The Role of Social Organization in the Organization of Complex Society

Southern Illinois University At Carbondale, Carbondale IL

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. Izumi Shimada, of Southern Illinois University, together with colleagues will conduct research on the nature and means of social and political integration, highlighting the importance of kinship and shared religion. Earlier studies on this topic have emphasized the role of political economy and control of resources and production, coercive actions or sponsorship of public events. Kinship connections and cooperative behaviors were downplayed. The resultant models accordingly stressed the strongly centralized and hierarchical character of sociopolitical organization. Archaeology, particularly in collaboration with complementary fields, is well placed to illuminate factors and processes that promote stable and effective sociopolitical integration, a topic that has been a pervasive concern for studies of complex societies past and present. In contrast to previous studies, this research highlights instead the importance of kinship or the degree and nature of genetic affinity to the real or fictional ancestors and shared religious beliefs and rituals, thereby significantly broadening the perspective on factors and hierarchical and non-hierarchical means of achieving such integration. Not only does this research promote international and interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration, but also American and Peruvian student and postdoctorate training. In addition, it will enrich the public display at the Sican National Museum that represents an effective sharing of research results with both Peruvian and the non-Peruvian public. Monumental architecture built by many complex societies past and present serves as an impressive, durable symbolic marker of power, prestige and identity of associated groups. What then do multiple coexistent monuments built close in time and space at a single location signify about group(s) that built them? This question guides the field research in the Lambayeque region on the north coast of Peru by Dr. Shimada and his team. Taking advantage of the fact that monuments at the 1000-year old Sican capital have closely associated cemeteries, the investigators will excavate burials that have been located in previous seasons of fieldwork and carry out multiple detailed analyses of human skeletons, ceramic, metal and other funerary objects as well as their associated styles and images. Results from skeletal analysis, including ancient DNA, signs of developmental health, and statistical analysis of numerous measurements taken on teeth will illuminate genealogical relationships and life style of individuals being compared. Ratios of carbon, nitrogen and strontium isotopes defined from skeletal samples will in turn inform on dietary composition and geographic origins of the same individuals. In addition, determination of choices of techniques, styles, images, and/or raw materials used in manufacturing of funerary objects further aid in distinguishing artisans and larger groups to which they pertain. Employing the above multi-disciplinary methodology, the research team will test three competing hypotheses regarding the importance of kinship and shared religious beliefs. Test results will be integrated into an expanding, regional funerary, DNA and other biological database that will serve as a referential base for years to come. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.