Exploring economy, society and culture through glass bangles: origins, circulation and cultural impact in the Western Indian Ocean

西印度洋考古记录中的玻璃手镯数量在13世纪末和后中世纪时期大量增加，多样性大幅增加，当时生产的重点扩大并延伸到亚丁、印度和东南亚。在此期间，玻璃手镯在西印度洋周围的地点变得无处不在。该项目旨在了解玻璃手镯在中世纪晚期和后中世纪(约1200-1700年)的生产和流通情况，例如绘制玻璃手镯的产地和分布图，并结合考古科学和对尺寸、颜色和装饰的调查(包括正式的类型学)，调查玻璃手镯的文化价值和意义。研究问题1.是否有可能在考古记录中看到手镯的年表和分布模式？2.能否通过成分分析来确定手镯的产地？这些发现对西印度洋的贸易和交换网络有什么启示？3.所确定的产地与所研究的手镯的既定类型和生产技术的差异有何关系？4.手镯的特征、用途和分布能告诉我们有关佩戴者生活的什么信息？方法论以前的研究表明，为了了解这些物品在任何一个地区的流通，需要采用更系统和更综合的方法。因此，这个项目旨在通过考古科学和大小、颜色和装饰的正式类型学的结合来了解玻璃手镯的生产和流通的传播。通过绘制各自类型的分布图并调查它们的特征，它将探索它们如何在社会中流通、被重视和使用。该项目将为这种人工制品类型的系统分析建立一种新的方法和基准。随着项目的进展，学生将能够形成精确的方法，以及选择更深入研究的领域，并决定研究哪些组装。指导小组将提供意见，以确保在博士生允许的时间范围内仍然可以实现这一范围。预计结果将以专著和一篇或多篇同行评审论文的形式发表。将使用适当的数据库程序收集关于手镯的物理形状、装饰和颜色的数据，以及相关的背景信息。收集到的信息将用于建立分布和初始年表，并直接为科学分析对象的选择提供信息。拟议的项目将采用一系列补充分析技术来回答有关这些手镯的生产和用于制造它们的玻璃的来源的问题。将使用数字显微镜和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)来研究用于生产这些物体的技术方法。扫描电子显微镜结合能量色散X射线光谱仪(EDX)和X射线荧光光谱仪(XRF)将用于提供定量的主元素和次要元素组成。这些数据将允许将这些物体分为组成组，这将提供关于它们的年代范围和来源的进一步信息。上述所有分析技术都可在波士顿大学科学研究部获得。在项目期间将探索使用BM没有的其他分析技术的可能性，但它们不是完成论文所必需的。学生将能够在与导师的讨论中就该项目的这一领域做出决定。汇编的材料数据库还将成为利用相关理论文献分析文化含义的基础，例如与性别和生活过程、消费和身份有关的文化含义。

The number of glass bangles in the archaeological record in the Western Indian Ocean increase massively in number and diversity in the late and post-medieval periods of the thirteenth century onwards when the focus of production widens and extends to Aden, India and southeast Asia. During this period, glass bangles become ubiquitous at sites around the western Indian Ocean. This project aims to understand the spread of glass bangle production and circulation in the late and post medieval periods (c.1200-1700) for instance by mapping production areas and distribution, and investigate the cultural value and meanings of glass bangles, through a combination of archaeological science and investigation of size, colour and decoration (including a formal typology). Research Questions1. Is it possible to see patterns in the chronology and distribution of bangles in the archaeological record?2. Can regions of production be identified using compositional analysis and what do these findings tell us about trade and exchange networks in operation in the Western Indian Ocean? 3. How do the identified production areas relate to differences in the established typology and production technologies of the bracelets studied?4. What can the features, use and distribution of the bracelets tell us about their wearers' lives?MethodologyPrevious studies have shown that in order to understand the circulation of these items in any one region, a more systematic and integrated approach needs to be adopted. This project therefore aims to understand the spread of glass bangle production and circulation through a combination of archaeological science, and formal typology of size, colour and decoration. By mapping the distribution of the respective types and investigating their features, it will explore how they circulated, and were valued and used within society. The project will establish a new methodology and benchmark for the systematic analysis of this artefact type. The student will be able to shape the precise methodology, and areas chosen for more in-depth study, as the project progresses, and make decisions on which assemblages to study. The supervisory team will provide input to ensure that the scope remains achievable within the timescale allowed for a PhD studentship. The results are expected to be published as a monograph and one or more peer-reviewed papers.Data will be collected on the physical form, decoration and colour of the bangles, together with relevant contextual information, using a suitable database programme. The collected information will be used to establish distribution and an initial chronology, and directly inform the selection of objects for scientific analysis. The proposed project will employ a range of complementary analytical techniques to answer questions about the production of these bangles and the provenance of the glass used to make them. Digital microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) will be used to investigate the technological approaches used to produce the objects. SEM in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) will be used to provide quantitative major and minor element compositions. These data will allow the objects to be divided into compositional groups which will provide further information about their chronological range and provenance. All of the above analytical techniques are available in the Department of Scientific Research at the BM. The possibility to use other analytical techniques not available at the BM will be explored during the project, but they are not necessary for the completion of the thesis. The student will be able to make decisions on this area of the project in discussion with the supervisors. The assembled database of material will also form the basis for the analysis of cultural meanings drawing on relevant theoretical literature, for instance relating to gender and the life course, consumption and identity.