Dissertation Research: Regional Archaeology of the Department of Santa Rosa, Guatemala: A Study of Precolumbian Settlement, Land use, and the Pacific Coast of Guatemala

在诺曼·哈蒙德博士的指导下，弗朗西斯科·贝利先生将为他的博士论文收集数据。他将在危地马拉南部的圣罗萨地区进行考古调查和试掘。划定的区域长约700公里。平方。包括根据海拔、坡度、土壤类型、植被覆盖和年降雨量确定的四个不同的环境地带。研究将分四个阶段进行。一项广泛的调查将覆盖所有地区，以提供该地区考古遗迹的总体情况。在这个过程中，选定的表面材料将被收集并绘制场地地图。在此基础上，将有可能确定场地的大小和年龄、场地功能和活动区的分布。第二阶段将通过分层随机抽样250米宽和可变长度的横断面进行密集的系统调查。在此基础上，将有可能概括和重建整个研究区域的遗址分布和密度。同样，将创建曲面集合并绘制站点地图。在第三阶段，将试掘10%的遗址样本。将在每个场地放置一个或两个测试单元，以确定场地功能和年代。最后，这些数据将被输入地理信息系统并进行分析，以确定分布情况，并了解这些数据随着时间的推移是如何变化的。在此基础上，将有可能深入了解所涉及的基本进程。该地区以前的考古工作表明，存在着从早期狩猎和采集时期到历史时期的长期占领历史。然而，尚未进行系统的调查和测绘。显然，危地马拉南部参加了中美洲其他地方提到的进程，并随着时间的推移经历了文化复杂性和精细化程度的提高。包括Belli先生在内的许多考古学家都希望了解文化的形成和发展是如何发生的，而这一地区拥有丰富的考古遗址，位于玛雅地区的边缘，为解决这一问题提供了一个极好的背景。贝利希望确定推动这一进程的是当地因素还是外部影响。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。它将提供许多考古学家感兴趣的数据。它将应用一个强大的工具--地理信息系统分析--来分析这些数据，并将帮助培训一位有前途的年轻考古学家。

Under the direction of Dr. Norman Hammond, Mr. Francisco Belli will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He will conduct archaeological survey and test excavation in the Santa Rosa region of southern Guatemala. The defined area encompasses ca. 700 km. sq. and includes four different environmental zones, identified on the basis of elevation, gradient, soil types, vegetation cover and annual rainfall. Research will proceed in four stages. An extensive survey will cover all regions to provide an overall picture of the archaeological remains in the region. In the process selected surface material will be collected and sites mapped. On this basis it will be possible to determine the size and age of the site, site function and distribution of activity areas. A second stage will involve intensive systematic survey by means of a stratified random sample of transects 250 m. in width and variable length. On this basis it will be possible to generalize and reconstruct the distribution and density of sites across the entire research area. Again, surface collections will be made and sites mapped. In a third stage, a 10% sample of sites will be test excavated. One or two test units will be placed in each site to determine site function and chronology. Finally, these data will be entered into a Geographic Information System and analyzed to determine distributions and to see how these changed over time. On this basis it will be possible to gain insight into the underlying processes involved. Prior archaeological work in this region has indicated the presence of a long history of occupation which extends from an early hunting and gathering period through historic times. However systematic survey and mapping has not been conducted. It is clear that southern Guatemala participated in processes noted elsewhere in Middle America and underwent increases in cultural complexity and elaboration over time. Many archaeologists, including Mr. Belli, wish to understand how cultural elaboration and development occurs and this region which contains abundant archaeological sites and which lies at the periphery of the Mayan region provides an excellent context in which to address this question. Mr. Belli wants to determine whether it is local factors or external influences which drive this process. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to many archaeologists. It will apply a powerful tool - Geographic Information Systems analysis - to this data and will assist in the training of a promising young archaeologist.