Intact Wine Jars with Pre-firing Potmarks from the Early Dynastic Cemetery at Helwan, Egypt

The current paper presents and discusses a group of 148 intact, marked wine jars excavated in Helwan, against the backdrop of related data culled from four selected, partly contemporary cemeteries, viz. those of Minshat Abu Omar, Kafr Hassan Dawood, Abu Roash and Tarkhan. Their study contributes not only to the theme of early dynastic potmarks per se, but also to contextual and social analyses and perhaps script development more in general. The various groupings of both legible and intelligible potmarks are slowly but certainly expanding, and the application of the term preformal hieroglyphs to several of these seems fitting

Dispersal of seeds of Hymenaea courbaril (Fabaceae) in a logged rain forest in the Peruvian Amazonian Dispersão de sementes de Hymenaea courbaril (Fabaceae) em uma floresta tropical úmida com exploração madeireira na Amazônia peruana

Seed dispersal of Hymenaea courbaril was studied by following the fate of 585 seeds embedded with small magnets and set in displays in and near a logged strip in rain forest in the Peruvian Amazonian. Mammals took fruits from all displays, which were located in the forest, edge, and cleared strip. Overall removal rates were low - a median of 8.1 fruits / month from displays maintained with 8-10 fruits - but were higher in August than in earlier months. Most fruits were dropped near the display or had their seeds eaten, but > 13% were successfully dispersed. Most of the dispersed seeds were buried, which increases probability of germination. Maximum dispersal distance of live seeds was 12.1 m (median 3.1 m), but other magnets were transported up to 34 m, indicating seeds were dispersed further, but then eaten. Acouchies (most likely Myoprocta pratti) and agoutis (Dasyprocta fuliginosa) were apparently the main dispersal agents. Dispersal of seeds from the forest into the logged strip was rare, suggesting that although rodents disperse H. courbaril, they cannot be relied on for the reseeding this and similar species in recent clearings.<br>Foi estudada a dispersão de sementes de Hymenaea courbaril, seguindo o destino de 585 sementes marcadas com imãs e expostas a potenciais dispersores, colocadas em agregados no interior e próximo de uma faixa de floresta cortada, na Amazónia peruana. Mamíferos retiraram frutos de todos os agregados, localizados no interior da floresta, na sua borda, e na clareira. As taxas de remoção foram baixas - mediana de 8.1 frutos/mês em agregados mantidos com 8-10 frutos - mas foram mais altas em agosto que nos primeiros meses do ano. A maior parte dos frutos foi abandonada próxima do agregado de origem ou as suas sementes foram consumidas, mas > 13% foram dispersos com sucesso. A maior parte das sementes dispersas foi enterrada, o que favorece a germinação. A distância máxima de dispersão de sementes vivas foi de 12.1 m (mediana 3.1 m), mas outros imãs foram transportados até 34 m, indicando que as sementes foram dispersas mais longe, mas foram consumidas depois. Cutiaras (muito provavelmente Myoprocta pratti) e cutias (Dasyprocta fuliginosa) parecem ter sido os principais agentes de dispersão. A dispersão de sementes da floresta para o interior da clareira foi rara, sugerindo que apesar de alguns roedores dispersarem H. courbaril, não se pode ficar dependente deles para o repovoamento desta e de outras espécies em clareiras recentes