The Geophysical Investigations at the Tzib Group in Pacbitun, Belize

Summary

The archaeological site of Pacbitun is one of the ancient sites that was inhabited by the Maya for approximately two thousand years. It is located in the west central side of Belize, near the town of San Antonio. Exploration of the surveyed areas revealed a smaller archaeological site in 2011 known as the Tzib Group, also known as “Mano Mound” due to the significant amounts of mano fragments found on the surface. In the 2014 summer season, geophysical data was collected using an instrument called the magnetometer. Data analysis of this survey showed a large rectangular anomaly within five meters of Mano Mound itself that became part of the focus to the 2015 summer excavation. Within the excavation units a row of limestone rock terminating at the mound was found, which is probably a terrace that the Maya placed there to level out their farm land. Other artifacts that were found within the excavation units were mano and metate fragments, along with hammer stones and pottery sherds. Geospatial analysis was also used to track the features of the Tzib Group area in regards to where other possible terraces may connect with structures in the area.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Student Contributions in Geoarchaeology

Keywords

Spatial Coverage