Game On: Investigations of Ballcourts 1 and 2 at Xunantunich, Belize

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper presents the results of recent investigations of the two ballcourts at Xunantunich, Belize. Located on the Mopan branch of the Belize River, Xunantunich is primarily a Late to Terminal Classic regional center. The site’s rapid rise to power in the late 8th to 9th centuries is attributed to its political affiliation with the larger site of Naranjo, Guatemala to the west. Investigations of the two ballcourts at Xunantunich identified differences in both architecture and caching traditions. The architecture of Ballcourt 1 is more closely in line with northern (Yucatecan) traditions, while the architecture of Ballcourt 2 demonstrates a more local Belize Valley tradition. In addition, while Ballcourt 2 demonstrates an extensive caching tradition, no caches were found in Ballcourt 2. These differences will be analyzed in light of the political affiliations of the site as well as the cultural changes that were occurring during the Late to Terminal Classic period in the Belize River Valley.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25957