Origins of Mesoamerican Complex Society

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Dr. Takeshi Inomata and Dr. Daniela Triadan of the University of Arizona will examine the origins of Maya civilization between 1000 and 700 BC, focusing on the questions of 1) whether Maya civilization developed through local processes, under direct influence from Olmec civilization, or through complex interactions among various regions; and 2) whether formal ceremonial complexes emerged during the transition from mixed subsistence to fully-established maize agriculture. It has traditionally been argued that the Mayan civilization developed from a geographically 'Olmec' predecessor and is thus derived. Work by Inomata and Triadan in southern Mexico potentially challenges this hypothesis and suggests a more complicated narrative which includes not only potential inter-regional interaction but also an underlying shift in subsistence practices from part to full time agriculture. The question is important because complex societies developed at roughly the same time in many regions of the world and scientists wish to understand what factors underlie this process. The project directed by Dr. Inomata and Dr. Triadan will contribute to the cross-cultural understanding of how interregional interaction affects the process of political transformation.The research team will examine multiple sites located in the Middle Usumacinta region of southern Mexico, located between the Maya lowlands and the Olmec heartland. The project research will include: 1) airborne laser survey (LiDAR); 2) the ground-truthing of LiDAR data through pedestrian surveys; and 3) excavations of the known sites and those located in the LiDAR survey to examine their chronology. The largest site in the region, Aguada F'nix, includes a rectangular platform, measuring 1.4 km in length. The study of those poorly-known monumental constructions dating between 1000 and 700 BC may transform our understanding of social processes leading to the development of Maya civilization.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.