Scholars have long investigated the political intrigues and environmental problems surrounding the famed Classic Maya collapse. This presentation addresses similar factors involved with the lesser-known collapse at the end of the Preclassic Period (ca. 1000 BCE - 250 CE). During this crucial period, many sites experienced convulsive changes in population, perhaps signaling widespread migrations and social changes prior to the rise of Classic dynastic kingdoms. Using El Palmar as a case study, our speaker will examine the anthropogenic and ecological factors that led to the Preclassic-Classic transition, and the development of political authority and social complexity in the Maya Lowlands.
The lecture takes place at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives, 1201 17th Street NW.
Click here for directions.
Date: Friday, March 2, 2012
Time: Refreshments: 6:45 pm
Meeting and lecture: 7:15 pm
Biography: James Doyle is a PhD candidate at Brown University. His research focuses on the archaeology of Mesoamerica, specifically monumental architecture of the Preclassic Period. Currently, he is a Junior Fellow in Pre-Columbian Studies at Dumbarton Oaks.
