105AGRICULTURAL TERRACE PRODUCTIVITY IN THE MAYA LOWLANDS OF BELIZE Agricultural Terrace Productivity in the Maya Lowlands of Belize

Although slash and burn agriculture was traditionally thought to be the primary subsistence strategy of the Maya, recent evidence has shown that this system with long fallow periods could not alone sustain the high population densities projected for the Maya Lowlands during the Classic period. New evidence suggests that intensive agricultural practices were necessary to provide the subsistence needs of this population. This study examines the importance of one intensive agricultural system, terracing, in meeting these subsistence needs. Terracing increases the amount of arable land by flattening slopes, capturing soils, and controlling water runoff in areas where erosion prevents cultivation. This study estimates the percent-age of a population that could be supported by such terrace systems. This percent was determined by estimating the total subsistence need of a population divided by the corn production capability of all terraced lands at a site. Terrace production is assessed based on soil quality and growth requirements of corn. Population need is determined by the estimated occupancy of residential structures and the caloric needs of these occupants. Calculations are based on data collected from three Late Classic Maya sites in Northwest Belize, including Guijarral, the Liwy group, and the Barba group