Ritualized Mesolithic hoarding in Southern Scandinavia: An Under-Recognised Phenomenon

Intentionally deposited groups of artefacts, here classified as hoards, form a relatively under­studied aspect of the southern Scandinavian Mesolithic. Here analysis of 124 southern Scan­dinavian Mesolithic hoards is used to further the concept of ritualization, applying a holistic approach to the observed variability and patterning in their biographies. Contrary to the common assertion that hoarding began in the Neolithic, the results indicate that hoarding practices can be traced back to at least the Early Maglemose and extend throughout the Mesolithic. A catalogue of studied hoards is included in the supplementary online material, as well as a separate catalogue of use­wear analysis findings from a subset of the hoards.

Charcoal identification in a species-rich environment: The example of Dibamba, Cameroon

Identification of archaeological or soil charcoal in a species-rich biome, such as the Central African rainforest, is challenging because of the large number of woody taxa with similar and overlapping wood anatomical features. Valid environmental or archaeological interpretations can only derive from reliable and transparent identifications that allow comparison of and referencing between different charcoal assemblages. The identification of 30 archaeological charcoal types from the site Dibamba in southern Cameroon serves as a starting point for a discussion on classification and naming. These 30 types are fully documented and illustrated in the Supplementary Online Material (SOM). The discussion underlines the basics of “good practice” of charcoal identification in a speciesrich tropical environment. The value of differential diagnosis is stressed, as is the importance of leaving identification levels on higher taxonomic level if necessary. We argue that the level of identification must be reflected in the name of the charcoal type. Names of charcoal types are written in small capitals to clearly distinguish them from botanical taxa with which they are not necessarily identical. The Dibamba charcoal assemblage offers the first and so far unique possibility to directly comprehend human impact on the structure and composition of West Central African rainforest over the last 3000 years. The paleoenvironmental significance of the results presented here will be subject of a forthcoming publication.

E-learning for medical imaging specialists: introducing blended learning in a nuclear medicine specialist course

Background While e-learning has become an important tool in teaching medical students, the training of specialists in medical imaging is still dominated by lecture-based courses. Purpose To assess the potential of e-learning in specialist education in medical imaging. Material and Methods An existing lecture-based five-day course in Clinical Nuclear Medicine (NM) was enhanced by e-learning resources and activities, including practical exercises. An anonymized survey was conducted after participants had completed and passed the multiple choice electronic course examination. Results Twelve out of 15 course participants (80%) responded. Overall satisfaction with the new course format was high, but 25% of the respondents wanted more interactive elements such as discussions and practical exercises. The importance of lecture handouts and supplementary online material such as selected original articles and professional guidelines was affirmed by all the respondents (92% fully, 8% partially), while 75% fully and 25% partially agreed that the lectures had been interesting and relevant. Conclusion E-learning represents a hitherto unrealized potential in the education of medical specialists. It may expedite training of medical specialists while at the same time containing costs.