Debating Chichen Itza

A new chronology for Chichen Itza challenges recent scholarly consensus, proposing that the 'Toltec' or Modified Florescent occupation occurred between 950 and 1150 AD, contrary to the previously favored date of 800/850–1000/1050 AD. This study critiques ceramic, radiocarbon, and stratigraphic evidence, arguing that current data supports a tenth-century florescence for Chichen Itza, with no absolute dates or evidence for monumental construction beyond this period. The research rejects proposals of a hiatus at the onset of the Modified Florescent period, instead advocating for a model of continued development of Toltec ideas from the late ninth century onward.

Ringle, W. M. (2017). DEBATING CHICHEN ITZA. Ancient Mesoamerica, 28(1), 119–136. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0956536116000481