searchable PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

AMCS Bulletin 12 15ABSTRACTFor the ancient Maya of the northwestern Yucatán Peninsula, caves andcenotes either functioned as the primary sources of drinking water or wereseasonally used as last resorts when all other reserves were exhausted. Thesewatery portals, which were imbued with sacred qualities, are as much apart of the cultural identity of the northern lowlands as they are integralcomponents of the enigmatic karst landscape. Unlike the northwesternpeninsula, a range of readily available freshwater sources including wetlandsand numerous small cenotes characterizes an inland portion of QuintanaRoo located in the northeastern corner of the Yucatán Peninsula. This largelyunstudied area, known as the Yalahau region, also exhibits evidence ofextensive ancient settlement.Given the relative abundance and accessibility of surface water innorthern Quintana Roo, an archaeological cave survey was designed toevaluate the nature and extent of cave use in the Yalahau region. The primarygoal was to determine whether or not caves were reserved for ceremonialactivities and if so, whether evidence of their specialized appropriationcould be identified. The secondary goal was to assess the extent to whichthe archaeology of the caves in the region could provide functional andchronological information regarding both regional settlement and theorganization of the sacred landscape. If water can be easily procured at thesurface of the Yalahau region, one would expect evidence of its collectionfrom caves to be characteristic of more ceremonial behavior. Moreover, ifremote sources of cave water were especially valued, evidence of theirexploitation should be observable even in areas where more accessible watersources exist. Additionally, we should be able to identify those naturalspeleological characteristics that contributed to cave selection as well asinfluenced the spatial manipulation of the cave environment.Between 1996 and 1999, twenty caves of archaeological interest wereinvestigated in the Yalahau region. Research demonstrates that caves areneither the only nor the most accessible means of water collection in theYalahau region, yet their modification is indicative of the reverentialappropriation of cave water. This study articulates the relationships betweencaves and surface sites and reveals how the ancient Maya conceptualized,transformed, and interacted with caves in region.