Ancient DNA Studies of Social and Political Organization at the Chiribaya Alta Site in Southern Peru

小行星9413018威廉姆斯 有了美国国家科学基金会的资助，斯隆威廉姆斯博士将开发模型，使她能够利用从古骨骼分析中获得的DNA数据重建史前社会组织的形式。在秘鲁南部的考古实地考察过程中，威廉姆斯博士和她的合作者们挖掘了一系列墓地，其中包含保存完好的人类骨骼遗骸。这些坟墓还出土了许多陪葬品，提供了有关个人社会和职业状况的信息。利用目前的生物化学技术，有可能从这些骨骼中提取和分析DNA，并利用收集到的数据确定个体之间的相关程度。在此基础上，应该有可能重建生物亲和力，并将其与社会和职业组织联系起来。 DNA分析在许多科学领域提供了一种有价值的研究工具，不仅使研究人员能够更精确地回答老问题，而且还扩大了潜在研究的范围。因为古骨骼有时会保存DNA，它可能允许考古学家也冒险进入新的领域。威廉姆斯博士正在这个方向上开辟新天地。她的研究很重要，不仅因为它可能揭示秘鲁史前史，而且因为她开发的技术可能在广泛的考古情况下有用。

9413018 Williams With this grant from The National Science Foundation, Dr. Sloan Williams will develop models which will allow her to reconstruct forms of prehistoric social organization using DNA data obtained from the analysis of ancient bone. In the course of archaeological fieldwork in southern Peru, Dr. Williams and her collaborators have excavated a series of cemeteries which contain well preserved human skeletal remains. The graves also yielded numerous burial goods which provide information on the social and occupational status of the associated individuals. Using current biochemical techniques it is possible to extract and analyze DNA from these bones and with the data thus collected determine the degree of relatedness among individuals. On this basis it should be possible to reconstruct biological affinity and relate this to social and occupational organization. DNA analysis has provided a valuable research tool in many areas of science and is permitting researchers not only to answer old questions with greater precision, but also to expand the boundaries of potential inquiry. Because ancient bone sometimes preserves DNA it may permit archaeologists also to venture into new realms. Dr. Williams is breaking new ground in this direction. Her research is important not only for what it may reveal about Peruvian prehistory, but also because the techniques she develops may be useful in a wide range of archaeological situations.