Demographic and Political Change in the Classic-Postclassic Transition in Pacific Guatemala

在国家科学基金会的支持下，Bove博士和他的同事将分析多年来在危地马拉西部沿海地区通过精心控制收集而获得的考古材料。该地区包含许多遗址和材料，可以追溯到中美洲史前的经典时期以及随后的后古典时期。Bove博士将重点关注位于西海岸的两个分区域，它们跨越了这一过渡时期。通过对石器、陶瓷、建筑以及遗址的大小和分布的分析，他希望能回答一些问题。首先，他将采用黑曜石水合作用技术来确定考古事件的绝对日期，从而为这两个地区制定一个年表。通过对陶瓷遗迹的分析，他将确定，在每个地区，相同的民族是否一直存在，或者是否发生了人口更替。对地点数量和范围的研究将使他能够确定人口规模随时间的变化。它也将有可能检查社会组织的许多方面。人们可以确定一个地区内的社会分化程度，以及在区域间的基础上，权力关系如何随着时间的推移而变化。许多考古学家都把注意力集中在中美洲的古典-后古典过渡上，因为根据传统的解释，它标志着一次重大的社会崩溃。正是在古典时期，建造了最大、最令人印象深刻的玛雅神庙，中美洲文化达到了顶峰。在这一时期的末期，许多遗址似乎被遗弃了，纪念性建筑停止了，人们似乎生活在更小的、更没有等级组织的群体中。考古学家们提出了许多导致这种变化的原因，从战争的增加到过度开发环境导致的生态崩溃。危地马拉西部地区很有趣，因为它似乎不符合这种情况。初步证据表明，存在高度的连续性和大量的后古典遗址。然而，还不可能重建不断变化的人口密度或确定社会组织是否发生了变化。博夫博士的研究目标就是解决这些迫在眉睫的问题。博夫博士希望研究的根本问题是社会如何以及为什么变化。他认为，这可能涉及到反复的循环，危地马拉西部等地区为解决这类问题提供了一个极好的实验室。它丰富的考古遗迹覆盖了一千多年的跨度，因此有可能获得一个丰富而长期的数据库。

With National Science Foundation support Dr. Bove and his colleagues will analyze archaeological materials which have been obtained through carefully controlled collection over a number of years in the western coastal region of Guatemala. The area contains numerous sites and materials which date from the Classic period of Mesoamerican prehistory as well as from the succeeding Postclassic period. Dr. Bove will focus on two subregions which are located on the western coast and which span this transitional period. Through analysis of stone tools, ceramics, architecture and the size and distribution of sites he hopes to answer a number of questions. First, he will employ the technique of obsidian hydration to assign absolute dates to archaeological occurrences and thus develop a chronology for both regions. Through analysis of ceramic remains he will determine, in each area, whether the same peoples were present through time or if population replacement occurred. Study of site numbers and extent will permit him to determine changes in population size over time. It will also be possible to examine many facets of social organization. One can determine the extent of social differentiation within a single area and on an inter-area basis how power relationships may have altered over time. Many archaeologists have focused on the Classic-Postclassic transition in Mesoamerica because, according to traditional interpretations, it marks a major social collapse. It was during the Classic period that the largest and most impressive Mayan temples were constructed and Middle American culture reached a peak. At the end of this period many sites appear to be abandoned, monumental construction ceases and people appear to live in smaller less hierarchically organized groups. Archaeologists have postulated a number of reasons why such changes may have occurred and these range from increased warfare to ecological collapse induced by overexploitation of the environment. The western Guatemala area is interesting because it appears not to conform to this senario. Preliminary evidence indicates a high degree of continuity and numerous Postclassic sites are present. However it has not yet been possible to reconstruct changing population densities or to determine if social organization was altered. The goal of Dr. Bove's work is to address these immediate questions. The underlying issue which Dr. Bove wishes to study is how and why societies change. He believes that recurring cycles may be involved and a region such as western Guatemala provides an excellent laboratory to address questions of this type.Its rich archaeological remains cover over a thousand year span and it is, therefore, possible to obtain a rich and long term data base.