UC Riverside

This research concentrates on a variety of linear features at the ancient Maya site of Cobá, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and to a lesser extent at Yaxuná, Yucatán, Mexico and other smaller sites along a sakbej (ancient Maya road) which connects these two. Such sakbej themselves are one form of linear feature, while other less formal varieties include albarradas, chichbe, and t'úubulbej. I argue that many of these features were designed to manage the waterscape of Cobá. In some cases, sakbej and chichbe had culverts along their sides to direct rainwater towards small reservoirs, aguadas, or cisterns. In other cases, t'úubulbej served as steppingstone paths over areas prone to flooding, which allowed foot traffic over them and water to flow under them. In so doing, the ancient inhabitants of Cobá were able to navigate seasonal changes, store water through the dry season, avoid flooding complications during the rainy season, and manage wetlands for agricultural purposes. Ultimately, the city of Cobá was largely abandoned in the ninth century AD, primarily due to climate change in the form of severe droughts. Continued research on these topics aims to alleviate the current water crises in the region and seek insight toward current and looming climate change crises.