Archaeomagnetic Insights into Pre-Hispanic Mayan Lime Production: Chronological Framework and Evidence of an Apparent 500-Year Hiatus in the Yucatán Peninsula

The Yucatán Peninsula, a key region of the ancient Maya civilization, has long presented challenges in establishing absolute chronological frameworks for its cultural practices. While the central regions of Mesoamerica have been extensively studied, the southern areas, including the Yucatán, remain underexplored. Limekilns, integral to lime production in pre-Hispanic Maya society, are well suited for archaeomagnetic studies due to the high temperatures (>700 °C) required for their operation. This study analyzed 108 specimens from 12 limekilns near Mérida, Yucatán, using rock-magnetic experiments and progressive alternating field demagnetization to refine the absolute chronology and determine the continuity of the lime production technology. Thermoremanent magnetization was predominantly carried by magnetite-like phases. Archaeomagnetic directions were successfully obtained for ten kilns with robust precision parameters. Age intervals were calculated using global geomagnetic models (SHA.DIF.14K, SHAWQ.2K), local paleosecular variation curves, and a Bootstrap resampling method. The analysis identified apparently two distinct chronological clusters: one between 900 and 1000 AD, associated with the Late–Terminal Classic period, and another near 1500 AD, just prior to the Spanish conquest. These findings reveal an apparent 500-year hiatus in lime production, followed by the potential reuse of kilns. Our study refines the chronological framework for Mayan lime production and its cultural and technological evolution. The integration of archaeomagnetic methods demonstrates their far-reaching applicability in addressing questions of continuity, reuse, and technological adaptation, contributing to broader debates on ancient pyrotechnological practices and their socioeconomic implications.