Settlement Scaling in the Northern Maya Lowlands: Human-Scale Implications

Scott R. Hutson; Adrian S.Z. Chase; Jeffrey B. Glover; William M. Ringle; Travis W. Stanton; Walter R.T. Witschey; Traci Ardren

doi:10.1017/laq.2022.103

Settlement Scaling in the Northern Maya Lowlands: Human-Scale Implications

Scott R. Hutson, Adrian S.Z. Chase, Jeffrey B. Glover, William M. Ringle, Travis W. Stanton, Walter R.T. Witschey, Traci Ardren

Anthropology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Settlement scaling theory predicts that higher site densities lead to increased social interactions that, in turn, boost productivity. The scaling relationship between population and land area holds for several ancient societies, but as demonstrated by the sample of 48 sites in this study, it does not hold for the Northern Maya Lowlands. Removing smaller sites from the sample brings the results closer to scaling expectations. We argue that applications of scaling theory benefit by considering social interaction as a product not only of proximity but also of daily life and spatial layouts.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	238-245
Number of pages	8
Journal	Latin American Antiquity
Volume	35
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/laq.2022.103
State	Published - Mar 3 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Society for American Archaeology.

Keywords

ancient Maya
daily life
settlement scaling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Archaeology
History
Archaeology

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10.1017/laq.2022.103

Cite this

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AU - Witschey, Walter R.T.

AU - Ardren, Traci

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AB - Settlement scaling theory predicts that higher site densities lead to increased social interactions that, in turn, boost productivity. The scaling relationship between population and land area holds for several ancient societies, but as demonstrated by the sample of 48 sites in this study, it does not hold for the Northern Maya Lowlands. Removing smaller sites from the sample brings the results closer to scaling expectations. We argue that applications of scaling theory benefit by considering social interaction as a product not only of proximity but also of daily life and spatial layouts.

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Settlement Scaling in the Northern Maya Lowlands: Human-Scale Implications

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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