Evidence from Escalera al Cielo: Abandonment of a Terminal Classic Puuc Maya Hill Complex in Yucatán, Mexico
Simms, Stephanie R.; Parker, Evan; Bey, George J., III; Gallareta Negrón, Tomás
Excavations at the hilltop site of Escalera al Cielo, located in the Puuc Maya region of Yucatán, Mexico, have uncovered evidence of a planned abandonment at the end of the Terminal Classic period (A.D. 800–950). Six buildings investigated among three residential groups contain rich floor assemblages similar to those known from only a few rapidly abandoned sites in the Maya area. Through an analysis of de facto refuse—most of which was recovered in locations of storage and provisional discard—and midden refuse, this paper illustrates how the assemblages represent an example of household-level abandonment with anticipated return. We also consider Escalera al Cielo in light of our present understanding of the political and environmental history of the Puuc region during the late 9th century A.D.
This is a postprint (author's final draft) version of an article published in Journal of Field Arhcaeology in 2012. The final version of this article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/0093469012Z.00000000025 (login may be required). The version made available in OpenBU was supplied by the author.
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