An Overview of the Stratigraphy at Witz Naab and Killer Bee, the Remnants of Salt Making Mounds, Paynes Creek National Park, Belize

Summary

Three partially submerged earthen mounds at Witz Naab and Killer Bee are currently the only known remaining above ground evidence of a once-thriving salt industry in Punta Ycacos Lagoon, a large salt-water system in Paynes Creek National Park, Belize. During 2012, field season, excavations were conducted at two of the mounds. This poster will present findings concerning the stratigraphic development of these mounds. Understanding the stratigraphy of the mounds will aid in interpreting features of the associated submerged salt works. Over one hundred ancient Maya salt works dated to the Classic period (A.D. 300-900) have been submerged by sea-level rise in the lagoon. We have hypothesized that these mounds were once numerous features on the landscape prior to a Terminal Classic/Postclassic sea-level rise. Stratigraphy interpretation will illustrate a potential increase in the scale of production at the Witz Naab site.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Beyond the Shore: The Underwater Maya Project, Paynes Creek National Park, Belize.

Keywords

Spatial Coverage