Architecture and Hydrology: Defining the Sacred Landscape of the Tayasal Hinterland amid the Shores of Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Hydro-Ecological System of the Maya in Petén, Guatemala" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Recent lidar survey of the Tayasal Peninsula in the Petén region of Guatemala revealed a collection of residence groups, situated on ridges of higher ground and separated by possible waterways of lower elevation. These suburb-like communities stand 2 km from Tayasal's urban core. They include structure compounds arranged into a series of larger communities—perhaps neighborhoods, villages, or specialized activity areas. Some of these architectural groupings follow the contours of the terrain down toward lake edges, enhancing the hydrological context of the surrounding environment. In conjunction with the lidar survey, segments of this area and additional features like drainage areas and defensive walls have been ground-truthed, and support conceptions of the residential nature of these settlements. Further study of this area as a residential subset of the Tayasal architectural assemblage has great potential to contribute to the ongoing conversations regarding Maya spatial organization and corresponding geopolitics. The positioning of these settlements and their relationship to water is a key area of study, and further analysis will contribute to a more thorough understanding of resource management and its implications for the characterization of these outlying communities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)   •
• Hydro-Ecological System of the Maya in Petén, Guatemala

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 41592.0