Exploring the Sociocontextual and Sociocultural Significance of Preclassic Round Structures of the Maya Lowlands

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Ancient Maya Preclassic round structures without a superstructure are generally believed to have functioned as performance stages, denoting their role as social settings. However, the meager sample size of identified round structures and the limited exposure of their surroundings have led to socio-contextual and socio-cultural incongruencies, particularly concerning the scale of participation and scope of social significance. Our investigations of five round structures at Pacbitun, Belize, and a re-examination of other lowland round structures suggest that while this archetype and its rituals were incorporated into residential contexts for supra-household scale ritual, the monumentality and isolated contexts of many early round structures support an initial public function. Architectural, spatial, and material attributes of many Preclassic round structures suggest they may represent the earliest monumental archetype in the Maya lowlands—their special-purpose function and construction metrics supporting community-wide ritual engagement. Contextual evidence also suggests that many Preclassic round structures were initially peripheral to contemporary domestic space, isolated on prominent natural features, formally establishing public domain. While some locations do become domestic settings, their round structures were typically abandoned simultaneously or shortly thereafter. The semi-public nature of these converted domestic settings implies a continued social significance, now more localized and ascribed to the inhabitants.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 53809