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Archaeologists frequently examine architectural styles to detect migration and cultural interaction among Maya groups on the Yucatán peninsula. In this paper we examine the basis of this assumption by applying Michael Schiffer's (2002) framework for studying technological differentiation to the results of our ethnoarchaeological investigation of 20th century Maya vernacular architecture in the village of Silvituc, southwestern Campeche. In the wake of the Caste War and the Mexican Revolution, the availability of agricultural land and employment opportunities in the chicle and lumber industries attracted many people to a new frontier. This study explores the relationships among migration, the formation of multi-ethnic communities, introduction of new technologies, town planning, and architectural styles to account for the genesis of a distinctive 'frontier' style within a Maya community in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]