Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Excavation at a Secondary Site Below Monte Alban: Local Elites in the Early State

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Under the direction of Dr. Joyce Marcus, MS Christina Elson will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. She will continue ongoing archaeological research at the site of San Martin Tilcajete, located in the Oaxaca Valley of Mexico. Archaeologists wish to understand the processes which lead to the development of social complexity and MS Elson's work focuses on a latter stage of this progression: the rise of the state. Evidence clearly indicates that early states arose independently in many parts of the world and scientists believe that through comparison of individual examples general underlying processes can be discerned. The Oaxaca region is important from this perspective because it saw the rise of the Zapotec state approximately 2,000 years ago. While considerable research has been conducted at Monte Alban, the capital, relatively little is known about the hinterland regions which came under centralized rule and MS Elson's research addresses this issue. Her work at the secondary outlying center of San Martin Tilcajete will contribute to an understanding of the role elites played in governance through investigation of local elites and their relationship to elites at the capital of Monte Alban. Scholars recognize that prehispanic Mesoamerican elites were a powerful group who comprised a very small percentage of the overall population. Although they made decisions that had far reaching consequences for themselves and their followers, it is difficult to acquire the archaeological data necessary to document the full range of variety in their decision making behavior. The elite at Monte Alban used many different political, economic and ideological tactics to integrate previously independent polities into the early state. However, while excavation data have revealed the presence of a similar group at San Martin Tilcajete, a clear picture of their behavior is not available. Since the site existed as an independent entity prior to incorporation into the Zapotec state it would be valuable to know how this group adapted during this fundamental change. In prior work MS Elson uncovered an elite residence and with NSF support she will continue her excavations to obtain comparative data from other contexts such as public buildings and commoner households. On this basis a more comprehensive picture can be developed of early state level administration.This research is important because it will yield data of interest to many archaeologists. It will shed new light on the rise of complex societies and assist in training a promising young scientist.