9 The Neighborhood Marketplaces of Yaxnohcah

Abstract

This study focuses on the identification of Maya neighborhood marketplaces during the Late/Terminal Classic period (550-900 CE) in the urban landscape of Yaxnohcah, Campeche, Mexico. We use a configurational and contextual approach to identify four marketplaces that are situated in a strategic inner ring 1.5–2.5 km from the epicenter of the city. Physical features of the marketplaces include a plaza area of 2000–3100 m², low perimeter platforms surrounding the plazas, multiple corner entries, easy access to pedestrian corridors, association with large elite households or civic complexes, and equidistance from other neighborhood marketplaces. Artifact frequencies within the plaza support the identification of these complexes as markets, while a locational analysis identifies the service area of each. Finally, we consider the role of these marketplaces as anchors for residential zones during the Late Classic period.[Maya, Campeche, Late Classic, Neighborhoods, Marketplaces]