The last week of the 2014 field season was a blur of laboratory work, drawing, and photography. But, by Friday morning when we were all extracted from Caracol, everything was finished and the 30th field season of the Caracol Archaeological Project was over.
Even though technically Baron Bliss Day, Monday was a work day for everyone. However, the day started with our formal photograph for the 30th field season. With all the men present, many bags of sherds were numbered during Monday. Numbering continued on Tuesday morning, but in late afternoon, seven of the men were released and given a ride out of the field camp to go home. Wednesday saw cataloguing and artifact photography going great guns and the numbering finally completed. Drawing continued until noon on Thursday and, then, everyone packed for the trip out. Also on Thursday, Amy packed all of the archaeological materials going to the Institute of Archaeology in Belmopan (some 150 vessels and the small artifacts recovered in special deposits) and prepared the necessary paperwork. Angie and the ladies packed up the kitchen on Thursday, but only after making her fried chicken for dinner. She also made powder buns for everyone to eat for breakfast on Friday morning. On Thursday afternoon, the three remaining men did necessary repairs on lab 2 and broke down camp. In the evening, after the packing and cleaning was done, everyone gathered around a final bonfire and reminisced about the field season. It started raining about 10:30 PM and continued all night, clearing slightly in the morning. On Friday morning just before 7 AM, the necessary vehicles appeared (thank you Brian and the IOA), all of the stored coolers were moved down to the caretakers’ camp (thank you Jack), and then everyone went on the muddy road to Cayo for the afternoon luncheon at the San Ignacio Hotel. Following the luncheon, everyone went their separate ways, with some going to see Tikal, others staying in Belize for a few days, and about half the project flying home on Saturday.
The 30th field season of the Caracol Archaeological Project is now a memory.
Hummingbird & Moon Cartouche From Early Classic Bowl
Recording Artifacts In Lab
Cataloguing Lithics
Cataloguing Artifacts
2014 Vessels About To Be Packed To Go To Belmopan
Blackware Cylinder From C201B Chultun
Monkey Bowl From C203B Crypt
Footed Censer From C203B Cache
Members Of The 2014 Caracol Archaeological Project – Last Week Of The 30th Field Season
Congratulations on another successful season!
Lisa, I see you just fine! Happy Mardi Gras also.
Thank you Directors and senior staff for a smooth season of unparalleled learning and experience.
The Independent Study Group: Thanks for keeping up, and lending the books to be shared so we could get those probing questions asked.
Dr Diane Chase, awesome correlation to build our Vitae in the final week’s meeting.
Dr. Arlen Chase, thanks for the revealing that there is more to come…….
We know Caracol was huge. What did Caracol have that every Southern Lowland Maya wanted/needed?
Off to visit Dr. W Andrews IV’s daughter Wiggie in Merida (Roll Green Wave)
GO KNIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been following your progress for a couple of years now, and have never commented. That Hummingbird & Moon Cartouche is easily the most beautiful thing I’ve seen excavated from your sites. I’m looking forward again to next year to see what else you all can bring back into the light of day. Thanks to all of your for giving those of us interesting in ancient civilizations a chance to see the exploration of history through your eyes!