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The 2012 Season of the Chan Chich Archaeological Project
Subop KU-1-E was a 1-x-2-m extension of
Subop KU-1-A to the west. This unit was
opened to look for the stela socket. Lot KU-
1-E-1 consisted of thick clayey topsoil that was
saturated from rain. It was excavated to the
same level as Lot KU-1-A-6, reaching depths
of approximately 45 cm. The socket for Stela 1
was not identified, but excavations continued to
obtain chronological data. Lot KU-1-E-2 was
approximately 2 m deep and consisted of three
layers. The uppermost layer was a continuation
of the same clayey deposit from Lot KU-1-E-1,
which continued an additional 60 cm, making
the clayey deposit a total of approximately 1
m thick. Below this was a mixture of small
and medium sized cobble fill approximately 1
m thick with the largest cobbles near the top
and smaller below them, ranging in size from
10–20 cm thick for the larger cobbles down to
2–5 cm for the smaller ones. It is possible that
there may have been a floor near the top of the
cobbles; however, there was no evidence of a
floor visible during excavations. Finally, in the
bottom 30 cm of Subop KU-1-E, still in Lot
KU-1-E-2, we encountered a buried A-horizon
that is culturally sterile. The last plaza surface
was not identified, however it is likely that it
was near the top of the current surface and has
completely transmuted into the organic topsoil.
Altar Excavations
Subop KU-1-B was a 2-x-2-m unit placed on
the courtyard floor at the base of Structure 3 and
encompassing Altar 1. Structure 3 is oriented 90
degrees east of north and measures about 5 m
in height. The north-south axis measures 22.5
m in length and the east-west axis measures 26
m in length. The unit was placed so that Altar
1 was as close to the center of it as possible
(Figures 5.5 and 5.6). This subop was opened
to investigate the area around the altar and to
collect dateable material from under the altar
Figure 5.5.
Photograph of Altar 1 (KU-1-B-2), facing east.
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