Development of Archeology in Guatemala in the Last 20 Years: Defining our own Archaeology

Abstract

Archeology practiced in Guatemala has been extensively developed over the last 20 years. Now we know better various aspects of Maya culture: writing, architecture and urbanism, history of rulers, sculpture, trade, etc. But archeology has also developed in other fields such as historical archeology, archeology of the industrial heritage, rock art and why not say, archeology as an auxiliary technique in investigations of forensic anthropology. In part this has been possible thanks to the academic development of recent years in which the universities of San Carlos de Guatemala and Del Valle de Guatemala, have played a leading role in producing highly qualified professional resources. To date, the country has more than 200 Guatemalan archaeologists, most of whom occupy key positions in the development of national archeology. They have also been implemented at the regional level academic forums such as the Symposium of Archaeological Research in Guatemala, and locally is worth mentioning also the Symposium on Rock Art, The Meeting of Maya archeology, and the meeting of Industrial Archaeology.