Tikal: Paleoecology of an Ancient Maya City by

Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2015-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

Figure 8.9. Excavation profile (north wall) from Corriental Reservoir. Note that the depth of the Late Classic deposition was laid down in fine layers, mostly loess, and except for the sandy layers, which reflect storm episodes, the indication is that there was very little colluvium moving into the reservoir during the entire 250 year period. This provides evidence that the ancient Maya were protecting the steep slopes of the watershed to prevent erosion, probably with plantings of useful trees and perennial shrubss (Drawing by N. Dunning).

Finally, the δ13C isotopic data recorded from the site core reveal that there was little isotopic enrichment from C4 plants in the reservoir catchment basins (see Chapter 6, Dunning et al., this volume). One exception was the pocket bajo south of the Perdido Reservoir, where irrigated maize agriculture likely was practiced. We do find significant C4 enrichment in the Bajo Santa Fe, however. At Aguada de Terminos, where we found maize and root crop pollen, we also observed elevated δ13C levels. As at Cerén (Sheets et al. 2012), with evidence of maize and root crops, the extensive agricultural fields at Tikal were relegated to the outskirts of the community and provided most of the calories.

This multicomponent land use model has, in many respects, drawn on the ideas of a host of scholars who have preceded us (e.g., Bronson 1966; Wiseman 1978; Wilken 1971; Tourtellot 1993; Fedick 1996), and these works have helped give direction to our investigations. Using multiple channels of data input that inform our model building, we attempted to test many of these ideas and present a revised and more nuanced view of ancient Maya land use practices.

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