Establishing the Terminal Classic Ik'hubil Ceramic Sphere in the Eastern Maya Lowlands of Belize

In this study, I use the type-variety-mode analysis to define the diagnostic ceramic material for the Ik'hubil Ceramic Complex dating to the Terminal Classic (ca. a.d. 780-930/1000). The percentages of shared ceramic content indicate that multiple sites in the mid-to-lower Sibun Valley are members of an Ik'hubil Ceramic Sphere. My preliminary analyses of sites in the lower Belize River valley suggest that the Ik'hubil Sphere may extend across a broader area of north-central Belize during the Terminal Classic, discrete from the Spanish Lookout Sphere in the upper Belize Valley. Northern Yucatec traits are identified in ceramics and architecture in the eastern Sibun and Belize Valleys, along with marked changes in foodways. The presence of trading diasporas and more intimate social relationships, such as intermarriage, may explain this mix of local and hybrid forms of material culture introduced by the ninth century in this part of the eastern Maya Lowlands.

Automated summary

This study uses the type-variety-mode analysis to define the diagnostic ceramic material of the Ik'hubil Ceramic Complex during the Terminal Classic period. The analysis indicates that multiple sites in the mid-to-lower Sibun Valley belong to the Ik'hubil Ceramic Sphere. Additionally, preliminary analyses suggest that the Ik'hubil Sphere may extend to a broader area in north-central Belize, distinct from the Spanish Lookout Sphere in the upper Belize Valley. The presence of Northern Yucatec traits and changes in foodways suggest the influence of trading diasporas and intermarriage in the eastern Sibun and Belize Valleys during the 9th century.