Belize: Archaeologists at Caracol Mayan ruins (9 photos)

[Mike Buckley]

Caracol is Belize's most important archaeological site. A team of 17 archaeologists from the University of Las Vegas was at work when my wife and I were there. The site is so far away from any village or town that the archaeologists live at a primitive camp located on the site. The only electricity at the site is provided by a generator at the archaeologists' camp. There seemed to be one light hanging from the ceiling of each hut. Similarly, all water and food are brought into their camp from elsewhere.

Photos #3, #6 and #7 were captured by my wife and post-processed by me.


Photo #1
The man on the ladder is waiting for the others to fill a bucket of small pieces of material shown in Photo #2.



Photo #2
The man on the ladder in Photo #1 has dumped a bucket of materials onto the screen, allowing the sand to be separated from the other materials. He is now looking for tiny shards.



Photo #3
Shards have been cleaned and placed in the bright sunshine to dry.



Photo #4 & #5
Huts the archaeology team sleeps in






Photo #6 & #7
Water for use in the showers is stored in bags to be heated by the sun. Though the instructions on the bag explain to place it with the black side facing up, most bags are positioned with it facing down. The temperature was in the high 90s Fahrenheit (mid 30s Celsius), so perhaps the water became too hot for some if the black side was facing up.






Photo #8
Shower stalls



Photo #9
This woman's job is to launder all of the archaeologists' clothes. Two other women do the cooking. The eating area is in the building on the left. The kitchen is in the area behind the thatched wall.

[Digital]

Mike, interesting narrative, and pics.
Thanks for sharing.


Bruce

[marlunn]

Great images Mike, so much for the glamour of science field work. Nice to see the reality of how we end up getting to see history in the museum with normally no backward glance on this process in our air conditioned comfort

[Wavelength]

Excellent thematic presentation

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Bruce, Mark and Nandakumar!

so much for the glamour of science field work

Decades ago my wife expressed an interest several times in taking an archaeological vacation in which we would help the archaeologists. I always told her at the time to enjoy doing it alone or with one of her friends because I wasn't about to do it. I asked her at this site if she still has an interest in that kind of vacation. Thankfully, she said she's not because it looks like boring work in a hot sun. She didn't mention that it might not be possible to use her hair dryer, which we all know would be her biggest deal breaker.

[Shadowman]

Very nice series.

[Dave A]

Great series. Those sleeping huts look like big spider magnets and inviting to all things that go bump in the night. Can you tell I hate spiders

Dave

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you also to John and Dave!

Those sleeping huts look like big spider magnets

When we were eating dinner in the restaurant at an archaeological national park a few hours away later in the week, my wife noticed a scorpion crawling on the floor immediately behind us.

[Manfred M]

Archaeological field work is not "romantic", as you clearly show here, Mike. It's a tough slog; the working and living conditions can be quite primitive. Nice documentary work here.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Manfred! I love your new avatar!