TRANSITIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS: INTERPRETING CHANGE AND REALIGNMENT BETWEEN TEMPORAL PERIODS IN THE MAYA ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD

Abstract

Archaeological interpretation of ancient civilizations is characterized by periods of stasis and times of rapid change. While archaeologists can easily segment phases of material culture into sequent units, the points of transformation between these units are difficult to define archaeologically. The combined rapidity and lack of uniformity that can be associated with transitions makes it more difficult to model and to interpret cause and effect. Yet, these material shifts are precisely the most interesting part of the archaeological quest for knowledge. In the Maya area, times of transition fall at the beginning and end of each of the major recognized units of time. Thus, while the Preclassic, Classic, Postclassic, and Historic Periods can all be readily documented and explicated, what happened in the interstices between these periods foments differences of opinion. Recognizing the theoretical issues associated with the frameworks that are imposed onto our archaeological databases helps with making interpretations about the sequence of transformations that define Maya civilization. This paper looks first at transitions within the archaeological record of the Maya and then attempts to contextualize these pivotal timeframes.