The Villa Poggio Gramignano is a Roman villa site located in southwestern Umbria. This thesis represents the preliminary findings of three seasons of excavation work, 1989-1991, by the University of Arizona, in the area of the villa occupied by the infant cemetery. In effect, it is a discussion of late Roman burial rite in a specific context. This preliminary report on the excavations provides a detailed description of each of the forty seven burials as well as an analysis of these burials and the finds associated with them. Possible factors contributing to its exclusive nature are also explored, as are other examples of infant cemeteries in the Roman world. Lastly, the discussion turns to the possible causes for the numerous infant burials in the Poggio Gramignano cemetery. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This study reviews previous research on ceramic design styles in archaeology and suggests that techniques for identifying the analytical individual in prehistory and using these data to reconstruct past behavioral patterns represents an untapped direction for further archaeological investigation. A new method for stylistic analysis is outlined and tested on a preliminary basis with a collection of prehistoric decorated ceramics. These data provide a foundation for reconstructing aspects of Southwest prehistory as well as providing a potential new direction for stylistic analyses in general.

The vertebrate faunal analyses of the 17th century sunken Spanish galleons, Nuestra Senora de Atocha and to a lesser extent, the Santa Margarita have yielded relevant information on the transportation of animal types across the Alantic. The collection from the Atocha includes 986 identifiable bones, which mainly consist of various fish, reptiles and mammals, although a few bird bones are noted. Remains were collected from 16 areas either within what was left of the ship, or in sections measured away from the wreck. Evidence has shown that a few animals, namely Sus scrofa and Ovis/Capra, had been consumed during the voyage, due to cut marks and/or burned areas. Fresh fish were also a major food source on board ship. Other species were transported alive for use as breeding stock, curiosities for European zoos or as commodities. Hence, this assemblage provided important information about human-animal interactions aboard such sailing vessels.

Lithic raw material variety and abundance reveals the technological utility of different source materials from 20 chipped stone surface collections in the Silver Creek area of east-central Arizona, from sites dating between the 9th and 14th centuries. A rich raw material environment obviates distance-from-source constraints, freeing debitage analysis from traditional spatial interpretations regarding the intensity of reduction. Rather the intensity of reduction and the frequency of distinct material types in each assemblage reflects the impact of social organization, community size, exchange and subsistence variation on the organization of chipped stone technology.

Even though archaeology is an expanding field in Korea attempts at reconstructing subsistence strategies in the Neolithic and Bronze Age are few (e.g. Sample 1974; An 1991a). Research directed towards explaining change in subsistence patterns are even fewer. The attempt is made here, through faunal analysis, to address the latter question. There is unambiguous variation in subsistence strategies in the Korean Neolithic and Bronze Age. During the former cultural stage, inhabitants relied heavily on wild game and fish, but by the Bronze Age subsistence shifted towards rice agriculture. The site of Konam-ri, located off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, contains both Neolithic (ca. 1,500 B.C.) and Bronze Age (800-500 B.C.) occupations. Based on comparative study, the faunal remains associated with the two occupations suggests the subsistence strategies differed markedly. It is argued in this thesis that increasing population pressure may have been the causal factor leading to the change in subsistence.

Along the Mogollon Rim of east-central Arizona changes in the technology of ceramic production, including the appearance of Roosevelt Red Ware, have been attributed to migrating Kayenta-Tusayan populations during the late Pueblo III period. This study compares the technology and mineralogical composition of Pinto Polychrome from the Silver Creek drainage to other wares commonly found in this area and to samples of Pinto Polychrome from sites south of the Mogollon Rim. The petrographic analysis of ceramic samples and the microscopic analysis of raw sands indicate that Pinto Polychrome was locally produced in the Silver Creek drainage, is technologically distinct yet related to Showlow Black-on-red, and is closely tied to the Kayenta-Tusayan tradition of using ceramic plates. Finally, an economic model of integration is used as a framework for assessing the impact of Kayenta-Tusayan migrants in the Silver Creek drainage and their possible connection to the production of Pinto Polychrome.

Extensive analyses of faunal material recovered from the sites of Bailey Ruin and Pottery Hill have yielded data useful to understanding the causes and consequences of shifting settlement organization in the Silver Creek region during the 13th and 14th centuries. The faunal records of the larger, aggregated site of Bailey Ruin (200 rooms) and the smaller, earlier site of Pottery Hill (50 rooms) indicates that population aggregation was accompanied by changing patterns of faunal exploitation. Questions of changes in species diversity and abundance during this transitional period are also discussed.

The Silver Creek area has been the focus of archaeological research since the late nineteenth century. Many of the theories resulting from this work have incorporated estimates of population, either explicitly or implicitly, into the fabric of their arguments. Topics such as sociopolitical structure, migration, aggregation, and social integration require population reconstructions as a foundation for understanding the processes of culture change. Numerous population reconstructions have been presented in the past for the Silver Creek area; however, much of the data incorporated in the present study was unavailable for the previous reconstructions. In this study, several models based on numerous plausible assumptions are presented to determine if a best fit can be found. The results show that there was a major increase in population in the Silver Creek area between A.D. 900-1100, and population declined steadily after about A.D. 1100-1150 until the region was abandoned by about A.D. 1400.

This analysis of nearly 1500 ground stone tools collected during five years of excavation in the Silver Creek area of East-Central Arizona is aimed at addressing four research goals: (1) raw material selection; (2) occupational histories; (3) the organization of labor and intensity of production; and (4) migration. Four excavated sites span the time period from A.D. 1050 to 1330. These research domains are investigated by examining technological change and variation in use-wear in the ground stone assemblage. Evidence suggests that although raw material selection was generally consistent throughout this period, there were significant changes in the use of ground stone tools. These changes are especially pronounced in grinding equipment and pottery polishing stones, possibly representing changes in the organization of subsistence and craft production. A comparative approach to assessing the possibility of Kayenta Anasazi migration to the area is also presented.

<p>This dissertation focuses on a little-explored system of freshwater wetlands in the northeastern Yucat&aacute;n Peninsula of Mexico. Previous archaeological research at one wetland in the Yalahau region found evidence for manipulation in the form of constructed rock alignments, which likely functioned as dikes and dams to control soil and water for food production. There are 175 wetlands in the Yalahau region, therefore the goal of the regional survey was to assess the extent of wetland manipulation, and correlate this manipulation with wetland environmental variables such as vegetation, topography, soil type, and flood regime. A sample of 25 wetlands was selected for survey. Fieldwork involved vegetation mapping, rock alignment mapping, plant collections, topographic transects, installation of water loggers, and extraction of soil cores. Using these data, I evaluate hypotheses regarding patterns in the distribution of alignments, chronology of wetland use, and relationship between developed wetlands and nearby ancient sites. My research shows that wetland manipulation with rock alignments was widespread in the Yalahau region, and that the Maya tended to build rock alignments in very particular physiographic contexts. This project provides a basis for future investigations into rock alignment function and how the Maya adapted to changing environmental conditions in the wetlands. </p>