Archaeological Investigations at Chacte: Understanding the Preclassic Suburban Landscape of El Mirador, Peten, Guatemala

Summary

This is an abstract from the "From Origins to Collapses:  New Insights in the Cultural and Natural Processes of the Mirador-Calakmul Karst Basin" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper discusses the archaeological findings at Chacte, a significant Preclassic suburban site associated with El Mirador in Peten, Guatemala. Strategically located to control southern routes to El Mirador, Chacte was crucial in the sociopolitical and economic landscape from the Middle to Terminal Preclassic periods. The site is characterized by an E-Group, a monumental ceremonial complex, highlighting its religious and astronomical significance. This complex, along with architectural masks and carved monuments, underscores the role of Chacte in Preclassic rulership and ideology. Notably, an elevated causeway of 4 km long links Chacte and El Mirador, suggesting it functioned as a secondary administrative center for the latter. The orientation of ceremonial structures at Chacte aligns with solar observations, influencing ritual timing and reinforcing the sacred authority of the site. This study not only explores the architectural and spatial organization of Chacte but also places the site within the broader context of Preclassic Maya urban development and state formation. Through a detailed examination of Chacte and its connections to El Mirador, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of regional power dynamics and the role of suburban centers in the development of complex societies in the Maya lowlands during the Preclassic.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• From Origins to Collapses:  New Insights in the Cultural and Natural Processes of the Mirador-Calakmul Karst Basin

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 53939