Maya Coastal Production, Exchange, Life Style, and Population Mobility: a View from the Port of Xcambo, Yucatan, Mexico

Research at the coastal site of Xcambo, Mexico, reveals a dynamic shift in Classic period Maya trade networks, marked by increasing diversity and geographic mobility among merchants. By integrating archaeological, bioarchaeological, and chemical analyses, the study documents a reorientation in exchange routes linking Xcambo to broader Maya and Veracruz regions. This period also saw growing cultural affiliations, likely reflecting intensified trade dynamics that preceded the so-called 'Maya collapse' around 700 AD. The findings suggest the rise of Chichen Itza as a dominant merchant power, which may have contributed to Xcambo's rapid decline.

Sosa, T. S., Cucina, A., Price, T. D., Burton, J. H., & Tiesler, V. (2014). MAYA COASTAL PRODUCTION, EXCHANGE, LIFE STYLE, AND POPULATION MOBILITY: A VIEW FROM THE PORT OF XCAMBO, YUCATAN, MEXICO. Ancient Mesoamerica, 25(1), 221–238. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0956536114000133