The Relationship Between Sociopolitical Transitions and Mortuary Behavior Among the Maya in Northern Belize
Abstract
The Preclassic (1000 BC-250 AD) and Terminal Classic (800-900 AD) periods were dynamic eras of profound change for the lowland Maya of Central America. In particular, dramatic changes in social structures appear to be reflected in shifting mortuary patterns at sites throughout modern-day northern Belize. This study uses stable carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotope data in conjunction with bioarchaeological and mortuary data in order to investigate diet, mobility, and oral health patterns during the social and political transformations experienced by the Preclassic and Terminal Classic Maya at two sites in northern Belize, Cuello and Colha. The data generated by these analyses provide substantial insight in how rising elites gained and controlled power during the Preclassic period; rather than universal patterns in diet, mobility, and health during the rise of social inequality in the Preclassic period, there are subtle differences between groups thought to be comprised of rising elite individuals.
In addition, an unusual Terminal Classic mortuary deposit, the Colha Skull Pit, is comprised of primarily local individuals with a distinct diet, lending further insight into the origins and significance of these people. The isotopic and mortuary variability during these time periods further illustrates the challenges of interpreting complex mortuary deposits during broad sociopolitical changes in the past.
Citation
Hoffmeister, Kristin Keir (2019). The Relationship Between Sociopolitical Transitions and Mortuary Behavior Among the Maya in Northern Belize. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /186498.