Dissertation Research: Comparative Household Archaeology in the Zapotitan Valley, El Salvador

论文研究：萨尔瓦多萨波蒂坦山谷的比较家庭考古学

• 批准号: 9813627
• 负责人: T. Patrick Culbert
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-09-01 至 2000-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9813627&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Comparative; Household; Archaeology

Under the direction of Dr. T. Patrick Culbert, Mr. Brian McKee will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. His research focuses on a comparison between two archaeological sites, Ceren and San Andres, both occupied during the Classic Period and located in the Zapotitan Valley, El Salvador. The sites differ in terms of both position in a regional settlement system and of preservation. Ceren is unique in Middle America because it represents a Pompei like situation. The small rural village is buried under a protective layer of volcanic ash. Although most (although not all) inhabitants had time to flee before the cataclysmic volcanic eruption, they were able to take few of their possessions with them. Delicate organic materials such as storage gourds are well preserved and objects were left where they were used. The site therefore provides unparalleled insight into the range and spatial distribution of material culture. In the course of their activities, the Ceren people discarded objects which were no longer of use and trash pits similar to those preserved in many Middle American sites were discovered. It is very likely that the inhabitants of adjacent San Andres had a range of material culture and way of life similar, in most essentials, to their Ceren contemporaries. San Andres however was not subject to similar volcanic forces and abandonment occurred in a more gradual manner. Because discarded objects were not suddenly buried, preservation is not of the same high quality. Therefore a comparison of the two sites and a determination of systematic differences can give scientists insights into the nature of abandonment and post abandonment changes which pattern materials recovered through excavation. Likely material recovered from buried trash deposits will be similar. Assuming such to be the case, the differences in remains associated with house floors and surrounding surface areas will be particularly instructive. Although research has been conducted at Ceren for many years, much less is known about San Andres. Mr. McKee will conduct systematic excavations at this latter site. A surface survey will be followed by a testing program and analysis of recovered artifacts. In addition to providing insight into preservation and abandonment processes, the data will allow for a comparison between rural hinterland and political center. The information will be of interest to many archaeologists and assist in training a promising young scientist.

在 T. Patrick Culbert 博士的指导下，Brian McKee 先生将为他的博士论文收集数据。他的研究重点是对塞伦和圣安德烈斯两个考古遗址进行比较，这两个遗址均位于萨尔瓦多萨波蒂坦山谷，在古典时期被占领。这些遗址在区域聚落系统中的地位和保护方面都有所不同。塞伦在中美洲是独一无二的，因为它代表了类似庞贝的情况。这个小村庄被火山灰保护层掩埋。尽管大多数（尽管不是全部）居民在灾难性的火山喷发之前有时间逃离，但他们几乎没能带走自己的财产。储藏葫芦等精致的有机材料保存完好，物品留在了使用过的地方。因此，该遗址为物质文化的范围和空间分布提供了无与伦比的洞察力。在他们的活动过程中，塞伦人丢弃了不再使用的物品，并发现了类似于许多中美洲遗址中保存的垃圾坑。邻近的圣安德烈斯居民很可能拥有一系列物质文化和生活方式，在大多数本质上与他们同时代的塞伦人相似。然而，圣安德烈斯并没有受到类似的火山力量的影响，并且废弃是以一种更加渐进的方式发生的。由于废弃物品不是突然掩埋的，因此保存质量不高。因此，对两个地点的比较和系统差异的确定可以让科学家深入了解废弃的性质和废弃后的变化，这些变化是通过挖掘回收的材料的模式。从埋藏的垃圾堆中回收的材料可能是类似的。假设情况确实如此，与房屋地板和周围表面区域相关的遗骸的差异将特别具有指导意义。 尽管塞伦的研究已经进行了很多年，但人们对圣安德烈斯的了解却少之又少。麦基先生将在后一个地点进行系统的挖掘。表面勘测之后将进行测试计划并对回收的文物进行分析。除了提供对保护和废弃过程的深入了解之外，这些数据还将允许对农村腹地和政治中心进行比较。这些信息将引起许多考古学家的兴趣，并有助于培养有前途的年轻科学家。