Household Activities, Status, and Social Organization at Uxul, Campeche, Mexico

Summary

The physical remains of ancient buildings and activity areas provide an important archaeological window into the lives and practices of past households. In the Maya region, patio groups composed of multiple structures housing extended families have long been recognized as the fundamental units of settlement. At a very basic level, patio groups were both the primary locus and one of the most tangible material outcomes of household activities. Variations in their size and spatial configuration can therefore be analyzed as indices of inequality and differentiation within communities. This talk presents the results of recent research on status and social organization at Uxul, Campeche, Mexico. I analyze data from elite and non-elite architectural groups in the settlement in order to trace a broad outline of economic, political, and ritual activities carried out by the inhabitants of the site throughout its history. The incorporation of Uxul within the Calakmul regional state in the first half of the Late Classic (roughly A.D. 600–750) offers a convenient turning point for discussing possible strategies employed by different social actors in response to changing political circumstances.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ellos fueron lo que hicieron: Actividades de la elite y grupos no elitarios en las tierras bajas mayas   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage