Dissertation Research: Structure and Dynamics of the Inka Frontier

在马克·贝曼博士的指导下，索尼娅·阿尔科尼尼女士将为她的博士论文收集数据。她将在玻利维亚东部查科地区进行为期六个月的考古调查和发掘。这一地区标志着亚马孙低地雨林的西部边缘和通往安第斯山脉的高地的起点。它也标志着印加帝国的边界。印加人是一个高地民族，他们的影响遍及安第斯山脉的大部分地区，并向西延伸到荒漠的太平洋海岸边缘。然而，他们无法征服低地的亚马逊人，查科人标志着这些人之间的边界。通过考古证据和早期西班牙编年史，人类学家对印加帝国是如何治理的了解很多。许多权力是间接行使的，以前的地方尺子被允许保留立即控制权。然而，人们对帝国边界上发生的事情知之甚少，已经提出了几种模型。一种设想是一种军事局势，具有堡垒和其他设防优势，并跨越边境进行敌对性质的互动。其他人看到了各种不同文化群体之间的交流、文化适应和人员流动。阿尔科尼尼女士将通过一项调查和挖掘计划来研究这个问题。已知在查科地区存在Inkan遗址，并选择了两个进行研究。将进行地面收集和有限的挖掘。特别是，将注意到防御工事的存在和性质，并将确定是否有表明交换的贸易货物。对每个地点周围地区的调查应提供关于定居点性质和存在的群体类型的更多信息。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。它将为不同文化间互动的性质和不同民族之间的边界提供新的线索。它将提供一个鲜为人知的考古地区引起广泛关注的基本数据，并将帮助培训一位有前途的年轻考古学家。

Under the direction of Dr. Marc Bermann, MS Sonia Alconini will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. She will conduct six months of archaeological survey and excavation in the Chaco region of eastern Bolivia. This area marks the western edge of the Amazonian lowland rain forest and the start of higher ground which leads to the Andes. It also marks the boundary of the Inka empire. The Inka were a highland people who extended their influence through most of the Andean Mountain chain and westward to the desertic Pacific coastal margin. However they were not able to conquer lowland Amazonian peoples and the Chaco marks the border between these groups. Through archaeological evidence and early Spanish chronicles anthropologists have learned much about how the Inka empire was governed. Much power was exercised indirectly and previous local rulers were allowed to retain immediate control. However less is understood about what happened at the boundaries of the empire and several models have been proposed. One envisions a military situation with forts and other fortified strong points and interaction of a hostile nature across the frontier. Others see various kinds of exchange and acculturation and movement of goods and people across cultural groups. Through a program of survey and excavation MS Alconini will examine this question. Inkan sites are known to exist in the Chaco and two have been selected for study. Surface collection and limited excavation will be conducted. In particular the presence and nature of fortifications will be noted and the presence/absence of trade goods indicative of exchange will be determined. Survey in the areas surrounding each site should yield additional information on the nature of settlement and the types of groups present. This research is important for several reasons. It will shed new light on the nature of inter-cultural interactions and boundaries between ethnic groups. It will provide basic data of widespread interest from a poorly known archaeological region and will assist in training a promising young archaeologist.