84 Geoarchaeology of Sites to Landscapes: Current Research on Long-Term Water and Soil Management and Maladaptation, Part I

This session brings together geoarchaeological projects from around the world that study ancient water and soil or agricultural management. This session will compare techniques, timing, and evidence for adaptation to past and present environmental changes.

Monday, 20 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 214D

Rivers, Reservoirs, and Resilience: Community Dam Construction through Maya History

Paper number: 84-10
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Authors

Abstract

Water management was a cornerstone of Maya civilization, shaping settlement patterns, agricultural productivity, and community resilience. This paper examines the construction and maintenance of dams and reservoirs from the Classic period and bridges connections to water management efforts by modern-day Maya communities. By integrating archaeological evidence and ethnographic observations, it highlights how these hydraulic structures were not merely engineering feats but also social and political instruments that reinforced communal cooperation and environmental stewardship. Archaeological investigations reveal that Classic Maya communities developed sophisticated dam and reservoir systems to regulate seasonal rainfall and mitigate droughts. These constructions required coordinated labor, long-term planning, and intricate knowledge of local hydrology, illustrating the interdependence of technological skill and social organization. Beyond their functional role, dams may also have served as focal points for collective identity, ritual activity, and negotiation of social hierarchies. By tracing the legacy of these water systems into the present, this study also explores how modern Maya communities use similar strategies to address contemporary challenges. In areas still reliant on traditional water management techniques, lessons from ancient dam construction inform strategies for resilience against climate variability, offering insights into sustainable practices rooted in centuries of localized experience. The study of Maya dams and reservoirs underscores the enduring relationship between human societies and their landscapes, revealing how ancient engineering, collective action, and environmental knowledge continue to shape the ways communities respond to water-related challenges.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414937

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