The mid-way point of the season has now passed and we are beginning to transition out of field investigations and into laboratory analysis. Like Week 3, Week 4 was another power-packed timespan for excavation.

In Alegre (C199), all investigations are closed with the exception of C199B, where Jackie and Alex are engaged in recording the third (and, hopefully, final) burial in this building.

Dormir (C200) was closed last week.

Sonrisa (C201) saw almost all of its excavations being dug this week. By week’s end, investigations into the northern building (C201C) were almost complete and the western (C201D) building was finished down to bedrock. The interior core of the eastern building (C201B) was removed at the beginning of the week, permitting people to finally access the open chultun. By week’s end, a burial was being excavated in the southern chultun chamber and most of the large northern chultun chamber was cleaned out; there was a bit of a surprise during excavation when Carlos lifted a rock to expose a snake, which quickly disappeared into the ground; needless to say, the excavators are on their guard. A small excavation (C201E) was also laid out over the reservoir south of the east building.

Tonto (C202B) was investigated this week by Eric and Joey. This odd hilltop group, surmounted by a combination of bedrock and crude stone architecture, was clearly occupied based on the amount and kind of material being recovered in the one trench placed on the clearest feature.

In Renegon (C203), excavation again concentrated on the eastern building (C203B), continuing to find a series of deposits. Two crypts, one Late Classic (SD C203B-10) and one Early Classic (SD C203B-14) are being excavated in the front of the building. In the back, the week started with a hole in the rear floors, which turned into a cache vessel and child burial (SD C203B-15). Beneath this level and slightly to the west, further digging turned up the entryway for an Early Classic tomb (SD C203B-16). The chamber is beautifully constructed, but small – and the contents were surprising, especially the incised blackware vessel with 6 extraordinary cartouches containing varying iconographic and glyphic elements. Another burial (SD C203B-17) was found in the northern section wall (and will probably not be dug).

The eastern building in Vergonsoso (C204B) was investigated during the week by Maura and Luis. They succeeded in find a cache of several vessels (2 finger bowls and 2 face caches) immediately in front of the lowest step for the building. Thus far, however, excavation has not found any associated interments, even though the front step has been largely removed.

On Sunday, Diane and Amy arrived at the Belize airport from Miami at 11:30 AM and were transported to the site by late afternoon. Lisa was supposed to be on this same Caracol transport, but instead of arriving at 11:20 AM from Houston, she had flight trouble and didn’t arrive until 3:45 PM from Dallas (this after an all-nighter in the San Francisco airport because of a cancelled flight). Brian picked her up and put her in the Bullfrog in Belmopan for us – and she will come into the site tomorrow with George and Jimmie. Thank you to Brian and the IOA…

Jackie & Alex Excavation SDC199B-3 (Late Classic Burial)

Serenela & Carlos Excavation Vessels in Chultun C201B

Taylor & Eric in Operation C201C

Angelica & Javier in Operation C201D

Joey & Eric in Operation 202B

SDC203B-14 (Early Classic Crypt)

Saul with SDC203B-15 (Early Classic Cache)

SD203B-16 (Early Classic Tomb)

SDC204B-1 Being Excavated by Maura & Luis