The Distribution of Early Ceremonial Complexes beyond the Maya and Olmec Areas Examined through the Analysis of Low-Resolution Lidar Data

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Recent work by the Middle Usumacinta Archaeological Project (MUAP) identified over 400 standardized ceremonial complexes within the Maya and Olmec areas dating to the Middle Preclassic period (1050–400 BC). According to this research, the spread and development of these centers likely resulted from intensive interregional interaction. This paper builds on this previous research and expands the study area to include the states of Veracruz, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. The main goals are (1) to determine the regional distribution of Preclassic centers and (2) to examine the transition in settlement patterns from the Middle Preclassic to the Classic period in these areas. Methods include the analysis of low-resolution lidar data obtained by the INEGI, incorporating both previously and newly identified ceremonial centers and archaeological features.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36396.0