Divergent cityscapes: Urban patterns at two ancient Maya centers in central Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Abstract

This dissertation examines the spatial organization and long-term development of two ancient Maya cities---Lagartera and Margarita---located in central Quintana Roo, Mexico, that were occupied from the Middle Preclassic (ca. 500 B.C.) to the Terminal Classic (ca. A.D. 1000). Archaeological research at these two sites was designed to investigate the sociopolitical factors responsible for their different layouts. Spatial data, obtained through survey and mapping, and chronological data, obtained through excavations, were used to identify patterns in the built environments and to reconstruct the history of occupation of each site. By comparing the layout, composition, temporal development, and regional context of Lagartera and Margarita, this study highlights various dimensions of variability among ancient Maya centers and discusses the sources of this variability. Investigations at Lagartera and Margarita illuminated two dimensions of variability, one spatial and the other temporal. First, Lagartera and Margarita vary markedly in the details of their internal architectural composition and spatial organization. Whereas the built environment at Lagartera is characterized by monumentality, with an emphasis on massive civic-ceremonial structures and large plazas, at Margarita emphasis was placed on the construction of closely spaced, elaborate, and private residential groups. Second, investigations revealed a temporal component to this spatial variability. Lagartera grew dramatically during the Late Preclassic (ca. 400 B.C.--A.D. 250), reached its peak of construction during the Early Classic (ca. A.D. 250--550), and declined in the Late Classic (ca. A.D. 550--900). In contrast, at Margarita development was modest through the Late Preclassic and Early Classic, with a peak of construction during the Late Classic. It is argued that differences in the urban patterns evident at these two sites were the result of distinct social and political strategies that shaped society throughout its long-term development. Using data from Lagartera and Margarita, I explore how (1) such social and political strategies were materialized in urban landscapes; (2) built environments shaped, constrained, and reinforced social relations; and (3) urban patterns changed through time and varied from site to site.