Download or read book The Ancient Maya of Belize Their Ancient Society and Sites written by Anabel Ford and published by . This book was released on 199? with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Archaeological Reconstruction of Ancient Maya Life at Pacbitun Belize written by Terry G. Powis and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents the results of 35 years of archaeological research at the Maya site of Pacbitun, located in west central Belize. The site was continuously occupied from 900 BC to AD 800/900. Excavations focused on both the site core and periphery, with investigations centred around housemounds, workshops, causeways, caves, and other karst features. In the site core, we excavated at areas ranging from small domestic houses dating to the Middle Preclassic to large ceremonial architecture (e.g. courtyards, palaces, temples) and complexes (e.g. E Groups) dating to the Late/Terminal Classic periods. From a material culture perspective, we conducted extensive research on ancient Maya use of plants, animals, ground stone tools, musical instruments, and ceramics.
Download or read book Ancient Maya Life in the Far West Bajo written by Julie L. Kunen and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-05-10 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human activity during centuries of occupation significantly altered the landscape inhabited by the ancient Maya of northwestern Belize. In response, the Maya developed new techniques to harvest the natural resources of their surroundings, investing increased labor and raw materials into maintaining and even improving their ways of life. In this lively story of life in the wetlands on the outskirts of the major site of La Milpa, Julie Kunen documents a hitherto unrecognized form of intensive agriculture in the Maya lowlands—one that relied on the construction of terraces and berms to trap soil and moisture around the margins of low-lying depressions called bajos. She traces the intertwined histories of residential settlements on nearby hills and ridges and agricultural terraces and other farming-related features around the margins of the bajo as they developed from the Late Preclassic perios (400 BC-AD 250) until the area's abandonment in the Terminal Classic period (about AD 850). Kunen examines the organization of three bajo communities with respect to the use and management of resources critical to agricultural production. She argues that differences in access to spatially variable natural resources resulted in highly patterned settlement remains and that community founders and their descendents who had acquired the best quality and most diverse set of resources maintained an elevated status in the society. The thorough integration of three lines of evidence—the settlement system, the agricultural system, and the ancient environment—breaks new ground in landscape research and in the study of Maya non-elite domestic organization. Kunen reports on the history of settlement and farming in a small corner of the Maya world but demonstrates that for any study of human-environment interactions, landscape history consists equally of ecological and cultural strands of influence.
Download or read book Ancient Maya Commoners written by Jon C. Lohse and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Much of what we currently know about the ancient Maya concerns the activities of the elites who ruled the societies and left records of their deeds carved on the monumental buildings and sculptures that remain as silent testimony to their power and status. But what do we know of the common folk who labored to build the temple complexes and palaces and grew the food that fed all of Maya society? This pathfinding book marshals a wide array of archaeological, ethnohistorical, and ethnographic evidence to offer the fullest understanding to date of the lifeways of ancient Maya commoners. Senior and emerging scholars contribute case studies that examine such aspects of commoner life as settlement patterns, household organization, and subsistence practices. Their reports cover most of the Maya area and the entire time span from Preclassic to Postclassic. This broad range of data helps resolve Maya commoners from a faceless mass into individual actors who successfully adapted to their social environment and who also held primary responsibility for producing the food and many other goods on which the whole Maya society depended.
Download or read book Heterarchy Political Economy and the Ancient Maya written by Vernon L. Scarborough and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In recent years the Three Rivers region of Belize and Guatemala has been the site of some of the most intensive archaeological research in the Maya Lowlands, providing a wealth of regional data. This volume brings together articles reporting on findings and interpretations of the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project that range over a 10- to 12-year period and that shed new light on how ecology, economy, and political order developed in the ancient past.".
Download or read book The Ancient Maya of the Belize Valley written by James Garber and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "An admirable contribution to the growing literature on Maya settlement research initiated by Gordon Willey in the Belize Valley in the 1950s."—Shirley B. Mock, University of Texas, San Antonio Over half a century ago, the late Gordon Willey began his research in the Belize Valley, and ten years later he published a synthesis of his data that is recognized today as a classic study of ancient Maya settlement patterns. This new volume looks at the abundant research that has taken place in the region since the 1950s (and includes a new retrospective chapter from Willey that was submitted shortly before his death in April, 2002). The Ancient Maya of the Belize Valley represents an attempt to present in one volume the extensive data from the diverse sites in this part of Mesoamerica, one of the richest archaeological areas in the Maya world. The collection provides a key to understanding the valley's ancient political and social organization by highlighting the interconnectedness of the region's settlements. Contents 1. The Archaeology of the Belize Valley in Historical Perspective, by Arlen F. Chase and James F. Garber 2. Retrospective, by Gordon R. Willey Part 1. The Central Belize Valley 3. Middle Formative Prehistory of the Central Belize Valley: An Examination of Architecture, Material Culture, and Sociopolitical Change at Blackman Eddy, by James F. Garber, Jaime J. Awe, M. Kathryn Brown, and Christopher J. Hartman 4. Archaeological Investigations at Blackman Eddy, by James F. Garber, M. Kathryn Brown, W. David Driver, David M. Glassman, Christopher J. Hartman, F. Kent Reilly III, and Lauren A. Sullivan 5. Major Center Identifiers at a Plazuela Group Near the Ancient Maya Site of Baking Pot, by James M. Conlon and Terry G. Powis 6. Ancient Maya Settlement in the Valley of Peace Area, by Lisa J. Lucero, Scott L. Fedick, Andrew Kinkella, and Sean M. Graebner Part 2. The Upper Belize Valley 7. Cahal Pech, Belize: The Middle Formative Period, by Paul F. Healy, David Cheetham, Terry G. Powis, and Jaime J. Awe 8. The Role of "Terminus Groups" in Lowland Maya Site Planning: An Example from Cahal Pech, by David Cheetham 9. Buenavista del Cayo: A Short Outline of Occupational and Cultural History at an Upper Belize Valley Regal-Ritual Center, by Joseph W. Ball and Jennifer T. Taschek 10. Xunantunich in a Belize Valley Context, by Richard M. Leventhal and Wendy Ashmore 11. The Royal Charter at Xunantunich, by Virginia M. Fields 12. Buenavista del Cayo, Cahal Pech, and Xunantunich: Three Centers, Three Histories, One Central Place, by Jennifer T. Taschek and Joseph W. Ball Part 3. The Belize Valley: Neighboring Connections 13. The Ancient Maya Center of Pacbitun, by Paul F. Healy, Bobbi Hohmann, and Terry G. Powis 14. Defining Royal Maya Burials: A Case from Pacbitun, by Paul F. Healy, Jaime J. Awe, and Hermann Helmuth 15. Integration among Communities, Centers, and Regions: The Case from El Pilar, by Anabel Ford 16. The Classic Maya Trading Port of Moho Cay, by Heather McKil lop Part 4. The Belize Valley: Intergration 17. Problems in the Definition and Interpretation of "Minor Centers" in Maya Archaeology with Reference to the Upper Belize River Valley, by Gyles Iannone 18. The Emergence of Minor Centers in the Zones between Seats of Power, by W. David Driver and James F. Garber 19. The Terminal Classic to Postclassic Transition in the Belize River Valley, by James Aimers 20. Polities, Politics, and Social Dynamics: "Contextualizing" the Archaeology of the Belize Valley and Caracol, by Arlen F. Chase 21. Diverse Voices: Toward an Understanding of Belize Valley Archaeology, by Diane Z. Chase James F. Garber is professor of anthropology and field school director at Southwest Texas State University. He is the author of Archaeology at Cerros Belize, Central America, volume 2, The Artifacts.
Download or read book Cuello written by Norman Hammond and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1991-05-31 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An unmatched picture of the Mayan tropical forest community emerges from this well-documented study.
Download or read book R o Azul written by Richard E. W. Adams and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deep within the forest in northern Guatemala lie the ruins of Río Azul, a Maya city that reached one-third the size of Tikal. Discovered and partially explored in the early 1960s, Río Azul and the surrounding region were more fully investigated between 1983 and 1987 by an archaeological team led by Richard E. W. Adams. In this summary, Adams integrates the findings of field archaeologists with those of the epigraphers and art historians to recreate the life of this Maya city from the little-known Early Classic period. Remains in the Río Azul area date from 900 B.C. to A.D. 850. The data indicate that, unlike most Maya cities that have been studied, Río Azul was a frontier town, an administrative center, with alternating defense and trade outpost functions. About A.D. 385, the Río Azul region was conquered and the city founded by Tikal, serving as a Teotihuacan-linked garrison for that capital. Nearly all of the more than seven hundred structures found within Río Azul were erected between A.D. 390 and 530. Acres of pavement were laid down around some thirty complexes of residences, temples, and tombs notable for the brightly painted red hieroglyphs and murals on their walls. The elaborate complexes and sumptuous artifacts suggest a city with a heavy proportion of aristocratic families and retainers. Around A.D. 530, Río Azul appears to have been suddenly destroyed. The city was abandoned, then reoccupied--only to stagnate and finally collapse, like many other Classic Maya cities, in the late ninth century.
Download or read book The Ultimate Belize Bucket List written by Larry Waight and published by FriesenPress. This book was released on 2018-12-06 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Ultimate Belize Bucket List is more than a compilation of exciting things to see and do in Central America’s fastest growing tourism hotspot. Offering an insider glimpse into the nation’s most coveted and awe-inspiring experiences, it goes beyond the clichés often presented in travel guidebooks and reveals the hidden gems that make this country particularly special. Get the secrets to taking your Belize adventure to the next level with local expert tips that will ensure your trip to this extraordinary destination is an unforgettable one.
Download or read book Perspectives on Ancient Maya Rural Complexity written by Samuel V. Connell and published by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. This book was released on 2003-12-01 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Settlement archaeology in the Maya area has focused much of its attention on the polar extremes of the settlement continuum. As a result of this urban/rural bias, a whole range of complex rural settlements remain under-explored. The chapters in this volume highlight the variable quality of these "middle level settlements".
Download or read book Maya Atlas written by Toledo Maya Cultural Council and published by North Atlantic Books. This book was released on 1997 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covers human, natural, and cultural resources, history, rainforest management, and current problems in Maya lands.
Download or read book New Perspectives on Human Sacrifice and Ritual Body Treatments in Ancient Maya Society written by Vera Tiesler and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-02-15 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines Maya sacrifice and related posthumous body manipulation. The editors bring together an international group of contributors from the area studied: archaeologists as well as anthropologists, forensic anthropologists, art historians and bioarchaeologists. This interdisciplinary approach provides a comprehensive perspective on these sites as well as the material culture and biological evidence found there
Download or read book Time Among the Maya written by Ronald Wright and published by Grove Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Maya created one of the world's most brilliant civilizations, famous for its art, astronomy, and deep fascination with the mystery of time. Despite collapse in the ninth century, Spanish invasion in the sixteenth, and civil war in the twentieth, eight million people in Guatemala, Belize, and southern Mexico speak Mayan languages and maintain their resilient culture to this day. Traveling through Central America's jungles and mountains, Ronald Wright explores the ancient roots of the Maya, their recent troubles, and prospects for survival. Embracing history, anthropology, politics, and literature, Time Among the Maya is a riveting journey through past magnificence and the study of an enduring civilization with much to teach the present. "Wright's unpretentious narrative blends anthropology, archaeology, history, and politics with his own entertaining excursions and encounters." -- The New Yorker; "Time Among the Maya shows Wright to be far more than a mere storyteller or descriptive writer. He is an historical philosopher with a profound understanding of other cultures." -- Jan Morris, The Independent (London).
Download or read book The Madrid Codex written by Gabrielle Vail and published by . This book was released on 2009-03-31 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers new calendrical models and methodologies for reading, dating, and interpreting the general significance of the Madrid Codex. The longest of the surviving Maya codices, this manuscript includes texts and images painted by scribes conversant in Maya hieroglyphic writing, a written means of communication practiced by Maya elites from the second to the fifteenth centuries A.D. Some scholars have recently argued that the Madrid Codex originated in the Petén region of Guatemala and postdates European contact. The contributors to this volume challenge that view by demonstrating convincingly that it originated in northern Yucatán and was painted in the Pre-Columbian era. In addition, several contributors reveal provocative connections among the Madrid and Borgia group of codices from Central Mexico. Contributors include: Harvey M. Bricker, Victoria R. Bricker, John F. Chuchiak IV, Christine L. Hernández, Bryan R. Just, Merideth Paxton, and John Pohl. Additional support for this publication was generously provided by the Eugene M. Kayden Fund at the University of Colorado.
Download or read book The World of the Ancient Maya written by John S. Henderson and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 1997 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theirs was one of the few complex societies to emerge in and to adapt successfully to a tropical-forest environment. Their architecture, sculpture, and painting were sophisticated and compellingly beautiful.
Download or read book Approaches to Monumental Landscapes of the Ancient Maya written by Brett Alan Houk and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume brings together a wide spectrum of new approaches to ancient Maya studies in an innovative exploration of how the Preclassic and Classic Maya shaped their world. Moving beyond the towering temples and palaces typically associated with the Maya civilization, contributors present unconventional examples of monumental Maya landscapes. Featuring studies from across the central Maya lowlands, Belize, and the northern and central Maya highlands and spanning over 10,000 years of human occupation in the region, these chapters show how the word "monumental" can be used to describe natural and constructed landscapes, political and economic landscapes, and ritual and sacred landscapes. Examples include a massive system of aqueducts and canals at the Kaminaljuyu site, a vast arena designed for public spectacle at Chan Chich, and even the complex realms of Maya cosmology as represented by the ritual cave at Las Cuevas. By including physical, conceptual, and symbolic ways monumentality pervaded ancient Maya culture, this volume broadens traditional understandings of how the Maya interacted with their environment and provides exciting analytical perspectives to guide future study. A volume in the series Maya Studies, edited by Diane Z. Chase and Arlen F. Chase
Download or read book The Ancient Maya written by Heather McKillop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2004-08-19 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thanks to powerful innovations in archaeology and other types of historical research, we now have a picture of everyday life in the Mayan empire that turns the long-accepted conventional wisdom on its head. Ranging from the end of the Ice Age to the flourishing of Mayan culture in the first millennium to the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, The Ancient Maya takes a fresh look at a culture that has long held the public's imagination. Originally thought to be peaceful and spiritual, the Mayans are now also known to have been worldly, bureaucratic, and violent. Debates and unanswered questions linger. Mayan expert Heather McKillop shows our current understanding of the Maya, explaining how interpretations of "dirt archaeology," hieroglyphic inscriptions, and pictorial pottery are used to reconstruct the lives of royalty, artisans, priests, and common folk. She also describes the innovative focus on the interplay of the people with their environments that has helped further unravel the mystery of the Mayans' rise and fall.
