Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Ritual Use of Checham Ha Cave, Belize: A Study of Changes in Ritual Practice Over Time Using GIS

考古记录中仪式的研究是一个相对较新的研究方向，正在经历理论和方法论的发展。在Ezra Zubrow博士的监督下，Holley Moyes将分析位于中美洲伯利兹西部的古代玛雅仪式洞穴切切姆哈的仪式沉积物和沉积物剖面。该项目试图了解洞穴内仪式实践随着时间的推移而发生的变化，并将这些变化与当地和地区历史联系起来。这些信息对于理解洞穴仪式的性质及其与更广泛的社会、政治和经济系统的关系至关重要。最终，这项研究将有助于不断增长的身体知识，试图解释仪式在社会制度中的作用，以及仪式与意识形态和权力的关系。切切姆河之所以是一个重要的遗址，有几个原因。首先，这个洞穴没有被洗劫。虽然它已经对旅游开放，但功能和改造仍然完好无损，地下沉积状况良好。此外，洞穴的仪式使用跨越了该地区当地占领的整个历史。来自测试挖掘的早期放射性碳数据表明，该洞穴与伯利兹最早的玛雅人居住地是同时代的。此外，该网站还包括一些特殊的使用区域，包括仪式上的汗水浴。在洞穴深处的洞穴中也发现了一块被石圈包围的小石碑。初步分析表明，洞穴的不同区域在不同时期被使用。这表明，洞穴内进行的仪式随着时间的推移而改变。该项目将通过评估以下几个方面来评估这些变化：1)使用周期的空间组成部分，2)局部(活动轨迹)和全球(CAVE系统)的使用频率，3)特征构建/CAVE修改和4)人工制品组合。使用频率将利用微地层学分析进行研究。古代玛雅人用来照亮洞穴的火炬中的木炭将被用作利用率的代表。特征放置、对洞穴的修改和文物组装将与这些数据相关联，以创建跨越遗址文化历史的洞穴使用模型。研究结果将利用地理信息系统(地理信息系统)进行展示和分析。这样，就有可能想象出洞穴在不同时期的样子。由于洞穴中发生的事件将会被很好地确定日期，所以有可能将洞穴仪式与当地和地区的历史学家联系起来。切切姆哈洞的工作影响了广泛的社区。该洞穴不仅是古代的重大考古发现，也是伯利兹考古旅游的重要景点。考古调查通过提高人们对考古遗址的知识和兴趣，促进了伯利兹通过旅游业实现经济发展的目标。在遗址进行的研究不仅将向考古学家的专业团体传播，还将通过互联网、伯利兹考古局、当地导游、当地学校和博物馆以及旅游宣传册向公众传播。

The study of ritual in the archaeological record is a relatively new line of inquiry that is undergoing theoretical and methodological development. Under the supervision of Dr. Ezra Zubrow, Holley Moyes will analyze ritual deposits and sediment profiles from Chechem Ha, an ancient Maya ceremonial cave located in western Belize, Central America. The project seeks to understand changes in ritual practice over time within the cave and to correlate these changes with local and regional histories. This information is vital in understanding the nature of cave ritual and its relationship to broader social, political, and economic systems. Ultimately, the study will contribute to a growing body knowledge that seeks to explain the function of ritual in social systems and the relationship of ritual to ideology and power.Chechem Ha is an important site for several reasons. Firstly, the cave is unlooted. Although it has been opened for tourism, features and modifications are still intact and sub-floor deposits are in good condition. Also, ritual use of the cave spans the entire history of local occupation in the area. An early radiocarbon date from test excavations showed that the cave is contemporaneous with the earliest Maya occupations in Belize. Additionally the site contains a number of specialty usage areas including a ritual sweatbath. A small stela surrounded by a stone circle is located in a chamber deep within the cave as well.Preliminary analyses have indicated that different areas of the cave were used at different time periods. This suggests that rituals conducted within the cave changed over time. The project will assess these changes by evaluating: 1) spatial components of the periodicity of use, 2) frequency of usage both locally (activity loci) and globally (cave system), 3) feature construction/cave modification and 4) the artifact assemblage. Use-frequency will be studied using microstratigraphic analyses. Charcoal from torches used by the ancient Maya to light the cave will be employed as a proxy for the amount of utilization. Feature placement, modifications to the cave, and the artifact assemblage will be correlated with these data to create a model of cave use that spans the cultural history of the site. Results of the study will be displayed and analyzed using a geographical information system (GIS). This way, it will be possible to envision the way that the cave looked at different time periods. Because events occurring in the cave will be well dated, it will be possible to tie cave ritual to local and regional histories.Work at Chechem Ha Cave impacts a broad community. The cave functions not only as a major archaeological find of great antiquity, but also as an important site for archaeological tourism in Belize. Archaeological inquiry contributes to the Belizean goals of economic development via tourism by enhancing knowledge and interest in archaeological sites. Research conducted at the site will be disseminated not just to a professional community of archaeologists, but also to the general public by means of the internet, the Belizean Department of Archaeology, local tour guides, local schools and museums, and tourist brochures.