Jennifer Mathews is a Maya archaeologist and Associate Professor of Anthropology at Trinity University. She began studying ancient Maya roads in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, when she discovered they had been used by the chicle industry in the late 1800s as routes for their railroads. When she started researching the history and interviewing local chicleros, she realized that there was truly a fascinating story behind the industry."Jennifer Mathews is a Maya archaeologist and Associate Professor of Anthropology at Trinity University. She began studying ancient Maya roads in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, when she discovered they had been used by the chicle industry in the late 1800s as routes for their railroads. When she started researching the history and interviewing local chicleros, she realized that there was truly a fascinating story behind the industry."...more