El Manejo de un Paisaje Construido: Aprovechamiento y Explotación de los Recursos Vegetales y Faunísticos en Chinikihá, Chiapas ETNOBIOLOGÍA 14 (1): 5-23 ISSN 1665-2703

The archaeological site of Chinikihá, with its main occupation during the Late Classic Period (AD 700-900), is located within the northwestern Lowlands of the Maya area. It is surrounded by a large variety of ecosystems, rich in animal and vegetal resources that the site inhabitants exploited for their daily and ritual activities. The Proyecto Arqueológico Chinikihá (PRACH) has conducted a systematic collection of zooarchaeological and archaeobtanical samples from a midden associated with the Palace, in the ceremonial core of the site. The results suggest a diversified exploitation pattern. Presently, more than 53 plant genres have been identified of which 24 belong to the acahual, a type of secondary vegetation. Furthermore, the  zooarchaeological data coincide with the archaeobotanical results, suggesting an exploitation pattern focused on wild species, which come primarily from the acahual and adjacent agricultural land (milpa). The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the dominant species. The faunal and vegetal results were then compared to contemporary data from modern Maya groups. It was possible to observe a series of similarities and differences that support our hypotheses that first, the landscape was modified by the inhabitants of Chinikihá, and secondly, that there was a heavy dependence on the wild resources for the celebration of ritual feasts.