Habitada desde el Preclásico Medio, Xoclán se desarrolló como centro urbano a partir del Clásico Temprano. El actual parque arqueológico cuenta 52 hectáreas e incluye el área cívico-ceremonial y algunas otras plataformas, mientras que las restantes estructuras que constituyeron parte de la ciudad antigua fueron involucradas en la reciente obra de ampliación de Mérida y muchas han sido destruidas para permitir la construcción de nuevos edificios. A través del presente estudio, fue posible identificar a otros barrios, afuera del parque, que fueron parte del sitio y que se encuentran ahora bajo el asfalto moderno, proponer hipótesis de sus funciones y definir la cronología de desarrollo de la ciudad, llegando - por lo que sea posible - a reconstruir los límites del asentamiento, que alcanzaron al menos un área de 9 kilómetros cuadrados. Finalmente, se presenta un enfoque de lo que pasó después, y de las varias fases de utilizo que afectaron la zona y su patrimonio.

Inhabited since the Middle Formative, Xoclán developed as an urban centre from the Early Classic onwards. The current archaeological park covers 52 hectares and includes the civic-ceremonial area and some other platforms, while the remaining structures that constituted part of the ancient city were involved in the recent expansion of Mérida, with many being destroyed to allow for the construction of new buildings. Through this study, it was possible to identify other quarters outside the park that were once part of the site and are now under modern asphalt, to hypothesise the functions of these ancient quarters and to define the chronology of the city’s development, reconstructing - as far as possible - the limits of the settlement, which at least had an area of 9 square kilometres. Finally, an approach to what happened afterwards is presented, and to the various phases of use that affected the area and its heritage.

AUTHOR
Gaia Carosi estudió en la Universidad Sapienza de Roma, y sus principales áreas de investigación son la Topografía y el Urbanismo Maya. Actualmente tiene una beca postdoctoral Von Humboldt en la Universidad Rheinische-Friedrich-Wilhelms de Bonn. 

Gaia Carosi studied at Sapienza University of Rome, and her main research focuses are Maya Topography and Urbanism. She is now a Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow at the Rheinische-Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Bonn.

REVIEWS
‘This book is the first global approach specifically to the site of Xoclán, and one of the first contributions to the archaeology of the numerous sites that lie under the urban growth of Yucatán. It provides an original and fruitful contribution.’ Dr Eric Taladoire, Université de Paris 1

‘The work conducted by Gaia Carosi for the Xoclán reconstruction is quite unique in the Mesoamerican area. The author follows an approach that has a long tradition for ancient cities with continuity of life, but which has been little used in Mexico. Few studies exist that aim at the reconstruction of the ancient city beneath modern urbanization.’ Dr Maria Felicia Rega, Sapienza University of Rome and Comenius University in Bratislava