Project description DEENESFRITPL Ancient Maya urbanism The way in which an ancient urban site was planned, perceived and expanded is the purpose of a EU-funded study. Using the Palenque site in the Classic Maya Period (250-900 CE) as a model, the MAYURB project will study multiple factors that conditioned life in an ancient urban site. These include decision making, space limits, the influence of traditions as well as the influence religion had on buildings orientation. It will also explore the unintended consequences of city growth on urban structure and public health. MAYURB will develop a GIS platform that will help to present the life of the ancient Maya society. It will investigate ancient infrastructures, define its chronology, as well as the role played by different urban actors in site planning. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The main goal of MAYURB is to study ancient urbanism using the Classic Maya Period (250-900 CE) as a model to understand city inception and expansion through time, while considering the diverse actors involved in its planning, use and transformation. The urban fabric of Palenque, Mexico, will be assessed with an interdisciplinary approach that delves into the decision-making process that underlies site planning and considers the limitation imposed by location; in addition, the project ponders the influence of traditions and believes in site selection and religious buildings’ astronomical orientation. While considering the negotiation processes and power relations involved in city inception and growth, MAYURB will explore the unintended consequences of city expansion, such as urban sprawl and sanitation. The project will develop around three main axes: the construction of a GIS platform to join archaeological, architectural and morphological data and to outline the physical reality in which the ancient Maya lived. The spatial analyses performed with GIS will lead the second line of investigation: archaeological excavations at Palenque in areas where it is more likely to uncover infrastructural works and their relative chronology. The third inquiry will explore the extent of authority in site planning and the agency of other urban actors with an interdisciplinary theoretical focus that spans from urban to anthropological theory. The methodological approach and theoretical contribution developed with MAYURB aim at providing a thorough understanding of the planning process and city performance in antiquity, beyond the time period and the geographical location in question. Three unique interchange appointments between UNAM-Mexico, UNIROMA1-Italy and ZRC SAZU-Slovenia at top-level Institutions are planned to fulfill MAYURB’s objectives, while increasing the Experienced Researcher’ skills. Fields of science humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistoryancient historynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesphysical geographycartographygeographic information systems Keywords Ancient urbanism architecture Classic Maya infrastructure site planning archaeoastronomy Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2018 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2018 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA Net EU contribution € 231 524,16 Address Piazzale Aldo Moro 5 00185 Roma Italy See on map Region Centro (IT) Lazio Roma Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 231 524,16 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTONOMA DE MEXICO (UNAM) Mexico Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address AV. UNIVERSIDAD 3000, COYOACAN 04510 CIUDAD DE MEXICO See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 139 787,52
