Archaeometric evidence for the authenticity of the Jehoash inscription tablet

A gray, fine-grained arkosic sandstone tablet bearing an inscription in ancient Hebrew from the First Temple Period contains a rich assemblage of particles accumulated in the covering patina. Two types of patina cover the tablet: a thin layer of black to orange iron-oxide-rich layer, a product of micro-biogenic processes, and a light beige patina that contains feldspars, carbonate, iron oxide, subangular quartz grains, carbon ash particles and gold globules (1 to 4 microns [1 micron = 0.001 millimeter] in diameter). The patina covers the rock surface as well as the engraved lettering grooves and blankets and thus post-dates the incised inscription as well as a crack that runs across the stone and several of the engraved letters. Radiocarbon analyses of the carbon particles in the patina yield a calibrated radiocarbon age of 2340 to 2150 Cal BP. The presence of microcolonial fungi and associated pitting in the patina indicates slow growth over many years. The occurrence of pure gold globules and carbon ash particles is evidence of a thermal event in close proximity to the tablet (above 1000 degrees Celsius). This study supports the antiquity of the patina, which in turn, strengthens the contention that the inscription is authentic.

Weimar 2.0 : acerca de la pérdida del espacio público

Resumen: La pregunta que se plantea es cómo podemos contrarrestar desde los medios los desarrollos que atentan contra la democracia y la sociedad. Es importante recuperar la identidad del periodismo, del sistema político y sus actores, y de los medios de comunicación. El periodismo debe propagar y fortalecer activa y enérgicamente la función y la identidad de la profesión. Hacia adentro del sistema de medios corresponde mejorar la formación periodística y la socialización profesional de los periodistas; y, hacia afuera, resaltar a través de campañas escolares y públicas la competencia profesional específica del periodismo.

El reflejo de las formas de vida aristocráticas en las versiones cinematográficas de Las amistades peligrosas y Las afinidades electivas

Raquel Merino Álvarez, José Miguel Santamaría, Eterio Pajares (eds.)

Der Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg. El tema de la lid de los poetas y su recepción literaria en Novalis, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué y Richard Wagner

282 págs.Correo electrónico: bea.muro@gmail.com

Nationales Fischereidatenerhebungsprogramm: Aktivitäten und Ausblick

Within the frame of the EU Data Collection Regulation (DCR), Germany is obliged since 2002 to collect basic fisheries data to support the Common Fisheries Policy. Various governmental institutions are involved in the collection of landings and effort data, biological and economic data of the German fisheries. About 200 trips on commercial fishery vessels were sampled from 2002 to 2006. Additional stock data are collected on research surveys. The landings of cod in the recreational fisheries in the North and Baltic Seas were recorded within a pilot study. In order to assess the economic situation of the fishing fleet and processing industry, economic data were collected. The collected data are being stored in a national database and being made available for scientific working groups. At present, the legal regulations within the DCR framework are being reviewed and adapted to the changing requirements of fisheries management.

Entwicklung eines selektierenden Aalschleppnetzes

In eel catches with special small-mesh trawls the proportion of by-catch is unjustifiably high. From 2003 to 2005 eel trawls with various types of separation panels were designed, constructed, and tested under real fishing conditions. Tests were carried out using cover cod-ends and an underwater TV equipment. It was possible to reduce the amount of by-catch to one tenth of its usual amount. However, a decline of the catch efficiency for the target species eel could not be avoided.

The BACOMA cod-end. History and recent developments in BACOMA cod-end regulations and a proposal for abetter specification of the BACOMA cod-end for Baltic Sea cod fishery

To improve the cod stocks in the Baltic Sea, a number of regulations have recently been established by the International Baltic Sea Fisheries Commission (IBSFC) and the European Commission. According to these, fishermen are obliged to use nets with escape windows (BACOMA nets) with a mesh size of the escape window of 120 mm until end of September 2003. These nets however, retain only fish much larger than the legal minimum landing size would al-low. Due to the present stock structure only few of such large fish are however existent. As a consequence fishermen use a legal alternative net. This is a conventional trawl with a cod-end of 130 mm diamond-shaped meshes (IBSFC-rules of 1st April 2002), to be increased to 140 mm on 1st September 2003, according to the mentioned IBSFC-rule. Due legal alterations of the net by the fishermen (e.g. use of extra stiff net material) these nets have acquired extremely low selective properties, i. e. they catch very small fish and produce great amounts of discards. Due to the increase of the minimum landing size from 35 to 38 cm for cod in the Baltic, the amount of discards has even increased since the beginning of 2003. Experiments have now been carried out with the BACOMAnet on German and Swedish commercial and research vessels since arguments were brought forward that the BACOMA net was not yet sufficiently tested on commercial vessels. The results of all experiments conducted so far, are compiled and evaluated here. As a result of the Swedish, Danish and German initiative and research the European Commission reacted upon this in June 2003 and rejected the increase of the diamond-meshed non-BACOMA net from 130 mm to 140mm in September 2003. To protect the cod stocks in the Baltic Sea more effectively the use of traditional diamond meshed cod-ends with-out escape window are prohibited in community waters without derogation, becoming effective 1st of September 2003. To enable more effective and simplified control of the bottom trawl fishery in the Baltic Sea the principle of a ”One-Net-Rule“ is enforced. This is going to be the BACOMA net, with the meshes of the escape window being 110 mm for the time being. The description of the BACOMA net as given in the IBSFC-rules no.10 (revision of the 28th session, Berlin 2002) concentrates on the cod-end and the escape window but only to a less extent on the design and mesh-composition of the remaining parts of the net, such as belly and funnel and many details. Thus, the present description is not complete and leaves, according to fishermen, ample opportunity for manipulation. An initiative has been started in Germany with joint effort from scientists and the fishery to better describe the entire net and to produce a proposal for a more comprehensive description, leaving less space for manipulation. A proposal in this direction is given here and shall be seen as a starting point for a discussion and development towards an internationally uniform net, which is agreed amongst the fishery, scientists and politicians. The Baltic Sea fishery is invited to comment on this proposal, and recommendations for further improvement and specifications are welcomed. Once the design is agreed by the Baltic Fishermen Association, it shall be proposed to the IBSFC and European Commission via the Baltic Fishermen Association.

Sind südliche Arten in Nord- und Ostsee auf dem Vormarsch?

The long and warm summer 2003 resulted in water temperatures of about 2°C above the average. This promoted the immigration of southern species like the Anchovy, the Sardine, the Red Mullet and different Squid species. The possible conclusions of such invasions concerning the ordinary species of the area are rather contradictory: For the Western Baltic a positive correlation between the occurrence of Anchovy and a good Cod year-class is shown. For the southern North Sea, stomach investigations of Squid make a negative effect on fish eggs and larvae more likely.

Eu-Projekt zur Seebeprobung von Schleppnetzfangen in der Nordsee erfolgreich abgeschlossen

Six countries around the North Sea have contributed to an EU-funded project collecting information about the catch composition in commercial fisheries. The aim was, by including that part of the catch, which is discarded after sorting, to gain better knowledge about the real stock size of the most important fish species. Additionally, the data shall contribute to a better understanding of the ecological effects of trawling.

Technische Empfehlungen für den künftigen Einsatz von Plattfischsteerten in der Ostsee

Die Grundschleppnetzfischerei in der Ostsee konzentriert sich im wesentlichen auf den Fang von Dorsch- und Plattfisch. Neben der Dorschfischerei gibt es auch beim Fang von Plattfisch gebiets- und zeitweise erhebliche Beifänge an untermaßigen Fischen, die verworfen werden müssen. Für beide in Form und Verhalten sehr unterschiedlichen Fischarten können bis dato die gleichen Steerte eingesetzt werden. Um die durch diese Mix-Fischerei an der südlichen Ostseeküste gegebenen Probleme zu verdeutlichen und auf eine zukünftig differenzierte Behandlung für die technischen Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Selektivität hinzuwirken, werden seit 1998 vergleichende Untersuchungen mit Schleppnetzsteerten unterschiedlicher Konstruktion durchgeführt.

Kritische Betrachtung der Begriffe Fischereiaufwand und Fangkraft mit dem Ansatz einer Neubewertung

In order to restore the balance between available fish res-sources and catch capacities in the marine waters of the EU, the European Commission has introduced so-called Multiannual Guidance Programmes (MAGPs) within the frame work of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). However, the non-quantified relation between fishing effort and fishing power of a vessel has proved to be one of the most difficult problems. The present contribution suggests to substitute traditional but non-quantifying methods by including the real catch results into the models.

Neue Chance für den Nordsee-Kabeljau

Während der 483. Reise von FFK “Solea“ (24.10. bis 9.11.01) wurde wie in jedem Herbst die Nachwuchssituation von Kabeljau in der Deutschen Bucht untersucht. Der dabei berechnete Index hat sich in seiner 20-jährigen Laufzeit als relativ verlässliches Maß für die Abschätzung der Stärke des jeweils jüngsten Jahrgangs erwiesen.