The Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Papers of cartographer John P. O'Neill of the Carnegie Institute Project at Chichen Itza, 1932-1933. The family of John P. O'Neill has asked the Yucatec Maya Program of the Duke-UNC Program in Latin American Studies to make these papers available to anyone wishing to read them.

Yucatan Alternative describes John Patrick O'Neill's experiences during two field seasons (1932-33) as cartographer for the Carnegie Institute project centered at Chichen Itza. In addition to a detailed, behind the scenes account of the adventures involved in the exploration of archaeological sites, O'Neill's papers include maps of Yaxuna, Xamantun, Kohtun, Alta Mira, Noche Buena and Rio Bec - maps described by Sylvanus Morley as "bully."

Through O'Neill's anecdotes, the reader becomes acquainted with the strong characters involved in the Carnegie enterprise: Morley himself, Gustav Stromsvik, John Bolles, Karl Ruppert, and Jack Dennison, among others. O'Neill includes stories about less renowned members of the staff as well, like Tarcissio, the Korean gardener, and Kitty, the expedition nurse known locally as "Senorita Gatita." Details of daily life emerge: the rigors of travel by horseback through snake-infested back country, and struggles with the equipment then available, like "the bulky chronometers which I had to wind each evening." To relax after the difficult and dangerous work, members of the team played "vicious, slashing" badminton and swam in cenotes. Formal meals and tea at four were served by Korean waiters in the casa principal of the hacienda formerly owned by Edward Thompson. "We all dressed for supper - men in white linen, shirt and tie; the ladies in dinner dresses." The meal was "preceded by warm cocktails" and "followed by discussion of glyphs or artifacts" - or a "game of murder." Relationships between expedition members ranged from respect and camraderie to practical jokes and power struggles. In a letter home, O'Neill describes Morley's return from exploring a site: "Wise-cracks will fly thick and fast - someday there will appear a sober, scientific book about the new find." Thus he summarizes the situation at Chichen Itza.

Yucatan Alternative (Parts I and II) will inform scholars interested in Carnegie Institute work at Chichen Itza, the survey of Yaxuna, and the Campeche expedition of 1933 which explored sites including Rio Bec, Naachtun and Kohtun. O'Neill's account brings to life the people and events of these pivotal years in the history of Maya studies. In addition to O'Neill's narrative, his papers include correspondance with Sylvanus Morley, Ian Graham, Richard Hansen, and David Freidel, linking work in the thirties with current studies in the area.