US Egypt Cooperative Research: Baboons, stable isotopes, and the mystery of Punt

美埃合作研究：狒狒、稳定同位素和蓬特之谜

• 批准号: 0923655
• 负责人: Paul Koch
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Cruz
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-10-01 至 2011-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0923655&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: US; Egypt; Cooperative; Research; Baboons

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This collaborative research project is being undertaken by Dr. Nathaniel J. Dominy, University of California Santa Cruz, and Dr. Salima Ikram, American University of Cairo, Egypt, to analyze isotope ratios of mummified baboons and to compare them with modern baboon populations in an attempt to identify the location of the lost city of Punt.Punt was a celebrated destination in Ancient Egypt. It was an exporter of valued commodities such as ebony, myrrh, electrum, and exotic pets (leopards and baboons). The historical importance of the Egypt-Punt relationship is twofold. First, it is one of the earliest examples of peaceful trade between neighboring political states. Second, it is one of the longest commercial alliances in human history, spanning more than 1200 years. Yet the location of Punt is a mystery. Scholarly debate over the past century has resulted in five hypothetical regions: (1) Eritrea-Ethiopia; (2) the Sinai Peninsula; (3) Somalia; (4) western Uganda, and (5) Yemen. The collaboration will test among these competing geographic hypotheses by measuring ratios of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotopes in the hair and bone tissues of mummified baboons, which were likely imported from Punt. The distinctive combination of these values is expected to match those of a modern baboon population inhabiting one of the five hypothetical locations above. This cross-disciplinary project represents a unique bridge between Geology (Geochemistry) and three sub-disciplines in Anthropology (Archaeology, Egyptology, and Primatology). The results are expected to complement and inform ongoing debates concerned with Egyptian history and foreign trade.The broader impact of this project lies in its geographic scope and the integration of new and emergent technologies to address a central question in human history. Empirically, the PIs expect to identify the location of Punt. Theoretically, the research will advance our understanding of how human commerce and foreign policy evolved. Practically, the PI intends to enhance the education and laboratory training of 2 graduate students. The project will also permit greater intellectual exchange across academic disciplines and international borders.

该奖项由 2009 年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法 111-5）资助。该合作研究项目由加州大学圣克鲁斯分校的 Nathaniel J. Dominy 博士和美利坚大学的 Salima Ikram 博士承担埃及开罗，分析木乃伊狒狒的同位素比率，并将其与现代狒狒种群进行比较，试图确定失落城市的位置Punt.Punt 是古埃及著名的旅游胜地。它是乌木、没药、金金银和外来宠物（豹子和狒狒）等贵重商品的出口国。埃及与蓬特关系的历史重要性是双重的。首先，它是邻近政治国家之间和平贸易的最早例子之一。其次，它是人类历史上最长的商业联盟之一，跨越了1200多年。然而蓬特的位置仍然是个谜。过去一个世纪的学术争论产生了五个假设的地区：（1）厄立特里亚-埃塞俄比亚； (2) 西奈半岛； (3) 索马里； (4) 乌干达西部，(5) 也门。此次合作将通过测量木乃伊狒狒的头发和骨组织中碳、氮和氧稳定同位素的比率来测试这些相互竞争的地理假设，这些木乃伊狒狒很可能是从蓬特进口的。这些值的独特组合预计将与居住在上述五个假设地点之一的现代狒狒种群的值相匹配。这个跨学科项目代表了地质学（地球化学）和人类学三个子学科（考古学、埃及学和灵长类动物学）之间的独特桥梁。研究结果预计将补充和通报有关埃及历史和对外贸易的持续辩论。该项目的更广泛影响在于其地理范围以及新技术和新兴技术的整合，以解决人类历史上的一个核心问题。根据经验，PI 希望确定 Punt 的位置。从理论上讲，这项研究将增进我们对人类商业和外交政策如何演变的理解。实际上，PI打算加强2名研究生的教育和实验室培训。该项目还将促进跨学科和国际边界的更广泛的知识交流。