Prehistoric Maya wetland agriculture and the alluvial soils near San Antonio Rio Hondo, Belize

Bloom, Paul R.; Pohl, Mary; Buttleman, Cynthia; Wiseman, Frederick; Covich, Alan P.; Miksicek, Charles H.; Ball, Joseph W.; Stein, Julie K.

doi:10.1038/301417a0

Cited by 37 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…Since at least 1909 a stream of research has studied the soil and agricultural environment of the ancient Maya world (Cook, 1909(Cook, , 1921Emerson and Kempton, 1935;Steggerda, 1941;Higbee, 1948;Hester, 1953;Cowgill, 1962;Olson, 1970Olson, , 1981Turner, 1974;Flannery, 1982;Bloom et al, 1983;Muhs et al, 1985;Pohl, 1985;Wilken, 1987;Coultas et al, 1992;Wingard 1996;Dunning, 1992;Dunning and Beach, 1994;Jacob, 1995Jacob, , 1996Fedick, 1996;Beach andDunning, 1995, 1997;Beach, in press). Some forms of intensive cultivation (i.e., agricultural terraces) were recognized early (Gann, 1925), but long-fallow milpa systems were seen as the likely ancient Maya agricultural system, producing enough food for 40 -70 persons in the central Peté n of Guatemala (Cowgill, 1961).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Soil constraints on Northwest Yucatán, Mexico: Pedoarchaeology and Maya subsistence at Chunchucmil

Beach

1998

Geoarchaeology

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Soil constraints on Northwest Yucatán, Mexico: Pedoarchaeology and Maya subsistence at Chunchucmil

Beach

1998

Geoarchaeology

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“…More recently, research has identified and delineated alternate agricultural practices that may have been more sustainable for the ancient Maya (e.g., Wilken, 1971;Turner, 1974;Antoine et al, 1982;Bloom et al, 1983Bloom et al, , 1985Fedick, 1994Fedick, , 1996Dunning andBeach, 1994, 2000;Pohl et al, 1996;Dunning et al, 2002). Numerous studies suggest that the ancient Maya incorporated multiple modes of geointensive agriculture such as terraces, drained fields, and drainage canals (Dunning, 1992;Beach and Dunning, 1995;Fedick, 1996;Beach, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Soil resources of the Motul de San José Maya: Correlating soil taxonomy and modern Itzá Maya soil classification within a classic Maya archaeological zone

et al. 2007

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Investigations of soil resources in the department of Petén, Guatemala can provide important insight into the agricultural and land use strategies of the ancient Maya. The site of Motul de San José, located 3 km north of Guatemala's Lago Petén Itzá, is situated in the core zone of Classic Maya civilization and in an area currently inhabited by the modern Itzá Maya. This area was occupied and farmed from the Middle Preclassic period (˜600 B.C.) to the Early Postclassic (˜A.D. 1000). During the Late Classic period (˜A.D. 600–830), Motul de San José was one of many centers of intense population growth. The authors focused on examining soil resources in the Motul de San José area. Soil studies included chemical and physical evaluations of soils and an investigation of the traditional soil classification system used by modern Itzá Maya farmers in the community of San José. The results of these investigations, along with a subsequent carbon isotopic study of ancient vegetative signatures by Webb et al. (this issue, 291–312) provide a framework for assessment of ancient Maya land‐use strategies in the Motul de San José area. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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“…Apparent wetland field systems in the Maya lowlands have been identified and studied (Beach, Luzzadder-Beach, & Lohse, 2008b;Bloom et al, 1983;Dunning et al, 2002;Jacob, 1995;Pohl et al, 1996;Pope & Dahlin, 1989;Siemens, 1982), but there is debate regarding the degree to which the bajos were modified for agriculture (Pohl et al, 1996;Pope & Dahlin, 1993). The organic-rich soils and available moisture in the wetlands would have been a tempting resource for the Maya, especially since most of the precipitation occurs during a six-month rainy season (Rue, Webster, & Traverse, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Soil properties and stable carbon isotope analysis of landscape features in the Petexbatún region of Guatemala

2009

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Soil properties and stable carbon isotope ratios contained in the soil organic matter (SOM) were used to investigate the change in vegetative history of land cleared anciently for maize (Zea mays L.) agriculture in the Petexbatún region of Guatemala. Maize and other C 4 plants associated with land clearance leave a carbon isotopic signature in the SOM different from the C 3 plants of native forest vegetation. Soil profiles were collected from various landscape features around the Classic Maya site of Aguateca: control locations (areas likely not used in ancient agriculture), defensible locations (areas near defensive walls), rejolladas (natural karst depressions), upland locations (well-drained soils atop the Aguateca escarpment), and bajos (seasonal and perennial wetlands). The chemical and physical properties of the profiles were examined and the soils were taxonomically classified to the great group level. The changes in d 13C with soil depth were determined and compared statistically. The 13 C enrichment of the SOM in bajo and rejollada profiles were similar and were significantly ( p Ͻ 0.05) greater than the control, defensible, and upland soils. This isotopic signature of sustained C 4 vegetation was likely associated with forest clearance and ancient Maya agriculture. Both the bajo and rejollada landscape features appear to have been valuable agricultural resources for ancient Maya.

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Prehistoric Maya wetland agriculture and the alluvial soils near San Antonio Rio Hondo, Belize

Cited by 37 publications

References 1 publication

Soil constraints on Northwest Yucatán, Mexico: Pedoarchaeology and Maya subsistence at Chunchucmil

Soil constraints on Northwest Yucatán, Mexico: Pedoarchaeology and Maya subsistence at Chunchucmil

Soil resources of the Motul de San José Maya: Correlating soil taxonomy and modern Itzá Maya soil classification within a classic Maya archaeological zone

Soil properties and stable carbon isotope analysis of landscape features in the Petexbatún region of Guatemala

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