Seeds that Germinate: Models, Paleobotanical, and Archaeological Evidence for Colha’s Early Inhabitants

Summary

The archaeological site of Colha, located within the northern Belize chert-bearing zone, is well-known for being one of the largest Maya lithic production sites in Mesoamerica. The site has occupation dating to the Archaic Period as well as the Middle Preclassic through the Early Postclassic. Pollen and geomorphologic evidence suggest intensive forest clearance, wetland soil manipulation, swamp margin, and upland manipulation dating as early as the Archaic Period. Evidence for intensive blade production coincides with pollen evidence from Cobweb Swamp for economic species such as maize and manioc.

During the Archaic Period, a warmer, wetter environment jumpstarts an archaeologically visible trend in cultivation and domestication. Mesoamerica’s biologically diverse landscape had much to offer its early revolutionary inhabitants. Research involving the cultural transition from complex hunter-gatherers to agriculturalists supports evidence that the early inhabitants of Colha can be studied as a regional model to understand their larger role during the commencement of the Maya civilization. These cultural phenomena and environmental trends are not exclusive to the region, but are also visible around the world. This paper discusses the chronology and significance of this pivotal era with preliminary archaeological and paleobotanical evidence recovered from the 2017 field season.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21311