Ancient civilization trading secrets revealed
Patience is key for measuring the trade system thoroughly
By: Karl Zynda
Issue date: 9/17/07 Section: News
History and chemistry are intersecting on the lowlands of the coastal region of southern Mexico. From Cal State Fullerton, Tuan Vu is using the lab equipment in Dan Black Hall to put a magnifying glass on a long-lost culture. Archaeological and chemical studies are merging to decipher what tar samples can tell about an ancient civilization's trade habits.
Vu, 25, is a history major who is currently completing a minor at CSUF in chemistry. He is one of three students working on applying chemical analysis to bitumen samples. The testing is part of an archaeological project conducted by CSUF professors Carl Wendt and Scott Hewitt.
Vu originally decided to enroll in CSUF because of its good teaching credential program. He declared history as a major, hoping to become a history teacher. After earning his history degree, he changed his mind about teaching. He decided to earn a minor in chemistry, hoping instead to become a pharmacologist. Vu said he would like to apply to pharmacology programs at USC and Ohio State, which are his two top choices for school.
The project he worked on over the summer was about the trading of bitumen in ancient civilizations. Bitumen, or asphalt, was used by the Olmecs, a people who lived in the south Gulf region of what is Mexico today. They predated the later Aztec and Maya civilizations. The Olmec are best known for crafting sculptures of colossal heads. The tribe used bitumen for waterproofing boats, for building material, for trade and possibly as an adhesive. Wendt said that while beliefs about Olmec trade have been based upon conjecture and comparison, until now, this study can provide real data.
"The big picture is, we're trying to see how far the Olmec civilization reached, trade-wise," Vu said. "We look at tar samples, seep samples, and the bitumen, which are the rocks. We want to match up the rock samples to certain seeps so we can see how far it traveled going from civilization to civilization in the area."
Vu, 25, is a history major who is currently completing a minor at CSUF in chemistry. He is one of three students working on applying chemical analysis to bitumen samples. The testing is part of an archaeological project conducted by CSUF professors Carl Wendt and Scott Hewitt.
Vu originally decided to enroll in CSUF because of its good teaching credential program. He declared history as a major, hoping to become a history teacher. After earning his history degree, he changed his mind about teaching. He decided to earn a minor in chemistry, hoping instead to become a pharmacologist. Vu said he would like to apply to pharmacology programs at USC and Ohio State, which are his two top choices for school.
The project he worked on over the summer was about the trading of bitumen in ancient civilizations. Bitumen, or asphalt, was used by the Olmecs, a people who lived in the south Gulf region of what is Mexico today. They predated the later Aztec and Maya civilizations. The Olmec are best known for crafting sculptures of colossal heads. The tribe used bitumen for waterproofing boats, for building material, for trade and possibly as an adhesive. Wendt said that while beliefs about Olmec trade have been based upon conjecture and comparison, until now, this study can provide real data.
"The big picture is, we're trying to see how far the Olmec civilization reached, trade-wise," Vu said. "We look at tar samples, seep samples, and the bitumen, which are the rocks. We want to match up the rock samples to certain seeps so we can see how far it traveled going from civilization to civilization in the area."
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DILIP K CHAKRABARTY
posted 4/28/08 @ 10:16 AM PST
Unsatisfied as it has not given any clue nor motivates. Boat/Ship builders of Egypt, Baharin, Oman & Harappa used tar/pitch/bitumenous for their boats/ships during 3500 or 3000 B C. (Continued…)
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