The role of infield agriculture in Maya cities

Fisher, Chelsea

doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2014.10.001

Cited by 30 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The most visible landscape modifications are terraces represented by both narrow agricultural and wide habitation variants with the latter showing evidence of house foundations [102–104]. These are similar in some respects to low density urbanism systems recently documented for the Maya Postclassic [105–108]. In our initial investigation we were able to identify roughly 3 square kilometers of areas covered by anomalies that we feel represent terraced areas along with over 200 features that likely represent large individual terraces.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Identifying Ancient Settlement Patterns through LiDAR in the Mosquitia Region of Honduras

et al. 2016

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The Mosquitia ecosystem of Honduras occupies the fulcrum between the American continents and as such constitutes a critical region for understanding past patterns of socio-political development and interaction. Heavy vegetation, rugged topography, and remoteness have limited scientific investigation. This paper presents prehistoric patterns of settlement and landuse for a critical valley within the Mosquitia derived from airborne LiDAR scanning and field investigation. We show that (i) though today the valley is a wilderness it was densely inhabited in the past; (ii) that this population was organized into a three-tiered system composed of 19 settlements dominated by a city; and, (iii) that this occupation was embedded within a human engineered landscape. We also add to a growing body of literature that demonstrates the utility of LiDAR as means for rapid cultural assessments in undocumented regions for analysis and conservation. Our ultimate hope is for our work to promote protections to safeguard the unique and critically endangered Mosquitia ecosystem and other similar areas in need of preservation.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Identifying Ancient Settlement Patterns through LiDAR in the Mosquitia Region of Honduras

et al. 2016

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“…For instance, even though infield agriculture is quite a common feature, nuances exit in the way it is made part of the built environment in different communities [88]. This distinction is a result of adaption required for the semitropical climate, varying terrain, and soil conditions [50], and the presence of diverse species [89].…”

Section: Urban Agriculture and Home Gardeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Home gardens are a noticeable feature of the Mayan settlements that exist even today [37,88,[95][96][97][98][99]. In this respect, archaeological site 272-025 (also known as Tzunu'un) in the Mayan city of El Pilar presents an illuminating example of recreating a Mayan home garden in the present time.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Embeddedness in the Maya Built Environment: Inspiration for Contemporary Cities

Akbar

Abubakar

Shah

et al. 2021

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Cities nowadays are the most significant source of environmental degradation threatening local and global ecosystems. Interestingly, many ancient settlements present excellent lessons and inspiration for addressing our current urban predicaments, given their environmental stewardship. This research explores how the ecologically embedded settlement patterns, building configurations, urban agriculture and home gardening, and water conservation of the Maya-built environment can offer insights about mitigating contemporary urban sustainability challenges. Mayans’ respect for nature not only guaranteed sustainable habitats but also engendered one of the most remarkable civilizations in a region that did not offer generous support for human accommodation. The Mayan world view promoted the idea of one spirit dwelling in all humans and other-than-human entities in an environment, making everything sacred and kin to everything else. The regional climate was kept under control by protecting the vegetation that also provided other ecological benefits. Land use was mixed, and residences were constructed with native and recyclable materials utilizing natural light and ventilation. The Mayan civilization inspires us to manage and protect plants, not cut them down; conserve water, not waste it; listen to the environmental feedback, not reject it; and, most importantly, it begs us to embrace nature as our own mother, not disown it as something dispensable. These principles have significant implications on urban land-use planning and policies today.

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“…Solares, or house gardens, are plots of land, generally contained by stone walls, on which a family builds their home, grows vegetables, raises small animals, and conducts other daily activities (Figure 2). Solares are personal and reflect processes of social memory and identity among the household unit (Fisher 2014; Hernández Álvarez 2014a, 2014b; Rico-Gray et al 1990). In Yaxunah at the time of Hernández Álvarez's (2014b:163, 244) 2006–2008 ethnoarchaeological study, the average number of people per solar was 3.9, as calculated from a total of 30 house groups.…”

Section: Food Sovereignty: Rejolladas and Solaresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Famine Foods and Food Security in the Northern Maya Lowlands: Modern Lessons for Ancient Reconstructions

et al. 2019

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Inequality and changing responses to food scarcity may create a stigmatization complex around certain foods. Here, we conduct a literature search to develop a working definition of “famine foods” in the Maya lowlands, centering qualities such as hardiness, productivity, nutrition, preparation, and stigmatization complexes. An analysis of the nutritional characteristics that might make up such a food yields the idea that famine foods are likely members of a time- and place-specific arsenal of plant resources. We compare the results of the literature search to botanical data from a rejollada survey from Xuenkal and a solar (house garden) survey conducted in Yaxunah. Examining the data through the lens of a history of manipulation of food access, shifting relations of power, and modern responses to food insecurity illuminates cultural plasticity and resilience in diet and agricultural strategies in the Maya lowlands. We conceptualize solares and rejolladas as food-related resilience strategies.

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The role of infield agriculture in Maya cities

Cited by 30 publications

References 31 publications

Identifying Ancient Settlement Patterns through LiDAR in the Mosquitia Region of Honduras

Identifying Ancient Settlement Patterns through LiDAR in the Mosquitia Region of Honduras

Ecological Embeddedness in the Maya Built Environment: Inspiration for Contemporary Cities

Famine Foods and Food Security in the Northern Maya Lowlands: Modern Lessons for Ancient Reconstructions

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