Dissertation Research: Obsidian Procurement and Production at San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala

论文研究：危地马拉圣马丁吉洛特佩克的黑曜石采购和生产

• 批准号: 9301152
• 金额: $ 1.12万
• 依托单位: Tulane University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1993
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1993-02-15 至 1994-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9301152&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Obsidian; Procurement; Production

Under the direction of Dr. E. Wyllys Andrews, Mr. Geoffrey Braswell will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. Mr. Braswell has participated in an archaeological project which has studied the prehistory of the San Martin Jilotepque area of Guatemala. In during much of this time the region was an important trade center because it contained abundant obsidian resources. Before the introduction of metal tools, this form of volcanic glass was highly prized because flakes formed and held sharp edges which were used as cutting tools. Studies have indicated that obsidian was widely traded both across and beyond the Mayan area and that this trade may have played an important role in the development of Mayan civilization. To date Mr. Braswell has located the geological source areas of San Martin Jilotepque obsidian and charactered them by neutron activation analysis. The results show that different regions have distinct chemical signatures and thus archaeological materials can, in principle, be matched to source of origin. A survey to locate obsidian working areas has been carried out and small scale excavation conducted. With National Science Foundation support Mr Braswell will now analyze the materials collected. He will conduct additional neutron activation analyses to characterize sources more precisely. Study of ceramics and radiocarbon dating of related materials will allow the construction of a more precise chronology. Through study of obsidian remains recovered at archaeological sites the process of manufacturing and distribution will then be ascertained. Because it was so spatially localized and so widely traded, it is clear that obsidian played a major role in prehistoric economic and social system of the Maya. Just how this production and trade was organized however is not well understood. With his focus on a limited region with rich obsidian resources Mr. Braswell should gain important insights into this process. This research is important because it will increase our understanding of how complex societies emerge and are maintained. It will also assist in the training of a promising young scientist.

在E. wylys Andrews博士的指导下，Geoffrey Braswell先生将为他的博士论文收集数据。布拉斯韦尔先生参加了一个考古项目，该项目研究了危地马拉圣马丁吉洛特皮克地区的史前历史。在这段时间的大部分时间里，该地区是一个重要的贸易中心，因为它拥有丰富的黑曜石资源。在引入金属工具之前，这种形式的火山玻璃非常珍贵，因为薄片形成并具有锋利的边缘，可以用作切割工具。研究表明，黑曜石在玛雅地区内外被广泛交易，这种贸易可能在玛雅文明的发展中发挥了重要作用。迄今为止，Braswell先生已经确定了San Martin Jilotepque黑曜岩的地质来源区域，并通过中子活化分析对其进行了表征。结果表明，不同地区具有不同的化学特征，因此考古材料原则上可以与来源相匹配。对黑曜石工作区域进行了调查，并进行了小规模挖掘。在国家科学基金会的支持下，布拉斯韦尔先生现在将分析收集到的材料。他将进行额外的中子活化分析，以更精确地表征源。对陶瓷的研究和相关材料的放射性碳定年法将有助于建立一个更精确的年代。通过对考古遗址中发现的黑曜石遗骸的研究，将确定黑曜石的制造和分布过程。由于黑曜石在空间上是如此的局域化和广泛的交易，很明显，黑曜石在史前玛雅的经济和社会体系中发挥了重要作用。然而，这种生产和贸易是如何组织起来的尚不清楚。由于布拉斯韦尔关注的是一个拥有丰富黑曜石资源的有限地区，他应该能在这一过程中获得重要见解。这项研究很重要，因为它将增加我们对复杂社会如何出现和维持的理解。它还将协助培训一名有前途的年轻科学家。