Patterns of residential differentiation and labor control at Baking Pot and Lower Dover in the Belize River Valley

• DOI: 10.1017/s095653612300007x
• Publication Date: 2024-03-28T13:44:05Z
• Authors: John P. Walden; Julie A. Hoggarth; Claire E. Ebert; Kyle Shaw-Müller; Weiyu Ran; Yijia Qiu; Olivia P. Ellis; Brett Meyer; Michael Biggie; Tia B. Watkins; Rafael A. Guerra; Jaime J. Awe

Abstract The Classic Maya polities of Baking Pot and Lower Dover developed along two dramatically different trajectories. At Pot, the capital associated apical elite regime grew concomitantly with surrounding populations over a thousand-year period. smaller polity Dover, in contrast, formed when Late political center was established by an emergent amidst several long-established intermediate elite-headed districts. trajectories through which these should have clear implications for residential size variability. We employ Gini coefficient to measure variability household volume compare patterns differentiation between polities. coefficients, while similar, suggest greater at than likely related centralized control labor ruling Pot. While is synonymous measuring wealth inequalities, we that period Belize River Valley, more reflective control.