Email a Friend
Printer Friendly
Slashdot It!
Submit to Reddit
Add to Facebook

Extreme archaeology: Divers plumb the mysteries of sacred Maya pools

July 23, 2010

CHAMPAIGN, lll. - Steering clear of crocodiles and navigating around massive submerged trees, a team of divers began mapping some of the 25 freshwater pools of Cara Blanca, Belize, which were important to the ancient Maya. In three weeks this May, the divers found fossilized animal remains, bits of pottery and - in the largest pool explored - an enormous underwater cave.

Click here to see a video of the expedition: http://news.illinois.edu/videos.html?webSiteID=vmGiOUsYPk2IJcKSvIjqAA&videoID=FM6IIXcsnk2EtibLxW5JMw

Click here to see a slide show of the expedition: http://www.news.illinois.edu/slideshows/lucero/index.html

This project, led by University of Illinois anthropology professor Lisa Lucero and funded by the National Geographic Society and an Arnold O. Beckman Award, was the first of what Lucero hopes will be a series of dives into the pools of the southern Maya lowlands in central Belize. The divers will return this summer to assess whether archaeological excavation is even possible at the bottom of the pools, some of which are more than 60 meters deep.

"We don't know if it's going to be feasible to conduct archaeology 200 feet below the surface," Lucero said. "But they are going to try."

The Maya believed that openings in the earth, including caves and water-filled sinkholes, called cenotes (sen-OH-tays), were portals to the underworld, and often left offerings there. Ceremonial artifacts of the Maya have been found in pools and lakes in Mexico, but not yet in Belize.

Maya structures have been found near two of the eight pools the team surveyed.

"The pools with the most substantial and most obvious settlement at the edge also turn out to be the deepest that we know," Lucero said. The divers so far have explored eight of the 25 known pools of Cara Blanca.

The use of these pools at the end of the Late Classic period (roughly A.D. 800-900) corresponds to an enduring drought that deforested parts of Central America and - some believe - ultimately drove the Maya from the area.

The need for fresh water could have drawn the Maya to the pools, Lucero said. No vessels other than water jars were found in the structures built near the pools.

"They could have been making offerings to the rain god and other supernatural forces to bring an end to the drought," she said.

Patricia Beddows, one of the divers and a hydrologist and geochemist at Northwestern University, found that the chemistry of the water in each of the pools was distinct. She also found that the water in Pool 1, the pool with the huge cave and a Maya structure at its edge, held the freshest water of the pools surveyed. But the water contained a lot of soluble minerals, Lucero said, making it problematic for anyone who used it as their primary water supply. Those who drank the water over an extended period would have been at risk of developing kidney stones, she said.

The divers extracted core samples of the sediment at the bottoms of two of the pools. An analysis of the soil, debris and pollen in the cores will offer insight into the natural history of the cenotes and the surrounding region.

Lucero recruited expert cave exploration divers for the expedition. She provided food, lodging and other basics, but the divers donated their time and expertise. The dive team included Robbie Schmittner, Kim Davidsson (an independent cave dive instructor), Bil Phillips, and videographer Marty O'Farrell, who produced the video.

The research team also included archaeologist Andrew Kinkella, of Moorpark College. In Pool 1, Kinkella and diver Edward Mallon recovered ceramic jar shards in the wall of the pool just below the Maya structure.

Three more divers, Steve Bogaerts, James "Chip" Petersen and still photographer Tony Rath will join the project this summer.

Lucero has studied Maya settlements and sacred sites in Belize for more than 20 years, and works under the auspices of the Institute of Archaeology, which is part of the National Institute of Culture and History, Government of Belize.

University of Illinois

Related Freshwater Pools Current Events and Freshwater Pools News Articles

Is DNA Repair a Substitute for Sex?
Birds and bees may do it, but the microscopic animals called bdelloid rotifers seem to get along just fine without sex, thank you. What's more, they have done so over millions of years of evolution, resulting in at least 370 species. These hardy creatures somehow escape the usual drawback of asexuality - extinction - and the MBL's David Mark Welch, Matthew Meselson, and their colleagues are finding out how.

UBC researchers reveal dwarf aquatic plants' hidden ancestry
A team of UBC researchers has re-classified an ancient line of aquatic plants previously thought to be related to grasses and rushes. The discovery clarifies what may be one of the biggest misunderstandings in botanical history.

More Freshwater Pools Current Events and Freshwater Pools News Articles

	Literature in the Albemarle by Bettie Freshwater Pool (Author) This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
	Freshwater Wetlands: Lakes, Ponds & Pools [VHS]
	18" Necklace with Sand Dollar and Cultured Freshwater Pearl by Goldfinger Jewelry 18" oxidized sterling silver necklace with a 29mm sand dollar and 8mm cultured freshwater pearl drop. Size and shape of cultured freshwater pearl may vary slightly. Necklace has a lobster clasp closure.
	Koi Pool II Animals Art Poster Print by Kazuo, 28x28 by Art.com Art.com is the world's largest retailer of art prints, posters, photographs, and framed artwork. With our huge selection of over 400,000 prints, you'll easily find the perfect piece for your home, office, or classroom. Our art is printed on quality paper. When you order framed artwork, the piece is built by our team of in-house professionals. Visit our Amazon store today at www.amazon.com/artdotcom to find Special Offers and search for products based on 'Artist Name' and 'Subject Categories' such as Movie, Music, Vintage, TV, Children, Travel, Kitchen, Museum Art, Animals, Floral, Motivational, and Sports. Art.com is dedicated to providing you with high quality products and service by offering you 100% satisfaction guaranteed. We ship internationally to over 80 countries. Decorate your...
	Under Brazillian Skies by Bettie Freshwater Pool (Author) Publisher: Elizabeth City, N.C. : Geo. P.E. Hart Publication date: 1908 Subjects: Teach, Edward, d. 1718 Short Stories North Carolina -- Fiction Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there.
	The Eyrie; And Other Southern Stories by Bettie Freshwater Pool (Author) Publisher: New York : Broadway Publishing Company Subjects: Short stories North Carolina -- Fiction Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there.
	All Hail to Thee, America by Words-Bettie Freshwater Pool (Author), Music-Cecil P. Poole (Author)
	UNDER BRAZILLIAN SKIES by Bettie Freshwater Pool (Author)
	Lakes, Ponds, and Temporary Pools (Exploring Ecosystems) by David Josephs (Author)
	Creatures of Pond and Pool by Klaus Paysan (Author), Angela Paysan (Illustrator) Briefly describes the outstanding characteristics of some common amphibians, reptiles, insects, and shellfish found in and around European freshwater ponds and pools. Includes a color photograph of each animal.