The Geometry and Symbolic Architecture of Basque Stone Octagons: The Pastoral Sarobe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roslyn M Frank
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Carbon 14 ◽  
The Past ◽  
Local Tradition ◽  
Cardinal Directions

<p>In the Basque Country (Euskal Herria) stone octagons, known as <em>sarobe</em> in Basque (Euskara), were built using specified dimensions, based on a “geometric foot” standard (0.278m). This standard was incorporated into a septarian system of measurements, e.g., rods of 7 g.ft. in length, called <em>gizabete</em>, poles of 21 g.ft. and a unit called <em>gorapila</em> of 49 g.ft. The dimensions of the stone octagons suggest that ritual importance was attributed to their geometric design, to the size of their perimeter and their orientation. According to local tradition and Basque legal codes, the eight stones on the perimeter had to be oriented to the cardinal and inter-cardinal directions. Field work indicates that over 500 octagons may have existed inside Euskal Herria at some point in the past. In the study region the stone octagons are linked specifically to localized transhumant practices of Basque-speaking shepherds, well documented socio-cultural practices that appear to date back to the Late Bronze Age if not earlier. Inferential evidence suggests that the cognitive origins of their architectural design might reach back to the Neolithic and be related to similar pastoral traditions as well as septarian units of measure encountered along the Atlantic façade. Thus far, even though several of the sites have been Carbon-14 dated, the absolute <em>terminus ante quem non</em> of the design of the octagons is still uncertain.</p>

scholarly journals 8,000 years of climate, vegetation, fire and land-use dynamics in the thermo-mediterranean vegetation belt of northern Sardinia (Italy)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Pedrotta ◽  
Erika Gobet ◽  
Christoph Schwörer ◽  
Giorgia Beffa ◽  
Christoph Butz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Vegetation History ◽  
Juglans Regia ◽  
Fire Disturbance ◽  
Lake Productivity ◽  
The Past ◽  
Evergreen Oak ◽  
The Bronze Age

AbstractKnowledge about the vegetation history of Sardinia, the second largest island of the Mediterranean, is scanty. Here, we present a new sedimentary record covering the past ~ 8,000 years from Lago di Baratz, north-west Sardinia. Vegetation and fire history are reconstructed by pollen, spores, macrofossils and charcoal analyses and environmental dynamics by high-resolution element geochemistry together with pigment analyses. During the period 8,100–7,500 cal bp, when seasonality was high and fire and erosion were frequent, Erica arborea and E. scoparia woodlands dominated the coastal landscape. Subsequently, between 7,500 and 5,500 cal bp, seasonality gradually declined and thermo-mediterranean woodlands with Pistacia and Quercus ilex partially replaced Erica communities under diminished incidence of fire. After 5,500 cal bp, evergreen oak forests expanded markedly, erosion declined and lake levels increased, likely in response to increasing (summer) moisture availability. Increased anthropogenic fire disturbance triggered shrubland expansions (e.g. Tamarix and Pistacia) around 5,000–4,500 cal bp. Subsequently around 4,000–3,500 cal bp evergreen oak-olive forests expanded massively when fire activity declined and lake productivity and anoxia reached Holocene maxima. Land-use activities during the past 4,000 years (since the Bronze Age) gradually disrupted coastal forests, but relict stands persisted under rather stable environmental conditions until ca. 200 cal bp, when agricultural activities intensified and Pinus and Eucalyptus were planted to stabilize the sand dunes. Pervasive prehistoric land-use activities since at least the Bronze Age Nuraghi period included the cultivation of Prunus, Olea europaea and Juglans regia after 3,500–3,300 cal bp, and Quercus suber after 2,500 cal bp. We conclude that restoring less flammable native Q. ilex and O. europaea forest communities would markedly reduce fire risk and erodibility compared to recent forest plantations with flammable non-native trees (e.g. Pinus, Eucalyptus) and xerophytic shrubland (e.g. Cistus, Erica).

scholarly journals Seeing Children in Prehistory: A View from Bronze Age Ireland

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Mark Haughton
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
The Past ◽  
Written Sources

Despite growing strength in recent decades, an archaeology of childhood has often been overlooked by those studying prehistory. This is concerning because communities are enlivened by their children, and conversations with and about children often provide a critical arena for the discussion of aspects of societies which prehistorians are comfortable addressing, such as social structure, identity and personhood. Through an exploration of childhood as expressed in the Earlier Bronze Age burials from Ireland, this article demonstrates that neither written sources, artistic depictions nor toys are necessary to speak of children in the past. Indeed, an approach which tacks between scales reveals subtle trends in the treatment of children which speak to wider shared concerns and allows a reflection on the role of children in prehistory.

scholarly journals A Response of Snow Cover to the Climate in the Northwest Himalaya (NWH) Using Satellite Products

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 655
Author(s):  
Animesh Choudhury ◽  
Avinash Chand Yadav ◽  
Stefania Bonafoni
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Shuttle Radar Topography Mission ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Snow Cover Area ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Northwest Himalaya ◽  
The Past ◽  
Average Annual Temperature

The Himalayan region is one of the most crucial mountain systems across the globe, which has significant importance in terms of the largest depository of snow and glaciers for fresh water supply, river runoff, hydropower, rich biodiversity, climate, and many more socioeconomic developments. This region directly or indirectly affects millions of lives and their livelihoods but has been considered one of the most climatically sensitive parts of the world. This study investigates the spatiotemporal variation in maximum extent of snow cover area (SCA) and its response to temperature, precipitation, and elevation over the northwest Himalaya (NWH) during 2000–2019. The analysis uses Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Terra 8-day composite snow Cover product (MOD10A2), MODIS/Terra/V6 daily land surface temperature product (MOD11A1), Climate Hazards Infrared Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) precipitation product, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM product for the investigation. Modified Mann-Kendall (mMK) test and Spearman’s correlation methods were employed to examine the trends and the interrelationships between SCA and climatic parameters. Results indicate a significant increasing trend in annual mean SCA (663.88 km2/year) between 2000 and 2019. The seasonal and monthly analyses were also carried out for the study region. The Zone-wise analysis showed that the lower Himalaya (184.5 km2/year) and the middle Himalaya (232.1 km2/year) revealed significant increasing mean annual SCA trends. In contrast, the upper Himalaya showed no trend during the study period over the NWH region. Statistically significant negative correlation (−0.81) was observed between annual SCA and temperature, whereas a nonsignificant positive correlation (0.47) existed between annual SCA and precipitation in the past 20 years. It was also noticed that the SCA variability over the past 20 years has mainly been driven by temperature, whereas the influence of precipitation has been limited. A decline in average annual temperature (−0.039 °C/year) and a rise in precipitation (24.56 mm/year) was detected over the region. The results indicate that climate plays a vital role in controlling the SCA over the NWH region. The maximum and minimum snow cover frequency (SCF) was observed during the winter (74.42%) and monsoon (46.01%) season, respectively, while the average SCF was recorded to be 59.11% during the study period. Of the SCA, 54.81% had a SCF above 60% and could be considered as the perennial snow. The elevation-based analysis showed that 84% of the upper Himalaya (UH) experienced perennial snow, while the seasonal snow mostly dominated over the lower Himalaya (LH) and the middle Himalaya (MH).

Soul of Classicality in Western Architectural Design

2014 ◽  
Vol 638-640 ◽  
pp. 2253-2256
Author(s):  
Cong Ru Liu ◽  
Ming Sen Lin ◽  
Qing Li
Keyword(s):  
Significant Role ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Ancient Greece ◽  
Architecture Design ◽  
Ancient Rome ◽  
The Past ◽  
Renaissance Period

The classicality of the western architecture establishes its foundation at the beginning of the ancient Greece, is flourished in the ancient Rome and revitalized in the renaissance period, extends to the classicism and the classical revival, and finally is overthrown by the postmodernism. By going through development and prosperity in the past thousands of years, the classical spirit has always played a greatly significant role in the field of western architecture design.

Herramientas digitales para recolección, procesamiento y presentación de datos de campo como instrumento para afrontar la contingencia COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 96-104
Author(s):  
Didier Haid Alvarado Acosta
Keyword(s):  
Learning Curve ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Past ◽  
Online Platforms ◽  
Virtual Libraries ◽  
Different Types

In March of 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak forced people to lock themselves inside their homes and begin the process of transitioning from face-to-face activities at work, schools and universities to a 100 % virtual method. Even when Communication Technologies (ICT) and online platforms have seen growth over the past two decades, including various virtual libraries developed by database publishers or web-based training programs that appear to shorten the learning curve (Lee, Hong y Nian, 2002), many people were unprepared for this transition and all of them are now dedicated to entering the new reality. In this order of ideas, the activities that have traditionally required the assistance of the staff have had to adapt with the use of new tools, which meet daily needs. A clear example is the field work collection tasks. In this group, there are different types such as surveys, photographs, reviews or on-site inspections. The current work presents the use of tools for collecting, validating, analysing and presenting data remotely and in real time. All of them based on the ArcGIS Online platform.

Description of a new species of Bush frog (Anura: Rhacophoridae: Raorchestes) from northwestern Yunnan, China

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4941 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-258
Author(s):  
YUN-HE WU ◽  
XIAO-LONG LIU ◽  
WEI GAO ◽  
YU-FAN WANG ◽  
YING-CHUN LI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Field Work ◽  
The Body ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
The Past ◽  
Black Region ◽  
One New Species ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Northwestern Yunnan

Approximately half of the species in speciose genus Raorchestes were described during the past 10 years, yet only 11 species are known from Southeast Asia and southern China (SEA-SC), adjacent Himalayas, and northeastern India. Field work in northwestern Yunnan province, China resulted in the discovery of one new species in the genus based on morphological and molecular analyses. The new species is diagnosed by small size with 15.0–19.0 mm SVL in adult males (n=3); tongue pyriform, notched posteriorly; rudimentary webbing between toes; fingers and toes with narrow lateral dermal fringes; tibiotarsal articulation reaching anterior of the eye when hindlimb is stretched along the side of the body; relative finger lengths: I < II < IV < III, relative toe lengths: I < II < V < III < IV; inner metatarsal tubercle oval, outer metatarsal tubercle absent; finger discs and toe discs greyish or orange; flank near the crotch with a distinct black region between two creamy white patches, and the thigh having a similar black patch near the groin, proximal to another creamy white patch; a distinct “) (”-shaped dark marking on the back; male with external single subgular vocal sac; nuptial pad absent. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed based on the mitochondrial genes for 16S rRNA and ND1. The results indicated that these individuals form a monophyletic group, and show high genetic divergence to their closest relatives within the genus (uncorrected p-distances > 3.2%) by distance of 16S comparable to the divergence between recognized Raorchestes species. This study further enriches the diversity of rhacophorids, especially in northwestern Yunnan. 

What Are We Seeking to Sustain Through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy? A Loving Critique Forward

2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Django Paris ◽  
H. Samy Alim
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Youth Culture ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Cultural Pluralism ◽  
Youth Of Color ◽  
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy ◽  
The Past ◽  
Youth Identity ◽  
Global World

In this article, Django Paris and H. Samy Alim use the emergence of Paris's concept of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) as the foundation for a respectful and productive critique of previous formulations of asset pedagogies. Paying particular attention to asset pedagogy's failures to remain dynamic and critical in a constantly evolving global world, they offer a vision that builds on the crucial work of the past toward a CSP that keeps pace with the changing lives and practices of youth of color. The authors argue that CSP seeks to perpetuate and foster linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism as part of the democratic project of schooling and as a needed response to demographic and social change. Building from their critique, Paris and Alim suggest that CSP's two most important tenets are a focus on the plural and evolving nature of youth identity and cultural practices and a commitment to embracing youth culture's counterhegemonic potential while maintaining a clear-eyed critique of the ways in which youth culture can also reproduce systemic inequalities.

scholarly journals Illuminating Vestige: Amateur Archaeology and the Emergence of Historical Consciousness in Rural France

2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 474-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Economic Restructuring ◽  
Historical Consciousness ◽  
Cultural Transformation ◽  
Historical Ethnography ◽  
The Past ◽  
Time Space ◽  
Rural France

AbstractThis article provides a historical ethnography of an abrupt and transient awakening of interest in Roman vestige during the 1970s in rural France, and explores its implications for comparative understanding of historical consciousness in Western Europe. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Languedoc, and particularly the commune of Monadières, it details a vogue for collecting pottery shards scattered in a nearby lagoon that developed among local inhabitants. The article frames this as a ritualized “expressive historicity” emergent from political economic restructuring, cultural transformation, and time-space compression. It analyses the catalyzing role of a historian who introduced discursive forms into the commune for symbolizing the shards, drawn from regionalist and socialist historiography, which local people adapted to rearticulate the historicity of lived experience as a novel, hybrid genre of “historical consciousness.” These activities are conceptualized as a “reverse historiography.” Elements of historiographical and archaeological discourses—for example, chronological depth, collation and evaluation of material relics—are reinvented to alternate ends, partly as a subversive “response” to contact with such discourses. The practice emerges as a mediation of distinct ways of apprehending the world at a significant historical juncture. Analysis explores the utility of new anthropological theories of “historicity”—an alternative to the established “historical idiom” for analyzing our relations with the past—which place historiography within the analytical frame, and enable consideration of the temporality of historical experience. Findings suggest that the alterity of popular Western cultural practices for invoking the past would reward further study.

scholarly journals I, etcetera

October ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 45-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Kitnick
Keyword(s):  
Contemporary Art ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
First Person ◽  
Personal Essay ◽  
The Past

Over the past few years there has been a marked use of the first-person singular in a broad range of cultural practices, including contemporary art, literature, and criticism. Although it goes by any number of names—autobiography, autofiction, confession, epistle, memoir, personal essay—which each have a specific history and structure, its increased use in our current moment suggests a common impulse and points to a novel conception of the author that is represented in the work of Moyra Davey, Chris Kraus, and Maggie Nelson.

scholarly journals How Rocks Die: Changing Patterns of Discard and Re-Use of Ground Stone Tools in Middle Bronze Age Cyprus

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 8869
Author(s):  
Andrew McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Political Change ◽  
Stone Tools ◽  
Cultural Objects ◽  
The Past ◽  
Ground Stone ◽  
Changing Patterns ◽  
Middle Bronze Age

Cultural objects are thought to have a lifespan. From selection, through construction, use, destruction, and discard, materials do not normally last forever, transforming through stages of life, eventually leading to their death. The materiality of stone objects, however, can defy the inevitable demise of an object, especially durable ground stone tools that can outlive generations of human lifespans. How groups of people deal with the relative permanence of stone tools depends on their own relationship with the past, and whether they venerate it or reject its influence on the present. A case study from the long-lived site of Prasteio-Mesorotsos in Cyprus demonstrates a shifting attitude toward ground stone objects, from the socially conservative habit of ritually killing of objects and burying them, to one of more casual re-use and reinterpretation of ground stone. This shift in attitude coincides with a socio-political change that eventually led to the ultimate rejection of the past: complete abandonment of the settlement.

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