Snakes in the grass is a visual research endeavour that utilises an arts and science disciplinary interface, to develop a method for generating a series of contemporary allegorical artworks that engage a study of Serpent symbolism and mythology. On the side of Trinity Catholic College beside St. Carthage’s Cathedral in Lismore stands a life-sized sculpture of the Virgin Mary standing on a Serpent. Inside the school can be found a smaller version of the same sculpture, where priests and students light candles and incense, and place them around the statue. This thesis researches and questions the iconography of the ‘cursed Serpent’ as a primary signifier in the European Biblical tradition in Australia, as it stands alongside the iconography of the existing Indigenous cultures of this land, cultures that have a tradition of Serpent veneration. The intention is to identify correlations between differing cultural and social attitudes that are embedded in religious traditions, and different attitudes to the use of natural resources. Material collected through studying the history of Biblical traditions is superimposed, in a form of cultural montage, on to images of technical procedures of research undertaken by scientists researching an innovative water remediation process on Mt Carrington in northern NSW. The scientific research was focused at a disabled gold mine, where acid mine drainage contamination was severe, and represents a small yet significant example of environmental issues being faced all over the world. This research used salt water neutralised bauxite, or red mud, a waste product from aluminium mining to remediate water and soil affected by gold and silver mining. The creative process developed into a contemporary allegorical narrative that operates as a personification and an enactment of a subjective re-reading of issues surrounding Serpent symbolism and the environment. The resulting artworks include paintings, photographs and an earthwork sculpture on the mine site at Mt Carrington. These works are generated to research, focus attention on, and stimulate discussion about cultural and environmental changes and challenges in Australia.

Previous dendroclimatological research has shown that tree growth is primarily a function of temperature and precipitation. At mid-latitude temperate forest sites, trees have been found to be mainly moisture-sensitive rather than temperature-sensitive. Researchers at the 2007 North American Dendroecological Fieldweek were surprised to find a winter temperature signal in a shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) chronology from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. Building on this finding, I evaluated yellow pine climate-tree growth relationships at five sites on the western end of Great Smoky Mountains National Park using correlation, response function, moving correlation, and wavelet analyses. Winter mean minimum temperatures influenced yellow pine growth at all five sites, but spring precipitation and growing season moisture conditions also affected growth. Growth was positively associated with Atlantic Ocean sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) and North Atlantic Ocean (NAO) index values, suggesting that positive phases of the both the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and the NAO lead to above average annual tree growth. Pacific Ocean climate variability did not have a strong influence on yellow pine growth in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Climate-growth relationships were temporally unstable at all of the five sites. In the mid-20th century, the response to growing season precipitation and moisture conditions weakened. Simultaneously, the response to winter and fall mean minimum temperatures strengthened. The shift may have been caused by an AMO phase change, age-dependent climate responses, changes in phenology, decreased drought frequency, data quality, or atmospheric pollution. Because the relationship with temperaturestrengthened since 1950, yellow pines in Great Smoky Mountains National Park do not show evidence of divergence between temperature and tree growth. Still, this network of chronologies is not ideal for climate reconstruction because the climate-growth relationships were unstable over time. In the future, climate analysis of other chronologies from the southeastern U.S. will be necessary to determine whether the mid- 20th century shift in climate response at Great Smoky Mountains National Park occurred throughout the region.

The goal of this study is to investigate the age-related changes in histomorphometry among the six long bones of the human fetus. Histological studies have become increasingly important in distinguishing fragmentary human remains from non-human remains as well as estimating age at death in forensic cases. However, little work has been done with subadult material due to its distinct growth patterns and unique microscopic composition. This study attempts to provide a preliminary investigation into the potential of utilizing histomorphometry in the estimation of age at death of fetal remains. Microscopic methods may prove invaluable to the task of aging fragmentary remains that lack the characteristic features necessary for conventional metric methods that require the preservation of entire skeletal elements. Seven stillborn cadavers of known sex and gestational age (17-35 weeks) were the subjects of study. Thin sections were taken from the midshafts of the six long bones and examined under a light microscope. For each slide, a maximum of 111 measurements were taken: maximum sagittal medullary diameter (anterior-posterior), maximum transverse medullary diameter (medial-lateral), medullary area, maximum cortical thickness (taken at each quadrant), minimum cortical thickness (taken at each quadrant), and a maximum of 25 separate trabecular diameters per quadrant. The results of this research indicate that several histological measurements possess potential for predicting fetal age. Statistically significant correlations between both maximum and minimum cortical thicknesses and age were present for all six long bones. The humerus and tibia have the strongest correlations between cortical thickness and age, while the radius possesses the weakest correlation with age. The results of an ANCOVA employing age as a covariate indicate that fetal age is a significant linear predictor of trabecular thickness in all long bones except the radius. The values for trabecular thickness are significantly different among quadrants within the femur, tibia, humerus, and ulna. However, only in the humerus and radius does the rate of linear change in trabecular thickness with age differ by quadrant location. Future research conducted on a larger sample size is expected to determine the accuracy with which this method can be applied to fetal age estimation.

Kuroda Seiki (1866-1924) is widely considered as the father of Japanese Modern Art. After studying in France for nearly a decade, he returned to Japan and brought the Western-style oil painting (yōga) to a larger audience. His controversial and progressive artwork forced the public to consider the larger questions in play within the political backdrop of the Meiji restoration. He integrated the nude genre and the plein-air art theories into the art pedagogy. He not only influenced and informed the public with his paintings. He made sure to educate the public, served on committees and taught in schools. Being at the right place at the right time, he had an outsized influence on artistic development in Meiji Japan, changing the course of Japanese Modern Art.

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The objectives of this thesis are to determine what information was presented about Black Africa in the National Geographic Magazine articles published during two ten year periods; pre-World War II, 1931-1941 and post-Ghanaian Independence, 1957-1967; to describe the authors’ attitudes towards Black Africa as expressed in the articles; to evaluate to what extent the content of the Black African-related articles published during those two decades reflected the atmosphere of the time and the degree and level of interest prevalent during those periods; and to compare and contrast the two periods examined to determine whether or not there was a change of attitude about Black Africa expressed by the authors through their articles. The researcher worked under the assumption that the attitudes expressed in the two ten year periods under analysis would be significantly different. In undertaking this work the researcher drew on the articles relating to Black Africa in the National Geographic Magazine Vols.59-80 and Vols. 111-132. The 42 volumes of the National Geographic Magazine covering those two ten year periods were examined to identify the articles relating to Black Africa. The twenty-six articles that contained a discussion of some aspect of African life and culture were selected for review. Historical information about the National Geographic Magazine is provided in the introduction of this work. Articles appearing in the publication during the decade 1931-1941 are considered in Chapter One. Generally, the articles during that period focus on the old and ‘primitive’ Africa, minimizing contemporary change and evolution. Chapter Two considers articles published during the period from 1957-1967. In the selections from that period, change (contrast of old and new) is the pervading theme. The third and final chapter serves as a synopsis as well as a contrast and comparison of the two periods examined to determine whether there was a change of attitudes towards Black Africa expressed in the articles. The assessment concludes that attitudes expressed in the two periods have undergone a significant change primarily in the latter period’s.subtle fascination with the ‘exotic,’ ‘primitive,’ alien cultures south of the Sahara.

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No description available.

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Although there have been numerous and varied treatments of Joan of Arc throughout the ages, there is to date no detailed, analytical study of Joan of Arc based on Jean Anouilh’s L’Alouette, Charles Peguy’s Jeanne d’Arc and Andre Obey’s La Fentre. The ob jective of this comparative study is to show the relationships, similarities, and differences that exist in these representative works. After an introductory chapter which includes a biographical sketch of Joan of Arc and a brief summary of the historical facts which occurred during her lifetime, Chapter Two presents a bio graphical sketch of the playwright, Jean AnouiIh, emphasizing those forces and influences that helped to determine his philoso phy. It also reveals his treatment of Joan in L’Alouette through theme and characterization. Chapter Three examines the life and influences of Charles Peguy and his intensive interest in Joan of Arc. This examination reveals Peguy’s extreme devotion to historical accuracy in his drama. Chapter Four presents Obey’s biography, Ms influences, philosophy, ideas and attitudes. His one-act play La Fentre is analyzed, reflecting a unique treatment of Joan through the character in absentia technique. This chapter is followed by a conclusion which, while highlighting the similarities and differences evident among the three works with reference to charac ter delineation, themes and influences, shows how each playwright has succeeded in creating a distinctly original drama about the Maid of Orleans.