Talking About My Generation: the Date of the West Kennet Long Barrow

Thirty-one radiocarbon results are now available from the West Kennet long barrow, and are presented within an interpretive Bayesian statistical framework. Two alternative archaeological interpretations of the sequence are given, each with a separate Bayesian model. In our preferred interpretation, the barrow is seen as a unitary construction (given the lack of dating samples from the old ground surface, ditches or constructional features themselves), with a series of deposits of human remains made in the chambers following construction. Primary deposition in the chambers is followed by further secondary deposition of some human remains, including children, and layers of earth and chalk, the latest identifiable finds in which are Beaker sherds. In the Bayesian model for this sequence, the construction of the monument at West Kennet, as dated from the primary mortuary deposits, occurred in 3670–3635 cal. BC, probably in the middle decades of the thirty-seventh century cal. BC. The last interments of this initial use of the chambers probably occurred in 3640–3610 cal. BC. The difference between these two distributions suggests that this primary mortuary activity probably continued for only 10–30 years. After a hiatus probably lasting for rather more than a century, the infilling of the chambers began in 3620–3240 cal. BC and continued into the second half of the third millennium cal. BC. In an alternative interpretation, we do not assume that all the people dated from the primary mortuary deposits were placed in the monument in a fleshed or partially articulated condition; they could therefore have died before the monument was built, although they must have died before the end of the formation of the mortuary deposit. In the Bayesian model for this interpretation, the monument appears to belong either to the thirty-seventh century cal. BC or the mid-thirty-sixth century cal. BC, and deposition again appears short-lived, but the model is unstable. Results are discussed in relation to the setting and sequence of the local region

Serious mortality: the date of the Fussell's Lodge long barrow

Twenty-seven radiocarbon results are now available from the Fussell’s Lodge long barrow, and are presented within an interpretive Bayesian statistical framework. Three alternative archaeological interpretations of the sequence are given, each with a separate Bayesian model. It is hard to decide between these, though we prefer the third. In the first (following the excavator), the construction is a unitary one, and the human remains included are by definition already old. In the second, the primary mortuary structure is seen as having two phases, and is set within a timber enclosure; these are later closed by the construction of a long barrow. In that model of the sequence, deposition began in the 38th century cal BC and the mortuary structure was extended probably in the 3660s–3650s cal BC; the long barrow was probably built in the 3630s–3620s cal BC; ancestral remains are not in question; and the use of the primary structure may have lasted for a century or so. In the third, preferred model, a variant of the second, we envisage the inclusion of some ancestral remains in the primary mortuary structure alongside fresh remains. This provides different estimates of the date of initial construction (probably in the last quarter of the 38th century cal BC or the first half of the 37th century cal BC) and the duration of primary use, but agrees in setting the date of the long barrow probably in the 3630s–3620s cal BC. These results are discussed in relation to the development and meanings of long barrows at both national and local scales

Once in a lifetime: the date of the Wayland's Smithy long barrow

Twenty-three radiocarbon results are now available from the Wayland’s Smithy long barrow, and are presented within an interpretive Bayesian statistical framework. Four alternative archaeological interpretations of the sequence are considered, each with a separate Bayesian model, though only two are presented in detail. The differences are based on different readings of the sequence of Wayland’s Smithy II. In our preferred interpretation of the sequence, the primary mortuary structure was some kind of lidded wooden box, accessible for deposition over a period of time, and then closed by the mound of Wayland’s Smithy I; Wayland’s Smithy II was a unitary construction, with transepted chambers, secondary kerb and secondary ditches all constructed together. In the Bayesian model for this interpretation, deposition began in the earlier 36th century cal BC, and probably lasted for a generation. A gap of probably 40–100 years ensued, before the first small mound was constructed in 3520–3470 cal BC. After another gap, probably of only 1–35 years, the second phase of the monument was probably constructed in the middle to later part of the 35th century cal BC (3460–3400 cal BC), and its use probably extended to the middle decades of the 34th century cal BC. Results are discussed in relation to the local setting, the nature of mortuary rites and the creation of tradition

Portfolio preferences of foreign institutional investors

The authors examine the relationship between foreign investment and the attributes of emerging market countries and firms in which investment is made. Their findings indicate that countries with higher levels of economic development and floating exchange rate regimes tend to have greater ability to obtain foreign capital. After controlling for the country's level of economic development, they find that firms in countries with stronger shareholder rights and legal framework attract more foreign capital. The authors also find that foreign institutions allocate more of their assets to firms with better corporate governance after controlling for other country and firm attributes. The main firm-level measures of corporate governance are derived from accounting quality variables. Their results imply that steps can be taken both at the country and the firm level to create an environment conducive to foreign portfolio investment. The analysis is based on a unique dataset consisting of equity positions of U.S. mutual funds in emerging markets.Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Economic Theory&Research,Labor Policies,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Financial Intermediation,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Economic Theory&Research,Financial Intermediation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform

Parc le Breos Cwm transepted long cairn, Gower, West Glamorgan

First investigated in 1869, the transepted long cairn of Parc le Breos Cwm was re-excavated in 1960-61 but without a report being published. This account presents a number of radiocarbon dates and a detailed reexamination of the human bone assemblages, and attempts to put the monument in local and regional context. Radiocarbon dates place the long cairn in the later part of the earlier Neolithic, and support a fairly long span of time over which its mortuary deposits were accumulated; they also show secondary re-use of the passage, and perhaps also the deliberate incorporation of very old animal bone from nearby caves. The analysis of the human bone assemblages indicates prior exposure of the remains found in the chambers, in contrast to those in the passage. Variation in musculoskeletal stress markers may indicate a mobile lifestyle for at least some of the male mortuary population. Other lifestyle indicators are noted, and isotopic evidence is presented for a terrestrial and mainly meat-oriented diet in the sampled group. The isolated context and hidden setting of the Parc le Breos Cwm long cairn and the apparently low density of south Welsh monuments are stressed

"In this chambered tumulus were found cleft skulls ...": an assessment of the evidence for cranial trauma in the British Neolithic

Interpersonal violence is a powerful expression of human social interaction. Yet a consideration of violence in the past has done relatively little to inform our discussions of the British Neolithic. Here, we present the results of an examination of some 350 earlier Neolithic crania from mainly southern Britain. Of these, 31 show healed or unhealed injuries suggestive of interpersonal violence. We suggest a conservative estimate of 2% fatal cranial injuries, and 4 or 5% healed injuries. These data are used as a platform to discuss possible contexts for, and consequences of, violence. We argue that, regardless of its actual prevalance, the reality or the threat of interpersonal violence can have an important affect on both the behaviour of individuals and the structure of society

Measurements of Cold Nuclear Matter Effects on J/psi in the PHENIX Experiment via Deuteron-Gold Collisions

A new calculation of R_{dAu} has been performed using the 2003 d+Au data and the higher-statistics 2005 p+p data. These nuclear modification factors are compared to calculations using nuclear-modified PDFs and a J/psi breakup cross section is extracted. These values are then used to project the cold nuclear matter effects in Au+Au collisions. Additionally, a more data-driven projection is performed.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, proceedings for Quark Matter 200

On the Effect of Adjacent Sector Multiple Access Interference on Space Time Spreading Systems

Space Time Spreading systems are proposed as a method to enhance communications between the Base Station (BS) and Mobile Station (MS) by using multiple transmit antennas at the Base Station. This provides a form of transmit diversity when there are more than one transmitting antennas. Space Time Spreading systems have been shown to be efficient in their use of the limited number of orthogonal spreading sequences and to provide a diversity gain, which in the case of two transmitter antennas at the BS and one receiving antenna at the MS, is of order two. The paper looks at the effect of unsynchronized adjacent cell interference caused by scatterers causing the target MS to experience Multiple Access Interference (MAI) due to misaligned orthogonal codes from adjacent sectors in a sectorised cell (with 120 degree sectorisation). The study finds that adjacent MAI does adversely influence the Bit Error Rate (BER) of the target MS