Intrasite Organization and Interregional Interaction: Archaeological Investigations at Chacalilla, Nayarit, Mexico

在国家科学基金会的支持下，迈克尔·奥纳索尔根博士将在墨西哥纳亚里特西海岸进行两个季节的考古研究。这项研究的重点是查卡利亚的考古遗址，这是中美洲后古典时期早期和中期（公元900-1350年）一个繁荣的区域中心。该项目旨在阐明后古典西墨西哥Aztatlan传统的社会和经济关系，这是一种广泛共享的意识形态和物质文化综合体，包括带有复杂图像设计的彩色陶器、小雕像、铜饰品、贝壳珠宝、共同的埋葬习俗和其他元素。阿兹塔特兰的传统在墨西哥西部和西北部的大部分地区都有体现，这可能与将这些地区与墨西哥中部和美国西南部的文化联系起来的社会经济网络有关。先前的研究提出了几种经济和政治互动的模型来解释阿兹塔特兰传统的广泛分布，但这些模型尚未经过测试，阿兹塔特兰参与者之间互动的本质在很大程度上是推测性的。在查卡利亚的研究将通过研究定居点安排、阿兹塔兰相关文物的空间分布以及对工艺生产和交换证据的评估，来检查社区的社会政治和经济组织。对阿兹塔特兰文物的类型和空间关联的研究将揭示社会的哪些部分参与了各种各样的互动，从而允许评估阿兹塔特兰互动的理论模型，假设精英与普通参与。具体任务是1)系统地调查和绘制查卡利亚地图，并创建一个用于数据分析的GIS数据库2)从考古特征的表面收集文物样本，3)在代表查卡利亚人口社会和经济变化范围的结构样本中进行挖掘，4)分析所有考古材料，5)对Chacalilla和其他遗址的陶瓷和黑曜石文物进行化学成分分析，重建经济生产和交换网络。这项研究首次对阿兹塔特兰社区的社会和经济组织进行了系统的考察。阿兹塔特兰传统是区域间文化联系加强的一个例子，这一现象在世界上其他古文明出现的地方也能观察到。解决这些现象背后的机制在中美洲的各个关键时刻至关重要，特别是在后古典时期，其特点是几个相关的传统。由于其长期参与区域间交流和互动，西墨西哥是研究古代政治中区域间文化联系事件相关问题的关键地区。奥纳索尔根的研究提供了社区组织和区域规模现象之间的关键联系，使考古学家能够确定一个阿兹塔特兰中心是谁在互动，以及交换了什么物品。通过对家庭和社区组织的关注，该研究还将扩大对西墨西哥文化多样性和社会形态范围的理解，这是中美洲研究中代表性不足的地区。更广泛地说，该研究通过与墨西哥国家人类学和历史研究所（INAH）的伙伴关系促进了国际机构合作，并为美国和墨西哥的研究生和本科生提供了研究机会。2003年，奥纳尔索尔根在查卡利亚的一个试点项目引起了当地社区的极大兴趣。目前，奥纳尔索尔根正在与INAH和纳亚里特的一个生态团体合作，为当地学校制定社区博物馆和教育展览的计划，以提高人们对考古遗产的认识和保护。

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Michael Ohnersorgen will conduct two seasons of archaeological research on the western coast of Nayarit, Mexico. The research focuses on the archaeological site of Chacalilla, a regional center that flourished during the Early and Middle Postclassic periods (A.D. 900-1350) in Mesoamerica. The project seeks to clarify social and economic relationships that contributed to the Aztatlan tradition in Postclassic West Mexico, a widely shared ideological and material culture complex that included polychrome pottery with complex iconographic designs, figurines, copper ornaments, shell jewelry, shared burial practices, and other elements. The Aztatlan tradition is manifested across much of West and Northwest Mexico, and it may be related to socio-economic networks that linked those areas with cultures in central Mexico and the US Southwest. Prior research has suggested several models of economic and political interaction to account for the wide distribution of the Aztatlan tradition, but these models remain untested and the nature of interactions among Aztatlan participants is largely speculative. Research at Chacalilla will examine community socio-political and economic organization through a study of settlement arrangement, the spatial distribution of Aztatlan-associated artifacts, and an assessment of evidence for craft production and exchange. Examination of the types and spatial associations of Aztatlan artifacts will reveal which segments of society were involved in various kinds of interactions, permitting an assessment of theoretical models of Aztatlan interaction that posit elite versus commoner involvement. Specific tasks are 1) systematically survey and map Chacalilla and create a GIS database for data analysis 2) collect a sample of artifacts from the surfaces of archaeological features, 3) conduct excavations within a sample of structures that represent the range of social and economic variability among Chacalilla's population, 4) analyze all archaeological materials recovered, 5) conduct chemical compositional analyses of ceramic and obsidian artifacts from Chacalilla and other sites to reconstruct networks of economic production and exchange. The study provides one of the first systematic examinations of social and economic organization in Aztatlan communities. The Aztatlan tradition is an example of heightened interregional cultural connectivity, a phenomenon observed in other parts of the world where ancient civilizations emerged. Resolution of the mechanisms behind such phenomena is critical at various junctures for Mesoamerica, especially for the Postclassic period, which is characterized by several related traditions. Because of its long-term involvement in interregional exchange and interaction, West Mexico is a crucial area to examine issues related to episodes of interregional cultural connectivity among ancient polities. Ohnersorgen's research provides a critical nexus between community organization and regional scale phenomena, allowing archaeologist to determine for one Aztatlan center who was interacting and what items were involved in exchange. Through its focus on household and community organization, the research will also broaden the understanding of cultural variability and the range of social formations in West Mexico, an area underrepresented in Mesoamerican studies.More broadly, the research fosters international institutional cooperation through its partnership with Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH), and provides research opportunities to American and Mexican graduate and undergraduate students. A pilot project at Chacalilla by Ohnersorgen in 2003 generated much local community interest, and Ohnersorgen is working with INAH and an ecological group in Nayarit to develop plans for a community museum and educational exhibit for local schools, promoting awareness and protection of archaeological heritage.