Q. and A. on Maya Archaeology

Takeshi Inomata and Daniela Triadan of the University of Arizona excavated the Maya site of Ceibal in Guatemala. In this post, they answer readers’ questions about their recent expedition.

I was particularly drawn by Professor Inomata’s hypothesis that building the large pyramids helped the Mayans build their society. We can see a parallel here in the U.S. with Kennedy’s goal to place an American on the moon. Then, we did not have the technology to get it done, but aspiring for this goal helped plump our creativity, and coordinate our intellectual and fiscal resources. Once the U.S. got to the moon, the commercialization of the related technologies (video cameras, to Mylar sheets, to materials and wireless technology) helped power the U.S. to an unprecedented boom in development and economic prosperity. Rightly, we did not reach the moon because we had the technology, but aspiring for the moon helped us develop the resources to reach the moon and helped society. Certainly this has happened all over the world. Important question for the professor: Who or what was their Kennedy? And, what big pyramid should we build next?

— Arun Shanbhag, Boston

It is interesting to me to contrast the dramaturgy used by elites to rally support around themselves and the public projects, whether circuses or buildings, that seem to be a simultaneous exhibition of that power/support and a reinforcement of it. Just how were vast segments of those ancient societies, and their resources, motivated to build pyramids, conduct circuses, etc., when probably that use of resources might not have been optimal in terms of people’s objective interests?

— Benjamin R. Stockton, California

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