A Prehispanic Maya Pit Oven? Microanalysis of Fired Clay Balls from the Puuc Region, Yucatán, Mexico

This is a postprint (author's final draft) version of an article published in Journal of Archaeological Science in 2013. The final version of this article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.10.014 (login may be required). The version made available in OpenBU was supplied by the author.Excavations of a kitchen at Escalera al Cielo in the Puuc Maya region of Yucatán, Mexico uncovered a concentration of fired clay balls (ca. 3–5 cm in diameter), in addition to other de facto domestic refuse. The kitchen pertains to an intensively excavated elite residential group that was rapidly abandoned sometime near the end of the Terminal Classic period (A.D. 800–950), resulting in floor assemblages that provide an opportunity to explore the types and distribution of daily household activities. The results of experimental replications and a suite of analyses comprising modal analysis, ceramic petrography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and microbotanical residue analysis reveal aspects of clay preparation, firing temperatures, repeated use of the balls, firing conditions, and specific plant food or fuel residues adhering to them. We show that the fired clay balls were manufactured with local, clay-rich soil and employed by the inhabitants of Escalera al Cielo as heating elements; relatively high concentrations of microbotanical residues from edible plants adhering to them support the hypothesis that they were involved in kitchen activities related to food processing

Notes on the Siberian representatives of the genus Acrydium Geoffr. (Orthopt.)

During the last five years I have accumulated a small but interesting collection of the Siberian forms of the genus Acrydium Geoffr. (= Tettix Charp.) The collection contains some interesting species and subspecies of this difficult genus; two species and one subspecies are new for science, while some forms are new for Siberia. I am greatly obliged to Mr. B. P. Uvarov for his kind assistance in preparing this paper.Peer reviewe

Two new Acrididae from the neighbourhood of lake Zaisan (Orthopt.)

The following two new Acrididae were taken by me in July and August, 1928 in the valley of the lake Zaisan and in the western part of Saur Mountains.Peer reviewe

Evidence from Escalera al Cielo: Abandonment of a Terminal Classic Puuc Maya Hill Complex in Yucatán, Mexico

This is a postprint (author's final draft) version of an article published in Journal of Field Arhcaeology in 2012. The final version of this article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/0093469012Z.00000000025 (login may be required). The version made available in OpenBU was supplied by the author.Excavations at the hilltop site of Escalera al Cielo, located in the Puuc Maya region of Yucatán, Mexico, have uncovered evidence of a planned abandonment at the end of the Terminal Classic period (A.D. 800–950). Six buildings investigated among three residential groups contain rich floor assemblages similar to those known from only a few rapidly abandoned sites in the Maya area. Through an analysis of de facto refuse—most of which was recovered in locations of storage and provisional discard—and midden refuse, this paper illustrates how the assemblages represent an example of household-level abandonment with anticipated return. We also consider Escalera al Cielo in light of our present understanding of the political and environmental history of the Puuc region during the late 9th century A.D

Trowels, Trenches, and Transformation: A Case Study of Archaeologists Learning, Teaching, and Enacting Environmentally-Friendly, Community-Inclusive Practices

Guided by the framework of “critical transformative learning,” this study explores archaeologists as adult learners and seeks to understand how they are learning to practice a new vision of archaeology in Mexico. In this project, personal transformation is linked to disciplinary and social transformation

Sources and budgets for CO and O-3 in the northeastern Pacific during the spring of 2001: Results from the PHOBEA-II Experiment

Abstract. Ground and airborne measurements of CO, ozone, and aerosols were obtained in th

Les Dermaptères du Tibet

La faune des Dermaptères du Tibet restait inconnue dans son ensemble puisqu'il n'existait dans la littérature dermaptérologique que des notes détachées sur peu d'espèces de ce groupe.Peer reviewe

A priori error estimates for an hp-version of the discontinuous Galerkin method for hyperbolic conservation laws

A priori error estimates are derived for hp-versions of the finite element method for discontinuous Galerkin approximations of a model class of linear, scalar, first-order hyperbolic conservation laws. These estimates are derived in a mesh dependent norm in which the coefficients depend upon both the local mesh size h(sub K) and a number p(sub k) which can be identified with the spectral order of the local approximations over each element

Measuring 3D In-vivo Shoulder Kinematics using Biplanar Videoradiography

The shoulder is one of the human body\u27s most complex joint systems, with motion occurring through the coordinated actions of four individual joints, multiple ligaments, and approximately 20 muscles. Unfortunately, shoulder pathologies (e.g., rotator cuff tears, joint dislocations, arthritis) are common, resulting in substantial pain, disability, and decreased quality of life. The specific etiology for many of these pathologic conditions is not fully understood, but it is generally accepted that shoulder pathology is often associated with altered joint motion. Unfortunately, measuring shoulder motion with the necessary level of accuracy to investigate motion-based hypotheses is not trivial. However, radiographic-based motion measurement techniques have provided the advancement necessary to investigate motion-based hypotheses and provide a mechanistic understanding of shoulder function. Thus, the purpose of this article is to describe the approaches for measuring shoulder motion using a custom biplanar videoradiography system. The specific objectives of this article are to describe the protocols to acquire biplanar videoradiographic images of the shoulder complex, acquire CT scans, develop 3D bone models, locate anatomical landmarks, track the position and orientation of the humerus, scapula, and torso from the biplanar radiographic images, and calculate the kinematic outcome measures. In addition, the article will describe special considerations unique to the shoulder when measuring joint kinematics using this approach