Dissertation Research: A Bioarchaeological Approach to the Maya Collapse: Diet, Health and Demography in the Pasion Zone, Guatemala

人们提出了许多理论来解释这次崩溃 玛雅文明的起源 一些 假设不断变化的政治力量导致 不稳定和生态破坏。 通过分析 骨骼材料，这项研究提出测试的影响， 政治生态假说 对骨骼遗骸的化学分析可以提供 饮食因素通过表征碳和 氮同位素 饮食不足和一般状况 健康也标志着遗骸通过外观 古病理学指标 人口统计学可以估计 通过确定死亡时的年龄和骨骼中的性别， 仍然存在。 该假设对以下情况做出了具体预测： 饮食，健康和人口统计的玛雅人就在之前， 崩溃 这项研究允许这些预测得到验证。

Many theories have been put forward to account for the collapse of the Maya civilization approximately 1,000 years ago. Some hypothesized that continuously shifting political forces led to instability and ecological disruption. Through the analysis of skeletal material, this research proposes to test implications of the politico-ecological hypothesis. Chemical analysis of skeletal remains can yield information on dietary factors through the characterization of carbon and nitrogen isotopes. Dietary inadequacies and general state of health also marks the remains through the appearance of paleopathological indicators. Demographics can be estimated through the determination of age at death and sex from skeletal remains. The hypothesis makes specific predictions as to the diet,health and demography of the Maya just prior to the collapse. The research allows these predictions to be tested.