Tres Zapotes Archaeological Survey

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，Christopher Pool博士将在墨西哥韦拉克鲁斯的Tres Zapotes考古遗址进行为期一季的实地考察。尽管在这个非常重要的奥尔梅克遗址只进行了有限的工作，但有证据表明，它被占用了大约1500年，因此它记录了奥尔梅克人的大部分史前历史。它包含至少25个雕刻的石碑，其中一个是中美洲第二最早的日期，从而揭示了这种历法系统的兴起。然而，人们对这个遗址知之甚少。没有发布地形图，场地的界限仍然不明确，整个场地的住宅和工艺生产地点的分布也不得而知。该遗址与其他定居点和腹地资源的关系也不太清楚。普尔博士的研究将有助于改善这种状况。他将对Tres Zapotes进行广泛的调查，并制作一张表面物质结构和浓度的地图。将收集石器、陶瓷和其他文化遗迹，以重建年代，并提供进行的活动的证据。奥尔梅克人构成了中美洲第一个复杂的文化，直接或间接地产生了后来的玛雅人。史前中美洲文化的大部分基本结构都源于此，因此了解奥尔梅克文明的发展是极其重要的。然而，令人惊讶的是，人们对奥尔梅克和特雷斯扎波特斯的了解很少，因为它们的时间跨度很长，而且保存了大量的材料，这可能是一个重要的数据来源。普尔博士设想，第一季的实地研究将作为一个长期项目的基础，并有望在此基础上建立起来。他将提供的资料对许多考古学家来说都很重要。因为他将让许多本科生参与这个项目，这也将有助于对学生进行科学教育，鼓励他们追求科学事业。

Pool With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Christopher Pool will conduct one season of fieldwork at the archaeological site of Tres Zapotes located in Veracruz, Mexico. Although only limited work has been done at this very important Olmec site, evidence indicates that it was occupied for perhaps 1,500 years and thus it documents much of Olmec prehistory. It contains at least 25 carved stone monuments, one of which bears the second earliest date in mesoamerica and thus sheds light on the rise of this calendric system. Still, little is known about the site. No topographic map has been published, the limits of the site remain undefined and the distribution of residential occupation and craft production loci across the site are unknown. The relationship of the site to other settlements and to resources in its hinterland are also poorly understood. Dr. Pool's research will help to remedy this situation. He will conduct an extensive survey of Tres Zapotes and produce a map of both structures and concentrations of surface materials. Lithic, ceramic and other cultural remains will be collected to reconstruct chronology and to provide evidence of activities conducted. The Olmec constitute the first complex culture in Mesoamerica which, either directly or indirectly, gave rise to later groups such as the Maya. Much of the basic structure of prehistoric Mesoamerican cultures derives from this source and thus an understanding of the development of Olmec civilization is extremely important. Surprisingly little however is known about the Olmec and Tres Zapotes, because of its long chronological span and its wealth of material remains, may prove a crucial source of data. Dr. Pool envisions this first season of field research as the base on which a long term project will, hopefully, be built. The data he will produce will be of importance to a large number of archaeologists. Because he will involve many undergraduates in the project, it will also serve to educate st udents in science and encourage them to pursue scientific careers.