Regional Bioarchaeology on the Borderlands from the Ancient Maya World

• Project/Area Number: 17KK0023
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Okayama University (2018-2021); Kanazawa University (2017)
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Shintaro 岡山大学, 文明動態学研究所, 講師 (80767757)
• Project Period (FY): 2018 – 2021
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥10,660,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,460,000)
• Keywords: 骨考古学 / バイオアーキオロジー / 古代マヤ文明 / 移民動態 / 安定同位体 / Archaeothanatology / Human Taphonomy / メソアメリカ / 古代マヤ / 自然人類学 / 考古人骨研究 / 古代メソアメリカ / 古代アメリカ / 文明周縁地 / 移民流動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study is a continuing study from the original project. We studied a multi-regional sample of archaeological skeletons from the broad Maya area and suggested the presence of their specific migration dynamics for each region and period. The stable isotope ratios related to the migration dynamics were measured in a large sample, and our raw results can serve as a reference for future studies. Furthermore, we confirmed the importance of "archaeothanatology," a new discipline that examines burial context to reconstruct all the processes where the bodies have been converted into skeletons. Archaeological theories, such as migration dynamics, multi-ethnicity, and state formation, can be discussed through the skeletal remains. However, it is necessary to examine their excavation contexts in detail for the first base on the archaeothanatology.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

昨今古人骨の研究は従来的な巨視的アプローチを飛び越え、安定同位体の分析などいわゆる「理系」の分析方法を取り入れることが一般的になっている。安定同位体の分析と併用して運用されることの多いパレオゲノムの研究などは、過去数年で飛躍的な進歩を遂げている。しかし、そういった特殊な分析の成果を考古学的に適切に解釈するためには、まずもって発掘現場に立ちかえる必要がある。遺物の出土状況という考古学の基礎に立ち返り、それをよく理解した上でないと、解釈を誤る可能性が提示された。これは今後多くの古人骨研究の礎となるべき知見である。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] 国立コパン地域考古学研究センター(ホンジュラス) (2018)
  • Year and Date: 2018-11-12
• [Int'l Joint Research] ユカタン自治大学(メキシコ) (2018)
  • Year and Date: 2018-10-11
• [Int'l Joint Research] メキシコ国立自治大学(メキシコ) (2018)
  • Year and Date: 2018-08-21
• [Int'l Joint Research] デルバジェ大学(グアテマラ) (2018)
• [Journal Article] 完全非破壊化学分析法による古代マヤ文明の磨製石器石材分析 (2020)
  • Author(s): 飯塚義之、鈴木真太郎、バリエントス・トマス
  • Journal Title: 古代アメリカ Volume: 23 Pages: 29-50
  • NAID: 40022427886
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Isotopic Proveniencing at Classic Copan and in the Southern Periphery of the Maya Area: A New Perspective on Multi-Ethnic Society (2020)
  • Author(s): Suzuki Shintaro, Nakamura Seiichi & Price T. Douglas
  • Journal Title: Journal of Anthropological Archaeology Volume: 60 Pages: 101228-101228
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.jaa.2020.101228
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Preclassic Mesoamerican dental inlays: Study of the raw material by SEM-EDS (2020)
  • Author(s): Andrea Maria Sandoval Molina, Yoshiyuki Iizuka, Shintaro Suzuki
  • Journal Title: Science and Technology of Archaeological Research Volume: - Issue: 2 Pages: 1-7
  • DOI: 10.1080/20548923.2019.1700451
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 古代マヤ文明南東周縁地における考古人骨研究 。コパン王国の栄枯盛衰と古代移民についての考察 (2020)
  • Author(s): 鈴木真太郎
  • Organizer: アンデス文明研究会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 安定同位体による移民の研究：古代マヤ周縁都市コパンのケーススタディ (2020)
  • Author(s): 鈴木真太郎
  • Organizer: イベリア・ラテンアメリカ文化研究会（SECILA）第75回例会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 古代マヤ文明における文化的肉体変工の考古学的研究 (2019)
  • Author(s): 鈴木真太郎
  • Organizer: 考古学研究会岡山例会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Mas alla del jade y la pirita. Diversidad de materias primas minerales utilizadas en la epoca prehispanica (2019)
  • Author(s): Barrientos Tomas, Sandoval Andrea, Iizuka Yoshiyuki, Suzuki Shintaro
  • Organizer: XXXIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueologicas en Guatemala
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 古代マヤ文明南西周縁域の広域考古人骨研究：食とライフスタイルについて (2019)
  • Author(s): 鈴木真太郎
  • Organizer: 古代アメリカ学会 第８回西日本部会研究懇談会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Migracion y formacion de Copan Clasico: una perspectiva bioarqueologica (2018)
  • Author(s): Shintaro Suzuki
  • Organizer: Instituto Hondureno de Antropologia e Historia
  • Invited
• [Book] TRATAMIENTOS MORTUORIOS DEL CUERPO HUMANO: PERSPECTIVAS TAFONOMICAS Y ARQUEOTANATOLOGICAS. (2021)
  • Author(s): Tiesler, Vera, Shintaro Suzuki, and Gregory Pereira (editors)
  • Total Pages: 473
  • Publisher: Centro de Estudios Mexicanos Centroamericanos (CEMCA), and Research Institute for the Dynamics of Civilizations (RIDC), Okayama University.
  • ISBN: 9782111672031
• [Book] 古代マヤ文明 (2020)
  • Author(s): 鈴木 真太郎
  • Total Pages: 320
  • Publisher: 中央公論新社
  • ISBN: 9784121026231
• [Book] Reconstructing an Ancient State from Its Bones, People, and Households. A Bioarchaeological Perspective on Late Classic Copan, Honduras. In edited volume, Maya Kingship: Rupture and Transformation from Classic to Postclassic Times (2020)
  • Author(s): Suzuki Shintaro & Izquierdo Ana Luiza
  • Total Pages: 449
  • Publisher: University Press of Florida
• [Book] Human Migration and Ethnic Expression in Southeastern Borderland of Mesoamerica: A Bioarchaeological Perspective from Copan, Honduras. IN: Bioarchaeology of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica: An Interdisciplinary Approach (2018)
  • Author(s): Suzuki Shintaro, Tiesler Vera & Price Douglas
  • Publisher: University Press of Florida
  • ISBN: 9780813056005
• [Book] Modelado cefalico en la periferia sureste del Area Maya: una nueva perspectiva en la formacion y el desarrollo del Copan Clasico. IN: Modificaciones cefalicas en Mesoamerica: significados, formas y aproximaciones a su estudio (2018)
  • Author(s): Suzuki Shintaro
  • Publisher: Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
  • ISBN: 9786073003872
• [Remarks] バイオアーキオロジー（生物考古学）に関する国際シンポジウムのお知らせ
  • URL: http://kanazawamaya.hatenablog.com/entry/2018/07/26/022039
• [Funded Workshop] III Coloquio Internacional de Bioarqueologia: Aplicaciones de arqueotanatologia al estudio mortuorio en Mesoamerica (2018)