Isotopic Investigations of Ancient Maya Mobility

在国家科学基金会的支持下，威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的T.Douglas Price博士将与美国和墨西哥的同事一起，使用分析古人类骨骼的尖端方法，研究墨西哥尤卡坦半岛北部古代玛雅文明中人类运动的模式和随着时间的推移而发生的文化变化。这项研究的重点是大约在公元500年到1000年之间那里发生的戏剧性变化。由于殖民、战争和气候变化等各种原因，这一地区经历了大量的人口流动。这些变化可能涉及外来者进入该地区。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人的运动和相互作用模式。运动将通过测量人类牙齿的同位素组成来评估。牙釉质形成于儿童早期，其化学成分在生前和死后基本保持不变。这些同位素比率在中美洲各地的地理上各不相同，可以作为出生地的标志。研究人员将测量来自北部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，并将这些值在这些遗址之间进行比较，并与中美洲其他地方的类似信息进行比较。他们还将检查大约40名来自奇兴圣地的牺牲受害者的遗骸，寻求关于这群不同寻常的人的来源地的信息。这些信息将有助于确定非本地血统的个人，并在某些情况下表明他们的原籍地。目标是确定与年龄、性别和/或地位有关的流动速度和差异，以便描述这一区域的流动模式。在可能的情况下，这项研究将调查流动性的时间变化。这将使人们能够将来自Chichén Itza等主要中心和其他中心的现有信息放在比较的背景下，并考虑这些中心之间的共性和差异。这项研究将为了解过去人类流动如何影响玛雅地区的文化变化提供洞察。该项目提供了一个机会来解决有关新大陆一个主要文化区的人类迁徙的重要考古问题，包括迁入重要中心的速度和来源、某些人的原籍地、不同群体之间的关系以及基于年龄、性别和地位的迁徙差异。该项目是国际性的、多学科的。这项研究将展示新的科学方法在旧的考古学问题上的应用，并让一些考古学家参与对结果的讨论。预计该项目将产生至少一篇博士论文，以及一些学生在实验室工作和样品制备方面的指导。培养学生是一个重要的目标。研究结果的公布将为未来的研究提供重要信息，并增加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.