More Like this

1. FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUAL WOODEN BUILDINGS REVEALS CHANGES IN THE LATE TO TERMINAL CLASSIC ECONOMY AT THE PAYNES CREEK SALT WORKS

   McKillop, Heather; Sills, E Cory (June 2023, Research Reports in Belizean Archaeology)

   Preservation of wooden building posts in red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) peat below the sea floor at the Paynes Creek Salt Works in southern Belize provides a rare opportunity to study pole and thatch buildings that were likely the dominant construction in the Maya area in prehistory. In 2020 and 2021, when field research at the salt works was not possible due to the covid pandemic, individual wooden buildings at two of the largest sites, Ek Way Nal and Ta’ab Nuk Na, were radiocarbon dated. The dates indicate that the buildings were constructed at different times. Associated artifacts reveal both residences and salt kitchens at both sites and that production began earlier at Ta’ab Nuk Na and ended later at Ek Way Nal. Identification of tree species used in building construction at Ek Way Nal indicates the salt workers selected useful trees and did not overuse the environment. 

   more » « less
2. EXCAVATIONS OF BUILDING A AND LINE OF PALMETTO PALM POSTS AT EK WAY NAL, BELIZE

   Lincoln, Hollie; McKillop, Heather; Sills, E Cory (July 2023, Research reports in Belizean archaeology)

   This paper summarizes excavations of a suspected fish processing location at the submerged site of Ek Way Nal located in Paynes Creek National Park. Based on use-wear analysis of chert tools found near Building A and a line of palmetto palm posts indicated that fish processing was taking place at Ek Way Nal. In addition to fish processing, Ek Way Nal represents one of 110 Late Classic salt making settlements of the southern coast of Belize. Analysis of survey data, excavation data, and artifact analysis provides information about settlement organization, trade relationships, and activities taking place at the Paynes Creek Salt Works. Excavation data also suggests the presence of a deflated leaching mound created through long-term production of salt at this site. High volumes of charcoal indicate large amounts of wood harvested and burnt for brine boiling. Low-quality and high-quality stone tools and debitage indicate local and long-distance acquisition of stone materials. Artifacts associated with preserved wooden structures indicates building function across the site. 

   more » « less
3. BRIQUETAGE AND BRINE: LIVING AND WORKING AT THE CLASSIC MAYA SALT WORKS OF EK WAY NAL, BELIZE

   https://doi.org/10.1017/S0956536121000341  

   McKillop, Heather; Sills, E. Cory (January 2021, Ancient Mesoamerica)

   Abstract Systematic flotation survey and spatial analysis of artifacts at the submerged salt work of Ek Way Nal reveal evidence of a residence, salt kitchens, and additional activities. Ek Way Nal is one of 110 salt works associated with a Late to Terminal Classic (A.D. 600–900) salt industry known as the Paynes Creek Salt Works. Wooden posts that form the walls of 10 buildings are remarkably preserved in a peat bog below the sea floor providing an opportunity to examine surface artifacts in relation to buildings. Numerous salt kitchens have been located at the Paynes Creek Salt Works by evidence of abundant briquetage—pottery associated with boiling brine over fires to make salt. As one of the largest salt works with 10 buildings, there is an opportunity to examine variability in building use. Systematic flotation survey over the site and flagging and mapping individual artifacts and posts provide evidence that the Ek Way Nal salt makers had a residence near the salt kitchens, along with evidence of salting fish for subsistence or surplus household production. The results are compared with ethnographic evidence from Sacapulas and other salt works. 

   more » « less
4. Human–environment interactions at Ta'ab Nuk Na, a submerged Maya salt works site in Belize

   https://doi.org/10.1017/S0956536123000196  

   Foster, Cheryl M; McKillop, Heather; Sills, E Cory (August 2023, Ancient Mesoamerica)

   Abstract Sea-level rise and settlement are investigated at Ta'ab Nuk Na, an ancient Maya salt works in Belize, by examining samples from wooden posts and marine sediment. The samples included Post 145 of Building B and the Nunavut beam, along with marine sediment columns cut from beside both wooden posts. The sediment columns were sampled at 2 cm intervals. Loss-on ignition confirmed the presence of organic material. Identifying the organic content involved removing nonorganic material from the sediment and sorting the organic material under magnification. This procedure established that most of the organic material was red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle). Red mangroves tolerate salt water, but under conditions of sea-level rise, the plants grow vertically to keep their leaves above water. Sediment, leaves, and detritus trapped in the prop roots form mangrove peat, which serves as a proxy for sea-level rise. AMS dating of fine red mangrove roots determined that the local sea levels rose at Ta'ab Nuk Na throughout the Late Classic period and continued into the Postclassic period. Radiocarbon dates obtained from the wood-post samples yielded Late Classic–period dates. Comparing the radiocarbon dates from the wooden posts and the sediment core samples determined that the site was abandoned before the rising seas flooded the area. Evidently, sea-level rise did not play a role in site abandonment. 

   more » « less
5. Human-environment interactions at Ta’ab Nuk Na, a submerged Maya salt works site in Belize

   Foster, Cheryl M; McKillop, Heather; Sills, E Cory (August 2023, Ancient Mesoamerica)

   Sea-level rise and settlement are investigated at Ta'ab Nuk Na, an ancient Maya salt works in Belize, by examining samples from wooden posts and marine sediment. The samples included Post 145 of Building B and the Nunavut beam, along with marine sediment columns cut from beside both wooden posts. The sediment columns were sampled at 2 cm intervals. Loss-on ignition confirmed the presence of organic material. Identifying the organic content involved removing nonorganic material from the sediment and sorting the organic material under magnification. This procedure established that most of the organic material was red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle). Red mangroves tolerate salt water, but under conditions of sea-level rise, the plants grow vertically to keep their leaves above water. Sediment, leaves, and detritus trapped in the prop roots form mangrove peat, which serves as a proxy for sea-level rise. AMS dating of fine red mangrove roots determined that the local sea levels rose at Ta'ab Nuk Na throughout the Late Classic period and continued into the Postclassic period. Radiocarbon dates obtained from the wood-post samples yielded Late Classic–period dates. Comparing the radiocarbon dates from the wooden posts and the sediment core samples determined that the site was abandoned before the rising seas flooded the area. Evidently, sea-level rise did not play a role in site abandonment. 

   more » « less