Social settlement dynamics and environmental processes in pre-colonial Nigeria: growing the Igbo-Ukwu cultural landscape (SosDen)

SosDen在第九届至第十三届联合国教科文组织伊格博-乌库文化景观研讨会上研究了人与环境相互作用的交叉点，目的是了解人与环境的相互作用如何促进西非早期城市景观的发展，具体方法是：i)重建聚落发展的环境背景；ii)重建景观中聚落和工业活动的空间和时间序列；iii)与剑桥大学麦克唐纳研究所的学者合作，对回收的陶瓷、植物遗骸、土壤和沉积物样本进行不同的材料科学分析。为了实现这些目标，这项研究将利用ER(经验丰富的研究员)在孢粉学和陶瓷分析方面的专业知识，以及剑桥在材料科学、生物考古学和地质考古学方面的广泛档案和领先专业知识。对剑桥大学图书馆收藏的档案藏品的研究，包括瑟斯坦·肖未发表的笔记、图表、照片、信件，将有助于绘制遗址的空间地图，并重建其随时间变化的形态和组成。对申请人最近实地考察的样本的分析将结合剑桥大学的元素分析、宏观土壤分析(PXRF)和土壤微形态分析方面的培训。这些分析将第一次产生新的数据，以表征当地随着时间的推移的环境条件；定义资源可获得性和技术之间的关系；绘制人类活动和环境变化的足迹图，并定义相对已知的文明的时空背景。在SosDen结束时，剑桥大学和尼日利亚大学之间的现有关系将得到扩大，ER及其所在机构的能力建设将得到加强。这将有利于ER的研究，促进知识转移，并加强ER的欧洲研究网络。

SosDen examines the intersection of human-environmental interactions at the c. 9th-13th CE Igbo-Ukwu cultural landscape with the aim of understanding how human-environment interactions have contributed to the development of early urban landscapes in West Africa by i) reconstructing the environmental context of settlement development; ii) reconstructing the spatial and temporal sequences of settlement and industrial activities in the landscape; iii) undertaking diverse material science analyses of recovered ceramics, plant remains, soil and sediment samples in collaboration with scholars at the McDonald Institute, University of Cambridge. To pursue these aims, the research will draw on the ER's (Experienced Researcher) specialisms in palynology and ceramic analysis; and Cambridge's extensive archives and leading expertise in material sciences, bioarchaeology, and geoarchaeology. Study of archival holdings, including Thurstan Shaw's unpublished notes, diagrams, photos, correspondence, held by Cambridge University Library, will contribute to the spatial mapping of the site and reconstruction of its changing configuration and composition over time. Analyses of samples from the applicant's recent fieldwork will combine training in elemental, macro-soil analysis (pXRF) and soil micromorphological analyses at Cambridge. For the first time, these analyses will generate new data to characterize local environmental conditions through time; define relations between resource availability and technology; chart the footprint of human activities and environmental change, and define the spatio-temporal context of a relatively known civilisation. At the end of SosDen, existing relationships between the Universities of Cambridge and Nigeria will be expanded and capacity building for the ER and his home institution will be enhanced. This will be beneficial to the ER's research, promote knowledge transfer and strengthen the ER's European research network.