Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: A Diachronic Investigation of Climate Change and Cultural Transmission Models for Variation in Paleoindian Lithic Technology

约翰·泰勒-蒙托亚 (John Taylor-Montoya) 在大卫·J·梅尔策 (David J. Meltzer) 博士的指导下，将调查距今约 11,500-8500 放射性碳年期间北美南部平原古印第安石器制造和技术的演变。 这项研究的目的是探索石器技术在空间和时间上的变化，以更好地了解制造它们的群体的适应变化。这是一个特别有趣的研究时期，因为当时环境正在发生重大变化（冰河时代即将结束），而这些第一批美国人的后裔开始在他们的新土地上定居。用于这项研究的文物样本来自多年来挖掘的古印第安遗址，其藏品存放在南部平原地区的各个博物馆和设施中。这些现有的藏品提供了有价值的数据，但往往是未得到充分利用的资源。古印第安石器技术随时间的变化构成了北美物质文化变迁的更有趣的记录之一。 随着考古分析方法本身的发展，现在有了新的工具来探索古印第安石器技术、制造和使用这些石器的人们的社会动态以及他们与环境的相互作用之间的关系。 其影响是深远的，可以告诉我们关于最早的美国人的起源和文化演变的想法。 泰勒-蒙托亚斯先生的研究旨在测试两个具体假设，以解释这一时期的技术变革：1）气候变化改变了某些猎物物种的可获得性，导致狩猎技术产生适应性反应2）技术变革是北美最初人类定居的最终过程的一部分，其中群体在特定地理区域的定居及其人口的增加导致社会互动减少，最终结果是区域和当地独特的石器传统反映在整个景观中不同风格的文物中。 由于矛尖在风格上具有诊断性，并且也用于收获和处理游戏，因此它们代表了一种理想的文物类别，用于测试物质文化的变化是否是气候变化或定居的结果。最近对文化特征演变的研究被用作本研究的框架。 如果气候强迫模型准确，预计石器技术的变化将随着空间和时间生态条件的变化而变化。如果假设是正确的，那么风格模式的发生应该独立于气候和环境的变化。 问题可能比这些模型中显示的更复杂。 然而，从简化模型开始将使泰勒-蒙托亚先生能够测试明确的假设并找出这些模型中的弱点，从而指导未来的工作。 这项研究可以为解决有关生态和社会动态对区域范围内物质文化长期变化的相对影响的问题提供基础。 研究结果将引起广大社会科学家的兴趣。 除了论文之外，研究结果还将通过同行评审期刊上的出版物和专业会议演讲来传播。 该研究还将为该研究区域生成最全面的区域古印第安文物数据库。 在获得这些文物存放机构的许可之前，该数据库将在互联网上发布。 除了成为专家的研究工具之外，数字档案也将成为教育工作者和感兴趣的公众的绝佳来源。

John Taylor-Montoya, under the supervision of Dr. David J. Meltzer, will investigate the evolution of Paleoindian stone tool manufacture and technology on the southern Plains of North America during the period of ~11,500-8500 radiocarbon years before present. The goal of the study is to explore variations in stone tool technology across space and through time to better understand the changing adaptations of the groups who made them. It is a particularly interesting period for study, since this was a time when the environment was undergoing significant changes (the Ice Age was coming to an end), and these descendants of the first Americans were beginning to settle in to their new land. The artifact sample that will be used for this study comes from Paleoindian sites that have been excavated over many years, the collections of which are housed in various museums and facilities in the southern Plains region. These existing collections provide valuable data, but are often an underutilized resource.Variation in Paleoindian stone tool technology over time comprises one of the more intriguing records of material culture change in North America. As archaeological methods of analysis have themselves evolved, there are now new tools to explore the relationships between Paleoindian stone tool technology, the social dynamics of the people who made and used those stone tools, and their interactions with the environment. The implications are far reaching and can inform our ideas about the origins and cultural evolution of the earliest Americans. Mr. Taylor-Montoyas research is aimed at testing two specific hypotheses to explain technological change during this time: 1) Climate change altered the availability of certain species of game animals, causing adaptive responses in hunting technology 2) Changes in technology were part of the final process of the initial peopling of North America, where the settling in of groups into specific geographical areas and their increased population led to reduced social interaction the end result being regionally and locally distinct stone tool traditions reflected in different styles of artifacts across the landscape. Because spear points are stylistically diagnostic and were also used to harvest and process game, they represent an ideal artifact class for testing whether variation in material culture was the result of climate change or settling in. Recent research into the evolution of cultural traits is used as the framework for this study. If the climate forcing model is accurate, it is expected that variation in stone tool technology will follow changes in ecological conditions across space and time. If the settling in hypothesis is correct, stylistic patterns should take place independent of changes in climate and environment. There is likely more complexity to the problem than indicated in these models. However, beginning with simplified models will allow Mr. Taylor-Montoya to test clear hypotheses and identify weaknesses in those models which will guide future work. This study can provide the foundation for resolving questions regarding the relative influence of ecology and social dynamics on long-term changes in material culture on a regional scale. The results will be of interest to a broad audience of social scientists. In addition to the dissertation, the results will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals and professional conference presentations. The study will also produce the most comprehensive regional Paleoindian artifact database for the study area. Pending permission from the institutions housing these artifacts, the database will be published on the internet. In addition to being a research tool for specialists, the digital archive would also be an excellent source for educators and the interested public.