The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School College of the Liberal Arts THE CLASSIC/POSTCLASSIC TRANSITION: THE MAYA OF SAN JERÓNIMO II, PETÉN, GUATEMALA A Thesis in Anthropology by Matthew D. Rockmore © 2006 Matthew D. Rockmore Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2006 The thesis of Matthew David Rockmore was reviewed and approved* by the following: David L. Webster Professor of Anthropology Thesis Adviser Chair of Committee Kenneth Hirth Professor of Anthropology William T. Sanders Evan Pugh Emeritus Professor of Anthropology Matthew Restall Professor of Latin American History, Women’s Studies, and Anthropology Director of Latin American Studies Prudence M. Rice Profesor of Anthropology Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Nina Jablonski Professor of Anthropology Head of the Department of Anthropology *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School ii Abstract This dissertation examines the effects of the Classic Maya “Collapse” on remnant populations in the central Petén Lakes district of northern Guatemala. Specifically, it documents the archaeological investigation of the site of San Jerónimo II, a small hamlet on the outskirts of a much larger center dating to the Terminal Classic and Early Postclassic periods and located on the western shore of Lake Petén-Itzá. It explores the response of the Petén Maya to major demographic, socio-political, and economic shifts by examining such topics as changing settlement patterns, long-distance exchange ties, craft production, ritual practices, and status distinctions. This research has its theoretical roots in a household archaeological approach and is particularly focused on an investigation of culture change in a period of reduced hierarchical organization. iii Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................ VII LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... X ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... XII CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND MATERIALS ................. 1 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE ................................................................................................. 3 HISTORY AND INTELLECTUAL HERITAGE OF THE PROJECT SAN JERÓNIMO...................... 8 Early Projects ............................................................................................................. 9 Central Petén Historical Ecology Project and Proyecto Lacustre 1973-1981 ........ 11 Proyecto Maya-Colonial 1994-1999 ........................................................................ 12 Quexil-Peténxil Project 2001.................................................................................... 14 Interviews with local residents.................................................................................. 15 Information provided by long-term residents of San Andres ............................... 16 Interview with owners of Hotel Ni’tun................................................................. 18 Future Research – Nixtun Ch’ich ............................................................................. 19 BACKGROUND................................................................................................................ 20 Physical Setting......................................................................................................... 20 Geology/topography ............................................................................................. 26 Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 29 Climate.................................................................................................................. 31 Ecology ................................................................................................................. 32 Temporal Setting / Regional Chronology ................................................................. 35 CHAPTER 2: ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF THE PETÉN LAKES DISTRICT ....................................................................................................................... 39 REGIONAL CERAMIC SEQUENCES .................................................................................. 39 OBSIDIAN SOURCE DISTRIBUTIONS................................................................................ 50 SETTLEMENT PATTERN / ARCHITECTURE....................................................................... 53 CHAPTER 3: THEORY ............................................................................................... 58 HOUSEHOLDS/DOMESTIC GROUPS ................................................................................. 58 CULTURE CHANGE – A SYNTHETIC APPROACH ............................................................. 71 Terms and definitions................................................................................................ 71 Culture change – a Manifesto................................................................................... 77 CHAPTER 4: SOCIO-POLITICAL SETTING AND THE “MAYA COLLAPSE” ........................................................................................................................................... 90 SOCIO-POLITICAL SETTING ............................................................................................ 90 Late Classic............................................................................................................... 90 Terminal Classic ..................................................................................................... 109 Early Postclassic..................................................................................................... 124 Late Postclassic / Early Historic ............................................................................ 134 THE “MAYA COLLAPSE”.............................................................................................. 151 iv Evidence of Abandonment, Transformation and other “Collapse” processes....... 155 Archaeological indicators ................................................................................... 155 Epigraphy............................................................................................................ 157 Paleoclimatology................................................................................................. 161 Regional Patterns of Transformation ..................................................................... 163 The Pasión and Petexbatún – Seibal, Altar, Dos Pilas, Aguateca etc................. 164 The west – Palenque, Yaxchilan, Piedras Negras............................................... 167 The northern and northeastern Petén – the Maya heartland ............................... 168 Belize .................................................................................................................. 173 The southeast periphery – Copán and Quirigua.................................................. 175 Webster (2002) – Fall of the Ancient Maya............................................................ 177 CHAPTER 5: THE 2003 FIELD SEASON AT SAN JERÓNIMO II .................... 187 OPERATION 1 ............................................................................................................... 190 Suboperation 1A – Str. 4......................................................................................... 192 Suboperation 1B...................................................................................................... 198 Str. 5.................................................................................................................... 198 Str. 6.................................................................................................................... 205 Str. 7.................................................................................................................... 211 Str. 8.................................................................................................................... 217 Suboperation 1C ..................................................................................................... 223 Str. 9A................................................................................................................. 225 Str. 9B ................................................................................................................. 232 Ambient Spaces ....................................................................................................... 238 Bulldozer Cut .......................................................................................................... 244 Platform Cut............................................................................................................ 248 Punta Piedra ........................................................................................................... 248 OPERATION 2 ............................................................................................................... 253 Substructure – Platform 1....................................................................................... 253 Str. 1A ..................................................................................................................... 255 Str. 1B ....................................................................................................................