ABSTRACT

Treating the Middle Preclassic period in the Maya Lowlands as a single block of time ignores the dynamic changes that occurred over its 700 years. Recent research indicates that the egalitarian villages at 1100/1000 BC were considerably different than hierarchical communities that existed at 300 BC. In this chapter we review recent research on E Groups and ballcourts and argue that both served as nodes of religious and economic activities during this period, fostering a sense of community, while at the same time providing opportunities for nascent elites to elevate their status through the sponsorship of ceremonies at these critical places.