In the shadows of the big houses: non-elite settlements at Uxbenka

Abstract

Households inform us about social relationships in ways public-centered research might exclude. Studies of non-elite settlements also bring attention to the rich diversity that characterized pre-Columbian society. Surprisingly little is known about Maya commoners despite the recent influx of studies that address the residential areas of sites. Even less work of this type has been done in southern Belize where Uxbenká, the site studied, is located. Uxbenká’s settlement system is characteristic of Maya sites, and includes residences, ancillary structures, burials, modified landscape features surrounding the household and related gardens and agricultural areas. Excavations were conducted in 2007 to assess the temporal occupation and functional use of space at one non-elite residential group at the site. The data collected are compared with other residential excavations conducted at Uxbenká and with other sites aiding in the development of a more comprehensive and contextual view of the occupation of the site. The 2007 excavations and analysis of this residential group settlement offer a fundamental component to our basic knowledge of the site.