Fecal Steroids as Tracers of Human Population and Waste Management Practices at the Ancient Maya City of Ucanal, Guatemala
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8352249 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jean D Tremblay (0000-0002-7555-9760, Université de Montréal, corresponding author), Peter M J Douglas (0000-0002-4282-6615, McGill University), C T Halperin (0000-0001-9490-1966, Université de Montréal), Yves Gélinas (0000-0001-5751-8378, Concordia University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Archaeometry (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0003-813X • E-ISSN: 1475-4754 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/arcm.70077 |
| OpenAlex | W7116801064 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
Geochemical data compiled from dried sediments from three water reservoirs at the ancient Maya city of Ucanal, Petén, Guatemala, reveal low to undetectable fecal biomarker concentrations. These low concentrations may be the result of the aerobic decay of sterols combined with well‐managed waste disposal practices. Despite generally low concentrations of fecal biomarkers, evidence was detected for increased fecal residues during the Late Classic and Terminal Classic periods, corresponding with population increases at the site. Together, the evidence suggests that Maya inhabitants of Ucanal created an urban environment that prevented, to some degree, fecal waste pollution of their water resources
Fecal coliform · Feces · Human feces · Maya · Population · Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Pollution
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |