Variation in ancient Maya governance

A long-term perspective from the central palace at Yaxnohcah, Mexico

Bibliographic Data

ID7839705
AuthorsF Kupprat (0000-0002-5379-3126, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, corresponding author), Kathryn Reese-Taylor (0000-0001-5583-174X, University of Calgary), Alma A Hernandez (0000-0003-3229-0930), Debra S Walker (0000-0002-4595-8189, Florida Museum of Natural History), Sarah Bednar, Sarah E Bednar (University of Calgary)
Year2025
Volume79
Pages101714
Publication date2025-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Anthropological Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0278-4165 • E-ISSN: 1090-2686
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.jaa.2025.101714
OpenAlexW4413295641
LanguageEN
References cited47

Archaeology has seen a recent reemergence of interest in ancient forms of governance and variations in political institutions across time and space. While studies of ancient Maya politics have frequently assumed a unified political system, an increasing pool of data suggests that there was in fact a high degree of variability regarding governance and political practice. Here we discuss changes in rulership and power relations from the perspective of the inhabitants of the central palace at Yaxnohcah, focusing on social and political transformations in and beyond the site. Rulership at Yaxnohcah materialized in the Late Preclassic (400 BCE–200 CE), but associated practices shifted focus from community integration to the establishment of a central court identity in the Early Classic (200–600 CE), until courtly privileges were significantly reduced after a political regime change at nearby Calakmul around 636 CE. This case study shows how political institutions constantly adapted to a fluctuating political landscape, which implied profound shifts in both practice and ideology. It also discusses how collective decision-making may have been more pronounced at Yaxnohcah than at other contemporary sites, providing an important datapoint for a general reevaluation of variation in governance in the Maya area and beyond

Archaeology · Art · Corporate governance · Economics · Geography · Management · Maya · Mesoamerica · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History · Latin American history and culture

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