Teotihuacan Statistical Survey
A single archaeological site enables a host of associations not restricted to the archaeological. Teotihuacan is emblematic of the archaeological imaginary. But it is also integral to the life and livelihood of the nearby (indeed within the perimeters of the zone) pueblos. To date this topic of the 'heritage' of archaeology has been explored on ethnographic and anecdotal bases, with case studies of new age spiritualism at prominent sites (eg. Chichen Itza, Stonehenge), non-Western beliefs of the significance of a site or locales, or the politics of government administration of archaeological projects. These investigations have primarily derived from anthropological models of 'native voice' and post-colonial studies, and, most recently, from the material culture studies model of archaeological production and consumption. Yet, while these studies are receiving increased attention in the fields of anthropology and archaeology, there has been little effort to take a broad and quantitative assessment of a single archaeological 'ecosystem'. What are all of the associations formed through the nexus of an archaeological site? The political, personal, economic, spiritual, scientific and diversionary activities that Teotihuacan enable? The qualitative and quantitative survey portion of this project is to assess how differential associations developed through a single archaeological site indicate alternate goals for knowledge. This forms part of opening archaeology up to more diverse interests aside from restricted, disciplinarian interests. A premise of this dissertation is that such a provincial attitude on the part of archaeologists and other specialists is no longer tenable in a context of Global Heritage, UNESCO-ICOMOS proclamations and more localized, idiosyncratic goals for the 'past'.
Satellite image (NASA) overlay of TMP map of Teotihuacan showing proximity of archaeological zone to surrounding 5 communities: San Lorenzo, San Juan, San Martin, San Francisco, San Sebastian.
To get at such abstract concepts informing disparate engagements with archaeological locales, I have hypothesized Five major factors (based upon initial trial questionnaires and ethnography in the vicinity of Teotihuacan, Mexico): 1) Economics 2) Heritage (patrimonio cultural in Mexico) 3) Spirituality 4) Diversion/Entertainment, 5) Archaeological Science.
Methodology and Design
These broad rubrics covering varying associations with Teotihuacan were broken down into specific questions or components of questions on the questionnaire. The responses to these specific questions were then complied as scales under the appropriate concept to gauge a respondent's overall attitude my five major factors. Rotational Factor Analysis assisted in deleting some specific questions from the overall scale, as well as identifying other possible 'factors' responsible for the correlation of attitudes which I did not anticipate. This was particulalry true with the economic and spirituality scales, where attitudes expressed in the questionnaires grouped around more than a single over-riding factor. I subsequently utilized weighted factor-based scale scores for these scales. Finally, all of the scales were cross-checked with reliability analyses (unidimensionality >3.0; Cronbach's alpha coefficient >6.0).
Scale Analyses:
Design and Analytical Methods Synopsis
In brief, a seven-page questionnaire consisting of 37 open and closed format questions was designed for a statistical survey to measure the range of associations Mexican visitors and local residents of the Teotihuacan Valley form with the World Heritage site of Teotihuacan. Based upon and augmenting participant observation and pre-survey interviews, the statistical survey’s goal was to break down the ambiguous concept of ‘heritage’ into these specific associations, and to allow quantitative comparison of these associations as well as causal inference concerning the primary factors responsible for these associations. The questionnaire was administered using a stratified-systematic sampling procedure to permit generalization to the population of the valley and the ‘population’ of Teotihuacan visitors as a whole. A total of 471 questionnaires were collected, exceeding the minimum required (450), using this sampling technique and allowing for non-response, for a confidence level of 95%. An over-sampling of individuals aged 18-29 (17.6% greater representation in the survey), however, diminishes somewhat the representativeness of the survey and cautions against inferences to the population. Once collected, the responses to the questionnaire were numerically coded to create a database. The majority of responses were then utilized for exploratory purposes as descriptive or univariate statistics. Questions related to the primary explanatory concepts or associations were rendered into scales, using multivariate factor analysis and tests of unidimensionality and reliability, so that the relative strengths of these associations could be assessed. Finally, to get at the possible factors, whether demographic or socio-cultural, responsible for these associations, inferential statistics, consisting of partial and multiple correlations and regression analysis, were utilized. All of these steps, with their respective methods and goals for the analysis, are summarized in Table 6.3. The preceding sections of this chapter have outlined the initial steps of the design and analytical methods of the survey. ‘Data Analysis’ is presented in the following chapter (Chapter 7).
Summary of analytical methods used in survey
Survey Data and Documents
See Overview of Statistical Survey for a synopsis of the current state of the project.
Y para un resumen en español véase Resumen del Proyecto.
See below for the questionnaire (in English and Spanish) and codebook as well as database:
Consent Form Questionnaire-HumanSubjectsProtocol.doc
Consent Form Interview-Human Subjects Protocol.doc
Consent Form Cuestionario-Protocolo para sujetos.doc
Consent Form entrevista.doc
The answers to the 36 questions - multiple-response and open/closed format (Questionnaires/Cuestionarios) - have been pre-coded and statistical analysis is being conducted primarily in EXCEL with statistical plug-ins as well as SPSS. (I used Cronbach's alpha (>0.7) to test for 'reliability'/'item-to-item', and an alpha of >0.3 to test for 'unidimensionality'/'item-to-scale' to insure these questions measure the intended concepts). Developing first the descriptive statistics of the surveyed sample frame, I will be able to utilize inferential statistics to evaluate my hypothesis with regard to the significance of each of the posited informing concepts. This is done utilizing basic measure of association (co-efficients) on bi-variate and multi-variate analyses to determine the strength of relationships between the informing goals for the past and the associations developed with the archaeological zone - e.g. archaeology for economic pursuits, archaeology as integral component of personal identity/heritage, spiritual/new-age use of the past, archaeology and 'the past' simply as diversion, and archaeology as scientific accretion of data/knowledge.
Complete survey database (SPSS 13.0 *Mac OSX): file:545850
See the Statistical Resources utilized by the project.
Survey Goals and Results
The goals of the Teotihuacan survey are 1) identify the primary associations of the archaeological zone and visitors and residents of the valley; 2) once identified, what is the nature of these associations in terms of relative importance, prevalence, and their inter-relationships (are they exclusive, mutually informing, etc.); 3) infer the causal factors responsible for these associations in terms of background factors (income, educational level, level of involvement with the zone, and so forth) to expand the study beyond Teotihuacan to other sites of the archaeological imaginary.
Qualitative Material and Links
The breadth of coverage afforded by the statistical survey will be deepened through interviews conducted with local archaeologists, politicians and traditional community leaders. In works are the digitzed transcripts of interviews and podcasted originals.
- Visit Archaeography for continually updating images of the fieldwork.
'TeotihuaWalmart'
The relevance of the survey was underscored by the recent construction of a Walmart within the 'Perimeter C' zone (afforded minimal protection and oversight by the Instituto Nacional Antropologia e Historia) of the archaeological site, 2.5km from the pyramid of the sun. Dubbed contentiously 'TeotihuaWalmart', I have archived all of the local paper articles covering the topic between July-November 2004 during the height of the controversy. These will be intertwined with the social survey data and collected ethnographic material to span a broad range of 'social data' relevant to perceptions of Teotihuacan.
Containments
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