Residential Trajectories of Commoner, Elite, and Noble Spaces at Actuncan, Belize

Summary

This paper summarizes the archaeological investigations of ten residential units at Actuncan that likely represented three distinct social strata: commoner, elite, and noble. We explore the trajectories of these residences from the Preclassic to the Terminal Classic period. Data suggest that although political authority in the Mopan River valley shifted throughout Actuncan’s long occupation, many commoner residences maintained local identities and residential continuity through time. However, the exact patterns of prosperity varied between residential groups. In contrast, elite residences show evidence of abandonment and reoccupation while the noble residence was occupied for a relatively short period. Elite and noble trajectories appear to have been strongly tied to shifting power structures, whereas commoner trajectories were less dependent on political transitions. Understanding strategies employed by residents during shifts in local political authority is an important foundation for interpreting broader political dynamics, including relationships between residents and rulers, and how rulers were able to create, legitimize, and maintain power and authority.

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): 18718