Production and consumption of pottery tempered with fresh volcanic ash peaked in the Late to Term... more Production and consumption of pottery tempered with fresh volcanic ash peaked in the Late to Terminal Classic periods in the Maya lowlands. Differences in the type of volcanic inclusion and vessel form indicate that the pottery was produced in multiple locations by different groups of potters. In this article, we characterize pottery from household contexts at Baking Pot, Belize, using thin-section petrography and neutron activation analysis (NAA) to document mineralogical and chemical variability and determine provenance. The pottery was produced by adding fresh volcanic ash to a micritic clay. The petrographic and chemical data indicate that this paste recipe was produced locally in the Belize Valley. Variation in the paste recipes used is likely due to both production differences and postdepositional alteration. We argue that it is critical to use both petrography and NAA to understand pottery production and provenance in the Maya region.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Recent investigations at Cahal Pech, Belize, documented a previously unrecognized Middle Preclass... more Recent investigations at Cahal Pech, Belize, documented a previously unrecognized Middle Preclassic (700–500 cal BC) E-Group complex. Located in an open public plaza, the monumental complex likely functioned as a forum for communal public events. In the Late Preclassic, the E-Group was replaced by an ancestor shrine where several royal tombs are located, as well as buildings separating public civic space from private elite space. These shifts in monumental construction temporally track the development of ideological manifestations of power and provide evidence for the formalization of dynastic rulership by an emerging elite class.
We thank our colleague for his comment, address concerns raised, and encourage future collaborati... more We thank our colleague for his comment, address concerns raised, and encourage future collaborative research to answer important questions about the Middle Preclassic at Cahal Pech.
Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide... more Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide information about broad-scale economic and societal transformations. Though paleodietary studies have primarily relied on stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen to document the types of food people consumed, stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis can potentially provide valuable data to identify terrestrial, freshwater, or marine/coastal food sources, as well as determine human mobility and migration patterns. Here we assess applications of δ34S for investigating Maya diet and migration through stable isotope analyses of human bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) from 114 individuals from 12 sites in the Eastern Maya lowlands, temporally spanning from the Late Preclassic (300 BCE—300 CE) through Colonial periods (1520–1800 CE). Results document a diet dominated by maize and other terrestrial resources, consistent with expectations for this inlan...
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts in all segments of life worldwide. While a var... more The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts in all segments of life worldwide. While a variety of surveys have assessed the impacts of the pandemic in other fields, few studies have focused on understanding the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic for archaeology. To assess these trends, we asked survey respondents (n = 570) if they experienced job loss and to rate the percentage of change in their economic situation, workload, teaching or research activities, and personal responsibilities. Results show alarming trends, with nearly half of those who experienced job loss being under the age of 35 and women and early career archaeologists suffering major economic losses. Impacts to workload, teaching activities, and research activities were also felt across these groups. Substantial increases in personal responsibilities (childcare, eldercare, caring for sick family members) were also identified, especially for women with children under 18 years of age. While structural...
ABSTRACTArchaeologists and demographers increasingly employ aggregations of published radiocarbon... more ABSTRACTArchaeologists and demographers increasingly employ aggregations of published radiocarbon (14C) dates as demographic proxies summarizing changes in human activity in past societies. Presently, summed probability densities (SPDs) of calibrated radiocarbon dates are the dominant method of using 14C dates to reconstruct demographic trends. Unfortunately, SPDs are incapable of converging on their true generating distributions even as the number of observations gets large. To overcome this problem, we propose a more principled alternative that combines finite mixture models and Bayesian inference to identify the generating distribution of a set of radiocarbon dates. Numerical simulations and an assessment of the statistical identifiability of our method demonstrate that it correctly converges on the generating distribution. We apply this novel end-to-end Bayesian approach to reconstruct prehistoric Maya demographic growth using a recently compiled Mesoamerican radiocarbon databas...
The discovery of cultural remains on or above the floors of rooms and courtyards at several Maya ... more The discovery of cultural remains on or above the floors of rooms and courtyards at several Maya sites has been interpreted by some archaeologists as problematic deposits, squatter's refuse, as evidence for feasting, termination rituals, de facto refuse, or rapid abandonment as a result of warfare. Investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project have recorded similar deposits at several surface and subterranean sites in Western Belize. Our regional, contextual, and methodological approaches for studying these deposits, coupled with ethnohistoric and ethnographic information, provide limited support for the interpretation of these remains as de facto refuse or due to rapid abandonment. Instead, we argue that these deposits are more likely the result of peri-abandonment activities such as propitiation rituals and/or pilgrimages during and after the gradual abandonment of sites in the Belize River Valley.
Archaeological investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project at Cahal... more Archaeological investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project at Cahal Pech uncovered several Terminal Classic (a.d. 750–900) peri-abandonment deposits and activity areas at this Belize River Valley center. The deposits contained a diverse assemblage of cultural remains located above and between collapsed architecture, associated with evidence for burning activities. In the past, archaeologists have generally interpreted similar assemblages as “problematic deposits”—“de facto” refuse (garbage)—as associated with building termination and desecration, or as evidence for rapid abandonment during the violent destruction of these ancient cities. It is argued here that the microstratigraphic excavation and contextual analysis of these features provide limited support for these explanations. Alternatively, we suggest that the deposits are more likely associated with peri-abandonment rituals that were conducted by a reduced remnant population at Cahal Pech, or by ...
The Belize Valley figures prominently in the history of Maya archaeology as the birthplace of set... more The Belize Valley figures prominently in the history of Maya archaeology as the birthplace of settlement pattern surveys, where Gordon R. Willey and his colleagues conducted their pioneering research project, from 1954 to 1956. Six decades on, settlement surveys are an integral part of archaeological research strategies not only across the Maya area, but globally. With the advent of LiDAR technology, settlement surveys enter a new developmental phase, and we take this opportunity to review the history and progress of these surveys in the Belize Valley. We focus on one particular archaeological site, Baking Pot, so as to better illustrate the methods and technological advances that have been brought to bear in the mapping of one ancient Maya city-state. Now that the survey of this ancient settlement is nearing completion, we veer from traditional settlement surveys that in principle focus on unbounded central places and centroids, in an attempt to tackle an important question, which ...
The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and politica... more The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and political systems has been temporally correlated with severe and extended drought in regional paleoclimate records. Ancient Maya society also experienced a protracted multicentury drought earlier during the end of the Late Preclassic Period (AD 100–300). While some large Preclassic polities declined, many more flourished through the Early Classic. Why were the effects of the Terminal Classic drought more dramatic? What allowed some earlier Maya communities to be more resilient in the face of climate change? Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human skeletal remains from 50 individuals at the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech from this critical time period suggest that more diverse diets may have promoted resilience in the face of changing socioecological systems at the end of the Preclassic. During the Late Classic Period (AD 600–800), isotopic data indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly specialized diet, which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that ultimately disintegrated as a result of anthropogenic landscape degradation and severe drought conditions during the Terminal Classic.
Abstract Intermediate elites played pivotal roles in the political dynamics of ancient complex so... more Abstract Intermediate elites played pivotal roles in the political dynamics of ancient complex societies across the world. In the Classic period (CE 250–900/1000) Maya lowlands, intermediate elites acted as mediators between apical rulers and lower status commoners. These individuals and the political strategies they employed, however, have rarely taken center stage in reconstructions of Classic Maya politics. In this paper, we evaluate the role of intermediate elites who occupied the middle level of the settlement hierarchy of the Belize River Valley of west-central Belize. Multivariate statistical analyses of architectural variables (n = 24) across 35 sites identified five hierarchically arranged groups of settlement types. Groups 2 and 3 are associated with intermediate elites, with Group 2 being large specialized centers with ballcourts, causeways, terminus groups and multiple plazas. In contrast, Group 3 were smaller residential and ceremonial centers focused around a single plaza. Investigation of patterned variability in the middle tier of the settlement hierarchy provides evidence for five political strategies which intermediate elites used to gain and maintain power and authority: (1) ancestor veneration, (2) ceremonial integration of commoners, (3) acting as neighborhood heads, (4) apical elite emulation, and (5) pursuing a ‘frontier’ role. Elucidating the variability in intermediate elite decision-making provides a new avenue for understanding the dynamics of integration and autonomy across the Classic Maya political landscape.
Social and environmental changes had great spatiotemporal variability in the Maya Lowlands during... more Social and environmental changes had great spatiotemporal variability in the Maya Lowlands during the Classic and Postclassic Periods, and stalagmites promise high-resolution paleoclimate data that can refine our understanding of this complex time. Unfortunately, stalagmites in this region are often difficult to date by U-Th methods because of low initial uranium concentrations. Other dating techniques can be used on such stalagmites, and we present here an age–depth model for BZBT1, a low-uranium stalagmite sampled from Box Tunich cave in the Belize River Valley. This age–depth model dates the growth of BZBT1 to between 400 and 1610 yr BP (340–1550 CE) by combining evidence from U-Th results, radiocarbon dating of both stalagmite CaCO3 and trapped organic material, and 210Pb dating. The resulting stable isotope record from BZBT1 reveals paleoclimate changes that affected local Maya populations during the Classic and early Postclassic Periods. This record is further refined by isoto...
Since its inception in 1988, the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) Project has h... more Since its inception in 1988, the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) Project has had two major foci, that of cultural heritage management and archaeological research. While research has concentrated on excavation and survey, the heritage management focus of the project has included the preservation of ancient monuments, the integration of archaeology and tourism development, and cultural heritage education. In this paper, we provide a brief overview on the history of scientific investigations by the BVAR Project, highlighting the project's dual heritage management and research goals. This background offers the basis in which to discuss the successes and challenges of the project's efforts in cultural heritage management and public engagement, particularly in early conservation efforts, in its training and educational efforts, and its ongoing outreach activity. We emphasize the need to train Belizeans as professional archaeologists and conservators, to serve as the next generation of advocates for Belize's heritage management. We offer some ideas on how research projects can make significant contributions to heritage education and preservation in the developing world.
This study uses neutron activation analysis of ceramics to examine economic change and increasing... more This study uses neutron activation analysis of ceramics to examine economic change and increasing social complexity at the Preclassic Maya site of Cahal Pech in Belize (1200 cal BC–cal AD 300). Seven compositional groups were identified from the site’s civic-ceremonial centre and two peripheral residential groups. Analyses indicate that both utilitarian and non-utilitarian ceramics were locally produced as early as 1200 cal BC, and that by c. 700 cal BC, fineware vessels were being exported into neighbouring parts of Guatemala. These results provide direct evidence for economic interaction between Maya lowland communities and for their increasing socio-political complexity.
This paper reviews paleoclimate proxy data from the Maya lowlands to provide a framework for unde... more This paper reviews paleoclimate proxy data from the Maya lowlands to provide a framework for understanding the human-environment dynamics that influenced the growth and decline of ancient Maya societies across the Belize River Valley. Patterns in paleoclimate data suggest that Belize Valley communities experienced the impacts of climate change as early as the Preclassic, when a multi-century drought coincides with archaeological evidence for the initial appearance of Early Preclassic (1200-900 BC) agricultural villages across the sub-region. Wetter conditions likely fostered the centralization of expanding Middle Preclassic populations and the formation of large regional polities, which continued to grow despite an extended drought at the end of the Late Preclassic (AD 150-300). At least two major Terminal Classic (AD 750-900/1000) droughts appear to have had variable impacts on Belize Valley polities. While some are abandoned as early as AD 850, large-scale depopulation only occurs at others by the beginning of the 11th century, suggesting that drought in addition to other socio-political factors influenced these developments. Locally focused comparisons of paleoclimate and archaeological data can help us to develop testable hypotheses about the role of climate in these cultural developments in the Belize River Valley and beyond.
The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and politica... more The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and political systems has been temporally correlated with severe and extended drought in regional paleoclimate records. Ancient Maya society also experienced a protracted multicentury drought earlier during the end of the Late Preclassic Period (AD 100–300). While some large Preclassic polities declined,many more flourished through the Early Classic. Why were the effects of the Terminal Classic drought more dramatic? What allowed some earlier Maya communities to be more resilient in the face of climate change? Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human skeletal remains from 50 individuals at the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech from this critical time period suggest that more diverse diets may have promoted resilience in the face of changing socioecological systems at the end of the Preclassic. During the Late Classic Period (AD 600–800), isotopic data indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly diet, which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that ultimately disintegrated as a result of anthropogenic landscape degradation and severe drought conditions during the Terminal Classic.
Evolución, comercio y migración del pueblo maya. Memorias del Cuarto Simposio de Cultura Maya Ichkaantijoo 2017, 2018
o 111 Mautah ' J• EVOLUCIÓN, COMERCIO Y MIGRACIÓN DEL PUEBLO MAYA Maantats ' J• ',k 'a 'ab uti' a... more o 111 Mautah ' J• EVOLUCIÓN, COMERCIO Y MIGRACIÓN DEL PUEBLO MAYA Maantats ' J• ',k 'a 'ab uti' al tuláakal máak) CENTRO INAH YUCATÁN. SECCIÓN DE ARQUEOLOGÍA. BIBLIOTECA. DIEGO PRIETO HERNÁNDEZ DIRECTOR GENERAL DEL INAH . EDUARDO LÓPEZ CALZADA DELEGADO DEL CENTRO INAH -YUCATÁ r1.
Production and consumption of pottery tempered with fresh volcanic ash peaked in the Late to Term... more Production and consumption of pottery tempered with fresh volcanic ash peaked in the Late to Terminal Classic periods in the Maya lowlands. Differences in the type of volcanic inclusion and vessel form indicate that the pottery was produced in multiple locations by different groups of potters. In this article, we characterize pottery from household contexts at Baking Pot, Belize, using thin-section petrography and neutron activation analysis (NAA) to document mineralogical and chemical variability and determine provenance. The pottery was produced by adding fresh volcanic ash to a micritic clay. The petrographic and chemical data indicate that this paste recipe was produced locally in the Belize Valley. Variation in the paste recipes used is likely due to both production differences and postdepositional alteration. We argue that it is critical to use both petrography and NAA to understand pottery production and provenance in the Maya region.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Recent investigations at Cahal Pech, Belize, documented a previously unrecognized Middle Preclass... more Recent investigations at Cahal Pech, Belize, documented a previously unrecognized Middle Preclassic (700–500 cal BC) E-Group complex. Located in an open public plaza, the monumental complex likely functioned as a forum for communal public events. In the Late Preclassic, the E-Group was replaced by an ancestor shrine where several royal tombs are located, as well as buildings separating public civic space from private elite space. These shifts in monumental construction temporally track the development of ideological manifestations of power and provide evidence for the formalization of dynastic rulership by an emerging elite class.
We thank our colleague for his comment, address concerns raised, and encourage future collaborati... more We thank our colleague for his comment, address concerns raised, and encourage future collaborative research to answer important questions about the Middle Preclassic at Cahal Pech.
Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide... more Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide information about broad-scale economic and societal transformations. Though paleodietary studies have primarily relied on stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen to document the types of food people consumed, stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis can potentially provide valuable data to identify terrestrial, freshwater, or marine/coastal food sources, as well as determine human mobility and migration patterns. Here we assess applications of δ34S for investigating Maya diet and migration through stable isotope analyses of human bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) from 114 individuals from 12 sites in the Eastern Maya lowlands, temporally spanning from the Late Preclassic (300 BCE—300 CE) through Colonial periods (1520–1800 CE). Results document a diet dominated by maize and other terrestrial resources, consistent with expectations for this inlan...
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts in all segments of life worldwide. While a var... more The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts in all segments of life worldwide. While a variety of surveys have assessed the impacts of the pandemic in other fields, few studies have focused on understanding the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic for archaeology. To assess these trends, we asked survey respondents (n = 570) if they experienced job loss and to rate the percentage of change in their economic situation, workload, teaching or research activities, and personal responsibilities. Results show alarming trends, with nearly half of those who experienced job loss being under the age of 35 and women and early career archaeologists suffering major economic losses. Impacts to workload, teaching activities, and research activities were also felt across these groups. Substantial increases in personal responsibilities (childcare, eldercare, caring for sick family members) were also identified, especially for women with children under 18 years of age. While structural...
ABSTRACTArchaeologists and demographers increasingly employ aggregations of published radiocarbon... more ABSTRACTArchaeologists and demographers increasingly employ aggregations of published radiocarbon (14C) dates as demographic proxies summarizing changes in human activity in past societies. Presently, summed probability densities (SPDs) of calibrated radiocarbon dates are the dominant method of using 14C dates to reconstruct demographic trends. Unfortunately, SPDs are incapable of converging on their true generating distributions even as the number of observations gets large. To overcome this problem, we propose a more principled alternative that combines finite mixture models and Bayesian inference to identify the generating distribution of a set of radiocarbon dates. Numerical simulations and an assessment of the statistical identifiability of our method demonstrate that it correctly converges on the generating distribution. We apply this novel end-to-end Bayesian approach to reconstruct prehistoric Maya demographic growth using a recently compiled Mesoamerican radiocarbon databas...
The discovery of cultural remains on or above the floors of rooms and courtyards at several Maya ... more The discovery of cultural remains on or above the floors of rooms and courtyards at several Maya sites has been interpreted by some archaeologists as problematic deposits, squatter's refuse, as evidence for feasting, termination rituals, de facto refuse, or rapid abandonment as a result of warfare. Investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project have recorded similar deposits at several surface and subterranean sites in Western Belize. Our regional, contextual, and methodological approaches for studying these deposits, coupled with ethnohistoric and ethnographic information, provide limited support for the interpretation of these remains as de facto refuse or due to rapid abandonment. Instead, we argue that these deposits are more likely the result of peri-abandonment activities such as propitiation rituals and/or pilgrimages during and after the gradual abandonment of sites in the Belize River Valley.
Archaeological investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project at Cahal... more Archaeological investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project at Cahal Pech uncovered several Terminal Classic (a.d. 750–900) peri-abandonment deposits and activity areas at this Belize River Valley center. The deposits contained a diverse assemblage of cultural remains located above and between collapsed architecture, associated with evidence for burning activities. In the past, archaeologists have generally interpreted similar assemblages as “problematic deposits”—“de facto” refuse (garbage)—as associated with building termination and desecration, or as evidence for rapid abandonment during the violent destruction of these ancient cities. It is argued here that the microstratigraphic excavation and contextual analysis of these features provide limited support for these explanations. Alternatively, we suggest that the deposits are more likely associated with peri-abandonment rituals that were conducted by a reduced remnant population at Cahal Pech, or by ...
The Belize Valley figures prominently in the history of Maya archaeology as the birthplace of set... more The Belize Valley figures prominently in the history of Maya archaeology as the birthplace of settlement pattern surveys, where Gordon R. Willey and his colleagues conducted their pioneering research project, from 1954 to 1956. Six decades on, settlement surveys are an integral part of archaeological research strategies not only across the Maya area, but globally. With the advent of LiDAR technology, settlement surveys enter a new developmental phase, and we take this opportunity to review the history and progress of these surveys in the Belize Valley. We focus on one particular archaeological site, Baking Pot, so as to better illustrate the methods and technological advances that have been brought to bear in the mapping of one ancient Maya city-state. Now that the survey of this ancient settlement is nearing completion, we veer from traditional settlement surveys that in principle focus on unbounded central places and centroids, in an attempt to tackle an important question, which ...
The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and politica... more The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and political systems has been temporally correlated with severe and extended drought in regional paleoclimate records. Ancient Maya society also experienced a protracted multicentury drought earlier during the end of the Late Preclassic Period (AD 100–300). While some large Preclassic polities declined, many more flourished through the Early Classic. Why were the effects of the Terminal Classic drought more dramatic? What allowed some earlier Maya communities to be more resilient in the face of climate change? Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human skeletal remains from 50 individuals at the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech from this critical time period suggest that more diverse diets may have promoted resilience in the face of changing socioecological systems at the end of the Preclassic. During the Late Classic Period (AD 600–800), isotopic data indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly specialized diet, which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that ultimately disintegrated as a result of anthropogenic landscape degradation and severe drought conditions during the Terminal Classic.
Abstract Intermediate elites played pivotal roles in the political dynamics of ancient complex so... more Abstract Intermediate elites played pivotal roles in the political dynamics of ancient complex societies across the world. In the Classic period (CE 250–900/1000) Maya lowlands, intermediate elites acted as mediators between apical rulers and lower status commoners. These individuals and the political strategies they employed, however, have rarely taken center stage in reconstructions of Classic Maya politics. In this paper, we evaluate the role of intermediate elites who occupied the middle level of the settlement hierarchy of the Belize River Valley of west-central Belize. Multivariate statistical analyses of architectural variables (n = 24) across 35 sites identified five hierarchically arranged groups of settlement types. Groups 2 and 3 are associated with intermediate elites, with Group 2 being large specialized centers with ballcourts, causeways, terminus groups and multiple plazas. In contrast, Group 3 were smaller residential and ceremonial centers focused around a single plaza. Investigation of patterned variability in the middle tier of the settlement hierarchy provides evidence for five political strategies which intermediate elites used to gain and maintain power and authority: (1) ancestor veneration, (2) ceremonial integration of commoners, (3) acting as neighborhood heads, (4) apical elite emulation, and (5) pursuing a ‘frontier’ role. Elucidating the variability in intermediate elite decision-making provides a new avenue for understanding the dynamics of integration and autonomy across the Classic Maya political landscape.
Social and environmental changes had great spatiotemporal variability in the Maya Lowlands during... more Social and environmental changes had great spatiotemporal variability in the Maya Lowlands during the Classic and Postclassic Periods, and stalagmites promise high-resolution paleoclimate data that can refine our understanding of this complex time. Unfortunately, stalagmites in this region are often difficult to date by U-Th methods because of low initial uranium concentrations. Other dating techniques can be used on such stalagmites, and we present here an age–depth model for BZBT1, a low-uranium stalagmite sampled from Box Tunich cave in the Belize River Valley. This age–depth model dates the growth of BZBT1 to between 400 and 1610 yr BP (340–1550 CE) by combining evidence from U-Th results, radiocarbon dating of both stalagmite CaCO3 and trapped organic material, and 210Pb dating. The resulting stable isotope record from BZBT1 reveals paleoclimate changes that affected local Maya populations during the Classic and early Postclassic Periods. This record is further refined by isoto...
Since its inception in 1988, the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) Project has h... more Since its inception in 1988, the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) Project has had two major foci, that of cultural heritage management and archaeological research. While research has concentrated on excavation and survey, the heritage management focus of the project has included the preservation of ancient monuments, the integration of archaeology and tourism development, and cultural heritage education. In this paper, we provide a brief overview on the history of scientific investigations by the BVAR Project, highlighting the project's dual heritage management and research goals. This background offers the basis in which to discuss the successes and challenges of the project's efforts in cultural heritage management and public engagement, particularly in early conservation efforts, in its training and educational efforts, and its ongoing outreach activity. We emphasize the need to train Belizeans as professional archaeologists and conservators, to serve as the next generation of advocates for Belize's heritage management. We offer some ideas on how research projects can make significant contributions to heritage education and preservation in the developing world.
This study uses neutron activation analysis of ceramics to examine economic change and increasing... more This study uses neutron activation analysis of ceramics to examine economic change and increasing social complexity at the Preclassic Maya site of Cahal Pech in Belize (1200 cal BC–cal AD 300). Seven compositional groups were identified from the site’s civic-ceremonial centre and two peripheral residential groups. Analyses indicate that both utilitarian and non-utilitarian ceramics were locally produced as early as 1200 cal BC, and that by c. 700 cal BC, fineware vessels were being exported into neighbouring parts of Guatemala. These results provide direct evidence for economic interaction between Maya lowland communities and for their increasing socio-political complexity.
This paper reviews paleoclimate proxy data from the Maya lowlands to provide a framework for unde... more This paper reviews paleoclimate proxy data from the Maya lowlands to provide a framework for understanding the human-environment dynamics that influenced the growth and decline of ancient Maya societies across the Belize River Valley. Patterns in paleoclimate data suggest that Belize Valley communities experienced the impacts of climate change as early as the Preclassic, when a multi-century drought coincides with archaeological evidence for the initial appearance of Early Preclassic (1200-900 BC) agricultural villages across the sub-region. Wetter conditions likely fostered the centralization of expanding Middle Preclassic populations and the formation of large regional polities, which continued to grow despite an extended drought at the end of the Late Preclassic (AD 150-300). At least two major Terminal Classic (AD 750-900/1000) droughts appear to have had variable impacts on Belize Valley polities. While some are abandoned as early as AD 850, large-scale depopulation only occurs at others by the beginning of the 11th century, suggesting that drought in addition to other socio-political factors influenced these developments. Locally focused comparisons of paleoclimate and archaeological data can help us to develop testable hypotheses about the role of climate in these cultural developments in the Belize River Valley and beyond.
The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and politica... more The Terminal Classic Period (AD 750–1000) collapse of lowland Maya social, economic, and political systems has been temporally correlated with severe and extended drought in regional paleoclimate records. Ancient Maya society also experienced a protracted multicentury drought earlier during the end of the Late Preclassic Period (AD 100–300). While some large Preclassic polities declined,many more flourished through the Early Classic. Why were the effects of the Terminal Classic drought more dramatic? What allowed some earlier Maya communities to be more resilient in the face of climate change? Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human skeletal remains from 50 individuals at the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech from this critical time period suggest that more diverse diets may have promoted resilience in the face of changing socioecological systems at the end of the Preclassic. During the Late Classic Period (AD 600–800), isotopic data indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly diet, which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that ultimately disintegrated as a result of anthropogenic landscape degradation and severe drought conditions during the Terminal Classic.
Evolución, comercio y migración del pueblo maya. Memorias del Cuarto Simposio de Cultura Maya Ichkaantijoo 2017, 2018
o 111 Mautah ' J• EVOLUCIÓN, COMERCIO Y MIGRACIÓN DEL PUEBLO MAYA Maantats ' J• ',k 'a 'ab uti' a... more o 111 Mautah ' J• EVOLUCIÓN, COMERCIO Y MIGRACIÓN DEL PUEBLO MAYA Maantats ' J• ',k 'a 'ab uti' al tuláakal máak) CENTRO INAH YUCATÁN. SECCIÓN DE ARQUEOLOGÍA. BIBLIOTECA. DIEGO PRIETO HERNÁNDEZ DIRECTOR GENERAL DEL INAH . EDUARDO LÓPEZ CALZADA DELEGADO DEL CENTRO INAH -YUCATÁ r1.
Archaeologists are placing an increasing emphasis on the role of climate change in the developmen... more Archaeologists are placing an increasing emphasis on the role of climate change in the development and demise of ancient Maya civilization. While research has focused primarily on the "collapse " of lowland Maya polities during the Terminal Classic period (~AD 750-900/1000), which has been correlated with evidence for severe drought, the establishment and growth of earlier Maya communities was also significantly impacted by climatic variability. In this paper we review regional paleoclimate proxy data and archaeological evidence from western Belize to provide a framework for understanding the complex human-environment dynamics that influenced localized adaptations to climate change. These data suggest that communities living in the Belize Valley and surrounding areas experienced episodic growth and decline in response to climatic variability as early as the Preclassic period (1200 BC-AD 300). A multi-century dry period at the beginning of the Preclassic coincides with archaeological evidence for the initial appearance of permanently settled agricultural villages across the region between ~1200-900 BC. Wetter climatic conditions likely fostered the centralization of growing populations and the formation of large regional polities, which continued to expand despite an extended drought at the end of the Preclassic from AD 150-300. During the Classic period (AD 300-900/1000), intensified reliance on maize agriculture, demographic increase, and anthropogenic landscape degradation created less flexible human-environment systems that ultimately contributed to the disintegration of political systems in response to drought conditions, resulting in the large-scale depopulation of the Belize Valley and elsewhere in western Belize by the beginning of the eleventh century.
The reconstruction of subsistence strategies using stable isotope analyses is integral to underst... more The reconstruction of subsistence strategies using stable isotope analyses is integral to understanding the role of maize agriculture in the development and decline of ancient Maya society. Here we present stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur isotope data from over 230 radiocarbon dated human skeletal remains from western Belize dating from the Preclassic through Colonial periods (~1000 BC-AD 1700). Stable isotope data are also compared to paleoclimate proxy records to interpret the climatic contexts for changing agricultural practices. Results indicate that the Preclassic (1000 BC-AD 300) Maya of western Belize had diverse diets incorporating both maize and wild foods, which may have promoted resilience in the face of social reorganization and changing ecological systems at the end of the Preclassic period. During the Classic period (AD 300-900/1000), inter-individual isotopic variations indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly specialized maize-based diet, which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that disintegrated due in part to drought conditions during the Terminal Classic period. While maize continued to be a dietary staple through the Postclassic and Colonial periods, agricultural systems were impacted by severe multi-year droughts that resulted in high levels of mortality and migration across the Yucatán Peninsula.
State University) and Jaime J. Awe (Northern Arizona University) Maya archaeologists have traditi... more State University) and Jaime J. Awe (Northern Arizona University) Maya archaeologists have traditionally attributed the emergence of socioeconomic inequality to the development of elite control of local production and regional redistribution during the Preclassic Period (1200 BC–AD 300). In this study, we focus on characterizing household-level economic systems using geochemical sourcing of obsidian and ceramics from the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech, in the Belize Valley. Technological and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) geochemical analyses of obsidian (n=1189) indicate a decentralized domestic obsidian exchange system based on the differential consumption of source material between households throughout the Preclassic. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of ceramics (n=192) identified four primary compositional groups from high-status households in the civic-ceremonial site center and two peripheral house groups. The Early Preclassic (1200-900 BC) Cunil assemblage is compositionally unique in the Maya lowlands, providing evidence for local production of these early ceramics. In the Middle Preclassic (900-300 BC), INAA data provide evidence for the specialized production and importation of Mars Orange vessels from the Belize Valley into the central Petén by high-status households living in the Cahal Pech site core. Ceramic exchange may have been one strategy for linking neighboring high-status individuals into networks of interdependency within a developing institutional economy, contributing to the wealth and power of some Cahal Pech households.
Sedentary agricultural villages, ceramic technology, and evidence for institutionalized socioecon... more Sedentary agricultural villages, ceramic technology, and evidence for institutionalized socioeconomic inequality first appeared in the Maya lowlands during the Preclassic Period (1200 cal BC – cal AD 300). The chronological details of these significant cultural developments between different regions of the lowlands remain unclear in many cases because of an emphasis on local ceramic typologies that are often difficult to correlate. We use a Bayesian framework to model high-resolution AMS 14C dates from the Belize Valley site of Cahal Pech, one of the earliest known permanently settled communities in the Maya lowlands, to understand the site's spatial, demographic, and socio-political expansion during the Preclassic Period. We also developed radiocarbon chronologies and summed probability distributions of over 1000 published radiocarbon dates from Preclassic sites in other core regions of the Maya lowlands. Comparisons of regional temporal trends to paleoclimate proxy records indicate that stable climatic conditions through the Middle Preclassic promoted the hierarchical development of large regional polities across the lowlands. A severe multi-century drought at the end of the Late Preclassic (~cal AD 100-300) likely contributed to the decline of some major polities in the Petén, though evidence for continuity of populations and site growth exists in other regions.
Chronology-building in Maya archaeology has long been dominated by relative ceramic typologies ba... more Chronology-building in Maya archaeology has long been dominated by relative ceramic typologies based on excavations conducted in the 1950s, with date ranges temporally grounded by long-count calendar dates and a small number of imprecise radiocarbon dates. Higher-precision chronologies based on more recent methodological innovations in radiocarbon dating, including Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) 14 C dating, Bayesian statistical modeling of radiocarbon dates, and ultrafiltration and XAD purification of bone collagen samples remain under-employed in Lowland Maya archaeology. Here we present a new research program that directly dates burials from sites across the Belize River Valley, located in the central Maya lowlands. This region is notable as the location of the well-known site of Barton Ramie, where one of these early and influential ceramic chronologies was developed. Using a priori contextual information from grave goods and stratigraphic relationships, we present high-precision AMS 14 C dates of burials from the sites of Barton Ramie, Baking Pot, and Cahal Pech. We use Bayesian chronological models to constrain radiocarbon distributions, serving as the framework to develop more precise time frames for ceramic types, complexes, and phases in the Belize Valley and elsewhere in the Maya Lowlands.
The collapse of lowland Maya society during the Terminal Classic Period (~AD 800/900-1000) has be... more The collapse of lowland Maya society during the Terminal Classic Period (~AD 800/900-1000) has been correlated with evidence for severe and extended drought in paleoclimate records. Maya society also experienced a protracted period of drought earlier between AD 100 and AD 250 during the Late Preclassic Period. While some large Preclassic polities declined, many more flourished into the Early Classic. This paper presents results of recent research from the Belize Valley site of Cahal Pech to compare the different social, political, and economic responses to climate change that occurred at the end of the Preclassic and Terminal Classic periods. Cahal Pech provides a unique case study for understanding these developments because of its long occupational history from the Early Preclassic (1200/1000 BC) through Terminal Classic. AMS 14C dating and stable isotope analyses of human remains from Cahal Pech suggest that during the Preclassic a more diverse diet may have promoted resilience in the face of social reorganization and changing ecological systems. During the Classic Period, an intensified reliance on maize agriculture, population increase, and anthropogenic landscape degradation created a less flexible system that ultimately disintegrated in response to changing climatic conditions.
Archaeological evidence in the Belize Valley indicates that some polities in the region, includin... more Archaeological evidence in the Belize Valley indicates that some polities in the region, including the major center of Cahal Pech, experienced an earlier end to monumental construction and political activity prior to the ninth to tenth century " collapse ". These data contrast with other sites in the area, including at Baking Pot, where Terminal Classic ceramics are found in primary burials and in monumental fill. Here we present the our research program that targets burials and terminal deposits to date the final occupation at Cahal Pech, in comparison with Baking Pot and other Belize Valley polities.
Archaeological research on prehistoric water management systems the Maya Lowlands has identified ... more Archaeological research on prehistoric water management systems the Maya Lowlands has identified the diversity and complexity of ancient human adaptations to changing environments and socioeconomic landscapes. Settlement survey and excavation the Belize River Valley at the site of Baling Pot have explored a multi-component water management system including a drainage system within the palace complex and multiple aguadas around the monumental site core. A lattice system of ditches has also been documented through settlement survey at the site. We present the results of recent airborne lidar survey conducted in the Belize Valley that has revealed the nature and spatial extent of the ditch system at Baking Pot. A combination of visual and spatial analyses of lidar data were conducted using GIS to map the approximately 27 km of ditches in the southwestern peripheral settlement at the site. Spatial analyses also recorded the presence several small mounds interspersed between ditched areas, perhaps delineating spatially distinct households. Preliminary field reconnaissance is focused on ground-truthing and test excavations to understand the form and function of ditches, as well as building an absolute chronology for the system using high-resolution radiocarbon dating. Baking Pot possesses some of the more productive agricultural soils in the Belize Valley, and the ditch system may have been used to support cacao production. Water management systems at Baking Pot may have become increasingly important during the Late Classic Period in the face of population increase, anthropogenic degradation of the landscape, and climate change.
Evidence suggests that the influence of regional polities in the Upper Belize River Valley shifte... more Evidence suggests that the influence of regional polities in the Upper Belize River Valley shifted through time, with political centers ascending and declining in power. Archaeological research by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) project utilizes a regional approach to understand the political development and disintegration of three major centers: Cahal Pech, Baking Pot, and Lower Dover. This paper uses a multi-scalar settlement approach to understanding territorial organization in the Belize River valley through time. Regional perspectives utilize lidar data supplemented by systematic surveys and excavations, focusing on spatial patterns that distinguish territories between sites. Extensive settlement research at Baking Pot allows for more fine-grained analysis of political and economic interaction through time. At the site level, we focus on distinguishing settlement clusters and their relationships with natural and constructed features. We present the geochemical results of a pXRF analysis on obsidian artifacts to understand patterns in resource procurement and exchange networks. At the community level, we focus on Settlement Cluster C, to examine strategies of community interaction and integration. At the household level, we assess patterns of household production, ritual, and political interaction. We contrast Classic and Postclassic patterns to identify major changes in organization through time.
Accurate and high-resolution Lidar data are becoming increasingly important for detecting archaeo... more Accurate and high-resolution Lidar data are becoming increasingly important for detecting archaeological settlements in the Maya lowlands. We present the results of systematic analysis of Lidar data and ground verification for the ancient Maya site of Cahal Pech, Belize. Lidar data was analyzed within a GIS using the Topographic Position Index to identify the location of mounded features. During the summer of 2014, over 50 house groups and single mounds identified from Lidar data were ground-truthed. Lidar also recorded the location of mounds that were destroyed during modern construction, demonstrating the utility of the technology for archaeological conservation efforts.
Traditional interpretations of the ancient Maya collapse during the Terminal Classic Period (~AD ... more Traditional interpretations of the ancient Maya collapse during the Terminal Classic Period (~AD 730-910) have favored a quick population decline across the Maya Lowland based on terminal long count dates at large elite centers. However, some researchers have argued for a more protracted sociopolitical disintegration and persistence of populations long after the dynastic collapse in several regions based on evidence from household contexts (Webster et al. 2004). The last recorded long count date at the Uxbenká site core (AD 780, Stela 15, Group A) is thought to mark the decline of elite authority and decentralization of the political economy at the site. This is consistent with termination of epigraphic records in Southern Belize starting first at Pusilhá (AD 731) and then extending northeast towards Nimli Punit (AD 810), suggesting a relatively rapid regional collapse, but work on settlements associated with these centers has been minimal. Excavations conducted at Settlement Group (SG) 37 at Uxbenká in 2011 uncovered residential structures and domestic artifacts along with prestige items (e.g. jade, polychrome ceramics) and formal architecture consistent with an elite residential household that may have been occupied during and after the collapse. Radiocarbon dates place the construction of at least one residence in the Terminal Classic (cal AD 684-806), and occupation may have persisted for a short time after the decline of the royal dynasty at Uxbenká.
One of the central questions in anthropological archaeology is why social, economic and political... more One of the central questions in anthropological archaeology is why social, economic and political inequality developed and what the long-term effects of hierarchical sociopolitical organization were at local and regional levels. The earliest complex societies, characterized by a distinctive set of pan-regional social, political, and economic institutions, first appeared in the
The peoples of southern Mesoamerica, including the Classic period Maya, are often claimed to exhi... more The peoples of southern Mesoamerica, including the Classic period Maya, are often claimed to exhibit a distinct type of spatial organization relative to contemporary urban systems. Here, we use the settlement scaling framework and properties of settlements recorded in systematic, full-coverage surveys to examine ways in which southern Mesoamerican settlement systems were both similar to and different from contemporary systems. We find that the population-area relationship in these settlements differs greatly from that reported for other agrarian settlement systems, but that more typical patterns emerge when one considers a site epicenter as the relevant social interaction area, and the population administered from a given center as the relevant interacting population. Our results imply that southern Mesoamerican populations mixed socially at a slower temporal rhythm than is typical of contemporary systems. Residential locations reflected the need to balance energetic and transport costs of farming with lower-frequency costs of commuting to central places. Nevertheless, increasing returns in activities such as civic construction were still realized through lower-frequency social mixing. These findings suggest that the primary difference between low-density urbanism and contemporary urban systems lies in the spatial and temporal rhythms of social mixing.
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Papers by Claire Ebert
centre and two peripheral residential groups. Analyses indicate that both utilitarian and non-utilitarian ceramics were locally produced as early as 1200 cal BC, and that by c. 700 cal BC, fineware vessels were being exported into neighbouring parts of Guatemala. These results provide direct evidence for economic interaction between Maya lowland communities and for their increasing socio-political complexity.
and nitrogen isotope analyses of human skeletal remains from 50 individuals at the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech from this critical time period suggest that more diverse diets may have promoted resilience in the face of changing socioecological systems at the end of the Preclassic. During the Late Classic Period (AD 600–800), isotopic data indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly diet,
which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that ultimately disintegrated as a result of anthropogenic landscape degradation and severe drought conditions during the Terminal Classic.
centre and two peripheral residential groups. Analyses indicate that both utilitarian and non-utilitarian ceramics were locally produced as early as 1200 cal BC, and that by c. 700 cal BC, fineware vessels were being exported into neighbouring parts of Guatemala. These results provide direct evidence for economic interaction between Maya lowland communities and for their increasing socio-political complexity.
and nitrogen isotope analyses of human skeletal remains from 50 individuals at the ancient Maya community of Cahal Pech from this critical time period suggest that more diverse diets may have promoted resilience in the face of changing socioecological systems at the end of the Preclassic. During the Late Classic Period (AD 600–800), isotopic data indicate that high-status individuals had a narrow and highly diet,
which may have created a more vulnerable socioeconomic system that ultimately disintegrated as a result of anthropogenic landscape degradation and severe drought conditions during the Terminal Classic.