Producers, Consumers, and Traders

Abstract

Ancient Maya communities in Belize are generally classified as producers or consumers of lithic artifacts, based on the idea that groups either specialized in the production of these artifacts or in their use. In reality, it is difficult to divide communities into just these two categories. Most communities contained both producers and consumers, and the middlemen, the traders. In fact, many households within communities switched between these roles at different times and as they used different raw materials. This paper looks at the evidence for producers, consumers and traders in the lithic industries of Cerros and Chau Hiix.