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14AMCS Bulletin 12the Xibun Archaeological Project, the Maya MountainsArchaeological Project, the former PetexbatúnRegional Cave Survey, and the talented group of cavearchaeologists in the graduate program at CaliforniaState University, Los Angeles.I would like to thank a number people at UCR fortheir moral support over the years: Paul Gelles, ErvTaylor, Maria Anna González, Travis Du Bry, GinaNuñez, Manolo González Estay, Ramona Pérez, AlisonLee, and Zachary Hruby. Dawn Whelchel and JoyeSage deserve honorary Ph.D.s for their hard work andtheir very real contributions to the viability of the department.Thanks also to Jessica Jones, Valerie Smith,and the new department chair, Tom Patterson. Allgraduate students at UCR are fortunate to have TrinaElerts behind the desk at Graduate Division. Her kindassistance is greatly appreciated.Since I submitted my dissertation to UCR in Septemberof 2001, I have had the good fortune of forgingnew friendships and benefiting from those formedduring the final phase of my graduate career. Althoughthey may not have been directly involved in my dissertationfieldwork, I feel that these individuals neverthelessmerit recognition since it is their involvementin my current research that has maintained theacademic momentum necessary to bring this manuscriptto print. In this regard, I would first like to thankJeffrey Glover, who has become one of my closestfriends and colleagues. Jeffrey and I have taken onlyour first few steps on what will surely be a long andexciting (and probably perilous) brecha through ourarchaeological careers. I have the ever-intrepid SamMeacham to thank for my recent introduction to theunderwater caves of Quintana Roo. I look forward tosomeday following my close friend Guillermo de Andainto the cenotes of Yucatán and I thank Alberto PérezRomero and the rest of the Taller de ArqueologíaSubacuatica at the UADY for their hospitality andsupport. I would like to acknowledge Pilar Luna,Carmen Rojas, Octavio del Río, and Arturo Gonzálezof the Subdirección de Arqueología Subacuática deINAH for showing interest in my research and extendingthe invitation of future collaboration. Specialthanks also to Karina Romero, Lilia Lizama, TonyAndrews, Jim Coke, Bil Phillips, Fred Devos, andDanny Riordan.My dissertation appears here in its final formthanks to the tireless efforts of Bill Mixon. As publicationseditor for the Association for Mexican CaveStudies, Bill has brought the world of Mexican cavesand caving to researchers and explorers across geographicand academic borders. It was a pleasure workingwith Bill as he applied his keen eye and commitmentto excellence to an otherwise imperfect manuscript.I am truly honored to have my dissertation includedamong the many outstanding AMCS Bulletins.I offer my deepest thanks to my parents, Bob andMarianne, my sisters, Evelyne and Natalia, my brother,Bobby, and also to Norm, Darcy, Jason, and Mike.Every day I am humbled by their love, encouragement,and support. My father has instilled in me the reverence,awe, curiosity, and wanderlust that have takenme to this point in my life, and my mother’s specialbalance of compassion and determination is somethingI always strive for. The recent arrival of my son,Lorenzo, marks a new chapter in my life and I preparedmy thoughts on this final culmination of mygraduate career while under his blissful gaze.Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Zoë,to whom this dissertation is dedicated. The nature ofmy boundless appreciation is very personal. I will onlysay that this accomplishment belongs to both of us.