Darién Province is an area which has until very recently received little attention from archaeology, mostly due to its remote geography and lack of infrastructure. The nearby Pearl Islands, by...Show moreDarién Province is an area which has until very recently received little attention from archaeology, mostly due to its remote geography and lack of infrastructure. The nearby Pearl Islands, by contrast, have recently seen a significant amount of research and field work including excavations. The Late Ceramic Period sites of San Antonio and Piangual (12th to 16th centuries CE) on the Darién mainland and the Middle Ceramic L-106 (7th to 10th centuries CE) on Pedro González island in the Pearl Islands are midden sites composed mainly of mollusk shells. The exploitation of these species appears to have been central to the foodways of the people who inhabited these areas before the Spanish colonial period. This thesis aims to change the perception of Darién as a place without an archaeological past and increase our understanding of the area by comparing the two sites on the mainland with the one on the island, focusing on the composition of mollusk species present at these sites. To achieve that goal, I use new data collected in 2019 and 2022 from the mainland and data from earlier excavations on Pedro González island. To compare these sites, I discuss the taxonomic composition of the mollusk species from each site and compare them in terms of the relative frequency of each species, typical habitats of the mollusk species represented, and in the case of the mainland sites their structure as midden contexts. Based on the results, I conclude that the species found in the island context barely overlap with those from the mainland, meaning few species are present at all three sites. For the habitat portion of the comparison I find that the habitats of the majority of mollusk taxa in each midden correspond with habitats near the sites. I also argue that Piangual is a predominantly modern, refuse midden context while the midden at San Antonio is a more complex site, containing at least two different types of occupation and one species of mollusk (Pinctada mazatlanica) that is rarely found in shell middens in the region. Finally, I acknowledge that more research and field work is needed before these results can be fully confirmed and understood.Show less
This thesis explores Panama’s relations with the US and China, across history and more specifically in the 21st century, through a neorealist lens. Neorealist assumptions are applied to the case,...Show moreThis thesis explores Panama’s relations with the US and China, across history and more specifically in the 21st century, through a neorealist lens. Neorealist assumptions are applied to the case, and Panama’s bandwagoning and balancing strategies with the US and China are discussed as observed by historical trends and economic data such as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), trade (Panamanian exports and imports from/to the US and China), foreign aid statistics, bilateral agreements, and diplomatic statements by high officials on economic and security issues. The study finds that China’s hegemonic rise in Panama-China relations represents merely an indication of China’s potential to be a long-term hegemonic challenger to US hegemony, and does not signify a shift in hegemony. Panama is seen to balance and bandwagon with both the US and China, choosing alignment depending on the perceived economic gains involved and potential threats to survival. Panama balances with their long-standing ally and regional hegemon, the US, to foremost secure survival in the long-term while in the short-term Panama bandwagons with China for economic gains. Panama’s consideration of China as alternative to the US as a greater power for alignment demonstrates China’s hegemonic character in LAC. Nonetheless, this case study shows that the US maintains its primacy and superiority as a hegemon due to its strong historical ties and yet unrivaled economic and military capacity.Show less
