The Daily Life of the Ancient Maya: Archaeological Work of Front 2, Section 6

The archaeological studies conducted as part of the Tren Maya project have provided insights into everything from large monuments to the daily life of the ancient Maya. One such case is the work carried out in Front 2, Section 6, which allows us to gain a closer understanding of how the ancient Maya lived. These efforts, led by Dr. Manuel Pérez Rivas, involved the help of archaeologists, specialists from various fields, manual laborers, and skilled masons, with support from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the INAH Quintana Roo Center, and the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA). One example is monument T6_04036, which contained two rooms, two hearth arrangements, and a chultún on its upper part, along with common-use ceramic materials. Another example is monument T6_83004, which was associated with three retaining walls, and archaeological materials such as metates and common-use ceramics were found. Lastly, we have the foundations T6_41083 and T6_41024, which also contained common-use ceramics.

Formation of Daily Life

The examples of the foundations mentioned earlier provide INAH archaeologists with several elements that help interpret their use for everyday life and housing. One case is the coarse ceramics, which, due to their lack of finishing and thickness, required minimal processing during production and were more resistant to daily use. Metates are another example; being stone objects of great durability, they were commonly used for grinding grains and food in daily life. Another example of lithic material found in Front 2, Section 6, was the polishers—thick stones used to polish various objects, such as ceramics or even the stone tools used by the ancient Maya.

Finally, the use of space is another element that helps archaeologists infer that the monuments found were used for everyday purposes. One example is the use of more open access points, the use of retaining walls to define spaces, and the presence of open areas designated for common use.

These elements, along with the association of other monuments found in the field, help archaeologists and specialists determine that certain areas may have been used for common, private, sacred, or political purposes. In this particular case of Front 2, Section 6, the space uncovered and excavated was identified as housing and areas for everyday use.

The knowledge of space usage and daily life is gained through the archaeological work conducted with the support of INAH, the INAH Quintana Roo Center, the government of Quintana Roo, the Quintana Roo Strategic Projects Agency (AGREPO), and BIENESTAR.