What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore obsidian procurement strategies at key Maya sites to understand regional economic interactions.

April 22, 2026Open Access

The Obsidian Artifacts of Nim Li Punit, Belize: Procurement and Production at a Terminal Preclassic to Terminal Classic (ca. AD 150–850) Capital in the Southeastern Maya Periphery

GBGeoffrey E. BraswellUniversity of California, San Diego

Key Points

The aim is to explore obsidian procurement strategies at key Maya sites to understand regional economic interactions.
Conducted archaeological research at three major Classic Maya sites in Belize: Nim li Punit, Pusilha, and Lubaantun.
Analyzed procurement and production systems related to obsidian artifacts across the sites.
Findings indicate overlapping but distinct obsidian procurement systems among the sites.
Results suggest the existence of different bounded markets indicative of separate local economies within a frontier zone.

Abstract

Abstract Since 2001, I have conducted archaeological research at three of the five major Classic Maya sites of inland Toledo District, Belize. The sites are so close together that we must ask if they were parts of the same kingdom or were all separate polities with distinct local economies. I present data concerning obsidian procurement at Nim li Punit, Pusilha, and Lubaantun relevant to this question. Results demonstrate overlapping yet distinct procurement systems and imply the existence of different bounded markets and polities within a frontier zone.

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Cite This Study

Geoffrey E. Braswell (Mon,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e864c46e0dea528dde9751 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/laq.2025.10124

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