for redistribution to other sectors of the 
society? If Laguna Caldera erupted in 
the daytime, we may also find the re- 
mains of a fully assembled market- 
place, which would provide a record of 
the specialty items produced locally or 
traded from afar. In brief, when our 
work can be resumed, we will examine 
every level of the society as it operated 
in 600. 
Although the record of Maya civili- 
zation concealed under the Laguna 
Caldera tephra is particularly intrigu- 
ing to archeologists, that layer of ash 
does not mark the end of volcanism and 
human settlement in the Zapotitan Val- 
ley. It was not long before people reoc- 
cupied the area struck by Laguna 
Caldera, perhaps within ten to twenty 
years on the periphery. The next vol- 
canic eruption to leave measurable 
amounts of ash across the valley was 
that of San Salvador volcano (Bo- 
queron), some time about 900 or 1000. 
The volcano, located on the southeast- 
ern border of the valley, deposited a 
white, pasty, sticky layer of tephra over 
an area of about 120 square miles. The 
accumulation was heaviest on the west- 
ern side of the valley, no doubt discour- 
aging agriculture, but the disruption 
was not serious. In 1658 — in historical 
times — there was another significant 
eruption, this time of Playon volcano, 
near Ceren. Up to three feet of ash was 
deposited over some thirty square 
miles, and lava flowed over five square 
miles, burying a town and a number of 
farms. Since then, volcanic activity has 
been minor, although by no means ab- 
sent. 
Today, people continue to occupy 
this hazardous region, just as people in 
San Francisco continue to live and 
work near the San Andreas fault. As far 
as they are concerned, the short-term 
benefits outweigh the risk of disaster. 
In a volcanic area, however, it is not a 
question of whether a new disaster will 
strike, only a question of where and 
when. In El Salvador, the next major 
eruption could occur at any time. □ 
The ceramic stand for burning 
incense, left, would have once 
graced a pyramid in the western 
Maya lowlands of Mexico. The 
stele, right, depicts a ruler of 
Copan, a city in Honduras. Both 
objects are from the Late Classic 
period of Maya civilization. 
knowledge of the Classic Maya, given 
the sudden and detailed preservation 
caused by the eruption of Laguna Cal- 
dera. Most archeological excavations 
are of places that have been aban- 
doned— often gradually — by the origi- 
nal inhabitants. At Ceren and associ- 
ated sites, however, we should be able 
to find, in place, the full inventory of 
tools and other cultural artifacts that 
will show us a society frozen in time. 
In the Zapotitan Valley, we have a 
rare opportunity to explore four main 
aspects of Classic Maya prehistory. 
First, we will be able to learn about the 
climate and the natural vegetation, 
what plants were available, and how 
they were used. (The preservation of 
botanical and other organic materials 
in this area is remarkable, especially for 
the tropics.) Second, we will be able to 
study the crops that were cultivated 
and to learn the extent to which the 
Maya relied on seed crops (beans and 
corn) as opposed to root and tree crops. 
We will also be able to estimate the 
quantity and quality of these nutrition- 
al resources and their implications for 
population growth. Third, we will be 
able to study the composition of the 
family or household units that made up 
Maya society. To what degree were the 
farmers self-sufficient, and to what ex- 
tent did they have to raise surplus food 
to trade for outside commodities and to 
support large political or religious insti- 
tutions? Finally, assuming we do locate 
a town or small city, we hope to learn 
who were the elite members of the soci- 
ety, what their official functions were, 
and how they lived. What expensive 
items did they enjoy as luxuries or store 
40 
Oavid Alan Harvey 
