Theparijournal a Quarterly Publication of the Ancient Cultures Institute Volume XVII, No
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ThePARIJournal A quarterly publication of the Ancient Cultures Institute Volume XVII, No. 4, Spring 2017 At the Crossroads of Kingdoms: In This Issue: Recent Investigations on the Periphery At the Crossroads of of Piedras Negras and its Neighbors Kingdoms: Recent Investigations on the Periphery of WHITTAKER SCHRODER Piedras Negras and University of Pennsylvania its Neighbors CHARLES W. GOLDEN by Brandeis University Whittaker Schroder ANDREW K. SCHERER Charles W. Golden Brown University Andrew K. Scherer Socorro del Pilar SOCORRO DEL PILAR JIMÉNEZ ÁLVAREZ Jiménez Álvarez Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán Jeffrey Dobereiner JEFFREY DOBEREINER and Dartmouth College Alan Mendez Cab PAGES 1-15 ALAN MENDEZ CAB Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán • A Carved Speleothem Since 2011, the Proyecto Arqueológico (Figures 1 and 2). To understand the role Monument at Busilja-Chocolja (PABC) has sought to that these smaller settlements played in Yaxchilan, Mexico understand the kingdom of Piedras the broader political dynamics of the re- Negras through the archaeological study gion, we interpret survey, excavation, and by of communities located at the kingdom’s ceramic data by adopting the concepts of Christophe Helmke periphery. Of particular interest has been landesque capital and persistent places PAGES 16–43 the reconstruction of the diverse strategies to interpret long-term landscape modi- employed by royal courts, local governors, fication from the Preclassic period to the and communities to navigate the compli- present (Brookfield 1984; Schlanger 1992; Marc Zender Editor cated geopolitics of the western Maya low- Sen [1960]1968). [email protected] lands during the Late Classic period (AD The concept of landesque capital 500–800). While the Sierra del Lacandón was originally applied to agricultural Joel Skidmore Regional Archaeology Project (SLRAP) features constructed over the course Associate Editor in Guatemala noted defined boundaries of multiple generations (Blaikie and [email protected] between Piedras Negras and Yaxchilan Brookfield 1987:9; Brookfield 2001; Marx (Golden and Scherer 2006; Golden et [1894]1992:618-619; Sen 1959; Widgren The PARI Journal al. 2008; Golden et al. 2012; Scherer and 2007). Once established, these works can 202 Edgewood Avenue Golden 2009; Scherer and Golden 2014), be maintained with minimal labor relative San Francisco, CA 94117 415-664-8889 our surveys in Chiapas, Mexico have sug- to the initial cost of their construction. This [email protected] gested more complex territorial shifts over type of capital is ingrained in the land- time. Indeed, the project area was contest- scape, where its value is reaffirmed over Electronic version ed throughout the Classic period by the multiple generations through low costs of available at: www.precolumbia.org/ kingdoms of Piedras Negras, Palenque, maintenance. Erickson and Walker (2006) pari/journal/1704 Tonina, and Sak Tz’i’, the minor centers have expanded the application of this of La Mar and El Cayo, and the numerous concept beyond agriculture to encompass ISSN 1531-5398 smaller settlements throughout the region anthropogenic features, including paths, The PARI Journal 17(4):1-15 © 2017 Ancient Cultures Institute 1 Shroder et al. Mexico Belize Guatemala Honduras El Salvador Palenque Santa Elena El Lacandon Chinikiha Chancala Laguna Oscura El Porvenir Piedras Negras Texcoco La Mar Esmeralda Uch Chan El Cayo La Pasadita El Tunel Oso Negro Tecolote Chicozapote Tonina Yaxchilan El Kinel Plan de Ayutla Dos Caobas 0 5 10 20 Lacanha km Bonampak Figure 1. Map of the Middle and Upper Usumacinta Region showing dynastic centers and secondary sites. elevated causeways, and canals that facilitate the move- Schlanger 1992). Changes in the experience and the ment of people and things on a local and regional scale. perceptions of landscape are also tangible if we adopt Moreover, Kathleen Morrison (2014) has suggested that the “dwelling perspective” of Ingold (1993, 2000), which features including temples, shrines, and markets, as suggests that the landscape represents a type of solidi- well as broader political and religious institutions that fied performance that reflects social relations while con- managed agricultural production should be considered tinuing to impact and influence society. In this manner, as landesque capital. Although this broadening of scope the maintenance and control of movement across the does in some sense dilute the original significance of the landscape can be understood not only as expressions term, it more meaningfully shifts the emphasis away of a centralized political hierarchy but also at the scale from a particular landscape function (agriculture) to of a community organized around local needs and the one that emphasizes the value of an enduring, heritable transformation of economic value and local experience. built environment. The nature of dispersed settlement in the Western For example, Elizabeth Arkush (2011:12) adopts the Maya lowlands during the Late Classic period provided term landscape patrimony to describe the construction opportunities where diverse communities had differ- and maintenance of fortifications as perpetuating cycles ential access and control over trade routes and areas of of violence within contested landscapes. Such loca- agricultural production in the Upper Usumacinta Basin. tions form persistent places, where repeated practice Within the Usumacinta Basin, examples of landesque encourages and structures reuse (Chapman 2000:190; capital include hydrologic features and the intensifica- Moore and Thompson 2012; Rodning and Mehta 2016; tion of agricultural fields in the form of dams, channeled 2 At the Crossroads of Kingdoms Boca Chinikiha El Sacbe Rancho Búfalo Laguna Oscura Flores Magon El Porvenir Piedras Negras Texcoco Budsilha La Mar El Infiernito Ijik Xajlel Arroyo Jerusalén El Esfuerzo Esmeralda El Cayo Uch Chan Macabilero El Eden El Tunel El Chile La Pasadita Tecolote 0 3 6 12 km Chicozapote Figure 2. The Piedras Negras hinterlands showing sites mentioned in the text. fields, and terraces (Figures 3 and 4). In addition, as et al. 2012; Golden and Davenport 2013). When consid- other archaeologists have done, we can apply this ered merely as natural features, such places appear to concept to other features that aid in movement includ- be stable or static; however, these areas required main- ing trails, landscape viewsheds, elevated causeways tenance through the clearing of vegetation, opening of (sacbeob), river access, and caves, as well as natural and transects, and construction of platforms. Archaeologists cultural features that restrict travel, including fortifica- have recovered abundant evidence of such persistent tions (Golden et al. 2008). places in the Usumacinta region, particularly within In the rugged terrain of the Sierra Lacandona, conflict zones between rival kingdoms. the Maya utilized the canyons and passes through Local control of such examples of landscape modi- mountains to facilitate as well as to impede movement, fication directly impacted economic exchange. Based promoting at times integration, while at other times in- on results from earlier investigations, long-distance citing conflict, among settlements. In addition, we must trade items such as jade and obsidian did not decline in consider features like hilltops and other high points that frequency or quantity in a linear manner according to improved visibility of the surrounding landscape. Such a site’s distance from sources along the Motagua River strategic locations allowed communities to control criti- valley and the highlands. In fact, the rulers of political cal land routes and to participate in rituals and pilgrim- centers were not necessarily able to accumulate such mages, and presented opportunities for military forces riches in excess of their subjects along the political pe- and political administrators to take in the ample extent ripheries, as might be expected if the power to control of their territories (Davenport and Golden 2015; Doyle such networks spread outward from the royal court. 3 Shroder et al. Figure 3. Agricultural terraces near the site of El Eden, Chiapas (photo by Charles Golden). Figure 4. Potential relict channeled fields near the site of Budsilha, Chiapas (Google Earth, map of Budsilha by Bryce Davenport, Charles Golden, Andrew Scherer, and Jeffrey Dobereiner). 4 At the Crossroads of Kingdoms Indeed, when comparing the quantities of jade and obsidian excavated from the urban centers of Palenque and Yaxchilan, Piedras Negras appears to have been isolated physically and economically from trade in lithic materials (Garcial Moll 2004; Golden et al. 2012; Ruz Lhuiller 1973). For example, while the royal burials of Palenque and Yaxchilan were adorned with jade, the rulers of Piedras Negras were buried with clay beads painted green (Barrientos et al. 1997:8; Butler 2005: 128; Coe 1959: 88). In contrast, secondary and tertiary political centers in the vicinity of Piedras Negras had better access to imported lithic materials. For example, excavations in a single 2 x 2 meter unit on a structure at Budsilha have revealed evidence of an obsidian blade workshop. Over the course of a day of excavation, we recovered more obsidian in this unit than has been documented over more than ten seasons of excavation at Piedras Negras. Aside from the dramatic quantity of obsid- ian at Budsilha, we noted the presence of all stages of manufacture from prismatic blades to polyhedral cores (Scherer et al. 2013:21-31).