Isotopic Investigations of Ancient Maya Mobility

在国家科学基金会的支持下，T。威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的道格拉斯普莱斯与美国和墨西哥的同事一起，将使用先进的方法分析古代人类骨骼，研究墨西哥半岛北方尤卡坦半岛古玛雅文明中人类运动和文化变迁的模式。这项研究的重点是大约在公元500年到1000年之间发生的巨大变化。这一地区见证了大量的人口流动，原因包括殖民化，战争和气候变化。这些变化可能涉及到外来者进入这一地区。有关人口流动、征服、殖民和贸易的问题至关重要。该项目旨在识别来到这一地区的非本地人，并更好地了解古代墨西哥的运动和互动模式。运动将通过测量人类牙齿的同位素组成进行评估。牙釉质在幼儿时期形成，其化学成分在一生中和死后基本保持不变。这些同位素比率在中美洲的地理位置各不相同，可以提供出生地的签名。研究人员将测量来自北方玛雅地区一系列考古遗址的大约400个样本中的锶和氧同位素比率，并将这些值与中美洲其他地方的类似信息进行比较。他们还将检查来自Chichén神圣天然井的大约40名牺牲者的遗体，以了解这一不寻常群体的原籍地。这些资料将有助于查明非本地原籍的个人，在某些情况下还可表明其原籍地，目的是确定流动率以及与年龄、性别和/或地位有关的差异，以便确定该区域流动模式的特点。在可能的情况下，研究将调查流动性的时间变化。这将使人们能够把来自主要中心如奇琴伊察和其他中心的可用信息放在比较的背景下，并考虑这些中心之间的共同点和区别。这项研究将深入了解人类流动性如何影响玛雅地区过去的文化变革。该项目提供了一个机会，以解决重要的考古问题，人类移民在一个主要的文化领域的新世界，包括移动到重要中心的速度和来源，某些个人的原籍地，不同群体之间的关系，以及基于年龄，性别和地位的移民差异。该项目是国际性和多学科的。这项研究将展示新的科学方法对旧的考古问题的应用，并让一些考古学家参与讨论结果。预计该项目将至少产生一份博士论文，以及一些学生在实验室工作和样品制备方面的指导。学生的培养是一个重要的目标。研究结果的发表将为今后的研究提供重要信息，并增进对古代中美洲的了解。

With National Science Foundation support, Dr. T. Douglas Price of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, together with American and Mexican colleagues, will use cutting-edge methods for the analysis of ancient human skeletons to study patterns of human movement and cultural change over time in the ancient Maya civilization in northern Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. The research focuses on the dramatic changes that took place there between roughly 500 and 1000 AD. This area witnessed substantial population movement for a variety of reasons including colonization, warfare, and climate change. These changes likely involved the movement of outsiders into this region. Questions concerning population mobility, conquest, colonization, and trade are paramount. This project is designed to identify the non-local individuals who came to this area and to better understand patterns of movement and interaction across ancient Mexico.Movement will be assessed by measuring the isotopic composition of human teeth. Tooth enamel forms during early childhood and its chemical composition remains largely unchanged through life and after death. These isotope ratios vary geographically across Mesoamerica and can provide a signature for place of birth. The researchers will measure strontium and oxygen isotope ratios in approximately 400 samples from a series of archaeological sites in the northern Maya region and compare these values among the sites and with similar information from elsewhere is Mesoamerica. They will also examine the remains of some 40 sacrificial victims from the Sacred Cenote at Chichén, seeking information on place of origin for this unusual group of individuals. This information will allow the identification of individuals of non-local origin and in some cases will suggest their place of origin.The goal is to determine rates of movement and differences related to age, sex, and/or status, in order to characterize patterns of mobility in this region. Where possible, the research will investigate chronological changes in mobility. This will allow one to put available information from major centers like Chichén Itza and others in comparative context and consider the commonalities and distinctions among these centers. The research will provide insight into how human mobility effected cultural change in the Maya region in the past. The project provides an opportunity to resolve important archaeological questions about human migration in a major culture area of the New World, including the rates and sources of movement into important centers, the place of origin of certain individuals, relationships between different groups, and differences in migration based on age, gender, and status. The project is international and multidisciplinary. The study will demonstrate the application of new scientific methods to old archaeological questions and involve a number of archaeologists in discussion of the results. It is anticipated that at least one PhD thesis, and the instruction of a number of students in laboratory work and preparation of samples will result from this project. Student training is an important goal. Publication of the results of the study will provide important information for future studies and increase understanding of ancient Mesoamerica.