Expansion of an Eastern Shrine at the Tapir Group of the Medicinal Trail Community in Northwestern Belize

Author(s): Jaclyn Doering; David Hyde; Krystle Kelley

Year: 2016

Summary

Excavations within the Tapir Group at Medicinal Trail, a Maya hinterland community in northwestern Belize, have revealed evidence for multiple phases of expansion of both Structure B-1, a large pyramidal structure on the eastern side of the courtyard group, and the plaza platform on which it rests. The Tapir Group is a relatively large, formal Plaza Plan 2 courtyard group (as defined by Becker). Excavations indicate that Structure B-1 was expanded at least twice and, in order to accommodate the enlarged shrine, a new platform extension was constructed off the eastern side of the plaza platform. Additionally, there appears to have been a final construction made off the southern side of the shrine, possibly by later inhabitants, using reclaimed cutstones from the courtyard group. This poster will summarize the various phases of construction and discuss the importance of eastern shrines in the Maya Lowlands.

Cite this Record

Expansion of an Eastern Shrine at the Tapir Group of the Medicinal Trail Community in Northwestern Belize. Jaclyn Doering, David Hyde, Krystle Kelley. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Orlando, Florida. 2016 ( tDAR id: 404726)

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Keywords

General
Maya Shrine

Geographic Keywords
Mesoamerica

Spatial Coverage

min long: -107.271; min lat: 12.383 ; max long: -86.353; max lat: 23.08 ;