Doctoral Dissertation Research Award: The Role of Material Culture in Reconstructing Social Connectivity

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).

For nearly a century, archaeologists have debated the extent and nature of cultural interaction between prehispanic populations living in adjacent regions. Despite a general recognition that interactions occurred, the intermediary region remains poorly defined. Language differences and limited literature availability have also prevented broader understandings of regional prehistory.

To address this gap, researchers are conducting the first analysis and comparative study of relevant ceramic samples. These provide scientists with one of the best tools for reconstructing prehistoric interactions. The goal is to understand not only how pottery changed across time, but how its pottery designs reflect changing relationships among populations.

The investigators utilize museum collections and radiocarbon dating to achieve these goals. This binational collaborative project will present findings to both English and Spanish speaking audiences.

Contemporary archaeologists apply the term “connectivity” when broadly discussing complex cultural interactions across wide geographic regions. Pottery analysis is a powerful tool for measuring cultural connectivity because ceramics were abundantly produced in multiple regions. Pottery production was regulated through formalized apprenticeship.

This master/apprentice relationship resulted in the frequent replication of pottery designs and was instrumental in visually reinforcing group identity. The project investigators are producing a database that systematically compares pottery motifs against those from neighboring regions. This systematic comparison provides a unique method that measures the extent, and nature, of cultural connectivity.

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.