In the Maw of the Earth Monster: Mesoamerican Ritual Cave Use

Chapter 14: Beneath the Yalahau: Emerging Patterns of Ancient Maya Ritual Cave Use from Northern Quintana Roo, Mexico

CHAPTER 14 Beneath the Yalahau: Emerging Patterns of Ancient Maya Ritual Cave Use from Northern Quintana Roo, Mexico dominique rissolo Introduction The northernmost reaches of inland Quintana Roo have long escaped archaeological scrutiny. Located between the more celebrated areas of Yucatán and the Caribbean coast, this zone of open savannas and low, forested hills, known as the Yalahau region, has only recently yielded evidence of extensive settlement by the ancient Maya (Figure 14.1). Due in part to the region’s inaccessibility and relatively low elevation, it has not been an attractive target for scholarly cave exploration . A rather ambitious, peninsula-wide survey of caves by Reddell (1977) provides barely a glimpse beneath the surface of the Yalahau and is essentially limited to a single, previously reported, and presumably nonarchaeological cave near the community of Nuevo Xcan (Reddell 1977:249). Similarly, the valuable atlas of Maya caves assembled by Bonor Villarejo (1989) does not list any caves for the inland area of Quintana Roo north of Coba. It is likely that the region ’s high water table (which is thought to be indicative of cave-poor terrain), the absence of massive civic-ceremonial centers (on the order of Chichén Itzá or Coba), and the introverted nature of local ejidos have all contributed to the region’s archaeological isolation. In 1993, Fedick and Taube (1995) directed an archaeological reconnaissance of the region. This pilot field season led to the development of the Yalahau Regional Human Ecology Project—a long-term, interdisciplinary research effort focusing on the relationship between the ancient Maya and the environment of northern Quintana Roo. After a few serendipitous visits to local caves in 1993, I became aware of both their frequency within the Yalahau region and their omnipresent signs of human activity. It was clear that a regional archaeological project was no more justified in ignoring caves than in ignoring any number of surface features—be they natural or cultural. At the very least, these caves could provide the project with a more complete view of the region’s unique environment. Beneath the Yalahau 343 Figure 14.1. The Yalahau region and nearby archaeological sites. At best, they could offer a wellspring of information concerning the region’s prehistory. In cooperation with ongoing surface investigations, the Yalahau Archaeological Cave Survey was initiated in 1995, for the purpose of documenting and evaluating the nature and extent of ancient cave use in the region. Between 1995 and 1999, twenty caves of archaeological interest were investigated (Figure 14.2). They were located with the assistance of local guides and plotted using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. Detailed maps and systematic surface collections were produced for eight of the caves in the survey. Due to its size, complexity, and wealth of archaeological material, ActunToh received additional attention in the form of precise architectural profiles and controlled test excavations. The remaining twelve caves were fully explored, carefully described, sketch mapped, and photographed. Evidence of ancient Maya activity, including deposits of pottery and other artifacts, shrines, architectural features, haltunes, modifications of the cave interior, mining, breakage and removal of speleothems, and rock art, was documented in the caves of the Yalahau 344 The Maya Region Figure 14.2. Caves of the Yalahau Archaeological Cave Survey. Wetland boundaries are delineated. region. In addition to caves, all potential surface-water sources encountered during the survey, including wells, aguadas, open cenotes, wetlands, bajos, and the like, were recorded. While the Yalahau Archaeological Cave Survey was designed to address a wide range of topics, this chapter concentrates on two separate but related as- Beneath the Yalahau 345 pects of ancient Maya cave use. First, a comparative studyof a numberof caves in the survey provides insights into the physical and cultural criteria for the selection and appropriation of specific caves for specific purposes. A cave’s location relative to surface sites and topographic features as well as its speleological characteristics profoundly influenced its use. This comparative study will attempt to articulate the relationships between caves, surface sites, and natural features to better understand how the Maya conceptualized, transformed, and interacted with caves. The second topic concerns the internal spatial organization of the cave environment. In the Yalahau region, spatial relationships between natural features, artifacts, and cultural modifications within the caves themselves appear to be deliberate and meaningful. By examining such patterns, it is possible to reconstruct the movements of the ancient...