Hinterland Domestic Economies: A Summary of Recent Investigations at the San Lorenzo Settlement Cluster

Summary

This paper summarizes recent archaeological investigations at the San Lorenzo settlement cluster in the Mopan River Valley of Western Belize. Current research at this ancient hinterland settlement is concerned with better understanding household economic organization and integration during the Late and Terminal Classic (A.D. 670-890) occupations of this site.

Households are fundamental units of economic organization in both past and present societies. The examination of ancient household remains enables archaeologists to better understand micro-scale economic activities, and to situate those activities within larger societal contexts. Investigations at San Lorenzo focus on the areas associated with four structure groups. In accord with previous research at this site, analyses of collected data from these groups show similarities in terms of basic domestic activities. Ongoing analysis of lithic macroartifacts indicates differences among households in terms of reliance on local raw materials. The ancient residents of SL-21 and SL-22 produced informal tools with locally available chert. Conversely, lithic debitage collected from structure group SL-25 indicates importation of raw materials from outside the San Lorenzo settlement cluster.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22662