Belize Valley Archaeological
Reconnaissance Project
Fieldwork Opportunities
In 2008 BVAR will host its 20th summer field school (June – August). Our fieldwork will continue at the site of Baking Pot, which is located on the outskirts of the modern town of San Ignacio, in the Cayo District of Belize, Central America (click here for a location map and general info on Belize). The investigations will include extensive stratigraphic and horizontal excavations of stratified deposits, as well as mapping of all cultural features.
Baking Pot is one of the largest sites in the Belize Valley and served as the capital to a small kingdom in the Classic period (c. AD 250-830). Despite many years of investigations conducted at Baking Pot, large portions of the monumental site core remain unexcavated and it stands out as one of the few remaining unlooted sites of central Belize. We will be following up on the preliminary excavations that were conducted in the palace during the 2004 season; the first systematic excavations to have been conducted in that area of the site to date. Through these excavations we hope to gain a better understanding of the physical and functional properties of Baking Pot's ancient royal court. In addition, we plan to continue the settlement survey in Baking Pot's periphery, thereby striking at both the heart and the periphery of the site.
The investigations will include extensive stratigraphic excavations, testing of architecture by means of trenching, as well as mapping of the archaeological features and architectural remains uncovered. Students will be involved in all aspects of the archaeological investigations, from the setting of excavation units, to the production of site maps. The project also incorporates daily laboratory work where students participate in the processing and documentation of the artifacts recovered from the site (including a range of ceramic and lithic artifacts as well as human and animal remains). Weekly lectures will present an overview of Maya civilization and will provide introductions to other specific topics such as ceramic typology, archaeological survey methods, human osteology, and Maya ritual and ideology.
Affiliation:
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The BVAR excavations function as the
official field school of the Belize Institute of Archaeology
(IOA). The IOA is the government institution that manages
the preservation and development of Belize's rich and diverse
archaeological heritage. It has been active since its founding
in 1955 (in its former guise as the Department
of Archaeology). |
Accreditation:
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Academic
affiliation of the BVAR project is with the University
of Mississippi. Through the accreditation of 'Ole Miss'
(as it is amicably known) students wishing to obtain academic
credit for their participation with the BVAR project may do
so by prior arrangement between the department and registrar
of their home institution. At present we can only offer full
course credits to those participating in at least a complete
four-week session. We regret that we cannot credit participation
in two-week sessions as these do not span the full curriculum
offered. For instructions
on obtaining academic credit click here. |
Facilities:
The cost of the field school covers
weekly room and board. When in the town of San Ignacio on weekends, accommodation
is provided by hotel facilities. Depending on the type of
field work you should expect considerably more rustic facilities
(such as camping) if away from town during the workweek. Daily meals consist primarily of local
fare and dinners of buffet-style Belizean cuisine.
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Travel:
Travel to and from the archaeological
site is provided on a daily basis. No work is conducted on
weekends and thus no transportation is provided on Saturdays
and Sundays. At the start of each session attendees will also
be greeted at the International airport in Belize City and
shuttled to our headquarters in San Ignacio, the capital of
the Cayo District (see
map here). Those wishing to make alternate travel plans
to San Ignacio may do so, providing they arrive in time for
the start of the session.
Travel
to and from Belize forms part of the incidental expenses of
the participant. In addition, we plan to organize optional
weekend tours with local travel agents and tour guides to
the important sites of Caracol in western Belize and Tikal
in neighboring Guatemala. Over the long weekend in the third
week of each session, we traditionally also take a trip to
the island Cayes (pronounced "Keys") along Belize's Caribbean
coast. This optional trip, however, is also not covered by
the fees and students may wish to take this opportunity to
explore other parts of Belize, or neighboring Mexico and Guatemala.
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Lectures:
Several lectures are given as part of
the field school curriculum and students will be assessed
by the content of their field notebooks as well as written
exams. Informal on-site lectures will include an introduction
to site reconnaissance, survey, excavation unit set-up, and
the mapping of archaeological features in section and in plan.
Formal lectures given at the end of the work week will include
an overview and introduction to Maya prehistory, spanning
from the Paleoindian phase to the Late Postclassic / early
Colonial period. Specific thematic lectures will focus on
architecture, ceramic remains, osteology, and hieroglyphic
writing. Lab sessions will cover basic finds processing and
inventory as well as preliminary artifact analyses. Based
on interest we can accommodate lectures on artifact illustration.
Students are advised that they will be expected to keep up
with required reading and will have to bring the course notebook
to the field with them to read at the end of the workday.
In
addition, this year the 6th Annual Belize Archaeology Symposium
will be held from the 1st to the 4th of July. This is an ideal
way to gain a good perspective on the archaeology that has
taken place during the course of the previous year. These
presentations allow you to be one of the first to find out
about the newest interpretations and discoveries made. Participation
costs are incidental and details will be posted once these
become available.
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Notice!
Please
read carefully before you consider filling out our application.
Thank you for your interest in our project.
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All
applicants must be at least 18 years old and in sufficient
good health to deal with the rigors of this project. |
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Field
archaeology is physically, emotionally and mentally
challenging. |
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It
is imperative that applicants be prepared to meet
these challenges. |
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Registration
fees cover weekly lodgings, weekday meals, as well
as transportation to and from the site. |
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Travel
to and from Belize as well as other incidental expenses
are the responsibility of the participant. |
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The minimum length of stay is two weeks (for pedagogical
and logistical reasons). |
Further
details are provided in the application form (click
here).
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Available Programs
Participation on the
BVAR project can take a number of forms. Which one suits
your needs and time constraints?
Option
One - 4 Weeks
This option
is designed for extensive exposure to archaeological methods
and techniques. This option spans over a four week duration
and includes extensive training in archaeological field
techniques: reconnaissance, survey, excavation, and artifact
processing. This option forms a complete curriculum including
all lectures, site tours and written exams. This option
is tailored for students wishing to obtain academic credit
for this field course. Nonetheless this option is also suitable
for enthusiasts seeking in-depth exposure to archaeological
field experience.
Session 1: 2 June to 27 June, 2008
Session 2: 7 July to 1 August, 2008
Cost: $1950.00 USD
Option
Two - 2 Weeks
This
option forms a basic introduction to field research techniques
and spans the first two weeks of either session. All the
introductory lectures to archaeological methods and most
site tours are provided during the first two weeks of each
session. For those wishing to get a good "feel" for how
archaeology works in a short period of time, this option
is ideal.
Session 1: 2 June to 13 June, 2008
Session 2: 7 July to 18 July, 2008
Cost: $975.00 USD
Option
Three - Customized
If
you are interested in a customized stay with the project,
submit your proposed dates of stay with your application.
However, all stays must be for a minimum of two weeks (and
preferably two weeks of 'Option Two'; see above) in order
to include a solid introduction to archaeological methods
before proceeding to the field component. In addition, all
customized stays are by week-long increments over the course
of the field season. Please note that the Sixth Annual Belizean Archaeology Symposium spans the intra-session week (from 2 July to 4 July inclusive). As a result this slot
is not available as part of the 'Customized' Option.
Session(s):
A combination of week-long increments between 2 June and 1 August 2008. (Note that the week of 30 June to 4 July is not available on account of the Belize Archaeology Symposium)
Cost: Variable
(at a cost of $487.50 USD per week)
Information
For
more information on BVAR please contact us:
Late
Classic figurine fragment
from Xunantunich.
Drawing by G. Valenzuela.
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