The collapse of complex society and its aftermath: A case study from the Classic Maya site of Copan, Honduras

The way in which complex society collapses potentially holds many insights into how a society is constructed. This dissertation examines the nature of the complex society of Classic Maya civilization at the site of Copán, Honduras by studying the aftermath of its collapse. This retrospective approach begins with the results of the collapse and works back to the causes.; The Collapse of Copán paradoxically has been one of the test studied yet least understood social phenomenon. An ongoing debate over a rapid versus gradual abandonment holds many implications for reconstructing the nature of Classic Maya sociopolitical organization. The unexpected discovery of a previously unknown Early Postclassic (A.D. 1000–1200) reoccupation of the site center potentially resolves many of these lingering issues. The establishment of a foreign, likely non-Maya rehabitation sharing no traits with the Classic inhabitants and firmly dated to A.D. 950–1100 signifies that the Copán Valley was completely abandoned soon after the collapse of the Copán dynasty early in the Ninth Century A.D.; On a broader level, I explore how these late settlers interacted with the abandoned remains of the previous massive urban occupation. Specifically, the dismantling and reuse of carved stone elements from the façades of sacred temples within the Acropolis speaks to issues of how new identities may be created from past remains. The dissertation presents substantial new data and new interpretations of both the collapse of Copán and the nature of the post collapse society that reoccupied the ruins of this Maya kingdom.