Spencer Mitchell
Dear Whomever this May Concern,
While most of the known Classic Maya elite religious centers have been the subject of
intensive interdisciplinary research in recent years, relatively little work of comparable scope has
so far been done in the so-called “Commoner” districts (Lohse and Valdez 2004). My immediate
goal is to carry out doctoral-level research culminating in a dissertation that will examine the
development and arrangement of sacred space in one or more of these peripheral areas. My postdoctorate research agenda will be to define the characteristics of non-elite Classic Maya
architecture, sorting out features that represent a simplification of the elite tradition from those
features that are more likely to have been borrowed from neighboring cultures. Ultimately, I will
broaden research to include an analysis of relevant data in Maya mythology, folklore and glyph
studies. I am currently conducting a research with the Dos Hombres to Gran Cacao Archaeology
Project (DH2GC) directed by Dr. Marisol Cortes-Rincon, Assistant Professor of Anthropology,
at Humboldt State University. I began working the summer of 2013 and will be returning in the
summer of 2014 to continue my research, but I am open to conducting my research on an
alternative project with a similar environment upon my advisor’s recommendation.
The primary objective of my research is to determine if the ceremonial centers of the
commoner Maya functioned as independent institutions of worship or if they were simply an
extension of the elite’s ceremonial power over the region. Since this project is primarily
concerned with spatial arrangements of structures and monuments, the majority of data will be
gathered through ground surveys, which will be supplemented by excavations to establish the
chronology and occupation of the group. Units may also be established near the corners of
features to locate unusual or heavily eroded structures. During the off season all the field data
will be uploaded into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for spatial analysis. This data will
be combined with existing spatial data of known elite centers in the region for the purpose of a
comparative analysis. The details of this project are explained below.
The initial identification phase will begin with conventional steel tape and compass
survey. The potential sites will be cleared and boundaries will then be determined. A closed
traverse will be established to determine the boundaries for each group. The second step will
include the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to determine accurate positioning of the
monuments and architecture. The initial point will be determined using static GPS survey. This
will allow me to determine the spatial relation of the newly found residential group with the
known location of the grid markers found along the length of the transect. After the reference
point has been determined, I will mark the location with a monument (a brightly painted piece of
PVC pipe). Once this process is complete I will apply a method called traversing by radiation to
determine the horizontal, vertical distances and the angles from an assumed north of each of the
features present within the group. This process will be conducted with a total station.
The second phase of the project will establish the chronology and usage patterns within
the ceremonial groups. I propose that standard one by one excavation units be opened at the base
of the monuments to locate the dedication catches. This will allow us to determine the economic
level of the builders of the group and will provide insight into whether these groups were
independently functioning religious centers. Next units could be opened in the center of plazas.
The plaster layers, lithics and the ceramic sherds found would provide valuable information
regarding the chronology of the group. It would also be beneficial to determine the point of
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Spencer Mitchell
origin for the stones being used in the construction of the features. This could be done using Xray fluorescence (XRF) technology. Samples taken from the stones could be analyzed with this
technology and could be linked to known quarries within the area. The stone’s origin will be a
key indicator of their builder’s socioeconomic level. Additional data may be collected from
sources of epigraphy that have survived in the archaeological record or on the monuments
themselves. The initial sequence could provide exact dates of consecration and if the groups
were dedicated to a specific ruler or deity.
The final phase will encompass the post processing of geospatial and archaeological data
that was gathered in the field. The field data will first be mapped in AutoCAD, which is
computer based engineering program. This will allow me to create maps of each group down to
a second of a degree of accuracy. Next, the points collected during the static GPS survey will be
uploaded to into Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The maps created in AutoCAD will be
georeferenced into GIS as vector layers and inlaid with existing raster and vector layers with the
project. This will enable a comparative study between the spatial relations of commoner groups
to the elite ceremonial centers. The results found from this data will be combined with the
artifact analysis to determine if these groups were in fact independently functioning ceremonial
centers.
If you approve this project, it will give a greater understanding of commoner Maya
ceremonial life. This project also relies heavily on none-invasive archaeological methods. The
only substantial archaeological excavations would take place at the base of the already toppled
stelae which means that the major structures will not be disturbed.
Thank you for your consideration,
Spencer Mitchell
Bibliography
Bolstad, Paul. GIS Fundamentals. Minnesota, White Bear Lake: Eider Press, 2012.
Lohse, Jon C. and Fred Valdez, Jr. Ancient Maya Commoners. Austin: University of Texas
Press, 2004.
McCormac, Jack, Wayne Sarasua and William Davis. Surveying Ed. 6. Danvers: Courier
Westford, 2013.
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