Investigations of Middle Preclassic Public Architecture at the site of Blackman Eddy, Belize

Background information about Blackman Eddy

The Southwest Texas State University Belize Valley Archaeological Project began investigating the site of Blackman Eddy in the summer of 1990 and has continued to the present. In 1990, survey and test excavations were initiated in the site core of Blackman Eddy. The site of Blackman Eddy is located in Cayo District, Belize, approximately 200 meters south of the Western Highway on a hill overlooking Blackman Eddy village and the Belize River floodplain. The site core of Blackman Eddy consists of two main plazas and a ballcourt (Figure 1). The largest plaza, Plaza A, includes several structures, two of which exceed the height of 10 meters. Attached to the southern end of Plaza A is a ballcourt. Plaza B is located at the northern portion of the site and has been severely damaged by unauthorized bulldozing activity. Evidence suggests that Plaza B is tightly enclosed with restricted access indicating a special function within the community.

Str. B1 is the dominant architectural feature of Plaza B, rising to a height of over four meters from the modern plaza surface. Str. B1 is strategically placed on an elevated ridge allowing a commanding view of the Belize River and its alluvial plain. The bulldozing activity severely damaged Str. B1 by cutting and removing the entire western half of the mound. The resulting cut provided a complex profile of the central axis of the structure (Figure 2). This profile illustrates a construction history of five major construction phases, each with various revisions and additions. In 1994, the condition of Str. B1 was brought to the attention of the Belize Department of Archaeology. The department decided that the structure was too severely damaged to repair or stabilize. This decision prompted the initiation of a detailed salvage excavation program consisting of total horizontal exposure and recording of the intact construction phases to bedrock.

During the 1991 field season limited test excavations were conducted on the summit of the structure revealing portions of the Str. B1-1st and Str. B1-2nd construction phases in addition to an elite burial on the medial axis. This Late Classic burial was accompanied by high status grave goods and is intrusive to Str. B1-2nd (Garber et al., 1992). During the 1992 and 1993 field seasons investigations continued on the summit revealing portions of Str. B1-1st, Str. B1-2nd, and Str. B1-3rd construction phases (Garber et al., 1993; 1994).

Horizontal exposure of the southern face of Str. B1 was initiated in 1994 and continues to the present. During 1996 field season, architecture dating to the early Middle Preclassic was encountered. The 1997 field season, which was partially funded by the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI), focused on full horizontal exposure and recovery of material culture associated with the early Middle Preclassic construction phases of Str. B1 (B1-4th and B1-5th). The analysis of the cultural material recovered from B1-4th and B1-5th was initiated during the 1997 field season and continued through the 1998 field season, and is presently on going. Further investigations on the early construction phases of Str. B1 were conducted during the 1998 field season. Excavations in 1998 revealed an earlier construction phase, designated B1-6th, which was not evident from the analysis of the bulldozer cut profile. A brief summary of the later construction phases (B1-1st, B1-2nd, and B1-3rd) is provided for an understanding of the complete construction history of Structure B1, followed by a detailed description of the early construction phases (B1-4th, B1-5th, and B1-6th) and their associated ritual deposits.

The terminal phase of Str. B1 dates to the Late Classic Period and was designated Str. B1-1st. This construction phase was heavily eroded and exact dimensions could not be defined. Str. B1-1st, however, appears to be a two tiered structure approximately 4.21 meters in height measured above the associated plaza surface. Seven partially preserved steps were recorded and it appears that several more steps were added during a rebuilding episode. The central staircase was outset 2.1 meters from the basal terrace of the structure. The construction technique employed consisted of well-trimmed coursed limestone masonry veneer approximately 20 by 20 by 10 cm in size (Garber et al., 1995).

Str. B1-2nd was encountered directly beneath Str. B1-1st. This construction phase was well preserved and dates to the Protoclassic Period. Str. B1-2nd-b is a two tiered structure reaching a height of 3.32 m above its associated plaza surface and was adorned with painted stucco mask facades (Figure 3). The stucco masks were badly damaged however traces of red paint were uncovered. Fortunately investigations revealed sufficient iconographic detail on the upper mask for an interpretation (Garber and Reilly, 1995) (Figure 4, shown below). The structure had a central outset staircase with seven steps leading to the summit. Excavations revealed an addition to the structure, Str. B1-2nd-a, which consisted of a series of three stepping platforms which were placed upon the summit of the structure. The addition raised the height of the structure to 3.92 m.  A circular shaft, approximately 1.1 m in diameter, was cut through the summit of B1-2nd directly behind the upper tier mask, and was intrusive to all earlier construction phases. The shaft appears to be a large posthole which would have supported an enormous superstructure or scaffold. This vertical shaft is almost identical to the ones encountered on 5C-2nd at Cerros, Belize (David Freidel, personal communication, 1997).

Click on image to enlarge

The latest Middle Preclassic construction phase, Structure B1-3rd, had six additions to the original structure, of which four of these additions appear to date to the Late Preclassic time period (Figure 5). The earliest three sub-phases, B1-3rd-g, B1-3rd-f, and B1-3rd-e date to the late Middle Preclassic. The subsequent modifications doubled the height of the structure, and an outset staircase was added in B1-3rd-a. The earlier versions of the structure consisted of a large rectangular platform with an inset staircase. Flanking the staircase, the structure had outset platforms, which were constructed of large, cut limestone blocks. The summit of the original structure was heavily burned and may indicate desecratory termination activities at the site. Several of the later additions showed evidence of extensive burning as well.

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