Doctoral Dissertation Reserarch: Understanding Household Spatial Transformation in the Quexil-Petenxil Basins, Guatemala

在Don Rice博士的指导下，Kevin Schwarz先生将为他的博士论文收集数据。他将在危地马拉佩滕伊察湖地区的奎西尔群岛和奎西尔和佩滕西勒盆地的遗址进行考古发掘。这些遗址可以追溯到古典晚期（公元600-800年）和后古典早期（公元1000-1250年），包含了一系列的小建筑，每一个都可能与单独的家庭单位有关。施瓦茨先生将进行大面积的挖掘，以揭示每个结构的整个平面，并确定其中陶瓷和其他文化材料的分布。通过对这些数据的分析，不仅可以了解所进行的具体活动，还可以了解负责单位的基本社会组织。对近代和现代玛雅人的民族志研究以及民族历史数据表明，家庭组织因种族而异，可以通过对材料遗骸的分析来确定这种联系。施瓦茨先生希望研究人口在一段时间内的连续性程度，以及在古典时期或后古典时期结束时是否有新的民族进入该地区。考古学家认为，玛雅文明在古典时期达到顶峰，当时建造了令人印象深刻的大型寺庙和其他仪式建筑。个体政体包含了大量的人，这些人的等级结构使得这些公共工程所需的大量劳动力可用。在古典晚期和后古典时期，发生了“崩溃”。大的中心被抛弃，人口被分解成更小的单位。在佩滕地区，定居点位于半岛、岛屿和其他容易防御的地区，这表明相当大的社会动荡。在这个地区，这种变化主要是由于内部动力还是由于新民族的出现，这是不确定的。施瓦茨先生将通过对聚落类型及其随时间变化的分析来解决这个问题。这项研究将产生许多考古学家感兴趣的资料，并有助于培养一位有前途的年轻科学家。

Under the direction of Dr. Don Rice, Mr. Kevin Schwarz will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He will conduct archaeological excavation at sites located on the Quexil Islands and the Quexil and Petenxil Basins in the Lake Peten Itza region of Guatemala. The sites date to the Late Classic (600-800 AD) and Early Postclassic (1000-1250 AD) and contain a series of small buildings each likely related to individual domestic units. Mr. Schwarz will conduct broad areal excavations to expose the entire plan of each structure and to determine the distribution of ceramics and other cultural material within. Through analysis of these data it will be possible to gain insight into not only specific activities which were conducted but also the basic social organization of the responsible units. Ethnographic studies of recent and current day Mayan peoples as well as ethnohistoric data indicate that domestic organization varies by ethnic group and that it is possible to determine such affiliation through the analysis of material remains. Mr. Schwarz wishes to examine the degree of population continuity over time and whether new peoples entered this region at the end of the Classic or Postclassic periods.Archaeologists believe that the Mayan civilization reached its apex during the Classic period when large impressive temples and other ceremonial structures were constructed. Individual polities incorporated large numbers of people who were hierarchically structured to make available the large amounts of labor needed for such public works. In the Late Classic and Post Classic periods, a "collapse" occurred. Large centers were abandoned and population disaggregated into smaller units. In the Peten region settlements were located on peninsulas, islands and other easily defensible areas and this indicates considerable social unrest. It is uncertain in this region whether the change was due primarily to internal dynamics or resulted in part from the appearance of new ethnic groups. Through the analysis of settlement type and its change over time Mr. Schwarz will address this issue. This research will produce data of interest to many archaeologists and assist in training a promising young scientist.