Innovation, Not Imitation: The Classic Period Ceramics of Belize

Summary

This is an abstract from the "“The Center and the Edge”: How the Archaeology of Belize Is Foundational for Understanding the Ancient Maya" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Entertaining the initial assessment of Belize as a secondary outpost of ancient Maya culture, Belize’s subordinate role should be reflected in its ceramic record based on conventional archaeological assumption. However, research since the 1980s proves this to be untrue. Our paper presents an overview of compositional trends in Belizean ceramic paste composition obtained by neutron activation analysis, with a consideration of stylistic and typological categories. Combined with our colleagues’ excavation data and pottery analyses, the ceramic record reveals Belizean sites to have been vital Classic period players on the ancient Maya stage, producing unique pottery and participating in ceramic artifact circulation and political interaction throughout the ancient Maya world.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• “The Center and the Edge”: How the Archaeology of Belize Is Foundational for Understanding the Ancient Maya   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38428.0