Comparing geostatistical analyses for the identification of neighborhoods, districts, and social communities in archaeological contexts: A case study from two ancient Maya centers in southern Belize

Ancient communities are composed of social units at varying scales although these units and the geospatial methods used to define them are rarely discussed in the archaeological literature. Recent studies emphasize the presence of neighborhoods and districts in low density urban communities, increasing the need for more discussion on how these units are defined and measured. We use new and previous field and remote sensing settlement survey data of two Classic Period (AD 300-900) Maya centers located in southern Belize, Uxbenka and Ix Kuku'il, and compare several geostatistical and geospatial methods to identify the presence of neighborhoods and districts. We found that results vary based on the method and linkages they use, therefore the methods used in similar analyses will significantly impact the archaeological interpretations of settlement distributions. Using multiple methods for the identification of neighborhoods, districts, and social units within archaeological contexts enables more holistic interpretations of settlement distributions.