Thesis
The Pacific coast of Guatemala: a palynological investigation of climate change and human occupation
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2013
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103964
Abstract
This thesis discusses the detailed analysis of a sediment core extracted from Iztapa on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. Core IZT09-1 provides insight into the paleoclimatic conditions and agricultural and cultural intensification on the coast during primarily the Middle and Late Formative and Classic periods. Fossil pollen within the core is well preserved and includes cultigens, such as maize (Zea mays) and cotton (Gossypium) pollen, which indicate a clear human presence in the area. Other pollen taxa that indicate human occupation, cultivation, the selective clearing of forests, and the nature of human and environment interactions are also common in the core. Two dry periods, during the Late Formative (300 B.C. – A.D. 300) and the Late Classic (A.D. 600 – 900) periods are evident in the fossil pollen concentrations, highlighting times during which more pressure may have been exerted upon Pacific coastal populations. Though population declines or collapses are reported during both of these drought periods, only the later drought appears to have affected human populations in the area from which the core was taken. Coupled with charcoal counts, the pollen data from core IZT09-1 acts to bolster the timeline of human occupation and climate change on the coast and allows for a close examination of the reaction of coastal populations to sudden and prolonged climate fluctuations.
Metrics
20 File views/ downloads
17 Record Views
Details
- Title
- The Pacific coast of Guatemala
- Creators
- Jean Teachout Larmon
- Contributors
- Andrew I. Duff (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Anthropology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525003301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis