Under the direction of Dr. David Grove, MS Maria Aviles will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. She will conduct archaeological research at the site of Chalcatzingo which is located in the highland region of Central Mexico. The oldest part of the site dates from the Early Formative Period (1500-900 BC) and therefore it provides direct information on the first stages in the rise of complex stratified Mesoamerican society. In past research the investigators have noted the presence of large earthen mounds at the site and have partially excavated one of them. In this project MS Aviles will excavate an additional well preserved example together with an associated structure. For this stage of the research, goals will focus on determining the size and horizontal extent of the features. An area will then be opened on all sides of the platforms to uncover associated remains of activities and related structures. Artifacts such as ceramics, obsidian, ground stone, faunal and other remains will be collected and analyzed and maps and photographs generated. Radiocarbon samples will also be obtained. The project has well established methods for the recording and analysis of materials. On the basis of this research MS Aviles hopes to determine the uses to which these mounds were put and to gain insight how Chalcatzingo developed over time. Archeologists wish to understand how complex societies develop and they focus on the several areas of the world where this occurred independently. Mexico is one such region. Work in many parts of the world has demonstrated that monumental architecture, of which the Chalcatzingo mounds are one example, are associated with early stages of this process. They clearly provide evidence of the ability to mobilise large amounts of labor for a sustained period. However the functions which such mounds served are often unclear. In some cases it is likely that important individuals inhabited houses constructed on the tops and in others that the mounds served ritual functions. Because of the well preserved nature of the Chalcatzingo mounds as well as their early dates, the structures are of particular interest. The site itself was occupied for a long and crucial period of Mexican prehistory and the research will also provide insight into how complexity increased over time. This project is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to many archaeologists. It addresses a theoretical issue of great significance and will assist in training a promising young scientist.
