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Evidence for Ritual Engineering in the Late/Terminal Classic Site Plan of La Milpa, Belize

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Brett A. Houk  and
Gregory Zaro
Brett A. Houk
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Texas Tech University, Box 41012, Lubbock, Texas 79409 (brett.houk@ttu.edu
Gregory Zaro
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Climate Change Institute, 5773 South Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469 (gregory.zaro@maine.edu)
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Abstract

Proponents of site-planning studies argue that the Ancient Maya expressed both political and cosmological symbolism in architecture and site plans, while detractors fault site-planning advocates for not being scientifically rigorous in their methods. Recently, the debate between the two sides has focused on whether or not the Maya created cosmograms in the layouts of their sites. Our recent investigations at La Milpa, Belize attempt to redirect site-planning studies back to a more encompassing approach that searches for meaning at various scales. In doing so, we propose that planning and engineering be considered together and that engineering can include ritual or symbolic components. This paper focuses on two contemporaneous caches, each of which contains incised jar lids decorated with a mat design. We argue the caches are ritually engineered deposits that integrate otherwise discrete architectural components into a coherent Late/Terminal Classic royal precinct plan. Furthermore, the mat design on the jar lids suggests royal sponsorship of the engineering and construction of the plaza. While much of the symbolism in the caches is unclear, we are able to recognize that political and/or cosmological symbolic communication has occurred as part of a ritually engineered component of Plaza B at La Milpa.

Resumen

Resumen

Los proponentes de estudios de planificación de sitios sugieren que los mayas antiguos expresaron simbolismo político y cosmológico tanto en la arquitectura como en los diseños de los sitios, mientras que los antagonistas sugieren que muchos de dichos tipos de investigación carecen de rigor científico en su metodología. Nuestras excavaciones recientes en el sitio de La Milpa, Belice, demuestran el potencial de identificar elementos rituales asociados con la planificación de sitios que se depositaron dentro del paisaje cultural para hacer, en algún sentido, declaraciones políticas. Nuestro argumento se enfoca sobre dos depósitos de la época Clásica Tardía/Terminal que reflejan un plan coherente de componentes rituales dentro de la construcción de Plaza B de La Milpa. Ambos depósitos incluyen tapas de jarras decoradas con diseños tejidos. Sugerimos que estos depósitos sirvieron para integrar ritualmente los distintos componentes arquitectónicos alrededor de la Plaza B durante el Clásico Tardío/Terminal. Además, el diseño tejido en las tapas indica que la construcción y disposición de la plaza se llevó a cabo bajo el patrocinio de la familia real. Mientras que la mayoría del simbolismo de los depósitos permanece desconocido, por lo menos podemos reconocer que alguna forma de comunicación política y/o cosmológica ocurrió como parte de un componente ritualmente integrado en la planificación de Plaza B en La Milpa.

Type
Articles
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , June 2011 , pp. 178 - 198
Copyright
Copyright © 2011 by the Society for American Archaeology.

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