Paleoclimatic Variation in the Valley of Guatemala during Precolumbian Times

List of Figures

Figure  1:   Map of Kaminaljuyú showing its location in highland Guatemala and its association with the ancient Lake Miraflores (hachured area). The sections investigated by the San Jorge and Miraflores archaeological projects are indicated at the lower left, where the San Jorge, Miraflores, and Mirador irrigation canals were encountered. (Michels 1979, adapted by A. Roman).

Figure  2:   Profile of the test pit excavated to a depth of 200 cm in the area of Kaminaljuyú Miraflores during September, 1999. Layers 1-3 pertained to recent activity; layers 4-5 contained a few Preclassic sherds; layer 6 consisted of clay mixed with disintegrated pumice particles; layer 7 was composed of dark brown clay which became increasingly more compact in the lower levels.

Photographs of excavation in the bed of extinct Lake Miraflores.
Figure 3a:  Test pit being initiated, showing the encroachment of the buildings of Guatemala City into this area.
Figure 3b:  Dr. Brenner starting the sampling in the test pit at Kaminaljuyú, 1999 season.
Figure 3c:  Student from Universidad del Valle assisting in the sampling, 2000 season.
Figure 3d:  Close-up view of sampled test pit.

Figure 4a:  Investigations in Lake Amatitlán. View of the lake.
Figure 4b:  Core barrel used by Brenner & Curtis to remove samples from Lake Amatitlán.

Figure  5:   Map of Guatemala and Lake Amatitlán. (a) Location of the valley of Guatemala and Lake Amatitlán. (b) Location of Guatemala City and Lake Amatitlán (hachured area). (c) Plan view of Lake Amatitlán, copied from a portion of the Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Guatemala (1:50,000) map of the area. The plan shows approximate contours of the lake and location of stations used for vertical coring sections.

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