The 2001 Field Season of the Labná-Kiuic Archaeological Project
With contributions by:  Tomás Gallareta Negrón (INAH-Centro Yucatán) and George J. Bey III (Millsaps College)

Click on image to enlarge.

Excavations at Kiuic during 2001
(George J. Bey, III and Rossana May Ciau)

Over the past two field seasons, we have carried out excavations primarily in and around the Grupo Yaxché. The Grupo Yaxché consists of three plazas (Icim, Dzunun, and Ulum), two patio areas (A, B), and 24 structures (Figure 27 and Figure 28). Several impressive structures delimit these plazas, but are for the most part in ruinous condition today. Both subsurface and surface remains suggest this may be one of the oldest areas of Kiuic, perhaps its public focus for at least part of its florescence. Architecturally, the Plaza Dzunun is the most impressive of the three plazas, in large part because the tallest pyramid at the site, N1065E1025, forms its northern boundary. The Grupo Yaxché and Plaza Dzunun in particular were chosen for the initial excavations at Kiuic because in addition to being one of the major architectural complexes of the site, its plazas being expansive and debris-free, offered optimal conditions for excavations.

In 2001, a sequence of six floors was defined in the plaza, providing a history of occupation that begins in the Middle Preclassic and extends to the Late Classic (Figure 29, shown above, and Figure 30). The first plaza floor (Floor 6), built on the red soil horizon, suggests that the initial construction phase of the plaza was a 0.75 meter high platform. Based on the ceramics, this initial platform has been assigned a Middle Preclassic date (700-450 B.C.). This first platform had a minimum dimension of 14×14 meters, and is by far the earliest known example of architecture from the Puuc region.

The second floor (Floor 5) was laid directly over the initial floor and is also dated to the Middle Preclassic. The platform appears to have been extended to the east when the second floor was constructed, indicating a minimum size of 22 m EW × 20 m NS for the second phase of this Middle Formative platform. The second floor is also associated with the remains of a substructure. Presently, we have exposed 6.8 meters of the substructure (N1025E1030). It consists of a building foundation composed of a single line of roughly shaped stones, one to two courses high, running north-south along the eastern side of the Plaza.

The next construction phase (Floor 4) of the Plaza Dzunun was also laid down during the Preclassic, and initial analysis suggests that this is a Late Preclassic modification. Floor 4 abuts the lower riser of the substructure (N1025E1030) about half way up its face.

The next renewal of the plaza floor (Floor 3) is the first associated with Cehpech-sphere ceramics. Floor 3 covers the top of N1025E1030, and it is likely that this building was razed to make way for the renewal of the plaza during the Late Classic period. Beneath Floor 3, in Square F19, the construction fill rested on bedrock. This was part of a Classic-period expansion of the plaza to the east and west, covering over the earlier Preclassic building N1025E1030 and necessitating the construction of a new platform addition revealed in unit F19.  It appears then that the Plaza Dzunun assumed its present size only in the Late Classic. This phase of renewal is undoubtedly connected with a new set of buildings whose remains are beneath the visible final constructions, and are examples of very early Puuc or pre-Puuc architecture associated with Cehpech-sphere ceramics. Although the ceramics suggest a significant amount of time between the construction of Floors 3 and 4, there was no evidence of abandonment between them. The sub-floor of Floor 3 rests directly on Floor 4 with no soil lens separating them. If there was a period of abandonment, the plaza was carefully cleaned before Floor 3 was constructed.

Floor 3 is associated with the southern platform supporting the structure N1015E1015.  It appears that the N1015E1015 superstructure also dates to the time of the platform's construction, or to the beginning of the Late Classic time period. The building did undergo subsequent modification during the Late Classic, however.

Excavation of N1015E1015 in 2001 consisted of shallow soundings as well as the clearing of soil from the final construction phase to determine the extent and nature of wall fall (see full report of the 2001 field season for descriptions of each excavation unit). These efforts were designed to define the basic size and shape of the structure as well as its degree of preservation, in order to provide the information preparatory to its complete excavation and consolidation in 2002.

The final construction phase of N1015E1015 consists of a rectangular hall structure measuring 3.4 m NS by 16.4 m EW.  The building supported a slab vault and the building style suggests that it dates to the Early Puuc I style, placing it stylistically among the earliest visible architecture in the Grupo Yaxché. At this point, surface indications suggest that N1015E1015 consists of a single long, narrow room 2.5 m wide with multiple doorways (at least four) along the north side facing the Plaza Dzunun. Our preliminary excavations indicate the building itself is poorly preserved with standing walls of less than 1 m in height. Mapping of wall fall visible at or near the surface indicates that most of the collapsed building fell to the south and down the backside of the platform. There is very little wall collapse on the stairway in front of the building. Each stone from the collapsed building that was encountered was mapped, numbered and photographed in situ. At this time all stones remain in their original location in preparation for the complete excavation of N1015E1015 in 2002.

The building rests on a platform approximately 2.5 m high on the plaza side and is reached by a 13.2 m long staircase. The south side of the platform is 3.5 m high, and serves as the base and south side of the Plaza Dzunun. As mentioned above, this platform was constructed at the same time as Floor 3, the first floor associated exclusively with Cehpech-sphere pottery. The staircase consists of four risers, each roughly 1.3 m wide. Excavations along the east and west ends of the final stairway of N1015E1015 and the area where the stairway joined the main platform of the building, uncovered no accumulations of debris nor special deposits. The area was very well maintained right up until the point it was abandoned, and no types of "termination" deposits were laid at its base at the time of abandonment.

N1015E1015 is one of three structures that form the southern side of the Plaza Dzunun. The preliminary excavations indicate that the unnamed structure located on the east side of N1015E1015, consists of a non-vaulted building constructed on an extension of the same platform that supports N1015E1015.  Adjacent to the west side is a vaulted structure N1020E1005 that was either built on a separate platform or stood directly on the floor of the Plaza Dzunun. At some point after its construction, the platform supporting N1015E1015 was built with its west edge abutting the east side of N1020E1005.  With the construction of N1015E1015, an alley or passageway was formed between the two vaulted structures.

A series of 2×2 meter pits (K9-K1) were extended north-south from the plaza level down to the point at which the south side of platform makes contact with the main plaza area of Kiuic. In 2000, pit K10, located in front of the stairway was excavated, revealing the sequence of six floors associated with the Plaza Dzunun. By extending this line of units, it is possible to connect the building history of N1015E1015 with an already established construction history for the Plaza Dzunun. These 2001 units were not fully excavated, but were employed to determine some basic characteristics of N1015E1015, such as the exact width of the building, size and quality of the preserved front and back wall of the building, points of articulation with the building and the platform. In addition, some basic features about the back platform and the stairways were also determined in this fashion. Units K4-K1 extended down the south side of the platform and were designed to determine the nature of the architecture of the platform on this side. Unfortunately, the final construction phase of the platform was badly destroyed and little was learned. Since the only excavation undertaken was removing the first layer of uncut stones and clearing off loose soil in preparation for complete excavation in 2002, it is possible that better-preserved remnants of the south side of the platform will be encountered in the upcoming field season.

Units K6-K9 ran down the stairway from the front of N1015E1015 to the Plaza Dzunun level. These units were successful in determining the exact position of the first two risers and the probable position of the third and fourth riser. In addition, these units encountered the remains of several earlier floors and one earlier possible stairway associated with N1015E1015.  This stairway is associated with Floor 2.  The section of the possible earlier stairway associated with Floor 2 was uncovered in unit K9.  It appears to continue beneath the entire later stairway, emerging out of its west side. It is possible that this feature is in fact part of an earlier building platform, and not actually a staircase.

Directly to the north of N1020E1005, on the west side of the Plaza Dzunun, a ramp was defined. Excavations of the ramp in the southwest corner of the plaza done in 2000 defined two construction phases. The base of the earlier of the two, composed of finer stone work than the subsequent ramp, was built into Floor 2.  This is interesting since the earlier possible stairway defined for N1015E1015 is also constructed of finer masonry than the final stairway associated with Floor 1.

Finally, it should be noted that Floor 1, the last floor built in the Plaza Dzunun, was badly destroyed and only fragments of it were encountered in the excavations. Based on these fragments, however, it is clear that the final floor is contemporaneous with the majority of the visible construction in the Plaza, including the final construction phase of N1015E1015.

Located around several edges of the Grupo Yaxché are middens of various sizes. One of the largest and deepest is located on the east edge of the Grupo Yaxché. It extends at least from the Ulum Plaza to the southeast edge of the Grupo Yaxché. Three units excavated near the northern limits of this midden provide evidence of the nature of this extensive midden accumulation. The stratigraphy and ceramics support an initial occupation during the Middle Preclassic, with the vast majority of the accumulated deposit and artifacts dating to the time associated with the use of Cehpech-sphere ceramics. These deposits are also associated with the discarding of large amounts of modeled and painted stucco. The hundreds of pieces of modeled stucco include the body parts of humans (Figure 31, shown above) and animals, as well as a large number of decorative motifs and stucco armatures. This stucco indicates the use of elaborate and highly sophisticated stucco façades were a characteristic of the Yaxché buildings at some point during the Late Classic. The stucco was deposited while the colors were still bright. It is likely they represent the removal and dumping of stucco debris as a result of the razing of buildings associated with Floors 2 and 3 in the Plaza Dzunun.

The third area within the Grupo Yaxché where excavations have been conducted is Patio B, located on the north side of the main pyramid (Figure 32). Patio B is best described as a platform supporting a number of buildings attached to the more elaborate main Group. There is a long multi-roomed open-faced structure on the north side (N1100E1040), two small non-vaulted buildings on the east side and a single vaulted room building near the southeast corner. This building faced onto the patio, and based on the nature of the stone work, was eventually going to be expanded to the east with at least one more vaulted room. In the center of the patio is a chultun.

Based on the excavation of unit F-7, it was determined that Patio B was constructed in a single episode. Although there is Middle Formative debris at the base of the patio and evidence of a Middle Formative perishable structure located beneath the midden on its northwest corner (B6-A6) (Figure 33), there were no early construction episodes associated with the patio itself. It is not certain if Patio B was built around the time of Floor 3, 2 or 1, but it represents a single Late Classic addition to the northern edge of the Grupo Yaxché. The lack of multiple flooring associated with Patio B raises several possibilities. It may have been a late addition, associated with the final plaza floor and its associated constructions in the Grupo Yaxché. Or, it may have been added at an earlier time in the Late Classic, more closely associated with Floor 3 or 2, but that once constructed it never, for whatever reason, warranted resurfacing.

Excavation and surface mapping of N1100E1040 (D5-D6, E5-E6, F7-F5, G6-G5) revealed a structure with low stone walls that supported perishable upper walls and roof (Figure 34). Along the back and side walls of the building, ran a low narrow bench. The front of the building was defined by a single line of cut stones forming a step up into the structure. It was originally thought that this was a single-roomed structure that rested on a long low platform along with another longer, basically similar structure to the east of it. Excavations however, suggest that they may in fact actually be two rooms of a three-room structure. The excavated area was consolidated and the adjacent rooms were gridded and surface collected in preparation for excavation in 2002.  If it turns out to be a single building, it will be quite similar to the common Terminal Classic C-shaped structure, although divided into three rooms.

A midden was identified along the west and north sides of the Patio and confirmed by excavation (A6-C6 & F3-F4). The deposits provided a large sample of Late Classic ceramics and significant amounts of chert lithics and lithic debris, a number of obsidian prismatic blade fragments, several pieces of shell and shell beads. However, there were virtually no bones in the refuse deposits.

Finally, test excavations (Pozos 1 and 2) were made in a huge midden located off of the north side of the main patio of the Grupo Chulul called the Colomté Plaza (Figure 35). These deep middens (Pozo 2 was 2.4 m of pure midden deposit and Pozo 1 was 1.4 m in depth) revealed a complex stratigraphy and the ceramics exhibit some temporal change, however, the deposits are all Classic. There was no evidence of Formative occupation in this area.

Midden excavations were carried out both for chronological purposes and also to provide the beginning of a set of refuse contexts that can be used for comparative purposes. Assuming the garbage represents deposits from adjacent areas, it will prove useful in determining functions of these areas. Deposits from various areas reflect different activities. The Ulum midden deposits, collected from the elaborate Ulum and Dzunun Plazas are different than the garbage associated with the perishable structure defined on the backside of Patio B.  At a more macro level, the Colomté deposits should provide comparative data allowing us to consider temporal and functional differences between the smaller Grupo Yaxché and the Grupo Chulul.

Conclusions

Our 2001 efforts with N1015E1015 provided us with much of the basic information we need in order to successfully excavate and consolidate the entire structure in 2002.  As regards the building, we determined the size and shape of the building, areas of wall fall, and the degree of preservation of the structure. In addition, we learned the relationship of N1015E1015 to the adjacent structures on the south side of the Plaza Dzunun, a fact that will be useful in fully excavating the building in 2002.  We also determined that we need to be sensitive to the complex construction history of the building, which has greater time depth than is traditionally associated with monumental construction in the Puuc area. We learned that the platform itself was constructed at the time of the first Cehpech plaza floor (Floor 3) and that there were two subsequent modifications associated with Floors 2 and 1.  The earlier being perhaps an early stairway, and the second, the final stairway. The fact that neither of these modifications are associated with Floor 3 and the initial construction of the platform, alerts us to the fact that it is likely there is yet an earlier stairway, not yet identified.

Additionally, we are now aware of the size and complexity of the Plaza Dzunun during the Middle and Late Formative periods. The excavations in 2001 bore out our expectations that the Formative structure located on the east side of the plaza was almost totally destroyed by subsequent Classic modifications. In fact, only the stone foundation of the structure was still in place. It is likely however, given the size of the Formative plaza, that better-preserved early structures will be found beneath the Late Classic structure, that form the sides of the Plaza Dzunun. This is important information that will guide our program of excavations in the 2002 and future field seasons.

As with N1015E1015, the research carried out in patio B, specifically as regards N1100E1040, has provided important basic information on the occupation history of this area, as well as the primary types of information to excavate and consolidate what may be a multi-roomed structure in 2002.  In 2001, we determined the size and shape of the building, areas of wall fall, and the degree of preservation of the structure. In addition, we learned the relationship of N1100E1040 to the adjacent structure on the north side of Patio B.  We also determined that we need to be sensitive to fact that the Middle and Late Formative occupation of the area extends beneath and beyond Patio B, and that there appear to be remains of simple apsidal perishable structures in this area. The one that was encountered in the midden excavations to the west of Patio B will be fully excavated in 2002.

Finally, midden excavations at Kiuic are providing some of the most important stratigraphic information ever recovered from the Puuc. Deep complex stratigraphy extending from the Late Classic back into the Formative has been encountered in midden deposits excavated around the edges of the Plaza Dzunun. Just as significant is the deep stratigraphy of the Colomté midden. This huge midden will allow us to complete a detailed analysis of the ceramic changes associated with the Cehpech sphere in the Puuc. Despite the long history of work in the area, there is yet only the vaguest outline of the evolution of the ceramics, during a period that is now recognized to be as long as 500 years.

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