Sky-earth, lake-sea: Climate and water in Maya history and landscape

Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, Timothy Beach, Scott Hutson, Samantha Krause

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

In recent years, a growing body of research has focused on the importance of water management for ancient Maya societies, and more generally on the cultural and economic significance of water as a resource. But how did this change across the centuries as cycles of drought and sea level rise, together with the growing Maya footprint on the landscape, presented new challenges? As the resolution of climatic records improves, the authors can begin to show in detail how Maya water management responded and adapted to such shifts. This included the manipulation of aguadas and the development of wetland field systems, in the process transforming large areas of the Maya landscape.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)426-442
Number of pages17
JournalAntiquity
Volume90
Issue number350
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2016.

Keywords

  • Maya
  • Mesoamerica
  • climate change
  • water management
  • wetlands

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Archaeology
  • General Arts and Humanities

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