Chan: The 2,000 Year History of an Ancient Maya Farming Community

FAIN: RZ-50804-07

Northwestern University (Evanston, IL 60208-0001)
Cynthia Robin (Project Director: November 2006 to March 2011)

Analysis and interpretation of archaeological material from the ancient Maya farming community of Chan, Belize, in order to gain a fuller understanding of life at this site throughout its 2000-year period of occupation. (24 months)

The Chan project will investigate the over 2000 year history of an ancient Maya farming community in Belize. The Chan site was occupied between 900 B.C. and A.D. 1250. Its ancient inhabitants constructed a productive landscape of agricultural terraces across Chan's hilly terrain. By bringing together an international team of US and Belizean archaeology professionals, graduate and undergraduate students to study the extensive collections of artifacts and ecofacts from the Chan site we will be able to investigate the founding, development, long sustainability, and ultimate demise of an ancient agrarian community. Our collaborative research brings together expert archaeological analysis of traditional categories of "macro-artifacts" (ie., ceramics, lithics) with more recent assessments of "micro-remains" (ie., micro-artifacts, carbonized plants, and soils) to develop a fuller understanding of life in an ordinary community in ancient times.