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In this study, the effects of coal seam slope, caving height and top coal drawing interval parameters on longwall top coal caving (LTCC) efficiency in LTCC applied in horizontal and near-horizontal thick coal seams were investigated. In addition to these researches, in the study, the relationship between top coal loss and rock mixture ratio, which are important disadvantages of LTCC, was evaluated and the importance of these parameters for LTCC was emphasized by determining the critical top coal loss and critical rock mixture ratio. As a research method, physical models that are effectively used in researching caving mechanism problems were used and a 2-dimensional physical model was developed for the study. The development processes of the physical model, test material selection processes and the suitability of the physical model are explained in detail in the study. A total of 47 physical model tests were carried out in the research. Test results showed that the caving height and top coal drawing interval are effective on the rock mixture ratio, the top coal drawing interval is effective on the top coal loss, and the caving height and coal seam slope are effective on the amount of top coal drawing. In addition, the study results showed that the relationship between top coal loss and rock mixture ratio is an important relationship for LTCC efficiency under all conditions, and the importance of critical top coal loss and critical rock mixture ratio for LTCC was revealed. Highlights: Applicability of 2D physical models in solving mining problems. Physical model development processes and critical points. Effect of coal seam slope, caving height, drawing interval parameters on LTCC efficiency. Effect of the relationship between top coal loss and rock mixing ratio on LTCC efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the intersection between science and art — Sciart — inevitably involves microscopy because of its intrinsic ability to reveal microscopic hidden worlds not normally accessible to the public. Aesthetic microscopy, mainly performed in the biosciences using optical and electron devices, has more recently included the world of rocks and minerals as viewed with polarized light microscopy. In this contribution, all images are only from quartz to demonstrate the project micROCKScopica , where thin slices of rocks are "painted" with polarized light. The results resemble abstract or impressionist works of art. Who would have imagined? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successional patterns in lacustrine sand dunes along Lake Superior begin with grass-dominated plant communities leading to the establishment of Pinus banksiana Lamb. as initial forests. Using maximum entropy models, we predicted P. banksiana seedling and sapling patterns within the Grand Sable Dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, USA, based on slope, aspect, forest basal area, and vegetation types. Across the different vegetation types, there were variable probabilities of seedling and sapling occurrence. For both seedlings and saplings, the higher likelihoods of occurrence were observed in coastal pine barrens vegetation types. P. banksiana regeneration is occurring in the Grand Sable Dunes in the absence of fire, with seedlings establishing and saplings being recruited in a variety of vegetation types. With the greatest probabilities in barrens, there is likely a relationship with seed source and canopy density. Understanding regeneration patterns in dune ecosystems is necessary to predict the future forest arrangement and colonization of P. banksiana into the dunes. These results contribute insights into the dynamics of plant communities in lacustrine dune systems, specifically the establishment of P. banksiana seedlings in various vegetation types. Continued forest establishment and increasing P. banksiana density will influence endangered species and non-native species management strategies for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Magazine General Union of Arab Archaeologists is the property of General Union of Arab Archaeologists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Caminho da Caiçara II archaeological site is located in the village of Cadoz Velho, a rural area in the municipality of Piripiri, Piauí, Brazil. It consists of a large vertical wall and a small sandstone block containing 101 rock paintings in red and yellow colors. There are abstract figures and human handprints, as well as a bird's footprint and a spear-thrower. There are rock engravings in the shape of cupules. This paper reports the results of in situ monitoring of environmental parameters such as ambient air temperature and relative humidity, rock temperature in areas with and without rock paintings, as well as the speed of the winds that reach the archaeological site under investigation. The experimental data obtained indicate that the thermal action on the pictorial films of the rock paintings from the Caminho da Caiçara II site is clearly more intense than in other nearby archaeological sites. Direct sunlight on the rock paintings for most of the day and year is the main agent responsible for the high heating of the pictorial films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pedra das Letras archaeological site is located in the Barro village, a rural area in the municipality of Piripiri, Piauí, Brazil. The aim of this paper is to present the first data from the survey of this archaeological site, which has recently been registered at the IPHAN, as well as the main problems affecting its degradation. Pedra das Letras consists of a sandstone block containing a small elevated rock shelter and a side niche with red rock paintings. 58 paintings were found on the rock wall at the back of the shelter, and seven handprints have been identified in the side niche. The most frequent figure in the pictorial panels is the handprint, with 45 representations of this motif having been identified, made using different execution techniques. The remaining figures were attributed to the abstract class, some of them without a clearly defined outline. The main conservation problems include the advanced state of degradation of the sandstone, insect nests (such as termites and wasps), salt efflorescence, wear and tear caused by rainwater, and plants attached to the rock block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The article explores advanced image processing techniques for pigment discrimination in rock art paintings, emphasizing color separation using RGB (red, green, blue) and LHCUv (Luminance, Hue, Chroma) imagery. It highlights the use of dimensionality reduction methods such as Principal Components Analisys PCA and Independent Component Analysis (ICA), with a focus on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) for probabilistic classification of image elements. This approach, applied to the Chomache archaeological site on the northernmost coast of the Atacama Desert in Chile, reveals previously undetected motifs and details, offering a nuanced perspective in rock art documentation and analysis. This proposal reinforces the value of rock art panel not only as a finished product but as a process.

The article presents the results of the analysis of the study of the image of fish in the rock art of ancient hunters and fishermen of Northern Europe (final VI – III BC). During the study, 134 fish figures were studied on 6 rock paintings and in 17 clusters of petroglyphs of Fennoscandia. The small proportion of fish figures in relation to the total number of images on the rocks of the region, with a high proportion of fishing in the primitive economy, established by bone remains at Neo-Eneolithic sites, suggests a mythological basis for the images under consideration. Spatial differences in the appearance of fish figures in Northern Europe make it possible to distinguish two areas (western and eastern), radically different in the style of the ichthyomorph image. The rock art mainly reflects representatives of the largest fish species that lived in the region: catfish, sturgeon, halibut, pike, salmon, whitefish. In the bone remains at the sites located near the clusters of rock carvings, other types of fish are usually dominant: zander, cod. In the compositions of fishing, as in other hunting scenes carved on the petroglyphs of Fennoscandia, only active methods of its extraction are presented, although there is numerous archaeological evidence of the use by the inhabitants of the region for catching fish and other animals of various types of traps.

Статья посвящена исследованию образцов доисторического искусства на территории Монголии, где находятся археологические памятники, свидетельствующие о том, что предки современного человека жили здесь 3,7 миллиона лет назад. Зарождение духовной культуры и художественного мышления древних людей связано с мифологией, а наскальные рисунки являются важным материалом для изучения культурных пластов того времени. Древние формы мышления, свойственные центральноазиатским кочевым сообществам, наиболее полно отражены в памятниках наскального искусства. Целью данной работы является выявление механизмов формирования художественного образа на основе анализа наскальных рисунков. Материалом исследования послужили петроглифы, зафиксированные в сомоне Улаанхус аймака Баян-Улгий в бассейнах рек Байга-Ойгур и Цагаан-Салаа в районе горного массива Алтай-Богдо-Уул. В результате применения феноменологического и герменевтического методов выявлены и интерпретированы образы, их общие и особенные черты, связанные с региональными традициями и культурной спецификой.

The article explores advanced image processing techniques for pigment discrimination in rock art paintings, emphasizing color separation using RGB (red, green, blue) and LHCUv (Luminance, Hue, Chroma) imagery. It highlights the use of dimensionality reduction methods such as Principal Components Analisys PCA and Independent Component Analysis (ICA), with a focus on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) for probabilistic classification of image elements. This approach, applied to the Chomache archaeological site on the northernmost coast of the Atacama Desert in Chile, reveals previously undetected motifs and details, offering a nuanced perspective in rock art documentation and analysis. This proposal reinforces the value of rock art panel not only as a finished product but as a process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the analysis of online activity, autoethnographic reflection, and a participant survey, this article examines Australian rock-decorating groups on Facebook and the role of social media in everyday practices of decorating, hiding, and finding rocks. These groups use the platform to celebrate and share their creativity, generate digital connections between strangers, and in so doing bring about a distinctive hybrid of online and offline space. We draw on a cultural studies approach to issues of placemaking and social media to ask: what kinds of public space – online and offline – are created through these digital and material practices? Our analysis is framed by notions of placemaking, affordances, and public atmosphere to understand these forms of everyday creativity, community, and place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article explores the research of Andrea Ling, who focuses on the intersection of design, fabrication, and biology. Ling's work involves using biological and computational processes to create regenerative systems of production. The article highlights three specific projects that involve the intentional decay of biologically derived materials, such as plant-based paints, enzymes, bacteria, and fungi, to create new objects. Ling's goal is to explore the potential of decay as a fabrication process and to incorporate mechanisms of constructive renewal into the objects we create. The article discusses the challenges and benefits of working with biological matter in artistic and design projects, emphasizing the need to consider the aesthetic, sensorial, and programmatic aspects of decay. It also explores the concept of decay as a natural and necessary process and the potential for incorporating decay into human-made projects to promote resilience and renewal. The article references specific projects, including one that used rotting tree stumps as a stage set for performance art. Overall, the article encourages a reevaluation of our relationship with decay and the integration of decay into design processes. [Extracted from the article]

The Maros-Pangkep karst region is a natural landscape located inside the UNESCO Global Geopark, extending across two regencies in South Sulawesi. There are at least 135 prehistoric caves, of which about 78 of them still have traces of relics in the form of rock paintings. One thing that has made this region renowned is the presence of the world's oldest ancient rock painting, ca. 40,000 years old, in an ancient cave. Unfortunately, many paintings have been experiencing degradation marked by color changes and exfoliation, which are thought to be partially caused by the colonization of bacterial biofilms. The present study, therefore, aimed to delineate the bacterial diversity of biofilms present in ancient rock paintings. Samples were collected from three different caves in the region and analyzed using Oxford Nanopore Technology, sequencing the full-length 16S rRNA gene (V1-V9 regions). The results showed that Firmicutes was the dominant bacterial taxon in both Leang Jing and Leang Parewe, representing 95 and 82% of the total bacterial community, respectively. In Leang Bulu Sipong, we observed a high relative abundance of both Betaproteobacteria (30%) and Firmicutes (44%). Among the taxa detected, some genera - including Cupriavidus, Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, Geobacillus, and Pseudomonas - are linked to the carbonate precipitation and rock weathering, which could give a clue on the role of bacterial activities in corroborating the biodegradation on the ancient rock arts. Despite the result of microbial diversity in the rock paintings, it is necessary to do further study on the mechanism of degradation performed by the bacteria. This will support the effort of local authorities to conserve local heritage aged a thousand years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main structural building blocks that form manganese oxides are MnO6 octahedra; these share corners and edges to construct specific structures, which can either be tunneled or layered. In the layered structures, that is, phyllomanganates, the MnO6 octahedra form sheets, which, in turn, alternate with sheets of metal oxides and H2O. These metal ions can vary (Zn, Co, Ni, Al, Li, ...) and give rise to an entire range of different metal oxides. The characterization of these layered materials is important as they have various economical/industrial applications. Birnessite‐type materials, a specific type of layered manganese oxides, are widely studied for their use as cathode materials in alkali‐ion batteries. Phyllomanganates are also commonly found as constituents in sediments and soils or as coatings on rock surfaces. Their natural occurrence as black colored components have ensured that these minerals were also applied as pigments in archaeological and historical contexts. They are, for example, often found in rock art paintings and on pottery. As the oxides are used in unique archaeological objects, Raman spectroscopy is an evident choice for characterization due to its non‐destructive nature of analysis. In the current study, five mineral samples of (layered) manganese oxides are analyzed with different Raman instrumentations, including mobile systems and a benchtop micro‐Raman setup. The characterization of each selected manganese oxide and their comparison with literature data is discussed for the micro‐Raman instrumentation. In addition, the ability of identifying and characterizing layered manganese oxides and the possible challenges when using mobile instrumentation are discussed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will present the evidence for two newly discovered words, gawzag and shagar , meaning "two-horse chariot/mail coach" and "wagon" respectively in the eastern Arabian dialect of Qaṭrāyīth (Syriac for "in Qatari") of the seventh and eighth centuries ce. They reveal the continued local knowledge of wheeled transport in Arabia and possible use long after its supposed disappearance in the Near East between the fourth and sixth centuries according to Richard Bulliet's well-known thesis in his seminal work The Camel and the Wheel (New York: Columbia University Press, 1990). The fact that this vernacular maintained two specific words for two different modes of wheeled transport likely suggests a practical need for them in everyday communication among the inhabitants of the Beth Qaṭraye region (Syriac for "region of the Qataris" in north-eastern Arabia). Moreover, their use in an Arabic dialect reveals that native words were developed for wheeled vehicles in the local language spoken by the inhabitants of the area well before the adoption of markabah as a neologism to mean chariot in nineteenth-century Arabic, according to Michael Macdonald's stimulating article "Wheels in a land of camels" (Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 20/2, 2009). Thus, the various rock drawings of two-wheeled carts and chariots in northern Arabia may in fact not only have been known but also used nearby in eastern Arabia, rather than being inaccurate representations reflecting a distant awareness of the existence of chariots elsewhere such as in Mesopotamia and Egypt as had been previously thought. This is a literary, philological. and historical study that aims at presenting newly discovered vocabulary in context for further analysis by linguists and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the first findings of rock engravings in La María, Santa Cruz, Argentina. During the survey, the engraved motifs were recorded and characterized, photographed and geopositioned, and the surrounding materials were analyzed. The identified motifs, techniques used, and landscape characteristics are mentioned. Additionally, the presence of rock paintings in the area is highlighted. The engravings suggest the presence of a rock landscape related to guanaco hunting. It is suggested to carry out further surveys and examine the recovered artifacts. The work was funded by CONICET, ANPCYT, and UNLP. [Extracted from the article]

The main goal of our study to investigate the manner in which rock paintings continue to serve as the foundation for visual art, as they were an essential component of intellectual culture for ancient humans. The symbols and imagery of the ancient petroglyphs found through Mongolian territory basically convey the ancient people's understanding of the world. Their creative perceptions were evidence and artistic in their imagination. By analyzing and studying the characteristic differences of shapes, types of symbols and carvings expressed in rock paintings, rock paintings have become the basis of modern paintings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Motif Academy Journal of Folklore is the property of Motif Yayincilik and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper describes a biocultural heritage project, carried out from an educational approach, in the altiplano of Argentina. In the town of Barrancas, at 3600 meters above sea level, the girls, boys, teachers, and the headmistress of the school, Abdon Castro Tolay, went out to interact with an ancestral space with valuable cave paintings: the "Caravaner's cave." The girls and boys interpreted possible messages left by their ancestors in the art of the cave, experimented with cave painting techniques on rocks in the classroom, and decided and agreed on heritage conservation strategies, with a poster of their authorship. This montology learning based on interaction with a cave with ancestral environmental information, made it possible to achieve attitudes of recognition of one's own ethnicity and biocultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pedra da Inscrição archaeological site is located in the Sete Cidades National Park, a conservation unit in the State of Piauí, in northeastern Brazil. It consists of a large sandstone block, the southwest face of which is decorated with dozens of rock paintings in various shades of red. A detailed examination of the pictorial panels revealed 54 distinguishable figures and 33 ink stains with no defined outline. 32 hand stamps were identified (of which 5 left hand stamps and 8 right hand stamps stand out), 1 anthropomorph, 1 zoomorph and 1 phytomorph, as well as 13 geometric figures and 6 abstract figures. Dozens of splashes of red ink indicate that the rock paintings were made using liquid ink. Two ceramic fragments were found scattered on the surface of the ground at the base of one of the pictorial panels, expanding the diversity of vestiges of human activity at the Pedra da Inscrição site beyond the cave paintings. The main agents involved in the degradation of this ancestral heritage were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo Este artigo se propõe a explorar o fenômeno das intensas interações entre grafismos rupestres, valendo-se da interlocução teórica entre Arqueologia e Etnologia indígena brasileiras. As interações em painéis rupestres são aqui analisadas em duas regiões de Minas Gerais: o Vale do Rio Peruaçu e Diamantina, áreas de pesquisa da equipe do Setor de Arqueologia do Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), enfatizando-se a primeira. Em ambas, há numerosíssimos casos de interações, quando novas pinturas (ou gravuras) são compostas em painéis que já estavam pintados (e/ou gravados). A interlocução com a Etnologia que aqui se faz tem como foco algumas das noções centrais apresentadas nos trabalhos etnográficos e nas sínteses etnológicas sobre sociedades ameríndias, sobretudo o caráter intensamente relacional de suas cosmologias e suas concepções sobre agência de não humanos. A proposta central, a partir do estudo dos acervos gráficos dessas duas regiões de Minas Gerais, é pensar a relação como elemento crucial da prática de pintar paredes rochosas já pintadas, relação essa em que pessoas e pinturas são, ambas, sujeitos.

Background: Cave biotopes are characterized by stable low temperatures, high humidity, and scarcity of organic substrates. Despite the harsh oligotrophic conditions, they are often inhabited by rich microbial communities. Abundant fouling with a wide range of morphology and coloration of colonies covers the walls of the Shulgan-Tash cave in the Southern Urals. This cave is also famous for the unique Paleolithic painting discovered in the middle of the last century. We aimed to investigate the diversity, distribution, and potential impact of these biofilms on the cave's Paleolithic paintings, while exploring how environmental factors influence the microbial communities within the cave. Results: The cave's biofilm morphotypes were categorized into three types based on the ultrastructural similarities. Molecular taxonomic analysis identified two main clusters of microbial communities, with Actinobacteria dominating in most of them and a unique "CaveCurd" community with Gammaproteobacteria prevalent in the deepest cave sections. The species composition of these biofilms reflects changes in environmental conditions, such as substrate composition, temperature, humidity, ventilation, and CO2 content. Additionally, it was observed that cave biofilms contribute to biocorrosion on cave wall surfaces. Conclusions: The Shulgan-Tash cave presents an intriguing example of a stable extreme ecosystem with diverse microbiota. However, the intense dissolution and deposition of carbonates caused by Actinobacteria pose a potential threat to the preservation of the cave's ancient rock paintings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese oxides have attracted the interest of many researchers due to their broad application field. These oxides possess various electrochemical, adsorption and catalysis properties and are as such applied in the industrial context, for example, steel industry, catalysis and removal of toxins in the ground or in waste water. In the archaeometrical field, manganese oxides have been used as pigments on various artefacts such as pottery and rock art paintings. The diversity of manganese oxide applications highlights the need for a well‐defined Raman spectroscopic database with correct characterization of these compounds. However, identification of manganese oxides by Raman spectroscopy is challenging due to the wide variety of manganese oxides, and manganese oxides are weak Raman scatterers and are susceptible under the laser light. As such, characterization by Raman spectroscopy is not straight forward. In this research, we have focussed on seven natural, mineral (tunnel) samples that were identified by micro‐Raman spectroscopy using two different laser wavelengths (785 and 532 nm). The experimental conditions were controlled to not introduce any modifications (degradation and/or phase transition) of the manganese oxide species. Both lasers have proven to be successful and were able to retrieve well‐characterized Raman spectra for each of the manganese oxide phase, which were compared with published literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to written histories, trepang fishers from Island Southeast Asia ("Makassans") frequented coastal northern Australia from c.1750 to 1907 CE. Yolŋu oral traditions and old Austronesian borrow words in coastal Aboriginal languages suggest a long and complex history of foreign voyaging to northern Australia. Yet archaeological radiocarbon chronologies for the Southeast Asian trepang industry and earlier voyaging encounters are few and the dates have never been comprehensively reviewed. Only one Arnhem Land trepang fishery site has been dated extensively, and others have produced unusually old dates of c.1200-1500 CE. The Groote Eylandt rockshelter of Dadirrigka yielded an enigmatic sherd of friable earthenware above a radiocarbon date of c.1100 CE. Here we have compiled, reviewed and recalibrated all 49 radiocarbon dates directly associated with Southeast Asian contact sites, stratigraphy and rock art in northern Australia. We discuss the dates and their archaeological contexts region by region to assess their reliability. We also report for the first time Yanyuwa (southwest Gulf of Carpentaria) oral traditions which shed light on their past kinship and exchange relationships with Makassan visitors. The radiocarbon dates provide tentative support for four phases of interaction in northwest Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt, including pre-Makassan encounters and the organised trepang industry of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. There is a paucity of archaeological excavations and radiocarbon data from northeast Arnhem Land, the Kimberley and the southwest Gulf of Carpentaria, where historical writings, linguistics and oral traditions are still the most reliable indicators of the timing and nature of cross-cultural interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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