Archaeology and Identity on the Pacific Coast and Southern Highlands of Mesoamerica

ThePacificcoastandsouthernhighlandsofChiapasandGuatemalaisaregionsignificanttodebatesabouttheoriginsofsocialcomplexity,interaction,andcolonialism.Thearea,however,hasreceivedunevenattentionandmuchofwhatweknowislargelyrestrictedtothePreclassicperiod.Thistheoreticallyeclecticvolumepresentsgreatertemporalcoverage,isgeographicallyunified,andengagessomeofthemostimportantquestionsofeachperiodthroughadiscussionofthearchaeologyofidentity.Chaptersrangefromtraditionalassessmentsofidentitytodiscussionofpracticeandrelationalpersonhood;allshareaconcernforhowarchaeologyandethnohistoryprovideopportunitiesandchallengesinthereconstructionofidentities.