Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T23:12:10.025Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Early Maya Ceremonial Architecture at Pacbitun, Belize

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2019

Terry G. Powis Open the ORCID record for Terry G. Powis [Opens in a new window] ,
George J. Micheletti ,
Kaitlin Crow ,
Sheldon Skaggs ,
Norbert Stanchly ,
Nicaela Cartagena  and
Jeffrey A. Powis
Terry G. Powis*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA30144-5591, USA
George J. Micheletti
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL32816, USA ([email protected])
Kaitlin Crow
Affiliation:
Draper Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, New York University, New York, NY10003-4589, USA
Sheldon Skaggs
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Bronx Community College, 2155 University Ave., Bronx, NY10453, USA ([email protected])
Norbert Stanchly
Affiliation:
AS&G Archaeological Consulting, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 1Z4, Canada (norbertstanchly@gmail)
Nicaela Cartagena
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, City College of New York, New York, NY10031, USA ([email protected])
Jeffrey A. Powis
Affiliation:
Restless Pictures Inc., 234 Boulton Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ([email protected])
*
([email protected], corresponding author)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The development of Middle Preclassic (900–300 BC) ceremonial architecture is receiving more attention by archaeologists conducting research in the Maya Lowlands. Although a few examples have been partially excavated, there is still a dearth of information on how and why monumental constructions were originally built. This is largely because early structures often lie below several layers of sequential architecture, making them difficult to locate. Even when Middle Preclassic architecture is identified, exposure is often too limited to fully investigate its form and function. A well-preserved and accessible Middle Preclassic platform would be a rare find and could greatly enhance our knowledge and understanding of the subject. At Pacbitun, Cayo District, Belize, such a discovery has been made beneath the artificially raised surface of the main plaza. To make the most of this opportunity, five seasons of excavation worked to expose this massive building in its entirety. In this article, we provide details concerning the structural design of the platform and its abandonment, as well as present potential architectural comparisons. We conclude by reevaluating complexity at Pacbitun.

El desarrollo de la arquitectura ceremonial del Preclásico medio (900-300 aC) está recibiendo más atención por parte de los arqueólogos que realizan investigaciones en las tierras bajas mayas. Sin embargo, todavía es escasa la información acerca de cómo y por qué se construyeron originalmente las estructuras monumentales. Esto se debe, en gran parte, al hecho de que las estructuras tempranas a menudo se encuentran debajo de varias capas de arquitectura secuencial, lo que dificulta su localización. Incluso cuando se identifica una gran plataforma del Preclásico medio, las excavaciones, en general, solo proporcionan una pequeña visión de ella y la exposición es demasiado limitada para investigar completamente su forma y función general. En consecuencia, una plataforma del Preclásico medio bien conservada y accesible sería un hallazgo excepcional y podría mejorar enormemente nuestro conocimiento y comprensión del tema. En Pacbitun (Belice) se ha realizado el hallazgo de una estructura debajo de la superficie artificialmente elevada de la plaza principal del sitio. Para exponer este enorme edificio en su totalidad, se llevaron a cabo cinco temporadas de excavación, exponiendo gradualmente una gran plataforma ceremonial. En este trabajo se proporcionan detalles sobre el diseño estructural de la plataforma y el método de abandono. Asimismo, se exponen posibles comparaciones y se reevalúa la complejidad en Pacbitun.

Keywords

MayaMiddle Preclassicmonumental architecturePacbitunBelizeMayaPreclasico medioarquitectura monumentalPacbitunBelice
Type
Report
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , December 2019 , pp. 836 - 842
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 by the Society for American Archaeology

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References Cited

Awe, Jaime J. 1992 Dawn in the Land between the Rivers: Formative Occupation at Cahal Pech, Belize and Its Implications for Preclassic Development in the Maya Lowlands. PhD dissertation, Department of Archaeology, University College London.Google Scholar
Awe, Jaime J., Hoggarth, Julie A., and Aimers, James J. 2017 Of Apples and Oranges: The Case of E-Groups and Eastern Triadic Architectural Assemblages in the Belize River Valley. In Maya E-Groups: Calendars, Astronomy, and Urbanism in the Early Lowlands, edited by Freidel, David A., Chase, Arlen F., Dowd, Anne, and Murdock, Jerry, pp. 412–449. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.Google Scholar
Brown, M. Kathryn, Awe, Jaime J., and Garber, James F. 2018 The Role of Ideology, Religion, and Ritual in the Foundation of Social Complexity in the Belize River Valley. In Pathways to Complexity: A View from the Maya Lowlands, edited by Brown, M. Kathryn and Bey, George J. III, pp. 87–116. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, M. Kathryn, and Garber, James F. 2003 Evidence of Conflict during the Middle Formative in the Maya Lowlands: A View from Blackman Eddy, Belize. In Ancient Maya Warfare, edited by Brown, M. Kathryn, and Stanton, Travis W., pp. 91–108. AltaMira Press, Walnut Creek, California.Google Scholar
Chase, Arlen F., and Chase, Diane Z. 1995 External Impetus, Internal Synthesis, and Standardization: E Group Assemblages and the Crystallization of Classic Maya Society in the Southern Lowlands. In The Emergence of Lowland Maya Civilization: The Transition from the Preclassic to the Early Classic, edited by Grube, Nikolai, pp. 87–101. Acta Mesoamericana Vol. 8. Verlag Anton Saurwein, Möckmühl, Germany.Google Scholar
Chase, Arlen F., and Chase, Diane Z. 2017 E Groups and the Rise of Complexity in the Southeastern Maya Lowlands. In Maya E-Groups: Calendars, Astronomy, and Urbanism in the Early Lowlands, edited by Freidel, David A., Chase, Arlen F., Dowd, Anne, and Murdock, Jerry, pp. 31–71. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.Google Scholar
Gallareta Negrón, Tomás 2018 At the Foot of the Hills: Early Monumentality at Xocnaceh, Yucatan, Mexico. In Pathways to Complexity: A View from the Maya Lowlands, edited by Brown, M. Kathryn and Bey, George J. III, pp. 276–291. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.Google Scholar
Garber, James F., Brown, Kathryn, Driver, W. David, Glassman, David M., Hartman, Christopher J., Reilly, F. Kent III, and Sullivan, Lauren A. 2004 Archaeological Investigations at Blackman Eddy. In The Ancient Maya of the Belize Valley: Half a Century of Archaeological Research, edited by Garber, James F., pp. 748–769. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.Google Scholar
Gerhardt, Juliette Cartwright, and Hammond, Norman 1991 The Community of Cuello: The Ceremonial Core. In Cuello: An Early Maya Community in Belize, edited by Hammond, Norman, pp. 98–117. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Gifford, James C. 1976 Prehistoric Pottery and the Ceramics of Barton Ramie in the Belize Valley. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 18. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman, Bauer, Jeremy R., and Hay, Sophie 2000 Preclassic Maya Architectural Ritual at Cuello, Belize. Antiquity 74:265–266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hammond, Norman, and Gerhardt, Juliette Cartwright 1990 Early Maya Architectural Innovation at Cuello, Belize. World Archaeology 21:461–481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen, Richard D. 2005 Perspectives on Olmec-Maya Interaction in the Middle Formative Period. In New Perspectives on Formative Mesoamerican Cultures, edited by Powis, Terry G., pp. 51–72. BAR International Series 1377. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Healy, Paul F. 1990 Excavations at Pacbitun, Belize: Preliminary Report on the 1986 and 1987 Investigations. Journal of Field Archaeology 17:247–262.Google Scholar
Helmke, Christophe G. B., Grube, Nikolai, Awe, Jaime J., and Healy, Paul F. 2006 A Reinterpretation of Stela 6, Pacbitun, Belize. Mexicon 28:70–75.Google Scholar
Hohmann, Bobbi M. 2002 Preclassic Maya Shell Ornament Production in the Belize Valley, Belize. PhD dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Inomata, Takeshi, Triadan, Daniela, Aoyama, Kazuo, Castillo, Victor, and Yonenobu, Hitoshi 2013 Early Ceremonial Constructions at Ceibal, Guatemala, and the Origins of Lowland Maya Civilization. Science 340(6131):467–471.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Joyce, Rosemary A. 2004 Unintended Consequences? Monumentality as a Novel Experience in Formative Mesoamerica. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 11:5–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laporte, Juan Pedro, and Fialko, Vilma 1995 Un Reencuentro con Mundo Perdido, Tikal, Guatemala. Ancient Mesoamerica 6:41–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powis, Terry G., Spenard, Jon, Skaggs, Sheldon, Micheletti, George, and Helmke, Christophe 2017 An Ancient Maya City Living on the Edge: The Culture History of Pacbitun, Belize. Research Reports in Belizean Archaeology 14:191–212.Google Scholar
Ricketson, Oliver G., and Ricketson, Edith B. 1937 Uaxactun, Guatemala: Group E—1926–1931. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Skaggs, Sheldon, Helmke, Christophe G., Spenard, Jon, Healy, Paul F., and Powis, Terry G. 2017 Some Observations and New Discoveries Related to Altar 3, Pacbitun, Belize. Mexicon 39:115–123.Google Scholar
Skaggs, Sheldon, and Powis, Terry G. 2014 Geophysical and Geological Explorations at Pacbitun, Belize. In Pacbitun Regional Archaeological Project (PRAP): Report on the 2013 Field Season, edited by Powis, Terry G., pp. 62–78. Institute of Archaeology, Belmopan, Belize.Google Scholar
Skaggs, Sheldon, Powis, Terry G., Rucker, Clara, and Micheletti, George 2016 An Iterative Approach to Ground Penetrating Radar at the Maya Site of Pacbitun, Belize. Remote Sensing 8(10):1–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valdez, Fred 1995 Religion and Iconography of the Preclassic Maya at Rio Azul, Peten, Guatemala. In Religión y sociedad en el área Maya, edited by Torrecilla, Carmen V., Bonor, Juan Luis, and Marquínez, María Y. F., pp. 211–218. Sociedad Española de Estudios Maya, Madrid.Google Scholar