A ZOOARCHAEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE FORMATION OF MAYA STATES (original) (raw)

AI-generated Abstract

This study investigates the role of animal resource use in the emergence of social, political, and economic inequalities in early Maya civilizations, specifically during the Preclassic period (c. 2000 B.C.-A.D. 200). By employing zooarchaeological and isotopic analysis across key sites, such as Ceibal, San Bartolo-Xultun, Holmul, and Cerros, it reveals how subsistence strategies, crafting practices, and the exchange of animal products contributed to the formation of hierarchies and state structures. The findings indicate that the control and utilization of animal resources played a critical role in shaping the societal dynamics leading to the establishment of Maya states.