Isotopic Investigations of Ancient Maya Mobility

古代玛雅流动性的同位素研究

• 批准号: 1219585
• 负责人: T. Douglas Price
• 金额: $ 9.65万
• 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: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-08-01 至 2015-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1219585&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Isotopic; Investigations; Ancient; Maya; Mobility

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. T. Douglas Price of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, together with American and Mexican colleagues, will use cutting-edge methods for the analysis of ancient human skeletons to study patterns of human movement and cultural change over time in the ancient Maya civilization in northern Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. The research focuses on the dramatic changes that took place there between roughly 500 and 1000 AD. This area witnessed substantial population movement for a variety of reasons including colonization, warfare, and climate change. These changes likely involved the movement of outsiders into this region. Questions concerning population mobility, conquest, colonization, and trade are paramount. This project is designed to identify the non-local individuals who came to this area and to better understand patterns of movement and interaction across ancient Mexico.Movement will be assessed by measuring the isotopic composition of human teeth. Tooth enamel forms during early childhood and its chemical composition remains largely unchanged through life and after death. These isotope ratios vary geographically across Mesoamerica and can provide a signature for place of birth. The researchers will measure strontium and oxygen isotope ratios in approximately 400 samples from a series of archaeological sites in the northern Maya region and compare these values among the sites and with similar information from elsewhere is Mesoamerica. They will also examine the remains of some 40 sacrificial victims from the Sacred Cenote at Chichén, seeking information on place of origin for this unusual group of individuals. This information will allow the identification of individuals of non-local origin and in some cases will suggest their place of origin.The goal is to determine rates of movement and differences related to age, sex, and/or status, in order to characterize patterns of mobility in this region. Where possible, the research will investigate chronological changes in mobility. This will allow one to put available information from major centers like Chichén Itza and others in comparative context and consider the commonalities and distinctions among these centers. The research will provide insight into how human mobility effected cultural change in the Maya region in the past. The project provides an opportunity to resolve important archaeological questions about human migration in a major culture area of the New World, including the rates and sources of movement into important centers, the place of origin of certain individuals, relationships between different groups, and differences in migration based on age, gender, and status. The project is international and multidisciplinary. The study will demonstrate the application of new scientific methods to old archaeological questions and involve a number of archaeologists in discussion of the results. It is anticipated that at least one PhD thesis, and the instruction of a number of students in laboratory work and preparation of samples will result from this project. Student training is an important goal. Publication of the results of the study will provide important information for future studies and increase understanding of ancient Mesoamerica.

在国家科学基金会的支持下，威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的T. Douglas Price博士与美国和墨西哥的同事一起使用尖端的方法来分析古代人类骨骼，以研究墨西哥北部尤卡省的古代玛雅文明的人类运动和文化变化的模式。该研究的重点是大约500年至1000年之间发生的巨大变化。由于各种原因，该地区的人口运动发生了重大运动，包括殖民，战争和气候变化。这些变化很可能涉及局外人进入该地区。有关人口流动，征服，殖民化和贸易的问题至关重要。该项目旨在确定来到该地区的非本地个体，并更好地理解整个古代墨西哥的运动和互动模式。将通过测量人牙齿的同位素组成来评估运动。幼儿期牙釉质形式，其化学成分在很大程度上保持不变。这些同位素比在跨中美洲的地理上有所不同，可以为出生地提供签名。研究人员将测量来自北玛雅地区一系列档案位点的大约400个样品中的锶和氧同位素比，并比较这些位点之间的这些值，并且来自其他地方的相似信息是中美洲。他们还将研究奇切恩（Chichén）神圣cenote的大约40个牺牲惊喜中的剩余，寻求有关这个不寻常个人的原产地的信息。该信息将允许识别非本地起源的个体，在某些情况下会暗示其原产地。目的是确定与年龄，性别和/或状态有关的运动率和差异，以表征该地区的流动模式。在可能的情况下，研究将研究迁移率的时间顺序变化。这将使人们能够在比较背景下从ChichénItza等主要中心提供可用信息，并考虑这些中心之间的共同点和区别。这项研究将洞悉人们过去如何影响玛雅地区的文化变革。该项目提供了一个机会，以解决有关新世界主要文化领域中人类移民的重要考古问题，包括向重要中心的运动率和源头来源，某些人的起源地点，不同群体之间的关系以及基于年龄，性别和地位的移民差异。该项目是国际和多学科的。该研究将证明新科学方法在旧考古问题上的应用，并涉及许多考古学家讨论结果。可以预料，至少有一项博士学位论文，以及许多学生在实验室工作中的指导以及该项目的准备。学生培训是一个重要目标。该研究结果的发布将为未来的研究提供重要信息，并增加对古代中美洲的理解。