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

Ritual Deposits Associated with the early Middle Preclassic Construction Phases: B1-4th, B1-5th, and B1-6th

Located south of Str. B1-6th beneath the courtyard surface was an elaborate ritual deposit. It appears that a basin shaped depression was purposely cut into bedrock and then layered with freshwater bivalve, jute, and pamacea shells (Figure 10). The fresh water shells appear to have been intentionally placed in layers with small jute shells placed predominately at the base, bivalve shells placed in the next layer, and large jute with pamacea shells layered on top. Lithic material and ceramics were dispersed throughout the deposit, however, larger ceramic sherds were placed close to the base of the deposit. A small layer of charred material overlaid the deposit. A sample of this material was sent to Beta Analytic for analysis. Beta-122281, 2990 +/- 60 BP, calibrated at 2 sigma is B.C. 1395 to 1015. This date appears to be quite early, and may represent a redepositional event of the carbon material. Alternatively, this deposit may be the earliest ritual deposit found to date in the Maya lowlands. Several other samples associated with this deposit have been sent to Beta Analytic for analysis. This data will be sent to FAMSI at a later date.

Of special interest is the lithic material that was uncovered from this deposit. The lithic material was quite varied and included; 307 flakes, over 200 irregular fractured chips, 48 utilized pieces, two distinctly retouched flakes, 33 cores, seven broken biface fragments which appear to have been smashed, two complete bifaces, one hammer stone, one complete mano, and two metate fragments. Fourteen of the cores exhibited evidence of severe battering. It appears that they were used for bashing. This is quite curious as there was a large amount of lithic shatter present within the deposit. Also, as stated above, several smashed biface pieces were located (Figure 11, shown above). The evidence suggests that the cores may have been used to destroy bifaces and flake tools, all of which were then tossed into the shell basin. A large number of the lithic material recovered showed evidence of burning as well. This deposit may reflect the reenactment and destruction of an earlier creation, the wooden people, recited in the Popol Vuh.

"They were pounded down to the bones and tendons, smashed and pulverized even to the bones. Their faces were smashed because they were incompetent before their mother and their father, the Heart of Sky, named Hurricane. The earth was blackened because of this; the black rainstorm began, rain all day and rain all night. Into their houses came the animals, small and great. Their faces were crushed by things of wood and stone. Everything spoke: their water jars, their tortilla griddles, their plates, their cooking pots, their dogs, their grinding stones, each and every thing crushed their faces (Tedlock, 1985:pg. 84)."

Other interesting lithic materials were encountered within the deposit as well. Approximately 15 smooth river cobbles and 11 unusual elongated shaped stones were found. Several of the elongated stones appear to have been modified and exhibited wear patterns on one end. Two of these stones had scoring bars across one face (Figure 12, shown below). The function of these elongated stones is not known at this time. A complete mano and several metate fragments were also encountered (Figure 13 and Figure 14).

This elaborate ritual deposit appears to reflect water symbolism due to the layers of river shells found. Ritual deposits reflecting water symbolism are common throughout Mesoamerica. Freidel et al. (1993:pg. 234) states, "They deposited precious caches that remade the Primordial Sea under the floors of their buildings." Ritual deposits which contain water imagery or water related items appear to symbolize the act of creation. Evidence for water symbolism extends back to the Olmec as well. Kent Reilly interprets the sunken court at La Venta as representing the Primordial Sea (Reilly, 1994). Water symbolism can also be seen from Tomb A at La Venta. Several carved jade objects in the form of a clamshell, a frog, and a shark’s tooth were encountered within the tomb. These objects carved in jade all symbolically reflect water and indicate the ritual importance of the primordial sea within the Olmec Cosmology (Reilly, 1994).

The importance of water imagery is also reflected within Maya iconography. At the site of Uaxactún, a mask on structure H depicts the personified Yaxhal witz (the first true mountain of maize) rising out of the primordial sea (Freidel et al., 1993). Several examples of dedicatory caches symbolizing water have been found within the Belize River Valley. A Middle Preclassic dedicatory cache containing marine shell discs was located associated with Structure B4/5th at Cahal Pech (Awe, 1992). Also, a Late Classic example of water symbolism was encountered at the nearby site of Floral Park, beneath the appended platform of Structure A1. This deposit was located slightly above bedrock and appears to have been associated with the initial construction of Structure A1. It consists of a concentration of artifactual materials embedded in a river clay matrix (Brown and Glassman, 1996). The deposit included charcoal, lithics, shell, and ceramics. Of special interest was the number of artifacts which symbolize water. These included; the tip of a conch shell, broken pieces of mother of pearl, a shell with a smaller shell purposely placed inside, and a crab claw (Brown et al., 1996). This deposit appears to be a dedication to the watery underworld or the Primordial sea. It was purposely placed north of the structure below the first plaza surface. The fact that it was placed within a lens of river clay material also further supports the symbolism implied by the deposit. Although this deposit differs in contents, the placement and symbolism resembles the location of the shell basin at Blackman Eddy.

A ritual deposit was also encountered in the "alley" between the central and eastern platforms of Str. B1-5th. The deposit consisted of smashed vessels, faunal remains, riverine bivalve and jute shells, lithic debitage, and carbon. A radiocarbon assay of the carbon from this deposit yielded a date of (Beta-103959) 2520 +/- 50 BP calibrated to 800-415 B.C. (2 sigma). Ceramic analysis from this deposit support the radiocarbon evidence, suggesting a transitional date between the early Middle Preclassic and late Middle Preclassic (650-600 B.C.).

The deposit was quite unusual for this early date. The ceramic material does not appear to have been smashed in place as very few sherds could be refitted. However, the deposit does not appear to represent a refuse dump. A polished deer metapodial bone bloodletter was placed at the base of the ritual deposit. Also, several small marine shell beads, obsidian blades, and a bone bead fragment were found scattered throughout the lens. The deposit was also covered with a lens of white marl, intentionally capping the ritual event. Above the white marl lens, a peach colored marl matrix was deposited, further sealing the ritual deposit.

Several mammal species have been identified from this deposit including; domestic dog, rabbit, white-tailed deer, brocket deer, peccary, and armadillo (Stanchly, personal communication, 1997). Several fish bone fragments were also recovered, including catfish, as well as a passerine bird specimen, possibly parakeet. The small passerine bird specimen does not appear to have been used as a food source and may represent some form of ritual use. The presence of dog, and deer further supports the ritual nature of this deposit, since these species are typically restricted to elite contexts (Pohl, 1985; Stanchly, personal communication, 1997). It is interesting to note that faunal remains from the Middle Preclassic construction phases of Structure B4 at Cahal Pech also indicate high percentage of dog, deer and rabbit specimens. In fact, 13 of the 14 dog specimens located in B4 were from the Cunil Phase (1000-850 B.C.), the early Kanluk Phase (850-650 B.C.), and the late Kanluk Phase (650-350 B.C.) (Stanchly, 1992). The ritual deposit at Blackman Eddy may represent a ceremonial feasting event which corresponded with the termination of the structure. Evidence for dog feasting in a Late Preclassic elite context has been investigated at the site of Kichpanha in Belize as well (Shaw, 1992).

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An elaborate cache was encountered above and east of the termination deposit between the two platforms of Str. B1-5th.  This cache appears to be a dedication to the subsequent construction phase, Str. B1-4th.  The dedication cache consisted of a broken plate, a jade bead, a deer jaw bone and scapula, numerous ceramic sherds, a broken mano, and the inner core of a conch shell (columella). The jade bead was placed upon the ceramic plate. During the 1997 field season, more of this same dedicatory cache was encountered. Four restorable vessels were excavated (Figure 15, shown above). The first vessel is a Joventud Red: variety unspecified thick walled, deep bowl with an outflaring rim and a distinct incised line encircling the interior portion of the lip. The second restorable vessel is unusual and appears to be an earlier form due to its Cunil-like characteristics. The vessel is an ash-tempered, deep bowl with an outflaring rim. The bowl appears to have characteristic of both Joventud Red and Savana Rejolla forms, and also has many affinities to Cunil. The third restorable vessel was a Jocote Orange-Brown: variety unspecified thin-walled bowl with an outflaring rim and strap handles (Figure 16, above). Also of interest within this ritual deposit was a miniature thin-walled Jocote Orange-Brown: variety unspecified vessel. This miniature bowl was 11.2 cm in diameter and contained a orange/red wash on the interior, or quite possibly the remnants of daub. A Sayab Daub Striated: hulse variety restorable vessel was also encountered, however portions of the rim were missing. Several other partially restorable vessels were excavated including one unusual Savana Orange: Rejolla Variety stirrup spouted vessel (Figure 17, above). Also of interest was a Savana Orange: Rejolla Variety chocolate vessel rim which appeared to have either an anthropomorphic or zoomorphic effigy on the body of the vessel (Figure 18, above). Overall, the ceramic data from the deposit constitutes an assemblage dating to the break between the early and late Middle Preclassic (700-600 B.C.) (Powis, personal communication, 1998). This deposit was purposely placed above the peach colored marl lens capping the termination ritual deposit, possibly representing the rebirth or renewal of the structure.

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