| Throughout the Maya lowlands, archaeologists have identified deposits associated with the final activities in ceremonial and domestic spaces that date to the Terminal Classic period (AD 700-1000). These features include concentrations of cultural material deposited in the corners of plazas and courtyards. At the site of Baking Pot, Belize, the Belize Valley fcArchaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) project has identified several of these peri-abandonment deposits. This thesis will shed light on the types of artifacts that were deposited during these final events to answer questions related to the nature of abandonment activities. I also employ these data to identify the cultural significance of ritual deposition of cultural materials to ascertain how distinct combinations of artifact classes can yield information on human behavior, and to demonstrate how the peri-abandonment deposits at Baking Pot offer additional information about abandonment activity in the Maya lowlands. |
