Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Early and Middle Formative Floodplain Settlement, Subsistence, and Household Adaptations at San Lorenzo, Veracruz, Mexico

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Under the direction of Dr. David Grove, Mr. Anthony Vega will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. Combining both archaeological fieldwork and laboratory analysis he will examine a series of small mound sites located near the major Olmec center of San Lorenzo in southeastern Veracruz, Mexico. The Olmec civilization is the earliest in Mesoamerica and although considerable attention has been focused on impressive centers such as San Lorenzo, relatively little is known either about the surrounding hinterland or the processes responsible for this development. In preliminary work, Mr. Vega located and conducted test excavations into a series of small mounds which dot the floodplain around San Lorenzo. The results suggest that these were housemounds, perhaps occupied by single family groups and, based on comparisons with people who inhabit the region today, it is quite likely that these early Olmec pursued a mixed subsistence strategy which incorporated significant amounts of fish, shrimp and other floodplain items into an agricultural diet. While many researchers focus on the relationship between agriculture and the emergence of complex society Mr. Vega, among others, believes that the situation in fact may be more complex and that control over a wider variety of resources played an important role in this process. Mr. Vega will conduct stratigraphic excavation to develop a detailed chronological sequence. He will also completely expose living surfaces within several mounds to gain insight into subsistence practices and social organization. Comparison across mounds will permit him to determine whether social stratification - a hallmark of complex societies - existed. More limited testing between mounds may, hopefully, provide information on agricultural practices. By placing Olmec development in a chronological context it will also be possible to address the contested issue of whether Olmec culture developed from a local base or traces its roots to other regions within Middle America. This research is important for several reasons. It will shed light on alternative routes which may lead to the emergence of civilization and provide insight into one of the earliest Middle American complex societies. It will provide data of interest to many archaeologists and contribute to training a promising young scientist.