84-4 Persistent Places in the Maya Lowlands: a Case for Reframing Responses to Social and Climate Change during the Postclassic Transition

Session: Geoarchaeology of Sites to Landscapes: Current Research on Long-Term Water and Soil Management and Maladaptation, Part I

Presenting Author:

Lara Sánchez Morales

Authors:

Sánchez Morales, Lara M. ¹, Beach, Timothy², Luzzadder-Beach, Sheryl³, Smith, Byron A.⁴, Krause, Samantha⁵, Cook, Duncan⁶, Lentz, David⁷, Quiroz, Carlos⁸, Phillips, Lori⁹, Guderjan, Thomas¹⁰, Hanratty, Colleen¹¹, Valdez, Fred¹²

(1) Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA, (2) Geography, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Tx, USA, (3) Geography, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, (4) Anthropology, California Polytechnic Humboldt, Arcata, CA, USA, (5) Geography, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA, (6) School of Arts and Humanities, Australian Catholic University, Banyo QLD, Australia, (7) Center for Field Studies and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA, (8) Belize Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Belmopan, Belize, (9) Acacia Heritage Consulting, Austin, TX, USA, (10) Social Sciences, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, USA, (11) Social Sciences, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, USA, (12) Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,

Abstract:

This presentation is about a Postclassic Maya site excavated at the Birds of Paradise (BOP), a long-occupied riparian wetland complex initially identified by Lidar survey. The site’s location allowed for the unique preservation of wood architecture, lasting through the Terminal Classic “collapse” (CE 800–1000) and into the Postclassic (CE 1000–1500), as evidenced by radiocarbon, sedimentary, and archaeological data. Using a Bayesian chronological model, updated with 14 new dates from this village, we have narrowed the history of occupation for the broader BOP wetlands. Sedimentological analyses allowed us to contextualize the wooden posts uncovered, along with their associated faunal, ceramic, and lithic assemblages. Altogether, these various lines of evidence attest to significant landscape modification investments, local resource use, and regional connectivity between BOP and other Maya sites. We argue that our findings provide unprecedented evidence of Maya Classic to Postclassic persistence within tropical wetland fields despite periods of large-scale societal and climate change.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-10177

© Copyright 2025 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved.