Hinterland Households at La Milpa North Chico, Three Rivers Region, Northwestern Belize

This thesis examines the distribution of lowland Maya residential groups at the hinterland site of La Milpa North Chico. The site is located in the Three Rivers Region, 2 kilometers north of the Preclassic and Classic Maya center of La Milpa. The study draws theoretically upon a domestic developmental cycle in which nuclear and extended families grow overtime and contribute to societal organization. Within this framework the physical remains of households are understood to be the product of activities by socially meaningful groups. By outlining differences between residential groups this study explores how family organization contributed to the formation of larger communities at the site.