Cross-sectional analysis of long bones, occupational activities and long-distance trade of the Classic Maya from Xcambo' - Archaeological and osteological evidence
Cross-sectional analysis of long bones, occupational activities and long-distance trade of the Classic Maya from Xcambo' - Archaeological and osteological evidence
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DOI：
10.1002/ajpa.20830
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发表时间：
2008-08-01
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Tiesler Blos, Vera
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Maggiano, Isabel S.;Schultz, Michael;Tiesler Blos, Vera
Xcambo是位于墨西哥尤卡坦北部海岸的经典时期玛雅遗址(公元250-700年)。考古证据表明，该遗址最初是一个食盐生产中心，但在古典晚期，它更多地成为了一个商业港口。经济增长，取决于其规模，可能会影响到Xcambo居民的日常工作。然而，这很难从考古记录中推断出来。这项研究的目的是通过骨骼分析直接评估这种可能性。由于骨干的粗壮和形状主要受机械载荷历史的影响，长骨横截面可以用来了解活动模式。为此，来自两个Xcambo种群样本的47个男性和35个女性成年标本的肱骨和股骨被仔细观察。我们的分析满足了考古学的普遍预期，并提供了有关人口对经济增长的物理反应的更多信息。随着场地管理功能的增加，粗壮程度和股骨前后部僵硬程度的下降意味着身体工作负荷和活动能力的整体减少。我们还观察到性别二形性的显著减少，这可能是由于在社会经济变化期间男性和女性体力工作领域的不同反应。总体而言，我们的发现表明，即使是基于非生存的社会经济变化也会显著影响人口的骨骼结构，使活动分析成为重建过去人口生活条件的一个重要方面。
Xcambo is a Classic period Maya site (250-700 AD) situated on the northern coast of Yucatan, Mexico. Archaeological evidence suggests that the site began as a salt production center but adopted a more administrative role as a commercial port in the Late Classic period. Economic growth, depending on its magnitude, could have affected the daily occupations of Xcambo's inhabitants. However, this is difficult to infer from the archaeological record. The aim of this study was to directly evaluate this possibility through skeletal analysis. Since diaphyseal robusticity and shape are predominantly influenced by mechanical loading history, long bone cross-sections can be used to access activity patterns. To this end, humeri and femora of 47 male and 35 female adult specimens from two Xcambo population samples were scrutinized. Our analysis satisfies general archaeological expectations and provides additional information on the population's physical response to economic growth. Decreasing robusticity and femoral anterior-posterior rigidity indicate an overall decrease in physical workload and mobility, concomitant with the site's increasing administrative function. We also observed a significant decrease in sexual dimorphism, possibly attributable to the differential response of male and female physical work spheres during socioeconomic change. In general, our findings suggest even nonsubsistence based socioeconomic change can significantly affect the bone structure of a population, rendering activity analysis an important aspect of the reconstruction of living conditions of past populations.