Doctoral Dissertation Reserarch: Understanding Household Spatial Transformation in the Quexil-Petenxil Basins, Guatemala

Southern Illinois University At Carbondale, Carbondale IL

Investigators

Abstract

Under the direction of Dr. Don Rice, Mr. Kevin Schwarz will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He will conduct archaeological excavation at sites located on the Quexil Islands and the Quexil and Petenxil Basins in the Lake Peten Itza region of Guatemala. The sites date to the Late Classic (600-800 AD) and Early Postclassic (1000-1250 AD) and contain a series of small buildings each likely related to individual domestic units. Mr. Schwarz will conduct broad areal excavations to expose the entire plan of each structure and to determine the distribution of ceramics and other cultural material within. Through analysis of these data it will be possible to gain insight into not only specific activities which were conducted but also the basic social organization of the responsible units. Ethnographic studies of recent and current day Mayan peoples as well as ethnohistoric data indicate that domestic organization varies by ethnic group and that it is possible to determine such affiliation through the analysis of material remains. Mr. Schwarz wishes to examine the degree of population continuity over time and whether new peoples entered this region at the end of the Classic or Postclassic periods. Archaeologists believe that the Mayan civilization reached its apex during the Classic period when large impressive temples and other ceremonial structures were constructed. Individual polities incorporated large numbers of people who were hierarchically structured to make available the large amounts of labor needed for such public works. In the Late Classic and Post Classic periods, a "collapse" occurred. Large centers were abandoned and population disaggregated into smaller units. In the Peten region settlements were located on peninsulas, islands and other easily defensible areas and this indicates considerable social unrest. It is uncertain in this region whether the change was due primarily to internal dynamics or resulted in part from the appearance of new ethnic groups. Through the analysis of settlement type and its change over time Mr. Schwarz will address this issue. This research will produce data of interest to many archaeologists and assist in training a promising young scientist.