Excavation of a Rural Middle Preclassic Maya Village: Investigations at Paso del Macho, Yucatán, México

Summary

Paso del Macho is a Middle Preclassic village settlement located in the eastern Puuc region of the Yucatán Peninsula. Excavations of mounded architecture, the main plaza, and ballcourt of the site have established a chronological range beginning in the early Middle Preclassic and ending by the Late Preclassic. The earliest architecture at the settlement includes at least three small raised platforms associated with Ek ceramics, the earliest pottery complex in Northern Yucatán. Following this, the site underwent a major planned renovation, culminating in the construction of eight earth and rubble platform mounds, including a ballcourt. The expansion of the settlement coincided with the introduction of exotic trade items such as jade, basalt, and marine shell in addition to the appearance of the Early Nabanche complex of pottery. The manner of the founding and later expansion of Paso del Macho indicates that the introduction of ballcourts at rural Middle Preclassic settlements may be associated with the concomitant rise of major monumental settlements such as Xocnaceh, Yaxhom, Komchen, and Xtobo. Furthermore, the presence of exotic prestige items at a small rural village settlement suggests that the Maya ballgame developed in conjunction with the institution of socio-political inequality in the region.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15874