Shell Ornament Production in Ejutla

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，费曼博士在位于墨西哥中南部瓦哈卡山谷以南的埃贾特拉山谷进行了考古调查。后者以其史前的首都阿尔班山（Monte Alban）为标志，见证了一个中央集权国家的兴起，这个国家可能控制着大片的内陆地区。经过多年的考古研究，瓦哈卡的史前史已相当为人所知。由于对埃尤特拉的调查，费曼博士得以开始研究这一边缘区域与阿尔班山中心之间的相互作用。费曼博士在现代城镇埃尤特拉的边缘找到了一个大型分层遗址。表面大量散落的贝壳碎片和现场材料表明，这个地区曾是一个工厂，从太平洋海岸线带来的贝壳被加工成成品，然后可能会交易到蒙特阿尔班。挖掘将提供有关所涵盖的时间间隔和这项工作发生的社会背景的信息。对物品本身的分析将确定贝壳的种类——并通过这一原产地——还将允许重建制造过程。这些数据将提供深入了解阿尔班山核心区和埃胡特拉外围之间的相互作用。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。首先，它将深入了解复杂社会是如何产生和维持的。其次，它将增加我们对核心和外围地区之间相互作用的理解，以及它们如何随着时间的推移而发展和变化。

With NSF support, Dr. Feinman has conducted archaeological survey in the Ejutla Valley which is located in South Central Mexico to the south of the Valley of Oaxaca. This latter, with its prehistoric capital of Monte Alban, saw the rise of a centralized state which likely controlled a large hinterland. After many years of archaeological research, the prehistory of Oaxaca is fairly well known. As a result of the Ejutla survey, Dr. Feinman was able to begin an examination of the interaction between this marginal area and the center at Monte Alban. Dr. Feinman has located a large stratified site on the edge of the modern town of Ejutla. Large surface scatters of shell fragments as well as in situ material indicate that this area served as a factory in which shells brought from the Pacific coastline were turned into finished objects and then presumably traded to Monte Alban. Excavation will provide information on the time interval covered and the social context in which this work took place. Analysis of the objects themselves will identify shell species - and through this areas of origin - and will also allow reconstruction of the manufacturing process. These data will provide insight into the interactions between the core area of Monte Alban and the Ejutla periphery. This research is important for several reasons. First, it will provide insight into how complex societies arise and are maintained. Secondly, it will increase our understanding of the interactions between core and peripheral areas and how these develop and change over time.