Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T19:42:19.848Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Maya Settlement and Trade on Ambergris Caye, Belize

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2010

Thomas H. Guderjan
Thomas H. Guderjan
Affiliation:
Anthropology Program, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Archaeological fieldwork was conducted on Ambergris Caye, Belize, for three years beginning in 1986. Nineteen archaeological sites were identified during survey work. Intensive excavations were conducted at three sites and limited excavation at several others. In addition, a fourth site has been excavated by another party. This data base gives us the opportunity to examine the diachronic and functional variability of the archaeological record.

Resume

Investigaciones arqueológicas se condujeron por tres años en Cayo Ambergris, Belice, empezando en 1986. Durante la prospección se identificaron 19 sitios arqueólogicos. Se realizaron excavaciones intensivas en tres sitios y excavaciones limitadas en algunos más. Además, un cuarto sitio fue excavado por otro proyeto. Esta base de datos nos proporciona la oportunidad de examinar la variabilidad temporal y fun-cional del registro arqueológico.

La primera ocupación de Ambergris data del período preclásico tardio y en el clásico temprano se empezó a formar un patrón que continuó creciendo hasta el clásico terminal. Los asentamientos localizados en el área protegida de la isla participaron en una prospera red de intercambio. Al mismo tiempo, los asentamientos en el área no protegida de la costa del Caribe no tuvieron el mismo acceso a bienes exóticos y no construyeron arquitectura formal. Los sitios relacionados con el intercambio están localizados relativamente cerca del uno al otro, más o menos 5 km, y no exhiben evidencia de conflicto. Los datos de Ambergris demuestran que el sistema de intercambio que existió durante el periodo clásico tardio fue mucho más intenso que lo anticipado.

Al final del periodo clásico se produjo un cambio fundamental en l a vida de Cayo Ambergris. Los asentamientos costeros que participaron en la red de intercambio fueron abandonados. Aunque ciertas actividades parecen haber sido consolidadas en el sitio de Marco González, un nuevo patron de asentamiento también emergió. Para el periodo postclásico temprano, una adaptación basada en recursos terrestres en lugar de marítimos se desarrolló en el interior norteño de Cayo Ambergris. Este cambio coincide con aquel ocurrida en la situación económica y politica maya en las tierras bajas del sur y nos da una nueva perspectiva para observar la organización institucional de los mayas.

Type
Articles
Information
Ancient Mesoamerica , Volume 6 , Spring 1995 , pp. 147 - 159
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adams, Richard E.W. 1971 The Ceramics of Altar de Sacrificios, Guatemala. Papers the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 63, No. 1. Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Andrews, Anthony P. 1983 Maya Salt Production and Trade. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.Google Scholar
Andrews, Anthony P., Negrón, Tomas Gallarta, Castellanos, Fernando Robies, Palma, Raphael Cobos, and Rivero, Pura Cervera 1988 Isla Cerritos: An Itza Trading Port on the North Coast of Yucatan. National Geographic Research 4:196–207.Google Scholar
Andrews, Anthony P., and Castellanos, Fernando Robies 1985 Chichen itza and Coba: An Itza-Maya Stand-off in Early Post-classic Yucatan. In The Lowland Maya Postclassic, edited by Chase, Arlen F. and Rice, Prudence M., pp. 62–72. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Bay-Man of Honduras 1787 A Map of a Part of Yucatan or that Part of the Eastern Shore Within the Bay of Honduras Allotted to Great Britain for the Cutting of Logwood in Consequence of the Convention Signed with Spain on the 14th July 1786. By a Bay-man. London.Google Scholar
Chapman, Anne 1957 Port of Trade Enclaves in Aztec and Maya Civilizations. In Trade and Market in the Early Empires: Economies in History and Theory, edited by Polanyi, Karl, Arensberg, Conrad M., and Pearson, Harry W., pp. 114–153. The Free Press, Glencoe, IL.Google Scholar
Chase, Diane Z. 1982 Spatial and Temporal Variability in Postclassic Northern Belize. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Chase, Diane, and Chase, Aden F. 1982 Yucatec Influence in Terminal Classic Northern Belize. American Antiquity 47:596–614.Google Scholar
Dreiss, Meredith L. 1988 Obsidian at Colha, Belize: A Technological A nalysis and Distributional Study Based on Trace Element Data. Papers of the Colha Project, vol. 4. Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory, The University of Texas and the Center for Archaeological Research, University of Texas, San Antonio.Google Scholar
Driver, W. David 1991 Chac Balam, Belize: Excavations and Architecture. Unpublished Master's thesis, Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin.Google Scholar
Driver, W. David, Brody-Foley, Lisa, and Guderjan, Thomas H. 1995 Excavations at Chac Balam, San Juan and Ek Luum. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 31–72. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Dunn, Richard K., and Mazzulo, S.J. 1993 Holocene Paleocoastal Reconstruction and Its Relationship to Marco Gonzalez, Belize. Journal of Field Archaeology 20:121–131.Google Scholar
Escalona-Ramos, A. 1946 Algunas ruinas prehispanicas en Quintana Roo. Boletin de la Sociedad Mexicana de Geografia & Estadistica 61:513–628.Google Scholar
Freidel, David A. 1979 Culture Areas and Interaction Spheres: Contrasting Approaches to the Emergence of Civilization in the Maya Lowlands. American Antiquity 44:36–55.Google Scholar
Freidel, David A., and Sabloff, Jeremy A. (editors) 1984 Cozumel: Late Maya Settlement Patterns. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Gann, Thomas 1926 Ancient Cities and Modern Tribes: Exploration and Adventure in Maya Lands. Duckworth, London.Google Scholar
Garber, James F. 1989 The Artifacts. Archaeology at Cerros, Belize, Central America, vol II. Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas.Google Scholar
Garber, James F. 1995 Artifacts. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 113–138. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Gifford, James 1976 Prehistoric Pottery Analysis and the Ceramics of Barton Ramie. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 18. Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Glassman, David M. 1995 Skeletal Biology. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 73–94. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Graham, Elizabeth 1989 Brief Synthesis of Coastal Site Data from Colson Point, Placencia, and Marco Gonzalez, Belize. In Coastal Maya Trade, edited by McKillop, Heather and Healy, Paul F., pp. 135–144. Occasional Papers in Anthropology No. 8. Trent University, Ontario.Google Scholar
Graham, Elizabeth 1994 The Highlands of the Lowlands: En vironment and A rchaeol-ogy in the Stann Creek District, Belize, Central America. Prehistory Press, Madison.Google Scholar
Graham, Elizabeth, and Pendergast, David M. 1989 Excavations at the Marco Gonzalez site, Ambergris Caye, Belize. Journal of Field Archaeology 16:1–16.Google Scholar
Gregory, David A 1975 San Gervasion. In Changing Pre-Columbian Commercial Systems: The 1972-1973 Seasons at Cozumel, Mexico, edited by Sabloff, Jeremy A. and Rathje, William L., pp. 88–106. Monograph No. 3, Peabod y Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Guderjan, Thomas H. 1988 Maya Maritime Trade at San Juan, Ambergris Caye, Belize. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.Google Scholar
Guderjan, Thomas H. 1993 Maya Traders of Ambergris Caye. Cubola Productions, Ben-que Viejo del Carmen, Belize.Google Scholar
Guderjan, Thomas H. 1995 Surveys and Settlement Patterns. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 9–30. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Guderjan, Thomas H., and Garber, James F. (editors) 1995 Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Guderjan, Thomas H., Garber, James F., Smith, Herman A., Stross, Fred, Michel, Helen V., and Asaro, Frank 1989 Maya Maritime Trade and Sources of Obsidian at San Juan, Ambergris Cay, Belize. Journal of Field Archaeology 16:363–369.Google Scholar
Hamman-Hollander, Cherry 1984 The Hearthrites of A kaben: Cultural Justification for an Evaluation of Dietary Patterns in a Traditional Maya Population. Unpublished M.A. thesis, Florida Atlantic University, Miami.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman 1976 Maya Obsidian Trade in Southern Belize. In Maya Lithic Studies: Papers from the 1976 Field Symposium, edited by Hester, Thomas H. and Hammond, Norman, pp. 71–81. Special Report No. 4. Center for Archaeological Research, University of Texas, San Antonio.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman 1985 Nohmul: A Prehistoric Maya Community in Belize: Excavations, 1973-1983. BAR International Series 250. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Harrison, Peter D. 1979 The Lobil Postclassic Phase in the Southern Interior of the Yucatan Peninsula. In Maya Archaeology and Ethnohistory, edited by Hammond, Norman and Willey, Gordon R., pp. 189–207. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Harrison, Peter D. 1990 The Revolution in Ancient Maya Subsistence. In Vision and Revision in Maya Studies, edited by Clancy, Flora S. and Harrison, Peter D., pp. 99–114. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Healy, Paul F., McKillop, Heather I., and Walsh, Bernie 1984 Analysis of Obsidian from Moho Cay, Belize: New Evidence on Classic Maya Trade Routes. Science 225:414–417.Google Scholar
Hult, Weston, and Hester, Thomas R. 1995 Chipped Stone Artifacts. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 140–162. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
MacKinnon, J. Jefferson 1989 Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Prehistoric Maya Settlement, Procurement, and Exchange on the Coast and Cays of Southern Belize. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Wisconsin. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
MacKinnon, J. Jefferson 1990 Tobacco Range, South Water Cay, Placencia Cay and Maya Sea Trade Routes in Belize. Mexicon XI 1:75–78.Google Scholar
MacKinnon, J. Jefferson, and Kepecs, Susan M. 1989 Prehispanic Saltmaking in Belize: New Evidence. American Antiquity 54:522–533.Google Scholar
McKillop, Heather 1981 Moho Cay, Belize: Preliminary Investigations of Trade, Settlement, and Marine Resource Exploitation. Unpublished Master's thesis, Department of Anthropology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario.Google Scholar
McKillop, Heather 1987 Wild Cane Cay: An Insular Classic Period to Postclassic Period Maya Trading Station. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara.Google Scholar
McKillop, Heather 1994 Traders of the Maya Coast: Five Field Seasons in the Swamps of South Coastal Belize, 1988-1993. Mexicon XVI: 115–118.Google Scholar
McKillop, Heather 1995a Obsidian Source and Efficiency Analysis. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 167–174. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
McKillop, Heather 1995b Underwater Archaeology, Salt Production, and Coastal Trade at Stingwater Lagoon, Belize. Latin American Antiquity 6, in press. Miller, Arthur G.Google Scholar
McKillop, Heather 1977 The Maya and The Sea: Trade and Art at Tancah and Tulum, Quintana Roo. In The Sea in the Pre-Columbian World, edited by Benson, Elizabeth P., pp. 97–140. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Neff, Hector 1989 Origins of Plumbate Pottery Production. In Ancient Trade and Tribute, edited by Voorheis, Barbara, pp. 175–193. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Nelson, Fred 1985 Summary of the Results of Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts from the Maya Lowlands. Scanning Electron Microscopy 11:631–649.Google Scholar
Pendergast, David M. 1986 Lamanai, Belize: An Updated View. In The Lowland Maya Postclassic, edited by Chase, Arlen F. and Rice, Prudence M., pp. 91–103. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Phillips, David A. 1979 Material Culture and Trade of the Postclassic Maya. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson.Google Scholar
Karl, Polanyi, Arensberg, Conrad M., and Pearson, Harry W. (editors) 1957 Trade and Market in the Early Empires. The Free Press, New York.Google Scholar
Rathje, William L. 1971 The Origin and Development of Lowland Classic Maya civilization. American Antiquity 36:275–285.Google Scholar
Rathje, William L., and Phillips, David A. 1975 The Ruins of Buena Vista. In A Study of Changing Pre-Columbian Commercial Systems, edited by Sabloff, Jeremy A. and Rathje, William L., pp. 77–87. Monograph No. 3. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Robertson, Robin A., and Freidel, David A. (editors) 1986 An Interim Report. Archaeology at Cerros, vol. 1. Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas.Google Scholar
Sabloff, Jeremy A. 1973 Continuity and Disruption During the Terminal Late Classic Times at Seibal: Ceramic and Other Evidence. In The Classic Maya Collapse, edited by Culbert, T. Patrick, pp. 107–132. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Sabloff, Jeremy A. 1977 Old Myths, New Myths: The Role of Sea Traders in the Development of May a Civilization. In The Sea and The Pre-Columbian World, edited by Benson, Elizabeth P., pp. 67–97. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Sabloff, Jeremy A., and Rathje, William L. 1975 The Rise of a Maya Merchant Class. Scientific American 233:73–82.Google Scholar
Sabloff, Jeremy A., and Rathje, William L. (editors) 1975 A Study of Changing Pre-Columbian Commercial Systems: The 1972-1973 Seasons at Cozumel, Mexico. Monograph No. 3. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Sabloff, Jeremy A., Bishop, Ronald L., Harbottle, Gannon, Rands, Robert L., and Sayre, Edward V. 1982 Excavations at Seibal: Analysis of Fine Paste Ceramics. Memoirs No. 15, Pt. 2. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Scarborough, Vernon L. 1991 The Settlement System in a Late Preclassic Maya Community. Archaeology at Cerros, Belize, Central America, vol. III, edited by Freidel, David A.. Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas.Google Scholar
Shafer, Harry J. 1982 Maya Lithic Craft Specialization in Northern Belize. In Archaeology at Colha, Belize: The 1981 Interim Report, edited y Hester, Thomas R., Shafer, Harry J., and Eaton, Jack D., pp. 31–39. Center for Archaeological Research, University of Texas, San Antonio.Google Scholar
Shafer, Harry J., and Hester, Thomas R. 1991 Lithic Craft Specialization and Product Distribution at the Maya Site of Colha, Belize. World Archaeology 23:79–97.Google Scholar
Shaw, Leslie 1995 Faunal Remains from Ek Luum. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 175–182. Labyrin-thos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Shepard, Anna O. 1948 Plumbate—A Mesoamerican Trade Ware. Publication 573, Carnegie Institute of Washington, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Smith, A. Ledyard 1982 Excavations at Seibal: Major A rchitecture and Caches. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 15, No. 1. Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Smith, Robert E. 1971 The Pottery of Mayapan. Papers of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, No. 66. Harvard University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Thompson, J. Eric S. 1966 The Rise and Fall of Maya Civilization. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.Google Scholar
Thompson, J. Eric S. 1971 Maya History and Religion. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.Google Scholar
Valdez, Fred Jr, and Guderjan, Thomas H. 1992 Assessment of the Ceramics of Las Renegados, Ambergris Caye, Belize. Cerdmica de Cultura Maya 16:22–24.Google Scholar
Valdez, Fred Jr, and Mock, Shirley B. 1991 Additional Considerations for Prehispanic Saltmaking in Belize. American Antiquity 56:520–525.Google Scholar
Valdez, Fred Jr, Sullivan, Lauren, and Guderjan, Thomas H. 1995 Ceramics. In Maya Maritime Trade, Settlement and Populations on Ambergris Caye, Belize, edited by Guderjan, Thomas H. and Garber, James F., pp. 95–112. Labyrinthos Press, Lancaster, CA.Google Scholar
Vargas de la Pena, Leticia 1992 Estudio de la architectura publica de San Gervasio, Cozumel. Unpublished Master’s thesis, Facultdad de Ciencias Antropolog-icas, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida.Google Scholar
Wallace, Henry 1978 The Strange Case of the Panucho Plugs: Evidence of Pre-Columbian Agriculture on Cozumel. Manuscript on file, Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson.Google Scholar
Wood, R.L., Reid, S.T., and Reid, A.M. 1988 The Field Guide to Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America. Published by the authors.Google Scholar