Archaeological Research at the Formative Mayan Site of K'axob, Belize

在美国国家科学基金会（National Science Foundation）的支持下，Patricia McAnany博士将在K'axob考古遗址进行一个季节的实地考察，并分析收集到的材料。该场地位于伯利兹北部低地沼泽和河流国家的低洼地带，占地约84公顷，包括大约90个可检测到地表高度的结构。其中大多数是低平台。先前的挖掘表明，这个玛雅遗址包括分层的形成时期地层，因此它记录了玛雅文明兴起的早期阶段。1990年，麦克纳尼博士在一个大土丘——18号结构——进行了测试挖掘，发现了一系列人类墓葬，涵盖了形成时期和随后的古典时期的大部分时期。她将继续这项工作，并在该地区的这一部分暴露出一大片水平区域。该建筑群内的其他建筑物以及其他广场群也将进行挖掘。虽然将对所有类别的遗骸进行研究，但分析将集中在三个具体领域：将对国内建筑进行分析，以记录一个地点内空间使用的时间变化，并调查不同地点之间建筑精致的差异。2. 埋葬实践。由于个人被埋葬的方式可以提供有关社会组织的信息，以及这种信息如何随着时间的推移而变化，人们将把注意力集中在预测的170+遗骸上。3. 植物和软体动物。这些材料为环境重建提供了基础，通过对它们的分析，应该可以追踪不断变化的土地利用和农业做法。在欧洲人到来之前，玛雅人在中美洲荒凉的低地丛林中建立了文明。在古典时期的鼎盛时期，以大型寺庙和祭司精英为中心的城市建立起来，大量的考古研究为这一时期提供了很好的图景。然而，对于之前为这一成就奠定基础的时期，我们所知甚少，麦卡尼博士的研究应该有助于纠正这种情况。它关注的是社会不平等的发展，这在古典时期是明显的，麦卡尼博士认为这为变革提供了动力。通过研究建筑、土地利用和埋葬习俗的变化，她希望详细研究这一过程。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。它将为许多考古学家提供感兴趣的数据。它将增加我们对玛雅文明出现的理解，并提供对复杂社会如何产生的见解。

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Patricia McAnany will conduct one season of fieldwork at the archaeological site of K'axob and analyze the materials collected. The site, located on a low rise in the lowland swamp and riverine country of northern Belize, covers about 84 hectares and includes approximately 90 structures with detectable surface elevation. The majority of these are low platforms. Prior excavation has indicated that this Mayan site includes stratified Formative Period strata and therefore it documents the early phase of the rise of Mayan civilization. In 1990, Dr. McAnany conducted test excavations at a large mound - Structure 18 - and recovered a sequence of human burials which cover most of the Formative and succeeding Classic periods. She will continue this work and expose a large horizontal area in this portion of the site. Excavation will also be conducted at other structures within this complex as well as at other plaza groups. While all classes of recovered remains will be studied, analysis will focus in three specific areas: 1. Domestic architecture will be analyzed to document chronological changes in the use of space within one location and to investigate differences in architectural elaboration among locations. 2. Burial practices. Since the way individuals are interred can yield information on social organization, and how this changes over time attention will be focussed on the predicted 170+ remains. 3. Flora and molluscs. These materials provide a basis for environmental reconstruction and through their analysis it should be possible to trace changing land use and agricultural practices. Prior to European arrival, the Maya peoples built a civilization in the inhospitable lowland jungles of Middle America. During its height in the Classic Period, cities centered around large temples and a priestly elite, were established and considerable archaeological research has provided a good picture of this interval. However, much less is known about the preceeding periods which set the groundwork for this achievement and Dr. McAnany's research should help to remedy this situation. It focusses on the development of the social inequality which is manifest during the Classic Period and which, Dr. McAnany believes provided a driving force for change. By studying variation in architecture, land use and burial practices she hopes to study this process in detail. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to many archaeologists. It will increase our understanding of the emergence of Mayan civilization and provide insight into how complex societies arise.