Backfilling started on Monday as we were finishing excavations. All four excavation locales in Alegre were backfilled on Monday. Tuesday saw the backfilling finished in Dormir, Tonto, and part of Sonrisa. On Monday, we finished with the excavation of the Sonrisa C201B chultun and the final recording of the chultun was done on Tuesday. The excavation of Vergonsoso (C204B) was also completed early on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday the rest of Sonrisa was backfilled (including the chultun), as were the excavations in Vergonsoso and the southern building in Renegon. Recording of Special Deposit SD C203B-20 continued until Thursday morning and, by the end of the day Thursday, all of Renegon was fully backfilled.

On Friday, we pumped water for the showers and kitchen and the Belize Defense Force (who come in and out with the tourists) used their vehicle to help us bring up drinking water from the Caretakers’ Camp to restock our rainwater tank. The men also went out and collected zapote wood for the upcoming Baron Bliss barbeque on Sunday.

All week long, the majority of staff has been in the lab washing sherds and bones, processing artifacts, and cataloguing the important materials. Lucas has been drawing ceramics and Lisa has been drawing small artifacts – all from Special Deposits. Diane has been analyzing the bone from the various burials and I have been gluing vessels together for drawing and for packing for transport to the Institute of Archaeology. By Saturday, all of the excavation materials were finally washed and in the process of drying.

Diane and I went out on Friday to do final shopping in Cayo and to pick up Elyse in Belize City on Saturday. We had dinner with Jaime and Myka in the San Ignacio Hotel on Friday evening and then picked up the 2014 season t-shirts from Brian in Belmopan on Saturday morning on the way to the airport. Elyse was off the plane and out to the car quickly in Belize City and we were able to get back into camp before 3 PM on Saturday. The Saturday night movie was “Enders Game.”

Sunday was pancakes and the Baron Bliss barbeque. The fire was stoked at 9:30 in the morning and we ate barbeque shortly after noon. The men and students all enjoyed themselves and relaxed on Sunday afternoon before the final push to finish this coming week.

Mo in C201B Chultun At End Of Excavation

Chultun Polychrome Cylinder

Backfilling C204B

Backfilling C203B

Lab Work Washing Bone

Lab Work at Night

Vegetable Market in Cayo

Angie in the Kitchen

Elyse with Dad Watching Nelson Barbeque

Barbeque Camaraderie on Baron Bliss Day