THE EMERGENCE OF EARLY CIVILIZATION IN NORTHERN GUATEMALA
The investigation of the emergence of complex society and civilization in the
Maya Lowlands has long been a research interest of the Department of Anthropology
at BYU. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dr. Ray T. Matheny jointly with Dr. Bruce
Dahlin undertook archaeological investigations at the site of El Mirador in the
far north-central portion of what is today Guatemala. This region today is a remote
area little explored except by local chicleros and xateros, and other rural inhabitants
who exploit what few viable resources are found in the region [go
to map of region]. Because of its remoteness, carrying out archaeological
work in the region is difficult, since all the supplies necessary for carrying
out research have to be brought in by mule train.
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