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Title: SWEAT: THE EXODUS FROM PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ENSLAVEMENT TO EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL LIBERATION.
Creator: Roberson, Aqueelah, Chase, Diane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this thesis is to showcase the importance of God-inspired Theatre and to manifest the transformative effects of living in accordance to the Word of God. In order to share my vision for theatre such as this, I will examine the biblical elements in Zora Neale Hurston's short story Sweat (1926). I will write a stage adaptation of the story, while placing emphasis on the biblical lessons that can be used for God-inspired Theatre. When viewing the stage adaptation based on Sweat...
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to showcase the importance of God-inspired Theatre and to manifest the transformative effects of living in accordance to the Word of God. In order to share my vision for theatre such as this, I will examine the biblical elements in Zora Neale Hurston's short story Sweat (1926). I will write a stage adaptation of the story, while placing emphasis on the biblical lessons that can be used for God-inspired Theatre. When viewing the stage adaptation based on Sweat, the audience members will understand how God-inspired Theatre aims to help members of society utilize their gifts and abilities to assist others in achieving spiritual stability. The members of the audience will also be informed of my vision to use this piece to inspire others to embrace cultural awareness and sensitivity. This is my vision--helping others to walk in their God-ordained destiny. With this in mind, I am using Sweat as a proposed play because it is closely related to the creation account as recorded in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. In this play, Adam and Eve are replaced with the characters Sykes and Delia Jones. The creation account is a very influential testimony because it is known throughout humanity. Its popularity is due to the fact that the Old Testament is the commencement of the Christian Bible. For those of the Jewish faith, the collection encompasses the Torah, the first five books of the bible--the law for everyday living-- as well as the history of God's promise to them. For Christians, the Old Testament is just as sacred, but they view its religious meaning as incomplete without the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ detailed in the New Testament. Also, Muslims trace their religious roots to some of the figures in the Old Testament although they deny the religious significance of the work as a whole. In essence, the Old Testament is crucial to Western Civilization. This is why Sweat is so powerful. It takes an extremely familiar testimony and shares pertinent messages that help people to become productive members of society. In order to show how effective Sweat is in helping others to live spirit-filled lives, I will use creative staging that will place the characters in the personal space of the audience members. I will achieve this by: having the actors enter and exit from the audience; allowing certain scenes to take place within the audience; and having the actors deliver some lines to various audience members. I feel that by making the audience a part of the production, it will cause them to see that they are not any different from the characters in the play. At some point in their lives, theatergoers have encountered--or been intimate with--an Adam, an Eve, a Sykes or a Delia. This will cause them to not see Sweat as just a play, but as a valuable life lesson, triggering self-examination and initiating renovated thinking that helps people to become culturally aware and spiritually sound. It is imperative that the biblical messages in Sweat are conspicuous. Whereas the narrator normally describes Delia's facial expression or feelings, I plan to write in scenes where her thoughts are audible. Some of her thoughts will include moments when she is praising and worshipping God. This is apparent because she starts to emerge as a woman of strength as the story progresses. Her relationship with God is cultivated on a daily basis. This is why she is able to tolerate her husband's foolishness. Her husband, Sykes, does not commune with God. To demonstrate his lack of communion with God, I will stage him being resistant to her times of worship--as he normally is according to the narrator. Clearly, the marriage is unbalanced. One partner is trying to please God, and the other is trying to please self. This is not how God intended marriage to be. In the New Testament Book First Peter, it states in the third chapter and seventh verse "husbands are to dwell with them in understanding, giving honor to the wife … being heirs together of the grace of life." Showing the burdensome consequences of destructing God's original design will pull on the hearts of audience members because they have encountered or known someone who is presently dealing with the consequences of this disobedient act. I will further reiterate the need for living a spirit-filled life by using costumes, scenic devices, and lighting to convey the godly and ungodly character traits that are embodied within the story. Through the use of colors and patterns, I will project the internal state of the character as in relation to God's instructions. I will work with a lighting designer in order to help convey the moods of the various scenes. The lighting techniques we choose will help to establish the thoughts and personalities of the characters. These feelings will transcend the minds of the audience and cause them to take the biblical messages into very deep consideration. The actors are the final ingredients in making Sweat an awe-inspiring, informative piece. Words are what they are, what one perceives them to be, while on paper. It is the job of the actor to give life to these words, cause them to live in the atmosphere, and to make the character come alive. Until the actor embodies the very heart of a character, the message in God-inspired Theatre will not be able to come forth and propel audience members to have a spiritual awakening. This is why people cannot just read Sweat. They must see the trials and journeys in order to receive life-changing revelations from the testimonies within the play.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001702, ucf:47329
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001702

Title: MEA FAMILIA: ETHNIC BURIAL IDENTIFIERS IN ST. MICHAEL'S CEMETERY, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.
Creator: Giroux, Amy, Chase, Diane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Grave markers from St. Michael's Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida, were studied for evidence of ethnicity and acculturation. The 1,447 grave markers dating from 1870 to 1939 were used to test two hypotheses: 1) the grave markers for ethnic groups represented in the cemetery during the project's time period have identifiable sets of burial attributes; and 2) changes in the visible ethnic attribute sets show evidence of the acculturation of ethnic groups over time. Physical attributes...
Show moreGrave markers from St. Michael's Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida, were studied for evidence of ethnicity and acculturation. The 1,447 grave markers dating from 1870 to 1939 were used to test two hypotheses: 1) the grave markers for ethnic groups represented in the cemetery during the project's time period have identifiable sets of burial attributes; and 2) changes in the visible ethnic attribute sets show evidence of the acculturation of ethnic groups over time. Physical attributes pertaining to grave markers, and personal characteristics (e.g. sex, age) for the individuals inscribed upon the markers were collected for analysis. Historical sources were used to assign ethnicity to each marker by determining the ancestry of the individuals memorialized. Grave marker attributes for ten ethnic groups were examined. The statistical results indicate a correlation of ethnicity with marker attributes. Central Europeans had the most identifiable preferences including large markers, vertical markers, floral design motifs, and headstone molding. Other observable ethnic patterns include the use of family markers, non-marble materials, horizontal markers, relationship wording, and religious symbolism. Spatial analysis illustrates that ethnic markers were dispersed across the cemetery; this lack of segregation in the graveyard may be due to acculturation. However, the diachronic changes in burial identifiers cannot be clearly ascribed to the acculturation of immigrants. Use of marble materials and the height of markers diminished for all ethnic groups. Changes in the memorialization industry were likely contributing factors to differences in attribute selection over time. Therefore, while ethnic burial identifiers are statistically visible in the cemetery landscape, attribute changes are not exclusively caused by acculturation.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002910, ucf:47997
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002910

Title: The Quadripartite Badge: Narratives of Power and Resurrection in Maya Iconography.
Creator: Ingalls, Victoria, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Ancient Maya iconography primarily depicted elite individuals in idealized states of being and rationalized their power and authority through ideological concepts and otherworld beings. This study aims to reexamine previous assumptions made concerning the Quadripartite Badge. This motif is examined based on iconographic associations and contexts, as well as temporal and spatial distributions. The dataset was created from currently identified examples of the Quadripartite Badge, although only...
Show moreAncient Maya iconography primarily depicted elite individuals in idealized states of being and rationalized their power and authority through ideological concepts and otherworld beings. This study aims to reexamine previous assumptions made concerning the Quadripartite Badge. This motif is examined based on iconographic associations and contexts, as well as temporal and spatial distributions. The dataset was created from currently identified examples of the Quadripartite Badge, although only a select group is extensively examined. The spread of this motif is demonstrated through time and its spatial dispersals are noted for their political consequences. Indicating the liminal status of its user, the Badge is frequently placed in scenes of transformation, accompanying rites of passage. It is also established that as elite women became more prominent, women from Tikal and Calakmul circulated this iconography through marriage alliances, as seen in the number of newly 'arrived' women carrying the Badge. Other iconographic associations of the Badge revealed strong ties with the Maize God and the cyclical nature of agriculture. For the continuation of the maize cycle and renewal of universal forces, sacrifice was required; the completion of ritual sacrifice was demonstrated through the depiction of the Quadripartite Badge. This one expression of power simultaneously validated earthly and otherworldy authority, ensuring the continuation of the cosmos and the perpetuation of the sun and maize cycles.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004552, ucf:49227
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004552

Title: Geographic and Environmental Influence on Maya Settlement Patterns of the Northwest Yucatan: An Explanation for the Sparsely Settled Western Cenote Zone.
Creator: Rohrer, Patrick, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Most settlement pattern research and GIS analysis of the ancient Maya of the Northern Yucatan have focused on water availability in a dry landscape where cenotes are often the only water source. While water is of paramount importance, permanent settlement secondarily requires farmable soil, a resource often as precious as water in many parts of the Yucatan. The dynamics between these resources reveal areas of ideal settlement and more challenging landscapes for which the Maya developed...
Show moreMost settlement pattern research and GIS analysis of the ancient Maya of the Northern Yucatan have focused on water availability in a dry landscape where cenotes are often the only water source. While water is of paramount importance, permanent settlement secondarily requires farmable soil, a resource often as precious as water in many parts of the Yucatan. The dynamics between these resources reveal areas of ideal settlement and more challenging landscapes for which the Maya developed strategies to overcome environmental conditions. A region of the southwest "Cenote Zone", however, appears to have presented the ancient Maya with insurmountably poor environmental conditions despite abundant water resources. The lack of dense population and stone architecture in this area emphasizes the lack of a simple correlation between cenotes and settlement. This thesis uses GIS analysis to identify and explore such problematic settlement areas to better understand the factors and complexities involved in the more successful settlements of neighboring regions.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004589, ucf:49205
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004589

Title: New Perspectives on the Quatrefoil in Classic Maya Iconography; The Center and the Portal.
Creator: Egan, Rachel, Chase, Arlen, Barber, Sarah, Chase, Diane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The quatrefoil is a pan-Mesoamerican symbol with considerable time-depth. For the Maya, use of the symbol peaked during the Classic Period, reaching its highest frequency and largest geographical spread. Consequently, understanding its meaning has the potential to illuminate information about Precolumbian Maya worldview. While there have been several studies that focus on Preclassic Period quatrefoils, a similar study is lacking for Classic Period. Furthermore, the evaluations of the...
Show moreThe quatrefoil is a pan-Mesoamerican symbol with considerable time-depth. For the Maya, use of the symbol peaked during the Classic Period, reaching its highest frequency and largest geographical spread. Consequently, understanding its meaning has the potential to illuminate information about Precolumbian Maya worldview. While there have been several studies that focus on Preclassic Period quatrefoils, a similar study is lacking for Classic Period. Furthermore, the evaluations of the quatrefoil that do exist for the Classic Period are limited, often focusing on a select few examples. This thesis attempts to rectify the gap in extant research through an examination of the quatrefoil motif utilized by the Classic Period Maya. Specifically, the goal of the thesis was to determine whether the current interpretation of the quatrefoil as a cave is and also to investigate how the symbol communicated broader ideas about worldview and ideology. The approach that was utilized focuses on both archaeological and iconographic contexts. As an iconographic symbol, I attempt to understand the quatrefoil through the use of semiotics with particular emphasis on contextualization and analogy. The results of this study suggest that, while there were some patterns related to spatial distribution, the meaning of the quatrefoil motif was dependent on context and had considerable variations. I conclude that the analysis of the symbol, when based on specific usages and contexts, reveals that there is not enough evidence to support the current interpretation of quatrefoil as cave. Rather, the quatrefoil can be more accurately interpreted as a cosmogram that delineated information about how the Maya conceptualized, ordered, and accessed space that was appropriated by elites to reinforce and even legitimize political authority.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004105, ucf:49116
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004105

Title: The Foods and Crops of the Muisca: A Dietary Reconstruction of the Intermediate Chiefdoms of Bogota (Bacata) and Tunja (Hunza), Colombia.
Creator: Garcia, Jorge, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Muisca people of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia had an exceptionally complex diet, which is the result of specific subsistence strategies, environmental advantages, and social restrictions. The distinct varieties of microclimates, caused by the sharp elevations in this part of the Andes, allows for a great biodiversity of plants and animals that was accessible to the native population. The crops of domesticated and adopted plants of the Muisca include a wide variety of tubers, cereals...
Show moreThe Muisca people of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia had an exceptionally complex diet, which is the result of specific subsistence strategies, environmental advantages, and social restrictions. The distinct varieties of microclimates, caused by the sharp elevations in this part of the Andes, allows for a great biodiversity of plants and animals that was accessible to the native population. The crops of domesticated and adopted plants of the Muisca include a wide variety of tubers, cereals, fruits, and leaves that are described in detail in this thesis. The Muisca used an agricultural method known as microverticality where the different thermic floors are utilized to grow an impressive variety of species at various elevations and climates. This group also domesticated the guinea pig, controlled deer populations and possibly practiced pisiculture, patterns that are also described in this text. Some of the foods of the Muisca were restricted to specific social groups, such as the consumption of deer and maize by the chiefly classes and the consumption of roots and tubers by the lower class, hence the complexity of their dietary practices. The utensils utilized in the preparation and processing of foods, including ceramics and stone tools were once of extreme importance in the evolution of the Muisca diet and form an important part of this research as well as the culinary methods that are described in the Spanish chronicles and by contemporary experts. The majority of food products utilized by the Muisca in antiquity are still part of the diet of contemporary Colombians and the current uses of these foods can allow us to understand how these products were used by this pre-Columbian society. On the other hand, knowledge of the practices used by the Muisca can facilitate the preservation of these foods in the modern diet and avoid the introduction and replacement of these foods by non-native products, which can be less nutritious.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004199, ucf:48994
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004199

Title: Maya Use and Prevalence of the Atlatl: Projectile Point Classification Function Analysis from Chich(&)#233;n Itz(&)#225;, Tikal, and Caracol.
Creator: Ciofalo, Andrew, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Multiple scholars have briefly discussed the Maya use of the atlatl. Yet, there has never been a decisive encompassing discussion of prevalence and use of the atlatl in the Maya region with multiple lines of support from iconographic and artifactual analyses. This thesis explores the atlatl at Chich(&)#233;n Itz(&)#225;, Tikal, and Caracol Maya sites to prove that atlatl prevalence can be interpreted primarily based on projectile point (")classification function(") analysis with support from...
Show moreMultiple scholars have briefly discussed the Maya use of the atlatl. Yet, there has never been a decisive encompassing discussion of prevalence and use of the atlatl in the Maya region with multiple lines of support from iconographic and artifactual analyses. This thesis explores the atlatl at Chich(&)#233;n Itz(&)#225;, Tikal, and Caracol Maya sites to prove that atlatl prevalence can be interpreted primarily based on projectile point (")classification function(") analysis with support from iconographic and artifactual remains. The classification functions are derived from creating mutually exclusive groups of dart points and arrow points by using discrete functional analysis. Discerning between dart and arrow points can be completed with a high degree of accuracy based on maximum shoulder width of lithic points in an assemblage. Because the atlatl and bow complexes have been primarily constructed of perishable materials, the best method to determine the prevalence of atlatl use is by identifying the launcher based on projectile point identification. Using a cross-site comparison of projectile point size, the Maya use and prevalence of the atlatl will be elucidated.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004193, ucf:49034
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004193

Title: With the Protection of the Gods: An Interpretation of the Protector Figure in Classic Maya Iconography.
Creator: Lindley, Tiffany, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Iconography encapsulates the cultural knowledge of a civilization. The ancient Maya of Mesoamerica utilized iconography to express ideological beliefs, as well as political events and histories. An ideology heavily based on the presence of an Otherworld is visible in elaborate Maya iconography. Motifs and themes can be manipulated to convey different meanings based on context. An example of this mutability can be witnessed in the depiction of Otherworld gods. Maya gods were not like Old World...
Show moreIconography encapsulates the cultural knowledge of a civilization. The ancient Maya of Mesoamerica utilized iconography to express ideological beliefs, as well as political events and histories. An ideology heavily based on the presence of an Otherworld is visible in elaborate Maya iconography. Motifs and themes can be manipulated to convey different meanings based on context. An example of this mutability can be witnessed in the depiction of Otherworld gods. Maya gods were not like Old World pantheons; gods were fluid and could function in multiple roles. Protector gods are an example of the fluidity of Maya deities. Scenes of protector gods are closely related, indicative of a specific theme and meaning. This thesis aims to define a specific iconographic theme, centered around a (")protector,(") based on the similarities of the composition of each scene in the sample set of images found on monuments. In conjunction with archaeological evidence and epigraphy, I suggest the protector theme depicts deities in the role of a protector.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004220, ucf:49010
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004220

Title: Ritual Use of the Human Form: A Contextual Analysis of the "Charlie Chaplin" Figure in the Maya Lowlands.
Creator: Lomitola, Lisa, Chase, Arlen, Barber, Sarah, Chase, Diane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Small anthropomorphic figures, most often referred to as (")Charlie Chaplins,(") appear in ritual deposits throughout the ancient Maya sites of Belize during the late Preclassic and Early Classic Periods and later, throughout the Pet(&)#233;n region of Guatemala. Often these figures appear within similar cache assemblages and are carved from (")exotic(") materials such as shell or jade. This thesis examines the contexts in which these figures appear and considers the wider implications for...
Show moreSmall anthropomorphic figures, most often referred to as (")Charlie Chaplins,(") appear in ritual deposits throughout the ancient Maya sites of Belize during the late Preclassic and Early Classic Periods and later, throughout the Pet(&)#233;n region of Guatemala. Often these figures appear within similar cache assemblages and are carved from (")exotic(") materials such as shell or jade. This thesis examines the contexts in which these figures appear and considers the wider implications for commonly held ritual practices throughout the Maya lowlands during the Classic Period and the similarities between (")Charlie Chaplin(") figures and anthropomorphic figures found in ritual contexts outside of the Maya area.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004402, ucf:49394
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004402

Title: Reevaluating the Late Classic Lu-bat Glyphic Phrase: The Artist and the Underworld.
Creator: Carroll, Patrick, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The study of hieroglyphic texts is vital to the interpretation of the ancient Maya and how their worldview contributed to their daily lives. Hieroglyphic decipherment has been an arduous undertaking and a wide variety of the Late Classic Maya writing styles has also been documented. When specific hieroglyphic phrases are not fully understood it has been necessary to utilize other sources of information to help increase the understanding of these texts. The (")lu-bat(") glyphic phrase has been...
Show moreThe study of hieroglyphic texts is vital to the interpretation of the ancient Maya and how their worldview contributed to their daily lives. Hieroglyphic decipherment has been an arduous undertaking and a wide variety of the Late Classic Maya writing styles has also been documented. When specific hieroglyphic phrases are not fully understood it has been necessary to utilize other sources of information to help increase the understanding of these texts. The (")lu-bat(") glyphic phrase has been utilized in multiple mediums throughout the Late Classic period and is described as an artist's signature. This artist signature is directly related to specific iconographic elements and themes that represent a cosmological view of the ancient Maya. This thesis demonstrates the connection between the lu-bat glyphic phrase and iconographic themes indicative of liminal powers exercised by the social elites in terms of the underworld. This connection is strengthened through the evaluation of the associated texts and iconographic analysis. While interpretations of the lu-bat glyphic phrase have suggested that it represented an artist's signature, a concise articulation of the hieroglyphic values for the lu-bat glyphic phrase has not yet be achieved. The iconographic imagery involved with this glyph demonstrates an interactive level between the conduit being and liminal actions. This interaction depicts the individual involved as a direct medium for the ritual activities of the elites in terms of the underworld.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004981, ucf:49572
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004981

Title: Chetumal's Dragonglass: Postclassic Obsidian Production and Exchange at Santa Rita Corozal, Belize.
Creator: Seidita, Max, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Obsidian is one of the most common materials preserved in the archaeological record of Mesoamerica. Because of this and obsidian's unique chemical properties, it has become one of the most common means by which to explain ancient exchange and production. Northern Belize has largely been absent from discussions of Postclassic Mesoamerican economies. The limited amount of obsidian research that has been done is unable to draw comparisons to the region's primary site during this period, Santa...
Show moreObsidian is one of the most common materials preserved in the archaeological record of Mesoamerica. Because of this and obsidian's unique chemical properties, it has become one of the most common means by which to explain ancient exchange and production. Northern Belize has largely been absent from discussions of Postclassic Mesoamerican economies. The limited amount of obsidian research that has been done is unable to draw comparisons to the region's primary site during this period, Santa Rita Corozal. This thesis remedies this by exploring the importation, production, and distribution of obsidian at the Postclassic Maya primary center of Santa Rita Corozal, Belize. Through the application of the lithic technology approach and the use of pXRF (portable X-ray fluorescence) spectrometry, it is possible to establish the sources of obsidian being exploited, the stage of reduction of obsidian imports, the major obsidian industry, and obsidian distribution for Santa Rita Corozal's Postclassic Period.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005997, ucf:50778
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005997

Title: Evaluation of an Early Classic Round Structure at Santa Rita Corozal, Belize.
Creator: Kangas, Rachael, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Barber, Sarah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Round structures in the Maya area are an architectural form that is not well understood, in part due to the relatively few examples recovered through archaeological excavations. The site of Santa Rita Corozal, Belize offers one of the few examples of an Early Classic Period round structure (Structure 135) in the Maya region, one that is distinctive in its timing and architectural form. This thesis seeks to compare Structure 135 with the patterns of round structures identified in the...
Show moreRound structures in the Maya area are an architectural form that is not well understood, in part due to the relatively few examples recovered through archaeological excavations. The site of Santa Rita Corozal, Belize offers one of the few examples of an Early Classic Period round structure (Structure 135) in the Maya region, one that is distinctive in its timing and architectural form. This thesis seeks to compare Structure 135 with the patterns of round structures identified in the Preclassic and Terminal/early Postclassic Periods, when there are comparatively more examples and to pinpoint the multiple construction periods evidenced in the excavations to define the changes to the structure over time. Based on this research, Structure 135 at Santa Rita Corozal does not clearly conform to earlier or later patterns of round structures in the Maya region and its use before abandonment and eventual transformation to a rectilinear shape was shorter than previously thought. This research also offers insights into the need for the contextual analysis of ceramics, and the difficulties of assuming context through the use of construction fill, even with a clear cultural formation process.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005962, ucf:50798
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005962

Title: Garden Soils: Reviewing the Viability of Soil Phosphate Analyses in the Archaeological Identification of Ancient Maya Kitchen Gardens.
Creator: Foster, Cheryl, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The study of ancient Maya intensive, intra-site agricultural systems, such as kitchen gardens, has gained new interest in recent years as a valuable way of interpreting numerous aspects of the ancient Maya's daily life (e.g. subsistence and settlement patterns, population growth, diet and nutrition, gender roles). However, while contemporary Maya kitchen gardens can often be easily identified and studied by cultural anthropologists and archaeologists, ancient kitchen gardens are usually much...
Show moreThe study of ancient Maya intensive, intra-site agricultural systems, such as kitchen gardens, has gained new interest in recent years as a valuable way of interpreting numerous aspects of the ancient Maya's daily life (e.g. subsistence and settlement patterns, population growth, diet and nutrition, gender roles). However, while contemporary Maya kitchen gardens can often be easily identified and studied by cultural anthropologists and archaeologists, ancient kitchen gardens are usually much harder to identify by traditional archaeological techniques because of their lack of architectural structures and other identifying features. To compensate for this limitation, various forms of chemical testing (primarily phosphate analysis) are being used to positively identify kitchen gardens and other specific anthropogenically modified spaces that are invisible to standard archaeological techniques. The archaeological community trusts these methods to be a reliable way of testing soils in archaeological sites for specific agricultural features, even though there has been little research conducted to conclusively prove this assertion. In response to this lack of research, this thesis investigates the viability of phosphate analysis and other chemical tests through a comprehensive literary review of previous and current research and an analysis of the data presented within it. While soil phosphate analysis has been used in past and current research to identify general agricultural features with great success, the chemical signatures produced from this method only give vague information about the soil and what was done to it, making soil Phosphate analysis unreliable to definitively discern specific agricultural areas, such as kitchen gardens, from general agricultural areas.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005949, ucf:50811
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005949

Title: On the Back of the Crocodile: Extent, Energetics, and Productivity in Wetland Agricultural Systems, Northern Belize.
Creator: Montgomery, Shane, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Ancient populations across the globe successfully employed wetland agricultural techniques in a variety of environmentally and climatically diverse landscapes throughout prehistory. Within the Maya Lowlands, these agricultural features figure prominently in the region comprised of northern Belize and southern Quintana Roo, an area supporting low-outflow rivers, large lagoons, and numerous bajo (swamp) features. Along the banks of the Hondo and New Rivers, the Maya effectively utilized wetland...
Show moreAncient populations across the globe successfully employed wetland agricultural techniques in a variety of environmentally and climatically diverse landscapes throughout prehistory. Within the Maya Lowlands, these agricultural features figure prominently in the region comprised of northern Belize and southern Quintana Roo, an area supporting low-outflow rivers, large lagoons, and numerous bajo (swamp) features. Along the banks of the Hondo and New Rivers, the Maya effectively utilized wetland agricultural practices from the Middle Preclassic to the Terminal Classic Periods (1000 B.C.(-)A.D. 950). A number of past archaeological projects have thoroughly examined the construction and impact of these swampland modifications. After four decades of study, a more precise picture has formed in relation to the roles that these ditched field systems played in the regional development of the area. However, a detailed record of the full spatial extent, combined construction costs, and potential agricultural productivity has not been attempted on a larger scale. This thesis highlights these avenues of interest through data obtained from high- and medium-resolution satellite imagery and manipulated through geographic information systems (GIS) technology. The research explores environmental factors and topographic elements dictating the distribution of such entities, the energetic involvement required to construct and maintain the systems, and the efficiency of wetland techniques as compared to traditional milpa agriculture. Spatial analyses reveal a total of 254 distinct wetland field systems within the 6560 square kilometer area of interest, clustered along navigable waterways, seasonal lagoons, and upland landscapes separating the Hondo and New Rivers. Energetic estimates illustrate substantial investment in wetland field construction, spanning several generations based on a locally available workforce. However, productivity calculations associated with the ditched field systems commonly exceed those attributed to milpa techniques, suggesting agricultural surplus far beyond the immediate need. These combined data indicate the potential export of maize and other agricultural commodities to regional centers in northern Belize and further abroad during the Late Preclassic and Late to Terminal Classic Periods through riverine trade networks. Additionally, these data help illustrate participation trends and patterns of connectivity relating to tiered sites within the area of interest. This research contributes to the overall understanding of wetland agriculture within Mesoamerica as well as provides insight into the political management of intensive agricultural production during Maya prehistory.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006360, ucf:51514
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006360

Title: Identifying Archetypal Attributes of Maya Ceremonial Architecture: Clues to the Late Classic Sociopolitical Status of Pacbitun, Belize.
Creator: Micheletti, George, Chase, Arlen, Barber, Sarah, Powis, Terry, Chase, Diane, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The E Group complex is one of the most widely known archetypes in Maya archaeology. The complex's easily recognized configuration has helped archaeologists to identify this archetype at hundreds of sites throughout the Southern Maya Lowlands. However, things are not always what they appear to be. Conducted by Jaime Awe and colleagues (2016), a reinvestigation of excavation data of assemblages long designated as E Group complexes in a region known as the Belize River Valley revealed several...
Show moreThe E Group complex is one of the most widely known archetypes in Maya archaeology. The complex's easily recognized configuration has helped archaeologists to identify this archetype at hundreds of sites throughout the Southern Maya Lowlands. However, things are not always what they appear to be. Conducted by Jaime Awe and colleagues (2016), a reinvestigation of excavation data of assemblages long designated as E Group complexes in a region known as the Belize River Valley revealed several unique attributes not typical of the E Group complex. Awe et al. (2016) suggest that these assemblages appear to function more as (")eastern shrines(") than E Groups and propose they be relabeled as (")eastern triadic assemblages.(") Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to provide a more comprehensive and methodological study of a single Belize Valley assemblage located at the site of Pacbitun, Belize. The temporal examination of Pacbitun's assemblage provided in this thesis was able to identify physical, spatial, and functional attributes associated with each phase of construction. These attributes were then compared with attributes associated with E Groups, eastern shrines, and eastern triadic assemblages. The results revealed that, while Pacbitun's assemblage does follow the architectural progression exhibited by other Belize Valley assemblages, the assemblage does not truly become an eastern triadic assemblage until the beginning of the Late Classic period (AD 550). Furthermore, the transition of Pacbitun's assemblage coincides with several other architectural modifications in and around the site suggesting that Pacbitun was experiencing sociopolitical change or unrest at this time. The breakdown of the political organization of the Belize Valley will provide scenarios concerning Pacbitun's political situation as well as an explanation for the unique architectural progression of Pacbitun's assemblage through time. This study hopes to not only contribute to current and future research of the Belize Valley eastern triadic assemblages but also to the understanding of the Classic period political situation of Pacbitun in the Belize River Valley.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006356, ucf:51539
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006356

Title: An Inconclusive Truth: An Evaluation of Speleothem Evidence for Climate Change as a Driver of Ancient Maya Culture Change.
Creator: Goldblatt, Benjamin, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Callaghan, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As anthropologists who focus their scholarly attention on the past, archaeologists are interested in examining past changes in human cultures, which can include investigating the role(s) of climatic conditions in shaping them. Paleoclimatology offers the possibility of reconstructing past climates and demonstrating their variability over time, potentially contributing a great deal to archaeology. However, while paleoclimatology may lead to new discoveries about the human past, it may also...
Show moreAs anthropologists who focus their scholarly attention on the past, archaeologists are interested in examining past changes in human cultures, which can include investigating the role(s) of climatic conditions in shaping them. Paleoclimatology offers the possibility of reconstructing past climates and demonstrating their variability over time, potentially contributing a great deal to archaeology. However, while paleoclimatology may lead to new discoveries about the human past, it may also lead to new errors in interpreting it. Cave speleothems are sources of paleoclimatic data that have recently attracted attention in Mesoamerican archaeology, particularly in studies of the Maya region. In order to evaluate past uses of speleothem paleoclimatic records to support archaeological hypotheses, I will describe the strengths and weaknesses of particular datasets, evaluate the arguments that have been advanced for their broad spatial applicability, examine the science behind the spatial variability of precipitation patterns, and consider how the application of speleothem paleoclimatology to Maya archaeology might be improved upon. I hope to make clear that speleothem paleoclimatic records can potentially yield insights into the relationship(s) between Precolumbian climate change and ancient Maya culture change, but must be interpreted with the utmost caution.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006311, ucf:51602
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006311

Title: Twentieth Century Maya Worldview.
Creator: See, Mackenzie, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Reyes-Foster, Beatriz, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Maya Folktales offer insight into how twentieth century Maya worldview is a hybrid of indigenous Maya and European beliefs. Analysis was conducted on twenty-eight Maya folktales from the highlands of Guatemala found in folklore anthologies. Stories like The Spirits of the Dead in folklore anthologies can reveal new perspectives on how the Maya feel about rituals spaces, the fabric that separates the land of the dead from the land of the living, and the importance of showing respect to the...
Show moreMaya Folktales offer insight into how twentieth century Maya worldview is a hybrid of indigenous Maya and European beliefs. Analysis was conducted on twenty-eight Maya folktales from the highlands of Guatemala found in folklore anthologies. Stories like The Spirits of the Dead in folklore anthologies can reveal new perspectives on how the Maya feel about rituals spaces, the fabric that separates the land of the dead from the land of the living, and the importance of showing respect to the dead in one's community. Other stories, show the connection the Maya feel with their heritage and the connection they feel with the area where their ancestors lived. Twentieth century Maya folktales can provide insight into how the Maya view their landscape, including the realm of the dead as a part of the physical landscape and the belief that the landscape itself is a living spiritual entity.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004934, ucf:49620
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004934

Title: Traversing the Terrain: A Least Cost Analysis on Intersite Causeways in the Maya Region.
Creator: Rivas, Alexander, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The study of ancient Maya causeways is crucial for understanding Maya social and spatial organization. Archaeologists have been interested in Maya causeways for decades, specifically documenting their locations. More recently, the use of Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, has been used for understanding the spatial organization of archaeological sites. GIS analyses on ancient Maya causeways however have been very limited. This thesis aims to evaluate ancient Maya causeways through GIS...
Show moreThe study of ancient Maya causeways is crucial for understanding Maya social and spatial organization. Archaeologists have been interested in Maya causeways for decades, specifically documenting their locations. More recently, the use of Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, has been used for understanding the spatial organization of archaeological sites. GIS analyses on ancient Maya causeways however have been very limited. This thesis aims to evaluate ancient Maya causeways through GIS analysis. Specifically, five intersite causeway systems are looked at: the Mirador Basin, Yaxuna-Coba-Ixil, Uxmal-Nohpat-Kabah, Ake-Izamal-Kantunil, and Uci-Kancab-Ukana- Cansahcab. These causeway systems were evaluated using least-cost paths based on the terrain. In this thesis, I argue that the intersite causeways do not follow a least-cost path based on terrain and that the purpose of these roads varies between sites and regions.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005404, ucf:50426
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005404

Title: Chert Tool Production and Exchange at Two Late Postclassic Coastal Maya Households.
Creator: Marino, Marc, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Chert tool production and exchange has long been studied for the Maya Preclassic to Terminal Classic Periods of Northern Belize (1000 B.C.-A.D. 950). It is increasingly clear that lithic systems of production and exchange were an integral part of the economic environment for this region, yet lithic research pertaining to the Maya Postclassic Period (A.D. 950-1530) is not well represented in the general literature. A recent examination of 110 chert, chalcedony, and obsidian small side-notched...
Show moreChert tool production and exchange has long been studied for the Maya Preclassic to Terminal Classic Periods of Northern Belize (1000 B.C.-A.D. 950). It is increasingly clear that lithic systems of production and exchange were an integral part of the economic environment for this region, yet lithic research pertaining to the Maya Postclassic Period (A.D. 950-1530) is not well represented in the general literature. A recent examination of 110 chert, chalcedony, and obsidian small side-notched projectile points and point preforms, as well as 2,163 pieces of associated production debitage from two Late Postclassic households at Santa Rita Corozal, Belize, has yielded the identification of two lithic craft production areas. Examination of the complete lithic collection from these residences, as well as an additional 176 projectile points located throughout the site, reveals the need for new models of lithic production and exchange for this region during the Postclassic Period.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005525, ucf:50328
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005525

Title: Stressors Experienced by Emergency Department Registered Nurses at the Bedside: A Phenomenological Study.
Creator: Heglund, Stephen, Wink, Diane, Andrews, Diane, Leuner, Jean, Malvey, Donna, Chase, Susan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Emergency Department (ED) as a workplace for the Registered Nurse (RN) is a stressful environment. Reasons are thought to include interactions with other members of the interdisciplinary team as well as the situations associated with the environment of the ED such as trauma, death, sadness, joy and the general unpredictability of each moment. Studies have documented general health care workplace stress and its influence on staff, but a very limited number of studies have concentrated on...
Show moreThe Emergency Department (ED) as a workplace for the Registered Nurse (RN) is a stressful environment. Reasons are thought to include interactions with other members of the interdisciplinary team as well as the situations associated with the environment of the ED such as trauma, death, sadness, joy and the general unpredictability of each moment. Studies have documented general health care workplace stress and its influence on staff, but a very limited number of studies have concentrated on the ED. No widely published studies have identified stressors from the perspective of the ED RN.This dissertation is an interpretive phenomenological study that seeks to understand the experience of being an ED RN through the exploration of the perceptions of stress as lived by individuals who practice their art and science in this unique setting. Materials for evaluation and thematic identification were obtained through personal interviews of practicing nurses. The stories told by the participants communicated what each individual found to be negatively stressful as well as what each found to be positively stressful.Conclusions based on the findings of this work suggest a need for the ED RN to be able to depend on the presence of several factors in order to be able to function with as little distress as possible. The optimal ED environment for the RN is posited to be supportive of the individual goals of the RN, provide adequate resources and foster a communicative interdisciplinary environment. Recommendations are made to improve resource management and interdisciplinary relations.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004384, ucf:49408
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004384

Maya (9)	+ -
Ancient Maya (3)	+ -
GIS (3)	+ -
Archaeology (2)	+ -
Iconography (2)	+ -

archaeology (2)	+ -
iconography (2)	+ -
Agricultural Productivity (1)	+ -
Agriculture (1)	+ -
Anthropology (1)	+ -
Bacata (1)	+ -
Belize Valley (1)	+ -
Bogota (1)	+ -
Burial Attributes (1)	+ -
Cemetery (1)	+ -
Chibcha (1)	+ -
Chiefdoms (1)	+ -
Classic Period (1)	+ -
Colombia (1)	+ -
Construction Energetics (1)	+ -
Dietary analysis (1)	+ -
Dietary reconstruction (1)	+ -
Distress (1)	+ -
E Group (1)	+ -
ED (1)	+ -
Emergency Department (1)	+ -
Ethnicity (1)	+ -
Eustress (1)	+ -
GI (1)	+ -
God (1)	+ -

University of Central Florida (22)	+ -
Chase, Diane (20)	+ -
Chase, Arlen (17)	+ -
Barber, Sarah (9)	+ -
Walker, John (7)	+ -

Chase, Susan (2)	+ -
Giroux, Amy (2)	+ -
Wink, Diane (2)	+ -
Anderson, Mindi (1)	+ -
Andrews, Diane (1)	+ -
Callaghan, Michael (1)	+ -
Carroll, Patrick (1)	+ -
Ciofalo, Andrew (1)	+ -
Egan, Rachel (1)	+ -
Foster, Cheryl (1)	+ -
Garcia, Jorge (1)	+ -
Goldblatt, Benjamin (1)	+ -
Heglund, Stephen (1)	+ -
Ingalls, Victoria (1)	+ -
Kangas, Rachael (1)	+ -
Leuner, Jean (1)	+ -
Lindley, Tiffany (1)	+ -
Lomitola, Lisa (1)	+ -
Malvey, Donna (1)	+ -
Marino, Marc (1)	+ -
Meoli, Anne (1)	+ -
Micheletti, George (1)	+ -
Montgomery, Shane (1)	+ -
Powis, Terry (1)	+ -
Quelly, Susan (1)	+ -

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