Abandonment at Isla Cilvituk: Ceramics as Evidence
Creators: name: Martinez, Amanda L.
Publisher: name: New Mexico State University (NMSU)
Year: 2005
Subjects: subject: Northern Maya Lowlands
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/85470/northern-maya-lowlands
subject: Terminal Classic through Late Postclassic period (AD 600-1500)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/8409/terminal-classic-through-late-postclassic-period-ad-600-1500
subject: LOWLAND MAYA
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/4430/lowland-maya
subject: Isla Cilvituk, Campeche, Mexico
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/136107/isla-cilvituk-campeche-mexico
subject: Stairway
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/333/stairway
subject: Ancient Structure
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/335/ancient-structure
subject: Agricultural Field or Field Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/274/agricultural-field-or-field-feature
subject: Temple
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/338/temple
subject: Terrace
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/278/terrace
subject: Water Control Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/279/water-control-feature
subject: Ancient Church / Religious Structure
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/312/ancient-church-religious-structure
subject: Town / City
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/255/town-city
subject: Ancient Governmental Structure
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/319/ancient-governmental-structure
subject: House
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/259/house
subject: stelae
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/4835/stelae
subject: House Mound
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/260/house-mound
subject: chultun
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/4836/chultun
subject: Plaza
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/331/plaza
subject: Platform Mound
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/268/platform-mound
subject: Pyramid
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/332/pyramid
subject: Pollen
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/13/pollen
subject: Shell
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/14/shell
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: Dating Sample
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/3/dating-sample
subject: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
subject: Ground Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/7/ground-stone
subject: Building Materials
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/8/building-materials
subject: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
subject: Metal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/11/metal
subject: Terminal Classic-Postclassic transition
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/168303/terminal-classic-postclassic-transition
subject: Lacustrine settlement
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/161744/lacustrine-settlement
subject: Household Archaeology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/134855/household-archaeology
subject: Settlement Ecology
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/155480/settlement-ecology
subject: Postclassic Lowland Maya
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/143468/postclassic-lowland-maya
subject: Resilience
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/28/resilience
subject: Archaeological Overview
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/1/archaeological-overview
subject: Historic Background Research
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/18/historic-background-research
subject: Data Recovery / Excavation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/5/data-recovery-excavation
subject: Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/6/methodology-theory-or-synthesis
subject: Reconnaissance / Survey
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/7/reconnaissance-survey
subject: Site Evaluation / Testing
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/10/site-evaluation-testing

description: Spanish contact with the New World has long been of interest to archaeologists
and historians. Abandonment is another issue that has been studied in archaeology
for decades. This paper is an examination of the abandonment at a Postclassic period
(occupied A.D. 900-1525) Maya site, Isla Cilvituk, Campeche, Mexico. The mode of
abandonment is of utmost import because it indicates the relationship between native
Maya and Spaniards in the early 16th century, the period of initial contact. Was the
abandonment of Isla Cilvituk rapid or gradual? Was there an anticipation of return to
the site? In this paper, I use a spatial analysis of the ceramic distribution at the site to
determine the speed of abandonment, and the anticipation of return. I analyzed the
results of an ethnoarchaeological study at Silvituc, the modern-day village just across
the lake from Isla Cilvituk, to distinguish intra-site from whole site abandonment.
Through these analyses, I have determined that the probable mode of abandonment at
Isla Cilvituk was rapid, indicating that abandonment was a social process that allowed
the Maya to avoid the Spanish altogether.
.