Household Economic Organization and Community Integration: The Basis of Social Complexity in the Central Maya Lowlands

在美洲中部荒凉的低地地区，史前玛雅人发展出一种文明，产生了戏剧性的大规模建筑，形成了高度集中的阶级分层社会，并通过发达的贸易机制将大片地区整合在一起。尽管这一现象已经引起考古学家近一个世纪的兴趣，但他们仍然不理解导致这个社会出现和维持的过程。阿纳贝尔·福特博士在伯利兹的伯利兹河地区工作了多年。基于广泛的调查和对回收材料的分析，她假设了一个经济专业化模式，即居住在略有不同环境区域的家庭单位专注于略有不同的活动，然后在这些区域之间进行交易。她认为，这为玛雅人在这一领域的发展提供了潜在的基础。在NSF的支持下，福特博士将挖掘位于一个剩余区域的一系列小型家庭遗址，她还没有详细研究过这些遗址。这将把她的调查数据置于更广泛和更有意义的背景下，并将为跨地区比较提供基础。她将进行大规模的水平曝光，以揭露整个家庭单元。将收集和分析陶瓷、硅质岩和黑铁矿遗骸，以解决三个主要问题：国内经济的特征；工艺生产和分配的种类和程度；以及当地、地区和地区间交流的影响。由于“精英家庭”和“农民家庭”都将包括在样本中，因此应该可以确定这些策略与阶级的关系。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。尽管考古学家挖掘了许多玛雅遗址，但主要关注的是大型仪式中心。福特博士的项目专注于家庭结构，将有助于纠正这种情况。该项目包括一名本科生，并将有助于培养一名有前途的年轻科学家。

In the inhospitable lowland regions of Middle America, prehistoric Mayan peoples evolved a civilization which produced dramatic large scale architecture, a highly centralized class stratified society and which integrated large areas through well developed trade mechanisms. Although this phenomenon has intrigued archaeologists for almost a century, they still do not understand the processes which led to the emergence and maintenance of this society. Dr. Anabel Ford has worked for many years in the Belize River area of Belize. Based on extensive survey and the analysis of recovered materials, she has postulated a model of economic specialization in which household units living in slightly different environmental zones focussed on slightly different activities and then traded across these zones. This, she believes, provides the underlying basis for Mayan development in this area. With NSF support, Dr. Ford will excavate a series of small household sites located in one remaining zone which she has not studied in detail. This will set her survey data into a broader and more meaningful context and will provide a basis for cross zone comparison. She will conduct large scale horizontal exposures to uncover entire household units. The ceramics, chert and obsidian remains will be collected and analyzed to address three major questions: the character of the domestic economy; the kinds and degree of craft production and distribution; and the influence of local, regional and inter-regional exchange. Since both "elite" and peasant" households will be included in the sample, it should be possible to determine how such strategies are related to class. This research is important for several reasons. Although archaeologists have excavated many Mayan sites, the primary focus has been on large ceremonial centers. Dr. Ford's project, which concentrates on household structures will help to remedy this situation. The project includes an undergraduate student and will contribute to the development of a promising young scientist.