An Analysis of Emergent Complexity in the Prehistoric Channel Islands, California

加利福尼亚州史前海峡群岛的突发复杂性分析

• 批准号: 8812184
• 负责人: Jeanne Arnold
• 金额: $ 9.46万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1988
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1988-08-15 至 1991-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8812184&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Analysis; Emergent; Complexity; Prehistoric; Channel

Dr. Arnold and colleagues will conduct archaeological research on Santa Cruz, the second largest of the Channel Islands, located off the California coast. In early historic times these islands were occupied by Chumash Indians who by the time of contact had developed a stratified chiefly society. Archaeological data indicates original colonization of the island took place over 5,000 years ago and suggests that a relatively abrupt change in social organization occurred about 900 years ago when a relatively egalitarian system was replaced by a more stratified one. The goal of Dr. Arnold's research is to understand this transformation. Because deep sea cores have been drilled in the Channel Island region, paleoenvironmental data is excellent. These suggest a warming of the ocean and the destruction of rich kelp beds at approximately the time when this social reorganization occurred. The probable result was a decrease in available food for Channel Island inhabitants, and Dr. Arnold postulates that this provided the calatyst for change. To test this, she will conduct survey and excavate a series of sites on Santa Cruz. Analysis of faunal remains will allow her to determine if a change in diet actually occurred, while examination of human skeletal remains will permit changing nutritional status to be assessed. Dr. Arnold postulates that social stratification and craft specialization both accompanied this change, and analysis of changing site sizes and differential distribution of prestige items should provide relevant data. This research is important because it will shed light on the prehistory of Native American cultures. It will also increase our understanding of how complex societies develop and how they respond to environmental stress.

阿诺德博士和他的同事们将进行考古研究， 圣克鲁斯是海峡群岛的第二大岛屿，位于 在加州海岸 在早期的历史时期，这些岛屿 被丘马什印第安人占领，他们在接触的时候， 形成了一个等级森严的社会。 考古资料 表明该岛最初的殖民地化发生在 这表明，一个相对突然的变化， 大约900年前， 相对平等的制度被一个更加分层的制度所取代。 一个. 阿诺德博士研究的目的就是要了解这一点 转型 因为在海峡岛已经钻取了深海岩心 古环境资料丰富。 这表明， 海洋变暖和丰富的海藻床的破坏， 这是社会重组发生的时候。 可能的结果是渠道可用的食物减少 岛上的居民，阿诺德博士假设，这提供了 变革的号角 为了验证这一点，她将进行调查， 并在圣克鲁斯发掘了一系列遗址。 区系分析 遗体可以让她确定饮食的改变 发生，而人类骨骼遗骸的检查将允许 改变营养状况进行评估。 阿诺德博士 假设社会分层和工艺专业化 都伴随着这一变化， 和差别分配的声望项目应提供 相关数据。 这项研究很重要，因为它将揭示 美洲土著文化的史前史 也会增加 我们对复杂社会如何发展的理解， 应对环境压力。