Well unearthed in Nara linked to special ceremonies in 8th century - The Mainichi Daily News

A large well unearthed from the remains of the ancient capital of Heijo-kyo in Nara is pictured on March 3. In the background stands the Suzaku-mon main gate. (Mainichi)

NARA -- A large hexagonal well dating back to the Nara Period was unearthed from the remains of the ancient capital of Heijo-kyo, leading researchers to believe that the well had likely been used for special occasions.

The well -- two-tiered with the upper part square-shaped and the lower part hexagonal -- was found in an area called Sakyo Sanjo Ichibo, some 130 meters southeast of the Heijo-kyu palace's main Suzaku-mon gate, researchers at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties announced on March 3.

Since the area in front of the Suzaku-mon gate had been used as a venue for official ceremonies, including rituals welcoming and bidding farewell to foreign envoys, it is highly likely that the well had played a special role during those ceremonies. It is the largest known well among those found in the former Heijo-kyo capital except for inside the Heijo-kyu palace.

The well's upper part measures some 2.5 meters each side and the lower part some 1.1 meters each side, with the latter's depth reaching some 1.8 meters. With the upper and lower parts combined, the well was apparently three meters deep in total.

Grooved pillars were found buried at the four corners surrounding the well, with plates fitted into the grooves. The frame for the upper well has been removed.

Since Haji pottery jars and eaves tiles have also been unearthed, it is believed that the well had been in use in the latter 8th century.

"Despite the presence of the huge well, which is located near the Suzaku-mon gate, no signs of people having lived there were found. We'd like to clarify the whole picture through supplementary studies in the next fiscal year," said Kazuo Inoue, deputy head of the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

Shipwreck exhibit stirs up storm at Smithsonian - CNN.com

London, England (CNN) -- Though they sit quietly beneath the waves, shipwrecks are a cause of much wrangling above the surface. The issue of underwater archaeology is clouded by concerns about treasure hunting, the safety of wrecks, and the sale of finds.

A planned 2012 exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, featuring 9th century Chinese artifacts salvaged from a wreck in Indonesian waters in 1998 is at the center of the latest row.

Archaeologists within the institution -- and further afield -- are criticizing the curator's decision to mount the show and, in particular, questioning the nature of the original salvage.

Discovered off the coast of the island Belitung in the Java Sea by fishermen diving for sea cucumbers in 1998, the 9th century Arab dhow was a treasure trove of objects including glazed ceramics, and silver and gold wares.

The Indonesian government granted permission to a private German salvage company, Seabed Explorations GbR, to excavate the wreck using divers.

The collection of finds, which included 60,000 objects, was sold largely intact to Sentosa Leisure Group, a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, for $32 million, according to the Smithsonian.

Julian Raby, director of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian, where the exhibition is due to take place, said that the finds represent a highly significant discovery for historians, in particular showing the existence of a kind of maritime silk route between Iraq and China.

"The reality of this wreck, understanding the mixture of things that are involved -- it completely blows your mind," said Raby. Yet some scholars are unhappy about the show.

Paul Johnston, Curator of Maritime History at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian, believes that the wreck was excavated too quickly. He said that it was done within just two short seasons -- one of which was just two months long -- and therefore without enough due diligence.

"I don't personally see how anyone could possibly recover 60,000 objects in just two seasons and claim that it's a scientific excavation," he said.

But in an email to CNN, Tilman Walterfang, of Seabed Explorations, wrote: "The (Indonesian) government dictated the pace of recovery (not us) because security for the artifacts and the team couldn't be guaranteed. It was a race against time, with the monsoon season approaching fast, and looters hovering both day and night."

Raby, for his part, defends the salvage company, saying that the objects were conserved to a high degree and that archaeologists were on hand to help with excavations. He also said that the world should celebrate the fact that the collection was sold intact, and not dispersed across the market.

While some looting did take place between seasons, he said, the majority of the wreck's artifacts are kept together.

The Belitung wreck highlights a broader dispute between the archaeological community and commercial excavators, which David Mearns, marine scientist and director of commercial salvage company Blue Water Recoveries, likens to "an open warfare."

"There is a group of academic archaeologists who for whatever reason don't want anything to be touched at all other than by themselves, and certainly not sold," he said, adding that often archaeologists are invited to take part in commercial excavations, but refuse on principle to participate.

"The real concern archaeologists have in regard to this exhibition is that a lot of people on the commercial side will be able to use this to justify their own activities," said Bruce Smith, Curator of North American Archaeology at the Smithsonian. He fears that it will open the door to what he calls "treasure hunters."

But both Seabed Explorations and Raby believe that a middle ground may be reached, that archaeologists and commercial enterprises can work together to excavate wrecks to the highest possible standards.

They say that wrecks are at risk of being looted by local divers and face damage wrought by the ocean itself. Archaeologists may not have the funding to reach a wreck in time, they say, but salvage companies do.

Still, Paul Johnston believes that where money is concerned, due diligence and proper scientific work can often be compromised. In his experience, which includes excavating wrecks in American waters, the vessels are more likely to be damaged by the actions of man than the ocean itself, he said. He maintains he has never had any trouble getting funding for a shipwreck excavation.

In an effort to clear a path through these thorny arguments, Raby of the Smithsonian is inviting some of the most eminent scholars in the field of underwater archaeology to discuss the issue at a conference set for the end of April.

"If we're looking to raise public and political consciousness about the importance of cultural heritage," he said, "then I think one has to ask whether diktat is better than dialogue."

Libyan people & ethnic tribes - China.org.cn

The Libyan population is estimated at 6.5 million, including 1.5 million immigrants. The Arabs are the majority inhabitants of Libya, who brought Islam to the region during the 7th century AD from Arabia. The North African country has about 140 tribes and clans that will likely determine the political future of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya's Population and Energy Production

Libya's Ethnic Groups

With an area of almost 1,800,000 square kilometers, Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa by area, and the 17th largest in the world. The capital, Tripoli, is home to 1.7 million of Libya's 6.4 million people. >>

The main Arab tribes: The tribal system is still a fundamental part of Libyan society. Most Libyan surnames carry the tribal name and therefore one can easily identify a person's tribe simply by knowing his surname. >>

The Berber tribal groups: The Berbers are the indigenous inhabitants of Libya and the Sahara. There are numerous tribes found in East Libya, West Libya and across the entire Sahara desert where they have been since the beginning of civilization. >>

The Tebo: The Tebo (or Tebu, Tibu, Tibo, Tibbo, or Tibbos) are a group of tribes found along the southern side of the Harouj mountain and to the east of Fezzan. >>

The Jews: The Jewish community's existence in Libya goes back to the time of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. >>

Immigrants: After the 1969's revolution, Libya witnessed a massive influx of foreign workers, primarily invited to take part in rebuilding Libya. >>

Bulgaria Thracian Gold Pictures

A plate with gold decoration on display pictured during a private exhibition at the National History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria, 21 March 2011. Nearly 200 gold, silver, bronze and pottery items dating from between the 6th century BC to 1st century BC were shown in the exhibition 'Thrace and Ancient World' which is a collection of Bulgarian businessman Vassil Bozhkov EPA/VASSIL DONEV

A cache of Roman coins dating to the end of the 3rd century AD

rchaeological excavations carried out in Autun, a suburb of Arroux, in France revealed an ancient quarter composed of craft workshops and fine residences. The workshop of the famous coroplath (figurine maker) Pistillus was discovered, along with a pottery kiln and moulds, complete figurines and failed ones, and signed with the name of the figurine maker.

During the final weeks of the excavation the archaeologists also found a cache of Roman coins dating to the end of the 3rd century AD which were buried in a pit sealed with tiles.

The small bronze coins were of an ‘unofficial’ type, like many that circulated during the troubled period of the second half of the 3rd century/early 4th century. Internal wars and conflict between contenders to the emperor’s throne, epidemics, the financial burdens of sustaining a large army, pressures at the borders of the Empire, economic crisis, and a host of other troubles meant the Empire was in crisis at this time.

The Roman State was no longer capable of fully ensuring the long-term control of the monetary system. Small bronze mintings of little value appeared, which specialists would call “necessity coins”. The intent was not to deceive but to serve as spendable cash within the local economy. Though produced by private citizens, they were more or less tolerated by the State.

They were however poor imitations of the official productions and the effigies are difficult to identify. The coins discovered at Autun resemble typical 3rd century ones, such as those of Tetricus. Due to the high copper content of the deposit, the wicker basket in which they were stored is partially preserved.

Though this assemblage would have had a reasonable valuable, it does not seem to have been a hidden treasure, but rather a deposit of debased coins destined to be recast. The pit is in fact located within one of the metallurgy workshops revealed at the site.

In effect, to re-establish a healthy monetary economy, some emperors launched reforms and attempted to replace the ancient coins that had no value other than that of their metal. The monetary deposit of Autun is perhaps linked to the reforms of Diocletian under the Tetrarchy (late 3rd century-early 4th century).

These numismatic artefacts will contribute to an understanding of unofficial mints and the phenomena of debasement and recasting of coins during the Empire. They join the approx. 300 other Roman coins—mostly bronze—discovered elsewhere on the site.

Ancient tradition | Historical Society of Pandiya Nadu

SEGREGATION of burial grounds has existed in the Tamil country from time immemorial, say experts. C. Santhalingam, veteran archaeologist and secretary of the Madurai-based Pandiya Naattu Varalaatru Peravai (Historical Society of Pandiya Nadu), said people belonging to different communities lived in segregated habitations called cheris and each of them had its own burial/cremation ground.

According to him, the burial practice started from the megalithic period. “As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, we have evidence for megalithic burials. In such burials there are so many types, such as dolmens, dolmanoid cists, slab cists, urn burials, menhirs, hero stones, umbrella stones and cap stones,” he said.

The southern Tamil Nadu region has several urn burial sites, he said. “Recently at Pulimankombai village in Andipatti taluk in Theni district, archaeologists discovered some inscribed hero stones that belong to the 4th century B.C. These are the earliest hero stones with inscriptions so far found in Tamil Nadu,” he said. In Sangam literature, there are plenty of references to hero stones and the Pulimankombai discoveries corroborate them, he added.

In the early Tamil epic Manimekalai, of the 5th century A.D., different types of burials such as cremation and burial- suduvor (cremation), iduvor (burial), thaazhiyil kavippor (urn burial) and thaazhvayin adaippor (cist burial) are mentioned, Santhalingam said.

Throwing light on the hero stone culture, he said, “In some districts, including Tiruvannamalai and Dharmapuri, several inscribed hero stones have been reported by archaeologists. They were erected for the heroes who dedicated their lives to the cause of safeguarding the villagers and their cattle. In the process of reclamation of forest lands, they would have encountered dangers from wild animals and lost their lives. For such valorous persons also hero stones were planted. Their names and their country's names and other details were inscribed [on the stones]. Such practices continued from the 4th century B.C. up to the 16th century A.D.”

Referring to the changes that unfolded in pastoral life, he said people switched to cultivation as the main occupation. “Concomitantly, rigid state formation also started in the Tamil land. From the 6th century A.D. onwards, the Pallavas in northern Tamil Nadu and the Pandyas in southern Tamil Nadu established their states.”

As migration of the Brahmin community started from the north to the south, its members were patronised by the rulers (the Pallavas), who provided them fertile land, called ‘Brahmadeyas' or ‘Chaturvedimangalam', with exclusive water rights, Santhalingam said. So far in Tamil Nadu, around 800 Brahmadeyas have been enumerated from the 6th century to the 13th century A.D. These lands were owned by Brahmins, and the tillers, who were landless farm labourers, lived in separate areas called pidagais (hamlets). Each chaturvedimangalam might have had three or four pidagais.

“As there were separate dwelling areas for landowners and farm labourers, their burial grounds also must have been segregated,” he said. People also lived in segregated habitations known as kammala cheri, Parai cheri and Andhana cheri. So, each community had separate habitations and burial grounds, he added.

In support of the argument, he said, such differences could be seen in the Raja Raja Chola inscription of the 11th century A.D. ( South Indian Inscriptions, Volume-II, record No.5), “which speaks of Vellan sudukaadu (burial grounds of the Vellalas), Parai sudukaadu (burial grounds of Dalits), Eala cheri (habitation of toddy tappers) and Parai cheri (habitation of Dalits). The stone inscription dated A.D. 1014, the last regnal year of King Raja Raja Chola-I, refers to the boundaries of a land.”

The stone inscription was reported from the Thanjavur region and has been published in South Indian Inscriptions, Volume-II as record No.5 dated A.D. 1014. The inscription speaks about land boundaries; when land was donated to a temple, the four boundaries were demarcated. So, during the donation, burial grounds or land given to Jains and Buddhists were exempted from the donated land.

Santhalingam also referred to another stone inscription, dated to the 18th century A.D., found at the Kuduminathar temple in Kudumiyanmalai village in Pudukottai district. “It speaks about burial-related services rendered by some persons of the Valayar caste and engaging in such practices was banned by their own community, which also appealed to their kin not to take up such menial jobs.”

He said: “Though there is no evidence to show that each community adopted its own custom in performing the last rites, there is some historical evidence to show that when persons with royal background or some heroes were buried, their belongings such as swords, ornaments, diadems, haras made of metals and semi-precious stones such as carnelian, paste beads, glass beads, jasper and crystal beads, etc., were also buried along with the mortal remains. In some other places, we have unearthed earthen pots with their names, scripts and graffiti. From these pieces of evidence, we can differentiate the burial of royals and commoners. Gold diadems were collected from Athichanallur, the earliest – 1000 B.C. – burial site excavated 100 years ago on the banks of the Tamiraparani river in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district.”

A Huge Market, With New Players - NYTimes.com

SINGAPORE — An 11th-century Chinese mechanical marvel — a water-driven astronomical clock tower in Kaifeng that has long since been dismantled — has inspired the introduction of a new Hong Kong-based watch brand, the Chinese Timekeeper, which proudly proclaims its 100 percent Chinese-made pedigree.

“Greater China is a huge market for watches, and when you look specifically for mechanical watches, they’re almost all sold as Swiss-made,” Adrien Choux, the Frenchman who is founder and marketing director of the new brand, said in a telephone interview. “Yet when you look into the details, most of them have some parts manufactured in China. This proves that the quality of Chinese-made components is good and you just have to pay attention during the assembly process and apply a strict quality control.”

A report released in November by Bain & Co. said that the Chinese luxury watch market was worth 15.5 billion renminbi in 2009, or $2.34 billion, and that it was growing at 35 percent a year. The high end of the market was dominated by foreign brands, especially the top five: Cartier, Longines, Omega, Rolex and Tudor.

While there are several large Chinese watch brands — like Sea Gull, made by Tianjin Sea Gull Watch Manufacturing Group, the largest producer of automatic movements in the world, Rossini, Ebohr, Shanghai Watch and Fiyta — they have mainly focused on mass-market production. Aspirations toward the luxury end of the market, however, are starting to emerge among several Chinese players.

“The Chinese have always had a unique relationship to luxury products, such as silk, jade and porcelain,” Mr. Choux said. “They also have a long history in time-keeping, creating the first water-driven escapement mechanism, the first armillary sphere or even the mechanical gears. I felt there were all the elements to establish a strong new Chinese brand: A clear opportunity in terms of manufacturing, a huge consumer market and a history you can play on.”

Mr. Choux, who has lived in Asia for more than a decade, noted that in the two years before the introduction of the Chinese Timekeeper in December he had been encouraged by the fact that the French luxury house Hermès took a similar strategic approach to the market by introducing a China-made luxury brand tailored for its Chinese customers, Shang Xia. Of his brand, he added: “It’s a Chinese brand designed and assembled in Hong Kong by local watchmakers, inspired by a fascinating Chinese history and destined to intrigue the Chinese customers. The fact that I’m French doesn’t really matter. I see a great opportunity here.”

Another Hong Kong brand, Longio, started producing tourbillon watches in 2007 and now has seven models, with retail prices ranging from $2,800 to $8,000.

In 2009, Shanghai Watch released its first tourbillon, a piece designed by Eric Giroud, the Swiss designer behind the Harry Winston Tourbillon Glissière. In January, the brand offered the Unity 128 Tourbillon, again designed by Mr. Giroud in consultation with Carson Chan, managing director and international watch specialist at Bonhams Hong Kong.

While the first rose gold tourbillon retailed for 138,000 Hong Kong dollars, about $17,700, the new one retails at 238,000 dollars. The company declined to reveal how many of the first watches had already been sold, saying only that it was “close to sold out.”

“I think the Chinese are starting to make watches just as the Japanese made their cars in the ’60s and ’70s and the Koreans started making mobile phones in the ’90s,” Mr. Chan said. “Back then, a Samsung or LG mobile phone was seen as inferior. Today, the Samsung Galaxy pad is giving the iPad a run for its money.”

Tianjin Sea Gull Watch now produces about 300,000 watches with its own in-house movement, including 5,000 Sea-Gull tourbillon watches, and its general manager, Jian Wang, in an interview with the specialized watch Web site Europa Star, said it planned to triple its tourbillon production over the next few years. The Chinese company also plans to invest in a Swiss movement company to improve its own gear.

Ebohr, too, has announced plans to move into the mid-range watch market, by launching a tourbillon timepiece for 10,000 renminbi. And the company has invested in a new Swiss brand, Codex, which is targeting the mid-range market with chronographs priced from $4,000 to $5,000.

Mr. Choux of the Chinese Timekeeper said his new brand was using components from a variety of high-end watch manufacturers, primarily in Guangdong Province, and movements by Sea Gull that are then assembled in Hong Kong, which he said allowed for better quality control. “The idea,” he said, “is to offer a brand that competes in terms of quality and design with what exists in Switzerland, but giving it a Chinese look and heritage that consumers can relate to.”

The new brand logo on the rotating gear of the watch movement is a Chinese sage with his long hair characteristically tied in a bun. He is depicted walking with his hands behind his back on the rotating gear of a watch movement.

The design of the Chinese Timekeeper piece has kept that astronomical clock tower in Kaifeng in mind. The round case is composed of four stainless-steel rings, a play on the four-story pagoda, while the number 10 on the dial has been replaced with the Chinese character — which can also be read as “perfect.”

The first collection of this watch comprises six models, ranging from 17,800 Hong Kong dollars to 20,800 dollars. Since December, about 30 watches have been sold in Hong Kong, Mr. Choux said.

“It’s entry-level luxury,” he added. “I think that’s where a new Chinese brand needs to be if it wants to claim some differentiation and build its own legitimacy. Our challenge, being priced around €2,000, is to alter the current perception held by many Chinese customers of being too expensive for a Chinese brand.”