Exchange and the economy over time

Summary

Exchange drove Maya economy at many levels, yet the political landscape changed dramatically from the Preclassic to early colonial period. How did exchange networks respond to these changes? Or, we might ask instead if political change or upheaval was instigated by fluctuations or upsets in what might be called the market economy and those who sought to manage or control networks of supply? Did the ability to exact tax/tribute provide rulers and nobles with the economic power to invest and benefit from markets and trade, or did the tax system become unmanageable and problematic in terms of the economic power wielded by tax receivers? These questions clearly cannot be answered in full, but hypotheses will be suggested and avenues explored with particular attention to the Classic to Postclassic transition.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Nuts and Bolts of the Real "Business" of Ancient Maya Exchange (Part 1)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage