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The Hydroarchaeological Method: A Case Study at the Maya Site of Palenque

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Kirk D. French ,
Christopher J. Duffy  and
Gopal Bhatt
Kirk D. French
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (kirkdfrench@psu.edu)
Christopher J. Duffy
Affiliation:
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
Gopal Bhatt
Affiliation:
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
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Abstract

This research consists mainly of introducing the hydroarchaeological method, especially as related to issues of drought. The article outlines how this multidisciplinary method can provide insights into the success and failures of an archaeological site, in this case the Maya site of Palenque. We also detail convincing evidence that shows that the Maya of Palenque did not leave their city because of deficiencies of water, as some paleoclimatologists and archaeologists have asserted. The first logical step toward understanding any settlement’s water system is to use basic hydrologic methods and theory and to understand the local watershed. There is great potential for watershed-climate modeling in developing plausible scenarios of water use and supply and of the effect of extreme conditions (flood and drought), all of which cannot be fully represented by atmosphere-based climate and weather projections. The research demonstrates how the local watershed, land-use, and ecological conditions interact with regional climate changes. The archaeological implications for this noninvasive “virtual” method are many, including detecting periods of stress within a community, estimating population by developing caps based on the availability of water, and understanding settlement patterns, as well as assisting present local populations in understanding their water cycle.

El objetivo principal de esta investigación es la introducción del método hidroarqueológico, especialmente en lo relacionado a temas como la sequía. El artículo describe cómo este método multidisciplinario ayuda a entender las causas del éxito y fracaso de un sitio arqueológico, en este caso, del sitio maya de Palenque. También detallamos evidencia convincente que muestra que—a diferencia de lo que algunos paleoclimatólogos y arqueólogos han afirmado—los mayas de Palenque no abandonaron su ciudad debido a escasez de agua. El primer paso lógico para entender el sistema hidráulico de cualquier asentamiento es usar la teoría y métodos hidrológicos básicos, y conocer la cuenca hidrológica local. Existe un gran potencial para los modelos climatológicos-hidrológicos para proporcionar posibles escenarios de uso y abasto de agua, y los efectos de posibles condiciones extremas (inundación y sequía), todo lo cual no puede ser representado totalmente mediante pronósticos del tiempo y del clima que se basan en la atmósfera únicamente. Esta investigación demuestra cómo interactúan las cuencas locales, el uso de la tierra y las condiciones ecológicas, con los cambios climáticos regionales. Las implicaciones arqueológicas de este método no-invasivo “virtual” son muchas, incluyendo: la detección de periodos de estrés en el interior de una comunidad; la estimación de la población al diseñar topes de crecimiento basados en la disponibilidad de agua; la comprensión de los patrones de asentamiento; así como la asistencia a las poblaciones actuales en la localidad para el entendimiento de su ciclo de agua.

Type
Articles
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 29 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 by the Society for American Archaeology

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