Akab Muclil: A classic to postclassic hinterland settlement in northwestern Belize
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Abstract
During the 2005 season, investigations were carried out at Akab Muclil, a small site in an environmentally diverse area in the Three Rivers Region of upper northwestern Belize. Excavations at the site revealed an Early Postclassic component, which is later than any other site in the region. Akab Muclil the first site documented in the Three Rivers Region to have Postclassic occupation with evidence of architectural construction.
This thesis examines the site of Akab Muclil in the context of its environmental setting and regional organization to address three questions: (1) what was Akab Muclil’s role in the regional political organization during the Late to Terminal Classic (A.D. 600–750/800) to (A.D. 750/800–900), (2) how did the site’s environmental setting relate to its role in the regional organization; and (3) what features/conditions allowed the occupants of the site to persist into the Postclassic (ca. A.D. 900) when the rest of the region appears to have been abandoned?
It is believed that the site's environmental setting played an important role in Akab Muclil’s longevity. Therefore, Akab Muclil is compared to Postclassic sites found in northern Belize along lagoons and riverine settings. This comparison provides a possible explanation as to why site was able to thrive during the Early Postclassic when the rest of the Three Rivers Region was abandoned.