The Role of Lithic Artifacts in the Interpretation of RB-25-A5

Summary

In 2014, the California State University, Los Angeles Sacred Landscape Archaeological Project (SLAP) began investigation of a deep pit with a small grotto at its northern end. In 2015, the pit was excavated to bedrock only to discover that the feature was a collapsed chultun. Noteworthy was a plastered platform that encircled the collapse pit. A dense concentration of artifacts was associated with the platform and pit but this dropped rapidly only a few meters from the platform indicating the complex was a heavily utilized activity area. Previous investigation of RB-25-A5 interpreted the feature as a trash pit belonging to a lithic workshop because of what was thought to be a high concentration of chert flakes. SLAP recovered similar pieces still within their matrix of soft dolomitic limestone. A thorough analysis separated the natural materials and confirming the presence of few formal artifacts.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Recent Advances in the Archaeology of the Three Rivers Region of the Central Maya Lowlands

Keywords

Spatial Coverage