BURIED BENEATH OUR FEET: EARLY MAYA ARCHITECTURE UNDER THE MAIN PLAZAS AT THE ANCIENT MAYA SITE OF PACBITUN, BELIZE

Abstract

Over the past 75 years archaeologists have realized the benefits of investigating early Maya communities beneath plaza surfaces. Sites like Barton Ramie, Cahal Pech, Caracol, Ceibal, Colha, Cuello, Tikal, and Uaxactun have produced a wealth of information on Preclassic buildings, burials, and caches. In the Belize Valley there has been a concerted effort since the late 1980s to recover as much information as possible about the Middle Preclassic (900-300 BC) Maya by targeting plazas. This approach has been very effective at Pacbitun where we have uncovered new information on the earliest community located within the two main plazas. This paper reports on recent investigations in Plazas A and B and provides new information on the earliest houses and ceremonial constructions that may be compared with other sites in the region to identify general patterns in Middle Preclassic Maya development