birth as traumatic and frequently requested early delivery. High comorbidity with substance abuse was found and high rates of referral to child protective services. Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder were significantly more likely to have negative birth outcomes such as lowered Apgar scores, prematurity and special care nursery referral when compared with controls. These findings offer preliminary evidence to be considered by clinicians in developing treatments and services for the perinatal care of women with Borderline Personality Disorder and their infants. Further research is required in order to develop evidence informed clinical guidelines for the management of women with Borderline Personality Disorder and their infants. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

  17. Progressive changes in arch width from primary to early mixed dentition period: A longitudinal study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Sangwan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate, on a longitudinal basis, the changes in intercanine and intermolar widths form the primary to the early mixed dentition periods. Materials and Methods: A total of 38 children aged 4-5 years, with normal occlusion without any proximal caries or any dental anomalies, were selected. The impressions were recorded and casts were prepared. Intercanine and intermolar widths were measured on these dental casts with the help of a digital vernier calliper. After 3 years follow-up, the impressions were recorded again and dental casts were prepared. Intercanine and intermolar widths were measured again at this stage and were compared with the baseline data using the paired t-test and the chi square test. Results: There is a significant increase in the intercanine (3.93 + 1.70 mm and intermolar width (1.49 + 1.77 mm during the transition period from primary to early mixed dentition in both the arches and both the sexes. The gender-wise comparison showed a greater increase in males than in females, but this was not statistically significant. Conclusion: A thorough knowledge of growth changes during various stages of the mixed dentition period are important for a pediatric dentist to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment planning during preventive and interceptive orthodontics.

  18. Urine Biochemistry in the Early Postoperative Period after Cardiac Surgery: Role in Acute Kidney Injury Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Toledo Maciel

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We have recently suggested that sequential urine electrolyte measurement in critically ill patients may be useful in monitoring kidney function. Cardiac surgery is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury (AKI in the intensive care unit (ICU. In this paper, we describe the sequential behavior of urine electrolytes in three patients in the early (first 60 hours postoperative period after cardiac surgery according to AKI status: no AKI, transient AKI, and persistent AKI. We have found that the patient with no AKI had stable and high concentrations of sodium (NaU and chloride (ClU in sequential spot samples of urine. AKI development was characterized in the other two patients by decreases in NaU and ClU, which have started early after ICU admission. Transient AKI was marked by also transient and less severe decreases in NaU and ClU. Persistent AKI was marked by the less favorable clinical course with abrupt and prolonged declines in NaU and ClU values. These electrolytes in urine had a behavior like a “mirror image” in comparison with that of serum creatinine. We suggest that sequential urine electrolytes are useful in monitoring acute kidney injury development in the early postoperative period after cardiac surgery.

  19. [Evidence of health culture in medieval statute of Budva].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milovic Karic, Grozdana; Milovic, Dorde

    2010-01-01

    The Statute of Budva dates from the time of Nemanjics. This medieval document was approved at the time Budva was under venetian dominion and remained in force until the end of the Venetian Republic. During 17th century the Statute was translated into the Italian language. The document includes regulations which indicate a concern for the health of the public. Among the regulations is one which prohibit the sale of fisch outside the stalls of the fishmarket presumably to ensure the sale of only fresh fish. Another regulation prohibits the sale of dead animals, the sale of dog's meat instead od wether meat. There is also language indicating a concern for protecting the cleanliness of brooks, rivers and wells. Corporal punishment is mentioned but only with regard to whipping and beheading.

  20. Provenance studies of pottery fragments from medieval Cairo, Egypt

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beal, J.W.; Olmez, I.

    1997-01-01

    In the analysis of archeological pottery fragments, instrumental neutron activation analysis has been utilized to establish the elemental concentrations of up to 37 chemical elements for each of 53 archeological pottery samples from medieval Cairo, Egypt, and one additional sample of Chinese porcelain. These elemental concentrations have been utilized in a statistical analysis procedure in order to determine similarities and correlations between the various samples. Multivariate analyses have been used to quantitatively determine these interrelationships. This methodology successfully separated the Egyptian samples into two broad categories: polychrome decorated ceramic ware and monochrome celadon ware. In addition the methodology successfully identified the one unique sample of Chinese porcelain. Several samples appeared to be either a mixture of categories or outliers in the data set and were not attributable to any distinct category. (author)