Rafael A. Guerra

Rafael Guerra was born in San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize. After completing his Junior College Degree he worked as a tour guide with several operators in the Cayo district (1996 – 2004). Rafael first joined the BVAR project in 1999, as part of a scholarship program (run by the project for Belizeans) to enhance his guiding skills by augmenting his background in archaeological methods and theory. After successfully completing the field course he returned to the project as volunteer and junior staff member (1999 – 2002). During this time Rafael worked at several sites with BVAR/WBRCP including Baking Pot, Cahal Pech, Caracol, Pook’s Hill, Actun Tunichil Muknal, Actun Uayazba Kab, Actun Nak Beh, Actun Yaxteel Ahau, Chechem Ha cave and Actun Chapat, where he learned numerous skills including excavating, reconnaissance and surveying. He was later hired to work as part of the Tourism Development Project, Caracol (2001 – 2003), where he served as the Camp Manager.

Since then he has taken over for Doug Weinberg in supervising salvage excavations and conducting settlement surveys in the Chalillo area of the Upper Macal Valley (northeast of Caracol) in preparation of hydro-electrical development in the area.

Currently Rafael is in employment with the Belize Institute of Archaeology, as an Archaeological Technician. His responsibilities include the development of a multivariate database, for all known archaeological sites in Belize, spanning from the Archaic to Historic Periods (8,000 BC – AD 1900’s), and conducting reconnaissance and mapping of newly discovered sites. This database will eventually be part of a nation-wide GIS Project.

Recent Projects have included: the BRASS/EL Pilar Project (2004), working with John Whittaker and Kathryn Kamp (Grinnell University) where he learned the basics of flint knapping and lithic technology, as well as serving on the Northern Vaca Plateau speleoarchaeological project with Dr. Philip Reeder (University of South Florida), learning vertical Caving techniques.