Isotopic Studies of Human Movement in the Prehistoric American Southwest

史前美国西南部人类运动的同位素研究

• 批准号: 0957054
• 负责人: T. Douglas Price
• 金额: $ 26.96万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-03-15 至 2014-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0957054&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Isotopic; Studies; Human; Movement; Prehistoric

NSF funding will be used for the study of human mobility in the prehistoric Southwestern United States. This area witnessed millennia of migration and movement for various reasons, including colonization, conflict, and climate change. Many questions regarding mobility in this area remain difficult to answer, however, in part because archaeological methods have focused on artifacts and architecture as proxies for people. Things and ideas can be borrowed, stolen, or traded. A new method in archaeology involving the analysis of isotopes in human tooth enamel, however, provides a direct measure of movement. Prof. T. Douglas Price and colleagues will use isotopes of strontium, oxygen, and carbon in tooth enamel to directly investigate human movement, building on a successful earlier study at Grasshopper Pueblo, Arizona. The principle of the method is straightforward and well documented. Enamel forms in early childhood and incorporates the isotopic ratio of the place of birth. Enamel is inert and resistant to contamination and decomposition, thus providing an isotopic signature of place of birth. This signature is retained after death and often after burial. Because the isotopic signal in bone is continually updated during life it reflects recent residence. If the isotopic signal of the place of death is different from the enamel, the individual must have moved to a different geological location during his/her lifetime. Carbon isotopes reflect diet. A pilot study of 32 teeth from 3 sites in three different areas documents significant variability and the presence of non-locals. Related projects will measure carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bone for paleodiet and ancient DNA for genetic relationships in the same individuals. Samples will be shared among the research groups to reduce the impact on collections.The three study areas for this project, and some of the important research questions, are 1. The introduction of agriculture into Four Corners region, and relationships between Eastern and Western Basketmaker cultures. 2. Human movement and interaction in Chaco Canyon and northwestern New Mexico where isotope studies of timber, maize, and deer have documented long-distance transport. Fascinating questions concern the origin, nature, and causes for this phenomenon. The relationship between the Chaco Great Houses and their satellite communities remain one of the more intriguing mysteries in American archaeology. Research will focus on the humans at Pueblo Bonito and other Great House pueblos where evidence from burial practices suggests social inequality. Samples from outlier communities will be included for comparison. 3. Investigation of the Mimbres culture of southwestern New Mexico will focus on the relationship between Mimbres and Hohokam and Mogollon groups in the ancient Southwest. There are also indications of ties with the large, regional center of Casas Grandes, some 200 km to the south in northern Mexico. A more general question concerns the movement of Uto-Aztecan groups from Central Mexico into the Southwest and their relationship with indigenous populations. Isotopic analysis of human tooth enamel from these three areas should provide substantial insight into many of these questions. This research will help us understand the nature and extent of human movement during the last 2000 years or so of prehistory in the American Southwest.

NSF资金将用于研究美国史前西南部的人类流动性。由于各种原因，该领域的移民和运动几千年，包括殖民化，冲突和气候变化。但是，有关该领域流动性的许多问题仍然很难回答，部分是因为考古方法将重点放在人工制品和建筑上作为人们的代理。事物和想法可以借用，被盗或交易。然而，一种涉及人牙搪瓷中同位素分析的考古学方法是直接衡量运动的方法。 T. Douglas Price教授及其同事将在牙齿搪瓷中使用锶，氧气和碳的同位素直接研究人类运动，这是基于亚利桑那州Grasshopper Pueblo的一项成功的研究。该方法的原理很简单且文献良好。搪瓷在幼儿时期形成，并结合了出生地的同位素比。搪瓷是惰性的，并且对污染和分解有抵抗力，因此提供了出生地的同位素特征。 该签名是在死亡后，经常在埋葬后保留的。由于骨骼中的同位素信号在生命中不断更新，因此反映了最近的居住。 如果死亡地点的同位素信号与搪瓷不同，那么个人一生中必须移至不同的地质位置。碳同位素反映饮食。来自三个不同区域的3个地点的32颗牙齿的试点研究很大，并且存在非局部性。相关项目将在同一个体的遗传关系中测量骨骼和古代DNA中骨骼中的碳和氮同位素。样本将在研究小组之间共享，以减少对收藏的影响。该项目的三个研究领域，一些重要的研究问题是1。将农业引入四个角落地区，以及东部和西部篮子制造商文化之间的关系。 2。查科峡谷和新墨西哥州西北部的人类运动和互动，木材，玉米和鹿的同位素研究记录了长途运输。引人入胜的问题涉及这种现象的起源，性质和原因。 Chaco大房子与其卫星社区之间的关系仍然是美国考古学中最有趣的谜团之一。研究将重点关注Pueblo Bonito和其他大型房屋的人类，其中埋葬实践的证据表明社会不平等。将包括来自异常社区的样本以进行比较。 3。对新墨西哥州西南部的Mimbres文化的调查将重点关注Mimbres与Hohokam和Mogollon群体之间的关系。还迹象表明与墨西哥北部约200公里的Casas Grandes地区中心有联系。一个更一般的问题涉及UTO-Aztecan群体从墨西哥中部到西南的运动及其与土著人口的关系。对这三个领域的人牙搪瓷的同位素分析应为许多此类问题提供大量见解。这项研究将有助于我们了解过去2000年左右的美国西南史前历史的人类运动的性质和程度。