Ancient Mesoamerica

Scope & Guideline

Discovering the Depths of Mesoamerican History

Introduction

Immerse yourself in the scholarly insights of Ancient Mesoamerica with our comprehensive guidelines detailing its aims and scope. This page is your resource for understanding the journal's thematic priorities. Stay abreast of trending topics currently drawing significant attention and explore declining topics for a full picture of evolving interests. Our selection of highly cited topics and recent high-impact papers is curated within these guidelines to enhance your research impact.
LanguageMulti-Language
ISSN0956-5361
PublisherCAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1989 to 2024
AbbreviationANCIENT MESOAM / Anc. Mesoam.
Frequency3 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
AddressEDINBURGH BLDG, SHAFTESBURY RD, CB2 8RU CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND

Aims and Scopes

The journal 'Ancient Mesoamerica' aims to advance understanding of the ancient Mesoamerican cultures through a diverse range of archaeological, anthropological, and historical perspectives. Its scope encompasses various methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches to shed light on the socio-political, economic, and cultural dynamics of these civilizations.
  1. Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research:
    The journal publishes studies that utilize archaeological methods to uncover the histories and practices of ancient Mesoamerican cultures. This includes excavations, artifact analyses, and site documentation.
  2. Cultural and Political Dynamics:
    Research often focuses on the socio-political structures of Mesoamerican societies, including analyses of power, governance, and the roles of elite and commoner groups in historical contexts.
  3. Material Culture Studies:
    The journal emphasizes the examination of material culture, such as ceramics, lithics, and other artifacts, to understand daily life, trade, and technological practices of ancient peoples.
  4. Environmental and Ecological Contexts:
    Contributions often explore the relationship between ancient societies and their environments, including agricultural practices, resource management, and ecological adaptations.
  5. Ethnohistorical Perspectives:
    The journal incorporates ethnohistorical approaches, using historical documents alongside archaeological evidence to provide a more nuanced understanding of ancient Mesoamerican cultures.
  6. Theoretical Frameworks:
    There is a consistent focus on employing various theoretical frameworks, such as political economy, social hierarchy, and ritual practices, to analyze the complexities of ancient Mesoamerican life.
The journal 'Ancient Mesoamerica' has recently showcased a variety of trending and emerging themes that reflect contemporary interests in the study of ancient Mesoamerican cultures. These themes highlight innovative methodologies and new areas of inquiry.
  1. 3D Technology and Digital Archaeology:
    There is a significant increase in the use of 3D scanning and digital modeling techniques to analyze monuments and artifacts, allowing for new interpretations and enhanced accessibility to archaeological data.
  2. Gender and Social Roles:
    Research focusing on gender dynamics, particularly the roles of women in political and social structures, has gained traction, indicating a growing interest in understanding nuanced social hierarchies.
  3. Interregional Exchange and Interaction:
    Emerging studies are examining macroregional networks of trade and exchange, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various Mesoamerican cultures and the implications for understanding cultural diffusion.
  4. Ritual Practices and Cosmology:
    A noticeable trend is the exploration of ritual practices, including the use of specific objects and their cosmological significance, revealing deeper insights into the belief systems of ancient societies.
  5. Quantitative Approaches to Inequality:
    There is an increasing focus on quantitative analyses of social and economic inequality, utilizing tools such as the Gini coefficient to understand wealth distribution and social stratification in ancient contexts.

Declining or Waning

While 'Ancient Mesoamerica' maintains a broad focus on various themes, certain areas have shown a decline in prominence over recent years. This may reflect shifting academic interests or a saturation of research in specific topics.
  1. Traditional Chronological Studies:
    Research that solely focuses on linear chronological frameworks has decreased. There is a growing preference for thematic and contextual analyses that explore broader social and cultural dynamics.
  2. Narrow Geographic Focus on Specific Regions:
    Studies that concentrate on very localized geographic areas without broader implications or connections to larger Mesoamerican contexts have become less common, as scholars increasingly seek to understand interregional interactions.
  3. Overreliance on Artifact Typologies:
    While artifact typologies remain important, there has been a noticeable shift away from purely typological studies towards more integrative approaches that combine multiple lines of evidence.
  4. Generalized Sociocultural Models:
    Research that applies overly simplistic or generalized models to explain complex sociocultural phenomena is declining. There is a trend towards more nuanced and specific analyses that consider local variations.
  5. Purely Descriptive Studies:
    Papers that are predominantly descriptive without analytical depth or theoretical engagement are becoming less frequent, as the journal encourages more critical and interpretive scholarship.

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