This thesis is about a class of geometric shapes that can be constructed through iterative processes. We shall use the Sierpinski triangle as an example of that kind of geometric shapes. During the...Show moreThis thesis is about a class of geometric shapes that can be constructed through iterative processes. We shall use the Sierpinski triangle as an example of that kind of geometric shapes. During the development of the theory on the whole, we will return to that example as a guideline. Before we derive some properties of the Sierpinski triangle, we will show how one can construct it.Show less
A model based on random processes for radiative transfer is introduced and investigated. Based on the ideas of SimpleX, for a given point distribution of an astronomical object, the points are...Show moreA model based on random processes for radiative transfer is introduced and investigated. Based on the ideas of SimpleX, for a given point distribution of an astronomical object, the points are being connected with a number of nearest neighbours. On the edges of the resulting graph, probabilities are assigned that reflect the way how radiation is being transferred throughout the object. Here only diffuse transfer is considered, i.e. all radiation is divided equally among the neighbours. The idea of adding sources and sinks is introduced and used. All of this eventually results in a large, sparse matrix, and replaces the question of solving the radiation equation to finding the stationary distribution vector, the eigenvector of the matrix corresponding to eigenvalue one. Various results from Markov theory, the Perron Frobenius theorem and numerical linear algebra are used to find this solution. As it turns out, our matrix is irreducible and aperiodic, so that the dominant eigenvalue equals one and the corresponding eigenvector is the only eigenvector that has positive entries. Hence we know that a stationary distribution vector exists and is unique. By means of the Arnoldi algorithm one can compute this eigenvector, along with other eigenvectors and eigenvalues. As an example, a given point distribution describing the collision of two small galaxies is taken. The model is investigated by experimenting with the parameters of the model, i.e., including the number of nearest neighbours, the luminosity of the sources and the location of the sinks, to see if we get any physically true results. As it turns out, taking 20 nearest neighbours and a certain allocation of the sinks gives a physcially satisfying result. Finally, one scheme for absorption by the points in the distribution is considered. The conclusion of this thesis is that this model can be used to model radiative transfer, although one needs to work more on the absorption aspect, and there is still work to be done on various other types of radiative transfer.Show less
Dit werk sluit aan bij archeobotanisch onderzoek naar de ontwikkeling van de landbouw in Grieks- en Romeins-Egypte, uitgevoerd door RUG en UCLA. Het richt zich op een specifiek deel van de...Show moreDit werk sluit aan bij archeobotanisch onderzoek naar de ontwikkeling van de landbouw in Grieks- en Romeins-Egypte, uitgevoerd door RUG en UCLA. Het richt zich op een specifiek deel van de graanplant, namelijk de aarspilknoop, dat in grote aantallen terug wordt gevonden in de dorsresten in kleitichels in Karanis, Egypte. Doordat de aarspilknoop een telbaar element van de graanplant is, kan de logistiek van de huizenbouw in verband worden gebracht met de graanoogst. In deze scriptie wordt een model gepresenteerd, waarmee kan worden uitgerekend hoeveel dorsresten nodig zijn voor de magering van een gebouw, hoe groot het oppervlak was van de akker waar de planten op groeiden die hiervoor nodig waren, en wat de kosten van deze dorsresten zijn geweest. Ook wordt dit onderzoek in perspectief geplaatst, door de archeologische context te bespreken. De antwoorden die uit deze berekeningen volgen geven in dit stadium al een aannemelijk beeld van de relatie tussen de logistiek van huizenbouw en de graanoogst, echter het model dient in de toekomst te worden verbeterd en uitgebreid.Show less
Mijn BA3-scriptie gaat, zoals in de titel te zien is, over Poseidon en zijn cultusplaatsen, en alles wat daarmee te maken heeft. Mijn hoofdbron is Pausanias’ Beschrijving van Griekenland, een...Show moreMijn BA3-scriptie gaat, zoals in de titel te zien is, over Poseidon en zijn cultusplaatsen, en alles wat daarmee te maken heeft. Mijn hoofdbron is Pausanias’ Beschrijving van Griekenland, een historische bron bestaande uit tien boeken, uit de tweede eeuw na Christus. Hierin wordt een uitvoerige beschrijving gegeven van alle plaatsen en monumenten in het oude Griekenland die de schrijver heeft bezocht en hun historische en culturele context. De tweede bron die ik heb gebruikt zijn de resultaten van archeologisch onderzoek op de door Pausanias genoemde plaatsen. Ik heb geprobeerd een essay te schrijven waarin de twee bronnen elkaar aanvullen om daarmee een evenwichtig beeld van Poseidon, zijn culten en riten te creëren. Dit heb ik gedaan per regio en vervolgens per plaats, net als in de Beschrijving van Griekenland. Daarnaast heb ik onderzocht, met het archeologische bewijs dat we nu hebben, of de boeken van Pausanias ook daadwerkelijk waard zijn om als referentie gebruikt te worden, wat overigens al vele jaren gebeurt. Wat hieruit naar voren komt, is eigenlijk dat het niet echt mogelijk is om een coherent beeld te schrijven inzake Poseidon. We mogen er in geen geval van uitgaan dat Poseidon altijd als god van de zee werd vereerd. Uit mijn scriptie blijkt dat er zo veel uitzonderingen zijn, dat er vrijwel geen wetmatigheden terzake van Poseidon, zijn culten en riten zijn vast te stellen. Wat Pausanias betreft luidt mijn mening dat de teksten van de boeken van de Beschrijving van Griekenland wel bruikbaar zijn, al zijn de meningen van vele onderzoekers hierover verdeeld. Met behulp van de notities en uitleg van Pausanias zijn we veel te weten gekomen, en we kunnen er dan ook, naar mijn mening, nog veel meer van leren.Show less
This BA Thesis concerns stone axes, adzes and chisels, generally referred to as celts, from Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria, a site dated to the Late Neolithic Period, ca. 7000-5300 cal BC. It aims to...Show moreThis BA Thesis concerns stone axes, adzes and chisels, generally referred to as celts, from Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria, a site dated to the Late Neolithic Period, ca. 7000-5300 cal BC. It aims to investigate the economic and social meaning of these stone tools at the Neolithic settlement excavated there, by examining the tools' morphological and technological features, their provenance, and the context in which they were found. In this thesis, it is stressed that a wide variety of different types of stone celts were used at Tell Sabi Abyad. Many of these celts seam to have been imported from hundreds of kilometers away. Many celts must have been used for a number of economic activities, but some celts seam to have had a more symbolic meaning. Finally, this thesis shows that the way in which stone celts were used during the Late Neolithic was not static, but changed through the course of time.Show less
The Tainos were the inhabitants of the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles when the Spaniards arrived. During the past years researchers discussed about the existence of a heterogenous Taíno society...Show moreThe Tainos were the inhabitants of the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles when the Spaniards arrived. During the past years researchers discussed about the existence of a heterogenous Taíno society during the contact period. It is possible that the information of some Taíno society were generalised for the complete Taíno population. In this thesis a description of the Taíno culture and society is presented based on information of the Spanish chronicles. The socialpolitical organisation of the Taíno is critically reviewed. It is here argued that de Taíno chiefdoms showed diverse ranges of development. The discussion between Curet and Keegan and Maclachlan about the descent and succession in the protohistoric chiefdoms of the Greater Antilles is described.Show less
For a long time we know that the Maya in the Classic Period (300-1000 AD) lived in autonomous settlements but with the same ceremonial, political and economical characteristics. However, when we...Show moreFor a long time we know that the Maya in the Classic Period (300-1000 AD) lived in autonomous settlements but with the same ceremonial, political and economical characteristics. However, when we look at the road system some settlements are connected by, we cannot exclude that there has been collaboration to build thes networks. Local rulers must have worked together with other local rulers to realize these connections. Settlements needed each other because two locations were connected together, two settlements lying in the same area but being politically different. Furthermore, some kind of supervision must have been present to realize and organize such a great project. Anyway, to realize the building of a long causeways, a lot of specialists were needed. Therefore, sometimes specialists must have been brought in from other settlements.Show less
Plant macrofossils were studied from crevasse channel deposits of the Neolithic site at the future windmill park at Hazerswoude-Rijndijk, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands. The crevasse channel was...Show morePlant macrofossils were studied from crevasse channel deposits of the Neolithic site at the future windmill park at Hazerswoude-Rijndijk, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands. The crevasse channel was situated beside a levee. On this levee existed, during the Sub-Boreal period from 3,000 to 1,900 B.C., first a settlement of the Vlaardingen culture and later of the Single Grave culture. In this paper, an attempt will be made to reconstruct the vegetation and environment at the time of deposition. Taxa recovered indicate an intertidal wetland habitat. The taxa represented indicate very similar climatic conditions to those today, although possibly more continental, as indicated by the presence of Trapa natans and Salvinia natans. Anthropogenic influence is suggested by occurrence of ruderal plant taxa. An unexpected find was the fragment of an Abies needle, as the ecology of species in this genus does not fit with that of the site. Results are compared to those of other studies of the site. Besides plant macrofossils, remains of animals found in the samples are discussed.Show less
Within the scope of this thesis, a macro-botanical investigation was undertaken of 500 ml sediment of samples from two wells (North-4 and South-10) and a well-like feature (South-22) from a...Show moreWithin the scope of this thesis, a macro-botanical investigation was undertaken of 500 ml sediment of samples from two wells (North-4 and South-10) and a well-like feature (South-22) from a Merovingian settlement (6th/7th century) near Oegstgeest, as well as an additional very-small-macro-botanical investigation (250-100 micrometres) of 5 ml sediment and a micro-botanical quick scan investigation of feature South-22. The Merovingian settlement was partly exposed during the Oegstgeest Nieuw Rhijngeest Zuid 2009 excavation by the Faculty of Archaeology (University of Leiden). Three research aims formed the basis of the archaeobotanical investigations: 1) the Merovingian vegetation, 2) the Merovingian cultivated or used plants, and 3) the nature of feature South-22, which might have been a cesspit. All three features showed a similar image of the Merovingian vegetation. Two methods were used to reconstruct the vegetation: a simplistic method of Arnolds & Van der Maarel (1979) and an additional phytosociological study. The Merovingian settlement next to the course of the Oude Rijn was situated in an open landscape which was regularly under influence of sea water. Intertwined grassland-, arable field- and salt marsh vegetations were bordering the river. Further on, forests were present at the elevated places in the landscape, on the old dunes and at the peat soils. Three cultivated products have been found in the southern part of the settlement: Linum usitatissimum (linseed/common flax) which was probably cultivitated at the higher salt marshes surroundings the Merovingian settlement and Secale cereale (rye) which was probably cultivated at the high old dunes. Vitis vinifera (common grape vine) was also consumed in that period, but probably as dried grapes that were imported. In addition to these cultivated species, the Merovingian people were able to gather many other plants from the natural vegetation, either for consumption, construction or cosmetics. Closer investigation of feature South-22 revealed that the feature has never been a cesspit, for no characterizing features of excrement, such as an abundancy of fragments of cereals grains, fruit stones, fragments of several species of cereal accompanying weeds or mammal and fish bones have been found. The presence of eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura (human-intestinal parasites) was not enough to decide that the deposit was made of human excrement. The remarkable composition of the fillings is due to the nature of the refuse (leather) that has been thrown into the well after it became out of use and not to the nature of the feature itself.Show less
This thesis presents the results and conclusions of a detailed typo- and technological analysis of a selection of the flint material and the spatial distribution of those flints from the site...Show moreThis thesis presents the results and conclusions of a detailed typo- and technological analysis of a selection of the flint material and the spatial distribution of those flints from the site Neumark Nord 2/2 in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The material originates from a east-west trench covering the entire width of the excavation and measuring 2 by 19 metres. The typo- and technological analysis shows that the flakes were made from small cores of relatively bad quality. The tools are made on the larger flakes and consist of simple modifications. The results of the primary analysis are then compared to the results of two primary analysis from last year on the same assemblage. This resulted in some minor differences that were mainly caused by discrepancies between the analysers and not the assemblage. The spatial distribution of the finds showed no clear patterns, only that the finds are concentrated in the centre area of the trench and decline towards the western and eastern part. The comparison between the six different findlayers also showed no satisfying results, only that the lithics from each layer are very similar. This might indicate that the Neumark Nord 2/2 assemblage represents a single occupation phase, but further research is needed and possibly refitting can solve this problem.Show less
The municipality of Oss (Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands) is one of the most archaeologically heavily researched areas of the Netherland and maybe even Europe. While the Iron Age, Roman period and...Show moreThe municipality of Oss (Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands) is one of the most archaeologically heavily researched areas of the Netherland and maybe even Europe. While the Iron Age, Roman period and Middle Ages are well represented in the publications concerning Oss, the Bronze Age has been scarcely researched. This main goal of this thesis is to shed a light on this period by means of dating features using ceramics as a dating method and thereby sketching a brief picture of the habitation of the area during the Bronze Age. At the same time the ceramics research is used to take a closer look at what is known about Bronze Age pottery sequences and to demonstrate any falsehoods, if there are any. Features containing more than ten fragments of pottery (not including grit) were described, divided per excavation and per feature type. Extra attention was given to structures of a datable type and features of which a C14 date was available. During the research it became clear that the traditional division of the Bronze Age in ‘early’, ‘middle’ and ‘late’ would not suffice as a partition. In the end there were four distinct periods to examine: ‘late’ Early Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age A, Middle Bronze Age B and ‘early’ Late Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age and ‘late’ Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. In years this would respectively be: ±1850 BC – 1500 BC, 1500 BC – ±1075 BC, ±1075 BC - ±875 BC, ±875 BC – 500 BC. The ‘early’ and ‘late’ Late Bronze Age are assumed to be periods of about 75 years. The features of the examined ceramics matched up quite well to the proposed model. Some variables did not accord to the model but, in general, the model as proposed suited this research quite well. The ‘late’ Early Bronze Age and the Middle Bronze Age A are a period of relatively low amounts of features. This could mean that habitation levels were low in this period but, as structures from this period are badly recognized, there could have been more habitation then expected from the numbers of features. In the Middle Bronze Age B a rise in feature numbers is apparent as is the number in houses. As features from this period are recognized as such it seems habitation peaks at this period of the Bronze Age. There are only three features recognized as Late Bronze Age. Again there is a problem with recognisability of features from this period. It is assumed that habitation levels stagnated and people moved closer to the river Meuse, which was further away from Oss-North in this period than in the previous or following periods. In the ‘late’ Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age all researched excavations were again inhabited, very similar to the image one gets from the Middle Bronze Age B.Show less
