Ronald "Sonny" Faulseit | Pierce College (original) (raw)
Books by Ronald "Sonny" Faulseit
Table of Contents, 2018
This timely volume explores the everyday lives of ancient Mesoamerican people from the Formative ... more This timely volume explores the everyday lives of ancient Mesoamerican people from the Formative through the Postclassic. In honor of Dan Healan, who devoted his life’s work to this theme, several notable scholars present novel research to reconstruct how households produced and exchanged goods, carried out private and public rituals, built their residences and neighborhoods, organized their towns and cities, earned a living, observed the stars, and even fomented resistance within powerful states throughout Mesoamerica.
by J. Heath Anderson, Ronald "Sonny" Faulseit, Gary Feinman, Tristram Kidder, Nicola Sharratt, Julie A Hoggarth, Christina Conlee, Jakob Sedig, Andrea Torvinen, Scott Hutson, Kari A. Zobler, Thomas E Emerson, Kristin Hedman, Maureen E Meyers, Chris Rodning, Jayur Mehta, Rebecca Storey, Matthew Peeples, Christopher Pool, Victor Thompson, and Richard Sutter
The last several decades have seen the publication of a considerable amount of scholarly and popu... more The last several decades have seen the publication of a considerable amount of scholarly and popular literature concerning the collapse of complex societies, yielding a fair amount of comparative data and hypotheses regarding this phenomenon. More recently, scholars have begun to challenge these works, rejecting the notion of collapse altogether in favor of focusing on concepts such as resilience and transformation. Driven by these developments, archaeologists have turned their attention to what occurs in the aftermath of sociopolitical decline, attempting to identify factors that contribute to the regeneration, transformation, or reorganization of complex sociopolitical institutions. Subsequent research has provided important data shedding light on political environments that were once characterized as “dark ages.” In that time, general theoretical approaches have transformed as well, and recent frameworks reconsider collapse and reorganization not as unrelated or sequential phenomena but as integral components in a cyclical understanding of the evolution of complex societies. The most recent of these approaches incorporates the tenets of Resilience Theory, as developed by environmental scientists.
In March 2013, an international conference held at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale brought together scholars with diverse theoretical perspectives to present and synthesize new data and approaches to understanding the collapse and reorganization of complex societies. No restrictions were imposed regarding chronological periods, geographical regions or material specialties, resulting in a wide-ranging potential for comparative analysis. This publication is the outcome of that meeting. It is not organized merely as a collection of diverse case studies, but rather a collaborative effort incorporating various data sets to evaluate and expand on theoretical approaches to this important subject. The works contained within this volume are organized into five sections: the first sets the stage with introductory papers by the editor and distinguished contributor, Joseph Tainter; the second contains works by distinguished scholars approaching collapse and reorganization from new theoretical perspectives; the third presents critical archaeological analyses of the effectiveness of Resilience Theory as a heuristic tool for modeling these phenomena; the fourth section presents long-term adaptive strategies employed by prehistoric societies to cope with stresses and avoid collapse; the final section highlights new research on post-decline contexts in a variety of temporal and geographic ranges and relates these data to the more comprehensive works on the subject.
Papers by Ronald "Sonny" Faulseit
Nature, Feb 28, 2018
This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nature24646.
Nature, 2017
Kohler, Timothy A., Michael E. Smith, Amy Bogaard, Gary M. Feinman, Christian E. Peterson, Alleen... more Kohler, Timothy A., Michael E. Smith, Amy Bogaard, Gary M. Feinman, Christian E. Peterson, Alleen Betzenhauser, Matthew Pailes, Elizabeth C. Stone, Anna Marie Prentiss, Timothy Dennehy, Laura Ellyson, Linda M. Nicholas, Ronald K. Faulseit, Amy Styring, Jade Whitlam, Mattia Fochesato, Thomas A. Foor, and Samuel Bowles. 2017. Greater Post-Neolithic Wealth Disparities in Eurasia than in North America and Mesoamerica. Nature 551(7680): 10.1038/nature24646. How wealth is distributed among households provides insight into the fundamental characters of societies and the opportunities they afford for social mobility. However, economic inequality has been hard to study in ancient societies for which we do not have written records, which adds to the challenge of placing current wealth disparities into a long-term perspective. Although various archaeological proxies for wealth, such as burial goods or exotic or expensive-to-manufacture goods in household assemblages, have been proposed, the fi...
Anales de Antropología, 2020
Determining how human remains were viewed, disposed of, or ma- nipulated after death can provide ... more Determining how human remains were viewed, disposed of, or ma- nipulated after death can provide a useful tool in understanding past societies. In prehispanic Oaxaca, human bone was commonly han- dled after death, sometimes crafted into tools, adornments, or cere- monial artifacts. e following discusses culturally modified human remains from a domestic terrace located on Cerro Danush, a promi- nent hill at the archaeological site of Dainzú in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. e terrace’s layout and artifacts show it was inhabited by an elite familial group and occupied from the Classic (600 AD) to Early Postclassic (850–1300 AD) periods. Over 30 modified human bones were recovered, originating from juveniles and adults. ese include drilled and carved mandibles, an engraved femoral shaft seg- ment, circular discs from cranial vaults, and shaped and polished long bones. ese are interpreted as buccal masks and weaving tools, likely utilized in ceremonial activities. e context of these remains within Dainzú and their association with the greater Oaxacan religious land- scape is discussed. By providing detailed osteological analysis, this paper broadens our understanding of who was deemed acceptable for inclusion in ceremonial narratives and the use of modified human remains in this Oaxacan community, contextualizing human remains within the archaeological record.
In prehispanic Mesoamerica , obsidian is ubiquitous at most archaeological sites. The ability to... more In prehispanic Mesoamerica , obsidian is ubiquitous at most
archaeological sites. The ability to determine the geological source for each compositionally analyzed piece of obsidian provides a window into prehispanic exchange that is not presently possible for any other abundant archaeological good. Because there are no obsidian outcrops in the state of Oaxaca, the Valley of Oaxaca and surrounding regions are ideal for examining long-distance exchange and shifts in networks over time. Through the use of portable X-ray fluorescence technology we have expanded the corpus of sourced obsidian from the Valley of Oaxaca to over 10,000 pieces that were procured from 13 different sources. Significant changes over time are noted in the abundance of these sources. In addition , site-to-site differences point to contemporaneous variation in obsidian procurement and network participation.
The findings from this analysis do not support a model of centralized
control and redistribution by Monte Alban or any other settlement. Obsidian
assemblages in Oaxaca were affected by extra-regional, geopolitical processes that impacted broader networks of exchange.
In the Field: The Field Museum Members Magazine 86(1):12, Jan 2015
Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association, Jun 2015
Since the 1980s, indigenous communities in Mexico have shown increased demand to control the narr... more Since the 1980s, indigenous communities in Mexico have shown increased demand to control the narrative
associated with the archaeological remains found on their communal lands. Subsequently, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has initiated a program for the development of communitarian museums, providing a means for people to present their heritage on their own terms, and therefore, establish the legacy between the modern and ancient communities. In this paper, I discuss the background behind this movement, as wells as my own experience curating the materials from archaeological investigations in the communitarian museum of an indigenous community in Oaxaca. [Zapotec, community museums, Oaxaca, archaeology]
Mexicon 34(6):148-156, Dec 2012
Latin American Antiquity, Dec 2012
This is a report I wrote for FAMSI after my first field season of research at Cerro Danush. The... more This is a report I wrote for FAMSI after my first field season of research at Cerro Danush.
The Copy I posted here is a Spanish translation of the original, which is posted to the FAMSI website. See link
Human Mosaic 36(1), 2006
This is a paper I did on the numerical periods the Maya scribes used in the Dresden Codex Venus T... more This is a paper I did on the numerical periods the Maya scribes used in the Dresden Codex Venus Table. I tie the periods to the sidereal motions of Venus rather than the synodic.
It was published in a special edition of Human Mosaic V.36 that was dedicated to Harvey and Vicky Bricker
This is my master's thesis in Physical Chemistry from the University of Notre Dame.
Project Reports by Ronald "Sonny" Faulseit
CAPÍTULO II. MAPEO Y LEVANTAMIENTO TOPOGRÁFICO
Capítulo II del Informe del proyecto 2014-2015
Introducción, 2015
Introducción del Proyecto de Dainzú 2014-2015
Informe Final 2014-2015, 2015
Capítulo sobre las excavaciones de una terraza doméstica en el sitio de Dainzú
Informe 2014-2015, 2015
Los capítulos sobre el análisis de los artefactos líticos y las conclusiones del proyecto arqueol... more Los capítulos sobre el análisis de los artefactos líticos y las conclusiones del proyecto arqueológico de Dainzú años 2014-2015
Informe submitted to INAH in 2008
Table of Contents, 2018
This timely volume explores the everyday lives of ancient Mesoamerican people from the Formative ... more This timely volume explores the everyday lives of ancient Mesoamerican people from the Formative through the Postclassic. In honor of Dan Healan, who devoted his life’s work to this theme, several notable scholars present novel research to reconstruct how households produced and exchanged goods, carried out private and public rituals, built their residences and neighborhoods, organized their towns and cities, earned a living, observed the stars, and even fomented resistance within powerful states throughout Mesoamerica.
by J. Heath Anderson, Ronald "Sonny" Faulseit, Gary Feinman, Tristram Kidder, Nicola Sharratt, Julie A Hoggarth, Christina Conlee, Jakob Sedig, Andrea Torvinen, Scott Hutson, Kari A. Zobler, Thomas E Emerson, Kristin Hedman, Maureen E Meyers, Chris Rodning, Jayur Mehta, Rebecca Storey, Matthew Peeples, Christopher Pool, Victor Thompson, and Richard Sutter
The last several decades have seen the publication of a considerable amount of scholarly and popu... more The last several decades have seen the publication of a considerable amount of scholarly and popular literature concerning the collapse of complex societies, yielding a fair amount of comparative data and hypotheses regarding this phenomenon. More recently, scholars have begun to challenge these works, rejecting the notion of collapse altogether in favor of focusing on concepts such as resilience and transformation. Driven by these developments, archaeologists have turned their attention to what occurs in the aftermath of sociopolitical decline, attempting to identify factors that contribute to the regeneration, transformation, or reorganization of complex sociopolitical institutions. Subsequent research has provided important data shedding light on political environments that were once characterized as “dark ages.” In that time, general theoretical approaches have transformed as well, and recent frameworks reconsider collapse and reorganization not as unrelated or sequential phenomena but as integral components in a cyclical understanding of the evolution of complex societies. The most recent of these approaches incorporates the tenets of Resilience Theory, as developed by environmental scientists.
In March 2013, an international conference held at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale brought together scholars with diverse theoretical perspectives to present and synthesize new data and approaches to understanding the collapse and reorganization of complex societies. No restrictions were imposed regarding chronological periods, geographical regions or material specialties, resulting in a wide-ranging potential for comparative analysis. This publication is the outcome of that meeting. It is not organized merely as a collection of diverse case studies, but rather a collaborative effort incorporating various data sets to evaluate and expand on theoretical approaches to this important subject. The works contained within this volume are organized into five sections: the first sets the stage with introductory papers by the editor and distinguished contributor, Joseph Tainter; the second contains works by distinguished scholars approaching collapse and reorganization from new theoretical perspectives; the third presents critical archaeological analyses of the effectiveness of Resilience Theory as a heuristic tool for modeling these phenomena; the fourth section presents long-term adaptive strategies employed by prehistoric societies to cope with stresses and avoid collapse; the final section highlights new research on post-decline contexts in a variety of temporal and geographic ranges and relates these data to the more comprehensive works on the subject.
Nature, Feb 28, 2018
This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nature24646.
Nature, 2017
Kohler, Timothy A., Michael E. Smith, Amy Bogaard, Gary M. Feinman, Christian E. Peterson, Alleen... more Kohler, Timothy A., Michael E. Smith, Amy Bogaard, Gary M. Feinman, Christian E. Peterson, Alleen Betzenhauser, Matthew Pailes, Elizabeth C. Stone, Anna Marie Prentiss, Timothy Dennehy, Laura Ellyson, Linda M. Nicholas, Ronald K. Faulseit, Amy Styring, Jade Whitlam, Mattia Fochesato, Thomas A. Foor, and Samuel Bowles. 2017. Greater Post-Neolithic Wealth Disparities in Eurasia than in North America and Mesoamerica. Nature 551(7680): 10.1038/nature24646. How wealth is distributed among households provides insight into the fundamental characters of societies and the opportunities they afford for social mobility. However, economic inequality has been hard to study in ancient societies for which we do not have written records, which adds to the challenge of placing current wealth disparities into a long-term perspective. Although various archaeological proxies for wealth, such as burial goods or exotic or expensive-to-manufacture goods in household assemblages, have been proposed, the fi...
Anales de Antropología, 2020
Determining how human remains were viewed, disposed of, or ma- nipulated after death can provide ... more Determining how human remains were viewed, disposed of, or ma- nipulated after death can provide a useful tool in understanding past societies. In prehispanic Oaxaca, human bone was commonly han- dled after death, sometimes crafted into tools, adornments, or cere- monial artifacts. e following discusses culturally modified human remains from a domestic terrace located on Cerro Danush, a promi- nent hill at the archaeological site of Dainzú in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. e terrace’s layout and artifacts show it was inhabited by an elite familial group and occupied from the Classic (600 AD) to Early Postclassic (850–1300 AD) periods. Over 30 modified human bones were recovered, originating from juveniles and adults. ese include drilled and carved mandibles, an engraved femoral shaft seg- ment, circular discs from cranial vaults, and shaped and polished long bones. ese are interpreted as buccal masks and weaving tools, likely utilized in ceremonial activities. e context of these remains within Dainzú and their association with the greater Oaxacan religious land- scape is discussed. By providing detailed osteological analysis, this paper broadens our understanding of who was deemed acceptable for inclusion in ceremonial narratives and the use of modified human remains in this Oaxacan community, contextualizing human remains within the archaeological record.
In prehispanic Mesoamerica , obsidian is ubiquitous at most archaeological sites. The ability to... more In prehispanic Mesoamerica , obsidian is ubiquitous at most
archaeological sites. The ability to determine the geological source for each compositionally analyzed piece of obsidian provides a window into prehispanic exchange that is not presently possible for any other abundant archaeological good. Because there are no obsidian outcrops in the state of Oaxaca, the Valley of Oaxaca and surrounding regions are ideal for examining long-distance exchange and shifts in networks over time. Through the use of portable X-ray fluorescence technology we have expanded the corpus of sourced obsidian from the Valley of Oaxaca to over 10,000 pieces that were procured from 13 different sources. Significant changes over time are noted in the abundance of these sources. In addition , site-to-site differences point to contemporaneous variation in obsidian procurement and network participation.
The findings from this analysis do not support a model of centralized
control and redistribution by Monte Alban or any other settlement. Obsidian
assemblages in Oaxaca were affected by extra-regional, geopolitical processes that impacted broader networks of exchange.
In the Field: The Field Museum Members Magazine 86(1):12, Jan 2015
Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association, Jun 2015
Since the 1980s, indigenous communities in Mexico have shown increased demand to control the narr... more Since the 1980s, indigenous communities in Mexico have shown increased demand to control the narrative
associated with the archaeological remains found on their communal lands. Subsequently, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has initiated a program for the development of communitarian museums, providing a means for people to present their heritage on their own terms, and therefore, establish the legacy between the modern and ancient communities. In this paper, I discuss the background behind this movement, as wells as my own experience curating the materials from archaeological investigations in the communitarian museum of an indigenous community in Oaxaca. [Zapotec, community museums, Oaxaca, archaeology]
Mexicon 34(6):148-156, Dec 2012
Latin American Antiquity, Dec 2012
This is a report I wrote for FAMSI after my first field season of research at Cerro Danush. The... more This is a report I wrote for FAMSI after my first field season of research at Cerro Danush.
The Copy I posted here is a Spanish translation of the original, which is posted to the FAMSI website. See link
Human Mosaic 36(1), 2006
This is a paper I did on the numerical periods the Maya scribes used in the Dresden Codex Venus T... more This is a paper I did on the numerical periods the Maya scribes used in the Dresden Codex Venus Table. I tie the periods to the sidereal motions of Venus rather than the synodic.
It was published in a special edition of Human Mosaic V.36 that was dedicated to Harvey and Vicky Bricker
This is my master's thesis in Physical Chemistry from the University of Notre Dame.
CAPÍTULO II. MAPEO Y LEVANTAMIENTO TOPOGRÁFICO
Capítulo II del Informe del proyecto 2014-2015
Introducción, 2015
Introducción del Proyecto de Dainzú 2014-2015
Informe Final 2014-2015, 2015
Capítulo sobre las excavaciones de una terraza doméstica en el sitio de Dainzú
Informe 2014-2015, 2015
Los capítulos sobre el análisis de los artefactos líticos y las conclusiones del proyecto arqueol... more Los capítulos sobre el análisis de los artefactos líticos y las conclusiones del proyecto arqueológico de Dainzú años 2014-2015
Informe submitted to INAH in 2008
Informe to the Consejo de Arqueología for the second field season of research at Cerro Danush, wh... more Informe to the Consejo de Arqueología for the second field season of research at Cerro Danush, which involved the comprehensive excavation of a domestic terrace.
See above, 2019
Review of the book: City, Craft and Residence in Mesoamerica, Honoring Dan M. Healan. Edited by R... more Review of the book: City, Craft and Residence in Mesoamerica, Honoring Dan M. Healan. Edited by Ronald K. Faulseit, N. Xiuhtecutli, and H. M. Mehta. [Review by John Millhauser]
Latin American Antiquity, 2016