essay
The Peten Postclassic: a settlement perspective
late lowland maya civilization : classic to postclassic • Albuquerque • Published In 1986 • Pages: 301-344
By: Rice, Don S..
Abstract
Rice examines settlement patterns and architecture within the Petén lake basins. His data show changes in settlement densities and increases in the number of structures in several lake basins from the Terminal Classic to Early Postclassic periods. This probably means people were migrating to these basins, but Rice is unsure as to where they would have come from. Some of the settlement changes suggest a need for defense. This need for defense is also suggested by small, side-notched projectile points which appear during the Terminal Classic period and which may indicate the introduction of the bow and arrow. 'A natural response would have been to nucleate residenses in those locations which…offer…a degree of natural defense,' (page 340). Don Rice examines some of the foreign influences from non-Petén Maya, particularly that seen in the architecture. Rice also points out that the Maya 'collapse' occurred over 120 years, so it should not be thought of as a 'catastrophy.'
- HRAF PubDate
- 2001
- Region
- Middle America and the Caribbean
- Sub Region
- Maya Area
- Document Type
- essay
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Archaeologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Sarah Berry ; 2000
- Field Date
- 1973-1974 and 1979-1981
- Coverage Date
- Terminal Classic through Postclassic
- Coverage Place
- central Petén lake basins
- Notes
- Don S. Rice
- For bibliographical references see document number 6:Anonymous
- LCCN
- 85016513
- LCSH
- Mayas--Antiquities