Origins and spread of formal ceremonial complexes in the Olmec and Maya regions revealed by airborne lidar.
Nat Hum Behav
; 5(11): 1487-1501, 2021 11.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34697423
ABSTRACT
City plans symbolizing cosmologies have long been recognized as a defining element of Mesoamerican civilizations. The origins of formal spatial configurations are thus the key to understanding early civilizations in the region. Assessment of this issue, however, has been hindered by the lack of systematic studies of site plans over broad areas. Here, we report the identification of 478 formal rectangular and square complexes, probably dating from 1,050 to 400 BC, through a lidar (laser imaging, detection and ranging) survey across the Olmec region and the western Maya lowlands. Our analysis of lidar data also revealed that the earlier Olmec centre of San Lorenzo had a central rectangular space, which possibly provided the spatial template for later sites. This format was probably formalized and spread after the decline of San Lorenzo through intensive interaction across various regions. These observations highlight the legacy of San Lorenzo and the critical role of inter-regional interaction.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Arqueologia
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America central
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article