High-precision radiocarbon dating of political collapse and dynastic origins at the Maya site of Ceibal, Guatemala

Abstract

The lowland Maya site of Ceibal, Guatemala, had a long history of occupation, spanning from the Middle Preclassic Period through the Terminal Classic (1000 BC to AD 950). The Ceibal-Petexbatun Archaeological Project has been conducting archaeological investigations at this site since 2005 and has obtained 154 radiocarbon dates, which represent the largest collection of radiocarbon assays from a single Maya site. The Bayesian analysis of these dates, combined with a detailed study of ceramics, allowed us to develop a high-precision chronology for Ceibal. Through this chronology, we traced the trajectories of the Preclassic collapse around AD 150-300 and the Classic collapse around AD 800-950, revealing similar patterns in the two cases. Social instability started with the intensification of warfare around 75 BC and AD 735, respectively, followed by the fall of multiple centers across the Maya lowlands around AD 150 and 810. The population of Ceibal persisted for some time in both cases, but the center eventually experienced major decline around AD 300 and 900. Despite these similarities in their diachronic trajectories, the outcomes of these collapses were different, with the former associated with the development of dynasties centered on divine rulership and the latter leading to their downfalls. The Ceibal dynasty emerged during the period of low population after the Preclassic collapse, suggesting that this dynasty was placed under the influence from, or by the direct intervention of, an external power.Maya archaeology | political collapse | dynastic origins | radiocarbon dating | Bayesian statistics

The Maya Preclassic to Classic transition observed through faunal trends from Ceibal, Guatemala

“…While bone preservation is notoriously poor in the humid tropics where Ceibal is located, careful excavation methods that included flotation to recover small faunal fragments, as well as a broad excavation strategy that covered many areas of the site (Fig 1), allowed for the recovery of over 35,000 faunal specimens, most of which were identifiable at least to the taxonomic level of class. Excavations took place across the main central plaza of the ancient urban community, within the monumental central structures and elite residences, and in and around the surrounding residential and minor ceremonial groups, including Caobal, 3 km to the west [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Such a broad excavation strategy provides information not just regarding how animals were used in different social contexts (for instance, ceremonial activities in the palace court versus dense deposits of trash near an outlying residential group), but also evidence of wide-scale shifts in faunal use that affected the entire region, perhaps even reflecting social and subsistence trends that occurred throughout the greater lowland Maya area.…”

“…To answer these questions, this study compares large-scale trends in the use of fauna across all excavated contexts at Ceibal's ceremonial core, its outlying residential and minor ceremonial groups within a 2 km 2 range, and the minor ceremonial center of Caobal about 3 km to the west of Ceibal's core. The abundance and diversity of taxa are compared among different areas over time, in order to assess whether or not there is a significant change in animal resource use, [16].…”

Adela Breton and the Temple of the Jaguar: A Victorian perspective on the art of Chichén Itzá.

“…To facilitate a critical analysis of the case study, the thesis is constructed on a grounding of established Maya archaeology. Advances in the study of the Maya have been considerable in the last decade (Coe, 2011, p.7), aided by new technological developmentsas recently as February this year, Inomata et al (2017) used radiocarbon dating and Bayesian analysis at the site of Ceibal, Guatemala, to prove that there was a Preclassic social collapse around 150-300 CE following a similar pattern to that of the later and better-documented Classic collapse around 800-900 CE. The Preclassic period, lasting from 2000 BCE to 250 CE, saw the widespread development of agriculture, great city complexes, pyramids and temples throughout Mesoamerica (Coe, 2011, p.26).…”

Early Maya Ritual Practices and Craft Production: Late Middle Preclassic Ritual Deposits Containing Obsidian Artifacts at Ceibal, Guatemala

“…They became common starting around 800 B.C., persisted until the Escoba 2 phase (600-450 B.C. ), and were all deposited on the east-west axis of the E-Group plaza at Ceibal (Aoyama et al 2017;Inomata and Triadan 2015;Inomata et al 2017c). No cruciform caches have been found in other locations at Ceibal.…”

“…Excavations by the Ceibal-Petexbatun Archaeological Project were carried out between 2005 and 2017 across different parts of the site. Members of the project have uncovered substantial construction activities that took place during the early stages of human settlement at Ceibal, and have thus been able to address questions pertaining to the origins and development of Maya civilization (Inomata 2017;Inomata et al 2013;Inomata et al 2017a;Inomata et al 2017b;Inomata et al 2017c;Munson and Pinzón 2017;Palomo et al 2017;Triadan et al 2017). These discoveries were achieved with deep vertical excavations, extensive horizontal excavations, and tunnels into and below ancient structures.…”