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Results of the 2012 Excavations at Kaxil Uinic Ruins Figure 5.6. Plan map of Altar 1 in Subop KU-1-B. to aid in establishing a chronology for the site. One of the intentions in moving the altar was to hopefully find a cache, which would have assisted in dating the site. The humus layer (Lot KU-1-B-1) was a thin layer of dark grayish-brown (10YR 3/2), loamy matrix with thicknesses varying from 10 to 20 cm. The unit was riddled with roots and rootlets from two fairly large trees in close proximity to it. Several large cobbles were found on and near the surface surrounding Altar 1, which could possibly be broken pieces of the altar or perhaps fragments of a stand for the altar. The lot was terminated once the soil composition started to change. Altar 1 was designated Lot KU-1-B-2 and removed from the subop. The altar’s measurements varied from 120 to 130 cm in 55
The 2012 Season of the Chan Chich Archaeological Project diameter and from 25 to 30 cm in thickness. It is made of limestone and does not appear to have been carved. The altar was removed from the unit by using a log as a lever and the cobbles that were removed earlier as a fulcrum. At the end of the season the altar was moved back to its original location. Lot KU-1-B-3 was directly beneath the altar. This was excavated in hopes of locating a cache or offering beneath the altar, but nothing of this nature was found. This lot’s soil was a dark grayish-brown (10YR4/2) with cobbles scattered in it that were likely tumble from the slope of Structure 3. Not many artifacts were found other than ceramic sherds and a bifacial tool. A plaster floor may have once been present, but it was not identified during excavation. The lot was terminated when it became obvious that the excavations were in construction fill. Lot KU-1-B-4 was construction fill that consisted of white, powdery matrix and cobbles. It was 40 to 60 cm thick and terminated on an earlier floor surface (Lot KU-1-B-6). In Lot KU-1-B-4 a yellow, chalky rock was found, possibly ochre. The ceramic assemblage from this lot dated to the Middle to Late Preclassic (1000 B.C.–A.D. 250). An interesting ceramic sherd was found that resembles the Cunil type found mostly in the Belize Valley and dating to the Early Preclassic (Valdez and Houk, this volume:68, Figure 6.2). Lot KU-1-B-5 was a concentration of sherds embedded in the underlying plaster floor that appeared as though it was partially reconstructable. The type of ceramic could not be determined, but it was slipped with a reddishorange color. The vessel fragments embedded in the floor measured about 12-x-12-cm. Once Lot KU-1-B-5 was removed from the floor, the floor and associated contexts below it were designated Lot KU-1-B-6. We continued only to excavate the 1-x-2-m southern half of the subop until we came down on bedrock, which was 94–97 cm deeper than the top of the floor. Artifacts found in this context include ceramic sherds, unifacial tools, jute, and terrestrial land snail shells. This subop was terminated on bedrock about 2 m below the surface. Structure 2 Structure 2 (Figure 5.7) at Kaxil Uinic is a range structure oriented east-west. It is a total of 52 m in length and at the widest point it is 18 m. The building’s form is unusual. It is widest on the western end, and narrower towards the center section, and narrowest on the eastern end. The building faces south, based on the presence of steps ascending the structure, as well as a landing that appears to extend across most of the south face of the building. Structure 2 is located in the southeastern area of Kaxil Uinic and was originally believed to be enclosing an eastern plaza; however, after the 2012 field season it has been determined that this structure is associated with an unknown area to the south. Extremely thick vegetation, resulting in limited visibility restricted further examination for associated constructions. Workers from Chan Chich Lodge had cleared the structure of undergrowth and hurricane debris, leaving only larger trees, prior to our arrival, making it possible for us to excavate a large area on the south face of the mound. These two contiguous subops were opened to document the latest phase of construction on the structure and gain a better understanding of the architecture at Kaxil Uinic. Subop KU-1-G was a 1.5-x-4-m unit, and Subop KU-1-H was a 1.5-x-6-m unit. Both were oriented north-south perpendicular to Structure 2’s long axis. Subop KU-1-G extended from the base of the mound to approximately half way up the structure, where it joined Subop KU-1-H, which continued to the summit of the mound. Together, the two units encountered 56
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The 2012 Season of the Chan Chich A
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Contents Acknowledgments...........
Page 5 and 6:
The 2012 Season of the Chan Chich A
Page 8 and 9:
Return to Paradise: An Introduction
Page 10 and 11:
An Introduction to the 2012 Chan Ch
Page 12 and 13: An Introduction to the 2012 Chan Ch
Page 14 and 15: Multi-sensor Archaeo-geophysical Su
Page 16 and 17: Archaeo-geophysical Survey of the U
Page 26 and 27: Chan Chich: 2012 Investigations of
Page 36: Chan Chich: 2012 Investigations of
Page 39 and 40: The 2012 Season of the Chan Chich A
Page 61: The 2012 Season of the Chan Chich A
Page 72 and 73: Preliminary Comments on the 2012 Ce
Page 80 and 81: The Chan Chich Archaeological Proje
Page 82 and 83: CCAP Digital Data Collection System
Page 90 and 91: Dear Dr. Thompson Matthew C. Harris
Page 92: Dear Dr. Thompson Figure 8.3. Scan
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