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

在美国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一个经典时期（公元250 -900年）玛雅遗址Wits Cah Ak'al进行一个考古季节的实地研究。虽然该遗址紧邻该国最繁忙的高速公路，因此非常显眼，但考古学家从未对其进行过挖掘。然而，从表面的人工制品组合来看，很明显，该遗址在古典时期参与了一种古代形式的盐生产，很可能是一种专业化的生产。对该地点的调查显示，该地点的面积超过260公顷（1平方公里）。这使得Wits Cah Ak'al成为玛雅地区最大的盐产地之一。有趣的是，在距离海岸近10公里的地方，这里也是加勒比海最内陆的盐生产地。最后，有一些诱人的证据表明，该遗址也可能是一个密集的陶器生产场所——如果得到证实，它将成为玛雅考古学中最早记录的此类遗址之一。mccanany博士和Murata先生将得到来自不同领域的研究人员的帮助，包括地理学、地质学、孢粉学、考古测量学和考古学。这项研究的目标是：(1)精确地确定在该遗址进行制盐的时间段，(2)确定为此目的所使用的各种技术，(3)解释该行业的明显兴衰，(4)解释遗址位置的异常，(5)收集证据，以证实或反驳威特沃卡阿尔也是陶器生产中心的猜测。为了实现这些目标，研究小组将在实地和实验室密切合作，利用尖端技术，包括遥感、土壤化学分析、花粉核分析、薄层岩石学、陶瓷化学分析和扫描电子显微镜，以及复制实验。通过该项目获得的关于古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，该行业是古典玛雅经济的组成部分。该项目还将在更大范围内为考古学做出贡献，为不断增长的专业研究文献（这是一个与所有古代复杂社会研究人员相关的领域）增添宝贵的数据。野外季节也是波士顿大学伯利兹考古野外学校的一部分。来自波士顿大学和其他地方的12名本科生将在考古实地工作和实验室分析方面接受深入的实践经验和培训。此外，近一半的场地目前由一个私人土地所有者拥有，他们希望将其开发为文化/生态旅游。因此，最大限度地减少开发的影响是至关重要的，这可以通过与土地所有者保持密切对话来实现。最后，由于该地点紧邻该国交通最繁忙的高速公路，Wits Cah Ak'al经常受到抢劫的危险；事实上，几个最大的土丘已经被洗劫一空。为了减轻这些危险，研究人员打算与当地当局和当地媒体合作，向更广泛的公众传播有关该地点的信息。

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.