Zooarchaeological and Stable Isotope Analysis of Deer at Isla Cilvituk, Campeche, Mexico

Author(s): Paisley C. Palmer

Year: 2018

Summary

The purpose of my thesis is to analyze the deer from the zooarchaeological

assemblage recovered from the archaeological site of Isla Cilvituk, Campeche,

Mexico, to determine if environmental depression affected Isla Cilvituk. Isla Cilvituk

is a Maya archaeological site located in a lacustrine region on the Yucatán peninsula.

Environmental depression is defined as the destruction of ecosystems by the

mismanagement of resources and/or climate shifts. I focus on deforestation and

animal diversity. Through my research I address three questions 1) Is environmental

depression factor at Isla Cilvituk, 2) Were deer managed by the inhabitants of the

island, and 3) How does the variability in taxonomic abundance and biodiversity at

Isla Cilvituk compare to other zooarchaeological assemblages of the Yucatán

Peninsula? Taxonomic abundance and biodiversity measures, allometry, and stable

carbon isotope analysis are used to address these questions. This research adds upon previous investigations of household ecology and human-animal relationships at Isla Cilvituk, environmental depression being a cause of the Maya collapse, the isotopic record of the Maya Lowlands, and the extremely limited allometric data in the Maya Lowlands. The results from my research all point to the same conclusion, environmental depression was not a factor at Isla Cilvituk, or likely anywhere on the Yucatán peninsula at point in Maya history.

Cite this Record

Zooarchaeological and Stable Isotope Analysis of Deer at Isla Cilvituk, Campeche, Mexico. Paisley C. Palmer. Masters Thesis. New Mexico State University (NMSU), Anthropology. 2018 ( tDAR id: 500215) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8500215

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
LOWLAND MAYA

Material
Building Materials • Ceramic • Chipped Stone • Dating Sample • Fauna • Ground Stone • Macrobotanical • Metal • Pollen • Shell

Site Name
Isla Cilvituk, Campeche, Mexico

Site Type
Agricultural Field or Field Feature • Ancient Church / Religious Structure • Ancient Governmental Structure • Ancient Structure • chultun • House • House Mound • Platform Mound • Plaza • Pyramid • Stairway • stelae • Temple • Terrace • Town / City • Water Control Feature

Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Data Recovery / Excavation • Historic Background Research • Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis • Reconnaissance / Survey • Site Evaluation / Testing

General
Household Archaeology • Lacustrine settlement • Postclassic Lowland Maya • Resilience • Settlement Ecology • Terminal Classic-Postclassic transition

Geographic Keywords
Northern Maya Lowlands

Temporal Keywords
Terminal Classic through Late Postclassic period (AD 600-1500)

Temporal Coverage

Radiocarbon Date: 1324 to 387 (14C Age BP, 9 radiocarbon dates from animal bone)

Calendar Date: 600 to 1500 (Architecture and Ceramics)

Spatial Coverage

min long: -90.312; min lat: 18.608 ; max long: -90.26; max lat: 18.655 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Principal Investigator(s): Rani T Alexander

Record Identifiers

Consejo de Arqueologia, Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH)(s): Oficio #: C.A. 401-36/492, C.A. 401-36/188, C.A.401-36/427

New Mexico State University, Institutional Review Board, Human Subjects Research(s): Permit 5711 (expedited) 2003

Notes

General Note: This archaeological project was not born digital.

File Information

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Paisley Palmer, Zooarchaeological and Stable Isotope Analysis of Deer at Isla Cilvituk, Campeche, Mexico, MA Thesis, NMSU 2018.