Interpreting Ancient Maya Society Through Residential Groups: Investigating Early Long-Distance Interaction in Caracol's Epicenter: Caracol Archaeological Project Investigations for 2017

Arlen Chase, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Diane Z. Chase, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract

The 2017 field season constituted the third year of a three-year program designed to find and `investigate remains at Caracol that date prior to the site’s Late Classic Period peak. All of these investigations were located either within the epicenter or in residential groups in close proximity to the central architecture, with the 2017 field season specifically focusing on the largely unknown northeast portion of the site epicenter. The 2017 season ran from the middle of January through the middle of March and involved 29 individuals (see Table 1) as well as a visiting researcher and a German film crew. The 2017 program focused on four specific areas of excavation: (1) the lower floors in the summit plaza of Caana on axis to Structure B20; (2) the residential group northeast of Caana anchored by Structure I28, nicknamed “Rebel;” (3) the residential group group northeast of Caana anchored by Structure I23, nicknamed “Rogue;” and (4) the residential group northeast of Caana anchored by Structure I17, nicknamed “Risk.” The Caana excavation was believed to have the possibility of finding archaeological materials that dated to before the Late Classic Period, especially given the presence of an entire basalflanged bowl in the building core for Structure B20-2nd (see A. Chase and D. Chase 1987: 23, fig. 16). The three residential groups that were selected for excavation had never been previously sampled