Micromorphological description of vernacular cob process and comparison with rammed earth

International audiencePast builders have developed very low-embodied energy construction techniques optimizing the use of local building materials. These techniques are a source of inspiration for modern sustainable building. Unfortunately, this know-how was orally transmitted andwas lost as earth construction fell into disuse during the 20th century in European countries.The absence of written documents makes necessary to use an archaeological approach in orderto rediscover these construction strategies. Micromorphological analysis of thin sections collected in earth building walls was used for the first time to describe cob construction tech-nique and highlighted several typical pedofeatures allowing to clearly identifying this process.Finally, a first comparison of the cob and rammed earth micromorphological features permitted to identify two key factors to distinguish these two techniques, the manufacturing state (solid or plastic) and the organization of the material in the wall

How efficient is an integrative approach in archaeological geophysics? Comparative case studies from Neolithic settlements in Thessaly (Central Greece)

The geophysical prospection of Neolithic tells imposes specific challenges due to the preservation and nature of the architectural context and the multiple, usually disturbed, soil strata. Contrary to the usual application of a single method, this paper deals with the advantages of using an integrated geophysical approach through the employment of various methodologies to map the Neolithic cul-tural and environmental landscape of Thessalian tells (magoules) in Central Greece. The success and failure of each method in resolving the various features of the magoules are discussed in detail, and as a whole, they demonstrate the benefits of a manifold geophysical prospection of the sites

TEM characterization of the fine scale microstructure of a Roman ferrous nail

This paper describes the microstructure of a Roman ferrous nail through its observation by transmission electron microscopy. The morphologies of pearlitic colonies and ferritic grains are detailed and the relationship between pearlitic colonies and ferrite in Roman nails is explicitly demonstrated for the first time. Observations also confirm the presence of dislocations in ferritic grains and attest to the existence of very small carbide precipitates that have not been pointed out previously in standard archaeometric studies

Steppes, savannahs, forests and phytodiversity reservoirs during the Pleistocene in the Iberian Peninsula

A palaeobotanical analysis of the Pleistocene floras and vegetation in the Iberian Peninsula shows the existence of patched landscapes with Pinus woodlands, deciduous and mixed forests, parklands (savannah-like), shrublands, steppes and grasslands. Extinctions of Arctotertiary woody taxa are recorded during the Early and Middle Pleistocene, but glacial refugia facilitated the survival of a number of temperate, Mediterranean and Ibero-North African woody angiosperms. The responses of Iberian vegetation to climatic changes during the Pleistocene have been spatially and temporarily complex, including rapid changes of vegetation in parallel to orbital and suborbital variability, and situations of multi-centennial resilience or accommodation to climatic changes. Regional characteristics emerged as soon as for the Middle Pleistocene, if not earlier: Ericaceae in the Atlantic coast indicating wetter climate, thermo-mediterranean elements in the south as currently, and broad-leaf trees in the northeastern. Overall, steppe landscapes and open Pinus woodlands prevailed over many continental regions during the cold spells of the Late Pleistocene. The maintenance of a high phytodiversity during the glacials was linked to several refuge zones in the coastal shelves of the Mediterranean and intramountainous valleys. Northern Iberia, especially on coastal areas, was also patched with populations of tree species, and this is not only documented by palaeobotanical data (pollen, charcoal) but also postulated by phylogeographical models

Residence time, mineralization processes and groundwater origin within a carbonate coastal aquifer with a thick unsaturated zone

International audienceThis study aims at establishing groundwater residence times, identifying mineralization processes and determining groundwater origins within a carbonate coastal aquifer with thick unsaturated zone and lying on a granitic depression. A multi-tracer approach (major ions, SiO2, Br-, Ba+, Sr2+, 18O, 2H, 13C, 3H, Ne, Ar) combined with a groundwater residence time determination using CFCs and SF6 allows defining the global setting of the study site. A typical mineralization conditioned by the sea sprays and the carbonate matrix helped to validate the groundwater weighted residence times from using a binary mixing model. Terrigenic SF6 excesses have been detected and quantified, which permits to identify a groundwater flow from the surrounding fractured granites towards the lower aquifer principally. The use of CFCs and SF6 as a first hydrogeological investigation tool is possible and very relevant despite the thick unsaturated zone and the hydraulic connexion with a granitic environment

First evidence of a whale bone industry in the western European Upper Paleolithic: Magdalenian artifacts from Isturitz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France)

International audienceRecent reexamination of osseous material from the Magdalenian layers of the Isturitz cave (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France) by the author and F. Poplin has shown that several artifacts once considered to be made of antler have now been identified deriving from cetacean bone, most probably whale bone. These artifacts demonstrate the existence of technical exploitation of whale bone, proving that the now submerged seashore was also a place where Paleolithic people gathered specific materials for producing weapons and tools

AGE, GENERATION AND TIME IN A TANZANIAN CHIEFDOM: THE AGE SYSTEM OF THE RWA OF MOUNT MERU

The Rwa farm the densely populated slopes of Mount Meru, facing Mount Kilimanjaro. Their age system is part of a highly developped sociopolitical organisation, with a centralised chieftaincy and powerful patrilinear clans. We will first describe the logic and structure of this age system, and compare it to those of the neighboring Maasai and Arusha. This age system fulfills various functions, implying cognitive, matrimonial, demographical, social, legal and ritual aspects, which will then be described. Thirdly and lastly, we will address the history and reasons for the evolution of the Rwa age-system. From a leading role at the end of the 19th century to a near collapse in the 1960's, it now meets with a powerful comeback but is entirely subordinated to the chieftaincy. Owing to the Rwa's desire to assert their identity in a changing world, the age system is currently thriving and gives rise to big ceremonies

Se restaurer en voyage en haute Mésopotamie et Anatolie au début du IIe millénaire avant J.-C.

International audienceLes tablettes cunéiformes du début du IIe millénaire av. J.-C., qu’il s’agisse de documentation privée ou d’archives palatiales, ne s’intéressent guère à l’alimentation des voyageurs. Toutefois, les textes retrouvés dans les palais des royaumes de haute Mésopotamie (Mari, Tell Rimah, Tell Leilān, Chagar Bazar) offrent de nombreuses allusions aux déplacements du roi et parfois de sa cour, de l’armée et des messagers. Les archives découvertes dans les maisons de particuliers relatent, quant à elles, les déplacements des marchands (Kaniš, Aššur, Hattuš, Alişar). Selon les voyageurs, les motifs de leur déplacement et leur destination, plusieurs modes de restauration en cours de route peuvent être mis en valeur : repas en auberge ou chez un hôte, transport de denrées alimentaires ou approvisionnement sur le terrain

Du système documentaire du LIMC au portail CLAROS.: Interopérabilité et optimisation de l'information archéologique grâce à l'usage de normes.

à paraître dans les actes de la conférenceAnne-Violaine SZABADOS, "From the databases of the LIMC to the Web portal CLAROS : the use of standards for the interoperability and optimization of archaeological data". The tools developed by the LIMC (databases and web site LIMC-France) give access to Graeco-Roman objects decorated with mythological or religious representations. Created in 1981, this system has constantly evolved in order to fit the needs of new fields of research, standards and practices of the Internet. Thanks to the use of standards (Dublin Core, TEI, CIDOC-CRM, WGS84, XMP/IPTC) the databases of the LIMC are combined with other archaeological databases on the international Web portal CLAROS whose the Semantic Web approach and the innovative tools optimize the use of the data by the internaut.Les outils documentaires élaborés par l'équipe du LIMC (bases de données et site LIMC-France) permettent de diffuser des informations sur des objets gréco-romains portant des représentations mythologiques ou religieuses. Créé en 1981, ce système d'information a constamment évolué pour s'adapter aux besoins de nouvelles recherches, aux pratiques de l'internaute et aux normes en vigueur. Grâce à la prise en compte de normes (Dublin Core, TEI, CIDOC-CRM, WGS84, XMP/IPTC), les données du LIMC sont associées à celles d'autres bases de données archéologiques sur le portail international CLAROS qui, par son adaptation au web sémantique et ses outils innovants, permet d'optimiser l'utilisation de ces informations par l'internaute

Une histoire des styles en épigrammes: Essai de confrontation entre Posidippe et Dioscoride

Ce document est la première version d'un article destiné aux actes du colloque international L'Épigramme dans tous ses états (Lyon, 3-4 juin 2010). Ces actes seront publiés par L. Foschia et E. Santin aux Presses de l'ENS Lyon.Cet article propose une confrontation entre les épigrammes sur les bronziers (andriantopoiika) de Posidippe de Pella (62-70 A.-B.) et les épigrammes sur les dramaturges de Dioscoride (20-24 G.-P.). Ces deux ensembles de textes se structurent sous la forme de l'histoire d'une ou de plusieurs τέχνη / τέχναι et s'articulent autour de l'idée d'un antagonisme entre les styles des bronziers ou dramaturges successifs. Cette histoire des arts est à chaque fois marquée par la volonté d'observer les styles dans une perspective historique, mais aussi en synchronie avec une dimension polémique puisqu'il s'agit certainement de disqualifier certaines œuvres ou positions esthétiques. On constate aussi que, dans les deux cas, le discours sur le style prend appui sur la représentation, dans l'épigramme, d'une œuvre statuaire, que celle-ci soit réelle ou imaginaire. Aussi bien chez Posidippe que chez Dioscoride, il s'agit de traduire sous la forme d'une image figurée le caractère stylistique d'un auteur donné: Philitas, Sophocle ou encore Sosithéos