Soils, Sedimentary Rocks, and Scale: Recent Geoarchaeological Investigations at Colha, Northern Belize

Summary

The Maya site of Colha is located on a karstic doline that is dominated by Tertiary and Pleistocene limestone and marls. This low-lying area, known locally as the Cobweb depression, encompasses a complex wetland system that is affected by Holocene sea level rise, human-induced vegetation changes, and both natural and anthropogenic erosional sequences. The dynamic landscape, coupled with a long history of human occupation, places this site in a complex geographic and cultural position within the greater Maya Lowlands. This paper focuses on the interplay between natural soil formation sequences, the built environment, and the temporal changes in resource extraction and utilization within the Colha core. Here, we specifically build upon previous research on soils and sediments of the greater Cobweb Swamp depression and how these soils form onsite. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating, Magnetic Susceptibility, and Loss On Ignition methodologies are employed to further characterize the present soils and geologic resources. Geochemical and elemental techniques are applied to lime plaster samples in order to determine sourcing and production during Preclassic occupation. The data proffered from these analyses highlight the unique geologic context of Colha, demonstrate how these environmental resources were manipulated, and supplement broader work on local human-landscape interactions.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22588