Under the direction of Dr. Arthur Demarest, Ms Stacey Symonds will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. Building on her prior work in the region, she will examine a series of Olmec sites in the Gulf coast region of Mexico. She will conduct a regional settlement survey over a five month period. The survey will include full coverage of three transects that cross-cut four environmental zones -- rive levees, lowland floodplains, elevated lands, and coastal routes. With the data she collects she should be able to estimate how Olmec subsistence strategy and population density developed over time. Comparison of site size and distribution should provide information on the degree of hierarchical organization while data which relates to intrasite patterning should shed light on changing social organization. The Olmec have been characterized as "America's First Civilization" and are best known for their massive stone sculptures and ceremonial sites. However, very little is understood about the origins or development of their society. It is from this base that Mayan and Aztec civilizations arose and to understand this entire process it is important to obtain more information on this earliest stage. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to a large group of archaeologists. It will increase our understanding of how complex societies develop and will assist in the training of a promising young scientist.
