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Difficulty: HardCommand of Evidence: Textual

In her study of ancient Mesoamerican urbanism, archaeologist Dr. Camille Laurent challenges the prevailing view that the layout of the city of Cantona was designed primarily for defense against external military threats. Laurent points out that while Cantona possesses numerous walls and restricted access points, these features are concentrated almost exclusively around the civic-ceremonial core, leaving the extensive residential zones completely unprotected. Laurent claims that these architectural barriers were constructed not to repel foreign invaders, but rather to regulate internal movement and restrict commoners' access to elite ceremonial spaces. Which finding, if true, would most directly support Laurent’s claim?

  1. A
    The masonry techniques used to build the walls of the civic-ceremonial core were highly advanced and required a large, coordinated labor force drawn from the surrounding region.
  2. Excavations of the entryways to the civic-ceremonial core revealed narrow gates designed to monitor and direct pedestrian traffic, and domestic artifacts associated with commoners were found only outside these entry points.Answer
  3. C
    The restriction of commoners from the ceremonial core created social tensions that eventually caused the commoners to abandon the residential zones of Cantona.
  4. D
    The residential zones of Cantona were surrounded by thick defensive walls that show significant damage from siege engines, suggesting they were the primary target of invaders.

Answer

The finding that excavations of the entryways to the civic-ceremonial core revealed narrow gates designed to monitor and direct pedestrian traffic, and domestic artifacts associated with commoners were found only outside these entry points.
The correct answer provides direct archaeological evidence that supports the claim that the barriers were used to control internal movement and restrict commoners' access. Specifically, the narrow gates indicate traffic regulation, and the absence of commoner domestic artifacts inside the core indicates exclusion of commoners from the ceremonial space.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary claim made by Dr. Camille Laurent in the passage.
Laurent claims that the walls and restricted entryways around Cantona's civic-ceremonial core were built to regulate internal traffic and exclude commoners, rather than for defense against external threats.
Understanding the specific claim is necessary to determine what kind of evidence would support it.
2
Evaluate the options to find which one describes findings that demonstrate regulation of internal traffic and exclusion of commoners.
The finding showing narrow gates designed to monitor traffic and a lack of commoner artifacts inside the core directly supports both aspects of Laurent's claim.
Validating which choice provides direct, non-speculative evidence of the functional purpose hypothesized by Laurent.

Key Concept

Identifying textual evidence that supports a specific scholarly claim or hypothesis.
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Topics

Command of Evidence: Textual

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