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This paper has two main goals. One is to introduce a type of "headless" (or "antecedentless") relative clause that presents a gap strategy and that has not been sufficiently discussed in the typological literature. The other is to show that this type of headless relative clause with a gap is a characteristic trait of Mesoamerican languages, since it exists in many languages of the Mesoamerican linguistic area as an important constructional option in their relativization syntax, independently of the genetic relationships of the language in question. Two types of headless relative clauses are well known to date: one involving a relativization strategy with a relative pronoun (e.g., I wore what you asked me to wear) and another with a light head, introduced by Citko (2004. On headed, headless, and light-headed relatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 22. 95–126), somewhat comparable to I wore the one that you asked me to wear. The third type of headless relative clause discussed here presents a gap (i.e., there is no manifestation of the relativized term in the relative clause). It would be equivalent to saying 'I wore you asked me to wear'. The phenomenon we study here is interesting both from a typological and areal point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For thousands of years, mortar-based materials — including bedding mortars, plaster floors, internal wall plasters, external wall renders and stuccos, and concrete — have been key construction materials in many cultures throughout the world. This paper gives an overview and examples of the use and development of mortar-based materials in cultures across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Mesoamerica, prior to the development of hydraulic cements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ceratozamia is a diverse genus of cycads distributed from Mexico to Honduras. Here, a new species of Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae, Cycadales) from the southeast of Mexico is described and illustrated. It was previously misidentified as C. subroseophylla because of the lack of reproductive structures in the specimens from Tabasco. This work is based on phenological monitoring carried out in a karst limestone locality in Tabasco. The lifespan of pollen and ovulate strobili and their morphological changes throughout development are described. The collections of this new species were compared with specimens of all Ceratozamia species; however, the morphological comparison was focused on the most geographically proximate and morphologically similar species to this new taxon. To evaluate the circumscription of this species, we used geographic, morphological and DNA barcoding criteria. On this basis, we propose a new species of Ceratozamia for Mexico and provide notes on its reproductive phenology. The reproductive structures are the primary resource for its recognition and identification. A taxonomic key for the similar morphological species and all species that occur in Tabasco is presented along with habitat characterisation and a conservation status for C. gigantea. This species, whose distribution is restricted to a small geographic area, increases the diversity of Ceratozamia in Tabasco to three species and affirms the importance of limestone karst as areas for speciation and endemism. During the phenological monitoring, pollinator insects were captured on ovulate strobili at receptivity, observations that have been scarcely documented during this phenophase in Ceratozamia, highlighting the relevance of monitoring reproductive phenological patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is widely recognized as a highly detrimental abiotic stress factor that significantly impacts crop growth, development, and agricultural productivity. In response to external stimuli, plants activate various mechanisms to enhance their resistance or tolerance to abiotic stress. The common bean, a most important legume according to the FAO, serves as a staple food for millions of people worldwide, due to its rich protein, carbohydrate, and fiber content, concurrently, and water scarcity is the main factor limiting common bean production. The process of domestication and on-farm conservation has facilitated the development of genotypes with varying degrees of drought stress resistance. Consequently, using landraces as biological material in research can lead to the identification of variants with superior resistance qualities to abiotic stress factors, which can be effectively integrated into breeding programs. The central scope of this research was to find out if different geographic origins of common bean genotypes can determine distinct responses at various levels. Hence, several analyses were carried out to investigate responses to water scarcity in three common bean genotypes, M-2087 (from the Mesoamerican gene pool), A-1988 (from the Andean gene pool) and Lechinta, known for its high drought stress resistance. Plants were subjected to different water regimes, followed by optical assessment of the anatomical structure of the hypocotyl and epicotyl in each group; furthermore, the morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters and molecular data (quantification of the relative expression of the thirteen genes) were assessed. The three experimental variants displayed distinct responses when subjected to 12 days of water stress. In general, the Lechinta genotype demonstrated the highest adaptability and drought resistance. The M-2087 landrace, originating from the Mesoamerican geographic basin, showed a lower resistance to water stress, compared to the A-1988 landrace, from the Andean basin. The achieved results can be used to scale up future research about the drought resistance of plants, analyzing more common bean landraces with distinct geographic origins (Mesoamerican/Andean), which can then be used in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Journal of Biological Anthropology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Vegueta: Anuario de la Facultad de Geografía e Historia is the property of Vegueta: Anuario de la Facultad de Geografia e Historia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article interrogates an archaeological application of the Indigenous concept of place-thought, defined by Vanessa Watts as an "understanding of the world via a physical embodiment" through studying corporeal animal forms. This latter encompasses the osteological traces of animal matter (sacrificed animals and prepared body parts) that, because of their material vitalities, provide an opportune site of engagement to retrieve ancient interpersonal relationships. Over 100 corporeal animal forms from Burials 2 and 6 are interpreted as agentive persons who brought into being the Moon Pyramid as an altepetl (water mountain) of Teotihuacan. The altepetl is a seminal place-thought in Mesoamerica intimately tied with sovereignty. The author argues that potentate apex predators (eagles, wolves, jaguars, pumas, and rattlesnakes) became part of Teotihuaccan's community through their captive management and were buried alive to sustain the altepetl as master guardians. A zooarchaeological and isotopic investigation of corporeal animal forms provided lurid details of human–predator interactions, including differential access to the animals, esoteric knowledge about their personhood, and even deceit of that information. She concludes that providing a contextually and historically contingent, data-driven, and inter-personally centered reconstruction of ancient place-thought, though admittedly partial and from a specific perspective, should be attainable given the enhanced methods in archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research conducted since 2003 in and around the regional center of Tres Zapotes, Veracruz documents the importance of aquatic resources and transportation routes for subsistence and settlement over more than two millennia. Systematic archaeological survey over more than 400 km2 in the surrounding Eastern Lower Papaloapan Basin details a persistent focus of major settlements on streams and other bodies of water that would have provided an abundance of food and opportunities for water-born transport. Excavations at Tres Zapotes further indicate that exploitation of aquatic fauna was a significant component of a mixed subsistence strategy for the Olmec and Epi-Olmec inhabitants of the site, who obtained fish, turtles, and waterfowl from streams, lakes, estuaries and coastal marine environments over a range extending no less than 20 km from the center. Artifact inventories and landscape features further suggest an associated subsistence technology that included weighted nets and retention ponds in seasonally flooded areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Determine the geographic place of origin and maternal lineage of prehistoric human skeletal remains discovered in Puyil Cave, Tabasco State, Mexico, located in a region currently populated by Olmec, Zoque and Maya populations. Materials and Methods: All specimens were radiocarbon (14C) dated (beta analytic), had dental modifications classified, and had an analysis of 13 homologous reference points conducted to evaluate artificial cranial deformation (ACD). Following DNA purification, hypervariable region I (HVR‐1) of the mitogenome was amplified and Sanger sequenced. Finally, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed for total DNA. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants and haplogroups were determined using BioEdit 7.2 and IGV software and confirmed with MITOMASTER and WebHome softwares. Results: Radiocarbon dating (14C) demonstrated that the inhabitants of Puyil Cave lived during the Archaic and Classic Periods and displayed tabular oblique and tabular mimetic ACD. These pre‐Hispanic remains exhibited five mtDNA lineages: A, A2, C1, C1c and D4. Network analysis revealed a close genetic affinity between pre‐Hispanic Puyil Cave inhabitants and contemporary Maya subpopulations from Mexico and Guatemala, as well as individuals from Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and China. Conclusions: Our results elucidate the dispersal of pre‐Hispanic Olmec and Maya ancestors and suggest that ACD practices are closely related to Olmec and Maya practices. Additionally, we conclude that ACD has likely been practiced in the region since the Middle‐Archaic Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The names Coccoloba caracasana, C. caracasana f. glabra, C. cozumelensis, C. floribunda, C. humboldtii var. longipedicellata, and Campderia mexicana are lectotypified, and seventeen specimens with mature fruits are proposed as epitypes to facilitate the recognition and delimitation of Coccoloba species distributed in Mexico and Central America. The presence of fruits in these specimens allowed us to recognize and reinstate the names Coccoloba lapathifolia, C. euvelutina, and C. matudae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The squash family (Cucurbitaceae) contains some of the most important crops cultivated worldwide and has played an important ecological, economic, and cultural role for millennia. In the American tropics, squashes were among the first cultivated crop species, but little is known about how their domestication unfolded. Here, we employ direct radiocarbon dating and morphological analyses of desiccated cucurbit seeds, rinds, and stems from El Gigante Rockshelter in Honduras to reconstruct human practices of selection and cultivation of Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita pepo, and Cucurbita moschata. Direct radiocarbon dating indicates that humans started using Lagenaria and wild Cucurbita starting ~ 10,950 calendar years before present (cal B.P.), primarily as watertight vessels and possibly as cooking and drinking containers. A rind directly dated to 11,150–10,765 cal B.P. represents the oldest known bottle gourd in the Americas. Domesticated C. moschata subsequently appeared ~ 4035 cal B.P., followed by domesticated C. pepo ~ 2190 cal B.P. associated with increasing evidence for their use as food crops. Multivariate statistical analysis of seed size and shape show that the archaeological C. pepo assemblage exhibits significant variability, representing at least three varieties: one similar to present-day zucchini, another like present-day vegetable marrow, and a native cultivar without modern analogs. Our archaeobotanical data supports the hypothesis that Indigenous cucurbit use started in the Early Holocene, and that agricultural complexity during the Late Holocene involved selective breeding that encouraged crop diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the reasons behind the Spanish establishment in the region, with a particular focus on the alliances formed with native populations that facilitated the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Through source analysis, the article evaluates the credibility and content of primary sources, particularly The Thirteenth Communication by Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, to uncover alternative perspectives on historical events. The analysis reveals the emotional narrative and strategic objectives underlying Ixtlilxochitl's account, shedding light on the motivations behind the Texcocan alliance with Spain. Additionally, the article examines the broader geopolitical landscape of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, characterized by internal conflicts, economic interactions, and religious dynamics as well as the personal factor, including the maneuverability in uncertainty and the power dynamics between individuals, having played a crucial role in shaping the outcomes of the conquest. Finally, the article highlights the multifaceted nature of historical causation in shaping colonial legacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Geologica Mexicana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Geologica Mexicana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Kiekie Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 is a Neotropical genus of Ctenidae, with most of its species occuring in Central America. In this study, we review the systematics of Kiekie and describe five new species and the unknown females of K. barrocolorado Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 and K. garifuna Polotow & Brescovit, 2018, and the unknown male of K. verbena Polotow & Brescovit, 2018. In addition, we described the female of K. montanense which was wrongly assigned as K. griswoldi Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 (both species are sympatric). We provided a modified diagnosis for previously described species based on the morphology of the newly discovered species and in situ photographs of living specimens. We inferred a molecular phylogeny using four nuclear (histone H3, 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA and ITS-2) and three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I or COI, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) to test the monophyly of the genus and the evolutionary relationships of its species. Lastly, we reconstruct the historical biogeography and map diversity and endemism distributional patterns of the different species. This study increased the number of known species of Kiekie from 13 to 18, and we describe a new genus, Eldivo which is sister lineage of Kiekie. Most of the diversity and endemism of the genus Kiekie is located in the montane ecosystems of Costa Rica followed by the lowland rainforest of the Pacific side (Limon Basin). Kiekie originated in the North America Tropical region, this genus started diversifying in the Late Miocene and spread to Lower Central America and South America. In that region, Kiekie colonized independently several times the montane ecosystems corresponding to periods of uplifting of Talamanca and Central Cordilleras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To produce insights into the nature of butterfly communities in Belize and potential strategies for their conservation, we analyzed a data set of 31,539 occurrences representing 1047 species of butterflies. Most species in Belize are rarely encountered and 23% are known from one or two occurrences. Conversely, a few species (2%) are disproportionately abundant (19% of occurrences). Chao 1 and 1st-order Jackknife species richness estimates indicate a minimum of 101.6 ± 17.5 and 169.7 ± 24.9 additional species (respectively) in Belize. Most of the "missing species" are Lycaenidae, Riodinidae and Hesperiidae, groups that are difficult to identify and which have ecological traits that decrease detectability in the field. Seasonal and geographic weather patterns related to precipitation structure butterfly communities in the country. Species richness (alpha-diversity) is correlated to both average monthly temperature and precipitation for most, but not all families. During the dry season, both species numbers and densities are low, but both increase abruptly with the onset of rains. There are significant beta-diversity community differences between seasons (rainy and dry) as well. Precipitation decreases dramatically from south to north across the country and Chao 1 and rarefication estimates indicate that species richness is highest in southern Belize and declines northward corresponding with regional patterns of precipitation. Likewise, the three southern districts of Belize support significantly different butterfly communities (beta-diversity) than do the three northern districts. Implications for insect conservation: Because climate change will disrupt the status quo as ecological communities respond to changes that influence drought stress, actions that ensure that ecological connectivity is maintained or restored across ecological gradients, especially as reflected by precipitation patterns, will be critical for conserving butterfly and other phytophagous insect communities in Belize as communities respond to climate disruption. We make geographically explicit recommendations for conservation action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the main factors affecting biodiversity worldwide at an alarming rate. In addition to increases in global extreme weather events, melting of polar ice caps, and subsequent sea level rise, climate change might shift the geographic distribution of species. In recent years, interest in understanding the effects of climate change on species distribution has increased, including species which depend greatly on forest cover for survival, such as strictly arboreal primates. Here, we generate a series of species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate future projections under different climate change scenarios on the distribution of the black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), an endemic endangered primate species. Using SDMs, we assessed current and future projections of their potential distribution for three Social Economic Paths (SSPs) for the years 2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090. Specifically, we found that precipitation seasonality (BIO15, 30.8%), isothermality (BIO3, 25.4%), and mean diurnal range (BIO2, 19.7.%) are the main factors affecting A. pigra distribution. The future climate change models suggested a decrease in the potential distribution of A. pigra by projected scenarios (from − 1.23 to − 12.66%). The highly suitable area was the most affected above all in the more pessimist scenario most likely related to habitat fragmentation. Our study provides new insights into the potential future distribution and suitable habitats of Alouatta pigra. Such information could be used by local communities, governments, and non-governmental organizations for conservation planning of this primate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ololiuhqui, the seeds of coatl xoxouhqui (morning glory, Turbina corymbosa), contain a nonhuman life force within them that Central Mexican Nahua specialists have used to diagnose and prognosticate cocoliztli (illness) and help guide cocoxqueh (sick people) back to pactinemiliztli (health). In the seventeenth century, Spanish priest Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón went on a campaign against ololiuhqui and its users that lasted more than two decades. Early in his war against ololiuhqui, the priest became ill, and some Nahuas in his parish viewed his cocoliztli as a result of his contempt toward the seed. This further fueled his rage toward ololiuhqui and drove him to uncover and punish specialists and their clients. After 1617, when the archbishop of Mexico licensed Ruiz de Alarcón to investigate Native "heterodoxy," the zealous priest quickly found that non-Native people were also involved in ololiuhqui networks and seldom wished to comply with his investigations. As a result, well into the 1630s the priest courted the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Mexico with the goal of obtaining jurisdiction over all colonial racial and ethnic categories in New Spain. Ruiz de Alarcón failed to extirpate the relationship Nahuas had with ololiuhqui, and he also failed to become an official member of the Holy Office's networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ancient Mesoamerica is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ancient Mesoamerica is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of ANIAV: Revista de Investigación en Artes Visuales is the property of Universidad Politecnica de Valencia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the Middle Preclassic period (c. 1000-350 BCE), the people of the Maya lowlands transitioned fromamobile horticulturalist to sedentary farming lifestyle, exemplified by permanent houses arranged around patios and rebuilt over generations. Early evidence of this change has been found in northern Belize, in the Belize Valley, and at Ceibal, Guatemala. At Cuello and other sites in northern Belize, mortuary rituals tied to ancestor veneration created inequality from the beginning of sedentary life. There, relatively dense populations facilitated the emergence of competitive sociopolitical strategies. However, Maya communities in different regions adopted different aspects of sedentism at different times and employed different power strategies. Unlike Cuello, Ceibal was founded as a ceremonial center by semi-mobile people. Middle Preclassic ritual practices at Ceibal and in the Belize Valley were associated with more collective leadership. At the end of this period, increased population densities contributed to a shift to more exclusionary rituals and political strategies throughout the lowlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jade and greenstone objects have been held in high regard by many cultures stemming from their limited geological availability and their unique optical and mechanical properties. Jade and greenstone objects symbolized life, fertility, and eternity to early Mesoamerican people. In recent years, scientific studies on jade and greenstone objects have been performed to establish provenance and usage, identify composition, and verify the presence of a particular material. These studies of jade and greenstone objects are generally divided geographically, with considerable interest in China and Central America. Most studies are focused on objects from one particular archaeological site; however, a few studies have focused on collections from a range of sites. The use of multiple complimentary analytical techniques has been shown to be the most effective method for characterizing and understanding the technical information obtained from cultural heritage objects. In our study, we examine a set of Mesoamerican jade and greenstone objects from the collection at the Dallas Museum of Art using multiple non-destructive techniques, including scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and handheld X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. We briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. Lastly, we present the results from our study and discuss them in their archaeological and historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay focuses its attention on Madrid, the Royal Botanical Garden (RBG), and the LatinX presence just as they were all coming into existence in the Spanish and European world. Pursuing a LatinX origin that exceeds humanness, this thought exploration tracks the Mesoamerican dahlia, transplanted to Spain in 1789. Acocoxochitl— what we now know as the dahlia, named after Swedish naturalist Andreas Dahl (1751–1789)—was one of the first plants to arrive at Madrid's RBG when it opened nearly three centuries ago. The flower was tested on, domesticated, and acclimated, making its botanical debut as the dahlia pinnata in 1791. The dahlia is a vector for an unanticipated life form, clueing us in on where the LatinX world-in-process was heading. It offers a glimpse of how the garden and the Latin find themselves arranged and come into being. How LatinX history is blurred—and how LatinX difference has been produced—in Madrid's iconography is disentangled here. The piece weighs in on these considerations: What does it mean to think alongside the dahlia? What might the plant mean to a human whose body has been tampered with; who asymmetrically became one of Carolus Linnaeus's Latin species; who has been "naturally" passed down to different kinds of nature; whose construction is both native and foreign; and who comes into being through a rather unnatural classificatory order? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Novon is the property of Missouri Botanical Garden Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores the Morisco Qasim al-Hajari's (Kitab) The Supporter of Religion against the Infidel 1611–13 for its diplomatic merit within the rubric of the Islamic Maghreb. In particular, it sheds light on how a scene from Spain's colonial expansionist encounters with native Americans is utilized within an Arabophone context of the early modern Islamicate world. Al-Hajari Islamizes the momentous and violent imperial encounter between the Aztec king Moctezuma and the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés (1519) in Mexico. Additionally, he juxtaposes such a scene with Spain's violation of the treaties with Muslim Andalusians (1492–1609) and its incursions upon its neighboring Protestant powers. Al-Hajari's account not only indicates the itinerant condition which characterizes the circulation of ideas between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean but also demonstrates how imperial episodes acquire different meanings, through diplomatic endeavors and within different hermeneutic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Relaciones: Estudios de Historia y Sociedad is the property of El Colegio de Michoacan, A.C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) geochemical analysis on obsidian from five Formative period (1200 BCE to AC 100) sites from Tlaxcala, Mexico, has revealed that most of the material had similar values to those found in the closest obsidian source, named El Paredón, Puebla. Nevertheless, initial analyses did not resolve whether these materials came from the same caldera or from a specific obsidian deposit. Here we present a methodology that allows the identification of obsidian subsources. The results reveal that Tlaxcalan populations took advantage of a specific obsidian deposit called Tres Cabezas, Puebla, providing valuable new data to identify associated regional exchange networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521, the first groups of friars arrived in Mexico to Christianize the native inhabitants of Mesoamerica. This task was anything but easy, as explaining Christian doctrine to the Indigenous people posed both a linguistic and a theological challenge. The need to learn Indigenous languages and to prepare doctrinal materials dedicated specifically to the Christianization of this land was a task that might have seemed almost impossible to conduct in a short period of time, yet by the 1540s, the first printed catechisms (doctrinas) in Nahuatl began to appear. One of the earliest and broadest of these works is the 1548 Dominican Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Española y Mexicana, in which the friars attempted to explain all of the principles of Catholic theology to the Indigenous people. This paper analyses how through highly detailed descriptions and a meticulous choice of vocabulary, the authors strove to impart the tenets of Christian doctrine to the Nahuas in such a way as to make it both fully understandable and as unlikely as possible to be misinterpreted. It points to the sources on which the friars relied while writing the text. The article formulates a theory that the creation of the Doctrina Christiana would not have been possible without the participation of the native speakers of Nahuatl in the project, even though their role in writing the catechism would have had to be hidden from the religious authorities. The Indigenous authors served as cross-cultural bridges in the process of preparing the doctrinal materials. On the one hand, they could therefore help to explain crucial parts of the doctrine to the Indigenous audience. On the other hand, allowing Indigenous concepts to permeate the Christian discourse often led to the creation of ambiguity and provided a space of contestation that could influence the understanding of the Catholic concepts by the Indigenous audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Digital accessible biodiversity knowledge has the potential to greatly advance botanical research and guide conservation efforts. Evaluating its shortfalls is key to understanding its limits and prioritising regions in need of renewed survey efforts.We used the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew's World Checklist of Vascular Plants to parse publicly available occurrence data downloaded from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and quantify the spatial distribution of spatial, phylogenetic, and temporal data shortfalls across Mesoamerica.After processing 3578 777 occurrence records for 32 522 species of vascular plants across Mesoamerica, we found evidence of poor data coverage: incomplete characterisation of species diversity, old occurrence records, and low phylogenetic representation. One‐third of the region showed large gaps for at least one of these dimensions (hotspots) and < 15% had adequate data coverage across dimensions.Overall, the shortfalls we identified compromise the quality of digitally available occurrence data and hamper research on spatial phylogenetics and species dynamics under anthropogenic disturbances. Our analyses identified areas of opportunity for increased efforts in data digitisation, botanical exploration, sequencing, and biodiversity monitoring. These efforts would serve to increase and rejuvenate knowledge on the geographic distribution of vascular plants in Mesoamerica. This article is part of the Special Collection 'Global plant diversity and distribution'. See https://www.newphytologist.org/global-plant-diversity for more details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The hot–cold classification system for things and concepts is widely used by many human groups in Mexico. We conducted a comprehensive review to understand the history, themes, and distribution of this system. Methods: We analyzed publications based on field work in Mexico, considering publication date, research approach, study depth, and conceptual domains. We identified the ethnic groups that use the system and the places where they live. A map illustrates the geographic and cultural distribution of the system. Results: The hot–cold system has been documented in 101 academic publications spanning almost a century, particularly for traditional medicine and food. Initially dominated by anthropological studies, ethnobotanists have increasingly contributed to the research. The hot–cold system is utilized by at least 56 indigenous ethnic groups (81% of the total) and mestizos (whose primary or sole language is Spanish) across most of Mexico. Discussion: Anthropologists laid the foundation for understanding the hot–cold system, on which current ethnobotany builds. However, there are still knowledge gaps, for example on some domains (human beings, landscape) and on patterns by regions or linguistic families. The geographic and cultural distribution presented here is approximate, as group ethnicity is imprecise. Conclusions: The hot–cold system is widely applied in Mexico, although some variations exist. Further exploration of understudied domains, and variations between ethnic groups and regions, would contribute to a comprehensive explanation of this interconnected worldview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extreme weather that humanity has been confronting in recent years is the result of climate change. All over the world, unknown plant species are disappearing daily, which humankind has not discovered and will never know. Since 1900, the angiosperms and gymnosperms have been disappearing at a frequency of three species per year, but it is worrying that this rate of disappearance is up to 500 times higher currently. These data, correlated with the information provided by the United Nations (the world population will reach 10 billion by the year 2050) and FAO (food insecurity and the decrease of feedstock) lead to a crucial need to conserve and study plant germplasm. Therefore, plant germplasm conserved, especially in gene banks, can represent an important source for the development of varieties with an increased resistance to abiotic stress factors. Considering the origin of the current species of Phaseolus vulgaris L. as being in two distinct centers with different gene pools (Andean and Mesoamerica), the aim of the article is to infer the ancestry of 27 landraces according to their sampling geographical origin and morphological and molecular traits based on DNA sequences of three genes associated with abiotic stress tolerance (drought and thermal stress): PvREB5A, PvDREB6B, and PvRPS4. Phaseolus vulgaris L. has two different centers of origin: the Mesoamerican and the Andean basins. In this research, 27 landraces were evaluated from different counties in Romania. Three genes, PvREB5A, PvDREB6B, and PvRPS4, were amplified by the PCR reaction, sequenced by the Sanger technique, and the data obtained were analyzed using MEGA XI software. For morphological data, the GraphPad Prism 9 software was used. According to PvDREB5A, 81.5% of all studied landraces belong to the Mesoamerican gene pool and 18.5% belong to the Andean. PvDREB6B revealed a high nucleotide and amino acid diversity between the Andean and Mesoamerican genotypes compared to the other evaluated genes. Also, the PvRPS4 gene from the chloroplast genome showed one SNP within its coding region, different for those two gene pools, which is directly involved in a nonsynonymous substitution. The morphological characteristics, such as weight for 100 seeds, length, height, width, weight, seed flatness, flatness index, seed elongation, and eccentricity index were determined. European landraces of Mesoamerican origin indicated a large seed size compared to Andean genotypes. This work can be a foundation for the identification of interesting traits that establish plant adaptation to abiotic stress and conserve landraces of common beans from genetic depletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Stratum Plus Journal is the property of P.P. Stratum plus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: The role of migration in the cultural development of central Mexico has long been debated. Archaeological models suggest that central Mexico likely experienced increased migration during the Epiclassic period (600–900 CE) and that migrants may have originated in northwestern Mexico. While previous biodistance analyses of Classic and Postclassic populations have come to similar conclusions, none have incorporated Epiclassic skeletal populations. This study uses multi‐scalar biodistance analyses to directly evaluate archaeological Epiclassic migration models within central Mexico. Materials and Methods: This study uses finite mixture and relationship (R) matrix analyses of cervicometric tooth dimensions to reconstruct patterns of biological affinity among Classic and Epiclassic Mesoamerican populations (n = 333), including at the central Mexican Epiclassic shrine site of Non‐Grid 4 where the remains of at least 180 individuals were interred. Results: Estimated inter‐site phenotypic distances demonstrate support for some degree of both biological continuity and extra‐local gene flow within central Mexican populations during the Classic‐Epiclassic transition. Furthermore, estimated phenotypic distances and finite mixture posterior probabilities indicate central Mexican Epiclassic populations were biologically diverse, originating from various source populations throughout Mesoamerica, including the Bajío region, the Malpaso Valley, and the Oaxaca Valley. Discussion: Results suggest that emphasizing both local and extra‐local gene flow rather than population replacement may be more appropriate to understand central Mexican population structure during the Classic‐Epiclassic transition. Moreover, analyses support previous archaeological migration models positing that Epiclassic migrants into central Mexico originated in northwestern Mexico, but also find evidence of Epiclassic migrants originating from previously unanticipated locales like southern Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-cultural research on edible plants might include ecological and evolutionary perspectives to understand processes behind species selection and management. With a database of approximately 500 comestible plants of the Province of the Gulf of Mexico in Mesoamerica, phylogenetic analyses are conducted to identify convergence and phylogenetic signal of type of use and significant clustering in the resulting phylogenetic trees. Analyses considered type of management (wild/managed vs. cultivated), type of use (edible, condiment, for wrapping food) and organ utilized. Elevated phylogenetic diversity and signal are expected for wild comestible taxa, indicating that people are using lineages across the angiosperm tree for food, resulting in broadness in diet and use of their regional resources. Main results are: (i) condiment species were identified in groups with an elevated phylogenetic signal; (ii) hot nodes for lineages utilized for wrapping food were found in many monocot groups as well as in epiphytes of cloud forests with leathery leaves; (iii) edible taxa were identified with the highest significant clustering restricted to certain branches in the phylogeny; (iv) wild and cultivated edible plants belong to identical lineages with replacement of species, implying that same plant groups known for their comestible benefits are substituted by species distributed in the Province and (v) wild versus cultivated lineages for condiment are different. Most food species in the Province belong to four families, namely Fabaceae, Cactaceae, Solanaceae and Asparagaceae. Analyses discovered underutilized wild species in identical clades to managed/cultivated taxa that can be studied further to identify cultivation practices. Results suggest that people are utilizing different lineages in the angiosperm tree available locally, for particular uses, like condiment or for wrapping food. Evidence can be used to study further undervalued edible species closely related to the most common food taxa as well as for bioprospection of their nutritional content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Diachronica is the property of John Benjamins Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Crested-tailed deer mouse, Habromys lophurus, is one of seven arboreal species within the genus Habromys. Species of this genus are monotypic, relatively rare, and occur in low densities. Their geographical distribution is highly fragmented due to being restricted to montane cloud forest in Mesoamerica and they are of conservation concern. All Habromys species are endemic to Mexico, except H. lophurus, which is also distributed in Guatemala and El Salvador. In this study, we obtained and characterized the first mitogenome and several thousand nuclear ultraconserved elements (UCEs) of H. lophurus to determine its phylogenetic position within neotomine-peromyscine mice. Its mitogenome sequence (16,509 bp) is only the second complete mitogenome obtained for this poorly known genus. We also obtained the first nuclear genomic data for H. lophurus, including 3,654 UCE loci, as well as a partial mitogenome of H. simulatus (6,349 bp), and 2,186 UCE for the outgroup Holochilus sciureus. Phylogenetic analyses that included our newly generated genomic data coupled with previously published data from other neotomine-peromyscine mice confirm the placement of H. lophurus, H. simulatus, and H. ixtlani within a highly supported clade. The Habromys clade was nested within a clade that also contains members of the genus Peromyscus and provides further support for the hypothesis of the paraphyly of Peromyscus. These genomic resources will contribute to future phylogenomic studies that aim to further elucidate the evolutionary history of this rare and critically endangered genus of rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the study of earth-based building techniques from the pre-Columbian site of la Joya in Mexico, which use soils containing a high proportion of fine fraction (loam and clay) stabilized with bitumen, a combination considered inadequate by modern building standards. Experimental mud bricks were manufactured emulating the ancient technique representative of the construction in that region by using the raw earth of the archaeological zone mixed with additives of different nature. The bricks' cohesion was analysed by submitting them to mechanical stresses in compression mode. The effect of the inherent heterogeneity of hand-made bricks, along with the effect of the additive concentration on their mechanical behaviour, is discussed. Techniques such as determination of particle size, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Scanning Electron Microscopy and total inorganic carbon-organic carbon were implemented for quantitative and qualitative measurement of the soil characteristics. Results indicate that synthetic additives provide better cohesion. Fracture analysis was monitored in real time by using acoustic emission technique in order to understand the mechanisms of failure. The main result is that the pre-Columbian recipe improves the mechanical performance of mud bricks, a knowledge important both for the conservation of the archaeological heritage architecture as well as for modern construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of low-density urbanism has developed in archaeology over the past 20 years to characterize settlements that display the same types of features as nucleated cities (monumental architecture, services provided for a hinterland, division of labor, class differences) but lack dense populations. Ancient cities that emerged in tropical regions typically resemble a distributed urban network (Scarborough and Isendahl 2020) with interconnected and regularly spaced monumental nodes scattered among dispersed residences and agricultural land. The monumental nodes in the region did not permanently house dense populations but drew the countryside into a habitual pattern of centripetal movement to frequent religious, economic, and administrative services provided there. We demonstrate that the Gulf lowlands of Mexico exemplify this type of urbanism, and we highlight its features related to land use, governance, and longevity. Given the formidable challenges of understanding a distributed urban network, we advocate approaches that do not impose hierarchical interpretations or discrete territories but, rather, explore them as a network of places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of word classes has a long-standing tradition in the European history of the language sciences. Amongst scholars of Otopamean languages there is a rather clear agreement that little positive evidence for the existence of a proper class of adjectives is to be found in this very language family. Such analyses are not at all rare for Mesoamerican languages. The paper will focus on the representation of this discussion in old colonial and postcolonial grammars, dictionaries and texts about the Pamean subgroup – works which mostly stem from the context of missionary writers in the first place. Specifically, it will try to illustrate the indecisiveness and sometimes seemingly hesitant treatment of how to deal with the European concept of 'adjectives' in those languages – even in postcolonial times. We will argue that the critical points brought up in the recent theoretical and descriptive discussion reflect problems that authors in the history up to the 20th century had with this very category (like overlaps with certain verb types or with nouns, according to adjective classes). With varying breadth and depth, the sources taken into account concern Pamean, namely Northern, Southern and Central Pame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban adaptation to climate change is a global challenge requiring a broad response that can be informed by how urban societies in the past responded to environmental shocks. Yet, interdisciplinary efforts to leverage insights from the urban past have been stymied by disciplinary silos and entrenched misconceptions regarding the nature and diversity of premodern human settlements and institutions, especially in the case of prehispanic Mesoamerica. Long recognized as a distinct cultural region, prehispanic Mesoamerica was the setting for one of the world's original urbanization episodes despite the impediments to communication and resource extraction due to the lack of beasts of burden and wheeled transport, and the limited and relatively late use of metal implements. Our knowledge of prehispanic urbanism in Mesoamerica has been significantly enhanced over the past two decades due to significant advances in excavating, analyzing, and contextualizing archaeological materials. We now understand that Mesoamerican urbanism was as much a story about resilience and adaptation to environmental change as it was about collapse. Here we call for a dialogue among Mesoamerican urban archaeologists, sustainability scientists, and researchers interested in urban adaptation to climate change through a synthetic perspective on the organizational diversity of urbanism. Such a dialogue, seeking insights into what facilitates and hinders urban adaptation to environmental change, can be animated by shifting the long-held emphasis on failure and collapse to a more empirically grounded account of resilience and the factors that fostered adaptation and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Anuario de Historia Regional y de las Fronteras is the property of Universidad Industrial de Santander and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

High‐quality records of hydroclimate variability in central Mexico during the last 2000 years are necessary to better understand human–environment interactions in Mesoamerica. Of particular interest are the climatic conditions during the Epiclassic period (ad 600–900), as droughts have been associated with a cultural demise occurring around ad 900–1000. We reconstruct the hydroclimate history of the last 2000 years based on a sediment record from a drought‐sensitive lake located near one of the most important Epiclassic city‐states in Mesoamerica. Titanium concentrations, pollen and diatoms give a consistent environmental signal of five droughts occurring at about: (i) ad 50–250, (ii) ad 700–950, (iii) ad 1200–1300, (iv) ad 1450–1550 and (v) ad 1760–1820. Some droughts were associated with cooler climatic conditions, and all of them framed major historical events. Our results show that the great cultural development of the Epiclassic period (ad 600–900) was framed by a scenario of drought conditions followed by abandonment at ad 900–1000. A brief return to moister conditions is recorded before another drought during the time of the fall of the city‐state of Tula (1200). European contact (1521) and the War of Independence (1810–20) also occurred during times of drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) spreads efficiently among all human populations worldwide. HBV is classified into ten genotypes (A to J) with their geographic distribution and clinical features. In Mexico, HBV genotype H is the leading cause of hepatitis B and has been detected in indigenous populations, suggesting that HBV genotype H may be native to Mexico. However, little is known about the evolutionary history of HBV genotype H. Thus, we aimed to determine the age of HBV genotype H in Mexico using molecular dating techniques. Ninety-two HBV sequences of the reverse transcriptase (RT) domain of the polymerase gene (~1,251 bp) were analyzed; 48 were genotype H, 43 were genotype F, and the oldest HBV sequence from America was included as the root. All sequences were aligned, and the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) time was calculated using the Bayesian Skyline Evolutionary Analysis. Our results estimate a TMRCA for the genotype H in Mexico of 2070.9 (667.5-4489.2) years before the present (YBP). We identified four major diversification events in genotype H, named H1, H2, H3, and H4. The TMRCA of H1 was 1213.0 (253.3-2638.3) YBP, followed by H2 1175.5 (557.5-2424.2) YBP, H3 949.6 (279.3-2105.0) YBP, and H4 1230.5 (336.3, 2756.7) YBP. We estimated that genotype H diverged from its sister genotype F around 8140.8 (1867.5-18012.8) YBP. In conclusion, this study found that genotype H in Mexico has an estimated age of 2070.9 (667.5-4489.2) YBP and has experienced at least four major diversification events since then. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pointing with the chin is a practice attested worldwide: it is an effective and highly recognizable device for re-orienting the attention of the addressee. For the chin point to be observed, the addressee must attend carefully to the movements of the sender's head. This demand comes into conflict with the politeness norms of many cultures, since these often require conversationalists to avoid meeting the gaze of their interlocutor, and can require them to look away from their interlocutor's face and head. In this paper we explore how the chin point is successfully used in just such a culture, among the Chatino indigenous group of Oaxaca, Mexico. We analyze interactions between multiple dyads of Chatino speakers, examining how senders invite visual attention to the pointing gesture, and how addressees signal that attention, while both participants avoid stretches of mutual gaze. We find that in the Chatino context, the senior (or higher-status) party to the conversation is highly consistent in training their gaze away from their interlocutor. This allows their interlocutor to give visual attention to their face without the risk of meeting the gaze of a higher-status sender, and facilitates close attention to head movements including the chin point. Abstracts in Spanish and Quiahije Chatino are published as appendices. Se incluyen como apéndices resúmenes en español y en el chatino de San Juan Quiahije. SonG ktyiC reC inH, ngyaqC skaE ktyiC noE ndaH sonB naF ngaJ noI ngyaqC loE ktyiC reC, ngyaqC ranF chaqE xlyaK qoE chaqF jnyaJ noA ndywiqA renqA KchinA KyqyaC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teotihuacan, the main city of the Classic period in Central Mexico (ca. 150/200–650 CE), was among many things, a colorful city. Through its application on mural painting, ceramics, lapidary, bone, textiles, and the human body itself, coloring materials gave meaning to the Teotihuacan reality. This research presents color as a socio-technological phenomenon from the archaeology of color, the anthropology of technology, and the application of the concept of technological style. From this scope, pictorial palettes of mural painting fragments from three Teotihuacan architectural compounds were studied by digital microscopy, colorimetry, fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) in order to identify the color technology of pigments. This approach led us to identify materials shared by the three studied compounds, red and yellow earths, cinnabar, malachite, pseudomalachite, azurite, and the Teotihuacan grayish blue, found to contain a mix of bone black with calcite. Our results contribute to the discussion on the use of raw materials and their mixtures. We observed a standardization of pigment technology in Teotihuacan mural painting through the use of shared and standard formulations with four indicators that we propose as markers of a technological style for pigments, along with variations in the color materials that evidence the use of different strategies for the procurement and distribution of raw materials among the diverse architectural assemblages of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical geological events and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations have played important roles in shaping distribution and population differentiation across taxa. The buff-bellied hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis) is widely distributed along the Gulf of Mexico slope and the Yucatan Peninsula. Here, we obtained measurements and sequenced two mitochondrial DNA fragments from currently recognized subspecies: Amazilia yucatanensis yucatanensis (YUC), Amazilia yucatanensis cerviniventris (CER) and Amazilia yucatanensis chalconota (CHA). Additionally, we tested for their genetic and morphological differentiation, demographic expansion, palaeoclimatic distribution and niche overlap. Our results reveal genetic differentiation between two groups of populations: (1) from the Yucatan Peninsula to Veracruz (YUC+CER); and (2) from Veracruz to Tamaulipas (CHA). Neutrality tests and Bayesian skyline plots suggest past demographic expansion without changes in the effective population size over time. The potential distribution was fragmented at the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and expanded northwards during the Last Glacial Maximum and Mid-Holocene to current conditions. Niche overlap was higher between YUC and CER. The environmental space occupied by subspecies was more similar to each other than expected by chance but significantly non-equivalent. Our results provide new insight on the distribution of this widespread hummingbird species and suggest that fragmentation during glaciations and differences in habitat have played a role in the recent diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrocomia aculeata is a tree palm species widely distributed throughout the Neotropics, from Mexico to Argentina including some Caribbean islands. The oil from the fruit is used for biodiesel production, human consumption, and biomass fuel. Despite the need to better understand its genetic diversity for commercial use and conservation, genetic diversity and structure knowledge of this species is scarce in Mesoamerica. We used microsatellite markers to analyze 185 samples of A. aculeata, from 18 sampling sites, that essentially covered geographic distribution of this species in Costa Rica. We found low genetic diversity across sampling sites, with He values below 0.50 which, is lower than diversity levels found in South America. Interestingly, samples collected in the national parks Santa Rosa and Rincon de la Vieja National exhibited the highest genetic diversity (He = 0.42 and He = 0.50, respectively). The 18 sampling sites were structured in three clusters. Cluster A contains samples collected in the lower northwestern Pacific, Central Pacific, and Central Region of Costa Rica. Cluster B consisted of samples from sites in the upper northwestern Pacific. Cluster C contains samples from the southeastern Pacific region, being largely separated from Clusters A and B which was supported by the highest differentiation coefficients. This is the first large genetic diversity study of A. aculeata in Mesoamerica; therefore, our results serve as reference for future studies on germplasm diversity studies in this region and a baseline for future conservation and management efforts of A. aculeata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin contains one of the richest biodiversity landscapes of the Maya region. Our research is based on (1) an integrative literature review of the geomorphological and archaeological papers published about the lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin and (2) topographic analysis of digital elevation models using a geographical information system to explore the relationship between past human settlement and landscape accessibility along the coastal plain of Tabasco. This work provides a new synthesis of previous research and proposes new models for the geomorphic evolution of the lower Usumacinta–Grijalva River Basin in the context of four millennia of human land use and settlement. For the evolution of the strand-plain of the Usumacinta and Grijalva rivers, there are two published geochronological models that provide different chronologies. We discuss here how both geochronological models encompass Pre-Columbian human settlement in the delta. Interestingly, we notice that one of them overlaps a possible high-magnitude flood event (or events) that drove large geomorphic change around 750 CE (1200 BP), with implications for settlement patterns and chronology. Based on topographical analysis of the eastern-distal sector of the Usumacinta–Grijalva delta, we propose a new model for the evolution of this area with implications for the human occupation during the Mesoamerican Terminal Classic and Early Postclassic on the delta. As one of the main conclusions, we propose that the Pom–Atasta water bodies predate much of the Usumacinta–Grijalva delta and the most recent phase of delta building overlays the original lagoon barriers, resulting in a geomorphic setting more attractive to local human occupation after the Terminal Classic period. According to one of the geochronological models of the delta, this dates to ca. 900 CE, preceding the establishment of nearby settlements such as Atasta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]