Drafts by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
Juneteenth in Texas, 2019
Panels drafted for a proposed exhibit on the history of Juneteenth. This exhibit was proposed as ... more Panels drafted for a proposed exhibit on the history of Juneteenth. This exhibit was proposed as part of the efforts aimed at revitalizing the African American section of the Institute of Texan Cultures. The following panels were researched and developed as part of a Graduate Student Internship in 2019, via the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Papers by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
In the area of the ancient Maya Lowlands, there is an architectural tradition just recently comin... more In the area of the ancient Maya Lowlands, there is an architectural tradition just recently coming to light in regional scholarship. Round structures, sometime referred to as platforms based on their low height and usual lack of superstructure, are low circular constructions that appear to flourish in the Preclassic Period (900 BCAD 300). However, after the transition to the Classic Period (AD 300900), these round forms are entirely replaced by a more rectilinear building tradition. The relative popularity of the round structures -present in many sites across the region -and the sudden abandonment of the form has intrigued Maya scholars. One such structure was partially excavated at the site of Cahal Pech in the Upper Belize River Valley in the 2012 field season. The structure appeared to fit the current pattern having an apparent Preclassic date based on excavation depths and stratigraphy. The function of this structure and others like it remained elusive at the time of excavation....
Conference Presentations by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
1st Annual KULCHA Symposium, 2021
Collaborative archaeology is an approach that promotes the inclusion of modern, indigenous commun... more Collaborative archaeology is an approach that promotes the inclusion of modern, indigenous communities in the study of the ancient past. In the Maya area, local communities have recently become more involved with archaeological research at multiple stages, including research design, data collection, and community outreach. At the same time, advances in the qualitative and quantitative study of early ceramics have allowed archaeologists to further elucidate ancient Maya chronology, economy, and socio-political structure. A project design which integrates these recent developments emphasizes the incorporation of local community knowledge into the study of ancient Maya ceramics. This paper, which offers a broad overview of the history of collaborative efforts in the Maya region, serves as a preliminary discussion of a collaborative project established with a local, traditional potter in the village of San Jose Succotz, adjacent to the site of Xunantunich, Belize. The knowledge produced by this project will allow local potters to incorporate ancient techniques into their craft and advance archaeological understandings of ancient ceramics. Further, this introduction of inclusivity into the design and execution of research will help ensure that the knowledge produced is accessible to actors who have traditionally been excluded from academic discourse.
2nd Annual KULCHA Symposium, 2022
The value of ceramic sherds and vessels to the archaeologist extends far beyond the chronology of... more The value of ceramic sherds and vessels to the archaeologist extends far beyond the chronology of a site. Ceramic production and distribution data, for example, reveal information about ancient lifeways, ideologies, and movement across a landscape, ultimately telling us more about the people behind the pottery. In this paper, I will discuss a case study from the Mopan River valley. The study compares ceramic assemblages from the hinterland site of San Lorenzo and the ritual center of Early Xunantunich to build an understanding of how ceramics are differentially produced and distributed across these two contexts. The goal of this study is to highlight the social, ritual, and economic relationships between the sites that are materialized in the ceramic assemblages. Further comparison to assemblages from the sites of Cahal Pech and Barton Ramie, both situated west along the Belize River, reveals broader regional patterns of distribution, suggesting that, while Early Xunantunich maintained a relationship with these sites, they also produced their own variety of ceramics.
3rd Annual KULCHA Symposium, 2023
In any society, food and cuisine are integral parts of cultural identity and tradition. Food and ... more In any society, food and cuisine are integral parts of cultural identity and tradition. Food and recipes can be as much about memory and place-making as they are about nourishment. In the modern day, the rich tapestry of Belizean cultural traditions can be found from hudut to bollos and everywhere in between. The same may be said of the historic period as well, when different groups negotiated new sociopolitical colonial structures enacted in British Honduras. In this paper, we discuss the historic site of San Pedro Siris, Cayo, and the ways that migrating Maya populations navigated the new relationships between tradition, colonial economy, and even economic independence through cuisine. We investigate the cooking and serving wares found at San Pedro Siris to highlight the complex relationships between identity, politics, economy, and food.
Thesis Chapters by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
PhD Dissertation, 2024
This project develops a testable model to study Middle Preclassic (1000-300 BCE) ceramics from tw... more This project develops a testable model to study Middle Preclassic (1000-300 BCE) ceramics from two sites in the Mopan River valley. Early Xunantunich and San Lorenzo may typically be considered opposite ends of the sociopolitical scale. Early Xunantunich boasted monumental construction as early as 800 BCE and likely served as a location of communally integrative feasting and ritual performances. Visible from this early monumental site was the Middle Preclassic community of San Lorenzo, represented archaeologically by few known perishable dwellings and a large, buried chultun.
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Drafts by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
Papers by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
Conference Presentations by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD
Thesis Chapters by Alessandra Villarreal, PhD