Key Publications
- The Cultural Modification of Teeth by the Ancient Maya: A Unique Example from Pusilha, Belize
G.E. Braswell and M.R. Pitcavage | Mexicon - Procurement and Production of Obsidian Artifacts at Calakmul
G.E. Braswell and M.D. Glascock | The Technology of Maya Civilization: Political Economy and Beyond - The Rise and Fall of Market Exchange: A Dynamic Approach to Ancient Maya Economy
G.E. Braswell | Archaeological Approaches to Market Exchange in Pre-Capitalist Societies
Mesoamerican Archaeology Laboratory
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
Welcome to the Mesoamerican Archaeology Laboratory at UCSD. Our research focuses on the emergence of political and economic complexity among the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America, particularly the Maya. Faculty and graduate students are currently conducting field research in the modern nations of Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. We also have long-standing research interests concerning the non-Maya peoples of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and central Mexico.
We study the ancient Maya and their neighbors through site excavation, survey, artifact analysis, ethnohistory, iconographic studies, and epigraphy. Our current research foci are:
- Intraregional interaction in the Southern Belize Region, specifically Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit (TRIP)
- Foreign interaction, growth, and the chronology of Chichen Itza, Mexico
- Secondary state formation and migration at Pusilha, Belize
- The emergence of market economies throughout Mesoamerica
- Identity, social structure, and settlement patterns of the highland Maya
Each year we run archaeological study abroad trips to the Maya area, central Mexico, and even Egypt. Come join us and learn more about the ancient past!