AIA Lecture Series: “Resiliency and Changing Political Dynamics at the Ancient Maya City of Ucanal, Guatemala”

Join us for a compelling lecture by Dr. Christina T. Halperin, Professor of Anthropology at the Université de Montréal, as she explores new archaeological findings from the ancient Maya city of Ucanal. While much of the Southern Maya Lowlands experienced political decline at the end of the Classic period, Ucanal emerged as a rare example of resilience and transformation.

Drawing on recent discoveries from the Proyecto Arqueológico Ucanal, Dr. Halperin will discuss a pivotal early 9th‑century fire‑burning event that marked the end of an earlier royal dynasty and set the stage for the community’s reinvention. This talk highlights how Ucanal reshaped its political structures, public architecture, interregional ties, and ceremonial practices—developments that would influence Maya society well into the Postclassic period.

This program offers a fascinating look at how one Maya kingdom adapted, persisted, and redefined itself during a time of widespread regional change.