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Difficulty: MediumLogical Inferences

Archaeologists analyzing obsidian artifacts from the ancient Maya city of Kaminaljuyu found that while domestic tools were made from local obsidian sources, ceremonial blades were crafted from Ixtepeque obsidian, located over eighty kilometers away. Because Ixtepeque obsidian is chemically distinct and required traveling through rugged terrain to acquire, researchers long assumed its use was strictly limited to the ruling elites as a marker of high socio-political status. However, recent excavations of humble residential structures occupied by commoners revealed abundant Ixtepeque obsidian ceremonial blade fragments, which suggests that

Which choice most logically completes the text?

  1. the use of Ixtepeque obsidian for ceremonial blades was not restricted solely to the ruling elite class in Kaminaljuyu.Answer
  2. B
    commoners at Kaminaljuyu relied on Ixtepeque obsidian to manufacture their daily domestic tools.
  3. C
    the rugged terrain between Kaminaljuyu and Ixtepeque did not pose a significant obstacle to ancient travelers.
  4. D
    ancient Maya trade networks were decentralized and operated entirely independently of elite regulation.

Answer

The use of Ixtepeque obsidian for ceremonial blades was not restricted solely to the ruling elite class in Kaminaljuyu.
The correct option is supported because the passage notes that researchers originally assumed Ixtepeque obsidian was strictly limited to ruling elites. The discovery of abundant Ixtepeque obsidian ceremonial blade fragments in commoner residences directly undermines this assumption, proving that the material's use was not exclusive to the elite class.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the researchers' initial hypothesis.
Researchers assumed Ixtepeque obsidian was strictly limited to ruling elites due to its distance, distinctness, and difficult acquisition.
This establishes the premise that is being challenged by the new discovery.
2
Analyze the new evidence.
Excavations of commoner residences revealed abundant fragments of ceremonial blades made of Ixtepeque obsidian.
This provides the key factual constraint that must be incorporated into the final inference.
3
Synthesize the premise and the new evidence to form a logical conclusion.
Since commoner houses contained Ixtepeque obsidian ceremonial blades, the initial assumption of exclusive elite access is false, meaning access was not restricted only to the elites.
This completes the logical chain directly supported by the text.

Key Concept

Drawing logical conclusions based on new evidence that challenges previous assumptions.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Logical Inferences

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