ers ▁of ▁the ▁high ▁social ▁standing ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁displayed ▁them , ▁and ▁the ▁l ustr ous ▁co pper ▁finger ▁rings ▁and ▁elaborate ▁cl othing ▁orn aments ▁served ▁as ▁visual ▁indic ators ▁of ▁elev ated ▁status . ▁ ▁Trade ▁Trade ▁was ▁an ▁essential ▁component ▁of ▁Mes o amer ican ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁Post class ic ▁period ▁and ▁the ▁May a ▁were ▁active ▁participants ▁in ▁a ▁vast ▁macro ▁regional ▁trade ▁network . ▁The ▁movement ▁of ▁comm od ities ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁information ▁and ▁ideas ▁into ▁interior ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁pen ins ula ▁was ▁facil itated ▁by ▁can oe ▁travel ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁and ▁the ▁extensive ▁river ▁systems ▁in ▁Bel ize . ▁The ▁import ation ▁of ▁finished ▁co pper ▁objects ▁into ▁the ▁May a ▁area ▁during ▁Post class ic ▁times ▁was ▁made ▁possible ▁by ▁a ▁v ibr ant , ▁well - est ab lished ▁exchange ▁network ▁that ▁included ▁Lam ana i ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁smaller ▁Post class ic ▁sites ▁in ▁northern ▁Bel ize ▁ ▁Lam ana i ' s ▁key ▁location ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁River ▁L ago on ▁provided ▁the ▁site ' s ▁inhabitants ▁with ▁access ▁to ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁Mes o amer ican ▁trade ▁goods ▁throughout ▁of ▁the ▁site ' s ▁ 3 5 0 0 - year ▁occupation . ▁Co pper ▁objects ▁such ▁as ▁b ells , ▁rings , ▁and ▁twe ez ers ▁not ▁only ▁had ▁great ▁economic ▁value ▁but ▁were ▁also ▁highly ▁charged ▁symbol ic ▁objects ▁whose ▁sounds ▁and ▁colors ▁made ▁them ▁particularly ▁important ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁rit ual ▁performances ▁and