Maya Settlement and Trade on Ambergris Caye, Belize

Abstract

Archaeological fieldwork was conducted on Ambergris Caye, Belize, for three years beginning in 1986. Nineteen archaeological sites were identified during survey work. Intensive excavations were conducted at three sites and limited excavation at several others. In addition, a fourth site has been excavated by another party. This data base gives us the opportunity to examine the diachronic and functional variability of the archaeological record.

The Marco Gonzalez Maya site, Ambergris Caye, Belize: Assessing the impact of human activities by examining diachronic processes at the local scale

“…Like other sites on the island of Ambergris Caye (Guderjan 1995;Guderjan and Garber 1995;Guderjan and Williams-Beck 2001;Guderjan et al 1988;Guderjan et al 1989;Mazzullo et al 1994;Weinberg et al 2003), Marco Gonzalez has supported occupation and activity since Late Preclassic times (ca. 300 B.C.).…”

“…Anecdotal comparisons, derived from walkthrough survey at another Maya site on Ambergris Caye (Chac Balam, N18.17829 W87.86796 NAD 27 Central) (Guderjan 1995;Guderjan and Garber 1995) reveal further consistencies in composition and physiognomy and suggest that longer-term studies may reveal patterns in the association between dark earths and the ‗cay forest' system. Elsewhere on Ambergris Caye, vegetated parts of the island that were not occupied by mangrove and which displayed no archaeological evidence exhibited soils that were observed to be too thin and sandy to accommodate forests; the vegetation in these conditions forms thickets of drought-adapted shrubs.…”

What Maya Collapse? Terminal Classic Variation in the Maya Lowlands

“…Marco Gonzalez (Graham 1989;Graham and Pendergast 1989;Pendergast and Graham 1987) San Juan (Guderjan and Garber 1995) Chac Balam (Guderjan and Garber 1995) Inland Sites…”

Pathoecology and paleodiet in Postclassic: Historic Maya from northern coastal Belize

“…One of the most important environmental characteristics of the area is the barrier reef that runs parallel to the shore. The reef provided marine resources and also a breaker for ocean waves (Waddell 1981, Guderjan 1995 thus facilitating easy travel along the coast. These two locations were excavated between 1986 and 1993 by Elizabeth Graham and David Pendergast for the Royal Ontario Museum and are among approximately 22 other mostly unexcavated sites along the island's coast (Guderjan 1995).…”

“…The reef provided marine resources and also a breaker for ocean waves (Waddell 1981, Guderjan 1995 thus facilitating easy travel along the coast. These two locations were excavated between 1986 and 1993 by Elizabeth Graham and David Pendergast for the Royal Ontario Museum and are among approximately 22 other mostly unexcavated sites along the island's coast (Guderjan 1995). The skeletal sample consists of 143 relatively well-preserved individuals (97 from Marco Gonzalez, and 46 from San Pedro), which is a large sample size for a Maya site.…”