Archaeology is an inherently multi-disciplinary pursuit. To build narratives that integrate the varied data produced by archaeological research, we rely on specialists across diverse, allied fields. In this session, we aim to create a space to discuss both traditional and novel research methods in Mesoamerican archaeology and to foreground the bridges that connect them.

This session engages classic methods (e.g. ceramic and lithic analysis, zooarchaeology, paleoethnobotany, epigraphy, iconography, and ethnography) in synergy with newer techniques, including but not limited to remote sensing, GIS-based modelling, residue/lipid analysis, stable isotopes, proteomics, 3D modelling, ancient DNA, machine learning, and multisensory ethnography. Case studies integrating multiple lines of evidence to answer long-standing questions about subsistence, landscape modifications and monumentality, socio-political complexity, ritual practice, sustainability, and colonial entanglements across Mesoamerica are especially welcome. 

As part of rigorous method-building, we highlight works that operationalize decolonizing and Indigenizing frameworks in concrete ways: community-informed research questions, co-developed sampling and curation strategies, Indigenous data sovereignty and consent, and co-production of knowledge. Of particular interest are studies showing how these commitments shape methodological choices and strengthen knowledge acquisition, interpretation, and dissemination. 

This session aims to sustain a genuine dialogue between methods rather than parallel monologues. By centering collaborations among archaeologists, curators, data scientists, and Indigenous knowledge keepers, this session will highlight approaches that couple rigour with innovation and reflexivity to sharpen our interpretations of Mesoamerica’s past.