In this study, we employ multiple lines of evidence to elucidate the use of mortuary ritual by the ruling elite at the ancient Maya site of Cahal Pech, Belize, during the Early Classic and early Late Classic periods (AD 250–630). The interments of multiple individuals in Burial 7 of Structure B1, the central structure of an Eastern Triadic Assemblage or “E-group” style architectural complex, were in a manner not consistent with the greater Belize River Valley, the only multiple individual human burial yet encountered at Cahal Pech. The sequential interments contained a suggestive quantity of high-quality artifacts, further setting them apart from their contemporaries. Among these artifacts were a set of bone rings and a hairpin inscribed with hieroglyphs, some of the few inscriptions ever found at Cahal Pech. We analyzed regional mortuary patterns, radiogenic strontium values, and radiocarbon data to test hypotheses about who these individuals were in life, why they were treated differently in death, and to reconstruct the sequence of events of this complex mortuary deposit. We contend that the mortuary practices in Burial 7 indicate an attempt by the Cahal Pech elite to identify with cities or regions outside the Belize River Valley area.

Despite a large and growing corpus of research, the Mesoamerican Formative period remains a contested topic for American archaeology. This condition describes multiple areas of research, not least of which is the nature and significance of interregional interaction. In this introductory essay, the editors present a condensed synopsis of the research on interaction that has been most influential in the study of Mesoamerica. Considering schools of thought as disparate as economic studies focused on energetics and obsidian exchange to agency models for the community dynamics and “unintended consequences” of the Formative period, the authors explore our own academic backgrounds, biases, and disagreements. By highlighting some of the negotiations involved in the production of this prospectus and in gathering together the chapters in this edited collection, the authors hope to present an introduction that is candid, informative, and also original. Many introductions to the Formative period exist in the literature, not a few of which are coauthored. Rarely do such essays openly explore areas of disagreement and tensions among the coauthors, and we intend for this chapter to use that strategy as a novel way to explore some of the diverse perspectives that exist today about the Mesoamerican Formative period.

The Early Formative Mexican community of Tlatilco (1400–1100 cal BCE) is known for its diverse ceramic traditions that testify to the elaborate craftsmanship and the hierarchical distribution of labor. Since Tlatilco was discovered in the 1930s by Miguel Covarrubias, the understanding of the site has changed; during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, Tlatilco was excavated, revealing the dynamics of the site, with the objective of establishing the chronology and preserving the many burials. However, much material remains unstudied. The research for this chapter involved gathering iconographic and archaeological data from collections all over North America. It mainly focuses on the variation within the material expression of this ancient culture. Through comparative techniques and utilizing advanced laboratory analysis, the diversity of the community of Tlatilco and its neighbors is being investigated to understand better what constitutes Tlatilcan material culture. Finally, how their identities changed and shifted due to contact with their contemporaries, both pre-and post-Olmec contact, has been discussed.