Postclassic to Contact period Economic Patterns in the Central Peten- The View from Zacpeten

Summary

The purpose of this paper is to examine how Zacpetén, an important center for the Kowoj, functioned to meet its economic needs while creating and sustaining a communal identity between the Late Postclassic (A.D. 1200 to 1525) and Early Contact (A.D. 1525 to 1700) periods. At this time, a complex political economy existed across the Central Petén. However, these connections varied across the Central Petén according to the degree of political integration. In this paper, it is argued that the acquisition, production, and distribution of stone tools at Zacpetén during the Late Postclassic and Early Contact periods were highly autonomous, community-based activities. Most of the stone tools at Zacpetén were produced and used by individual households, though several cottage industries in the community specialized in the production of obsidian blades, chert bifaces, and millstone tools. Through community interactions, the Kowoj at Zacpetén made clear attempts to maintain their own identity despite regional influences exerted by the Itzá during the Late Postclassic and the Spanish during the Early Contact Period.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Current Investigations in the Petén Lakes Region, Guatemala

Keywords

Spatial Coverage