RESEARCH REPORTS FROM THE PROGRAMME FOR BELIZE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT, VOLUME SIX Edited by: Marisol Cortes-Rincon Humboldt State University And Fred Valdez, Jr. The University of Texas at Austin Occasional Papers, Number 14 Mesoamerican Archaeological Research Laboratory The University of Texas at Austin 2012 RESEARCH REPORTS FROM THE PROGRAMME FOR BELIZE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT, VOLUME SIX Edited by: Marisol Cortes-Rincon Humboldt State University And Fred Valdez, Jr. The University of Texas at Austin Formatted by: David M. Hyde Western State Colorado University Contributors Grant R. Aylesworth Stacy Drake Deanna Riddick Michael Brandl Eric J. Heller Rissa M. Trachman Michael L. Brennan Brett A. Houk Debora Trein Nicholas Brokaw David M. Hyde Fred Valdez, Jr. Linda A. Brown Saran E. Jackson Sheila Ward David Chatelain Laura Levi Estella Weiss-Krejci Marisol Cortes-Rincon Brandon S. Lewis Gregory Zaro Robyn L. Dodge Katherine MacDonald Occasional Papers, Number 14 Mesoamerican Archaeological Research Laboratory The University of Texas at Austin 2012 Contents Background and Introduction to the 2011 Season of the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project Fred Valdez, Jr. and Marisol Cortes-Rincon ....................................................... 1 Investigations at Structure 3, La Milpa: The 2011 Field Season Debora Trein ........................................................................................................ 5 Report of the 2011 Excavations at the South Ballcourt of La Milpa, Op A6 David Chatelain ................................................................................................. 33 Summary of the 2011 Activities of the La Milpa Core Project Brett A. Houk and Gregory Zaro ........................................................................ 45 Summary of 2011 Field Season: Examination of Extended Lineages Associated with Courtyards 135 & 149 at La Milpa, Belize Brandon S. Lewis ................................................................................................ 55 Report on a Northern Residential Complex at La Milpa, Belize: Operation LM4 Deanna M. Riddick ............................................................................................. 59 Preliminary Notes on a Chultun Burial at La Milpa – LM-4 Stacy Drake ........................................................................................................ 63 Excavations at Groups B and C, Say Kah, Belize, 2011 Sarah E. Jackson and Linda A. Brown ............................................................... 69 Hun Tun Archaeology: Report on the 2011 Field Season Robyn L. Dodge ................................................................................................ 103 Aguada Lagunita Elusiva (RB Lagunita), La Milpa East (RB LME) and Results of the 2011 Explorations along the LaMap East Transect Extension Estella Weiss-Krejci and Michael Brandl ........................................................ 115 Towards a Biography Of Place: The 2011 Season of Survey and Excavation at La Milpa North Eric J. Heller .................................................................................................... 127 Phase 2 Research at Wari Camp (RB-56): Summer 2011 Laura Levi ........................................................................................................ 145 i Summary Report of Investigations at the Site of Dos Hombres: Summer 2011 Rissa M. Trachman and Katherine MacDonald ............................................... 153 Preliminary Report on the 2011 Activities of the Mount Allison University Archaeological Field School in Belize Grant R. Aylesworth ......................................................................................... 159 Tree Species Composition at Medicinal Trail Group A Nicholas Brokaw and Sheila Ward ................................................................... 163 Report on Some Stone Tools from RB 18, Northwest Belize: Guijarral and the Chispas Group David M. Hyde ................................................................................................. 165 ii BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION TO THE 2011 SEASON OF THE PROGRAMME FOR BELIZE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT Fred Valdez, Jr., The University of Texas at Austin Marisol Cortes-Rincon, Humboldt State University INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The geographic area in NW Belize is known as the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA) serves as the research region for the The Programme for Belize Archaeological Project (PfBAP; see Figure 1). The property, currently at 260,000 acres, is owned and managed by the Programme for Belize (administrative offices in Belize City). The PfBAP has been involved in yearly research on the RBCMA since 1992. While most of the research endeavors of the PfBAP have been focused on the Maya Period, ca. 1000 BC - AD 1500, the research data available on the property ranges from well before the Maya occupation and beyond the "Maya only" into the historic period. There is growing evidence, primarily in the form of chipped stone tools, for Paleoindian era and Archaic period remains. Unfortunately, these early remains are from surface finds rather than stratigraphic contexts. Beyond the prehistoric Maya remains are sites and artifacts of the historic period. Sites in-and-around Hill Bank as well as Quam Hill remind us of the very long and generally continuous utilization of the RBCMA region. For the Maya research on the RBCMA, the PfBAP has been provided a great opportunity to pursue a regional research interest. While we have excavations, etc. at specific sites such as La Milpa and Dos Hombres, the PfBAP is adding to the prehistoric reconstruction through many small site investigations as well as transect surveys and mapping. Ultimately, the PfBAP intends to provide a regional perspective concerning the interaction between large sites, small settlements, and the myriad of features that connect them all. RESEARCH METHODS (Research Design) The PfBAP has several significant goals as a regional focused research project. Two significant interests include: 1) defining regional patterns of cultural development and decline (through time); and 2) applying identified patterns to major research interests/problems of ancient Maya Civilization and generally to lowland Maya archaeology. The regional approach in Maya archaeology may help understand certain processual and cultural-historical questions. The approach is viable in that it allows us to see the prehistoric Maya from its urban centers to the supporting villages and structures that provide a more comprehensive view of how Maya Civilization may have operated, etc. 1 Valdez, Jr. and Cortes-Rincon Figure 1. Map of sites in the PfBAP and neighboring areas. Map version by Rissa Trachman. The larger research unit, PfBAP, serves as an umbrella organization for many research interests. Each "independent" project may bring forth a particular research/theoretical agenda, but that articulates with the broader goals of the PfBAP. Thus, the papers contributed to this volume represent many perspectives and interests about ancient Maya life. 2 Background and Introduction REVIEW OF THE 2011 INVESTIGATIONS The research reported in this volume are papers from colleagues with their own research projects as well as graduate student research (usually dissertation research). This introductory chapter is a quick summary/comment to contextualize the volume. The archaeological research herein reported was completed under a permit issued by the Institute of Archaeology, Belmopan, Belize. The range of studies under the PfBAP in the 2011 season was quite broad and extensive. In the La Milpa "realm" area were investigations at the site center as well as several support locations. At the La Milpa center are investigations by Trein at Structure 3; Houk and Zaro in the B-Group area; Lewis at significant residential groups by the South Acropolis; Chatelain at the South Ballcourt; Aylesworth with some testing of Plaza A and significant photo-work; Riddick's investigations of LM-4; and Drake's excavation/study of a burial from LM-4. What we term support locations are medium to small sites within the La Milpa "influence" including: Jackson and Brown at Say Ka; Dodge at the Hun Tun site; La Milpa North investigations by Heller; La Milpa East (and more) from Weiss- Krejci and Brandl; and perhaps Levi's study in the Warrie Camp area. More distant studies within the RBCMA and by the PfBAP include: Aylesworth's savannah survey near Hill Bank; Trachman's research at Dos Hombres; and Cortes- Rincon's research on the Dos Hombres-to-Gran Cacao Transect (although this latter item is published as a separate volume). Several special studies are included in this volume including a tree survey by Brokaw and Ward; Brennan's limestone study; and Hyde's analysis of chipped stone artifacts from seveal small sites (in the La Milpa area). OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE PfBAP As in previous season, the PfBAP remains active in providing guest talks for visiting groups to the La Milpa Education center next door to the archaeology camp facility. Guests provided lectures about the PfBAP/Maya studies are foreign (teacher and/or student) groups visiting Belize as well as local high school groups from Orange Walk and Belize City. PfBAP also remains active in public outreach providing access to our lab and field endeavors to the Mennonite Community and to the workmen (and their families). Access here specifically means "knowledge about" and the opportunity to see our research first- hand.