Recent Archaeological Research in the Church Zone, Lamanai, Belize
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
This paper will report the results of recent investigations (2001-2004) of copper metallurgy at the site of Lamanai, Belize during the Spanish Contact Period. More copper and alloyed copper artifacts have been recovered from controlled archaeological excavations at Lamanai than at any other Maya site. An important goal of the Maya Archaeometallurgy Project is to assess how this technology was integrated into Maya social, economic and political systems during the centuries just before and during Spanish Colonial times. Recent excavations have focused on Str. N11-18, the largest Spanish contact period residence at the site and likely the residence of Lamanai’s most powerful contact period native authority. Ninety-two of the 180 (51%) copper and alloyed copper artifacts recovered thus far from Lamanai come from Str. N11-18. Evidence for on-site production in the form of scrap sheet metal pieces, mis-cast copper bells, prills and four copper ingots, has been recovered. All but a few of these objects come from excavations in and immediately around Str. N11-18. The specialized production of copper objects is viewed within the larger context of both pre- and post-contact socioeconomic organization at Lamanai. The results of recent chemical compositional analyses will also be presented.
