The PARI Journal Vol. IX, No. 3

ThePARIJournal A quarterly publication of the Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute Volume IX, No. 3, Winter 2009 Archaeological and Epigraphic Studies in Pol Box,Quintana Roo In This Issue: OCTAVIO Q. ESPARZA OLGUÍN Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia VANIA E. PÉREZ GUTIÉRREZ Archaeological and Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia Epigraphic Studies in Pol Box, Quintana Roo Introduction Location and surroundings Archaeological investigations in southern Pol Box is located in the southern zone of by Quintana Roo have increased in recent the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on a Octavio Q. Esparza years as the result of a number of projects strip of well-drained, high ground com- Olguín carried out in the area. Explorations at cen- pletely surrounded by bajos—seasonally and ters like Dzibanche, Kohunlich, Oxtankah, inundated lowlands—a setting which pro- Vania E. Pérez Chacchoben, and Chakanbakan have been vided multiple options for agricultural ex- Gutiérrez of vital importance in understanding the ploitation (Figure 1). In profile, this land- development of Maya settlement in the form slopes gradually to the west from an PAGES 1-16 region. At the same time, these advances escarpment on the eastern extreme. Two have led to the increased recording of sites natural elevations stand out from the rug- with evidence of Prehispanic occupation ged surface, and on these are located the still to be investigated. To remedy this situ- architectural groups of greatest monu- Joel Skidmore ation, the Centro INAH Quintana Roo and mentality at the site (Figure 2). Editor the Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Although there are no available sources [email protected] Historia (ENAH) are working jointly with- of surface water in proximity to the settle- in the Proyecto Prácticas de Prospección ment, this was addressed by the storage The PARI Journal Arqueológica en el Sur de Quintana Roo 202 Edgewood Avenue of rainwater in ponds and chultuns, taking San Francisco, CA 94117 (PPASQRoo), directed by the archaeolo- advantage of sloping ground to capture 415-664-8889 gist Javier López Camacho, the purpose the runoff from rainfall. [email protected] of which is to create an inventory of sites In recent times the site’s environment through mapping. has been substantially altered by agricul- Electronic version It was as a part of this project that ar- ture and cattle-raising. That said, some re- available at: chaeological work was initiated at the site www.mesoweb.com/ growth of forest has occurred in the mon- pari/journal/0903 of Pol Box. Five field seasons of topograph- umental architectural groups. ic survey, excavation, and epigraphic doc- umentation have been carried out since The PARI Journal is made Description of the settlement possible by a grant from 2001. The information obtained through Precolumbia Mesoweb these activities has permitted an under- The site is made up of three architectural Press standing of the site’s spatial organization groups distributed on an east-west axis and its period of occupation, as well as its (Figures 2 and 3). The groups are separat- ISSN 1531-5398 interaction with other polities. ed by a distance of a little under one kilo- In the present article, we highlight meter, and are connected by a network of some of the results of our investigations, sacbes. Associated with these components complementing the information derived are a series of residential structures which from archaeological work with a study form diverse arrangements and show of the texts and iconography of the site’s great variation in their dimensions and carved monuments. orientations. The PARI Journal 9(3):1-16. 1 Esparza Olguín and Pérez Guttiérez N.M. El Resbalon IchkabalIchkabal Dzibanche Morocoy POL BOX Escarcega-Chetumal Highway Nicolas Bravo La Union 0 5000 10000 15000 m. Figure 1. Three-dimensional model showing the location of Pol Box and neighboring sites (model by Vania E. Pérez Gutiérrez). N.M. EAST GROUP WEST GROUP CENTRAL GROUP 0 200 400 600 800 1000 m. Figure 2. Three-dimensional model showing the spacial distribution of the architectural groups (model by Vania E. Pérez Gutiérrez). West Group northeast and southeast corners. Two complexes of low This group is seated on a natural elevation and arranged platforms are located to the east, defining access passag- in four plazas aligned on an east-west axis, reaching a es to the Central Plaza; this is situated on a level area of length of approximately 500 meters (Figure 4). The first the landform at a higher elevation than the West Plaza. of these is named the West Plaza and is delimited by The Central Plaza is demarcated by a pair of structures range structures on its southern, western, and north- ten meters in height located on the north (Structure 8) ern sides, with Structure 4 on the south and Structure and south (Structure 10), a small mound on the west 1 on the west and north. Free access is permitted on the (Structure 7), and a large architectural complex enclos- 2 Archaeological and Epigraphic Studies in Pol Box N.M. EAST GROUP WEST GROUP CENTRAL GROUP 0 100 200 400 m. Figure 3. Spatial arrangement of the groups and the network of sacbes connecting them (drawing by Octavio Q. Esparza Olguín and Vania E. Pérez Gutiérrez). N.M. 90 92 83 91 84 93 82 94 85 88 87 Ballcourt 86 2 8 1 7 West 5 6 Plaza Central Raised 11 Plaza 9 95 Plaza 97 13 Stela 3 East Sacbe1 12 Plaza 14 4 96 Stela 1 10 16 15 80 81 0 20 40 60 80 100 m. Figure 4. Map of the West Group (drawing by Octavio Q. Esparza Olguín and Vania E. Pérez Gutiérrez). 3 Esparza Olguín and Pérez Guttiérez 78 79 N.M. 0 20 40 60 80 100 m. 76 77 74 75 59 58 Sacbe 2 57 73 72 56 60 71 68 70 61 69 55 67 66 65 54 62 63 53 64 52 51 49 50 40 39 38 42 29 41 30 37 43 34 44 35 46 31 18 33 32 47 Sacbe 3 48 Stela 5 Stela 2 Stela 4 17 45 Danta 152 Plaza Main Plaza 153 19 Sacbe 1 154 27 104 28 20 Figure 5. Map of the Central Group (drawing by Octavio Q. Esparza Olguín and Vania E. Pérez Gutiérrez). ing the east. This complex, roughly C-shaped, also de- and structures is augmented by a variety of habitational limits the Raised Plaza in combination with a long pla- units showing a heterogeneous pattern in their orienta- form (Structure 11) which formalizes access to the plaza tions. on the northeast. It should be mentioned that a ballcourt is located a few meters to the north of Structure 11. Central Group The arrangement of open spaces continues with the This group is located on a natural hillock at the site’s East Plaza, which is bordered on the west by Structure highest elevation, a little less than a kilometer from the 12, on the south by Structure 15, and on the east by West Group (Figure 5). The center of this group has only Structures 13 and 14. It is important to point out that two plazas: the Main Plaza and the Danta Plaza. The a fragmentary stone monument (Stela 3) was found on first of these is delimited on the north by a pyramidal the west side of Structure 12, just at the foot of the ac- substructure with an inset stairway (Structure 18) and cess stairs. The previously mentioned complex of plazas on the east by a long platform of modest height (Struc- 4 Archaeological and Epigraphic Studies in Pol Box N.M. 107 106 105 111 110 109 108 117 112 120 115 113 114 116 118 121 119 123 122 124 127 131 125 126 128 130 132 134 135 133 Sacbe 3 129 137 136 138 139 140 141 143 142 144 Ch’e’en Plaza 145 147 146 148 151 0 20 40 60 80 100 m. 149 Figure 6. Map of the East Group (drawing by Octavio Q. Esparza Olguín and Vania E. Pérez Gutiérrez). ture 19). On the southern end we observe an L-shaped other sites in southern Quintana Roo, such as Nicolas platform with stairs that communicate with the plaza Bravo, Akalak, Nachi Cocom, and El Resbalon. (Structure 20), and finally the complex is completed by a With regard to the Danta Plaza, we can say that it in- pyramidal substructure with the greatest dimensions of volves an open space located to the west of Structure 17 the group, which closes the plaza on the west (Structure that is delimited by complexes of small structures and 17). It is important to note that two stelae were associ- terraces to the north, south, and west. This plaza must ated with this substructure, located on its eastern and have served as the point of arrival and departure for western sides. The location of these monuments turns people walking along Sacbe 1, which ties the West and out to be important since it indicates that Structure 17 Central Groups. was a building with two entrances. In the interior of the Around the previously mentioned plazas and struc- plaza there are three low platforms, two of which are tures are various terraces that provided level spaces on rectangular in plan while the third is circular. The ar- the slopes of the hill. Here were situated various resi- rangement of the structures which surround the plaza, dential buildings, which can also be observed at lower especially the substructures 17 and 19, cause us to think elevations.

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