Faceless Hierarchy at Nixtun-Ch'ich’, Peten, Guatemala

Bibliographic Data

ID6033641
AuthorsTimothy W Pugh (0000-0003-2985-0677, Queens College, CUNY, corresponding author), Evelyn M Chan Nieto, Gabriela W Zygadło (Queens College, CUNY)
Year2020
Volume31
Issue2
Pages248-260
Publication date2020-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAncient Mesoamerica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0956-5361 • E-ISSN: 1469-1787
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0956536119000105
OpenAlexW2973924551
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited52

Societies vary in how they approach the challenges of increased population, inequality, and occupational specialization. The city of Nixtun-Ch'ich’ and its satellite, T'up, in Peten, Guatemala exhibit orthogonal urban grids—a trait absent from all other known Maya cities. Such grids require extensive planning and the ability to mobilize the population. The present data suggests that Nixtun-Ch'ich’ was substantially larger than any of the surrounding settlements and was, therefore, a primate center during the Middle Preclassic period. The extensive urban planning of the site, as well as that of T'up suggests centralized planning. Yet, we have not encountered evidence of a central ruler propagated as a unifying symbol of the polity. The gridded public streets and lack of a rulership cult suggest that Nixtun-Ch'ich’ had a more collaborative social system

Archaeology · Business · Geography · Hierarchy · Human settlement · Maya · Political science · Polity · Population · Ruler · Sociology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Demography · History · Latin American history and culture · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies

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