Late Classic to Terminal Classic Maya Transitions: Modeling from NW Belize

Summary

The Late Classic (AD 600-800) to Terminal Classic (AD 800-900) of NW Belize reveals a change in material culture, settlements, and social-political manifestations. Detailed here are some of the changes observed for the transition from the Late Classic to the Terminal Classic. Changes in material culture are described as are apparent choices in settlement locales between the two temporal phases. The interplay between material culture, settlements, and social-political organization are posited given available data and analysis. The prospect of utilizing other scientific (archaeometry) techniques are suggested as mechanisms for better defining the nature of temporal transitions as reflected in choices of material culture, settlements, etc. A model for explaining the changes and difference between the Late Classic and Terminal Classic Maya is presented as a testable hypothesis.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes": Transitions and Thresholds throughout Central America and Beyond

Keywords

Spatial Coverage