Monumentality by Communities: Case Study of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua

Summary

This is an abstract from the "The Problem of the Monument: Widening Perspectives on Monumentality in the Archaeology of the Isthmo-Colombian Area" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Large stone and earth mounds of Cascal de Flor de Pino in the Caribbean of Nicaragua, which were built between 4 BC and AD 9, are unique in the region and have been suggested as a sign of social stratification and inequality. Indeed, reaching more than 30 m in diameter and 3 m in height, Cascal de Flor de Pino significantly differs from other sites in the region, which are marked by surface collections of ceramic and lithic, shell middens, and occasionally just a few decimeters high earthen mounds. To understand if these monumental structures represent social hierarchies, the access to resources such as ceramics, lithics, and foodways from monumental and non-monumental sites is analyzed. Based on the data, it is suggested that monumentality in the Caribbean of Nicaragua can rather be seen as a result of human interaction with the landscape than social stratification among human societies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Problem of the Monument: Widening Perspectives on Monumentality in the Archaeology of the Isthmo-Colombian Area   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38126.0