2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Urbanization and Development in Ancient Mesoamerica
| Project/Area Number |
16401017
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 海外学術 |
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| Research Field |
Archaeology
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| Research Institution | Nagoya University |
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Principal Investigator |
ITO Nobuyuki Nagoya University, Graduate School of Letters, Research Associate, 文学研究科, 助手 (40273205)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
YAMAMOTO Naoto Nagoya University, Graduate School of Letters, Professor, 文学研究科, 教授 (60240800)
ODA Hirotaka Nagoa University, Center for Chronological Research, Research Associate, 年代測定総合研究センター, 助手 (30293690)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | Mesoamerica / Ancient City / Los Naranjos / Chalchuapa / Tazumal / Copan / Tonala / Iglecia Vieja |
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| Research Abstract |
It is our objective to study processes of urbanization and development in ancient Mesoamerica by archaeological investigations mainly in Los Naranjos, Honduras. The area covered here encompasses the pacific coast region from Chiapas, Mexico to El Salvador, and its surroundings.
In Los Naranjos we excavated Structure 2, 3 and 6 along with geographic surveys and studied here how the ancient village had urbanized and developed. In Tazumal, Chalchuapa, measurement of architectures and geographic surveys were undertaken. Excavations in Structure B1-1, which is the biggest architecture in this area, and Ball Court (B1-3, 4) were carried out. And also we re-studied the development of ancient city in the whole Chalchuapa by analyzing all data from the antecedent excavations. In Copan and Tonala, we gathered data that show the process of urbanization and development. In addition to these investigations, in order to calculate the age of Ilopango tephra which is a key to determine the age of archaeological sites in Central America, we researched how far had the tephra traveled and also sampled in a forest that had been buried during a volcanic eruption.
As a result, in Los Naranjos we established the architectural sequence in order to meet the goal. In Tazumal area the structure of the architectures were presented. In Copan we determined the development of the ancient city during the Classic period. In Tonala the process of development of the ancient city from the Preclassic period to the Postclassic period were recovered.
We could provide the process of development of ancient city in each of the researched sites from the different viewpoints. Nevertheless, it should be necessary to compare different cases in the ancient cities of Mesoamerica in order to find the regularity that would be common to the development of the ancient cities.
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Research Products
(31 results)
