Abstract
If one considers the Maya forest as a domesticated landscape, as an alternative to what prevailing views of “shifting agriculture” have posited, a new view of the Classic Maya landscape is envisioned. The milpa cycle is a land use system first encountered during the Spanish conquest that ensures consistent availability of resources when envisioned over a 20-year cycle. The cycle includes open fields emphasizing annual crops, perennial succession focused on products used in home and maintenance, and closed-canopy forests for fruits and products used in construction. Recognizing that land use is dependent on knowledge, skill, and labor, we consider the whole production cycle in providing sustenance and shelter, as well as a habitat for wildlife. Modeling the milpa cycle presents an example of the Maya transformation and adaptation of their landscape to provide for burgeoning populations amidst the tropical woodlands. To test the limits of the cycle and its viability in a real-world context, we create a spatial model of land use covering an 18 square kilometer settlement area at El Pilar using ArcGIS and knowledge of Maya dietary requirements. The results guide a discussion of the sustainability and sufficiency of the milpa cycle within the Maya forest.
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