Patterns of ancient animal use at El Mirador: evidence for subsistence, ceremony and exchange

Abstract

El Mirador is among the largest Preclassic settlements in the Maya lowlands. The site has attracted attention due to its size and antiquity, but also for its location within a region containing few perennial water sources such as lakes and rivers. This report presents a preliminary and largely descriptive analysis of faunal remains recovered during early excavation of the site between 1978 and 1983. The zooarchaeological assemblage provides baseline information regarding past patterns of animal use, acquisition and exchange at El Mirador that may be compared with other Preclassic faunal assemblages from across the Maya lowlands. Intra-site temporal comparisons are also drawn between animal use during the site’s primary Late Preclassic occupation, and a less extensive period of settlement during the Classic Period.