An Inconstant Landscape: The Maya Kingdom of El Zotz, Guatemala

493 Pages·2019·8.383 MB·English

by  Thomas G. Garrison, Stephen Houston

AN INCONSTANT LANDSCAPE

A N I N C O N S TA N T
L A N D S C A P E
The Maya Kingdom of El Zotz, Guatemala
Edited by
THOMAS G. GARRISON AND STEPHEN HOUSTON
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF COLORADO
Louisville
© 2018 by University Press of Colorado
Published by University Press of Colorado
245 Century Circle, Suite 202
Louisville, Colorado 80027
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
The University Press of Colorado is a proud member of
the Association of University Presses.
The University Press of Colorado is a cooperative publishing enterprise supported, in part,
by Adams State University, Colorado State University, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan
State University of Denver, Regis University, University of Colorado, University of Northern
Colorado, Utah State University, and Western State Colorado University.
∞ This paper meets the requirements of the ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper).
ISBN: 978-1-60732-763-9 (cloth)
ISBN: 978-1-60732-764-6 (ebook)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5876/9781607327646
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Garrison, Thomas G. (Thomas Gardner), editor. | Houston, Stephen D., editor.
Title: An inconstant landscape : the Maya kingdom of El Zotz, Guatemala / edited by Thomas
G. Garrison and Stephen Houston.
Description: Boulder : University Press of Colorado, [2018] | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018006247| ISBN 9781607327639 (hardcase) | ISBN 9781607327646 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Zotz Site (Guatemala) | Mayas—Antiquities. | Guatemala—Antiquities.
Classification: LCC F1435.1.Z68 I53 2018 | DDC 972.81/01—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018006247
The University Press of Colorado gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Brown
University toward the publication of this book.
Cover photograph by J. Pérez de Lara
For Don Anatolio López and, over many years,
our peerless workers in the Peten.
Without them . . . nothing.

Contents
List of Figures xi
List of Tables xvii
Preface
Stephen Houston and Thomas G. Garrison xix
Part I: The Culture History
of the Pa’ka’n Dynasty
Chapter 1 A Fortress in Heaven: Researching
the Long Term at El Zotz, Guatemala
Stephen Houston, Thomas G. Garrison,
and Edwin Román 3
Chapter 2 Monumental Beginnings: The
Preclassic Maya of El Palmar and the
Buenavista Valley, Peten, Guatemala
James A. Doyle and Rony E. Piedrasanta 46
Chapter 3 Ruling through Defense: The Rise of
an Early Classic Dynasty at El Zotz
Edwin Román, Thomas G. Garrison,
and Stephen Houston 70
Chapter 4 Border Lords and Client Kings: El
Zotz and Bejucal in the Late Classic Period
Nicholas P. Carter, Yeny M. Gutiérrez Castillo,
and Sarah Newman 93
Chapter 5 Collapse, Continuity, Change: El
Zotz in the Terminal Classic Period
Sarah Newman, Jose Luis Garrido,
and Nicholas P. Carter 116
Chapter 6 In the Wake of “Collapse”: The Post-
Dynastic or Early Postclassic Period at El Zotz
Melanie J. Kingsley and Laura Gámez 140
Part II: Technical Analysis at El Zotz
Chapter 7 Environments of El Zotz: Water and
Soil Chemistry, the El Zotz Dam, and Long-
Term Environmental Change
Timothy Beach, Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach,
Colin Doyle, and William Delgado 163
Chapter 8 Understanding Social, Economic,
and Political Change: The Ceramics of El Zotz
Ewa Czapiewska-Halliday, Nicholas P. Carter,
Melanie J. Kingsley, Sarah Newman,
and Alyce de Carteret 189
Chapter 9 Lithic Technologies and Economies
at El Zotz
Zachary Hruby 228
Chapter 10 A Tableau in Clay: Figurines and
Figurine-Whistles of El Zotz
Alyce de Carteret and Jose Luis Garrido 255
Chapter 11 Constructed Landscapes:
Architectural Stratigraphy, Behavioral
Practices, and Building Technologies at El Zotz
Cassandra Mesick Braun 277
Chapter 12 Grave Matters: Bioarchaeology and
Mortuary Archaeology at El Zotz, Bejucal,
and El Palmar
Andrew K. Scherer 303
viii CONTENTS
Chapter 13 An Inconstant Landscape: Pa’ka’n in
Regional View
Thomas G. Garrison and Stephen Houston 361
References Cited 383
Contributor Biographies 443
Index 451
CONTENTS ix