Copyright by Luisa Aebersold 2018 The Dissertation Committee for Luisa Aebersold Certifies that this is the approved version of the following Dissertation: Getting to the Bottom of It: Geoarchaeological and Paleobotanical Investigations for Early Transitions in the Maya Lowlands Committee: Fred Valdez, Jr., Supervisor John Hartigan Arlene Rosen Timothy Beach Palma Buttles-Valdez Getting to the Bottom of It: Geoarchaeological and Paleobotanical Investigations for Early Transitions in the Maya Lowlands by Luisa Aebersold Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin December 2018 Acknowledgements This dissertation reflects the support and encouragement I have received throughout graduate school. First, I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Fred Valdez, Jr. for his honesty, encouragement, mentorship, and generosity. I also want to thank my committee members Dr. Tim Beach, Dr. Palma Buttles-Valdez, Dr. John Hartigan, and Dr. Arlene Rosen who have each contributed to this project in meaningful ways for which I am truly grateful. I also want to sincerely thank Dr. Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach for her support and guidance these past few years. I would like to thank the Institute of Archaeology (IoA) in Belize for supporting research conducted through PfBAP (Programme for Belize Archaeological Project) and at Colha. The PfBAP camp is a special place thanks to the people who make it a cooperative effort, especially the García family. The ladies who feed the entire project are truly remarkable. Muchas gracias, Sonia Gomez, Jacoba Guzman, Angie Martinez, Teresa Pech, Cruz Rivas, y Sonia Rivas. Thank you to the Maya Research Program for also supporting this dissertation and introducing me to Pedro Magaña and Fidel Cruz. They were essential in helping me navigate San Felipe during my ethnobotanical study and research at the rejollada. I also owe a lot to Sharon Hankins for her hard work running the camp laboratory each summer and Bruce Templeton for taking amazing photographs included in this dissertation. I am thankful for Dr. Nick Brokaw and Dr. George Yatskievych for all their help with plant-related fieldwork. Annie Riegert and Lucy Gill were also incredibly helpful with their osteological and faunal analysis. I would like to thank the Wen family for their support of research at Colha. The Santa Marta community was integral to this dissertation as well, especially the CAMP iv 2017 excavation team: Diego Herrera, Elsne Valladares, David Vasquez, Jose Portillo, Johnny Hernandez, and Dorian Patt. I also appreciate the Hotel de la Fuente’s hospitality in Orange Walk. I could not have completed my dissertation without Dr. Sam Krause, David Burns, and Anastasia Kotsoglou’s hard work at Colha, thank you! I also want to thank the Instituto Nacional de Cultura in Panama and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute for welcoming and hosting me. Dr. Dolores Piperno, Dr. Ashley Sharpe, Dr. Richard Cooke, and Irene Holst, thank you. I am also grateful to the National Science Foundation for supporting me through their GRFP and DDRI programs. So many students at PfB and UT have contributed to this dissertation in the field and with laboratory work. I especially want to thank Brittany Mitchell for her hard work these past few years. I have been surrounded by amazing colleagues who were constantly mentoring and encouraging me including Angie Locker, Dr. Debora Trein, Dr. Stacy Drake, Dr. Monica Ramsey, Ana María Navas, Camille Weinberg, Nikki Payntar, Dr. Tom Hart, Patty Neuhoff-Malorzo, Manda Adam, and many more. Thank you all for your friendship and support. I want to thank the departmental staff for their support, especially Dr. Tony DiFiore (chair), Adriane Dingman, Chris McNett, Chaz Nailor, Billy O’Leary, Rolee Rios, and Catherine Schreiner. My good friends, Michelle and Brent Snyder, were also a wonderful source of support in so many ways. I would also like to thank Charles Franks for his friendship and encouragement. My family has also been rooting for me all of these years. My mother, Maria, instilled in me hard work and courage, which serve me well. My sister, Aide, teaches me new things constantly and was such an enormous source of support throughout graduate school. Finally, I want to thank my husband, Joe. His unwavering love and support regularly revive my spirit and remind me of the beautiful life we have built together. v Abstract Getting to the Bottom of It: Geoarchaeological and Paleobotanical Investigations for Early Transitions in the Maya Lowlands Luisa Aebersold, PhD The University of Texas at Austin, 2018 Supervisor: Fred Valdez, Jr. The cultural transition from the Archaic (8000 to 2000 BC) to the Preclassic Period (2000 BC – AD 250) in the Neotropics is critical for understanding the early development of Maya civilization in the Lowlands. This dissertation presents a model for some of the earliest inhabitants in northern Belize and explores the magnitude and timing of impacts concerning initial human-environmental interactions during the early stages of the Holocene. Specifically, geoarchaeological and paleobotanical evidence concerning the transition of subsistence strategies from semi-nomadic hunting and gathering into more intensive agricultural subsistence strategies in the Maya Lowlands. A multi-proxy approach addresses questions related to early anthropogenic change tied to the success of early sedentary villages in northern Belize. Insight concerning the long occupation of Colha and manipulation of the Blue Creek rejollada provide an opportunity to understand cultural transitions and trajectories of early Archaic people. This dissertation provides new radiocarbon dates, archaeological excavations, and environmental histories for Colha and the Blue Creek rejollada. The paleobotanical component of this research includes a dental calculus study expanding on food consumption, food processing, and evidence for vi the use of economic fibrous materials. An ethnobotanical component of this research contributes to understanding early Maya economic systems by providing overlap in horticultural and agricultural practices in the region despite cultural and temporal distances between ancient and modern people. Together, multiple lines of evidence expand and refine understanding of early human-environmental dynamics, which become integral to the success of subsequent Maya populations. vii Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................... xiv List of Figures ....................................................................................................................xv Chapter 1: Theoretical Perspectives and Objectives ............................................................1 The Research Gap .......................................................................................................1 Maya Origins Models .....................................................................................2 Background on Belizean Sites with Archaic and Preclassic Components .....5 Broad Theoretical Perspectives ..................................................................................8 The Anthropocene...........................................................................................8 Human Niche Construction ..........................................................................14 Research Questions ...................................................................................................23 1. What significant sedimentological markers do Archaic populations produce in wetland and upland environments?.......................................24 2. What technologies and traditions persist during Maya periods which originate during the Archaic? .................................................................24 3. How do ethnographic studies contribute to archaeological interpretations of paleobotanical evidence, especially during the transitional period? .................................................................................25 Dissertation Structure ...............................................................................................25 Chapter 2: Mesoamerican Geography and Climate ...........................................................29 The Highlands ...........................................................................................................29 Northern Highlands.......................................................................................29 Southern Highlands.......................................................................................30 Pacific Coastal Plain and Piedmont ..........................................................................31 viii The Lowlands ...........................................................................................................31 The Southern Lowlands ................................................................................32 The Central Lowlands ...................................................................................33 The Northern Lowlands ................................................................................33 Bajos and Other Wetlands ...................................................................34 Maya Lowland Soils .................................................................................................35