Postclassic Maya population recovery and rural resilience in the aftermath of collapse in northern Yucatan

Abstract

This article addresses Postclassic Maya population recovery in the aftermath of the collapse of Terminal Classic period political centers by 1100 CE in northern Yucatan, Mexico. While much has been written about the collapse of northern lowland Classic period Maya civilization by the eleventh century CE, we focus here on longer-term outcomes from a demographic perspective, during the Postclassic period (1150-1500 CE). We analyze survey data from the adjacent and sequential archaeological sites of Tichac and Mayapán to support three arguments. First, rural zones were populous prior to the northern collapse. Second, inhabitants of rural zones persisted during the cycle of political collapse and recovery. Third the ubiquity of Postclassic Maya settlements after the twelfth century CE suggests resiliency in the region marked by a rapid rate of sociopolitical regeneration and substantial (if partial) demographic recovery. We frame findings from our study area with broader evidence from regional archaeological settlement studies and early Colonial documents attesting to robust northern Maya populations at the time of European contact. We consider the important role of rural localities in fostering recovery by storing cultural knowledge, providing destinations for outmigration, and serving as hubs for long-term, cyclical regeneration of state society.