KULCHA Symposium Presenters, Dr Shawn Morton, Dr Meaghan Peuramaki-Brown and Dr Jillian Jordan: Cultural Expression and the Ancient Architecture of the Stann Creek District

Dr. Morton is an anthropological archaeologist with an interest in urban and architectural studies; ritual and religion; survey and visualization; community-engaged approaches; and Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. He co-directs the Stann Creek Regional Archaeology Project, in Belize.

About the presentation

Thematic Group: Ancient Maya Archaeology - September 1st, 2021 from 8:45 AM to 10:00 AM (UTC-6:00)

We all know what architecture is, right? Soaring towers, cavernous cathedrals, and grand theatres may immediately come to mind, or clapboard cottages with curly bits of gingerbread. Of ancient Maya architecture, the word may invoke images of high, dark temples or labyrinthine palaces. Such discrete, closed spaces dominate popular definitions of architecture. But as the archaeologist George F. Andrews pointed out (along with countless architects before him), architecture—or human-modified, inhabited places—also cancels out space (e.g., the solid platforms below a house or temple) and defines the relationships between discrete structures (i.e., gardens, plazas, streets, and fences). Further, while architecture may appear static, changing only slowly from generation to generation, architectural expression stands among the most dynamic human creations when examined from an archaeological perspective. It is a surprisingly plastic medium that reacts to environmental, social, political, economic, religious, functional, and aesthetic pressures across cultures, space, and time. In other words, as an expression of culture and culture process, there is a lot that we can dig into concerning this subject. In this presentation, we will define and present one such expression: the ancient Maya architecture of East-Central Belize (Stann Creek District). We'll also discuss our approach to understanding its development through reconnaissance and survey, excavation, materials science, experimentation, and tapping community knowledge. This approach is a work in progress, and we welcome both feedback and participation/collaboration as we move forward.