Yoʼokop is an ancient Maya city located in the Cochuah region of central Quintana Roo, Mexico. This area is best known as the center of the Caste War of Yucatán waged during the 19th century, that resulted in an independent Maya state governed from the city of Chan Santa Cruz.
The site was first publicized by the archaeologist Herbert Spinden along with the New York Times journalist Gregory Mason during the 1920s, but intensive scrutiny did not begin until the 21st century. Recent archaeological work at Yoʼokop has revealed that it was a large and significant urban center before the Spanish Conquest. It was continuously inhabited from the Formative Period through the Postclassic Period, as revealed by the presence of datable ceramic sherds and architecture. The name of the site, Yoʼokop refers to a large shallow lake at the southern end of the settlement. (“Yo” is an article and “Okop” means lake. In older scholarship the site is referred to without the article as Okop.)
The grandeur of Yoʼokop can be demonstrated by the fact that the site contains a pyramid (S4W1-1) overgrown with vegetation that is 28 meters tall—only two meters shorter than the celebrated Castillo of Chichen Itza. The site is organized around four groups of architecture made from stone and other enduring materials. These groups are connected with raised roads (sacbeob). The areas between these larger groups contained houses made from perishable materials that are no longer easy to see.
An archaeological project was instigated at Yoʼokop in 2000 under the directorship of Justine Shaw and Dave Johnstone. As of 2009 their team has studied Yoʼokop through mapping, ceramic analysis, and test pits. Their initial data shows how the site was organized, fitted within trade networks, and changed over time. Recognizing the significance of the area, in 2003 they expanded their project into a survey of the broader Cochuah region. One scholar affiliated with the project, Johan Normark, has done research that is notable for its use of theories about material culture and "agency".
Linnea Wren and Travis Nygard have analyzed the monumental record of Yoʼokop in terms of both sacred and "gendered" space. Sculpture at the site includes two freestanding stelae of male rulers and a wall panel of a male ball player—all three of which are rendered in low-relief. The site also includes carefully carved hieroglyphic stair risers describing a queen (Kaloomte Na Chaʼak Kab) who may have ruled at Yoʼokop under the overlord Sky Witness from Calakmul or Dzoyola. The risers were not found in-situ. (For information on Sky Witness, see the work of Simon Martin and Nicolai Grube.)
Prior to Shaw and Johnstone's project the site had been best-studied by Reginald Wilson, who published his findings during the 1970s. A brief visit to the site was also made during the 1950s by the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
Scholarshipedit
Flores Colin, Alberto G., Dave Johnstone, Justine M. Shaw, Jorge Pablo Huerta Rodríguez, and Johan Normark. "U Chibal Be: A Road of Linage, the Mapping of Yoʼokop's Sacbe 2." In Final Report of the Cochuah Regional Archaeological Survey's 2008 Field Season, edited by Justine M. Shaw, 7-36. Eureka, CA: College of the Redwoods, 2008.
Johnstone, Dave. "The Ceramic Placement of Yoʼokop: Chronological and Regional Considerations." In Quintana Roo Archaeology, edited by Justine M. Shaw and Jennifer P. Mathews, 158-65. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2005.
Martin, Simon, and Nikolai Grube. Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya. Rev. ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2008.
Mason, Gregory. Silver Cities of Yucatan. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1927.
Normark, Johan. "The Roads in-Between: Causeways and Polyagentive Networks at Ichmul and Yoʼokop, Cochuah Region, Mexico." Doctoral Dissertation, Göteborg University, 2006.
Nygard, Travis, Kaylee Spencer, and Linnea Wren. "Contemplating Carvings at the Feet of Queen Chaak Kab: Using Mixed Methodology to Understand Sculpture at Yoʼokop." In The Maya of the Cochuah Region: Archaeological and Ethnographic Perspectives on the Northern Lowlands. Edited by Justine Shaw. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2015: 57-76.
Shaw, Justine M. "The Late to Terminal Classic Settlement Shifts at Yoʼokop." In Quintana Roo Archaeology, edited by Justine M. Shaw and Jennifer P. Mathews, 144-57. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2005.
Shaw, Justine M. White Roads of the Yucatán: Changing Social Landscapes of the Yucatec Maya. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2008.
Shaw, Justine M., Sandra Bever, Annie Hanks, Tara Holman, Dave Johnstone, Maya Kashak, Christopher Lloyd, and Veronica Miranda. Final Report of Proyecto Arqueológico Yoʼokop's 2002 Field Season: Excavations and Continued Mapping. Edited by Justine M. Shaw. Eureka, CA: College of the Redwoods, 2002.
Shaw, Justine M., Dave Johnstone, Maya Kashak, Ruth Krochock, Travis Nygard, and Linnea Wren. Final Report of the Selz Foundation's Proyecto Arqueológico Yoʼokop 2001 Field Season: Excavations and Continued Mapping. Edited by Justine M. Shaw. Eureka, CA: College of the Redwoods, 2001.
Shaw, Justine M., Dave Johnstone, and Ruth Krochock. Final Report of the 2000 Yoʼokop Field Season: Initial Mapping and Surface Collections. Eureka, CA: College of the Redwoods, 2000.
Shaw, Justine M., and Jennifer P. Mathews, eds. Quintana Roo Archaeology. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2005.
Strömsvik, G., H. E. D. Pollock, and H. Berlin. "Exploration in Quintana Roo." In Carnegie Institution of Washington Year Book No. 53, July 1, 1953 – June 30, 1954, 289-92. Washington, DC, 1954.
Wilson, Reginald. "Okop: Antigua Ciudad Maya De Artesanos." INAH Boletín Epoca II, no. 9 (1974): 3-14.
Wren, Linnea, Travis Nygard, and Justine Shaw. "The Shifting Spatial Nexus of an Urban Maya Landscape: A Case Study of Architecture, Sculpture, and Ceramics at Yoʼokop." In Maya Imagery, Architecture. and Activity: Space and Spatial Analysis in Art History. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2015: 306-343.
Wren, Linnea, and Travis Nygard. "Witnessed at Yoʼokop: Images and Texts of Rulers in a Watery Realm." In Quintana Roo Archaeology, edited by Justine M. Shaw and Jennifer P. Mathews, 166-82. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2005.
External linksedit
Cochuah Regional Archaeological Survey
Proyecto Arqueologico Yoʼokop
April 12, 2024
yoʼokop, ancient, maya, city, located, cochuah, region, central, quintana, mexico, this, area, best, known, center, caste, yucatán, waged, during, 19th, century, that, resulted, independent, maya, state, governed, from, city, chan, santa, cruz, site, first, pu. Yoʼokop is an ancient Maya city located in the Cochuah region of central Quintana Roo Mexico This area is best known as the center of the Caste War of Yucatan waged during the 19th century that resulted in an independent Maya state governed from the city of Chan Santa Cruz The site was first publicized by the archaeologist Herbert Spinden along with the New York Times journalist Gregory Mason during the 1920s but intensive scrutiny did not begin until the 21st century Recent archaeological work at Yoʼokop has revealed that it was a large and significant urban center before the Spanish Conquest It was continuously inhabited from the Formative Period through the Postclassic Period as revealed by the presence of datable ceramic sherds and architecture The name of the site Yoʼokop refers to a large shallow lake at the southern end of the settlement Yo is an article and Okop means lake In older scholarship the site is referred to without the article as Okop The grandeur of Yoʼokop can be demonstrated by the fact that the site contains a pyramid S4W1 1 overgrown with vegetation that is 28 meters tall only two meters shorter than the celebrated Castillo of Chichen Itza The site is organized around four groups of architecture made from stone and other enduring materials These groups are connected with raised roads sacbeob The areas between these larger groups contained houses made from perishable materials that are no longer easy to see An archaeological project was instigated at Yoʼokop in 2000 under the directorship of Justine Shaw and Dave Johnstone As of 2009 their team has studied Yoʼokop through mapping ceramic analysis and test pits Their initial data shows how the site was organized fitted within trade networks and changed over time Recognizing the significance of the area in 2003 they expanded their project into a survey of the broader Cochuah region One scholar affiliated with the project Johan Normark has done research that is notable for its use of theories about material culture and agency Linnea Wren and Travis Nygard have analyzed the monumental record of Yoʼokop in terms of both sacred and gendered space Sculpture at the site includes two freestanding stelae of male rulers and a wall panel of a male ball player all three of which are rendered in low relief The site also includes carefully carved hieroglyphic stair risers describing a queen Kaloomte Na Chaʼak Kab who may have ruled at Yoʼokop under the overlord Sky Witness from Calakmul or Dzoyola The risers were not found in situ For information on Sky Witness see the work of Simon Martin and Nicolai Grube Prior to Shaw and Johnstone s project the site had been best studied by Reginald Wilson who published his findings during the 1970s A brief visit to the site was also made during the 1950s by the Carnegie Institution of Washington Scholarship editFlores Colin Alberto G Dave Johnstone Justine M Shaw Jorge Pablo Huerta Rodriguez and Johan Normark U Chibal Be A Road of Linage the Mapping of Yoʼokop s Sacbe 2 In Final Report of the Cochuah Regional Archaeological Survey s 2008 Field Season edited by Justine M Shaw 7 36 Eureka CA College of the Redwoods 2008 Johnstone Dave The Ceramic Placement of Yoʼokop Chronological and Regional Considerations In Quintana Roo Archaeology edited by Justine M Shaw and Jennifer P Mathews 158 65 Tucson University of Arizona Press 2005 Martin Simon and Nikolai Grube Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya Rev ed London Thames amp Hudson 2008 Mason Gregory Silver Cities of Yucatan New York G P Putnam s Sons 1927 Normark Johan The Roads in Between Causeways and Polyagentive Networks at Ichmul and Yoʼokop Cochuah Region Mexico Doctoral Dissertation Goteborg University 2006 Nygard Travis Kaylee Spencer and Linnea Wren Contemplating Carvings at the Feet of Queen Chaak Kab Using Mixed Methodology to Understand Sculpture at Yoʼokop In The Maya of the Cochuah Region Archaeological and Ethnographic Perspectives on the Northern Lowlands Edited by Justine Shaw Albuquerque University of New Mexico Press 2015 57 76 Shaw Justine M The Late to Terminal Classic Settlement Shifts at Yoʼokop In Quintana Roo Archaeology edited by Justine M Shaw and Jennifer P Mathews 144 57 Tucson University of Arizona Press 2005 Shaw Justine M White Roads of the Yucatan Changing Social Landscapes of the Yucatec Maya Tucson University of Arizona Press 2008 Shaw Justine M Sandra Bever Annie Hanks Tara Holman Dave Johnstone Maya Kashak Christopher Lloyd and Veronica Miranda Final Report of Proyecto Arqueologico Yoʼokop s 2002 Field Season Excavations and Continued Mapping Edited by Justine M Shaw Eureka CA College of the Redwoods 2002 Shaw Justine M Dave Johnstone Maya Kashak Ruth Krochock Travis Nygard and Linnea Wren Final Report of the Selz Foundation s Proyecto Arqueologico Yoʼokop 2001 Field Season Excavations and Continued Mapping Edited by Justine M Shaw Eureka CA College of the Redwoods 2001 Shaw Justine M Dave Johnstone and Ruth Krochock Final Report of the 2000 Yoʼokop Field Season Initial Mapping and Surface Collections Eureka CA College of the Redwoods 2000 Shaw Justine M and Jennifer P Mathews eds Quintana Roo Archaeology Tucson University of Arizona Press 2005 Stromsvik G H E D Pollock and H Berlin Exploration in Quintana Roo In Carnegie Institution of Washington Year Book No 53 July 1 1953 June 30 1954 289 92 Washington DC 1954 Wilson Reginald Okop Antigua Ciudad Maya De Artesanos INAH Boletin Epoca II no 9 1974 3 14 Wren Linnea Travis Nygard and Justine Shaw The Shifting Spatial Nexus of an Urban Maya Landscape A Case Study of Architecture Sculpture and Ceramics at Yoʼokop In Maya Imagery Architecture and Activity Space and Spatial Analysis in Art History Albuquerque University of New Mexico Press 2015 306 343 Wren Linnea and Travis Nygard Witnessed at Yoʼokop Images and Texts of Rulers in a Watery Realm In Quintana Roo Archaeology edited by Justine M Shaw and Jennifer P Mathews 166 82 Tucson University of Arizona Press 2005 External links editCochuah Regional Archaeological Survey Proyecto Arqueologico Yoʼokop Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yoʼokop amp oldid 1112578610, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
