The material nature of money has always been at the core of debates about its early development and its role in socioeconomic relationships. Archaeology can contribute to these debates through its attention to the material world, its long†term perspective, and its examination of diverse contexts in which money has been used. In this article, I examine the early monetization of cacao beans and cotton textiles among the Classic Maya (250–900 CE). I argue that these products, originally valued for their use in status display, took on monetary functions within a context of expanding marketplaces among rival Maya kingdoms. As a result of this monetization, cacao and textiles could be used to finance more state activities and household needs. In response, political regimes and their subjects devoted more labor and resources to the acquisition of these products and circulated new discourses justifying this acquisition. I conclude that money's value in social relationships is not shaped by its materiality alone but by practices and discourses that frame specific material properties as valuable; through historical processes that move these value†laden materials into new social contexts; and through the reframing of the relationships and motivations of those who produce, circulate, and consume them.

中文翻译：

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在中美洲赚钱：经典Maya金融系统中的货币生产和采购

货币的物质性质一直是关于货币的早期发展及其在社会经济关系中的作用的辩论的核心。考古学可以通过对物质世界的关注，长期的眼光以及对使用金钱的各种环境的考察来为这些辩论做出贡献。在本文中，我研究了经典玛雅人（250-900-CE）之间可可豆和棉纺织品的早期货币化。我认为这些产品最初是要在状态显示中使用的，因此在竞争对手玛雅王国之间扩大市场的背景下具有货币功能。这种货币化的结果是，可可和纺织品可用于资助更多的国家活动和家庭需求。作为回应，政治政权及其主体为获取这些产品投入了更多的劳动和资源，并散布了新的论述来证明这种获取是合理的。我得出的结论是，金钱在社会关系中的价值并不仅仅由其实质性决定，而是由构成特定物质属性为有价值的实践和话语所决定。通过历史过程将这些有价值的材料转移到新的社会环境中；并通过重新组织那些产生，传播和消费它们的人的关系和动机。通过历史过程将这些有价值的材料转移到新的社会环境中；并通过重新组织那些产生，传播和消费它们的人的关系和动机。通过历史过程将这些有价值的材料转移到新的社会环境中；并通过重新组织那些产生，传播和消费它们的人的关系和动机。