Sacbeob in the Cochuah Region: Barriers or Links?

Summary

During the Terminal Classic, sacbeob were built at three Maya sites in the Cochuah region of west-central Quintana Roo, Mexico. The roads provided a physical connection between portions of Ichmul, San Felipe, and Yo’okop, running between important structures, out to outlying groups, and even to what had likely been separate settlements. Although they would have been used for processions between termini and may have had numerous symbolic meanings, the impact of some the roadways on the lives of commoners may have instead been that of impeding the flow of transit. An examination of the contexts, features, and physical forms of these roadways shows how, rather than necessarily easing transit in the manner of most modern roads, some sacbeob were set apart as sacred space no longer available for quotidian functions. In contrast, other causeways seemed to be designed to welcome public access, providing for the ready flow of foot traffic along and across their spans. This difference, related to the intended function, reveals another way in which what archaeologists consider to be one feature class may have been conceived of as multiple categories by residents.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 18837