Searching
for Support Staff and Kitchens:
Continued
Investigation of Small Structures in Caracol's Epicenter:
2004
Field Report of the Caracol Archaeological Project
Arlen F. Chase and
Diane Z. Chase
Department of
Sociology and Anthropology
Report submitted to the Belize Institute of
Archaeology
Searching for Support Staff and
Kitchens:
Continued Investigation of Small Structures in
Caracol's Epicenter:
2004 Field Report of the Caracol Archaeological
Project
Arlen F. Chase and Diane Z.
Chase
The
2004 field season of the Caracol Archaeological Project extended from the very
end of January through the ides of March; the 2004 field crew consisted of 17
individuals (see Table 1). Excavations
undertaken during the 2004 field season were designed to supplement recent
investigations in the site epicenter; the 2004 research focused on small
epicentral structures and groups in an effort to define architectural variation
and potential areas of craft of food production. Two specific loci were targeted for
investigation during the twentieth field season of the project (see Figure 1):
á
a series of buildings west of
Caana that did not appear to form a domestic unit, resulting in the axial
excavation of Structure B36, the areal excavation and penetration of parts of
the Structure B36 platform, and the excavation of the southern end of Structure
B37 as well as the alleyway between this building and the Structure B36
platform.
á
a possible domestic unit that had
been appended to the eastern side of the raised Barrio platform, resulting in
the areal exposure and axial penetration of Structures B52 and B53.
As in
the recent past, funding for the 2004 field season came from the Ahau
Foundation, the Stans Foundation, the
The
Problem: Further Definition of Epicentral Caracol's Support Capabilities
Previous
research at Caracol has demonstrated that many of the architectural groups
within and around the site epicenter differ from those residential groups that
are embedded within the surrounding settlement hinterland in production and
ritual activity. This variation is to be
expected given that the epicenter served a variety of different functions: the
epicenter housed the royal residence and contained buildings necessary for multiple
living quarters of extended family members and the administrative staff,
storage, and royal ritual and ceremony; some of the epicenter's buildings would
have been used for administration, jurisprudence, and foreign affairs and
diplomacy; parts of the epicenter may also have been involved in administering
the city's economic base, particularly as related to markets, long-distance
trade, and the distribution control of household production. A market may also have been physically
located in the epicenter itself. While
it is evident that household production was important at Caracol, the
complexity and scale of the site call for different specialists and associated
facilities Ð and it is not yet clear where items used by the extended royal
family were produced. The 2004 research
at Caracol sought to sample ancillary structures in an attempt to further define
existing variation in production activities and, potentially, to find the
postulated palace kitchens (similar to those located at Tikal south of that
site's Central Acropolis; see Harrison 1999 and personal communication). To accomplish this, the 2004 research focused
on the low buildings that ring the northern and western base of Caana and the
low buildings immediately east of Barrio Ð two areas of royal or elite
residence.
Over the
course of the Caracol Archaeological Project, smaller structures that ring the
epicenter or that are attached to epicentral constructions have been
systematically investigated in an attempt to understand the variety of
activities that were once carried out in the site's downtown area. Whereas many of the larger buildings are
constructed with fine stone architecture, these smaller edifices were largely
perishable, consisting of line-of-stone foundations and crude boulder platforms
that exhibit none of the refined stonework apparent in the public buildings of
Caracol. As these smaller structures are
believed likely to have been used for specific support purposes or to have
housed support staff, cartakers, and courtiers, the non-munificence of the
architecture found in these remains is appropriate. As yet, however, none of these perishable
constructions can be directly linked to large-scale food processing.
An important aspect of any site is
food production and distribution, as well as the location of processing areas
associated with cooking. Investigations
in the northeastern and southeastern sectors of the site were successful in
locating terraced field systems interspersed with settlement (A. Chase and D.
Chase 1998). These terraced fields were clearly the locus of food
production. There is also archaeological
evidence for food distribution. Stable
isotope analysis indicates variation in diet at the site (D. Chase et al.
1998); distribution and access to food stuffs was apparently not uniform. Dietary studies undertaken on the human
remains in Caracol's epicentral tombs have revealed that epicentral elite
shared a particular diet that was high in both protein and corn. This "palace diet" appears to have been
restricted to individuals who either lived or worked within Caracol's downtown
palaces and to have been in existence throughout the Classic Period (A. Chase
and D. Chase 2001; A. Chase et al. 2001).
Yet, excavations within Caracol's epicentral palaces have not revealed
the existence of cooking facilities or cooking vessels. True cooking vessels have only been recovered
from Structure A6, the
Two structure groups within the
walled areas to the southeast of the Caracol epicenter have been investigated,
one in 1985 (see Figure 1, Structure B108 group) and the other in 1991 (see
Figure 1, Structure B118 group). These
investigations showed that the individuals located within these compounds were
at least partially defined by their occupations, in one case being buried with
implements related to the production of cloth (A. Chase and D. Chase 1987:36)
and in another case being buried with implements related to writing and
possibly prognostication (Teeter 2001).
Excavated debris from the plazas in these walled areas showed that stone
had been worked in one group and that bone had been worked in the other (Teeter
2001). Thus, the southeast walled plaza
groups provided archaeological evidence of possible courtiers and support staff
for the epicenter. Dietary analysis of
the human bone in these groups supported this interpretation by showing that
these individuals did not partake in the palace diet and, in fact, had one of
the worst diets at Caracol (D. Chase et al. 1998); elsewhere, we have shown how
this is consistent within the Burgess (1923) model of urban organization (A.
Chase et al. 2001).
Excavation of the walled area
directly south of the epicenter and west of the Conchita-Machete Causeway was
undertaken during the 2000 field season.
The buildings within this walled enclosure were not organized in formal
plazuela groups. Excavation revealed the
buildings to be crude foundation platforms composed primarily of lines of unworked
stone; no superstructures were recovered.
These archaeological investigations demonstrated that this area was not
residential in function Ð as is indicated by the lack of domestic refuse, by
the lack of interments and ritual activity, and by the lack of a standard
residential plazuela layout. However, one
of the structures had been a locus for lithic production; hundreds of lithic
by-products were strewn over the back of this building. Given its composition, this southern walled
area had clearly been used for some specialized function relating to downtown
Caracol.
During the 2003 field season, the
smaller buildings attached to the southern plazas in the South Acropolis were sampled. Unlike those in the southern walled area, the
southeastern plaza attached to the South Acropolis clearly had a residential
function - as attested to by 4 burials in an eastern mortuary structure and by in situ residential debris on the floor
of one of the southern buildings. The contents
and contexts of these burials suggests that the individuals were not high
status. The function of the southwestern
plaza attached to the South Acropolis is not as clear as its neighboring plaza
as in situ debris was not as prevalent.
However, the combined data suggests that these two plaza areas housed
caretakers, courtiers, or other support individuals related to the more public
buildings in the South Acropolis.
Understanding any Maya site is
problematic given the difficulties involved in the interpretation of
archaeological data; however, the dedicated long-term investigation of a site
can produce a comprehensive sample that can be used to address broader
issues. The 2004 excavations continued
to focus on small ancillary structures located in or near epicentral Caracol,
again in an attempt to further define archaeologically some of the variability
in form and function that is found within the site's epicenter with regard to
specialists and specialization.
2004 Excavations West of Caana
Caana, a
series of architectural terraces crowned by three pyramids, rises almost 43
meters above the B Plaza. The
substructure of Caana is abutted on its western and northern sides by a massive
platform which rises to the height of Caana's first basal terrace. At minimum six structures sit on this raised
platform and form a semi-square around Caana.
All of these are low platforms (Figure 2). From the surface they appear quite similar to
the late additions that line the sides of Caracol's B Plaza. Only Structure B36 shows any sign of
differentiation, as it is taller than the other substructures and is also associated
with its own broad northern terrace.
Excavations undertaken during 2004 penetrated the axis of Structure B36,
areally exposed a series of building pads on the Structure B36 platform,
sampled the alleyway between Structures B36 and B37, and areally exposed
portions of Structure B37 (Figure 4). All
excavations were backfilled following the 2004 investigation and recording.
Structure B36
Set to
the western side of the Caana basal terrace, Structure B36 presents an imposing
structure that rises some 7 meters above the B Plaza. From the venue of the B Plaza, the building
could form some kind of complex with Structure B7 and the Structure B8-B9 ballcourt,
effectively being an extension of the B Plaza.
However, once up on the basal platform, Structure B36 appears to face
north over an imposing terrace that is appended to the building substructure
(see Figure 1 and Figure 3). Structure
B36 only rises 2.5 meters above this terrace.
Structure B36 was selected for excavation in 2004 because it did not
appear to be part of an overt residential unit and its architectural siting
immediately west of Caana suggested that it was in an ideal location to have functioned
as the locus for the operation of some sort of support structure.
Suboperation C168B was designated for a 2 m wide by 11.55 m long axial
trench that penetrated Structure B36 from its northern side and encompassed the
entire summit of the building (Figure 5, Figure 7, and Figure 8). This northern terrace was also tested where
it joined with Structure B36, but no deposits were found on axis. Four sequent construction episodes are
indicated within the levels of this trench.
The
earliest construction episode is indicated by a hard plaster floor recovered
1.9 m below the surface of the northern terrace, but still some 2.7 m above the
level of the B Plaza; this floor was not penetrated, but based on materials
recovered in excv. C168H, it is probably Late Preclassic in date.
The subsequent
floor surface was placed 1.8 m above the earlier floor, approximately raised to
the same level of the current "Structure B36 terrace." This surface is associated with a raised
substructure that can be recognized as Structure B36-3rd and that
extends completely beneath the summit of the current building, ending in a
ripped-out facing on its southern end which connects with yet another lower
floor at the southern extent of excv. C168B.
The next
construction episode raised Structure B36 by just over 1 meter. Structure B36-2nd consisted of a
stone-walled building that faced both north and south. The remains of a room, a doorjamb, and a
stairway were recovered in the northern part of excv. C168B, while a continuous
wall, 1.4 m thick, ran across the southern end of excavation. On the southern end of the excavation, the
floor that must have abutted the wall had been removed, possibly for the
placement of S.D. C168B-1 deep below.
Based on these data, Structure B36-2nd was probably a range
palace building, possibly similar in form to Structures B4 or B6 on the south
side of the B Plaza. Based on pottery
sealed in the core of Structure B36-2nd, it was constructed in the
later part of the Late Classic Period.
Structure
B36-1st raised the building substructure even higher (ca. 0.8 m),
razed the earlier stone construction, and crowned the whole with a perishable
building. The northern stair placed
about 0.5 m further north; this new stair was not as finely constructed as earlier
ones. This construction episode took
place in the Terminal Classic Period.
This dating is supported by the placement of S.D. C168B-1 deep in the
earlier hearting at this time and by the occurrence of 2 modeled-carved sherds
within the fill of this new building (others were also recovered overlying the
northern stairway; see Figure 14). Also
included in the fill of this latest building effort was a small fragment of a
carved stone monument (Figure 9).
S.D.
C168B-1 consisted of the human remains of adult individual placed deep
within the fill of Structure B36-1st directly above a ripped-out
architectural facing for -3rd (Figure 10). The body may have been flexed and bundled
when it was deposited, but because the body was placed within the fill, displacement
occurred upon decomposition. It was not
possible to determine the sex of the skeletal remains. The individual was accompanied by a stingray
spine and by a single large blackware plate (Figure 11), similar to those found
on the floors of Caana's palaces (see A. Chase 1994: fig.13.11b and c).
Suboperation C168G consisted of a 2 m wide by 4 m long excavation laid
out in line (and on axis) with excv. C168B at the southern limit of Structure
B36 (Figure 6, Figure 7, and Figure 8).
The excavation succeeded in recovering a series of three steps that were
associated with Structure B36-1st.
Sherds of Terminal Classic modeled-carved pottery and censerware were
found associated with these steps. The
excavation was carried down to possible bedrock. Penetration of the latest steps uncovered 2
earlier sequent plaster floors and a fragment of a spondylus shell beneath the earlier one.
Structure B36 Terrace
When the
terrace appended to the north side of Structure B36 was cleared of vegetation,
it was possible to discern occasional shaped stones that appeared to be in
line. Based on slight surface variation,
four potential building pads were identified.
Three of these pads were areally exposed and one was axially
trenched. An additional line-of-stone
was followed to where it joined the base of Structure B36. Only a suspected building on the northeast
corner of the terrace was not tested.
Upon excavation, it was found that all of these "vacant terrain"
structures dated to the Terminal Classic era and probably composed a formal
building group with Structure B36-1st (Figure 3 and Figure 4). The discovery and investigation of these
line-of-stone structures was an unexpected bonus for the 2004 field season
(Figure 14).
Suboperations C168C and C168E encompassed a line-of-stone building
pad that faced Structure B36-1st (Figure 12 and Figure 14). Three stones from the medial wall of this
construction barely protruded above the surface. Slight differences in surface elevation were
used to lay out two excavations on either end of this pad, with excv. C168C
covering the western end and excv. C168E covering the eastern end. Excavation C168E was eventually extended west
to join with excav. C168C and expose the entire building substructure. Upon excavation, a bi-level building pad 5.1
m wide and 3.8 m deep was exposed (the upper level being 1.6 m broad). While the perimeter facing was horizontally
bedded, the interior facing consisted of vertically-set slabs. The large number of modeled-carved sherds
(Figure 15) found during the excavation of this pad is indicative of its use
during the Terminal Classic era. The
human skull fragments and human tooth found during the cleaning of this
building also occurs in other known Terminal Classic contexts at Caracol.
Once the
pad was exposed, a 1 m wide axial trench was made into the construction (Figure
18) and resulted in the discovery of a re-entered Early Classic tomb. This chamber may have been uncovered during
the construction of the Terminal Classic line-of-stone building, as the
perimeter stones for this pad were set at the level of the top of the tomb's capstones. The fill within this chamber consisted of
soft earth and was devoid of large stones (like those found in the terrace
penetration in C168B). Exterior to the
tomb, the axial trench excavation ended on a plaster floor. The back of the facing stones that rested
directly on this floor and faced west were also exposed. This lower floor does not correspond with the
floor levels found in excv C168B and suggests the existence of other buried
constructions within the hearting of the Structure B36 terrace.
S.D. C168E-1 was assigned for the in-filled tomb
that was recovered immediately below the Terminal Classic building pad (Figure 16,
Figure 17). This tomb was set just west
of the central axis of the Terminal Classic building and the chamber extended
south of the pad (Figure 18). The
chamber measured 3.3 m in length (Figure 18) by 1.1 m in width and in height
(Figure 19). Two stairs ran across its
northern extent, leading to a once-covered vertical entranceway (Figure 19 and
Figure 20). The contents of the chamber
had been somewhat disrupted, but the human remains recovered indicated that
there had been 2 individuals in the chamber.
Much of the bone for the primary individual was present and the primary
skeleton was still partially articulated in the eastern part of the chamber
(Figure 20). The primary individual was
an adult male with erupted 3rd molars; his maxillary teeth had a
ring of tartar at the gum line; his mandibular teeth also showed tartar in the
area of the incisor, but also some reabsorption following lost teeth. The presence of a second young adult in the
tomb was evident from the recovery of a limited amount of bone and teeth. Six ceramic vessels and one pottery lid, all
dating to the Early Classic Period, were situated within the chamber (Figure
21). Most of these were located along
the sides of the chamber or on the steps; many were severely shattered
(particularly Figure 21c) and some were found in pieces located throughout the
chamber, probably from being broken when the tomb was re-filled, first with
rock along the bottom of the chamber and then with earth. A small jadeite pendent was found within the
mandible area of the in situ bone (Figure 22f).
An elaborately carved shell pendent, showing a seated individual holding
and offering, was located near the south wall of the chamber (Figure 22g and
Figure 23). Very eroded, but elaborately
carved, bone artifacts had also been included within this chamber.
Suboperation C168D started off as a 2 m wide by 4.5 m long excavation
set over what appeared to be a slightly raised area to the west of excv. C168C
(Figure 14). This investigation
immediately uncovered the eastern edge of a building pad. The southern extent of this pad was also
recovered in the intial excavation. A
2.5 m long by 1 m wide excavation extension was made to the north to find the
northern limit of the platform, but located only 2 facing stones; a large tree
grew out of what should have been the northeast corner. A nicely faced line of stones had also been encountered
in the southern extent of the original excavation, abutting the building
pad. This line was followed by means of
3 sequent excavations, each measuring 1 m by 2m, into the base of Structure
B36. As with the first pad,
modeled-carved pottery was liberally sprinkled throughout excv. C168D (see
Figure 15). Other interesting artifacts
recovered included a cave stalagtite in the initial excavation and a ceramic
spindle whorl near Structure B36.
Suboperation C168F was defined for a
3 m east-west by 6.5 m north-south areal excavation placed over a
slightly raised area at the western extent of the Structure B36 terrace
immediately in front of Structure B36 (Figure 13 and Figure 14). It was also designed to fine the southwest
corner of the excv. C168D structure pad, which was successfully
accomplished. As a result of this
investigation, a badly disturbed structure pad, measuring 3.2 m north-south,
was recovered; it is suspected that that the east-west dimension of this pad
would show it to be a square. No
penetrating excavations were undertaken at this locus. The clearing excavations yielded carved shell
and carved jadeite beads that are remarkably similar in form (Figure 22a and
b).
Suboperation C168H began as a 2m north-south by 1 m east-west excavation
placed over a depression in the Structure B36 terrace. It was unclear at the start of excavation
whether there had been a collapse in this area or whether someone previously had
tried to dig here, as most of a femur was recovered almost at ground level. The excavation was later extended 0.5 m to
the north and, then, an additional 0.5 m to the west because of the special
deposits encountered. Overall, the
investigations were dug only to a depth of between 0.65 and 0.7 m below ground
suface. The remains of a crude facing
was found on the western edge of this excavation (Figure 24). No floor surfaces were encountered. Although initially labeled as three separate
special deposits, it became clear that only two burials are represented in
excv. C168H.
S.D.s C168H-1 and C168H-2 likely form a single deposit. Initial investigation within excv. C168H came
down upon what appeared to be an isolated redware vessel (Figure 27a),
initially labeled S.D. C168H-1. This
vessel was thought to represent a cache as it contained a few bits of human
bone (identified later as foot metatarsals), but no other bone was found in the
immediate vicinity. Further excavation
to the north eventually uncovered another vessel (Figure 27b) and some human long-bones;
cranial bone, teeth, and a small jadeite pendent (Figure 22c) were recovered in
the extended excavation. Based on the
spatial relationships in the eastern part of excv. C168H, these two special
deposits are now believed to represent a single burial. For the most part, the bone is very badly
preserved; the recovered teeth indicate that this was the burial of an older
adult. Both vessels in this interment
are of unusual forms that are likely transitional between the Late Preclassic
and Early Classic Periods.
S.D. C168H-3 was initially assigned for part of a
vessel and some human bone that were found in the western wall of the original
excv. C168H. The western extension of
this investigation recovered the original vessel (Figure 27d), a second vessel
(Figure 27c), and a badly preserved, but articulated, skeleton with its head to
north. Although cranial material was
recovered, no teeth were found. Two
carved shell disks (Figure 22d and e) were recovered to either side of the eroded
cranial material, indicating that they had, at one point, served as earflares. As the pelvis was not recoverable, it is not
possible to sex this individual. The two
ceramic vessels in this burial permit its dating to the onset of the Early
Classic Period.
Structure B37
West of
Caana at the level of that complex's intial basal terrace is an extended
platform that supports the Structure B36 terrace and Structure B37, an
extremely long building substructure that measures almost 60 m in length. Based on the excavations that were undertaken
on the southern side of Structure B37, this substructure had a width of
approximately 7 meters. Structure B37
sits north of the B36 terrace and runs parallel to the western base of Caana,
creating a long narrow plaza into which it faces (see Figure 2). The length of the substructure, its position
immediately west of Canna, and the clear non-residential function of this
unusual building made Structure B37 a logical choice for testing in relation to
the location of support staff or kitchens.
Suboperation C170B consisted of a 3.5 m north-south by 4.5 meter
east-west excavation set over the eastern edge of Structure B37 beginning
approximately 4 m north of its suspected southeast corner (Figure 28 and Figure
30). The investigation encompassed what
were seen as being possible lines-of-stone representing a possible doorway. Although a single course of stones did appear
to form a door, no walls or steps could be defined in the excavation. A well-constructed outer facing of Structure
B37 was encountered in the eastern part of this excavation. This facing rested on a plaster floor, which
was used to define the bottom of the investigation for the eastern side of
excv. C170B. The humus was stripped over
the rest of this investigation and a possible north-south construction wall was
encountered. A 1 m wide deeper probe was
dug in the southwest corner of excv. C170B.
This deeper probe succeeded in finding a largely ripped-out earlier
facing which was abutted by the eastern floor (Figure 31). Ceramics from within the fill of this raised
substructure suggest that Structure B37 was constructed during the Late Classic
Period.
Suboperation C170C consisted of a 1 m wide by 6.5 m long excavation
between the northern facing for the Structure B36 terrace and the southern
facing of Structure B37 (Figure 29, Figure 30, and Figure 32). This excavation was pursued because trash
deposits had previously been recovered in alleyways between two buildings at
Caracol. The excavation revealed both
facings that were being sought, a badly preserved flooring between the facings,
and a lower step associated with the Structure B36 terrace. A sherd smash was indeed found against the
Structure B37 facing (Figure 33); assembly showed that this material belonged
to a partial high-necked jar (Figure 34).
A large quantity of deer bone was also recovered in this excavation, as
were modeled-carved sherds and human cranial fragments.
Suboperation C170D was defined for an excavation over the southeast
corner of Structure B37. This
investigation measured 1.5 m east-west (Figure 35) by 3.5 m north-south. The well-constructed outer facings and the
corner for Structure B37 were indeed recovered.
The excavation was dug down to the associated plaza floor outside the
building. Besides sherd and lithic
material, some human cranial fragments were recovered.
Summary of Excavations
in the Vicinity of Structures B36 and B37
The
desired goal of the 2004 excavations was to find support staff and/or
kitchens. However, neither is in
evidence in the excavations undertaken in the vicinity of Structures B36 and
B37. However, the excavation sequence
that was revealed in this part of Caracol substantially adds to the overall
understanding of both the Early Classic and the Terminal Classic. The recovery of three Early Classic
interments in the Structure B36 terrace was completely unexpected. These deposits help to define the transition
out of the Late Preclassic into the Early Classic and also suggest that such
deposits may not be associated with structural axes, as Late Classic deposits commonly
are. The limited deeper testing that was
undertaken within the Structure B36 terrace also suggests the existence of a
complex building sequence beneath the surface involving many other hidden earlier
architectural remains. The recovery of a
series of Terminal Classic perishable buildings on this platform was also
unexpected, as was the discovery that Structure B36-1st was a
Terminal Classic construction (dated both by fill ceramics and S.D.
C168B-1). That this area was heavily
used in the Terminal Classic is clear from the scatter of modeled-carved
ceramics: among all the excavated building pads; on the front, summit, and back
of Structure B36; and from the alleyway north of the terrace. That this area had a residential use in the
Terminal Classic is indicated by the recovered ceramic spindle whorl and by the
plentiful deer bone found in the alley.
The recovery of human skull fragments in many of these excavations is
also a hallmark of Terminal Classic deposits and is, as yet, an unexplained
phenomenon. The Structure B37
excavations have not yet clarified how this building was utilized; this issue
will need to be revisited in a future field season.
2004 Excavations East of Barrio
Lost in
Barrio's (Strucutres B21-B26) shadow are a series of very low buildings tucked
into the corner formed by the high Barrio platform and the raised Northeast
Causeway (Figure 1 and Figure 36).
Although these buildings comprise a formal rectangular group, they are
distinct from those found in a typical Caracol residential plazuela. The western side of the plaza appears to be
devoid of structures, being defined solely by the raised platform the supports
Barrio. Three very low line-of-stone
buildings comprised the southern limit of the plaza. The eastern side of the plaza consists of four
very low structures on a common substructure that extends for the entire
distance of the plaza. The northern
limit of the plaza appears to be defined by two broad terraces leading up to
the Northeast Causeway; a single building (Structure B50) abuts the Barrio
platform on first terrace. Excavations undertaken
in 2004 focused on two buildings atop the southern part of the eastern platform
that bounds the eastern side of this plaza group. Structure B52 and Structure B53 were
investigated with a combination of areal clearing and axial penetration (Figure
37). All excavations were backfilled at
the conclusion of the field season.
Structure B53
Structure
B53 was recognizable as a distinct structure on top of the long raised platform
that defined the eastern side of the subsidiary plaza east of Barrio (Figure
38). It was selected for excavation
because, as an "eastern building," it had a high probability of producing
special deposits that could be dated; however, its platform positioning and
dimensions made it fall outside of the norm for these constructions. Because it was also possible to define some
of the surface architecture for this building without excavation, it was also
hoped that some semblance of building dimensions and detail could be gained
from areal investigation. The areal
investigations revealed a residential bi-level building measuring at least 9 m
in length by 4 m in width (Figure 39).
Suboperations C169B was defined for an axial trench into Structure B53
that originally measured 1.5 m north-south by 5.6 meters east-west (Figure 40). This excavation was later conjoined with both
excv. C169h and excv. C169F. Two sequent
constructions were uncovered within this trench. The earlier construction was represented by a
summit floor about 0.7 m below the ground surface that must have joined with a
more deeply buried eastern facing and floor.
This lower plaza floor sealed a burial that had been placed directly on
bedrock (S.D. C169B-1). The later
construction resulted in a summit that was 0.6 m higher and that supported the
building known as Structure B53-1st.
Two sequent sets of platform stairs can be associated with this later
construction effort. The later
construction effort clearly dates to the later part of the Late Classic
Period. The deeper fill that covered the
earlier construction contained a large amount of garbage, including several
fragments of a Lubaantun-style figurine of the type dubbed "pocket stela"
(Hammond 1975), a broken carved stone pumpkin (Figure 43), a series of chert
and sandstone drills (Figure 44), 2 hammer stones, 1 greenstone axe, 2 manos, 1
partial limestone bar, 1 partial mace-head, 1 possible bark-beater, and worked
bone. Ceramic material found on the
summit of the building in excv. C169H indicates that Structure 53 continued to
be used into the Terminal Classic (Figure 45).
S.D. C169B-1 was assigned for an
interment consisting of 2 individuals set on bedrock (Figure 41) and sealed
beneath a large stone slab that was in turn sealed beneath the earlier plaza
floor at its juncture with the earlier step; an additional subadult skull was
located north of the primary interment.
The main interment consisted of the bones of two individuals in a
tightly proscribed area, the whole of which was covered with red ochre. Some of the bones in the red cinnabar were
extremely well preserved; others were not.
The two individuals differed in age.
One was a subadult between 15 and 18 years of age (possibly a male based
on strength of muscle attachment) who was placed on its back with head to the
south; this individual had all its teeth; these contained tartar and also
showed evidence of some hypoplasia. An
older adult of unknown sex appears to have been seated upright above the
younger individual and to have faced north; this individual had complete
ante-mortem loss and reabsorption of its mandibular teeth. A partial pottery vessel (Figure 42) lay
among the bones of the older individual.
Other artifacts recovered with the burial included 1 worked olivella shell (Figure 22i), 2 small
shell tinklers, and 1 carved shell bead (Figure 22h).
Suboperation C169H was initially sited 1.5 m east of excv. C169B and
measured 1.2 m north-south by 1.5 m east-west (Figure 39). A 1.5 m long by 1 m wide excavation (to avoid
a tree) later linked this small test with excv. C169B, making a continuous
axial section (Figure 40). A facing for the rear of Structure B53 was in
evidence in the excavation. A large
amount of sizeable sherds were recovered above the latest floor and facing in
excv. C169H. Some to these could be
assembled into a partially reconstructible olla that may have been used for
cooking (Figure 45). The artifactual and
sherd remains recovered in this small investigation indicate a heavy domestic
use for this latest construction.
Suboperation C169F was defined for an areal excavation set tangent to
the upper end of excv. C169B. Excavation
C169F measured 4.5 m north-south by 1 m
east-west and was designed to expose the southwestern facing for Structure B53
(Figure 39). As in excv. C169H, a large
number of sizeable sherds, mostly unslipped jars and ollas, were recovered in
association with the latest architecture.
Suboperation C169G was set over the area where the northwestern corner
for Structure B53 was thought to be. The
excavation measured 2 m north-south by 1 m east-west and succeeded in locating
this corner (Figure 39). Compared to the
other summit excavations, very little in the way of sherd material was
recovered.
Structure B52
Structure
B52 was selected for excavation to test a second eastern structure on the
eastern platform in the odd group east of Barrio (Figure 46). Because some of the building plan appeared to
be evident without excavation, a series of radial excavations were laid out on
Structure B52 in an attempt to define its form (Figure 47). These excavations revealed that the assumption
that Structure B52 faced east were incorrect and that the building actually
faced south. Based on these excavations,
Structure B52 was 5.1 m wide by approximately 8.5 m wide.
Suboperation C169C was originally believed to have been laid out over
the axis of Structure B52. It measured
1.5 m north-south by 7.5 m east-west (Figure 47). Deeper penetration in this excavation was limited
when it was discovered that this was not the primary axis for the
building. Instead, only the plaza area
in front of the platform facing on the western side of Structure B52 was dug
down to bedrock, revealing what appeared to be a single construction episode
(Figure 48). A partial jadeite bead
(Figure 22j) was recovered just above bedrock.
An east-west facing, possibly for a bi-level building was also recovered
in the eastern extent of this excavation, as were modeled-carved sherds. Deeper penetration in front of (south of)
this facing and in the eastern extent of excv. C169C also recovered an earlier
floor level that had been cut through (Figure 49). A piece of spondylus shell was recovered in the dry core fill within this cut.
Suboperation C169D measured 1 m east-west and 2m north south and was
designed to located the northern facing for Structure B52 (Figure 47). A deeper probe into the core of Structure
B52-1st recovered an earlier facing approximately 1 m below the
summit on the western end of the excavation (Figure 49).
Suboperation C169E measured 1 m east-west by 3.5 m north-south and was
designed to locate the southern facing for Structure B52; instead, it located a
series of three facings, the upper one functioning as the front of the building
substructure and the lower two acting as access steps (Figure 47). A deeper excavation in front of the basal
step revealed two different fills, but no formal floors (Figure 49).
Suboperation C169I measured 1.5 m by 1.5 m and was placed 2 m east of
and in line with excv. C169C (Figure 47 and Figure 48). It was designed to find the eastern limit of
Structure B52 and successfully accomplished that task.
Summary of Excavations
in Vicinity of Structures B52 and B53
The
excavations made into Structures B52 and B53 succeeded in finding two buildings
that may have had specialized functions.
The excavation of Structure B52 demonstrated the old adage that surface
assumptions need to be tested archaeologically; Structure B52 faces south and
is not an eastern structure, as would be presupposed from mapping. Unlike Structure B53, very little artifactual
debris that can be interpreted for function was recovered in association with
Structure B52. Like Structure B52,
Structure B53 also did not fit presupposed patterns. The building plan for Structure B53 resembles
that of a domestic structure and not an eastern shrine (e.g. D. Chase and A.
Chase 2004). Even though it faced west,
Structure B53 was not associated with the standard kinds of deposits found in
eastern buildings (even given the burial recovered deep under this locus). Instead, the fill for Structure B53-1st
is full of garbage that is associated with craft production and the surface of
Structure B53-1st is covered with large utilitarian sherds of the
kind that may have been utilized in cooking.
Indeed, if any structure is associated with the kind of pottery material
that would be predicted to be associated with food preparation, it is that from
the summit of Structure B53. It is
interesting as well to compare Structures B52 and B53 with the neighboring Structure
B21, the eastern building in Barrio whose back would have faced Structure B53
across its associated plaza area.
Structure B21 was intensively investigated, on three different axes, but
produced no deposits; this is similar to Structure B53-1st. However, the architectural features in
Structure B21 make it clear that it served residential and civic purposes
related to Caracol's final elite. The
architectural features in Structure B53 indicate that it was an impermanent
construction on a stone pad. The mass of
utilitarian ceramics could support its use as a food preparation area. Thus, the kinds of buildings in the group
immediately east of Barrio and the kinds of artifacts found associated with
Structure B53, in particular, are fully consistent with an area that may have
housed permanent courtiers or specialists.
Other Research Accomplished During 2004
Several
other minor tasks were accomplished during the 2004 field season. Dr. Jaime Awe of the Tourism Development Project (TDP) had
recovered an unusual architectural feature at the back of the eastern building of the Group B
ballcourt in 2003, a rear buttress in the shape of false steps that was faintly reminiscent of Rio Bec style
architecture. During the 2004 field
season, Dr. Joseph Ballay did an architectural reconstruction of this
feature based on in-field measurements and determined that these false steps would not have reached
the top to the eastern ballcourt structure (Figure 50). Two ceramic vessels were provided the project
from TDP excavations into the platform that supports the eastern buildings in the A Group; these
vessels came from behind Structure A4 in platform fill near the buried northern ramp for the eastern
platform recovered by the TDP in 2002 and are Early Classic in date (Figure 51).
Finally, excavations by the TDP at the base of the same eastern A Group
platform north of the Structure A6 Satterthwaite tombs and south of
Structure A8 had recovered an upper stela fragment during 2003. A drawing was started for this stela fragment in 2003 and was completed
in 2004; this fragment is the upper part of Caracol Stela 20
and matches the base of the stela recorded by Satterthwaite as well as a fragment recovered by the Caracol Archaeological
Project in 1990. A combined drawing of all of these three fragments of Caracol Stela 20 reveals an odd-shaped stone
that shows a ruler standing on an earth monster that watches over two
individuals who are presumably in the underworld; a framed panel provides the long count date 8.18.4.4.12 or
A.D. 400, making Stela 20 the earliest known monument from the site Figure 52).
Summary
Two different areas were sampled
during the 2004 field season of the Caracol Archaeological Project, one
immediately west of Caana and one immediately east of Barrio. The goal behind the excavation in both of
these areas was to attempt to find structures and groups that may have served
in a support capacity for the epicentral elite.
In particular, the desire was to locate areas that served for craft
production or for food preparation. Both
of the architectural areas selected for investigation consisted of smaller
buildings that did not overtly suggest that they had served residential
functions.
The artifactual remains recovered in
the excavations made immediately west of Caana cannot be used to suggest that
this was an area for the production of crafts or the preparation of food. Instead, it would appear that these
structures served other purposes. As
found, Structure B37 was constructed in the Late Classic and not modified in
the Terminal Classic Period. Based on
its long linear shape, on its fine stone facings for a platform that supported
a perishable construction, on its proximity to Caana, and on the general lack
of associated trash, Structure B37 may have been built - both in its initial
and later versions Ð to have served a function related to the storage of
perishable items that were either used or controlled by the inhabitants of
Caana. The Structure B36 history is
very different. Based on deeper probes
into the Structure B36 terrace, it appears that a sizeable Early Classic
population resided in this vicinity and that the area was probably used
residentially. More extensive
excavations in the Structure B36 terrace would presumably uncover buildings and
platforms dating to this era. During the
Late Classic Period, Structure B36 appears to have been transformed into a
multi-roomed palace that may have served both residential and administrative
functions Ð probably an architectural extension of similar constructions found
on the mid-level and summit of Caana.
This shifted in the Terminal Classic era, when this palace was partially
dismantled and infilled, finally being surmounted by a perishable building that
formed a group with other perishable structures on its northern terrace. In its latest version, Structure B36 and its
associated structures appears to have served as a residential group for
individuals who dumped some of their trash off the northern side of the
terrace.
The buildings that form a group
immediately east of Barrio provide a very different picture to that gained from
the Structure B36 and Structure B37 area.
The architecture, although faced, is much cruder than that found on
Structure B36-2nd and Structure B37-1st. While little in the way of artifactual debris
can be associated directly with Structure B52 to determine function, the size
and shape of the building pad is appropriate for a residence. In contrast, artifactual debris recovered
from within and on Structure B53 is clearly related to craft production and
food preparation. The wide variety of
craft-related items and unusual artifacts that were included in the fill of
this building suggest minimally that craft production was taking place
somewhere in the immediate area Ð assuming that the fill is not being moved too
far afield. The plentiful utilitarian
ceramics that litter the summit substructure suggest that these were being used
at or near this locus, suggesting the possibility that food production was
indeed taking place somewhere in this group.
Thus, the Structure B53 excavations clear support the idea that there
was craft and food production within the immediate vicinity. The 2004 excavations in Structures B52 and
B53 also demonstrate that the buildings in this group do not fit with general
residential patterns associated with ritual found elsewhere at Caracol (D.
Chase and A. Chase 2004), suggesting again that this group functioned in an
alternative way.
It is often difficult to make any
kind of comprehensive statement about the precise organization of a Maya urban
center because the vast majority of groups and structures at a given site are
never sampled. The 2004 field season significantly
contributed to the goal of gaining a complete sample of ancillary buildings and
groups in and around Caracol's epicenter.
With the investigation of the buildings ringing Caana and those
immediately east of Barrio, most of the low architectural remains in and around
the Caracol epicenter have seen at least minimal sampling. Only the small structures in the area of the
epicentral C Group remain untested.
Because the research at Caracol is long-term and continuous, each bit of
information adds to the interpretive picture.
With the addition of the 2004 sample, it is possible to begin to make a
more comprehensive statement concerning the specialists, support staff, and
special function buildings that were located in the downtown portion of
Caracol. The archaeological
understanding of Caracol's urban organization promises to help shed light on
broader theoretical considerations of the ancient Maya.
Acknowledgements
The figures
included within this report were drafted by Anna Ostrowska, as well as by Arlen
and Diane Chase; all figures were finalized in Photoshop by Arlen Chase. Field drawings were undertaken by all staff
members. As for the past several season,
the IDB Tourism Development Project, directed by Jaime Awe, aided the 2004
field season by providing the archaeological camp with electricity. Mr. Brian Woodye was instrumental in erecting
and setting up a satellite dish at camp so that we were able to have internet
connection with the outside world. Major
funding for the 2004 field season was provided by the Ahau Foundation, the
Stans Foundation, and the Trevor Colbourn Endowment.
References
Burgess, Ernest W.
1923 (1967) "The Growth of the City: An
Introduction to a Research Project." In
E.W.
Burgess, and R.D. McKenzie, Eds., The City, pp. 47-62.
Chase, Arlen F.
1994 "A Contextual Approach to the Ceramics of
Eds., Studies
in the Archaeology of
Research
Institute Monograph 7,
Chase, Arlen F. and Diane Z.
Chase
1987
Investigations at the Classic Maya
Art Research Institute Monograph 3,
1998
"Scale and
Intensity in Classic Period Maya Agriculture: Terracing and Settlement at the
'Garden City' of
2001 "The
Stephen D. Houston, Eds., Royal
Courts of the Ancient Maya: Volume 2: Data and Case Studies, pp. 102-137,
Westview Press,
2004a "Terminal Classic Status-Linked
Ceramics and the Maya "Collapse:" De
Facto Refuse at
Caracol, Belize," in A. Demarest,
P. Rice, D. Rice, Eds., The Terminal
Classic in the Maya Lowlands: Collapse, Transition, and Transformation, pp.
342-366, University of Colorado Press, Boulder.
2004b "Contextualizing the Collapse: Terminal
Classic Ceramics from
Varella and A. Foias, Eds., Terminal Classic Socioeconomic Processes in
the Maya Lowlands through a Ceramic Lens, BAR Monograph Series,
Chase, Arlen F., Diane Z. Chase, and Christine White
2001
"El Paisaje Urbano Maya: La Integraci—n de los Espacios
Construidos y la Estructura Social en Caracol, Belice," in A.Ciudad Ruiz, M.
Josefa Iglesias Ponce de Leon, and M. Del Carmen Martinez Martinez, Eds, Reconstruyendo
la Ciudad Maya: El Urbanismo en las Sociedades Antiguas, pp. 95-122,
Sociedad Espanola de Estudios Mayas, Madrid.
Chase, Diane Z. and Arlen F.
Chase
2000 "Inferences about Abandonment: Household Archaeology and
13:67-77.
2004 "Archaeological
Perspectives on Classic Maya Social Organization from
Chase,
Diane Z., Arlen F. Chase, Christine D. White, and Wendy G. Teeter
1998
"Human Skeletal
Remains in Archaeological Context: Status, Diet, and Household at
Ethnological
Sciences,
Hammond,
1975 Lubaantun: A Classic
Maya Realm, Monograph 2,
Ethnography,
Harrison,
Peter D.
1999 The Lords of
Teeter,
Wendy Giddens
2001
Maya Diet in a Changing Urban Environment: Faunal
Utilization at
Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Anthropology
Department,
TABLE 1:
Caracol Project Members: 2004 Field Season
Staff:
Arlen
F. Chase C1
Diane Z. Chase C2
Amy
Morris C111
Joseph
Ballay C54
Anna
Ostrowska C165
Melissa
Badillo C166
Marie
Trankovsky C167
David
Volp C168
Belizean Labor:
Rita Wilshire
Aurora
Gongora
Margarita Quintaros
Carlos Ivan
Mendez
Eduardo
Cunil
Rolando
Can
Ruben
Avila
Jose
Lopez
Alexander
Lopez
Figures
Figure
1. The B Quadrangle of the Caracol map,
showing the location of Structure
B36, B37, B52,
and B53 Ð all excavated during the 2004 field season.
Figure
2. Reconstruction of buildings in the
vicinity of Structures B36-B37
recovered as a
result of the 2004 investigations; all date to the Terminal
Classic era
(drawing by J. Ballay).
Figure
3. Reconstruction of Structure B36, which
faced north during the Terminal
Classic era and
dominated a presumed residential group composed of
perishable
buildings (drawing by J. Ballay).
Figure
4. General plan showing the spatial
relationships of the Operation C168 and
C170 excavations
relative to the Structure B36 platform.
Figure
5. Photograph of Structure B36 excavations
(C168B) looking south.
Figure
6. Photograph of Structure B36 excavations
(C168G) looking north.
Figure
7. Plan of excavations C168B and C168G,
showing the recovered walls and
stairs relative
to the penetration of Caracol Structure B36.
Figure
8. Section of excavations C168B and C168G that
penetrated Caracol
Structure B36.
Figure
9. Drawing of carved limestone monument
fragment recovered from within
the fill of
Caracol Structure B36-1st.
Figure
10. Plan of Special Deposit
C168B-1 showing human bones and associated
pottery vessel
on lower ripped out step or facing.
Figure
11. Pottery vessel [Infierno
Black] associated with S.D. C168B-1.
Figure
12. Photograph of
excavations C168C and C168E looking east, showing
Terminal Classic
building pad.
Figure
13. Photograph of excavation
C168F (with excavation C168D in the right
background)
looking north, showing a Terminal Classic building pad.
Figure
14. Plan of excavation on
the Structure B36 platform, showing Terminal
Classic building
pads and lines-of-stone uncovered during 2004.
Figure
15. Photograph of a sample
of Terminal Classic modeled-carved sherds found
scattered about
and in Structure B36 and the Structure B36 platform.
Figure
16. Drawing of excavation
C168E, showing Early Classic tomb (S.D. C168E-
1) directly beneath
Terminal Classic building pad (drawing by J. Ballay).
Figure
17. Photograph of Early
Classic tomb (S.D. C168E-1) in excavation C168E.
Figure
18. Axial section through
Early Classic tomb (S.D. C168E-1) and western
section of
excavation C168E.
Figure
19. Details related to S.D.
C168E-1: (a) east-west cross section at southern
edge of
excavation C168E-1; (b) detail of tomb's northern end showing
existence of
staired entryway to tomb.
Figure
20. Plan of S.D. C168E-1
recovered in excavation C168E.
Figure
21. Pottery vessels
recovered from S.D. C168E-1: (a) Dos Arroyos Orange
Polychrome; (b)
and (d) Dos Hermanos Red; (c) Pucte Brown; (e) and (f)
Ceiba Unslipped;
(g) Lucha Incised.
Figure
22. Small jadeite and shell
artifacts from 2004 excavations: (a) jadeite bead
[C168F/2-1]; (b)
shell bead [C168F/2-2]; (c) jadeite pendent [C168H/6-2];
(d) and (e)
shell ear ornaments [C168H/9-2a&b]; (f) jadeite pendent
[C168E/15-1];
(g) worked shell [C168E/15-6]; (h) shell bead [C169B/19-
3]; (i) worked shell
[C169B/19-7]; (j) jadeite fragment [C169C/11-3].
Figure
23. Incised artwork on
worked shell shown in Figure 20g.
Figure
24. Section of west wall of
excavation C168H.
Figure
25. Photograph of S.D.
C168H-3 being excavated.
Figure
26. Plan of special deposits
in excavation C168H.
Figure
27. Pottery vessels
associated with special deposits in C168H: (a) possibly
Vaquero Creek
Red [S.D. C168H-1]; (b) possibly Old River Unslipped
[S.D. C168H-2];
(c) & (d) Actuncan Orange Polychrome [S.D. C168H-3].
Figure
28. Photograph of excavation
C170B looking south.
Figure
29. Photograph of excavation
C170C looking north.
Figure
30. Plan of areal
excavations undertaken in the vicinity of Structure B37.
Figure
31. Southern section of
excavation C170B.
Figure
32. Western section and plan
of excavation C170C.
Figure
33. Detailed plan of
southern end of excavation C170C showing sherd smash
against
Structure B37 facing.
Figure
34. Partial pottery vessel [Valentin
Unslipped] against southern
facing of Structure
B37 in excavation C170C.
Figure
35. Northern section of
excavation C170D.
Figure
36. Reconstruction of
building group west of Barrio using excavation gathered
as a result of
the 2004 investigations (drawing by J. Ballay).
Figure
37. General plan showing the
spatial relationships of the Operation C169
excavations
relative to Structures B52 and B53.
Figure
38. Photograph of the axial
excavation C169B of Structure B53 before
deep
penetration,
looking southeast.
Figure
39. Plan of facings and steps
revealed in the excavations undertaken on
Structure B53.
Figure
40. Axial section through
Structure B53.
Figure
41. Plan of S.D. C169B-1
Figure
42. Partial pottery vessel
[not typed] associated with S.D. C169B-1.
Figure
43. Carved limestone "pumpkin"
recovered within the fill of Structure B53.
Figure
44. Photograph of sandstone
and chert drills recovered within the fill of
Structure B53.
Figure
45. Partial pottery vessel [Valentin
Unslipped: Walled Variety] recovered
in association
with the upper floor of Structure B53.
Figure
46. Photograph of Structure
B52 east-west excavation C169C, looking east.
Figure
47. Plan of features
revealed in the excavations undertaken in Structure B52.
Figure
48. East-west section
through Structure B52.
Figure
49. North-south section
through Structure B52.
Figure
50. Reconstruction drawing
of B Group ballcourt, showing architectural
relationship of
features revealed by the Tourism Development Project
excavations
(drawing by J. Ballay).
Figure
51. Partial pottery vessels
recovered from within the platform fill near Structure
A4: (a) possibly Candelaria Appliqued; (b) possibly Quintal
Unslipped.
Figure
52. New version of the
complete Caracol Stela 20, dating to 8.18.4.4.12 (A.D.
400), fragments
recovered by Satterthwaite, Tourism Development
Project, and
Caracol Archaeological Project (drawing by Diane and Arlen
Chase
incorporating original Satterthwaite illustration); some warping
occurs in the
drawing because of the curvature of the stone and the angle
at which the
fragments were drawn.