Demarcating space and creating place: examining the processes for creating sacred landscapes by the ancient Maya of western Belize

Ratcliffe, Jessica (2023) Demarcating space and creating place: examining the processes for creating sacred landscapes by the ancient Maya of western Belize. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

In Xunantunich during the Late Classic period (AD 600-900), the Maya created a sacred space that grew to embody the wealth and power of Xunantunich’s rulership. The central Plazas presented this concept through the myriad symbols– stelae, altars, tombs, and cache deposits– that were incorporated into the space. Although Maya religious symbology has been a popular subject of study in Maya Archaeology for decades, there is still much to be discovered about how these expressions of Maya cultural identity determined a sacred space. Moreover, archeological research into ancient Maya cultural practices also requires interpreting cultural materials through epigraphic and ethnographic records as well. During the field season in 2022, I conducted architectural analysis in Xunantunich and comparable sites in the Belize River Valley and used photogrammetry to build a 3D model of the site center. I conducted my observations of the site using a phenomenological approach to explore the ways movement, sight, and sound are controlled by architecture, and synthesized these observations with the historical and cultural chronology of the site. This method underscores the importance of spatial context in ancient Maya architecture, as urban layouts are direct reflections of Maya religious symbolism and ideology. The objective of this research is 1) to expand the Maya archaeological record and provide a deeper understanding of how pre-contact civilizations prospered and evolved over centuries while maintaining a sense of veneration for deities associated with nature, which become increasingly associated with divine rulership, and 2) to demonstrate the usefulness of Photogrammetry 3D Modeling in archeological research.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Architecture; Maya; Popol Vuh; Sacred Landscape; Belize
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Social and Behavioral Science > Anthropology
Date Deposited:	01 Oct 2025 17:20
Last Modified:	01 Oct 2025 17:20
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6200

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