Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Demographic and Social Transformations in the Mimbres Region: An Investigation of the Black Mountain Site and Phase (A.D. 1130 to 1300)

在Stephen H. Lekson博士的指导下，Kathryn Putsavage将研究大约在公元1130/1150年黑山阶段开始时，新墨西哥州西南部的Mimbres地区发生的人口和社会转型。新墨西哥州西南部的米布雷斯地区以米布雷斯时期（公元1000年至1130/1150年）制作的独特的黑白陶器而闻名。在Mimbres时期的鼎盛时期，人口总数多达7000人。大约在公元1130/1150年，这种独特的陶器的生产急剧减少，在一些地区完全停止了。在这一变化期间，尚不清楚该地区的人口是否被取代、重组和/或减少，但仍继续生活在米布雷斯地区。与此同时，地方和区域社会和经济网络也在扩大和重组。在该地区工作的学者们一致认为，在公元1130/1150年左右发生了人口和社会变革，但这些事件的时间、规模和具体性质并没有得到充分的了解。虽然集中在一个特定的区域和时间段的研究是重要的，因为它检查了在一个不可预测的和高度可变的半干旱环境中存在的传统社会的人口，社会组织和文化变化之间的长期关系。为了了解人口和社会转型的年代学，黑山考古项目（BMAP）将收集适合放射性碳定年的材料，以完善遗址和时期的年代学。由于黑山遗址可能是同阶段中最大的，因此准确确定该遗址被占用的时间和时间是很重要的。为了了解转变的规模，BMAP将进行地球物理调查。由于一些学者认为米布雷斯地区在公元1130/1150年之后人口减少，因此记录黑山遗址的规模将为了解公元1130/1150年前后人口流动的规模提供重要信息。为了重建和描述人口转型，BMAP将利用陶瓷和黑曜石采购技术。由于黑曜石和粘土的地质来源具有不同的化学成分，这些方法可以用来追踪由这些材料制成的人工制品的循环。这将使BMAP能够跟踪Mimbres和Black Mountain阶段之间的贸易变化。通过对这些文物的比较、地球物理调查、测试挖掘和数据材料的收集，该项目将调查这些过程是否代表了新人口的替代、伴随社会重组的持续占领，或者其他一些场景。本研究将产生更广泛的影响，超出了所提出的研究课题。通过与当地博物馆和考古协会的合作，该项目还将促进新墨西哥州戴明和明布雷斯地区的历史保护。该地区受到抢劫的严重影响，黑山遗址是抢劫如何对考古记录产生负面影响的一个重要例子。最后，BMAP将与其他研究项目合作，为转型和其他问题建立区域背景。此外，该项目产生的数据将通过考古记录管理处（ARMS）（新墨西哥博物馆的一个部门）和新墨西哥历史保护处广泛地在线提供给研究人员。

Under the guidance of Dr. Stephen H. Lekson, Kathryn Putsavage will examine the demographic and social transformation which occurred in the Mimbres region of southwestern New Mexico around A.D. 1130/1150 at the beginning of the Black Mountain phase. The Mimbres region of southwestern New Mexico is renowned for the distinctive black-on-white pottery created during the Mimbres phase (A.D. 1000 to 1130/1150). At the height of the Mimbres phase, populations totaled as many as seven thousand people. Around A.D. 1130/1150, production of the distinctive pottery dramatically decreased and completely ceased in some areas. During this period of change, it is unclear if populations in the region were replaced, reorganized, and/or decreased yet continued to live in the Mimbres region. This was accompanied by the expansion and reorganization of local and regional social and economic networks. Scholars working in the region agree there was a demographic and social transformation around A.D. 1130/1150, but the chronology, scale, and the specific nature of these events are not fully understood. Although focused on one specific region and time period the research is significant because it examines the long term relation between demography, social organization and culture change in a traditional society which existed in an unpredictable and highly variable semi-arid environment.In order to understand the chronology of the demographic and social transition, the Black Mountain Archaeological Project (BMAP) will collect materials suitable for radiocarbon dating to refine the chronology of the site and time period. Since the Black Mountain site may be the largest of its phase, it is important to determine exactly when and for how long the site was occupied. To understand the scale of the transformation, BMAP will conduct geophysical survey. Since some scholars have suggested the Mimbres region was depopulated after A.D. 1130/1150, documenting the size of the Black Mountain site will provide important information on the scale of population movement around A.D. 1130/1150. To reconstruct and characterize the demographic transformation, BMAP will utilize ceramic and obsidian sourcing techniques. Because geologic sources of obsidian and clay have distinct chemical compositions, these methods can be used to track the circulation of artifacts made of these materials. This will enable BMAP to track changes in trade between the Mimbres and Black Mountain phases. Through comparison of these artifacts, geophysical survey, test excavations, and the collection of datable materials, the project will investigate whether these processes represent a replacement of new populations, a continuous occupation accompanied by social reorganization, or some other scenario. This research will have a broader impact beyond the research topics presented. Through collaborative work with local museums and archaeological societies, the project will also promote historic preservation in Deming, New Mexico, and in the Mimbres region. This area has been severely impacted by looting and the Black Mountain site serves as an important example of how looting can negatively affect the archaeological record. Finally, BMAP will collaborate with other research projects to build a regional context for transformations and other questions. Additionally, the data produced by the project will be widely available online to researchers through the Archaeological Records Management Section (ARMS), a division of the Museum of New Mexico, and the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division.