Buenavista-Nuevo San José, Petén, Guatemala
Another village from the Middle Preclassic (800-400 B.C.)
Translation of the Spanish by Eduardo Williams
Ver este informe en Español.

Click on image to enlarge

Research Year:  2005
Culture:  Maya
Chronology:  Middle Preclassic to Postclassic
Location:  Petén, Guatemala
Site:  Buenavista-Nuevo San José

Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Location
Objectives
Background
Methodology
Excavations
Middle Preclassic occupation
Late Classic occupation
Research results
Location
Architecture
Pottery
Lithics
Fauna
Discussion
Acknowledgments
List of Figures
List of Photos
List of Tables
Sources Cited

Abstract

The small site of Buenavista-Nuevo San José is located on the northern shore of Lake Petén Itzá, Petén, Guatemala, and 3.5 km southwest of the larger Motul de San José site. Buenavista-Nuevo San José consists of 14 mounds and various chultuns from the Late Classic. And 3 sub-structures of the Middle Preclassic under the Structure 4 of the site, marking a long occupation from Middle Preclassic (800 B.C.) until the Early Postclassic (1200 A.D.). The site was preliminarily investigated in 2001 by members of the Motul de San José Archaeological Project (MSJ) and formally excavated in 2005 under the auspices of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI) grant number 05039, with the objectives of providing more data about the ancient Maya of the Motul region during the Middle Preclassic (800-400 B.C.) or before. Buenavista-Nuevo San José offered the opportunity to uncover three sub-structures from the Middle Preclassic (Mamom) with important chronological data using AMS dating and stylistic analysis of the architecture, ceramics and others artifacts. One of the most exciting results of this study was to discover ceramics of the Early Middle Preclassic, in the deepest level the Structure 4 de Buenavista-Nuevo San José, similar to northern Peten and western Belize, suggesting interaction of two early populations.

Click to download the report in PDF format:

Buenavista-Nuevo San José, Petén, Guatemala (2.57 MB)
by: Jeanette Castellanos Cabrera

The PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
To download the latest version, click the Get Acrobat Reader button below.

Submitted 09/24/2007 by:
Jeanette Castellanos Cabrera
Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
Eco-archaeological Project of Motul de San José
jcastellanos2@yahoo.es

Return to top of page