Archaeology

Рассмотрена историческая периодизация формирования цивилизационного подхода. Определен потенциал локальных цивилизаций в ХХІ веке. Исследована цивилизационная структура мировой экономики. Предложен подход к идентификации принадлежности стран к современным локальным цивилизациям. Определены доминирующие локальные цивилизации и их влияние на социально-экономическое развитие общества.

Статтю присвячено морським зв’язкам ямно-катакомбного населення з Троадою та загалом Східним Середземномор’ям. Акцентовано увагу на тому, що всі відомі значні катакомбні та ямні поселення розташовані в пониззях рік, які впадають до Чорного та Азовського морів, зокрема це катакомбний шар Лівенцівського I поселення в дельті Дону, соціальний центр на р. Молочній, Матвіївське поселення інгульської культури на північній околиці м. Миколаєва. Соціальні центри ямно-катакомбного суспільства також тяжіли до узбережжя Чорного та Азовського морів. Метою цього тяжіння могли бути успішні торговельні відносини зі Східним (...) Середземномор’ям, зокрема Троєю. Про можливість торговельних відносин між Північним Причорномор’ям та Троадою опосередковано свідчать кістки дельфіна на поселенні Матвіївка 1, наборний човен у похованні на Одещині, єгипетський скарабей, знайдений біля Мелітополя, пастові намистини з поховань ямної та катакомбної спільнот, посуд, що має аналогії на Кікладах; поліровані сокири з Трої. У 2012 р. біля с. Садове в Криму було знайдено скарб, що містив 24 речі анатолійського, троянського та північнопричорноморського походження. У статті аргументовано висновок про можливість доволі тісних обмінних відносин між Троадою та Причорномор’ям. (shrink)

In this first of two essays written on the topic of ancient greek inscriptions, I will briefly explore and discuss the role of the written word and of visual language within the cult of Asclepius at Epidauros, by both looking at the creation and function of the Epidaurian sanctuary's healing inscriptions—also called 'iamata'. Throughout the essay I have made use of J.L. Austin's Speech Act Theory to better contextualize the meaning of the inscriptions dealt with.

The most discussed of architectural marvels tend to be the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus or the Parthenon at Athens, supposedly because they are the ones we happen to have nominated ‘world wonders’; but that doesn’t mean all the rest of temple-type sites to be found across the greater Mediterranean area have less wonder about them. On the contrary; when wanting to explore and explain the role temples played in the lives of their ‘subscribers’ and a (...) temple site’s place as often the nucleus of a community, the Serapeum at Alexandria is as excellent a piece of architecture to examine as any. (shrink)

This book takes a brain-centric approach to the evolution of religion, where the evolution of religion is the evolution of cognitive capacities and the evolution of these is rooted in that of the brain.

The article is devoted to the publication of the pottery with a stamp design from the Kniazha Hora Old Rus fortress. During field seasons of 1958–1965, a representative collection of ceramic products was found on the settlement by a detachment of the Slavic-Rus archaeology of the Kaniv complex expedition under the direction of Halyna Mezentseva. Pots that are decorated with geometric figures-stamps are noteworthy because they are rare for the Kniazha Hora area. Studying ornamentation is very important because the décor (...) reflects some aspects of the spiritual culture of ancient population. However, these unique findings have not been given due attention by previous researchers. In the papers, the stamp type of ornament is associated with the West Slavonic tradition. It testifies one more peculiarity of the Old Rus society’s culture, in particular, of the Kniazha Hora fortress. (shrink)

Whether man is predisposed to lethal violence, ranging from homicide to warfare, and how that may have impacted human evolution, are among the most controversial topics of debate on human evolution. Although recent studies on the evolution of warfare have been based on various archaeological and ethnographic data, they have reported mixed results: it is unclear whether or notwarfare among prehistoric hunter–gathererswas common enough to be a component of human nature and a selective pressure for the evolution of human behaviour. (...) This paper reports the mortality attributable to violence, and the spatio-temporal pattern of violence thus shown among ancient hunter–gatherers using skeletal evidence in prehistoric Japan (the Jomon period: 13 000 cal BC–800 cal BC). Our results suggest that the mortality due to violence was low and spatio-temporally highly restricted in the Jomon period, which implies that violence including warfare in prehistoric Japan was not common. (shrink)

The evolution of human cognitive abilities, despite intensive sociological, psychoanalytic and neurobiological investigations, is poorly understood. The basic events of this evolution: progressive language development, technologization, increased learning aptitude, remain a field of speculations without coherent and consistent explanations. In the recent manuscript, a production of artefacts as a general pre-condition of human being is highlighted, and a key role they played by reshaping of neuro-physiological functions is factually substantiated.

The relationship between archaeology and other sciences has only recently become a research topic for sociologists and historians of science. From the 1950s to the present day, different approaches have been taken and the aims of research studies have changed considerably. Besides methodological textbooks, which aim at advancing archaeological knowledge, historians of archaeology have tackled this question by exploring the development of archaeology as a scientific discipline. More recently, collaborations between archaeologists and other scientists have been examined as a general (...) phenomenon regarding transfers of knowledge and power relationships between specialists, organizations, and scientific tools, where archaeology is considered as a scientific practice. Adopting a sociohistorical perspective, this entry examines the specificity of aims, facts, and procedures shared by archaeologists and other scientists regarding the crucial question of measuring time and computations. (shrink)

Focusing on the history of prehistoric archaeology in the 20th century, this papers shows (1) that statistical multidimensional analyses were carried out by a new kind of actors who challenged the previous common language shared by prehistorians. This fundamental change was important, considering that (2) language is a fundamental point for the epistemology of archaeology. However, a comparison of multidimensional analyses applications over time shall make clear that (3) the differences are mostly a generational matter: the transmission processes between them (...) will be addressed. (shrink)

A “sender–receiver” framework based on models developed in several fields can provide a general treatment of communicative and symbolic phenomena, replacing traditional semiotic theories that have failed to live up to the hopes of their advocates. Sender–receiver models have mostly been applied to linguistic behavior, gestures, and other ephemeral interactions between individuals. I look at the application of this framework to enduring artifacts, including pictures, using indigenous rock art in Australia as a case study.

This important work of archaeological theory challenges us to reconsider our ideas about the nature of things, past and present, arguing that objects themselves possess a dynamic presence that we must take into account if we are to understand the world we and they inhabit.

In the context of the transition from papyrus to paper in Egypt in the 3rd to 4th c. Hijra, Josef von Karabacek has claimed that the Vienna collection hosts some of the very early paper documents, stemming already from the 2nd or early 3rd c. Hijra. However, in this two seminal publications no plates are given. For this article, the early Arabic paper documents as listed by Karabacek have been located in the Vienna collection and been examined as regards their (...) dating. It will be shown that most of the very early documents are most probably much older. (shrink)

A collaboration between Australian, French and Cambodian scholars is revealing the sprawling form of a ruined medieval metropolis through remote sensing technology, excavations and new theories. A clearer understanding of Angkor’s form and function may help contemporary planners and architects see the issues facing low-density cities of today and tomorrow. This article reviews the latest research on this vast metropolis in relation to contemporary urban planning concepts such as sprawl and low-density urbanism.

Bringing together such thinkers as Ulrich Beck, Bruno Latour, Michael Redclift and Ted Benton, this important book discusses critical themes in the development ...

The majority of analyses investigating the professionalisation of scientific domains tend to assume the linear and general features of this transformation. These studies focus on the shift from a non-professionalised state to a professionalised state. This dual approach, however, crucially lacks some other aspects of the process of professionalisation. This issue is discussed within the context of the growth of prehistoric archaeology in France from the 1940s, by observing scientific societies, national research organisations and their social networks. Looking at the (...) scale of Georges Laplace’s career and that of his research group, which studied the typologie analytique method, this article demonstrates the benefits of a ternary model which also encompasses the modes of refusal of professionalisation. (shrink)

The adoption of the codex for literature in the Roman world was one of the most significant developments in the history of the book, yet remains poorly understood. Physical evidence seems to contradict literary evidence from Martial's epigrams. Near-total adoption of the codex for early Christian works, even as the book roll dominated non-Christian book forms in the first centuries of our era, has led to endless speculation about possible ideological motives for adoption. What has been unquestioned is the importance (...) of Christian scribes in the surge of adoption from 300 C.E. onward. This article reexamines the foundation of many theories, the timeline for non-Christian adoption sketched by Roberts and Skeat in their study, The Birth of the Codex, and reevaluates it through the lens of “diffusion of innovations theory” in order to reconcile the evidence and elevate practical considerations once and for all over ideological motives. (shrink)