Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: The Salt Rush: the Rise and Fall of a Classic Period Industry in the Eastern Maya Lowlands

在国家科学基金会的支持下，Patricia A.McAnany博士和研究生Satoru Murata将在中美洲伯利兹的经典时期(公元250-900)玛雅遗址Wits CAH AK‘al进行一次实地考古研究。虽然该遗址紧挨着该国人流量最大的高速公路，因此非常引人注目，但考古学家从未挖掘过它。然而，从表面器物组合来看，很明显，该遗址参与了古典时期的一种古代盐业生产，很可能是一种专门的性质。到目前为止，对该工地的勘测表明，工地规模超过260公顷(1平方英尺)。Wits CAH AK‘al)，使其成为玛雅地区最大的食盐生产基地之一。有趣的是，该地点距离海岸近10公里，也是加勒比海沿岸最内陆的食盐生产地。最后，有一些诱人的证据表明，该遗址也可能是密集陶器生产的地点--如果得到证实，它将成为玛雅考古学记录的第一批这样的遗址之一。McAnany博士和村田先生将得到一个研究团队的帮助，这些研究人员代表不同的领域，包括地理学、地质学、孢粉学、考古学和考古学。这项研究的目的是(1)准确地确定该地点进行盐业生产的时间段，(2)确定用于这一目的的各种技术，(3)解释该行业的明显兴衰，(4)阐明地点位置的异常，以及(5)收集证据，以证实或驳斥Wits CAH AK‘al也是陶器生产中心的猜测。调查小组将在现场和实验室密切合作，利用包括遥感、土壤化学分析、花粉芯分析、薄片岩石学、陶瓷化学分析和扫描电子显微镜在内的尖端技术，以及重复实验来实现这些目标。通过该项目获得的有关古代玛雅盐生产的新信息将补充和加强目前对该行业性质的了解，该行业是经典玛雅经济的组成部分。该项目还将为更大范围的考古做出贡献，为越来越多的专业化研究文献增加宝贵的数据--这是一个与所有古代复杂社会的研究人员相关的领域。田野季节也是波士顿大学伯利兹考古田野学院的一部分。来自波士顿大学和其他地方的12名本科生将接受考古田野工作和实验室分析方面的深入和实践经验和培训。此外，该遗址的近一半目前由一位私人土地所有者拥有，他希望将其开发用于文化/生态旅游。因此，至关重要的是尽量减少开发的影响，这可以通过与土地所有者保持密切对话来实现。最后，由于该遗址紧挨着该国人流最多的高速公路，Wits CAH AK‘al经常遭受抢劫的危险；事实上，几个最大的土丘已经遭到抢劫。为了减轻这些危险，研究人员打算与地方当局和当地媒体合作，向更广泛的公众传播有关该网站的信息。

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Patricia A. McAnany and graduate student Satoru Murata will conduct one field season of archaeological research at Wits Cah Ak'al, a Classic period (AD 250 -900) Maya site in Belize, Central America. While the site is located immediately adjacent to the most heavily traveled highway in the country, and hence is highly visible, it has never been excavated by archaeologists. Nevertheless, from the surface artifact assemblage,it is clear that the site was involved in an ancient form of salt production during the Classic period, likely of a specialized nature. Survey at the site so far puts the site size at over 260 ha (1 sq. mile), making Wits Cah Ak'al one of the largest salt production sites in the Maya region. Interestingly, at nearly 10 km from the coast, the site is also the most inland salt production locale along the Caribbean. Finally, there is some tantalizing evidence which suggests that the site also may have been a locale of intensive pottery production -making it, if confirmed, one of the first such sites to be documented in Maya archaeology. Dr. McAnany and Mr. Murata will be aided by a team of researchers representing diverse fields, including geography, geology, palynology, archaeometry, and archaeology. The goals of the research are to (1) precisely bracket the time period during which salt production was conducted at the site, (2) determine the various techniques that were utilized for this purpose, (3) explain the apparent rise and fall of this industry, (4) explicate the anomaly of site location, and (5) gather evidence that will substantiate or refute the conjecture that Wits Cah Ak'al also was a pottery production center. The team of investigators will work closely together, both in the field and in the labs in order to realize these goals, utilizing cutting edge technology including remote sensing, soil chemical analysis, pollen core analysis, thin-sectionpetrography, chemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy of ceramics, and replicative experiments. New information on ancient Maya salt production garnered through this project will complement and enhance current knowledge of the nature of this industry which was an integral part of Classic Maya economy. The project also will contribute to archaeology on a wider scale, by adding invaluable data to the growing body of literature on specialization studies - an area pertinent to researchers of all ancient complex societies. The field season also is part of Boston University's BelizeArchaeological Field School. Twelve undergraduates from BU and elsewhere will receive in-depth and hands-on experience and training in archaeological fieldwork and lab analyses. Furthermore, nearly half of the site is currently owned by a private landowner who wished to develop it for cultural/eco-tourism. Therefore, it is crucial to minimize the impact of development, which can be realized through maintaining close dialogue with the landowner. Finally, because the site is located immediately adjacent to the most heavily traveled highway in the country, Wits Cah Ak'al is constantly subjected to the dangers of looting; in fact, several of the largest mounds havealready been looted. In order to mitigate these dangers, The researchers intend to work with local authorities and the local media to disseminate information regarding the site to the wider public.