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REPORT OF THE EXCAVATIONS AT LAMANAI SOUTH Results of the 1997 Field Season
Laura J. Howard, Field Director, LFRC Elizabeth Graham, Principal Investigator, York University
Originally submitted 23 July 1997 Revised and submitted 10 February 1998
CONTENTS
Introduction The History of Lamanai South Background and Previous Work Smith and McField's Excavations
Survey and Mapping Results
Description of Excavations of Lamanai South Mound II
Burial Excavations
Ceramics from Mound II
Conclusions
LIST OF FIGURES The Lamanai Field Research Center (LFRC) initiated the Lamanai Archaeological Project in 1995 under the field direction of Herman Smith and Mark McField. Excavations began on a small plazuela group, labelled Mound I, two miles south of the urban core of the ancient site of Lamanai in October of 1995. Mound I was one of a number of structures in this zone, to which Smith gave the name “Lamanai South.” Smith and McField resigned as field directors in December of 1996. The results of the investigations that were completed under their direction have been submitted to the Department of Archaeology as:
Operation 101, Lamanai South, Orange Walk District, Belize Interim Report of Field Activities 3 October to 14 December 1995 By Herman A. Smith and Mark McField
Excavations at Lamanai South, Orange Walk District, Belize Second Interim Report of Field Activities 6 January to 29 April 1996 By Herman A. Smith, Mark McField with contributions by Kim Cox and Helen Haines In December of 1996, Laura Howard, M.S. candidate in anthropology at Florida State University, replaced Herman Smith as a field director. She and Mark McField carried out excavations in 1997 on a platform designated Mound II, which lies approximately 50 m north of Mound I and is part of the Lamanai South construction group. Mound II turned out to have a long construction history that first began in the Preclassic Period. Structures were consistently modified, razed, chopped, and amalgamated, which resulted in the 4m high relatively flat “mound” initially encountered by archaeologists. In the spring of 1997, Elizabeth Graham joined the LFRC team as Principal Investigator, along with John Morris. The following report will detail the results of the excavations of Mound II and will provide a synthesis of the information gleaned from the cultural material recovered.
Detailed information on the history of the excavations at Lamanai can be found in Pendergast’s publications on his work at the site (e.g. 1981, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993). Earlier references to Lamanai occur in Castells (1904), Bullard (1965), and Gann (1926). From 1974 to 1986, the 4.5 sq km (2 sq mi) site was mapped, 730 structures were identified and over 70 were excavated. Eight major plazas or groups of ceremonial structures make up the Central Precinct or heart of the site. One of Lamanai’s distinguishing features is that ceremonial and civic construction continued in portions of the Central Precinct during a time when much of the Maya area was undergoing collapse. Extensive information on Lamanai’s construction and occupation history can be found in Pendergast’s publications, cited above. A comparative treatment of the ceramics from Lamanai can be found in Graham (1987). Smith’s and McField’s excavations The results of the excavations at Lamanai South in1995 and 1996 revealed that occupation in this zone south of the urban core covered a similarly broad spectrum, from Preclassic times to the British Colonial period (see Smith and McField 1995, 1996). Smith and McField were particularly interested in the Terminal Classic to Postclassic Period, and the manner in which Lamanai may have used participation in maritime and riverine trade to weather the collapse. Smith and McField focused on a domestic group of structures at Lamanai South, Mound I, that revealed a long construction history as well as a range of artifacts and Burials. Mound I contained the remains of activity from the beginning of the Christian era; ceramic types identified from this period of time include those of the Mount Hope Complex, identified by Gifford at Barton Ramie, as well as some Early Classic polychromes of the Dos Arroyos Group. (Smith and McField 1995, 1996). Smith and McField interpret this period as one of increased settlement, even though there was population decline at some sites such as Nohmul. The Late Classic sees a strong regional tradition in ceramics developing as evidenced by the remains of Mound I. However, during the 9th century, quality of ceramic production is lower. New Town ceramic complex types are represented, and monochrome blackwares and redwares predominate as polychromes decrease; utilitarian pottery is generally thicker-walled yet more fragile than earlier times. Smith and McField note that the Late Postclassic sample is quite minimal. A small number of British colonial pottery types were also recovered from the area, as were smoking types and Spanish majolica sherds. Smith interpreted the human skeletal material that was found scattered throughout the core of Mound I at Lamanai South as “mass homicide followed by abandonment of the bodies without Burial” (Smith and McField 1996). This is possible, but a more likely explanation is that the scattered human bones represent Burials that were disturbed in platform core and under floors of houses during later construction and interment efforts.
SURVEY AND MAPPING RESULTS, 1997 Survey and mapping of Lamanai South -- 2 miles south of Lamanai core, on the west bank of the New River Lagoon (Figure 2) -- began in August of 1997. The initial goal was to conduct a systematic surface survey of the area surrounding the already located Mounds I, II, and III (see Figure for all references to mound locations below). During the walking reconnaissance, Mound IV was located in a cornfield, ca. 54 m from the southwest corner of Mound I. A preliminary interpretation of Mound IV is that it represents four structures on a platform, arranged around a small plaza or courtyard. After initial reconnaissance revealed the presence of these four Mound groups (I, II, III, IV), mapping proceeded by using the tape and compass method. The result is the map illustrated in Figure X. The measurements are summarized as follows: Distance from the west shore of the lagoon:
Elevations:
A looters’ trench, ca. 4.5 m long, 2 m wide and 4 m deep, was discovered on Mound II on the top central south side with a bearing of 114 degrees. Although all the following measurements are visually displayed via the site map, we list them here as a check for future reference.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Map of Northern Belize Showing Major Sites and Lamanai South
The four mapped mounds cover an area of ca. 30,000 sq m or .03 sq km. During the 1997 field season we focused on the excavation of Mound II. A topographic and contour map of the mound was produced prior to excavation (see Figure 3). This was achieved by selecting an arbitrary datum point on the highest point of the mound. From this point, a transit was used to establish lines running north-south and east-west; the mound was divided into 2 m grids; and surveyors’ flags were used to mark the grid coordinates. Elevations were taken with transit and stadia rod at each 2 m coordinate. Differential corrections for elevations were made according to the daily set-up and then entered into the Surfer mapping program. During the time we worked on Mound II, it became apparent that the mound slopes steeply east toward the lagoon, slopes slightly on the southern side, and has the least amount of slope on the north and west sides. The process of excavation revealed that this did not entirely reflect artificial construction, and that natural contours and bedrock outcroppings had been followed.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II Top - Contour Map Bottom - Surface Map Scale 1:40 Filed School August 4-19/1997
DESCRIPTION OF EXCAVATIONS OF LAMANAI SOUTH MOUND II (Refer to Figures 2 (end of report), 4, 5, 6 and7) The investigation of Mound II was actually begun by Smith and McField but was carried on by Howard shortly after initial excavation. Initial GPS readings taken by Smith placed the entire Lamanai South mound groups at: 17 degrees 44 minutes. One of the records gives more specific readings to seconds, but error is indicated, and we are not sure whether a base station was used to correct readings made to this sort of accuracy, so we have here simply given the latitude and longitude readings to the minute. Mound II is situated ca. 30 m west of the lagoon shore. Near the lagoon shore the terrain supports palmettos and bullet trees; near the mound, limestone bedrock outcrops can be seen protruding through the ground surface. The buildings of Mound II were constructed utilizing these natural outcroppings of bedrock and by adding to their dimensions. Smith began by delimiting a 2 m wide test trench that ran from the summit of Mound II to its base on the south side. He then positioned a second 2 m wide trench that ran from the mound’s summit to the base on the east side. Howard extended the excavations by exploring the sequence of construction on the mound’s summit. She also extended Smith’s N/S trench slightly westward to follow a platform face, and opened up a series of grids on the mound’s northern side to trace the upper platform face, and hence the dimensions of the structure, on that side. The mound’s western construction limits remain to be determined. Smith’s trench on the east side revealed that all platform terrace facing stones had been removed in antiquity. In terms of structural remains, five platform faces and two floors, preserved only partially, were identified. No masonry walls were identified. The faces were not contemporaneous but represent the stone faces that were built to retain platform core as the original structure was heightened and its surface, on which it is assumed a succession of houses once stood, increased in breadth. None of the faces that were encountered so far represents the earliest construction.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II: Extent of Excavated Area Datum = N100 W100 Scale = 1/500
The two floors that were identified -- Floor 1 and Floor 2 -- are the remains of platform (substructure) floors that capped the earliest identifiable efforts at platform construction in this location. The platform faces that were cleared represent later construction efforts that postdate Floor 1 and Floor 2, and unfortunately whatever floors capped these platforms were not preserved. Until the summit periphery and more of the standing faces are cleared, we will not be able to show full plans of the platforms represented by the stone faces uncovered. What we can say, however, is that Face 1 represents the face of a lower terrace on the south side; Face 3 represents an upper terrace face on the north side; Face 1 represents a westward addition to the original platform; and Face 2 and Face 4 seem to represent efforts to heighten the platform substructure and/or expand its surface and likely supported perishable buildings such as a house, kitchen area, and subsidiary structures. A tentatively identified midden on the east side of Face 3 (Pomacea, chert debris and ceramics) where it curves slightly to the north may be the remains from kitchen debris. All construction so far identified dates to a limited time range: the Protoclassic to Early Classic Period. In this report, we use the term “Protoclassic” because we feel it serves as a bridging term, and indeed the construction associated with Mound II bridges the Preclassic to Classic Period. So far, nothing later than the middle of the Early Classic -- say A.D. 300 to 350 -- has been identified, and it would seem that occupation at Mound II did not continue beyond this period of time. Most of the ceramics, in Barton Ramie terms, belong to the Mount Hope, Floral Park, and to a limited extent, the Hermitage Complexes. Mound I, on the other hand, excavated by Smith and McField, revealed a surprisingly long occupation sequence, from the Late Preclassic to the British colonial period. The bulk of the pottery from Mound I was Late Preclassic to Protoclassic, but almost every other period is represented: Late Classic, Terminal Classic, Early Postclassic, Middle Postclassic, Late Postclassic, some majolica from the Spanish period, and ceramics from the British occupation (see Smith and McField 1995, 1996). These observations of ours are based on our knowledge of the ceramics from Mound I that are now stored in the lab at the LFRC.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II Plaster Floor 1 & 2 Platform Faces 1,2,3,4 & 5 Scale 1:1000 L. Howard 04/27/1997
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II N92 W97 North Profile, Face #5 Scale 1:10 L. Howard, S. Boyd
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II N98 W107 South Profile Plaster Floor #2 - Face #2 Scale 1:10 L. Howard, S. Boyd We report in more detail on the Burials and ceramics below. All artifacts were recovered either by hand through careful excavation, or screened through 1/4 inch mesh, or water-screened through 1/16 inch mesh. All field specimens were tagged and bagged in the field to be processed in the lab. Artifacts other than ceramics include chipped and ground stone tools, obsidian blades, carved shell objects, and a small amount of jade (see Burials). Human remains are described below. Detailed skeletal analysis will be undertaken by Christine White of the University of Western Ontario when she joins the project in 1999. Chert, obsidian, and shell objects will be reported on separately at the end of the 1998 season.
All grid locations represent the SW corner of the unit in which the Burial occurred. For information on elevation, orientation, plan of skeletal material, and location of cultural material, refer to the Burial drawings and map. Burial 1 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: N 98 W 111 (all grid locations represent the SW corner of the unit; units are 2 X 2m) FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Smith and McField DATE: Uncertain; stratigraphy suggests contemporaneity with Burial 2. DESCRIPTION: Burial 1 was encountered in one of the units of the eastern test trench. A plaster floor was encountered ca. 1m west of the Burial, but the floor was in a poor state of preservation with no clear eastern edge, so we could not determine whether it at one time extended above the Burial and sealed it. However evidence, such as the level at which the Burial occurred (see Burial drawing), suggests that the Burial was originally dug into platform core and not outside the platform. Burial 1 was very badly preserved. The minimal elements present were a premolar, probable wrist bones, and fragmented long bones. What little pattern remains suggests that the original individual was oriented with head to the north and probably extended or semi-flexed. GRAVE GOODS: Burial goods included one flanged plate over the pelvis region. The storage location of this vessel is not known.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II: Extent of Excavated Area
Scale = 1/500
Burial 2 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID: N 98 W113 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Smith and McField; Howard DATE: Protoclassic-Early Classic; ca. A.D. 1-250 DESCRIPTION: Burial 2 was encountered in one of the units of the eastern test trench. It lay just east of Burial 1 and at approximately the same level. Both Burial 2 and the plaster floor (Floor 2) that lay to the west of it and Burial 1 were heavily deteriorated. However, since no floor fragments were found within the matrix in which Burial 2 lay, Burial 2 may have been placed outside of the platform capped by Floor 2 or by an earlier floor. We cannot say for certain since no platform or core faces remain on this eastern side, because the stones were removed in ancient times and reused in other construction. A cranium was reported to have been found by Smith and McField. Badly preserved fragments of long bones as well as other unidentified fragments of the upper torso were also recovered. Based on the information provided by Smith and McField, that the cranium was found in the NW corner, and on the location of the remaining fragments, we posit that the original skeleton was oriented with the head to the north and probably lay in an extended position. GRAVE GOODS: A vessel was removed by Smith from over the cranium (we have called this Vessel 1), and another, Vessel 2, from over the pelvic region. The vessels are two small, globular jars, thin-walled, buff-slipped with red slipped interior rims and lips. We have dated them to the Protoclassic Period, and based on Graham’s comparison with ceramics from the Stann Creek (Graham 1994) area have suggested a date of ca. A.D. 1-250. The remains of a jade necklace were found around the probable neck region, along with a small obsidian side-notched point or arrowhead. The jade pieces are: 1 perforated tubular bead and 1 perforated oblong pendant, as well as small fragments. A burnt patch of soil, under 20 cm in diameter and 6 cm deep, lay just east of Burial 2 (see Burial plan) and would seem to be the remains of organic accompaniments that had been burned. Burial 3 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: Straddles N97 W109 and N98 W109 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Howard DATE: Protoclassic-Early Classic; ca. A.D. 1 - 300 DESCRIPTION: Burial 3 was encountered in the eastern trest trench (see plan). Fragments of plaster floor were interspersed throughout the soil of the unit and this suggests that Burial 3 may have been cut through a floor; unfortunately what remained of Floor 2 was no good indication of its original extent. Burial 3 was oriented with the head to the north; the individual was semi-flexed and lay on his/her right side. Cranium, long bones, and some hand bones were present. GRAVE GOODS: Burial accompaniments comprised 3 vessels: a basal flange bowl with black slip and post-slip incising on the flange (Vessel #1); a small globular jar with thin buff slip and red-slipped interior rim and lip, and pink-orange paste (Vessel #2); and a jar with incurved sides with buff slip, red-slipped exterior rim and lip, and tripod, almost “slipper” or modified mammiform feet with oblong vents (Vessel #3). The jars indicate a Protoclassic-Early Classic date; the basal-flange bowl is Early Classic. Therefore we have proposed a tentative date of ca. A.D. 1 - 300. The vessels were found in a NW to SE alignment east of the Burial. From the north to south were the basal flange bowl, the small globular jar, and the tripod jar. Indications are that the vessels were originally placed directly over the torso of the individual and had slipped slightly eastward. Beneath the globular jar lay 2 complete obsidian prismatic blades and one incomplete blade. The individual lay on a one-layer bed of chalky limestone rocks, ca. 10 to 15 cm in size.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II Burial #3 N97 W109 N98 W109 Scale 1:10 L. Howard, B. Dykes 01/19/1997 Burial 4 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: N98 W115 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Howard DATE: Uncertain but stratigraphy suggests contemporaneity with Burial 3. DESCRIPTION: Burial 4 was the furthest or easternmost Burial encountered in Trench 1, the eastern trench. Very few remains were present. All indications are that it was originally placed outside the eastern platform face. We say this because there were no remains whatsoever of plaster fragments in the matrix around the Burial or within the immediate vicinity, suggesting that the Burial was placed outside major construction. Of course we cannot be entirely sure because we have no remains of terrace faces. Human remains are represented by fragments of the cranium as well as some long bone fragments. Orientation cannot be clearly posited given the paucity of the remains. A distinct dark stain (F.2) above the skeletal remains coincided with the limits of the Burial and seem to comprise evidence of the Burial pit. GRAVE GOODS: None. Burial 5 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: N96 W103 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Howard DATE: Uncertain, but stratigraphy suggests pre-dates Burial 7. DESCRIPTION: Burial 5 was encountered in the area of the platform summit. The soil matrix was heavily flexed with plaster, which suggests that it was cut through a plaster floor, possibly Floor 2; Floor 2 in this area was not all that well preserved. We think that although Floor 2 served as a platform floor, given the location of Burial 5, it was likely beneath a house or superstructure of wood that at one time stood on the platform. Burial 7 is immediately east of Burial 5, but Burial 5 was interred at a deeper level than Burial 7. Bone preservation was good. No cranium was excavated, although it probably lies in the unexcavated baulk just north of the remainder of the skeleton. The pattern of skeletal remains indicates that the individual was oriented with head to the north, and although no pelvis was present, the long bones suggest that the individual lay flexed on the left side. GRAVE GOODS: No grave goods were found associated with Burial 5. This Burial was not removed; the cranium remains in the section wall. Further excavation may reveal a datable vessel placed over the skull. Burial 6 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: N96 W105 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Howard DATE: Protoclassic-Early Classic; ca. A.D. 200-300. DESCRIPTION: Burial 6 was located east of Burials 5 and 7 but still on the platform’s summit. Like Burial 5 it lay beneath the level of Floor 2 and its earth matrix was heavily flecked with plaster, suggesting that it may have been cut through a floor; however the surface of Floor 2 was not preserved in this grid. Burial 6 lies outside the lines of two faces of later construction; therefore we do not know whether Burial 6 was originally interred beneath the floor of a house, or whether it was placed outside the house and beneath the floor of the platform that supported the house. The individual in this Burial was oriented with head to the south, on the back with arms folded across the chest. The lower portion of the body gives an indication of being flexed with the knees pointing westward. A line of stones defines the Burial limits. The cranium was well preserved, possibly due to the vessel that covered it. GRAVE GOODS: A basal flange bowl was found inverted over the cranium. The bowl is slipped red-orange on the interior, and on the exterior down to and including the flange, but not below it. The flange is reduced almost to a ridge. There are two black lines on the rim interior, one on the rim exterior, and one on the flange. The slip is very worn, however, so that the line decoration is difficult to see. The shape of the vessel and the fact that the exterior below the flange is unslipped suggests a date solidly in the Early Classic. On the other hand, Pomacea shells, ca. 8-10, were dispersed throughout the Burial fill, which is apparently a common practice in some Preclassic Burials (McAnany, personal communication 1997).
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II Burial #6 N96 W105 Scale 1:10 L. Howard 04/25/1997
Burial 7 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: N96 W103 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Howard DATE: Protoclassic; ca. A.D. 1-250 DESCRIPTION: Burial 7 was located east of Burial 5 and west of Burial 6. Like Burial 5 it was below Floor 2 and plaster flecking in the soil around the Burial suggests it was cut through a floor. Also like Burial 5, given its centrality, Burial 7 may well have been positioned beneath the floor of a house. The individual in Burial 7 is oriented with head to the north, on the back, but with knees flexed and probably splayed outward. Preservation was very poor and bones are fragmentary. GRAVE GOODS: Three vessels accompanied the individual in Burial 7, two were complete but one was poorly preserved and fragmented. The vessels were placed in east-west alignment over the lower portion of the body. One of the vessels is a large, squat, shallow bowl with recurved sides and direct or vertical rim. It is red-slipped on the interior and exterior, and has a distinctive waxy feel. The second vessel, a globular jar, has a short direct rim and red exterior slip that is not well preserved but also has a waxy feel. The third vessel is extremely poorly preserved, but the fragments indicate it is a flat-bottomed dish or bowl with nubbin feet. It has fragments of a red slip; the fabric is a brownish-orange. All vessels are solidly Protoclassic in date; that is, ca. A.D. 1-250
Lamanai Archaeological Project Mound II Burial #5 & #7 N96 W103 Scale 1:10 L. Howard, O. Ruano 03/29/1997
Burial 8 STRUCTURE: Mound II GRID LOCATION: N98 E101 and N96 E101 FIGURES: EXCAVATED BY: Howard DATE: Uncertain; stratigraphy suggests it postdates Burial 6 and is therefore Early Classic at the earliest. DESCRIPTION: Burial 8 lay just west of Burial 5. The individual was interred above limestone rubble, apparently core, and the core immediately overlay Floor 2. Therefore Burial 8 postdates Burials 5, 6 and 7. It wasn’t sealed by any preserved construction features, however, so we can only assume the individual of the Burial was interred beneath the floor of a later house of which we have no remaining evidence. However, given its elevation, the Burial event is probably contemporaneous with the construction of the later increments to the platform’s height. The interred individual was oriented with the head to the north, on the back with arms crossed over the chest, but with the knees apparently partly flexed and possibly splayed outward. Given the fragmentary remains it was difficult to be certain. Three obsidian blades were recovered under the pelvis region of the individual after the skeleton was removed, but they may be part of the Burial fill. GRAVE GOODS: No grave goods were recovered from Burial 8.
Lamanai Archaeology Project Burial #8 N98 W101 N96 W101 Scale 1:10 L. Howard, G. Rowell 08/14/1997
Although the ceramics below are described with reference to published types, we group them according to their Burial associations. The time period represented by the construction of Mound II is relatively short and spans the Protoclassic and early part of the Early Classic period. It is possible that the entire construction sequence represents no more than 100 years, with a maximum estimate of 250 years. Therefore vessels found in association may at some point in future help to subdivide this narrow range of time even more finely. Vessels from Burial 2 Contents: Two globular jars, Vessel 1 and Vessel 2. Name: Ram-jam Red-on-buff (provisional) Ware: Vessel 1 has a pinkish-orange paste and resembles Aguacate Orange, which would make it Holmul Orange ware according to Gifford (1976). The other, Vessel 2, has a fine, buff-colored paste with a wide blackened core, the result of organics in the paste or of reduction in firing. Ceramic complex: Hard to say since the pastes are different. Time-wise they would be Floral Park or Mount Hope, but the surface finish is not like any vessels we’ve seen from Barton Ramie. Similar vessels have been identified in the Stann Creek collection -- that is, similar to the jar with the buff paste (Graham 1994). However they were not named. We may find that once the Lamanai ceramics are analysed, a new and local complex name will be proposed. Established: In this collection....at least for the time being. Identifying attributes: If one ignores the fact that the pastes are different, one would say that the thin, slightly waxy buff slip, the thin and delicate walls, and the red-slipped lips are identifying attributes. Sometimes the rim interior is also slipped. Paste and firing: I already noted that the pastes of the two vessels are different. Therefore this is a case in which identical surface treatment was applied to vessels made of different clays. The pinkish-orange paste of Vessel 1 has fine calcite inclusions. The buff paste of Vessel 2 shows hardly any inclusions, although on areas of the surface where the slip is worn, fine calcite occasionally surfaces. Proper thin-sectioning would reveal aspects of the paste with more accuracy. Surface finish and decoration: As noted above under “identifying attributes,” the surface is slipped buff, and the sheen of the slip is not quite glossy. Decoration consists of a red-slipped lip in the case of Vessel 2, and a red-slipped lip and rim interior in the case of Vessel 1. Surfaces indicate that the vessels were lightly burnished. Forms and dimensions: Based on this sample and the sherds that are part of the Stann Creek sample, a delicate jar form is common. Not enough has been recovered to say whether the decoration is associated with other forms such as bowls. In the present case, Vessel 2 (the jar found over the pelvic region) is 8 cm in height with a diameter of just under 8 cm. The jar found over the cranium, Vessel 1, is fragmented; the diameter is about 10 cm; the height is estimated to have been around 12 cm. Both have round bases and were probably set into a mat holder of some sort since otherwise they are unstable. Vessel 1 has an everted rim with slightly thickened and rounded lip. Vessel 2 has a more direct rim with slight lip eversion, and a slightly thickened lip that is also flattened. Intersite references: See Graham 1994, Colson Point ceramics. Vessels from Burial 3 Contents: A basal flange bowl with black slip and post-slip incising on the flange (Vessel 1); a small, globular, lightly slipped jar with red-slipped rim and lip and pinkish-orange paste (Vessel 2); and a jar with incurved sides with buff slip, and red-slipped exterior rim and lip, and tripod feet with oblong vents. Basal flange bowl (Vessel 1): Name: Probably Lucha Incised: Variety Unspecified. Ware: Peten Gloss Ceramic complex: At Barton Ramie, Hermitage. Here as yet undefined. Established: See Gifford 1976:164. Identifying attributes: See Gifford 1976:164 for identifying attributes of the type. It’s basically Balanza Black with incision. Paste and firing: This example is black to brown with medium to medium-to-coarse calcite inclusions that, as in Gifford’s sample, extrude through the surface on unslipped bases. Surface finish and decoration: This example is slipped black on the interior and on the exterior down to and including the flange, but not beneath the flange. Surfaces seem to be reasonably well-smoothed, but the vessel is poorly preserved. The interior of the base is reddish. The flange is crudely incised with a cross-hatch pattern; incision was post-fire. Form and dimension: The sides of the vessel are flared, the rim direct and the lip flattened; the flange is 1.8 cm; the overall form is like that illustrated in Gifford 1976: Fig. 88a, p. 164. The diameter is ca. 30 cm. Ht. = 8 cm. Diameter of base = 8 cm. Vessel wall thickness is 6 mm. Intersite references: See Gifford 1976: 164-166. Globular jar with red-slipped rim . . . (Vessel 2) Name: Based on the rim treatment, and on areas of the vessel that give the appearance of having a light buff slip, this jar may well be Ram-jam Red-on-buff. Most of the vessel appears unslipped, however, and the pinkish-orange paste suggests Aguacate Orange or rather a Holmul Orange ware. Ware: Unknown; possibly Holmul Orange. Ceramic complex: At Barton Ramie, Floral Park. At Lamanai, it is Protoclassic but no complex names have been assigned. Established: NA since we are unsure of its category. Identifying attributes: If Ram-jam Red-on-Buff, see above. Paste and firing: The paste is pinkish-orange with a grey core. Calcite inclusions are medium to fine. Vessel walls are thin: 3 mm walls but thickens to 5mm at shoulder. Surface finish and decoration: Vessel is worn so that most of the surface appears unslipped. It is well-smoothed however, and rim sherds show the thinnest of buff slips. Perhaps a very thin buff slip was applied, or the burnishing of the vessel itself produced a buff sheen. The lip and rim interior are slipped red, and by all appearances the jar is probably Ram-jam Red-on-buff. Form and decoration: Like the other Ram-jam jars, this example is globular with a rounded base, and was probably set in some sort of holder to stabilize it, or perhaps hung in netting of some sort. The neck is vertical with an everted rim and lip, and the lip is very slightly thicker on the exterior. The vessel is highly fragmented and its height and diameter are difficult to measure, although they are close to that of Burial 2, Vessel 1. Jar with tripod feet (Vessel 3): Name: Ram-jam Red-on-buff?? Ware: Unknown; the paste is pinkish, grading to buff. Ceramic complex: Unknown. Cruder than the other Ram-jam vessels in terms of its paste, so it’s best to refrain from specifics at this time. Established: NA Identifying attributes: In terms of surface treatment, its buff sheen achieved by burnishing, and its red-slipped rim are diagnostics. If included with Ram-jam, then it would expand the range of the type to include jars with incurved sides and tripod feet. Paste and firing: Paste is pinkish to buff with a grey to black core; calcite inclusions seem medium to coarse. Vessel surface where well burnished is smooth, but where surface is worn, the paste appears coarse. Vessel wall thickness is 4mm but close to 6 mm at neck and shoulder. Mica flecks are common. Surface finish and decoration: It appears that a light buff slip was applied, and that the vessel was burnished to produce a sheen. Unfortunately much of the surface is worn. The interior does not appear slipped, but the surface is well-smoothed and distinctively pinkish buff in appearance. The lip is slipped red, and the red extends also over the rim exterior. Forms and dimensions: Small jar with recurved sides and tripod, slipper-type feet. The feet can also be described as a kind of modified mammiform. Vents in the feet are oblong, ca. 9 mm long and 4 mm wide. A similar jar with identical feet occurs at Barton Ramie in the Barton Creek Complex as Hillbank Red: Rockdondo Variety (Gifford 1976: Fig. 44m, p. 105). The rim is almost direct /vertical -- that is, outlfares only slightly -- and the lip is rounded. Too many fragments are missing to reconstruct the vessel, but indications are that the height was about 11 cm. Diameter was probably about 10.5 cm. Intersite references: Hard to say, but if the paste is indeed a Holmul Orange, then we point to Barton Ramie (Gifford 1976). Certainly the form of the vessel occurs at Barton Ramie in the Barton Creek Complex, as noted above. Vessel from Burial 6 Contents: A basal flange bowl found inverted over the cranium. Name: A Dos Arroyos Polychrome of some sort. Black-line decoration as well as the deep-orange color of the slip matches Gifford’s description of Dos Arroyos Polychrome: Variety Unspecified B (Gifford 1976: Fig. 97, p. 177). Overall shape of the bowl (the flare of the sides) is closer to Minanha Red examples (Gifford 1976:158). Ware: Peten Gloss if you agree with Gifford 1976. Ceramic complex: At Barton Ramie, Hermitage. At Lamanai, no complex names yet established. Established: See Gifford 1976:176-177 Identifying attributes: See Gifford 1976:173-179 for the range of Dos Arroyos polychromes. The orange-red slip and the simple black-line decoration on the rim and flange tie the bowl to Gifford’s Variety Unspecified B, but the ash-feel to the paste ties it to Variety Unspecified A and H (Gifford 1976:174). Paste and firing: The paste is cream or buff-colored beneath the slip but with a grey core. Temper comprises medium to fine calcite grains, but there is an ashy feel to the paste suggesting that volcanic ash temper is also present. Vessel wall thickness is a fairly consistent 6 mm. Surface finish and decoration: Where it is preserved, the surface finish is glossy. The color of the slip is a deep orange or orange-red. The bowl is slipped on the interior and on the exterior down to and including the flange, but the portion below the flange is unslipped. There are two black lines around the rim interior, at least one black line around the rim exterior, and a black line decorating the flange. The surface is so worn it is hard to tell, but the rim interior also appears a lighter orange in places so that the lip appears to have a red band. Form and dimensions: Basal flange bowl with diminutive flange and flared sides with direct rim and rounded lip. Ring base is present. Diameter is ca. 33 cm. Height is ca. 9 cm. Interior ridge, where sides change direction slightly at the flange, is well smoothed. Intersite references: See Gifford 1976 for the Hermitage Complex. Vessels from Burial 7 Contents: Three vessels were found along with the individual in Burial 7. Vessel 1 is a large, squat, shallow bowl with incurving sides and a vertical rim, slipped a waxy red. Vessel 2 is a globular jar with a short vertical rim and red exterior slip that is poorly preserved. Vessel 3 is extremely fragmented and in a poor state of preservation; it appears to be a flat-bottomed dish or bowl with outflared sides and nubbin feet, unslipped. Red-slipped bowl with incurving sides. . . (Vessel 1) Name: Quacco Creek Red Ware: Paso Caballo Waxy Established: See Gifford 1976:112-113. Identifying attributes: See Gifford 1976:112. Quacco Creek Red is described by Gifford as a soft red slip that fires to golden brown in parts. This applies to Vessel 1. In terms of color and waxiness it is like Sierra Red; the difference in our case seems to be that the slip flakes off easily, and may be thinner, which accords with Gifford’s description as well as do the golden brown gradations. Paste and firing: The paste is pinkish-orange with what appear to be dense and fine or medium calcite inclusions. Paste is soft and friable. Vessel wall thickness is 6 to 8 mm with the thickest walls at the juncture between base and sides. Firing must have been well controlled because the pinkish paste is not at all discolored and is completely oxidized. Surface finish and decoration: The color of the slip is identical to Sierra Red, but as Gifford notes, it seems softer and flakes off more easily. It also gives the appearance of being more thinly applied than on Sierra Red vessels. The red occasionally grades to a golden brown. Form and dimensions: The form is a shallow bowl with slightly incurved sides, and direct rim with flattened lip. Parallel forms are noted at Barton Ramie only in the Floral Park Complex. See for example Gifford 1976: Fig. 58k (an Aguacate Orange:Aguacate Variety), although this rim flares out slightly in comparison with our Vessel 1. There is also Fig. 63h, k, and l which are very close to our example. These last are Aguacate Orange:Ramonal Variety. The squat sides and direct rim also occur in polychromes (see Gifford 1976: Fig. 71j, a Gavilan Black-on-orange, and Fig. 72o, a Coquericot Buff-polychrome). Diameter measures ca. 28.5 cm. Intersite references: See Gifford 1976 as noted above, as well as Graham 1994 for forms that occur in the Colson Point sample. Red-slipped jar . . . (Vessel 2) Name: Quacco Creek Red Ware: Paso Caballo Waxy Ceramic complex: Mount Hope at Barton Ramie based on slip. Floral Park at Barton Ramie based on form. No complex yet identified at Lamanai. Established: See Gifford 1976:112-113 for Quacco Creek Red and Gifford 1976: Fig. 64w, p. 136 for shape parallel. Identifying attributes: Waxy red slip that is apparently softer than Sierra Red, although the color is the same as is the crazing. See Gifford 1976:112-113 for Quacco Creek, and 1976:85 for Sierra Red descriptions. Paste and firing: Paste is pinkish orange and grades to buff. Well oxidized as is Vessel 1, but appears more consistently buff than orange. Vessel walls are 6 mm to 7 mm, thicker at the base, but 8 mm at the juncture of neck and shoulder. Paste is soft and friable and calcite inclusions are small and fairly dense. Form and dimensions: Jar with incurving sides, vertical rim, slightly tapering lip. Height of rim is 1.4 cm. Height of jar is 13 cm. Diameter is just under 12 cm. Base is flat and about 10 cm in diameter. A jar of identical form -- at least it appears as such on the basis of the illustration -- occurs at Barton Ramie in the Floral Park Complex as Aguacate Orange: Holja Variety, Gifford 1976: Fig. 64w, p. 136. The Barton Ramie vessel was found in a cache in mound BR-248. Intersite references and discussion: The Aguacate Orange jar whose shape is so much like Vessel 2 was found in a cache in mound BR-248 along with 11 other vessels (Gifford 1976: 135; Willey et al. 1965:264-267). Quacco Creek Red as a type was defined at Barton Ramie, but it also occurs in the Stann Creek collection (Graham 1984). Nubbin-footed dish or bowl. . . (Vessel 3) Name: Vessel is too worn but probably Quacco Creek or Aguacate Orange. Ware: Holmul Orange ?? Ceramic Complex: Unnamed at Lamanai, but in terms of a parallel, would coincide with Mount Hope or Floral Park at Barton Ramie. Established: See Gifford 1976 as above. Identifying attributes: Not clearly identified with a type, but its pinkish paste is distinctive, and the red slip if better preserved would certainly help to identify it. Paste and firing: Paste is pinkish and friable. Oxidation appears to have been complete because there is no grey core. Vessel walls are 6 to 7 mm thick and thicken to 1 cm at joint of sides with base. Calcite inclusions are dense and are fine to medium. Surface finish and decoration: Really hard to say because the surface is so worn, but there are traces of red slip. What little is there is thin but appears on the waxy side. The “red” itself may be due to matrix staining; that is, the original slip may have been closer to an orange-red or red-orange. The slip originally was applied to the vessel’s interior and exterior, although it is unclear whether it ever extended to the base and to the nubbin feet. Form and dimensions: Appears to be a flat-bottomed dish or bowl with nubbin feet. Sides are slightly outflared, rim is direct and lip is somewhat flattened. We found no exact shape parallel at Barton Ramie. There are flared bowls in the Barton Creek Complex (Gifford 1976: Fig. 42v) but the thickness of the vessel walls varies more than in our example. Aguacate Orange bowls more closely match our example in the uniformity of vessel wall thickness and rim treatment (see Gifford 1976: Fig.66 k, n, q-s). Vessel 3 does not appear to have even a slight “kick” in the base, however. Fragments are so small and friable, we could not reconstruct significant enough portions of the vessel to obtain diameter or height measurements. A complete guess based on looking at the base might put the base diameter at 12 cm or slightly more. The diameter, then, given the slightly flared sides, would be a bit more than this. Intersite references: Based on general comparisons, Barton Ramie’s Floral Park pottery. But vessels of this shape are not uncommon in northern Belize.
The vessels from the Burials of Mound II are, if we take the Barton Ramie sequence as a starting-off point, predominantly “Mount Hope” and “Floral Park” with two Early Classic basal flange bowls that are considered “Hermitage.” All indications are that the construction phases identified so far date to Protoclassic and very Early Classic times, which would be anywhere from 100 B.C. to about A.D. 250-350. Given the dearth of Barton Creek overlap, the common occurrence of Mount Hope and Floral Park pottery in core, and the presence, so far, of only two Peten Gloss wares, we tentatively bracket the Mound II activity within ca. 50 B.C. to A.D. 300.
Lamanai Archaeological Project Map of Lamanai South
Bullard, William R.
Castells F. de P
Flannery, Kent V.
Gann, Thomas W. F.
Gifford, James C.
Gonzalez, N. S.
Graham, Elizabeth
Guderjan, T.H. and W.D. Driver
Haviland, W.A.
Leventhal, R.M.
McAnany, Patricia
McKillop, Heather
Pendergast, David M.
Pyburn, Anne K.
Roys, Ralph L.
Shafer, H. and T. Hester
Smith, Herman and Mark McField
Thomas, P.M., Jr.
Thompson, J. Eric S.
Wilk, R.R. and R.M. Netting
Willey, Gordon R.
Willey, Gordon R., William R. Bullard, Jr., John B. Glass and James C. Gifford
Vogt, Evon Z. and Richard Leventhal (editors)
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- Direction of Head
