Early Urbanism in the Northern Fertile Crescent: A Comparison of Regional Settlement Trajectories and Millennial Landscape Change

This thesis investigates the development of urban centres in the Northern Fertile Crescent during the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age and seeks to place this development in a wider context of landscape transformation over time. Settlement data from eight archaeological surveys covering a range of landscape types and environments are brought into a single interpretive framework, organised through a Geographical Information System (GIS). These surveys are enhanced through the use of satellite imagery, particularly Corona spy photography, to discover new sites both within and outside the boundaries of their original areas. Methods for the incorporation of this wide range of data are developed, including the use of concepts such as ‘certainty’ and ‘precision’ and techniques for the comparison of multiple chronological systems. These new methods are used to undertake a multi-scalar examination of settlement trajectories from the 5th to the 3rd millennium. Two phases of urban development are evident, first in the Late Chalcolithic and then during the ‘second urban revolution’ (Akkermans and Schwartz 2003) in the later Early Bronze Age. Whilst the Late Chalcolithic centres emerged within dense landscapes of small settlements, urbanisation in the later Early Bronze Age was accompanied by the widespread incursion of settlement into a ‘zone of uncertainty’ on the margins of the steppe. It is argued that a combination of factors, including the shift from flax to wool as the raw material in textile production and the development of social institutions capable of bearing risks at a large scale, provided the incentive and the means for this expansion, and that this transformed the societies of the region as a whole. This phenomenon is then placed in the wider context of long-term landscape change. It is argued that differences in settlement histories across the region can account for variations in the preservation of the archaeological record

Development of first generation aerospace NiMH cells

Gates Aerospace Batteries in conjunction with Gates Energy Products (GEP) has been developing NiMH technology for aerospace use since 1990. GEP undertook the development of NiMH technology for commercial cell applications in 1987. This program focused on wound cell technology for replacement of current NiCd technology. As an off shoot of this program small, wound cells were used to evaluate initial design options for aerospace prismatic cell designs. Early in 1991, the first aerospace prismatic cell designs were built in a 6 Ah cell configuration. These cells were used to initially characterize performance in prismatic configurations and begin early life cycle testing. Soon after the 6 Ah cells were on test, several 22 Ah cells were built to test other options. The results of testing of these cells were used to identify potential problem areas for long lived cells and develop solutions to those problems. Following these two cell builds, a set of 7 Ah cells was built to evaluate improvements to the technology. To date results from these tests are very promising. Cycle lives in excess of 2,200 LEO cycles at 50 percent DoD were achieved with cells continuing on test. Results from these cell tests are discussed and data presented to demonstrate feasibility of this technology for aerospace programs

The cognitive foundations of cultural stability and diversity

The very existence and the diversity of human cultures are made possible by human species-specific cognitive capacities. But how? Do cultures emerge and diverge as a result of the deployment, over generations and in different populations, of general abilities to learn, to imitate, and to communicate? What role if any do domain specific evolved cognitive abilities play in the emergence and evolution of cultures? These questions have been approached from different vantage points in different disciplines. Here we present a view currently developing out of the converging works of developmental psychologists, evolutionary psychologists, and cognitive anthropologists

Need and Know-How: The Perfect Partnership in Creating Tools for Distance Students

Impossible Mission: In two hours educate twenty doctoral students - distance students that will not be seen on campus again - on everything they need to know about the library and the technological skills needed to access all the resources they will require. The Response: A partnership formed between need (the subject librarian) and know-how (the instruction librarian) to create a tool that can be used to create a sense of library and librarian for a distance learner, and inform the student of the ways and means of connecting to the resources and people and, ultimately, the information and resources they need. The Result: A CD sent home with each student that consists of information and promotion, tutorial and advertisement, and guidance and marketing. Learning Outcomes: Learn how a needs analysis effects the outcome of the product. Participate in a discussion concerning the future of such products and capabilities of this type of information sharing

Intensive Archeological Survey of Burleson-Retta Road at Village Creek, Tarrant County, Texas

On behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted an intensive cultural resources survey with mechanical trenching on September 18, 2017, of 8.8 acres of new and existing right-of-way (ROW) along BurlesonRetta Road in Tarrant County, Texas. Because the project will receive funding from the Federal Highways Administration, it qualifies as an undertaking as defined in Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800.16(y) and, therefore, survey was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S. Code 306108). Furthermore, the project must also comply with the Antiquities Code of Texas (9 Natural Resources Code 191). Kevin Hanselka served as Principal Investigator under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8097. The area of potential effects (APE) is defined as a total of 8.8 acres comprising the bridge, new approaches on either side of the bridge, as well as 2.39 acres of new ROW. A background literature review determined that the APE has not previously been surveyed for cultural resources and no archeological sites, historical markers, or State Antiquities Landmarks (SALs) are within 0.6 miles (1 km) of the APE. One possible cemetery is located approximately 0.17 miles south of the APE on the western side of Village Creek. The survey identified substantial disturbances within the APE, including prior infrastructure development, such as utilities and bridge construction, and a variety of other land use practices. SWCA assessed the entire 8.8-acre survey area, but focused on the 2.39 acres of proposed new ROW. SWCA excavated four backhoe trenches to assess the potential for deeply buried cultural deposits. The survey identified deep subsurface disturbance close to Village Creek. Moderately intact soils were found away from the creek; however, these soils contained negligible potential for deeply buried cultural materials and these investigations identified no cultural resources. Due to the heavy disturbance observed throughout the existing ROW and the negligible potential for deeply buried deposits or intact cultural material, no further archeological investigations are recommended. SWCA recommends that a finding of “no historic properties affected” be made for the current undertak

President Trump and the Media

Dr. Larry Gould and Dr. Dan Kulmala discuss President Donald Trump\u27s relationship with the media and how both sides benefit

Intensive Archeological Survey of the Dairy Farm Road at Palo Pinto Creek, Palo Pinto County, Texas.

On behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted an intensive cultural resources survey with mechanical trenching on September 19, 2017, of 1 acre of existing right-of-way (ROW) along Dairy Farm Road in Palo Pinto County, Texas. Because the project will receive funding from the Federal Highways Administration, it qualifies as an undertaking as defined in Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800.16(y) and, therefore, survey was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S. Code 306108). Furthermore, the project must also comply with the Antiquities Code of Texas (9 Natural Resources Code 191). Jon Budd served as Principal Investigator under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8132. The area of potential effects (APE) is defined as the existing 80-foot-wide Dairy Farm ROW beginning 250 feet east of the Palo Pinto Creek waterline and extending 500 feet west. According to project design, the depth of impacts will be up to 50 feet below the current ground surface for the bridge supports, 12 feet for the bridge headers, and 3 feet for the approaches. A background literature review determined that the APE has not previously been surveyed for cultural resources and no archeological sites, historical markers, or cemeteries are within 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) of the APE. The field investigation of the proposed project APE consisted of five backhoe trench (BHT) excavations and one column sample. The existing ROW has been modified by the construction of Dairy Farm Road and an earlier roadway that parallels Dairy Farm Road. Portions of the ROW consist of short grasses, naturally overgrown vegetation, and mixed hardwoods. SWCA identified three faunal element fragments (deer) in BHT01 and BHT05. The two deer fragments in BHT01 were encountered in association with a tin can (modern) in a disturbed context, while the single deer fragment in BHT05 was subsequently investigated with a column sample. No cultural materials or features were identified in the column sample. Overall, no prehistoric or historic cultural resources were identified in the proposed project APE. The investigations also encountered a buried soil in BHTS 02 through 05, which was negative for cultural materials. This buried soil is similar to that described by previous investigators along Palo Pinto Creek that has been tentatively interpreted to be contemporaneous with the West Fork Paleosol, which was deposited about 1,000 to 2,000 years ago. SWCA made a reasonable and good faith effort as per 36 CFR Part 800.4(b)(1) to identify and locate prehistoric and historic archeological properties within the proposed project APE. The field investigation discovered no cultural resources; therefore, SWCA recommends that a finding of “no historic properties affected” be made for the current undertaking

US 83 La Joya Loop Project, Hidalgo County, Texas

The proposed US 83 La Joya Loop Project is a new location roadway in southwestern Hidalgo County originating at US 83 and Showers Road near Havana and ending at US 83 approximately 0.8 miles east of FM 886 (El Faro Road) near the town of Peñitas. The Area of Potential Effect (APE) has an approximate length of approximately 10.5 miles with a total area of approximately 462.3 acres. The original survey was conducted between April and October of 2013 The present survey examined two parcels of the APE that were inaccessible due to denied of Right of Entry (ROE). The parcels have a combined area of 54.9 acres. Both were defined high probability areas for the presence of sites though preservation potential in the larger tract is considered poor due to clearing and decades of agriculture impacts. The typical depth of impact will be approximately 3 feet for the roadway construction, 6 feet for culverts, and 50 feet for bridge pilings. The US 83 La Joya Loop Project survey was conducted by TxDOT archeologists between September and October, 2017. A total of 17 shovel tests and 9 backhoe trenches, were excavated largely in the high probability areas although some shovel testing was conducted in the low probability areas Both are within the defined high probability area and will require survey once ROE is granted. The western parcel, designated Area 1, has an area of 9.3 acres and consists of ranch land with secondary growth scrub woodland and several north south-trending two-track roads that traverse the tract. Investigations at Area 1 included pedestrian survey and subsurface testing. No new archeological sites were recorded but site 41HG242, located immediately east of the tract, was found to extend approximately 175 meters westward into the parcel. The site consists of a surficial lithic scatter and subsurface testing in Area 1 was unable to identify intact subsurface deposits associated with the site. The eastern tract, Area 2, has an area of 45.6 acres and consists of agricultural lands that are completed cleared and plowed. Investigations at the location included pedestrian survey and subsurface testing. Two new archeological sites were recorded in Area 2 consisting of 41HG261 and 41HG262, A previously recorded site, 41HG239, is located immediately west of the tract and was found to extend approximately 195 meters eastward into Area 2. All three sites consisted of very low density (\u3c 10 nondiagnostic lithic artifacts) surficial lithic scatters, Subsurface testing in Area 2 verified the extensive plow impacts and was unable to identify intact subsurface deposits associated with any of the three sites. Based on the results of the survey, land-use over the past Century has severely impacted both Area 1 and Area 2. As such, the documented impacts within the APE examined indicates that sites 41HG239, 242, 261, and 262 lack sufficient integrity of location, association, and materials to be able to address important questions of history and prehistory (36 CFR 60.4). Based on the results of the pedestrian survey and subsurface testing, the cleared and plowed agricultural lands was subjected to pedestrian survey only due to the extensive impacts. The proposed undertaking has no potential to affect archeological historic properties (36 CFR 800.16(l)) or State Antiquities Landmarks (13 TAC 26.12) in the APE and no further work is warranted for the proposed project