31st Session of EFC WPMMW – Prague, 2017
Possibilities and limits in the management of mountain watersheds: lessons from the Maya civilization
Eleni Dimelisová Center for Ibero-American Studies Charles University in Prague Hybernská 3, Praha 1, 110 00, Czech Republic [email protected] The Maya civilization • The Maya area: southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western parts of Honduras and El Salvador • Periodization: Preclassic period (ca. B.C. 2000-A.D. 250), Classic period (A.D. 250 - 900/1000), Postclassic period (900/1000 – 1521) * Selected centers: Kaminaljuyu, Copan and Tikal Kaminaljuyu: Catchment-lake relationships
• Important Maya city-state during the lasts parts of the Preclassic period • 5 km2 • Around now-extinct Lake Miraflores
Hypothetical reconstruction of Kaminaljuyu(Valdés, 2006) 3 channelsDownhill: impacts of mountain • Miraflores Canal - Middle Preclassic period (B.C. 900 - 400), 1 km long, 3.3 m widewatersheds and 5.8 m deep • San Jorge Canal - Late Preclassic period (B.C. 400- A.D. 250), 1.750 km long, 18 m wide and 8 m deep • Mirador Canal – Late Preclassic period, 230 m long, 2.6 m wide and 3 m deep
The Kaminaljuyu settlement Downhill impacts of mountain watersheds Copan: Downhill impacts of mountain watersheds
• Copan lies along the Copan River (+ 5 smaller tributaries) • Urban-drainage (and flood-control) system that consists of substructure and subterranean conduits, stucco channels and plazas, roof drains, splashboards, and causeways • Late Classic Period! • Several artificial reservoirs Tikal: headwater management
• Without a major perennial stream or lake • Effective water management • Water resources sytem:1) large summit-ridge reservoirs, 2) bajo-margin tanks, and 3) small residential reservoirs.
The illustrative scheme of main karstified springs and small water reservoirs in the Tikal unit. Water-related hieroglyphs
• HA’ (“water“)
• HA’ AL (“rain“)
• HA’-HA’AL (“very rainy – rainy season“) (ta-HA’-HA’AL – “in the rainy season“)
• Nahb (“pool, lake“)
• Water Serpent Water serpent Thank you for your attention!