Under the supervision of Dr. E. Wyllys Andrews V, Matthew D. Moriarty will conduct archaeological investigations at the ancient Maya site of Trinidad de Nosotros. Trinidad is located on the north shore of Guatemala's Lake Peten Itza and was occupied from approximately 600 B.C. to A.D. 1525. Recent investigations collected excellent preliminary evidence that Trinidad was an ancient Maya port. This research project is designed to confirm that Trinidad functioned as a port and to examine the interplay of social, political, and economic factors affecting the organization of long-distance trade. Investigations will assess the level of access Trinidad's residents had to specific trade goods (e.g., obsidian, jade, marine shell) through time and in comparison to the residents of other nearby settlements. Additional investigations will focus on identifying trade-related facilities (e.g., port, storage, and market complexes) and describing specialized economic activities commonly found in ports (e.g., craft production and raw material processing).
The study of an ancient port provides an unusual opportunity to directly address multiple aspects of economic organization simultaneously. As functional nodes linking local economies with larger interregional economic systems, ports are highly sensitive to changes in the demographic or economic organization of their associated hinterlands. Further, the strategic nature of port function often makes ports highly politicized environments where political decisions regarding the organization of trade are played out. Investigations at Trinidad will provide fresh insights into both long-term patterns in the acquisition of non-local resources and into the multitude of forces affecting trade. Although recent advances in Maya studies have revolutionized our understandings of the ancient Maya, both of these topics are the focus of continuing debate.
The results of this research will be of interest to both students of the ancient Maya and members of the larger scientific community studying political economy and systems of trade and exchange. The relationships between trade and larger social, political, and economic forces are fundamental concerns in the social sciences and are particularly critical to studies examining the articulation of ancient economic systems. To facilitate inter-disciplinary and cross-cultural research, data from these investigations will be published in both archaeological journals and newsletters and publications with broader applications in the social sciences.
This project will have a broader impact by increasing local awareness of archaeological patrimony. The town of San Jose, one of the last Itza Maya communities in Guatemala, is currently undergoing a cultural renaissance. Local public outreach efforts will include interpretive visitors' days at Trinidad, public lectures in the San Jose town hall, and the preparation of a public format visitor's guide to the site. This project will also contribute to the training and development of American and Guatemalan archaeology students. Guatemalan students gain academic credits through their involvement in field and laboratory research that can be applied to their degree requirements. American students receive hands-on technical training while gaining life experience through their involvement in local community activities. Data from this project will also contribute to the doctoral dissertation research of five American graduate students.
