This article was originally published in 1962, by American Anthropologist; it studies the agriculture in the Maya Lowlands during the 1960’s to better understand the agriculture techniques of the ancient Mayan civilization. In addition, the study utilized the data to explain why the decrease in the Mayan population over time. It was determined that prior to performing the study that the climate was that of a tropical rainforest and that the climate had no changes from ancient Mayan time until now. In addition, the only changes that had occurred in the swidden agriculture were the materials used to create the tools. In the Pre Classic time, the Mayans used stone for their tools, in the 1960’s the tools has changed to steel knives and axes.
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This lake is near the center of the Southern Maya Lowlands. The research consisted of 40 local farmers, eight that were in the local vicinity, and others which were in the surrounding Lowlands. Each farmer was interviewed and information collected consisted of technique, proportion of yield to fallow year, actual numbers of years the field was used, along with number of resting years, normal yield amounts, type of plants used, field size, and family size. The field work established that the population was approximately 100 to 200 people and that each household consisted of approximately 5 people. It established that a household with one male, his wife and children could care for 13 acres of land. In addition, for survival the article established that each person would consume approximately 1.7 lbs. of maize per person per day with an annual consumption of 1,155 lbs. per person of shelled maize (off the cob). Additional crops planted consisted of beans and cucurbits. With that being said, the article established that a lot of time was not needed to work the fields and that other time could be used to construct monuments and be set aside for special …show more content…
This technique required large plots of land, approximately 4.1 acres per person in the family. The technique required an individual to cut down a plot of forest, allow it to dry, and then burn it. The purpose of burning the land was to allow the nutrients created from burning it to enter back into the ground; therefore, fertilizing the crop. Once the fields were burned no further work needed to be done. The farmer would essentially just drop the seeds on the ground and allow them to grown. This technique would allow for the crop to yield more in the first year and less in the second. The decreases in yields were primarily due to the decrease in soil nutrients. Therefore, a period of rest would have to take place after no more than 2 years of planting. Some people that were interviewed explained that the period of rest was anywhere from 1 to 4 years. However, the article indicated that the longer period of rest the better it was to regain the required nutrients for a better yield upon return. In addition, the author discovered the Mayan’s could not use the grass lands or weed areas due to the soil being different and the fields not
This lake is near the center of the Southern Maya Lowlands. The research consisted of 40 local farmers, eight that were in the local vicinity, and others which were in the surrounding Lowlands. Each farmer was interviewed and information collected consisted of technique, proportion of yield to fallow year, actual numbers of years the field was used, along with number of resting years, normal yield amounts, type of plants used, field size, and family size. The field work established that the population was approximately 100 to 200 people and that each household consisted of approximately 5 people. It established that a household with one male, his wife and children could care for 13 acres of land. In addition, for survival the article established that each person would consume approximately 1.7 lbs. of maize per person per day with an annual consumption of 1,155 lbs. per person of shelled maize (off the cob). Additional crops planted consisted of beans and cucurbits. With that being said, the article established that a lot of time was not needed to work the fields and that other time could be used to construct monuments and be set aside for special …show more content…
This technique required large plots of land, approximately 4.1 acres per person in the family. The technique required an individual to cut down a plot of forest, allow it to dry, and then burn it. The purpose of burning the land was to allow the nutrients created from burning it to enter back into the ground; therefore, fertilizing the crop. Once the fields were burned no further work needed to be done. The farmer would essentially just drop the seeds on the ground and allow them to grown. This technique would allow for the crop to yield more in the first year and less in the second. The decreases in yields were primarily due to the decrease in soil nutrients. Therefore, a period of rest would have to take place after no more than 2 years of planting. Some people that were interviewed explained that the period of rest was anywhere from 1 to 4 years. However, the article indicated that the longer period of rest the better it was to regain the required nutrients for a better yield upon return. In addition, the author discovered the Mayan’s could not use the grass lands or weed areas due to the soil being different and the fields not