The rise and fall of the Maya in the central Yucatan peninsula: archaeological surveys in an unexplored area

Until less than three decades ago, an extensive area in the central Yucatán Peninsula was almost completely unexplored archaeologically, even though it lies in the heartland of the territory once occupied by the Maya. The vast amount of information we have collected during field surveys conducted in this area since 1996 has contributed significantly to the understanding of Maya culture. However, several fundamental questions remain unanswered. A major reason is the complete lack of archaeological data for an area of about 4000 km2 in the eastern part of the Mexican state of Campeche. This is the last major blank that still persists on the archaeological map of the central Maya Lowlands. In order to reduce it, we intend to acquire airborne laser scanning (ALS, lidar) data for carefully selected zones in this territory and, subsequently, to conduct field surveys and test excavations. Given its extent, ALS scanning of the whole area would be prohibitively expensive, while field surveying would be impossible to accomplish in a reasonable time span. We trust that the zones we have delimited for the study compose a representative sample, because the presence of prehispanic settlements and landscape modifications is suggested by some evident archaeological features and elements of the natural environment, which we perceived on the available remote sensing imagery. It should be pointed out that the costs of lidar scanning (of about USD 100,000), which is planned to be carried out in March 2023 by The National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) at the University of Houston, Texas, USA, will be covered by a foreign funding agency; the budget expected to be approved for this project will thus only cover the expenses of fieldwork and the following analyses and interpretations of data. It is not superfluous to stress that illegal wood exploitation accompanied by devastating archaeological looting has increased alarmingly in recent years, particularly in remote central parts of the Yucatán Peninsula. Therefore, the task of rescuing as much archaeological information as possible in the area proposed for research is urgent. The main objectives of our project summarized below derive from a few questions that most persistently defy solution, but are highly relevant to a proper understanding of the development of Maya culture in the central lowlands. Based on chronologically sensitive architectural elements and ceramic material, collected on the surface and in stratigraphic test pits, we will attempt to reconstruct settlement dynamics in the area, focusing on the time depth and origin of the earliest colonization, as well as on the processes that led to the demise of the Classic Maya culture in the 9th and 10th centuries CE. We will search for inscriptional and other evidence that may shed light on the nature of relations of the area with the neighboring regions, particularly with the Río Bec zone and the state dominated by the Snake (Kaanul) dynasty. This information is expected to clarify the role that the changing fortunes of this kingdom centered at Calakmul played in the turbulent and still poorly understood Late Classic (c. 600-900 CE) political geography of the central Maya Lowlands. Finally, we will collect data on the type, extent, and chronology of landscape modifications related to agricultural and water management techniques. Our previous research in the neighboring Chactún region demonstrated the potential of these features for addressing some fundamental questions of archaeological relevance. Analyses of different types led us to conclude that the population pressure, deforestation, and agricultural overexploitation, combined with prolonged droughts in the 9th and 10th centuries, were important factors in the processes that led to the Terminal Classic collapse. Similar analyses conducted within the proposed project should show whether or to what extent the same scenario can be applied to a broader central lowland area.