The year 2027 marks the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Spanish conquest of Yucatán: a prolonged process of war, negotiation, resistance and adaptation that continued to transform the Maya region long after the first campaigns. The Maya area has experienced armed conflict throughout much of its history, from archaeological evidence of the Preclassic period and the dynastic wars of the Classic period to colonial resistance and modern conflicts such as the Guatemalan Civil War and the Chiapas conflict.
This symposium explores war and peace in the Maya world over more than three millennia, from the earliest archaeological evidence to modern-era testimonies. It analyzes both the universal aspects of conflict—its political, social, military and human dimensions—and the particular historical, cultural and environmental conditions that shaped warfare, diplomacy and coexistence in the Maya region.
Topics include archaeological evidence of armed conflict; the characteristics of Maya warfare compared with other societies; concepts such as rules of engagement, strategy, tactics and military organization; the existence of peace treaties; and the ways in which Maya and European forces modified their military practices during the conquest. Aspects such as recruitment, logistics, alliances, intelligence, fortifications and the influence of the environment on military operations are also examined.
Although studies of ancient Maya warfare have traditionally emphasized rulers, campaigns and political competition, this symposium seeks to broaden the discussion toward the human consequences of conflict: the suffering of the civilian population, the psychological effects of war, prisoners, social reconstruction and post-conflict recovery. It also highlights the importance of incorporating perspectives from military science, including the analysis of strategy, operations, leadership, logistics, intelligence, asymmetric warfare and military geography.
The Contact and Colonial periods represent a profound military transformation in Maya history. The conquest was not a brief episode but a generations-long process marked by campaigns, alliances, rebellions and negotiations in Yucatán, Guatemala, Chiapas, Belize, Honduras and neighboring regions. The Spanish advance depended not only on European technology but also on indigenous allies, strategic adaptations and emerging colonial institutions. In turn, Maya communities modified their defensive systems, tactics, weapons and political networks to confront new forms of warfare.
Conflicts continued for centuries through indigenous resistance, border wars, local militias and negotiated agreements, demonstrating that colonial rule was constantly contested and renegotiated.
This symposium invites archaeologists, historians, epigraphers, anthropologists, military historians, bioarchaeologists and forensic science specialists, historical geographers and conflict researchers to develop new interdisciplinary perspectives on war and peace as forces that transformed Maya societies.
Contributions from various disciplines and historical periods are accepted. Papers may be presented in Spanish or English.
