Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Evaluating Northern Yucatec Influence in the Sibun Valley, Belize

博士论文改进补助金：评估伯利兹锡本山谷北尤卡坦克的影响

• 批准号: 0638592
• 负责人: Patricia McAnany
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: Trustees of Boston University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-11-01 至 2008-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0638592&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Grant; Evaluating

Under the supervision of Dr. Patricia McAnany, Eleanor Harrison-Buck will analyze data gathered from archaeological excavations of Maya settlements in the Sibun Valley of Belize. This valley is notable for its position as a frontier zone, politically contested by two competing core areas"the Peten to the west and Yucatan to the north. During the Late-to-Terminal Classic transition (A.D. 700 - A.D. 900), Peten centers in the "Maya heartland" declined and the regional center of Chichen Itza extended its power base beyond northern Yucatan through an expanded trade network along the Caribbean. In the Sibun Valley and elsewhere along the eastern coast, circular-shrines were constructed, resembling smaller versions of those at Chichen Itza. Ceramics bearing northern attributes either were locally produced or imported from the north. At some locales, obsidian from northern procurement sources (including Central Mexico) has been identified. Harrison-Buck's research in the Sibun examines group identity in a frontier zone through technological analyses of Yucatec-style architecture and artifacts. This study aims to clarify whether changes in architecture and material culture are purely stylistic"pointing to local elite emulation of northern styles"or represent a fundamental shift in the social and economic organization, perhaps as a result of northern groups entering the valley at the end of the Classic period.Recent archaeological studies of identity in frontier zones suggest that crisp social boundaries in the material landscape are difficult to define. To address the complexities of social identity in a frontier zone, artifacts from three Sibun Valley settlements with circular architecture"Pechtun Ha, Oshon, and Obispo"will be subjected to an extensive program of analysis. Typological analysis of the ceramics and local clay sampling conducted by Harrison-Buck forms the basis of a mineralogical and chemical study using petrography and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Together, the results offer information regarding stylistic and technological changes and a basis for differentiating local and foreign-made pottery. The nature of exchange patterns is further evaluated by sourcing a large sample of obsidian. Chronological refinement of the Late-Terminal Classic transition in Maya Lowland archaeology is achieved through intensive radiocarbon dating of different levels of excavation.This research has significant intellectual merit, shedding light on the movement of goods and ideas, as well as people in a frontier zone, while advancing our general understanding of ancient Maya society during a period of profound social change. The application of chemical and compositional analyses answers the call for a more sophisticated approach to understanding social identity and interaction in frontier archaeology. The methodological approach developed, which explores important relationships between social identity, style and the fabric of technological production, can be applied to other study areas throughout the world. All results posted on the web will allow for comparative study and broaden the public visibility of the project. Participation in professional conferences and publication in refereed journals will communicate the results to the wider academic community. The author as well as graduate students at various institutions will gain valuable training in the methods of analysis mentioned above.

在帕特里夏·麦卡纳尼博士的监督下，埃莉诺·哈里森·巴克将分析从伯利兹锡本谷玛雅定居点考古发掘中收集的数据。该山谷以其作为边境地区的地位而闻名，在政治上受到两个相互竞争的核心地区（西部的佩滕和北部的尤卡坦半岛）的争夺。在古典晚期到最终的过渡期间（公元 700 年 - 公元 900 年），佩滕以佩滕为中心“玛雅中心地带”的衰落，奇琴伊察的区域中心通过沿加勒比海和其他地区的贸易网络​​将其权力基础扩展到尤卡坦半岛北部以外。在东海岸，人们建造了类似于奇琴伊察的圆形神龛的小型版本，具有北方特色的陶瓷要么是本地生产的，要么是从北方进口的。在一些地方，发现了来自北方采购来源（包括墨西哥中部）的黑曜石。哈里森-巴克在锡文的研究通过对尤卡坦风格建筑和文物的技术分析来考察边境地区的群体认同。这项研究旨在澄清建筑和物质文化的变化是否纯粹是“指向当地的风格”。精英对北方风格的效仿”或代表了社会和经济组织的根本转变，这可能是古典时期末期北方群体进入山谷的结果。最近对边境地区身份的考古研究表明，清晰的社会边界物质景观很难定义。为了解决边境地区社会身份的复杂性，来自三个 Sibun 山谷定居点的圆形建筑“Pechtun Ha、Oshon 和 Obispo”的文物将接受广泛的分析。 Harrison-Buck 对陶瓷和当地粘土取样进行的类型学分析构成了使用岩相学和仪器中子活化分析 (INAA) 进行矿物学和化学研究的基础。总之，这些结果提供了有关风格和技术变化的信息，以及区分本地和外国制造的陶器的基础。通过采购大量黑曜石样本，可以进一步评估交换模式的性质。通过对不同程度的发掘进行密集的放射性碳测年，可以对玛雅低地考古学中的晚期经典过渡进行时间上的细化。这项研究具有重要的智力价值，为了解边境地区的商品和思想以及人员的流动提供了线索。 ，同时增进我们对深刻社会变革时期的古代玛雅社会的一般理解。化学和成分分析的应用满足了需要采用更复杂的方法来理解前沿考古学中的社会身份和相互作用的需求。所开发的方法论探索了社会身份、风格和技术生产结构之间的重要关系，可以应用于世界各地的其他研究领域。发布在网络上的所有结果都将允许进行比较研究并扩大该项目的公众知名度。参加专业会议和在参考期刊上发表论文将向更广泛的学术界传达结果。作者以及各机构的研究生将获得上述分析方法的宝贵培训。