An Overview of Paleoindian and Archaic Finds from August Pine Ridge, Belize, Central America

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Recent findings have come to light from previously reported but poorly known preceramic deposits from near the village of August Pine Ridge, Belize, Central America. Years of sand quarrying have led to the recovery of hundreds of artifacts representing the entire known preceramic sequence from Central America. Present are fluted bifaces as well as manufacturing failures representing South American stemmed Fishtail points, so-called waisted styles representing local traditions, and North American-influenced Clovis types. Newly defined Late Paleoindian styles represent continued connections from South America to Central Mexico and document shrinking cultural interaction spheres following the disappearance of fluted biface horizons after around 12,000 years ago. An array of stone bowls, mortars, and pestles likely documents the emergence of plant-focused subsistence practices. An industry based on macroblades and flakes characterizes Archaic occupations from perhaps around 5500 years ago until the emergence of Maya villages, ca. 3000 BP. The presence of a few constricted adzes represents the final millennia of Archaic technology, until the increasing reliance on maize cultivation led inhabitants to relocate from the sandy pine ridge to more productive soils. This presentation places into hemispheric and regional context one of the most important preceramic sites in Central America.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39989.0