Studies in Mesoamerican Subterranean Archaeology

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Studies in Mesoamerican Subterranean Archaeology," at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Field studies are reporting an increasing number of natural and man-made subterranean features utilized by pre-contact Mesoamerican cultures. Many of these are related conceptually in one way or another to caves but others may not be. In recent years, subterranean archaeology has begun to look critically at the function of chultuns in the Maya lowlands and the use or reuse of subterranean spaces created through extractive activities. Mesoamerican archaeologists appear largely unaware of the fact that thousands and perhaps tens of thousands of such features dot the landscape and beg for a more adequate treatment. This session attempts to bring together the most recent studies and approaches to the Mesoamerican underground.