2,347 research outputs found
‘New’, ‘modern’ and ‘fake’. Embodying different standards of quality in ‘non-precious jewel’ manufacturing in Northern Italy during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
No full textDuring the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries ornamental items destined for people, garments and clothing accessories underwent a great change in terms of taste and function in the European novelty market. The paper highlights the Italian answer to these changes during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, by analysing the language (words, adjectives) adopted to promote and describe ‘non-precious’ and ‘semi-precious’ jewels. The study identifies a series of items embodying different standards of quality with respect to those typical of local and traditional jewellery production and representing the first Italian attempt at reinterpreting fashionable accessories in the English and French style. The research also identifies new agents and operators involved in both the manufacture of jewels from alloys and their sale, as well as delineating the progressive, sometimes contested, gradual advance of a new cultural approach to ‘non-precious’ and ‘semi-precious’ jewels in Northern Italy
Tibetan Precious Pills as Therapeutics and Rejuvenating Longevity Tonics
No full textTibetan precious pills are frequently attributed with a variety of efficacies, from “magical” powers, prevention of poisoning and infectious diseases, protection from harmful spirits and exposure to diseases while travelling, to rejuvenating and prolonging life through clearing the senses and promoting strength and vigor. They are prescribed as strong medicines for severe diseases, but are also advertised as rejuvenating tonics for the healthy. This paper explores the rejuvenating qualities attributed to precious pills in terms of how they are currently advertised, how rejuvenation is and has been explained in Tibetan works on precious pills, and how Tibetan physicians understand these attributes. How do these domains interact and refer to each other?
I compare aspects of rejuvenation in precious pill formulas with contemporary presentations of precious pills online and on published leaflets given out to patients in India and elsewhere. In Tibetan medical texts certain precious pills that contain the complex and processed mercury-sulfide ash called tsotel in addition to a large variety of other medicinal substances are presented as “precious pills” or rinchen rilbu, and only some of those are said to have rejuvenating effects on the body; most are primarily prescribed for specific diseases. The practice of giving precious pills to the healthy emerges more prominently in eighteenth to nineteenth century manuals on administering precious pills (Czaja 2015), which parallels the establishment of influential medical and monastic networks that promoted the making of tsotel and precious pills. I argue that precious pills have more recently widened their specific therapeutic target beyond that of medicine into becoming popular pills for rejuvenation, even if they do not contain tsotel, as part of pharmaceutical commodification. I also show how presentations of precious pills as “rejuvenating” are deeply linked to their availability
Prehistoric precious metal vessels – a brief synthesis
No full textInternational audienceIn the light of the new find from Ebreichsdorf (in this volume), this contribution reconsiders Bronze Age precious metal vessels from Northern, Western and Central Europe. In this article the focus is on gold vessels, only one short mentioning of silver vessels. These luxury and ceremonial objects appear in various shapes and dimensions during the Bronze Age. On the basis of case studies from Spain to Scandinavia, this paper offers an overview of numerous aspects of the precious metal vessels. The find circumstances provide insight into a few burial and numerous hoard contexts. The technical aspects of production concern the tools and the chaîne opératoire, from the ingot to the decorated finished product. This includes, in addition to the shaping by casting or plastic deformation of the body of the vessel, the execution of the decorative patterns as well as techniques for attaching handles. This part of the history of technology is supported by information from experimental archaeology, ethnoarchaeology, textual sources and Medieval and Renaissance representations relating to the manufacture of metal vessels
Prehistoric precious metal vessels – a brief synthesis
No full textInternational audienceIn the light of the new find from Ebreichsdorf (in this volume), this contribution reconsiders Bronze Age precious metal vessels from Northern, Western and Central Europe. In this article the focus is on gold vessels, only one short mentioning of silver vessels. These luxury and ceremonial objects appear in various shapes and dimensions during the Bronze Age. On the basis of case studies from Spain to Scandinavia, this paper offers an overview of numerous aspects of the precious metal vessels. The find circumstances provide insight into a few burial and numerous hoard contexts. The technical aspects of production concern the tools and the chaîne opératoire, from the ingot to the decorated finished product. This includes, in addition to the shaping by casting or plastic deformation of the body of the vessel, the execution of the decorative patterns as well as techniques for attaching handles. This part of the history of technology is supported by information from experimental archaeology, ethnoarchaeology, textual sources and Medieval and Renaissance representations relating to the manufacture of metal vessels
Interaction between precious metals price and Islamic stock markets
No full textOriginality/value - The author would like to emphasize that this article is second to examine precious metals and Islamic stock markets in literature
Relationship of healthcare assistants working hours, job tenure to job satisfaction and job-related affective well-being
No full textThis study aimed to investigate associations between working hours, job tenure to job satisfaction and job related affective well-being. The study was a correlational design. Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and Job-related Affective Well-being Scale (JAWS) were used as measurements. 93 healthcare assistant participants completed the questionnaires. Results: There was a significant strong positive relationship between length in organisation to job-related affective well-being and job satisfaction. There were gender differences on job-related affective well-being, with males ranking higher on High Pleasurable Higher Arousal (HPHA) than females. Strong positive relationship between job-related affective well-being and job satisfaction was found. No correlations between working hours to job satisfaction and job-related affective well-being. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed. Author keywords: Job satisfaction, job tenure, working hour
The Macroeconomic Determinants of Volatility in Precious Metals Markets
No full textWe investigate key macroeconomic factors that impact the price returns of precious metals markets. The markets investigated were gold, silver, platinum and palladium; whereas the macroeconomic factors accommodated business cycle, monetary environment and financial market sentiment factors. The key findings present limited evidence that the same macroeconomic factors jointly influence the volatility processes of the precious metal price series, although there is some evidence of volatility feedback between the precious metals. This finding lends weight to views that individual commodities are too distinct to be considered a single asset class or represented by a single index; a finding of considerable importance for portfolio managers and investors.
Statistical analyses of precious metal contents in waste incineration bottom ashes
No full textAbstract The recovery of precious metals from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) is a way of moving towards a circular economy. The paper presents a detailed analysis of the concentration of precious metals in IBA. The average values of precious metals in the samples analyzed are: Ag—6973 ppb, Au—313.90 ppb, Pd—41.26 ppb, Pt—13.81 ppb—all of these values being many times higher than the values of these elements in the Earth’s crust. The time series of the precious metals in the IBA were analyzed to assess the trend, seasonality, and outliers and to detect differences between the designated seasons of the year. Data analysis was performed following the CRISP-DM methodology using statistical and data mining methods. The analyzes confirmed a higher Ag concentration than in comparable European waste incinerator plants. The Au concentration was comparable to those reported in other incinerators, while the values were lower for Pt and Pd. The time series of precious metals shows no trend and seasonality, but numerous outliers. Due to the stationarity of precious metals, recovery can be expected to be constant, and the presence of numerous outliers can increase the potential return on investment
Precious metals as the monetary phenomenon in the history
No full textThe bachelor thesis focuses on the history of the precious metals in monetary economics. Firstly, a function of the precious metals in monetary standard is introduced together with related prerequisities for an economic development. The thesis deals merely with monetary standards connected mainly with gold and silver. In the next part, a historical period between years 1944 -- 1976 concerning monetary standards is depicted and also this period is assessed from the economic point of view. The final part of the thesis analyses contemporary precious metal market. The author starts with a basic description of the precious metal market and also with its current tendencies and subsequently proceeds to a practical use of the analysis in creating appropriate investment strategy
Institutional Explanations of Economic Development: the Role of Precious Metals
No full textRecent research has emphasized the influence of colonization on the institutional development and economic performance in former European colonies. Where European colonizers settled, they replicated the investment-conducive institutions found at home. It has been argued that a harsh disease environment and a highly urbanized native population worked against colonization. We show evidence for another significant element explaining the endogenous character of colonization strategies and the formation of institutions. We find the presence of precious metals, gold and silver, to imply an increase in settlements, and an improvement in institutional quality, even when correcting for settlements. Highly valued gold and silver reserves attracted Europeans in large numbers and resulted in an institutional upgrade of mineral-rich areas.Precious metals, Institutions, Economic development
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