TY - JOUR
T1 - The growth and decline of the ancient Maya city of la Milpa, Belize
T2 - New data and new perspectives from the Southern Plazas
AU - Zaro, Gregory
AU - Houk, Brett A.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to recognize the staff of the Institute of Archaeology in Belmopan, Belize, for their continued support of our work at La Milpa. This research was supported in large part by a grant from the Research Enhancement Fund of Texas Tech University, and authorized by permits assigned to the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project under the direction of Fred Valdez, Jr. We would like to especially thank Fred Valdez, Jr., Liwy Grazioso, Débora Trein, and Kerry Sagebiel for their helpful suggestions and discussion, and Lauren A. Sullivan for her ceramic expertise and collaboration during laboratory analysis and
PY - 2012/3
Y1 - 2012/3
N2 - Construction histories of ancient Maya monumental centers have long been used to interpret the growth and decline of Lowland Maya polities. Changes in the built environment at monumental centers reflect labor appropriation by ruling elites and may indirectly serve to gauge changes in political clout over time. Consequently, the precision and accuracy with which archaeologists measure these changes take on increased importance when assessing the ancient Maya political landscape. Recent excavations in the monumental core of La Milpa, Belize, have generated new data that call for a re-assessment of the center's historical trajectory. Our data indicate that La Milpa had a larger Late Preclassic foundation, likely grew much more incrementally through the Classic period, and persisted centuries longer than previously understood. The apparent persistence of occupation into the tenth century a.d. challenges the traditionally accepted dates for La Milpa's abandonment, and, the ceramic sequence upon which it is often based.
AB - Construction histories of ancient Maya monumental centers have long been used to interpret the growth and decline of Lowland Maya polities. Changes in the built environment at monumental centers reflect labor appropriation by ruling elites and may indirectly serve to gauge changes in political clout over time. Consequently, the precision and accuracy with which archaeologists measure these changes take on increased importance when assessing the ancient Maya political landscape. Recent excavations in the monumental core of La Milpa, Belize, have generated new data that call for a re-assessment of the center's historical trajectory. Our data indicate that La Milpa had a larger Late Preclassic foundation, likely grew much more incrementally through the Classic period, and persisted centuries longer than previously understood. The apparent persistence of occupation into the tenth century a.d. challenges the traditionally accepted dates for La Milpa's abandonment, and, the ceramic sequence upon which it is often based.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862287330&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0956536112000107
DO - 10.1017/S0956536112000107
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84862287330
VL - 23
SP - 143
EP - 159
JO - Ancient Mesoamerica
JF - Ancient Mesoamerica
SN - 0956-5361
IS - 1
ER -