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An unknown bone was analyzed by PIXE at the Nishina Memorial Cyclotron Center. The head bone had a normal area, a rotted area and the green colored area on its surface. An extremely small amount of powder was cut from each area. Each powder sample was fixed on a backing film with a small amount of collodion liquid. The concentrations of sodium and chlorine are relatively high compared with that of other elements in all powder samples. The concentrations of copper and zinc in the colored area are higher than that in the other areas. The analytical results by PIXE agreed with other investigated results. We describe one of the applications of PIXE to archaeology field.
Human teeth from pre-Columbian and recent population groups have been analyzed by PIXE. Ancient teeth corresponding to children and adults were obtained from archaeological burials located in five geographic areas of Mexico. Inter-specific and inter-site differences in the trace element contents of enamel were compared in order to get some insight into differences in diet, environmental conditions, teeth health, disease state and post mortem alteration among the co-occurring populations. For permanent teeth from adults, small variations in trace element levels were found depending on the collection site or tooth health, but for deciduous teeth from children, the concentration of elements such as Mn, Fe and Sr varied considerably. In this work, the possible sources of variation are discussed.
Many explanations for the sigmoid or S-shaped curves that characterize the diffusion of innovations through time have been proposed. Recent studies demonstrate that social learning mechanisms, including conformist strategies, and heterogeneous adoption thresholds related to economic inequality and the decreasing cost of goods can generate these S-shaped cumulative frequency curves. The present study of a regional material culture sequence expands our inquiry concerning the underlying social forces that structure diffusion through both space and time. Using historic New England gravestones and their associated documents, this study considers both cultural transmission between stone carvers and consumer choices. Social learning among consumers can generate both wave-like diffusion patterns through space and lead to the persistence of cultural variants in certain locales.
This paper explores techniques for maximizing organizational performance via the mapping of organizational knowledge and strategies of power. It explores the nexus between knowledge and strategies of power, envisioning knowledge as a practice of power embodied in organizational discourses. In order to trace organizational power-maps, Foucault's Archaeology of Knowledge is adopted as a hypothetical model for mapping strategies of power and resistance embedded in organizational knowledge. It is hoped that this knowledge of how power and resistance operate will enable organizations to position and plan policies when organizational change and restructuring are desired. The essay provides guidelines on how to conduct Archaeology and concludes by suggesting potential ways in which Archaeology may be applied by organizations.
There is a broad consensus that better models for assessing the impact of information efforts are needed to inform information and knowledge management and digital preservation. In contrast to measuring the quality of information, less attention has been directed to the assessment of knowledge and information processes as its constituent. Using archaeology and archaeological information as a sample context, the aim of this conceptual paper is to probe in to the evaluation of the impact and usefulness of information by taking into account the practices of how it is produced, managed and used. On a basis of a review and discussion of earlier literature on the impact of information and evaluation and management of information in archaeology, it is proposed that a better understanding of how the impact of information unfolds as a part of its production, management and use could contribute to the development of infrastructures, repositories and procedures for the management of the preservation and use of these resources.
North-West Europe has a rich cultural heritage which is increasingly prone to impacts from development activities. This paper reports the findings of the "Planarch" study funded by the European Regional Development Fund Interreg IIIB programme. Overall, whilst there are examples of good practice, cultural heritage has a relatively low profile in EIA in the countries studied. Nevertheless, cultural heritage is important and makes wider contributions to society beyond its intrinsic value. Therefore, the profile of cultural heritage needs to be raised both within the planning process and EIA, and also in the minds of decision-makers, other specialists and the wider public. Ten guiding principles provide a first step in promoting the assessment of cultural heritage in EIA, and also to build the consideration of cultural heritage into more strategic planning decisions through SEA.