Dr. Joel Palka and colleagues from Mexico, Guatemala, and the United States will search for archaeological sites of unconquered Maya with funding from the National Science Foundation. The Spanish conquerors reported free Maya in the rainforests of Chiapas, Mexico, and in adjacent Peten, Guatemala, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, but there was limited contact with them. These Maya resided in a vast lowland zone considered less attractive for European settlement, thus they remained isolated in their remote villages. These Maya practiced their native religion and customs, and they interacted with other Maya in the lowlands fleeing Spanish rule. However, little is known about the unconquered Maya and there is no information on how their lives were affected by the conquest. Since there are few records concerning the unconquered Maya, archaeology is the only means to acquire insights into their society and how it was transformed.
This project is important historically and intellectually since anthropologists seek to scrutinize societies beyond colonial frontiers. Few people have heard of the unconquered Maya due to the focus on colonized areas and because their region was viewed as 'uninhabited.' The archaeologists will study how many free Maya existed, how long they were here, and how they were impacted by foreign invaders at the edges of their territory. Not only will they discover archaeological sites in a poorly explored area, but will provide new data explaining how the introduction of Western goods, diseases, and ways of life was felt here. It is theorized that the unconquered Maya were essentially untouched by the Spanish conquest. They most likely lived in large settlements with political leaders practicing warfare, rituals, and interregional trade. The Spanish stated that free Maya were located near rivers and lakes, and the project will begin surveying for sites near lakes with historic Maya villages. Sites at Lakes Naja and Mensabak in Mexico and Texcoco and Bolonchac in Guatemala will be excavated to determine their size and dates. The researchers will also observe whether their inhabitants relied on native stone tools and ceramics or traded extensively for metal tools and European pottery.
The broader impacts of the study are numerous and important. It will bring together a core group of professionals and students from different countries and institutions who will continue working together. Project members have the opportunity to learn about Latin America and engage in international collaborations. They will publish in academic and public forums both in English and Spanish. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in anthropology and archaeology and begin their careers in a scientific and culturally diverse setting. Project members will also work and live with descendants of unconquered Maya and will receive valuable insights from these native peoples. These Maya will also learn about their history and heritage through the research program. Additionally, the study area lies in Mexican and Guatemalan parks that draw numerous tourists who will learn about these enigmatic rainforest people and how they survived the conquest after other indigenous societies disappeared.
