Soil Chemical Analysis of the Floors of Walled Enclosures within the Mirador Basin

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Recent Multidisciplinary Investigations in the Mirador Basin, Guatemala" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Geochemical analyses of soils and floors have proven useful in the interpretation of ancient human activities. Lidar images of the Mirador basin have brought to light Preclassic walled enclosures in the Mirador basin. Soil chemical analysis in combination with lidar and excavation data helped determine the ancient uses for the enclosures. Extractable phosphorus and metallic ions were very low suggesting that the limestone bedrock floors were kept clean. The P and metals were elevated just inside the south and north walls of each enclosure. This is evidence that animals used those areas that might have provided some shade. The most likely animals to have been produced for ritual and food use were domestic dogs.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• Recent Multidisciplinary Investigations in the Mirador Basin, Guatemala

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 33065