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Burials,
tombs, and offerings – Lamanai, Belize Items
such as ceremonial flints, ceramic vessels, or figurines were
important to the ancient Maya, so much so that they are often placed
in caches and offerings to appease various gods, deities, and rulers. It
is often the case that caches and offerings are placed along the
primary or transverse axis of a structure.
The primary access (see image below) is defined as "a line
through the center of a structure from front to rear, generally
perpendicular to the exterior wall face of the building and bisecting
the central front doorway" (S. Loten and D. Pendergast).
These lines although not defined by the Maya certainly were
perceived and seen as very important, sometimes referred to as the
life line of a building, in a way giving the building a life and
identity, and we certainly know how important structures and buildings
were to the Maya. This
primary access often served as the guiding principal in the placement
of tombs and burials. Once
social stratification was evident during Classic period we see
elaborate burials and tombs placed along the primary axis.
Individuals placed in these tombs typically are members of the
elite ruling class but sometimes include skilled craft persons and
high priests. One
of only a few tombs recovered thus far at Lamanai, discovered by
trenching the structure along the primary axis – considered a
vaulted eccentric elite burial by D. Pendergast
–
the individual was found to be in a cocoon chamber with a wooden frame
plastered with coarse textiles soaked in lime – the human remains
had been encased with a red pigment (most likely cinnabar based) and
then covered in clay to help slow decomposition – the pelvis of the
individual was placed within a large Classic period plate decorated
with a hummingbird Ceremonial
flint & Lexicon Illustration, Lamanai – Belize Above
illustration is from S. Loten and D. Pendergast's, A Lexicon
of Maya Architecture – depicted is the primary and transverse
axes – the ceremonial flint (LA1426) from Structure N10-7, recovered
along the transverse axis – it is an anthropomorphic chert figure
that was most likely placed in an architectural dedicatory cache
Dedicatory
building cache recovered by D.
Pendergast – Classic period Blackware vessel, an image of
Structure N10-43 seen below
Maya
residing at Lamanai still carried out traditional caching practices
despite Spanish influence – these figurines were placed in
dedicatory construction offerings in the late 1500's
Stemmed
unifacial blade points from Ottawa, the residential & elite
administrative complex – Lamanai, Belize LA1337
and LA1336 are lot numbers assigned to material that was cached
underneath the prominent plinths on Structure N10-28 – although not
as glamorous as other caches found at Lamanai it is still a
significant find – D. Pendergast (foreground) is standing in the
core of the lower terrace and the plinth (large square slab serving as
a base) is the massive limestone directly to his right (one of our
famous patented zinc field trays is resting on it) – the plinth was
removed to investigate beneath it – significant areas like this as
well as central stairs, benches, and other such architectural elements
often can be clues to where the Maya may have placed important
offerings |
Cache,
Structure N10-43 (High Temple) – Lamanai, Belize
Caches
from the first Spanish Church at Lamanai, Belize
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