The Politics of Classic-Period Ritual Interaction

1993 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Francis Zeitlin
Keyword(s):  
Classic Period ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Social Differentiation ◽  
Sociopolitical Complexity ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Social Competition ◽  
Settlement Systems ◽  
Regional Centers ◽  
Stone Sculpture ◽  
Coastal Lowlands

AbstractThe Classic period along the Oaxaca Coast was a time of population growth and increased sociopolitical complexity, as marked by the prominence of hierarchical settlement systems, large regional centers, and the proliferation of monumental artworks. An iconographic examination of standing stone sculpture from six archaeological sites between the Rio Verde and the Río de los Perros indicates that these later Classic societies were concerned with the same religious themes that prevailed at that time throughout the Peripheral Coastal Lowlands: the Underworld death and rebirth of the celestial deities in mythical events reenacted in the ritual ballgame. With no single dominant power dictating cult orthodoxy, independent political leaders interpreted these rituals freely. As permanent public expressions of the polity's stature, the sculptures and the religious message they encoded appear to have both enhanced a leader's prestige in intergroup social competition and helped foster internal social differentiation.

Unpacking Personhood and Funerary Customs in the Hohokam Area of Southern Arizona

2015 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica I. Cerezo-Román
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Construction ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Social Differentiation ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
General Decrease ◽  
Preclassic Period ◽  
Construction Of Self ◽  
Funerary Customs

Changing perspectives on concepts of personhood are explored by deconstructing mortuary customs from 10 Tucson Basin (Arizona) Hohokam archaeological sites dating from the Preclassic (A.D. 700–1150) and Classic (A.D. 1150–145011500) periods. Results indicate that certain aspects of personhood did not change across time and space at these sites. However, by analyzing changes through time in cremation rituals, it was possible to infer that some aspects of personhood did change. In the Preclassic period, after bodies were burned, the remains were distributed as inalienable possessions within social networks. This behavior suggests a relational social construction of self where burning transformed the deceased and the remains were considered part-person and part-object. Later in the Classic period, a higher frequency of cremated remains were not divided but instead transferred as a unit to secondary deposits. Perceptions of personhood during this period appear to have defined self as a complete, bounded unit, even after transformation by fire. This change possibly occurred as a result of a general decrease in remembrance networks. These changes in cremation parallel broader sociopolitical changes where increases in social differentiation and complexity are proposed for the Classic period Hohokam.

UNDERGROUND PITS (CHULTUNES) IN THE SOUTHERN MAYA LOWLANDS: EXCAVATION RESULTS FROM CLASSIC PERIOD MAYA SITES IN NORTHWESTERN PETÉN

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarissa Cagnato
Keyword(s):  
Strong Evidence ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Ancient Maya ◽  
Maya Lowlands ◽  
Macrobotanical Remains ◽  
Local Patterns

AbstractChultunes— underground pits carved into bedrock — have been reported by the hundreds in the Maya region, yet debate on their principal use continues to this day. Sincechultuneshave not yielded solid data to answer the questions posed by Maya archeologists, they are sometimes not completely excavated or reported in detail. This article presents a review of previous work onchultunesin the Maya lowlands, followed by the presentation of new data from sixchultunesexcavated at archaeological sites in northwestern Petén, Guatemala. I argue that, although these underground features were primarily used for utilitarian purposes, there is strong evidence thatchultunesalso had ritual importance to the ancient Maya. The variability in the shape, size, and associated cultural materials, including macrobotanical remains, justifies further in-depth investigations ofchultunes. Archaeologists should consider investigating these features more systematically, as a larger comparative sample ofchultunescould aid in assessing whether there are local patterns of construction, use, and reuse. Thus, excavations of these features should be encouraged.

Classic Period Hohokam

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffery J. Clark ◽  
David Abbott
Keyword(s):  
Classic Period ◽  
The Other ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
The North ◽  
Phoenix Basin ◽  
Populated Region ◽  
Lower Population ◽  
The Phoenix

This chapter discusses the Hohokam Classic Period (ca. 1200–1450 ce) in southern Arizona. Two perspectives are presented for observed archaeological patterns. One perspective is from the Phoenix Basin center, a densely populated region on a trajectory of overexploitation and decline throughout much of the interval, despite the construction of massive irrigation works and architectural buildings that left impressive ruins. The other perspective is from the outlying valleys to the north and east of Phoenix that had much lower population densities. Here intense interaction between local majorities, and small, but socially resilient, Kayenta immigrants from northeast Arizona led to the development of an inclusive Salado ideology that transcended the identities of both groups. This ideology ultimately penetrated the Phoenix Basin when the latter was on the verge of collapse. This collapse was so complete that few pre-contact archaeological sites have been identified in the Hohokam region after 1450 ce.

The Low-Density Urban Systems of the Classic Period Maya and Izapa: Insights from Settlement Scaling Theory

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Michael E. Smith ◽  
Scott G. Ortman ◽  
José Lobo ◽  
Claire E. Ebert ◽  
Amy E. Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Distinct Type ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Transport Costs ◽  
Settlement Systems ◽  
Social Mixing ◽  
A Site ◽  
Temporal Rhythm

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.

scholarly journals THE SIZE OF PLAZAS IN MESOAMERICAN CITIES AND TOWNS: A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alanna Ossa ◽  
Michael E. Smith ◽  
José Lobo
Keyword(s):  
Classic Maya ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Maya Archaeology ◽  
Settlement Systems ◽  
South Central ◽  
Passive Viewing ◽  
Late Postclassic ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Regional Settlement ◽  
Size Scales

We present quantitative data on population size and plaza area in three groups of ancient Mesoamerican settlements: a sample of 30 Late Postclassic cities and towns from throughout Mesoamerica and two regional settlement systems from the Classic period, including south-central Veracruz (the Mixtequilla) and the Palenque region. Plaza size scales with population in a sublinear relationship in all three groups, meaning that larger settlements had considerably less plaza area per capita than smaller settlements. These results suggest that the currently popular interpretation drawn from Classic Maya archaeology that plazas were places designed to hold the entire urban population for passive viewing of spectacles may be incomplete. We argue that the observed quantitative relationships between population and plaza area support the notion that plazas were designed to be used for a variety of purposes—including several types of ceremonies and marketplaces—held at different times following a regular schedule.

scholarly journals THE END OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY

2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd A. Surovell ◽  
Jason L. Toohey ◽  
Adam D. Myers ◽  
Jason M. LaBelle ◽  
James C. M. Ahern ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
The State ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Modern Material ◽  
Finite Resource ◽  
The Future ◽  
Current Century

Except for the addition of modern material remains, the archaeological record is a finite resource, which means that, at some point in the future, there will be nothing left to find. In this paper, we model trends in archaeological discovery based on the growth of the field and the probability of site discovery. We compare this model to seven diverse datasets of archaeological discovery trends: (1) all sites from the state of Wyoming, USA; (2) high-altitude archaeological sites from the state of Colorado, USA; (3) mostly complete Neandertal crania; (4) monumental sites of the Maya Classic period; (5) proboscidean kill/scavenge sites globally; (6) Upper Paleolithic sites from Europe; and (7) a compilation of shipwreck discoveries. We forecast discovery trends over the current century. We show that, for all datasets, rates of discovery are in decline, and some segments of the record are near depletion.

scholarly journals Chupicuaro archaeological sites: from magnetic survey to excavation (late pre-classic period, Middle Lerma Valley, Guanajuato, Mexico)

2009 ◽  
pp. 31-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Bichet ◽  
Christophe Durlet ◽  
Christophe Petit ◽  
Véronique Darras ◽  
Brigitte Faugère
Keyword(s):  
Classic Period ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Magnetic Survey

scholarly journals THE EXPERIENCE OF THE USE OF GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES OF THE BROWARKA RIVER BASIN OF PEREIASLSAV REGION

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 190-200
Author(s):  
S. V. Vovkodav
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Research Focus ◽  
Settlement Systems ◽  
Sensing Data

The article describes experience of using geographic information systems in archaeological research of the Brovarka river basin. This river is а part of surface waters of Pereiaslav region and it is located in the south-eastern part of the region. The study of sites in the region began in the middle of the XIX century. From this time until the end of the 1960s the research focus was concentrated only on the certain objects of the micro-region. During the next period (up to the early 1990s) the several field studies was conducted on the territory, that allows to accumulate many archaeological materials. Despite the aforementioned, yet the purposeful study of the territory was not carried out. In the early 2000s a generalization of information about archaeological sites in the micro-region and their further field survey was started. So, we have begun a comprehensive study of archaeological sites, lined up within the Brovarka river basin. The need to operate a large amount of diverse information and to attract a wide range of sources has forced us to use new approaches in the study of the past of the region: the use of geographic information systems, remote sensing data and GPS positioning. The main research focus was concentrated on the study of the ancient settlement systems. The study was carried out in the context of the implementation of following three areas: а records of archaeological sites, an analysis of the spatial characteristics of ancient settlement systems and use of remote sensing data for different research needs. The particular features and results of their implementation are proposed in this publication.

scholarly journals PATRÓN POBLACIONAL PREHISPÁNICO EN MEDIAS AGUAS, VERACRUZ

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 174
Author(s):  
Roberto Lunagómez Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Settlement Pattern ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Sociopolitical Complexity ◽  
San Lorenzo ◽  
Field Techniques ◽  
Surface Survey ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Population Pattern ◽  
The Pacific Ocean ◽  
Regional Settlement

Medias Aguas se localiza dentro del Istmo de Tehuantepec, entre el océano Pacífico y el Golfo de México, este se inserta en el municipio de Sayula de Alemán, Veracruz, también se localiza entre dos sitios arqueológicos importantes: San Lorenzo y Las Limas, una parte fundamental de esta investigación tuvo como objetivo principal la interpretación de los mecanismos que intervinieron en el surgimiento, evolución y/o desintegración de la complejidad sociopolítica que caracterizaron a las ocupaciones humanas en la región, basándose metodológicamente en el estudio del Patrón de asentamiento regional empleandolas técnicas de campo diseñadas para un reconocimiento sistemático e intensivo de superficie, el cual integra un área de estudio de 200 km² en donde se registraron 124 sitios arqueológicos. PREHISPANIC POPULATION PATTERN IN MEDIAS AGUAS, VERACRUZ  ABSTRACTMedias Aguas is located within the Istmo of Tehuantepec, between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, it is inserted in the township from Sayula of Alemán, Veracruz, it is also located between two important archaeological sites: San Lorenzo and The Limas, a part the main objective of this research was to interpret the mechanisms that intervened in the emergence, evolution and / or disintegration of the sociopolitical complexity that characterized human occupations in the region, based methodologically on the study of the regional settlement pattern using the Field techniques designed for a systematic and intensive surface survey, which integrates a 200 km² study area where 124 archaeological sites were recorded. Keywords: Estuaries, settlement pattern, Mask of half waters

Magdalenian Settlement and Subsistence in South-west Germany

1987 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 293-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerd-C. Weniger
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
West Germany ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
Settlement Systems ◽  
South West ◽  
Ethnographic Observation

Magdalenian settlement systems and man/land relationships in South-west Germany are reconstructed, using archaeological evidence and modern ethnographic observation. Archaeological sites are divided into four size categories, each with distinctive structural and artefactual records, and assigned to different seasonal and functional uses in the annual subsistence cycle. Hunting of reindeer and horse dominated and, in contrast to previous theories of long-distance reindeer following, a territorial model of land-use is proposed.

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