Dissertation Research: A Bioarchaeological Approach to the Maya Collapse: Diet, Health and Demography in the Pasion Zone, Guatemala

人们提出了许多理论来解释大约1000年前玛雅文明的崩溃。一些人假设，不断变化的政治力量导致了不稳定和生态破坏。通过对骨骼材料的分析，本研究建议检验政治生态假说的含义。骨骼残骸的化学分析可以通过碳和氮同位素的表征来获得有关饮食因素的信息。饮食不足和总体健康状况也通过古病理指标的出现来标记遗骸。人口统计可以通过从骨骼遗骸中确定死亡年龄和性别来估计。该假说对玛雅人的饮食、健康和人口统计学做出了具体的预测，就在崩溃之前。这项研究允许对这些预测进行检验。

Many theories have been put forward to account for the collapse of the Maya civilization approximately 1,000 years ago. Some hypothesized that continuously shifting political forces led to instability and ecological disruption. Through the analysis of skeletal material, this research proposes to test implications of the politico-ecological hypothesis. Chemical analysis of skeletal remains can yield information on dietary factors through the characterization of carbon and nitrogen isotopes. Dietary inadequacies and general state of health also marks the remains through the appearance of paleopathological indicators. Demographics can be estimated through the determination of age at death and sex from skeletal remains. The hypothesis makes specific predictions as to the diet,health and demography of the Maya just prior to the collapse. The research allows these predictions to be tested.