Dissertation Research: High Status Cemeteries and Socio-Political Organization in Late Pre-Columbian Costa Rica

R.Jeffrey Frost(威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校)将在哥斯达黎加南部奇里基时期(公元800-1500年)的高地位墓地Pantein de la Reina进行考古调查。奇里基是下中美洲最清晰的考古建筑群之一，被认为是研究前哥伦布酋长社会的最重要领域之一。这项调查是基于此前在潘蒂恩·德拉雷纳的居住地里瓦斯进行的十多年的研究。这项研究的结果与Rivas的数据相结合，将提供一个史无前例的数据集，其中包括一个聚落及其相关的墓地，它将为更好地了解该地区的史前社会提供巨大的潜力。Frost的研究旨在通过对一个地位较高的墓地的内部组织的调查，完善我们对哥伦布前社会组织的理解。奇里基墓地很少被调查，因为洗劫严重，有机材料保存不善。然而，弗罗斯特迄今为止的研究表明，尽管存在这些限制，但当考古学研究与民族志和历史资料相结合时，这些遗址可以作为了解社会组织的有效手段。作为迄今为止对奇里基时期高级墓地进行的最全面的调查，弗罗斯特的研究将对前哥伦布社会的考古学研究做出几项重大贡献。首先，它将通过比较墓地几个空间上定义的部分的殡仪馆处理方式，提供关于精英之间相互作用的第一个实质性数据。它还将为从这些墓地掠夺的陶瓷和金属物品提供重要的背景信息，从而有助于了解这些物品流通的社会背景。该项目的完成还将使该项目能够与哥伦比亚、巴拿马和哥斯达黎加其他地区的重要墓地以前的研究进行更大范围的区域比较。例如，该项目将有助于几名学生的专业发展。这个项目将使杰弗里·弗罗斯特能够完成他的论文。弗罗斯特还安排了来自北美和哥斯达黎加大学的研究生和本科生参与该项目，从而为美国人和哥斯达黎加人提供了合作机会，并获得了宝贵的研究经验。这些安排将有助于发展新的机构间关系并使现有关系永久化。此前对该遗址的研究激励了当地土地所有者保护他们土地上的考古遗址。弗罗斯特还将与当地学校和青年团体密切合作，帮助学龄儿童了解科学研究和保护哥斯达黎加文化遗产的重要性。

R. Jeffrey Frost (University of Wisconsin at Madison), will conduct archaeological investigations in southern Costa Rica at the Chiriqui period (A.D. 800-1500) high-status cemetery site, Pantein de la Reina. Chiriqui is one of the best defined archaeological complexes in Lower Central America and is recognized as one of the most important areas for the study of pre-Columbian chiefdom societies. The investigation builds upon more than ten years of previous research at the Panteon de la Reina's habitation site, Rivas. The results of the study, when combined with the Rivas data, will provide an unprecedented data set that includes both a settlement and its associated cemeteries, and it will hold great potential for better understanding the region's prehistoric societies.Frost's research aims to refine our understanding pre-Columbian social organization through an investigation of the internal organization of a high-status cemetery site. Chiriqui cemeteries have rarely been investigated because of severe looting and poor preservation of organic materials. However, Frost's research to date demonstrates that despite these limitations these sites can serve as an effective means to understand social organization when archaeological research is combined with ethnographic and historical sources. As the most comprehensive investigation of Chiriqui phase high-status cemeteries to date, Frost's research will make several significant contributions to archaeological research on pre-Columbian societies. First, it will provide the first substantial data on inter-elite interactions by comparing mortuary treatment between several spatially defined sections of the cemetery. It will also provide important contextual information for ceramics and metal objects that have been looted from these cemeteries thus contributing to an understanding of the social contexts in which such goods circulated. Completion of this project will also enable larger regional comparisons with previous research at high-status cemeteries in Columbia, Panama and elsewhere in Costa Rica In addition to contributions of archaeological importance, this project will also have broader impacts. For example, the project will contribute to the professional development of several students. This project will enable Jeffrey Frost to complete his dissertation. Frost has also arranged for graduate and undergraduate students from North America and the University of Costa Rica to participate in the project, thus providing both Americans and Costa Ricans with opportunities to work together and gain valuable research experience. These arrangements will help develop new and perpetuate existing inter-institutional relations. Previous research at the site has inspired local landowners to protect their archaeological sites on their land. Frost will also work closely with local schools and youth groups to help school aged children about the importance of scientific research and protecting Costa Rica's cultural heritage.