Report of the 1998 and 1999 Investigations on the Archaeology and Iconography of the Polychrome Stucco Façade of Structure N10-28, Lamanai, Belize

The Lamanai Archaeological Project

Previous Work

Until 1974, research at Lamanai was sporadic at most, with brief visits by Thomas Gann, J.E.S. Thompson, William Bullard, and Thomas Lee. Previous to this century, the last accounts of the site were by the Spanish Fathers Fuensalida and Orbita (Franciscan), shortly after the rebellious Maya in 1641 burned the church (Pendergast 1981).

In 1974 the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) began an archaeological project at Lamanai under the direction of Dr. David Pendergast, also of the ROM. The site was chosen for intensive study for several reasons. The first was the presence of a sixteenth century Spanish church, which indicated historical occupation (Pendergast 1981:29). The second was the presence of extensive monumental architecture, indicating an important and sizable community during the Classic. Thus, it was hoped that excavations would provide information addressing the great span of time that was apparent at Lamanai (Pendergast 1981:31).

Excavations continued until 1986, with a number of areas within the site having been intensively excavated and major structures stabilized and consolidated. In 1979, Dr. Elizabeth Graham, then the Archaeological Commissioner of Belize, joined the project and remained until its termination. The entire site was mapped from 1974 to 1976 under the direction of Dr. H. Stanley Loten of Carleton University, who also served as the project architect. In 1988, a four year program of restoration and development by the Belize government began.

In 1996, minor excavations began at a site named Lamanai South, an elite residential area about three kilometers south of the main site. These excavations were directed by Dr. Herman Smith in conjunction with field schools operated by the Lamanai Field Research Centre (LFRC), located at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge, Indian Church. Excavations continued at Lamanai South in 1997, and Smith was replaced by Dr. Elizabeth Graham of the ROM as Principal Investigator. Beginning in 1998, excavations conducted by field schools and researchers have focused again on the main center at Lamanai and the site of the Spanish church. I joined the project in 1997 as a field school student and have remained with the project since. In 1998, following excavations on Structure N10-27 and N12-12, I began work on the stucco collection from Structure N10-28.

The 1998 Field Season

As time was limited to two weeks to look at the collection, the primary focus was to pull out what could be located in the bodega, to quickly sort the pieces by motif, and to take general notes and sketches of the more elaborate pieces. Basically, it was an exploratory survey of the collection, which would provide the information needed to decide whether or not to pursue further analysis.

The bodega at Lamanai (see Appendix 1) is a relatively small concrete structure with a metal roof and few windows that houses many of the artifacts recovered during the ROM’s Lamanai Archaeological Project. As in many other little used structures in the tropics, numerous bats call the bodega home. After the collapse of the original bodega in 1991, the Department of Archaeology constructed a new building and moved the collections to this location. Many of the stucco pieces were piled in two large metal washbasins filled beyond their rims, in a large heavy mahogany box on one of the shelves, and two five-gallon buckets. Several pieces were also found scattered on the shelves. Many of the pieces had to be brushed of dust, dirt, scorpion exoskeletons, and bat guano.

All of the pieces that could be located at that time in the bodega were taken to the adjacent and largely empty DOA structure and spread out on the floor and the three steel frame beds for ease of sorting (Figures 1:9 and 1:10). Approximately fifteen of the better pieces were in the museum located some several dozen meters away from the Department of Archaeology buildings. These pieces were removed for processing as well. Field illustrations and measurements were done on approximately twenty of the better pieces in the collection, and both color and black-and-white photographs were taken of a number of the fragments.

Click on image to enlarge.

Click on image to enlarge

In all, approximately six hundred pieces were processed, the majority of which were returned to the bodega unnumbered and/or unclassified. Some of these were non-descript fragments of stucco whereas others had finished surfaces but were too small and ambiguous to be classified in any fashion. Bulk weights were taken on a rudimentary scale, and approximate weight of what could be located was 483 lbs.

The collection was divided into general categories, such as borders, anthropomorphic forms, headdress patterns, flat painted surfaces, earflares, and the ubiquitous miscellaneous category. Division by general form and/or pattern was the primary objective, rather than iconographic meaning. Several matches were found and were glued back together. Some other pieces were noted to be similar to others, but no breaks could be matched. It was also noted that at least fifteen pieces were associated with each other and represented a figure with an outstretched arm.

A temporary cataloging system was implemented for use in referencing field notes, and many of the pieces were numbered by their lot number and a unique artifact number. A total of 176 pieces were numbered. The lot number for the stucco pieces recovered in 1981 and 1982 is LA 1103.  All of the pieces were returned to the bodega in new plastic washtubs covered with plastic. Some of the pieces were bagged up for extra protection. The last day in the field was spent installing approximately thirty-eight of the best and most representative pieces in the museum on newly cleared shelves.

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