The View from the Ground: How Geochemistry Informs Our Understanding of the Regal, Ritual, and Residential Character of Actuncan
Author(s): E. Christian Wells; Kara Fulton; David Mixter; Borislava Simova
Year: 2018
Summary
The archaeological investigation of Actuncan in western Belize included the geochemical analysis of one of the largest and most diverse sets of activity surfaces in the Maya world. Over 1200 soil, sediment, and plaster samples from four major architectural complexes representing regal, ritual, and residential locations were assayed using ICP-MS. The results allow a uniquely "atomic" perspective on the changing use of urban space over roughly 900 years, ca. AD 100-1000. This research identifies feasting, ancestor veneration, and other diacritical performances as key practices that marked exclusivity or inclusivity in the political, religious, and social lives of the city’s residents.
Cite this Record
The View from the Ground: How Geochemistry Informs Our Understanding of the Regal, Ritual, and Residential Character of Actuncan. E. Christian Wells, Kara Fulton, David Mixter, Borislava Simova. Presented at The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Washington, DC. 2018 ( tDAR id: 443811)
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Keywords
General
Geoarchaeology
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Maya: Classic
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Soil Chemistry
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Urbanism
Geographic Keywords
Mesoamerica: Maya lowlands
Spatial Coverage
min long: -94.197; min lat: 16.004 ; max long: -86.682; max lat: 21.984 ;
Record Identifiers
Abstract Id(s): 18806