Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Award: Consumption Of Food And Social Distinction

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Under the direction of Dr. Patrick Ryan Williams, Marie Elizabeth Gravalos will investigate shifting trade relationships through the lens of food consumption in households. Previous research on prehistoric trade relations has centered on the analysis of prestige commodities at political and religious centers, demonstrating long-distance economic interaction. But what does it mean when small communities gain access to new goods and how does this affect wider social distinction and authority? How do small-scale social entities contribute to shifting political economies? Archaeology is well positioned to examine these questions because of its emphasis on studying material remains from a chronological perspective. Although this research centers upon one case study, findings will be compared to regional datasets to contextualize site-level findings within a broader political economy. As a collaborative effort between colleagues in the US and Peru, this project has already had significant broader impacts through the employment of rural community members living near the archaeological site of focus as well as the education of undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, the researchers will co-curate a temporary museum exhibit in Peru to display findings to the public. This research also supports US and Peruvian women in science and leadership roles. This research will result in one Ph.D. dissertation as well as multiple conference papers and academic publications.Gravalos and her team will evaluate the material remains of food consumption from every day eating and specialized feasts to identify differences in local authority, economic access, and cultural traditions through the lens of cuisine. Researchers will analyze and compare data from diverse household contexts at the archaeological site of Jecosh - a prehispanic village in the Callejan de Huaylas valley of highland Ancash, Peru. Established during the Early Intermediate Period (1-700 CE) near several intersecting trade routes within the valley, this community was likely engaged in new politico-economic networks that developed during the subsequent Middle Horizon (700-1000 CE). Researchers will examine various datasets to understand changes in cuisine and access across these time periods, including 1) macro- and micro-botanical, 2) faunal, 3) ceramic geochemical and mineralogical, and 4) architectural. By examining differences in food consumption across discrete architectural contexts, researchers will gain a detailed understanding of a small-village's participation or isolation from a regional political economy over time. Further, this diverse dataset will elucidate the daily lives of a small prehispanic village, contributing to broader understandings of the lived human experience.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.