Within and Between: A comparative discussion of Intra-site Variability and Hinterland Complexity at the sites of Yaxché, Yucatan and Cerén, El Salvador

Author(s): Céline Lamb; Scott R. Hutson

Year: 2015

Summary

Long-standing research at sites like Cerén exemplifies the increased interest in rural households and settlements and the shift away from the elite-centric nature of many earlier projects in Maya archaeology. Our expanding knowledge of ancient Maya hinterlands has allowed us to consider the heterogeneity that these smaller settlements displayed and revise our western binary perspective of "urban versus rural". Recent investigations by members of the Ucí-Cansahcab Regional Integration Project (UCRIP) have revealed a range of variability among Yaxché households, including wealth, economic specialization, ritual activity, access to non-local goods, and occupation histories.

In this paper, we discuss the intra-site variability found at Yaxché in an attempt to glean insights on social organization and socioeconomic integration of this hinterland. Comparing household behaviors and supra-household interactions at the ancient Maya sites of Yaxché and Cerén allows us to underline the diversity found within and between hinterland occupations. Ultimately, we wish to contribute to our understandings of ancient Mesoamerican communities and underscore the plurality and complexity of "rural" occupations.

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Cite this Record

Within and Between: A comparative discussion of Intra-site Variability and Hinterland Complexity at the sites of Yaxché, Yucatan and Cerén, El Salvador. Céline Lamb, Scott R. Hutson. Presented at The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, San Francisco, California. 2015 ( tDAR id: 396791)

Spatial Coverage

min long: -94.702; min lat: 6.665 ; max long: -76.685; max lat: 18.813 ;