Dissertation Research: An Archaeological Study of the Aztec-Tarascan Frontier

在Kenneth Hirth博士的指导下，Jay Silverstein先生将为他的博士论文收集数据。他的考古项目的目标是了解位于墨西哥格雷罗地区的边境地区的组织，该地区分隔了塔拉斯坎帝国和阿兹特克帝国。在史前时代晚期，墨西哥中部出现了两个伟大的帝国--更广为人知的阿兹特克帝国和研究较少的塔拉斯坎帝国。两国都通过征服和合并臣民扩大了他们的范围，而格雷罗州是两国边界交界处，是广泛和长期冲突的现场。民族历史资料记录了该地区的主要战斗。考古学家很少有机会研究如此明确界定的边界，在某种程度上，西尔弗斯坦希望定义这种情况的物质关联。尽管边境得到了保卫，但在这两个帝国建立之前就已经存在的当地人也仍然居住在这里。初步数据表明，交流发生在边界另一边，人们继续生活在这一地区。西尔弗斯坦先生希望了解所涉及的贸易和互动的性质。对帝国的崛起和运作感兴趣的研究人员往往更多地关注帝国的核心或首都地区，而对边缘地区的关注较少。为了获得更好的视角，必须同时考虑核心和外围，这项研究将提供对阿兹特克人和塔拉斯坎人如何治理的洞察。西尔弗斯坦设计了一个分两个阶段的计划。首先，从以前的研究和航空照片解译中了解到的地点将被抽样和绘制地图。其次，将在最近的阿兹特克人和塔拉斯坎人居住地之间60平方公里的区域内进行密集的实地调查。位于的地点将被绘制在航空照片上，通过密集的收集采样，所有可见的特征将被绘制和拍照。将对文物样本进行分析，以提供有关年代和交换的信息。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。它将提供有关史前帝国如何运作和互动的新信息。它将有助于填补墨西哥一个鲜为人知的地区的考古记录，并将有助于培养一位有前途的年轻科学家。

Under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Hirth, Mr. Jay Silverstein will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. The goal of his archaeological project is to understand the organization of a border area, located in the Guerrero region of Mexico, which separated the Tarascan and Aztec empires. In late prehistoric times two great empires - the better known Aztec and the less studied Tarascan arose in central Mexico. Both extended their ranges through conquest and the incorporation of subject peoples and Guerrero, where their borders met, was the scene of extensive and prolonged conflict. Ethnohistoric sources record major battles in the region. Archaeologists rarely have the opportunity to study such a well defined and demarcated frontier and, in part, Mr. Silverstein wishes to define the material correlates of such a situation. Although the border was defended, it also remained inhabited by local peoples who were present before the establishment of either empire. Preliminary data indicates that exchange took place across the boundary and people continued to live in this region. Mr. Silverstein wishes to understand the nature of the trade and interaction involved. Researchers interested in the rise and functioning of empires have tended to focus more on the `core` or capital regions of empires and less on peripheral areas. To gain a better perspective, both core and periphery must be taken into account and this research will provide insight into how both the Aztecs and Tarascans governed. Mr. Silverstein has designed a two stage plan. First, sites known from previous research and air photo interpretation will be sampled and mapped. Secondly, an intensive field survey will be conducted over a 60 km square area between the nearest Aztec and Tarascan habitations. Sites located will be plotted on air photos, sampled through intensive collection and all visible features will be sketched and photographed. Artifact samples will be analyzed to provide information on both chronology and exchange. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide new information on how prehistoric empires functioned and interacted. It will help to fill in the archaeological record for a poorly known part of Mexico and will assist in training a promising young scientist.