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AMCS Bulletin 12 — Chapter 7 129CHAPTER 7SYNTHESIS AND DISCUSSIONIntroductionWhile the Yalahau Archaeological Cave Surveywas designed to address a wide range of topics, thischapter concentrates on two separate but related aspectsof ancient Maya cave use. Firstly, a comparativestudy of the caves presented in this dissertation providesinsights into the physical and cultural criteriafor the selection and appropriation of specific cavesfor specific purposes, particularly the collection ofsacred cave water. A cave’s location relative to surfacesites and topographic features as well as a cave’sspeleological characteristics profoundly influenced itsuse. This discussion will attempt to articulate the relationshipsbetween caves, surface sites, and naturalfeatures to better understand how the Maya conceptualized,transformed, and interacted with undergroundspace. The second topic concerns the internal spatialorganization of the cave environment. In the Yalahauregion, spatial relationships between natural features,artifacts, and cultural modifications within the cavesthemselves appear to be deliberate and meaningful.By examining such patterns, it is possible to reconstructthe movements of the ancient Maya both to andthrough the region’s caves.Water and Caves in the Yalahau RegionAs discussed in Chapter 2, the occurrence of surfacewater is rare in the karst terrain of the northernlowlands (see also Veni 1990). The cenotes of thenorthern lowlands often provided the only access tothe water table. Morley (1947:12) summed up theimplication for archaeological settlement patterns: “Ina country devoid of surface water as northern Yucatan,these cenotes were the principal factor in determiningthe location of the ancient centers of population.Where there was a cenote, there, inevitably, a settlementgrew up.”In the Puuc region of western Yucatán, when localaguadas and cisterns (chultunob) would dry up, theMaya were forced to procure drinking water from themany deep caves of the region—often at great effort(Andrews 1965; Mercer 1896:91–94; Stephens1843:98–104; Thompson 1959:124; Zapata et al. 1991;see also Isphording 1975:246–247). This has seriouslyimpacted archaeological thinking about caves and cenotes,which tend to be viewed exclusively as utilitarianwater sources.In the Yalahau region, by contrast, fresh water isabundant and readily available due to the presence ofwetlands and natural micro-cenotes (see figure 7.1).Additionally, shallow wells, which were easily excavated,ensured reliable access to the water table(Winzler and Fedick 1995:105). Several such wellswere recorded at El Naranjal (see figure 7.2). Cavesare a common occurrence in the upland portions ofthe Yalahau region. However, access into many of thewater-bearing caves is difficult—often requiring thenegotiation of vertical drops and long crawl ways. Itis important to note that these water-bearing caves areneither the only nor the easiest means of water collectionin the region. This point is illustrated in therelationship between Actun Pech and its nearby wells.As described in Chapter 4.7, the entrance to the caveis a vertical-walled shaft. A long, narrow, horizontaltunnel extends from the bottom of the shaft to a smallintermittent pool, 65 m into the passage. The sectionof tunnel leading to the pool is littered with pottery,and debris was piled along the walls to facilitate movementthrough the crawl way. The tiny ephemeral poolappears to have been the final destination of this arduouscrawl as no evidence of cultural activity existswithin the tunnel beyond the pool—save for the sherdsof a cached vessel found in a small niche above andbehind the pool.Approximately 500 m from Actun Pech, is an ancientwell that provides perennial access to the watertable. Near this well, a cluster of residential moundsand an additional well were identified. It seems unlikelythat the ancient Maya would have ventured intoActun Pech in search of drinking water when it couldhave been more easily and regularly procured fromlocal wells. Rather, the water collected from ActunPech and other caves discussed below, was likely valuedfor its remote and sacred origin; as Stone states“[t]he sanctity of space was proportional to its lack ofaccessibility . . .” (1995:239). The arduous passage