caa a22 4500 388057971 CHVBK 20180307125112.0 cr unu---uuuuu 161130s1998 xx s 000 0 eng 10.1017/S0956536100001966 doi S0956536100001966 pii (NATIONALLICENCE)cambridge-10.1017/S0956536100001966 An Early Classic Center in the Puuc Region [Elektronische Daten] New data from Chac II, Yucatan, Mexico A comprehensive site survey and excavation program took place in 1995 and 1996 at the Maya center of Chac II (Chac) located within the Puuc hills region of Yucatan, Mexico. This work presents a body of evidence in support of the idea that Chac was an important center beginning in the Early Classic period (a.d. 300-600) that experienced significant foreign contacts. In addition, multifaceted data from surface, soil, architectural, and excavated contexts are addressing major questions pertaining to architectural and ceramic chronologies, the founding of the Puuc stoneworking tradition, site activity areas, and patterns of land use. Furthermore, dating indicates that Chac predated Sayil and that the two sites have a close geographical relationship. Also, terrace agriculture appears to have been widespread at Chac, contrasting greatly with Sayil where intensive gardening was widely practiced. In light of the new information from Chac, we argue that the traditional models of Puuc origins are inadequate. Investigations at a major Early Classic site in the heart of the Puuc region suggests that the region's rise was indigenous coupled with external ties to foreign groups reaching to central Mexico. The site of Chac is thus taking on strategic importance for understanding the origins of Puuc civilization, providing a rare opportunity to study a Maya center that was on the brink of urbanism in one of the most urban ancient Maya areas. These new data are helping to elucidate the nature of Maya urbanism in the Puuc region and establish the kinds of cultural links that existed between the northern Maya Lowlands and the rest of Mesoamerica during the Classic period. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998 Smyth Michael P. Department of Anthropology, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789-4499, USA Perramon José Ligorred Centro Regional de Yucatán, Institute Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Apartado Postal 1015, Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico 97310 Zapata David Ortegón Centro Regional de Yucatán, Institute Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Apartado Postal 1015, Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico 97310 Farrell Pat Department of Geography, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA Ancient Mesoamerica Cambridge University Press 9/2(1998), 233-257 0956-5361 9:2<233 1998 9 ATM https://doi.org/10.1017/S0956536100001966 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0956536100001966 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Smyth Michael P. Department of Anthropology, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789-4499, USA NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Perramon José Ligorred Centro Regional de Yucatán, Institute Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Apartado Postal 1015, Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico 97310 NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zapata David Ortegón Centro Regional de Yucatán, Institute Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Apartado Postal 1015, Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico 97310 NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Farrell Pat Department of Geography, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Ancient Mesoamerica Cambridge University Press 9/2(1998), 233-257 0956-5361 9:2<233 1998 9 ATM CC0 http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0 nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-cambridge