Applying Regional, Contextual, Ethnohistoric, and Ethnographic Approaches for Understanding the Significance of Peri-Abandonment Deposits in Western Belize

Abstract

The discovery of cultural remains on or above the floors of rooms and courtyards at several Maya sites has been interpreted by some archaeologists as problematic deposits, squatter's refuse, as evidence for feasting, termination rituals, de facto refuse, or rapid abandonment as a result of warfare. Investigations by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project have recorded similar deposits at several surface and subterranean sites in Western Belize. Our regional, contextual, and methodological approaches for studying these deposits, coupled with ethnohistoric and ethnographic information, provide limited support for the interpretation of these remains as de facto refuse or due to rapid abandonment. Instead, we argue that these deposits are more likely the result of peri-abandonment activities such as propitiation rituals and/or pilgrimages during and after the gradual abandonment of sites in the Belize River Valley.

Point Counter Point: Interpreting Chipped Chert Bifaces in Terminal Classic “Problematic” on-Floor Deposits From Structures A2 and A3 at Cahal Pech, Belize

“…One would expect more of these bifaces to be fragmentary if disposed of in a garbage dump. Although some of the other artifacts in the deposits are fragmentary, the types recovered have been argued to be very similar to those from similar deposits at many sites throughout western Belize (Awe et al 2020). This suggests that the kinds of artifacts in problematic or peri-abandonment deposits were deliberately chosen for deposition following some consistent cultural rules observed by many Maya around the Terminal Classic.…”

“…At Chichen Itza, for example, just over 250 chipped-stone artifacts, the great majority represented by bifaces, were discovered in the cenote (Sheets 1991:164). At surface sites, bifaces are reported in deposits excavated at Aguateca, Xunantunich, Baking Pot, Pook's Hill, Caracol, and Cahal Pech, among others (Awe et al 2020;Inomata 2003;Inomata and Stiver 1998).…”

“…The problematic deposits have been dated to the Terminal Classic period (∼a.d. 750-900) based on ceramic affiliations with Spanish Lookout complex types in the Belize Valley (Aimers and Awe 2020; Gifford 1976) and by radiocarbon dates from human remains within intrusive burials containing similar ceramic assemblages (Awe et al 2020).…”

The Last Hurrah: Examining the Nature of Peri-Abandonment Deposits and Activities at Cahal Pech, Belize

“…a.d. 750-900) period. Other papers in this special issue of the journal provide detailed discussions of the ceramic (Aimers and Awe 2020) and chert (Stemp and Awe 2020) artifacts in the peri-abandonment deposits at Cahal Pech and on the results of our investigations of similar deposits at Baking Pot (Hoggarth et al 2020) and at Xunantunich, Altun Ha, Caracol, and Pook's Hill (Awe et al 2020).…”

“…The contextual distribution of the 23 complete bifaces was particularly interesting as seven of them were found close together on the north flank of the Structure A2 stairside outset, nine were scattered in the northeast corner of Plaza A, and the other seven were to the west of the Structure A3 stairside outset. In their study of the bifaces, Stemp and Awe (2020) observed that the contextual and numerical distribution of the bifaces are ideologically significant because the numbers seven and nine are often associated with celestial and underworld realms in Maya cosmology (Miller and Taube 1993:151-152). We should also note that usewear analysis of the bifaces is consistent with use as projectiles.…”