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Elite Maya residencies occupied by both livingand dead

By William T. Brown

Excavation of elite residences at Nojol Nah by archaeologists from the Maya Research Program in

Belize, has yielded a large, well preserved skeletal sample a minimum of 63 individuals found ove

a f ive year period including 25 in the 2012 season at El Palacio, a large elite double courtyard

complex within the site and dating to the Late Terminal Classic (AD800 -900).

2012 season at El Palacio

The site consists of two interconnected courtyards and of the two areas, Courtyard A has largerbuildings, is higher in elevation, and lies to the east of the down-slope Courtyard B. The work in the

2012 season consisted of :

Documentation of 12 building/rubble mounds.

Initial invest igat ions at the largest structure (4D2), which is located within Courtyard A.

Completion of excavation at building (4C12) in Courtyard B.

Excavation of a terminat ion deposit identif ied in Courtyard B.

Building 4D2 a complicated structure

The largest structure at El Palacio, (4D2), is a complicated building and although archaeologically,

some progress has been made, it is in a poor state of preservation due to its steep gradient and

abundant tree root intrusions.
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Structure 4D2 before excavation. Image: Maya Research Program

The houses at Nojol Nah are constructed of large, rectangular limestone slabs and are artificially

raised by adding jagged chert cobbles. Preliminary work at 4D2 shows that much of the building

has been eroded as removal of the upper humic layer revealed chert cobbles which should have

been found beneath the floor meaning the floors are no longer intact. However, there are

limestone walls present that have been buried in the chert cobbles, indicating that the building was

added on to at some point in the past. In fact, t here are several lines of architectural evidence

demonstrat ing that El Palacio was abandoned for an indeterminate t ime and then reoccupied and

renovated.


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Structure 4D2 located within Court yard A. Image: Maya Research Program

There is further evidence of reoccupation and remodelling of the architecture and the above

photograph shows the possible stairway (the large shaped stones in the lower right corner) and

the beginning of the curved wall at t he base of Structure 4D2. To the left , roughly coinciding with

the origin of the low curved east wall and the possible stairway intersection, the exterior of

Structure 4D2 was raised by the deposit ion of chert cobbles and boulders. It appears that at some

point in the buildings history the platform that Structure 4D2 rests upon was raised, creat ing

space for the later addit ion of Room 1.

Below is picture of an annex on the southwest side of 4D2 that probably is associated with the

later construct ion phase. The wall is poorly made and the roof was most likely supported by a

series of posts, evidenced by the post holes in the plaster f loor.


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Annex on the southwest side of 4D2 with evidence o f post holes. Image: Maya Research Program

Structure 4C12 in Courtyard B. Image: Maya Research Program

Ten burials

A total of ten burials were found during the excavation of Structure 4D2. The remains are still

being analysed but many seem to be secondary interments associated with some sort of ritual

christening of the building. One jade artefact was found at 4D2 which may be an ear spool.


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Melice, a local Maya archaeological technician, and Hannah, bioarchaeologist f or the Maya Research

Program excavating Burial 54 (an adult woman with pronounced cranial modif ication). Image: Maya

Research Program

Structure 4C12

Structure 4C12 is one of at least four houses in the Courtyard B complex (see above photo

representing the latest architectural phase). There is a narrow entry way leading into the house

from the only doorway that can access the courtyard directly and an of fset wall which is the

architectural boundary of Courtyard B.

Multiple burials

This structure was found to contain three separate rooms and Room 2 contained a large bench

that housed multiple human burials. After first documenting and then removing the bench, Burials

53 and 54 were discovered. Burial 53 was interred under the second f loor (under the bench) in a cut

in the floor. Burial 54 was an adult female with pronounced cranial modification who was laid

directly on t he floor.

Room 1 also contained mult iple burials. Burials 49, 50, and 51, were buried under the f loor and

about half a metre above the prehistoric ground surface (see phot o below).


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Burials 49, 50, and 51, people who were buried under the f loor and about half a metre above the

prehistoric ground surf ace. Image: Maya Research Program

This overall burial pattern is very common at Nojol Nah; it seems that the household grew in eff ect

by adding the remains of venerated ancestors to the household population of living people. After

all, if t hese buildings were elite residences, then their eliteness would only be diluted by adding

more of the living. As important people died, they were kept in the house and as time went on

more and more ancestors would be under the f loors and benches of the buildings. As more

deceased were incorporated into the house, the living people increasingly strengthened their t ies

to t he land strongly establishing their ownership of the property.

The termination deposit

Terminat ion deposits are well documented throughout the Maya region and are thought to

represent ceremonies associated with the abandonment of elite residences. Ritual centered

around the construct ion and abandonment o f houses were ubiquitous in the pre-Columbian

Americas; in the US sout hwest , kivas were intentionally burned prior to abandonment, as were

house mounds of the Hopewell in the Midwest. The Maya, when abandoning a residence, smashed

and stashed important artefacts along the walls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopewell_traditionhttp://archaeology.about.com/od/kterms/a/kiva.htm


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Termination deposit. Image: Maya Research Program

Jaguar tooth pendant f ound in termination

deposit.

The Courtyard B termination deposit was located along the west wall lying direct ly on the floor of

the courtyard and contained several exot ic artefacts. The deposit included two chert bifaces. The

craft smanship and lack of breaks in these two knives strongly suggests that they were

intent ionally placed. Other significant objects included in the deposit was an antler tine that was

sharpened into a needle/awl, and a complete jaguar canine pendant.

Conclusions

Further work at Nojol Nah and El Palacio will almost

certainly lead to the discovery of more burials.

The long term goals of the Maya Research Programare to build a paleodemographic prof ile of the

inhabitants, further elucidate their mortuary practices,

conduct geomorphological invest igat ions in and

around the site, and use stable isotope geochemical

techniques in order to understand more about

migration patterns and climate.

All archaeological assemblages are unique but the work being done at t he site is yielding quantities


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and types of information that are rarely recovered from Maya sites. Through meticulous and

systematic excavation of these households, valuable data is being recovered on Maya

subsistence, demographics, and ideology.

The next few seasons at El Palacio are going to be excit ing and ground breaking.

Source: Maya Research Program

More Information

The Maya Research Program is a US-based non-prof it organisation (501c3) that sponsors

archaeological and ethnographic research in Middle America. Each summer since 1992, we have

sponsored archaeological fieldwork at the ancient Maya sites of Blue Creek, Nojol Nah, Xnoha,

and Grey Fox in northwestern Belize. In 2013 we again of fer opportunit ies to participate in our f ield

program and learn about the Maya of the past and today. The Blue Creek project is open to

student and non-student part icipants, regardless of experience. The f ield school is cert ified by the

Register of Professional Archaeologists and participants will receive training in archaeological fieldand laboratory techniques. Academic credit and scholarships are available.

2013 Field Season Dates:

Session 1: Monday May 27 Sunday June 9

Session 2: Monday June 10 Sunday June 23

Session 3: Monday July 1 Sunday July 14

Session 4: Monday July 15 Sunday July 28

Beginning in 2013, the Maya Research Program will of fer specialised laboratory and f ield courses

(ANTH 4399) for students and volunteers in addit ion to the above general archaeological field

school (ANTH 4361). The specific study areas are:

1. Laboratory and Field Methods: Bioarchaeology (the study of human skeletal remains) William

T. Brown-limited to 5 persons per session.

2.Laboratory and Field Methods: Ceramic Analysis (understanding ceramic product ion, seriation,

modal analysis, Type-Variety analysis) C. Colleen Hanratty, limited to 5 persons per session.

3. Laboratory and Field Methods: Photogrammetry and 3D Digital Modelling Bob Warden, limited

to 10 persons in Session 4 only.

For addit ional information please contact the Maya Research Program:

http://www.mayaresearchprogram.org
http://www.mayaresearchprogram.org/http://www.mayaresearchprogram.org/


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Email: [email protected]

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Tyler, Texas 75701

817-831-9011

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Posted by Past Horizons on Friday, November 16, 2012
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