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AMCS Bulletin 12 — Chapter 3 27CHAPTER 3REVIEW OF THE CAVE ARCHAEOLOGY LITERATUREIntroductionThe last decade has seen unprecedented interestin Maya cave archaeology. Not only has the pace ofcave reporting and data collection increased dramatically,but also caves have emerged from academicisolation to be rightfully integrated into current studiesof sacred landscape and cosmology. Maya cavearchaeology, as a sub-field, is experiencing its secondmajor transition; the first was essentially empirical,while the present is more theoretical.The discovery of Naj Tunich in the Petén wasundoubtedly a significant turning point in our understandingof caves. Its grandeur and observable evidenceof elite ritual activity resonated through the archaeologicalcommunity, but it did not fit the field’s overallconcept of Maya caves. Thus a closer scrutiny of caveuse among the Maya was necessary (Brady 1989). Thelarge corpus of hieroglyphic inscriptions was also immediatelyrecognized as being of enormous importance(Stone 1995). The Naj Tunich discoveries were a catalystfor the inclusion of a cave survey in the PetexbatúnRegional Archaeological Project. It was the successof this survey (Brady 1997a; Brady et al. 1997) thatrapidly moved caves from second-tier contexts—whose inclusion in any given site’s research designwas optional, at best—to receiving more equitableconsideration. The implementation of cave surveys, inconjunction with surface investigations, is a recentstrategy that continues to spread across the Maya area(e.g. Awe 1998; McAnany et al. 1998; Prufer 2001),and is exemplified by the present study.The current transition is characterized by moretheoretical discussions in which caves are viewed asinseparable components in our reconstruction of ancientMaya world-view. Just as greater academicrigor is reflected in cave reporting, so too have ourevaluations of cave meaning been marked by morecomparative and interpretive approaches. The synthesisof ethnography, iconography, and linguistics hasdramatically advanced the state of Maya cave studies.Examples include Brady’s paper on the caves ofthe Petexbatún (1997) as well as Stone’s book on NajTunich (1995). Fortunately, this development does notcome at the expense of sound field methodology, asboth are improving simultaneously.A full evaluation of all available literature on Mayacave archaeology is well beyond the scope of thisdissertation and, I would argue, unwarranted for tworeasons. First, an authoritative review of the historicaldevelopment of the cave literature is available inJames Brady’s dissertation (1989). A more current(albeit abbreviated) historical review was presentedby Brady at a Society for American Archaeologymeeting (1997b). Second, a fairly complete topicallyindexed bibliographic guide to the Mesoamerican caveliterature has already been published (Brady 1999a).A number of dissertations and manuscripts currentlyin progress will expand our access to, and furthercontextualize the cave material in the near future.Relevant publications of a more interpretive natureare integrated into the final chapter of the dissertationrather than discussed here.This chapter can best serve the reader by providinga finer-grained, historical analysis of cave andcenote archaeology across the northwestern YucatánPeninsula. Of particular interest are the ideas regardingcave use that have emerged from a long-establishedarchaeological research tradition in this part of theMaya area, as well as ethnohistorical accounts andethnographic observations. The discussion will revolvearound the themes of cave function and cave frequency.This review will establish the current intellectual andtheoretical context in which the advances made by thisstudy of cave use in the unique, water-rich Yalahauregion can be evaluated. Following this section, is thefirst inclusive, regional review of available cave literaturespecific to northern Quintana Roo.Yucatecan Cave Archaeology:A Historical PerspectiveWater and Cave FunctionOne cannot imagine Yucatán without cenotes.Undoubtedly, these natural windows to the water tableare inextricably linked to the enigmatic landscape ofthe northwestern peninsula and are part of the collectiveidentity of modern Yucatán and northernCampeche. They are not only fonts of precious water