Bernadette Cap
My main area of interest is ancient Mesoamerica with a focus on the Classic Maya economy. My current research examines the economic organization of the site Buenavista del Cayo, Belize where I have identified a Late Classic Maya marketplace. This research entailed the application of multiple investigative methods and analytical techniques, including ground remote sensing, satellite imagery analysis, microartifact analysis, soil chemical testing, and the use of GIS for spatial statistical analysis. I have additional excavation and museum curatorial experience working with North American societies.
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Published in: Advances in Archaeological Practice 4(3), 2016, pp. 339–356.
evidence of marketplace activities, including the production of chert tools. To investigate the volume and nature of chert production that took place in the East Plaza, we tested an unusual
deposit of chert debitage in the East Plaza, which covered approximately 120 m2 and had a density of 211,437 chert artifacts per m3. These excavations and subsequent artifact analysis indicate that this deposit is the result of specialized production focused on the finishing stages of bifacial tool manufacturing and the resharpening of bifaces dulled from use. These findings
support the identification of the East Plaza as a marketplace; suggest that biface exchange in the marketplace entailed direct contact between consumers and producers, unmediated by merchants or middlemen; and provide evidence for the operation of market exchange principles at Buenavista.
The Chan site provides a unique opportunity to investigate plaza spaces because of the small size of its plazas, allowing for greater amount of exposure, and the complexity of the site’s political, religious, and economic history. With this in mind, we investigated two formal plaza spaces, the Central and West Plazas. This paper presents the results of research in the West Plaza.
The West Plaza is a seemingly empty space adjacent to the western structure of Chan’s central architectural group (C-001). The plaza is a partly constructed/ partly modified bedrock feature with a broad stairway along its southern edge, marking it as a formal entrance and an easily accessible space. An L-shaped structure (C-039) marks its northern terminus. Initial use of the West Plaza took place in the Late Preclassic Cadle Complex, and the space was not used again until the Late Late Classic Pesoro Complex. Data presented are from the Late Late Classic period.
Major challenges exist in trying to determine archaeologically the types of activities that occurred in plazas. Some plaza activities involve large amounts of tangible materials while others are based on the intangible. Often, objects brought to a plaza space are removed after their use. We created a suite of empirically testable correlates and adhered to rigorous and unique methodologies, including horizontal exposure of 18 percent of the West Plaza, soil chemical analysis, and macro and microartifact analysis. Microartifacts play a key role in this study, and are highlighted here, because they tend to stay in their primary context more so than larger artifacts.
While the West Plaza likely was used for multiple activities, evidence recovered predominately suggests ritual activities, political and/or religious in nature, took place. Findings include a stela and altar pairing and two circular stone mosaic pavements with associated ceramic incensario and figurine fragments and a chert eccentric. Additionally, microartifact analysis revealed the presence of burned resin in the matrix of the circular pavements.
Because the West Plaza is the most accessible plaza space in Chan’s central group the rituals that took place there likely were public events associated with creating and/or reinforcing cultural ideals. Additionally, the leaders of Chan could have used the rituals as a means to integrate the community and reinforce the societal roles of both the ritual performers and audience. Investigation of Chan’s West Plaza has demonstrated that plaza spaces were indeed loci of important activities and the methods used in this project show how to gain nuanced perspectives of how plazas were used.
used in the past. In 2006 the West Plaza at the site of Chan was investigated through broad scale excavations to determine the types of activities that took place there and the function of the plaza within the site. Based on macro and microartifact analysis and architectural data it appears that the West Plaza was used for ritual purposes. Evidence for rituals includes two stone mosaic circular pavements, a stela, an altar, and charred organic resin associated with these features. Analysis to establish whether other types of activities, such as marketplace exchange, were also taking place is unclear.
Published in: Advances in Archaeological Practice 4(3), 2016, pp. 339–356.
evidence of marketplace activities, including the production of chert tools. To investigate the volume and nature of chert production that took place in the East Plaza, we tested an unusual
deposit of chert debitage in the East Plaza, which covered approximately 120 m2 and had a density of 211,437 chert artifacts per m3. These excavations and subsequent artifact analysis indicate that this deposit is the result of specialized production focused on the finishing stages of bifacial tool manufacturing and the resharpening of bifaces dulled from use. These findings
support the identification of the East Plaza as a marketplace; suggest that biface exchange in the marketplace entailed direct contact between consumers and producers, unmediated by merchants or middlemen; and provide evidence for the operation of market exchange principles at Buenavista.
The Chan site provides a unique opportunity to investigate plaza spaces because of the small size of its plazas, allowing for greater amount of exposure, and the complexity of the site’s political, religious, and economic history. With this in mind, we investigated two formal plaza spaces, the Central and West Plazas. This paper presents the results of research in the West Plaza.
The West Plaza is a seemingly empty space adjacent to the western structure of Chan’s central architectural group (C-001). The plaza is a partly constructed/ partly modified bedrock feature with a broad stairway along its southern edge, marking it as a formal entrance and an easily accessible space. An L-shaped structure (C-039) marks its northern terminus. Initial use of the West Plaza took place in the Late Preclassic Cadle Complex, and the space was not used again until the Late Late Classic Pesoro Complex. Data presented are from the Late Late Classic period.
Major challenges exist in trying to determine archaeologically the types of activities that occurred in plazas. Some plaza activities involve large amounts of tangible materials while others are based on the intangible. Often, objects brought to a plaza space are removed after their use. We created a suite of empirically testable correlates and adhered to rigorous and unique methodologies, including horizontal exposure of 18 percent of the West Plaza, soil chemical analysis, and macro and microartifact analysis. Microartifacts play a key role in this study, and are highlighted here, because they tend to stay in their primary context more so than larger artifacts.
While the West Plaza likely was used for multiple activities, evidence recovered predominately suggests ritual activities, political and/or religious in nature, took place. Findings include a stela and altar pairing and two circular stone mosaic pavements with associated ceramic incensario and figurine fragments and a chert eccentric. Additionally, microartifact analysis revealed the presence of burned resin in the matrix of the circular pavements.
Because the West Plaza is the most accessible plaza space in Chan’s central group the rituals that took place there likely were public events associated with creating and/or reinforcing cultural ideals. Additionally, the leaders of Chan could have used the rituals as a means to integrate the community and reinforce the societal roles of both the ritual performers and audience. Investigation of Chan’s West Plaza has demonstrated that plaza spaces were indeed loci of important activities and the methods used in this project show how to gain nuanced perspectives of how plazas were used.
used in the past. In 2006 the West Plaza at the site of Chan was investigated through broad scale excavations to determine the types of activities that took place there and the function of the plaza within the site. Based on macro and microartifact analysis and architectural data it appears that the West Plaza was used for ritual purposes. Evidence for rituals includes two stone mosaic circular pavements, a stela, an altar, and charred organic resin associated with these features. Analysis to establish whether other types of activities, such as marketplace exchange, were also taking place is unclear.