Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: The Power of Salt: The Regional Significance of a Local Economic Resource at the Prehistoric Archaeological site MC-6, Middle Caicos

从当代的角度来看，很容易低估盐在人类历史上的重要性。今天，盐很便宜，到处都能买到。然而，这与过去的情况形成了鲜明对比。虽然盐是人类饮食中的一种基本元素，但在史前和史前时代，并不是每个人都能轻易获得盐，而且盐非常昂贵(“白金”)。尽管加勒比海的环境非常适合盐的自然生产，历史记载也证实了该地区高质量的盐(乔治·华盛顿要求特克斯岛的盐为他的军队腌制肉类)，但在加勒比地区的考古研究中，盐作为一种交换商品一直被忽视。这项研究考察了盐在中凯科斯的前哥伦布考古遗址MC-6的作用以及与这种资源有关的经济活动。将采用新的方法来克服考古记录中盐的相对隐蔽性。佛罗里达自然历史博物馆加勒比海考古馆长威廉·基根博士和佛罗里达大学研究生朱斯特·莫辛格探索了盐在这个史前加勒比海群岛作为交换商品的重要性。MC-6是加勒比海独一无二的考古遗址。此前在MC-6进行的研究确定，它的规模和结构布局无法与该地区任何其他地点相媲美。该地点的实际位置靠近产盐的阿姆斯特朗池塘和丰富的海洋资源，这表明该地点的状况与特定的可用资源有关。然而，盐池的沉降、建筑特征和盐分有效性之间的直接关系还没有得到检验。本研究主要围绕两个方面展开。首先，盐池的取芯和取样将提供关于盐池历史发展的详细信息，并将确定在MC-6人类生活的时候是否有盐可用。其次，聚落中的挖掘将告知人们在聚落内从事的经济活动。土壤样本被用来确定人们是否正在将材料从盐池运送到现场，以及MC-6的特定结构特征是否被用作盐分和咸鱼的储存设施。这项研究意义重大，因为它探索了与盐相关的经济活动，这是一个在以前的研究中很少受到关注的话题。此外，该项目还将测试新方法的潜力，例如对居住地内的盐池和土壤样本进行取芯和采样，以调查这种资源在史前时代的重要性。该项目涉及多个机构和国家机构；佛罗里达自然历史博物馆；佛罗里达大学人类学系；环境和沿海资源部；国家环境中心；特克斯和凯科斯国家信托基金；以及特克斯和凯科斯国家博物馆；所有这些机构都提供了热情的支持。最后，作为MC-6以前实地项目的延续，将向中凯科斯当地学校介绍情况，以提高人们对该岛史前历史的认识和了解。

From a contemporary perspective it is easy to underestimate the importance of salt in the history of mankind. Today, salt is cheap and available everywhere. This, however, stands in sharp contrast with past conditions. Although salt is an essential element in the human diet, it was not readily available for everyone in prehistoric and historic times and salt was remarkably expensive ("white gold"). Although the Caribbean environment is extremely suited for the natural production of salt and historic accounts confirm the high quality of salt from this region (George Washington demanded Turks Island salt to pickle meat for his troops), salt as an exchange commodity has been neglected in archaeological studies in the Caribbean region. This research examines the role of salt and the economic activities related to this resource at the pre-Columbian archaeological site MC-6 on Middle Caicos. New methods will be employed to overcome the relative invisibility of salt in the archaeological record. Dr. William Keegan, Curator of Caribbean Archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and Joost Morsink, a graduate student at the University of Florida, explore the importance of salt as an exchange commodity in the prehistoric Caribbean archipelago. MC-6 is a unique archaeological site in the Caribbean. Previous research conducted at MC-6 determined that its size and structural layout are incomparable to any other site in the region. The physical location of the site, in proximity to the salt-producing Armstrong Pond and an abundance of marine resources, indicates that the site's status was related to specific available resources. However, the direct relation between the settlement, architectural features and the availability of salt in the salt pond has not been tested. This research focuses on two areas. First, coring and sampling in the salt pond will provide detailed information on the historical developments of the pond and will determine if salt was available at the time people were living in MC-6. Second, excavations in the settlement will inform on the economic activities people were practicing within the settlement. Soil samples are used to determine whether people were transporting materials from the salt pond to the site and if specific structural features at MC-6 were utilized as storage facilities of salt and salted fish. This research is significant because it explores economic activities related to salt, a topic that has received little attention in previous research. Moreover, this project will test the potential of new methods, such as coring and sampling of salt ponds and soil samples from within the habitation site to investigate the importance of this resource in prehistoric times. This project involves multiple institutions and national agencies; The Florida Museum of Natural History; the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida; the Department of Environmental and Coastal Resources; the National Environmental Centre; The Turks & Caicos National Trust; and The Turks & Caicos National Museum; all of whom have offered their enthusiastic support. Finally, as a continuation of previous field projects at MC-6, a presentation will be given to the local school on Middle Caicos to raise awareness and knowledge about the prehistoric past on the island.