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Aline Magnoni

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Papers by Aline Magnoni

Assessing Detection Thresholds of Archaeological Features in Airborne Lidar Data from Central Yucatán

by Travis Stanton and Aline Magnoni

In this article we evaluate ~48km 2 of airborne lidar data collected at a target density of 15 la... more In this article we evaluate ~48km 2 of airborne lidar data collected at a target density of 15 laser shots/m in central Yucatán, Mexico. This area covers parts of the sites of Chichén Itzá and Yaxuná, a kilometer-wide transect between these two sites, and a transect along the first few kilometers of Sacbé 1 from Yaxuná to Cobá. The results of our ground validation and mapping demonstrate that not all sizable archaeological features can be detected in the lidar images due to: (1) the slightly rolling topography interspersed with 1-6 m-high bedrock hummocks, which morphologically mimic house mounds, further complicated by the presence of low foundations;

From Pencil to Pentium: Digitizing the Classic Period Maya City of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico

by David Hixson and Aline Magnoni

In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the re... more In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the recording, storage, processing, analysis, and visualization of the archaeological data of the Classic period Maya city of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico. From pencil and paper maps, drawn by pace and compass using traditional Yucatecan landmarks, to high-tech remote sensing, GIS, and 3D technology, the Pakbeh Regional Economy Project has integrated a series of age-old methods with some of the latest software, resulting in a robust body of GIS, remote sensing, and multimedia data products. At its apogee, AD 400–600, Chunchucmil grew to become a sprawling urban center that housed 31,000 to 43,000 residents over an area covering 20–25 km 2. Strategically located at the edge of several ecological zones, and only 27 km from the Gulf of Mexico, Chunchucmil became a specialized trading site and redistribution center for its region. Despite being located in an agriculturally stunted location (the driest portion of the entire Maya area, with limited soils), this city displayed the highest structural density of any Classic period Maya site. With hundreds of kilometers of boundary walls and more than a thousand residential groups (only counting the mapped portion of the site), the work of recording and analyzing the abundant features of Chunchucmil has been quite challenging. Fortunately, the location of Chunchucmil in the arid landscape of northwest Yucatán has allowed our project to successfully use both recent and historic aerial photographs, AIRSAR (airborne synthetic aperture radar), and diachronic multispectral satellite imagery from NASA's LANDSAT satellites to reveal a wealth of archaeological data which would otherwise remain undetected in the humid tropics. Two GIS databases were created: one with Intergraph GeoMedia Pro for intrasite features, and one in ArcGIS for the regional database of peripheral site locations and features. These GIS databases are used for the storage, analysis, and visualization of all the archaeological data collected at Chunchucmil. Finally, portions of the site were reconstructed using the Unreal Engine, a 3D visualization software, to create an immersive three-dimensional real-time walkthrough of both the major and minor features of the site. In this paper, we will present a review of the challenges and advantages of each low-tech and high-tech tool as well as their integration in the analysis of the city of Chunchucmil.

Urban Identities: Social and Spatial Production at Classic Period Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico

The Importance of Place and Memory in the Maya Past: The Variable Appropriation of Ancient Settlement at Chunchucmil and Yaxuna, Yucatan, during the Terminal Classic

ISBN 978 1 78491 008 2 ISBN 978 1 78491 009 9 (e-Pdf)

The Production of Space and Identity at Classic Period Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico

by Aline Magnoni and Traci Ardren

RECONSTRUCTING AGRICULTURAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY AT CHUNCHUCMIL, YUCATAN, MEXICO

by Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, Aline Magnoni, Eugenia Mansell, Timothy Beach, and Daniel E Mazeau

Ancient Mesoamerica, 2005

The Pakbeh Regional Economy Program is studying the vexing questions of economic life among the a... more The Pakbeh Regional Economy Program is studying the vexing questions of economic life among the ancient Maya in northwestern Yucatan, Mexico. The region constitutes an ideal laboratory in which to investigate these questions, as it has very limited agricultural potential and fewer options for intensification than are found in the southern and central lowlands, yet many times more people lived here during the Classic period than can eke out a living today, and it has abundant evidence of market trade. Because crop yields in outfields are very low, and known intensification techniques are possibly incapable of sufficient yield enhancement, we anticipated that it would be an easy task to demonstrate that this population was dependent on imports of food and other necessities of life from beyond the region and therefore had a complex exchange economy. Twelve years later, we report on how wrong we were. We are still struggling with an evaluation of agricultural insufficiency. We explore the many and varied lines of evidence we have pursued and the confounding factors inherent in them, including problems with reconstructing ancient population size, equating contemporary and historical crop yields and farming practices, as well as ancient with modern environmental conditions, and hypothesizing potential forms of agricultural intensification, including intensive fertilization and other yield enhancement techniques, and reliance on alternative crops. The best that we can say at this juncture is that using contemporary production and consumption standards, the most conservative population estimates, and the most liberal estimates of available land in the surrounding region, we can conclude only that regional agricultural self-sufficiency remains unlikely but not proved. What initially seemed like an archaeological "no-brainer" has required us to delve into the realm of archaeological epistemology that we would like to share with our colleagues.

Magnoni 2008- Dissertation

Phosphate Fractionation and Spatial Patterning in Ancient Ruins: A case study from Yucatan

by Aline Magnoni, Scott Hutson, and Timothy Beach

$Research paper thumbnail of Phosphate fractionation and spatial patterning in ancient ruins: A case study from Yucatan$

Phosphate fractionation and spatial patterning in ancient ruins: A case study from Yucatan

by Timothy Beach and Aline Magnoni

Catena, 2009

As time passes, phosphorus (P) in soils tends to become more tightly bound with minerals. Phospha... more

Geochemical Analysis of Late and Postclassic Maya Marketplace Activities at Coba, Mexico.

by Aline Magnoni and Scott Hutson

Lines of evidence for ancient exchange plazas may include trade routes and trade artifacts, urban... more Lines of evidence for ancient exchange plazas may include trade routes and trade artifacts, urban open space near public structures, and rock alignments denoting market stalls, but regular patterns in soil chemical concentrations also point to marketplace use. We applied geochemical and geospatial analysis of the floors of the main Plaza of Group B and Plazas A, H, and J of Group D at Cobá , Mexico, to discover the chemical residues of phosphorus (P) and metals associated with the exchange of foodstuffs and mineral workshop items that may have been marketed there. The patterns of chemical residues in the floor of the Group B Plaza suggest ritual activities while the linear, parallel patterns of elevated Mehlich phosphorus and chelate extractable zinc concentrations in Plaza A support the hypothesis of market exchange at that location. Plaza H is associated with several Postclassic buildings, including the Pinturas Structure D-33. During the Postclassic period, Cobá had lost much of its population, though chemical residues from Plaza H are congruent with marketing. We argue that Plazas A and H were not permanent marketplaces but rather multi-purpose locations that also hosted large ceremonies.

Living in the City: Settlement Patterns and the Urban Experience at Classic Period Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico

Ancient Mesoamerica, Dec 2012

In this paper we illustrate the distinctive settlement patterns of the city of Chunchucmil during... more In this paper we illustrate the distinctive settlement patterns of the city of Chunchucmil during its largest occupation in the middle of the Classic period (a.d. 400-650). The unusually dense urban settlement showcased a network of boundary walls and chichbes surrounding residential groups and narrow streets winding between the tightly bounded houselots. Using a sample of 392 completely and unambiguously bounded houselots, we review the basic characteristics, the structural composition, and variability of late Early Classic and early Late Classic residential groups. Then, we explore how these city dwellers may have experienced their urban environment. Our focus is on understanding how the material aspects of the socially constructed space affected people's practices and how this materiality helped create and define specific household identities as well as extra-household social bonds. † Author is deceased.

"All that is Solid..."Sacbes, Settlement, and Semiotics at Tzacauil, Yucatan

Ancient Mesoamerica, Dec 2012

This paper applies structuration theory and semiotics to interpret the results of a recently comp... more This paper applies structuration theory and semiotics to interpret the results of a recently completed total coverage pedestrian survey to the east of Yaxuna, Yucatan. Data from this survey suggest that a social group centered at the site of Tzacauil vied for political clout in the Late Preclassic period through the construction of a triadic acropolis 3 km from Yaxuna. This group also initiated but did not complete a new experimental construction: a long-distance causeway between the two sites. A central facet of structuration is the instability of social practice. Rules can be altered when transposed to new contexts, while durable resources, such as causeways and acropolis groups, do not ensure the solidity of the coalitions they are meant to represent. Despite an outlay of labor never again seen to the east of Yaxuna, Tzacauil had a rather short occupation. Though they never completed the causeway, the people of Tzacauil did succeed in transforming the conventional understanding of causeways. These events support a semiotic approach since they show that materiality is contingent: it has a potential that people may or may not work to realize.

Memory and Power at Joya, Yucatán

Identity and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica: Current Theory and Practice, 2012

Identidad Social en el Mosáico Urbano de Chunchucmil, Yucatán, México

Identidad Social: Localidad y Globalidad en el Mundo Maya Prehispánico e Indígena Contemporáneo. Estudios de Espacio y Género, 2011

Counting the Stones: GIS as an Indispensable Tool for Intrasite Analysis at the Ancient Maya City of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico

Beyond the Artifact: Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, CAA 2004, 2011

This paper seeks to show how GIS has become an essential tool for the recording, storing, process... more This paper seeks to show how GIS has become an essential tool for the recording, storing, processing and visualization of the archaeological data at the ancient Maya city of Chunchucmil (Yucatan, Mexico). In this paper I want to highlight the importance of GIS in the analysis of mesospatial contexts (in relation with the internal structure of sites) at Chunchucmil, where the dense urban landscape of Classic period Chunchucmil is filled with cultural features visible on the surface. GIS has facilitated the spatial analysis of the almost 6 km 2 map of dense urban settlement, consisting of stone platforms and residences encircled by stone walls and several other associated cultural features. The integration of spatial and non-spatial data has allowed the creation of new thematic maps and has facilitated the recognition, analysis, and visualization of spatial association between these mapped cultural features.

From Pencil to Pentium: Digitizing the Classic Period Maya City of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico.

CAA 2009. Making History Interactive. Proceedings of the 37th CAA Conference, March 22-26, 2009, Williamsburg, Virginia, 2010

In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the re... more In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the recording, storage, processing, analysis, and visualization of the archaeological data of the Classic period Maya city of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico. From pencil and paper maps, drawn by pace and compass using traditional Yucatecan landmarks, to high-tech remote sensing, GIS, and 3D technology, the Pakbeh Regional Economy Project has integrated a series of age-old methods with some of the latest software, resulting in a robust body of GIS, remote sensing, and multimedia data products. At its apogee, AD 400-600, Chunchucmil grew to become a sprawling urban center that housed 31,000 to 43,000 residents over an area covering 20-25 km 2 . Strategically located at the edge of several ecological zones, and only 27 km from the Gulf of Mexico, Chunchucmil became a specialized trading site and redistribution center for its region. Despite being located in an agriculturally stunted location (the driest portion of the entire Maya area, with limited soils), this city displayed the highest structural density of any Classic period Maya site. With hundreds of kilometers of boundary walls and more than a thousand residential groups (only counting the mapped portion of the site), the work of recording and analyzing the abundant features of Chunchucmil has been quite challenging. Fortunately, the location of Chunchucmil in the arid landscape of northwest Yucatán has allowed our project to successfully use both recent and historic aerial photographs, AIRSAR (airborne synthetic aperture radar), and diachronic multispectral satellite imagery from NASA's LANDSAT satellites to reveal a wealth of archaeological data which would otherwise remain undetected in the humid tropics. Two GIS databases were created: one with Intergraph GeoMedia Pro for intrasite features, and one in ArcGIS for the regional database of peripheral site locations and features. These GIS databases are used for the storage, analysis, and visualization of all the archaeological data collected at Chunchucmil. Finally, portions of the site were reconstructed using the Unreal Engine, a 3D visualization software, to create an immersive three-dimensional real-time walkthrough of both the major and minor features of the site. In this paper, we will present a review of the challenges and advantages of each low-tech and high-tech tool as well as their integration in the analysis of the city of Chunchucmil.

Investigaciones Preliminares en el Sitio de Ikil, Yucatán

Los Investigadores de La Cultura Maya , 2010

Midiendo Una Metrópoli: Metodología y Asentamiento en Chunchucmil, Yucatán

by Aline Magnoni, David Hixson, and Daniel E Mazeau

Estudios de Cultura Maya , 2009

los sitios mayas más extensos y densamente poblados del Clásico Temprano, aunque no tiene textos ... more los sitios mayas más extensos y densamente poblados del Clásico Temprano, aunque no tiene textos glíficos ni pirámides enormes. Diez temporadas de mapeo han revelado que el sitio tuvo un patrón de asentamiento complejo que se puede dividir en varias zonas, basándose en datos tales como: la presencia de conjuntos arquitectónicos ceremoniales, la densidad de residencias y el nivel de participación en la economía urbana. Esta investigación se enfoca en el difícil trabajo de definir los límites de la ciudad y presentar estimaciones sobre el tamaño de su población.

Phosphate Fractionation and Spatial Patterning in Ancient Ruins: A Case Study from Yucatan

by Aline Magnoni, Timothy Beach, and Scott Hutson

Catena , 2009

Phosphate fractionation Maya lowlands Maya civilization Geochemistry Household archaeology As tim... more Phosphate fractionation Maya lowlands Maya civilization Geochemistry Household archaeology As time passes, phosphorus (P) in soils tends to become more tightly bound with minerals. Phosphate fractionation enables the measurement of loosely versus tightly bound P. Archaeologists have used P fractionation as a chronometric technique: older soils should have greater proportions of P tightly bound with minerals. Research at Chunchucmil, a large Maya ruin in Yucatan, Mexico, has used extractable P concentrations and other lines of evidence to investigate ancient uses of space. Because contemporary Maya villagers use the land among the Chunchucmil ruins in a number of ways, and because the ancient land surfaces are neither sealed nor deeply buried, we used P fractionation to determine whether geochemical signatures of activities such as gardening resulted from ancient or modern inhabitants. The fractionation results at Chunchucmil are unusual in comparison to studies from other sites. Furthermore, there are strong correlations between the sum of P fractions and carbonate. We discuss potential explanations for these patterns in P fractionation data. These explanations consider local pedology, differential length of ancient occupation, and localized dumping of the byproducts of maize processing. To examine the chemical signatures of maize processing, specifically soaking maize in lime water, contemporary samples of sediments and residues from this activity were analyzed. Our results suggest that dumping water from maize soaking provides a potential explanation for the ancient P patterns.

Landscape Transformations and Changing Perceptions at Chunchucmil, Yucatán

Use and Perception of Abandoned Structures in the Maya Lowlands, 2008

People's experience of space and hence of landscape depends on how they interpret the world aroun... more People's experience of space and hence of landscape depends on how they interpret the world around them (Brück 1998; B. Knapp and Ashmore 1999). Through the process of living and dwelling, people continually create, transform, experience, and imbue their surroundings with meaning, which in turn influences the behavior of those who inhabit those surroundings (Ingold 2000; J. Thomas 1993). Thus social landscapes simultaneously transform and are transformed by human action (Gosden and Head 1994). Yet while the perception and construction of landscapes are panhuman processes, the perceptions and constructions of landscapes are highly variable. Landscapes are perceived in ways that vary cross-culturally and over time because experience and perception are not simply physical but are also cultural processes (Brück 1998; Carleton Jones 1998; Pred 1990). Moreover, people experience the same landscape in different ways, since each person occupies a distinctive position in relation to his or her landscape

Assessing Detection Thresholds of Archaeological Features in Airborne Lidar Data from Central Yucatán

by Travis Stanton and Aline Magnoni

In this article we evaluate ~48km 2 of airborne lidar data collected at a target density of 15 la... more In this article we evaluate ~48km 2 of airborne lidar data collected at a target density of 15 laser shots/m in central Yucatán, Mexico. This area covers parts of the sites of Chichén Itzá and Yaxuná, a kilometer-wide transect between these two sites, and a transect along the first few kilometers of Sacbé 1 from Yaxuná to Cobá. The results of our ground validation and mapping demonstrate that not all sizable archaeological features can be detected in the lidar images due to: (1) the slightly rolling topography interspersed with 1-6 m-high bedrock hummocks, which morphologically mimic house mounds, further complicated by the presence of low foundations;

From Pencil to Pentium: Digitizing the Classic Period Maya City of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico

by David Hixson and Aline Magnoni

In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the re... more In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the recording, storage, processing, analysis, and visualization of the archaeological data of the Classic period Maya city of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico. From pencil and paper maps, drawn by pace and compass using traditional Yucatecan landmarks, to high-tech remote sensing, GIS, and 3D technology, the Pakbeh Regional Economy Project has integrated a series of age-old methods with some of the latest software, resulting in a robust body of GIS, remote sensing, and multimedia data products. At its apogee, AD 400–600, Chunchucmil grew to become a sprawling urban center that housed 31,000 to 43,000 residents over an area covering 20–25 km 2. Strategically located at the edge of several ecological zones, and only 27 km from the Gulf of Mexico, Chunchucmil became a specialized trading site and redistribution center for its region. Despite being located in an agriculturally stunted location (the driest portion of the entire Maya area, with limited soils), this city displayed the highest structural density of any Classic period Maya site. With hundreds of kilometers of boundary walls and more than a thousand residential groups (only counting the mapped portion of the site), the work of recording and analyzing the abundant features of Chunchucmil has been quite challenging. Fortunately, the location of Chunchucmil in the arid landscape of northwest Yucatán has allowed our project to successfully use both recent and historic aerial photographs, AIRSAR (airborne synthetic aperture radar), and diachronic multispectral satellite imagery from NASA's LANDSAT satellites to reveal a wealth of archaeological data which would otherwise remain undetected in the humid tropics. Two GIS databases were created: one with Intergraph GeoMedia Pro for intrasite features, and one in ArcGIS for the regional database of peripheral site locations and features. These GIS databases are used for the storage, analysis, and visualization of all the archaeological data collected at Chunchucmil. Finally, portions of the site were reconstructed using the Unreal Engine, a 3D visualization software, to create an immersive three-dimensional real-time walkthrough of both the major and minor features of the site. In this paper, we will present a review of the challenges and advantages of each low-tech and high-tech tool as well as their integration in the analysis of the city of Chunchucmil.

Urban Identities: Social and Spatial Production at Classic Period Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico

The Importance of Place and Memory in the Maya Past: The Variable Appropriation of Ancient Settlement at Chunchucmil and Yaxuna, Yucatan, during the Terminal Classic

ISBN 978 1 78491 008 2 ISBN 978 1 78491 009 9 (e-Pdf)

The Production of Space and Identity at Classic Period Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico

by Aline Magnoni and Traci Ardren

RECONSTRUCTING AGRICULTURAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY AT CHUNCHUCMIL, YUCATAN, MEXICO

by Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, Aline Magnoni, Eugenia Mansell, Timothy Beach, and Daniel E Mazeau

Ancient Mesoamerica, 2005

The Pakbeh Regional Economy Program is studying the vexing questions of economic life among the a... more The Pakbeh Regional Economy Program is studying the vexing questions of economic life among the ancient Maya in northwestern Yucatan, Mexico. The region constitutes an ideal laboratory in which to investigate these questions, as it has very limited agricultural potential and fewer options for intensification than are found in the southern and central lowlands, yet many times more people lived here during the Classic period than can eke out a living today, and it has abundant evidence of market trade. Because crop yields in outfields are very low, and known intensification techniques are possibly incapable of sufficient yield enhancement, we anticipated that it would be an easy task to demonstrate that this population was dependent on imports of food and other necessities of life from beyond the region and therefore had a complex exchange economy. Twelve years later, we report on how wrong we were. We are still struggling with an evaluation of agricultural insufficiency. We explore the many and varied lines of evidence we have pursued and the confounding factors inherent in them, including problems with reconstructing ancient population size, equating contemporary and historical crop yields and farming practices, as well as ancient with modern environmental conditions, and hypothesizing potential forms of agricultural intensification, including intensive fertilization and other yield enhancement techniques, and reliance on alternative crops. The best that we can say at this juncture is that using contemporary production and consumption standards, the most conservative population estimates, and the most liberal estimates of available land in the surrounding region, we can conclude only that regional agricultural self-sufficiency remains unlikely but not proved. What initially seemed like an archaeological "no-brainer" has required us to delve into the realm of archaeological epistemology that we would like to share with our colleagues.

Magnoni 2008- Dissertation

Phosphate Fractionation and Spatial Patterning in Ancient Ruins: A case study from Yucatan

by Aline Magnoni, Scott Hutson, and Timothy Beach

$Research paper thumbnail of Phosphate fractionation and spatial patterning in ancient ruins: A case study from Yucatan$

Phosphate fractionation and spatial patterning in ancient ruins: A case study from Yucatan

by Timothy Beach and Aline Magnoni

Catena, 2009

As time passes, phosphorus (P) in soils tends to become more tightly bound with minerals. Phospha... more

Geochemical Analysis of Late and Postclassic Maya Marketplace Activities at Coba, Mexico.

by Aline Magnoni and Scott Hutson

Lines of evidence for ancient exchange plazas may include trade routes and trade artifacts, urban... more Lines of evidence for ancient exchange plazas may include trade routes and trade artifacts, urban open space near public structures, and rock alignments denoting market stalls, but regular patterns in soil chemical concentrations also point to marketplace use. We applied geochemical and geospatial analysis of the floors of the main Plaza of Group B and Plazas A, H, and J of Group D at Cobá , Mexico, to discover the chemical residues of phosphorus (P) and metals associated with the exchange of foodstuffs and mineral workshop items that may have been marketed there. The patterns of chemical residues in the floor of the Group B Plaza suggest ritual activities while the linear, parallel patterns of elevated Mehlich phosphorus and chelate extractable zinc concentrations in Plaza A support the hypothesis of market exchange at that location. Plaza H is associated with several Postclassic buildings, including the Pinturas Structure D-33. During the Postclassic period, Cobá had lost much of its population, though chemical residues from Plaza H are congruent with marketing. We argue that Plazas A and H were not permanent marketplaces but rather multi-purpose locations that also hosted large ceremonies.

Living in the City: Settlement Patterns and the Urban Experience at Classic Period Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico

Ancient Mesoamerica, Dec 2012

In this paper we illustrate the distinctive settlement patterns of the city of Chunchucmil during... more In this paper we illustrate the distinctive settlement patterns of the city of Chunchucmil during its largest occupation in the middle of the Classic period (a.d. 400-650). The unusually dense urban settlement showcased a network of boundary walls and chichbes surrounding residential groups and narrow streets winding between the tightly bounded houselots. Using a sample of 392 completely and unambiguously bounded houselots, we review the basic characteristics, the structural composition, and variability of late Early Classic and early Late Classic residential groups. Then, we explore how these city dwellers may have experienced their urban environment. Our focus is on understanding how the material aspects of the socially constructed space affected people's practices and how this materiality helped create and define specific household identities as well as extra-household social bonds. † Author is deceased.

"All that is Solid..."Sacbes, Settlement, and Semiotics at Tzacauil, Yucatan

Ancient Mesoamerica, Dec 2012

This paper applies structuration theory and semiotics to interpret the results of a recently comp... more This paper applies structuration theory and semiotics to interpret the results of a recently completed total coverage pedestrian survey to the east of Yaxuna, Yucatan. Data from this survey suggest that a social group centered at the site of Tzacauil vied for political clout in the Late Preclassic period through the construction of a triadic acropolis 3 km from Yaxuna. This group also initiated but did not complete a new experimental construction: a long-distance causeway between the two sites. A central facet of structuration is the instability of social practice. Rules can be altered when transposed to new contexts, while durable resources, such as causeways and acropolis groups, do not ensure the solidity of the coalitions they are meant to represent. Despite an outlay of labor never again seen to the east of Yaxuna, Tzacauil had a rather short occupation. Though they never completed the causeway, the people of Tzacauil did succeed in transforming the conventional understanding of causeways. These events support a semiotic approach since they show that materiality is contingent: it has a potential that people may or may not work to realize.

Memory and Power at Joya, Yucatán

Identity and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica: Current Theory and Practice, 2012

Identidad Social en el Mosáico Urbano de Chunchucmil, Yucatán, México

Identidad Social: Localidad y Globalidad en el Mundo Maya Prehispánico e Indígena Contemporáneo. Estudios de Espacio y Género, 2011

Counting the Stones: GIS as an Indispensable Tool for Intrasite Analysis at the Ancient Maya City of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico

Beyond the Artifact: Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, CAA 2004, 2011

This paper seeks to show how GIS has become an essential tool for the recording, storing, process... more This paper seeks to show how GIS has become an essential tool for the recording, storing, processing and visualization of the archaeological data at the ancient Maya city of Chunchucmil (Yucatan, Mexico). In this paper I want to highlight the importance of GIS in the analysis of mesospatial contexts (in relation with the internal structure of sites) at Chunchucmil, where the dense urban landscape of Classic period Chunchucmil is filled with cultural features visible on the surface. GIS has facilitated the spatial analysis of the almost 6 km 2 map of dense urban settlement, consisting of stone platforms and residences encircled by stone walls and several other associated cultural features. The integration of spatial and non-spatial data has allowed the creation of new thematic maps and has facilitated the recognition, analysis, and visualization of spatial association between these mapped cultural features.

From Pencil to Pentium: Digitizing the Classic Period Maya City of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico.

CAA 2009. Making History Interactive. Proceedings of the 37th CAA Conference, March 22-26, 2009, Williamsburg, Virginia, 2010

In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the re... more In this paper we present the large variety of techniques, tools, and technologies used for the recording, storage, processing, analysis, and visualization of the archaeological data of the Classic period Maya city of Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico. From pencil and paper maps, drawn by pace and compass using traditional Yucatecan landmarks, to high-tech remote sensing, GIS, and 3D technology, the Pakbeh Regional Economy Project has integrated a series of age-old methods with some of the latest software, resulting in a robust body of GIS, remote sensing, and multimedia data products. At its apogee, AD 400-600, Chunchucmil grew to become a sprawling urban center that housed 31,000 to 43,000 residents over an area covering 20-25 km 2 . Strategically located at the edge of several ecological zones, and only 27 km from the Gulf of Mexico, Chunchucmil became a specialized trading site and redistribution center for its region. Despite being located in an agriculturally stunted location (the driest portion of the entire Maya area, with limited soils), this city displayed the highest structural density of any Classic period Maya site. With hundreds of kilometers of boundary walls and more than a thousand residential groups (only counting the mapped portion of the site), the work of recording and analyzing the abundant features of Chunchucmil has been quite challenging. Fortunately, the location of Chunchucmil in the arid landscape of northwest Yucatán has allowed our project to successfully use both recent and historic aerial photographs, AIRSAR (airborne synthetic aperture radar), and diachronic multispectral satellite imagery from NASA's LANDSAT satellites to reveal a wealth of archaeological data which would otherwise remain undetected in the humid tropics. Two GIS databases were created: one with Intergraph GeoMedia Pro for intrasite features, and one in ArcGIS for the regional database of peripheral site locations and features. These GIS databases are used for the storage, analysis, and visualization of all the archaeological data collected at Chunchucmil. Finally, portions of the site were reconstructed using the Unreal Engine, a 3D visualization software, to create an immersive three-dimensional real-time walkthrough of both the major and minor features of the site. In this paper, we will present a review of the challenges and advantages of each low-tech and high-tech tool as well as their integration in the analysis of the city of Chunchucmil.

Investigaciones Preliminares en el Sitio de Ikil, Yucatán

Los Investigadores de La Cultura Maya , 2010

Midiendo Una Metrópoli: Metodología y Asentamiento en Chunchucmil, Yucatán

by Aline Magnoni, David Hixson, and Daniel E Mazeau

Estudios de Cultura Maya , 2009

los sitios mayas más extensos y densamente poblados del Clásico Temprano, aunque no tiene textos ... more los sitios mayas más extensos y densamente poblados del Clásico Temprano, aunque no tiene textos glíficos ni pirámides enormes. Diez temporadas de mapeo han revelado que el sitio tuvo un patrón de asentamiento complejo que se puede dividir en varias zonas, basándose en datos tales como: la presencia de conjuntos arquitectónicos ceremoniales, la densidad de residencias y el nivel de participación en la economía urbana. Esta investigación se enfoca en el difícil trabajo de definir los límites de la ciudad y presentar estimaciones sobre el tamaño de su población.

Phosphate Fractionation and Spatial Patterning in Ancient Ruins: A Case Study from Yucatan

by Aline Magnoni, Timothy Beach, and Scott Hutson

Catena , 2009

Phosphate fractionation Maya lowlands Maya civilization Geochemistry Household archaeology As tim... more Phosphate fractionation Maya lowlands Maya civilization Geochemistry Household archaeology As time passes, phosphorus (P) in soils tends to become more tightly bound with minerals. Phosphate fractionation enables the measurement of loosely versus tightly bound P. Archaeologists have used P fractionation as a chronometric technique: older soils should have greater proportions of P tightly bound with minerals. Research at Chunchucmil, a large Maya ruin in Yucatan, Mexico, has used extractable P concentrations and other lines of evidence to investigate ancient uses of space. Because contemporary Maya villagers use the land among the Chunchucmil ruins in a number of ways, and because the ancient land surfaces are neither sealed nor deeply buried, we used P fractionation to determine whether geochemical signatures of activities such as gardening resulted from ancient or modern inhabitants. The fractionation results at Chunchucmil are unusual in comparison to studies from other sites. Furthermore, there are strong correlations between the sum of P fractions and carbonate. We discuss potential explanations for these patterns in P fractionation data. These explanations consider local pedology, differential length of ancient occupation, and localized dumping of the byproducts of maize processing. To examine the chemical signatures of maize processing, specifically soaking maize in lime water, contemporary samples of sediments and residues from this activity were analyzed. Our results suggest that dumping water from maize soaking provides a potential explanation for the ancient P patterns.

Landscape Transformations and Changing Perceptions at Chunchucmil, Yucatán

Use and Perception of Abandoned Structures in the Maya Lowlands, 2008

People's experience of space and hence of landscape depends on how they interpret the world aroun... more People's experience of space and hence of landscape depends on how they interpret the world around them (Brück 1998; B. Knapp and Ashmore 1999). Through the process of living and dwelling, people continually create, transform, experience, and imbue their surroundings with meaning, which in turn influences the behavior of those who inhabit those surroundings (Ingold 2000; J. Thomas 1993). Thus social landscapes simultaneously transform and are transformed by human action (Gosden and Head 1994). Yet while the perception and construction of landscapes are panhuman processes, the perceptions and constructions of landscapes are highly variable. Landscapes are perceived in ways that vary cross-culturally and over time because experience and perception are not simply physical but are also cultural processes (Brück 1998; Carleton Jones 1998; Pred 1990). Moreover, people experience the same landscape in different ways, since each person occupies a distinctive position in relation to his or her landscape

Chunchucmil's Urban Population

by Chelsea Blackmore and Aline Magnoni

Ancient Maya Commerce: Multidisciplinary Research at Chunchucmil, 2017

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