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Group,
I recently posted a message asking for volunteers for a series of
archaeological projects in Belize. Several individuals responded and I
managed to screw up and lose all of your correspondence. Please email me
again.
For those of you who didn't respond. Here's what's going on.
In late June we will be in Belize for about six weeks at the sites of
Laguna de On, Blue Creek and Cerros. These were major Mayan centers.
Cerros is the oldest. It dates to about 1500 BC. We will be looking for
the ancient port. Blue Creek is the largest. The site has several
cenotes. None have been investigated. Laguna de On is probably the most
interesting. It began about 1000 BC and lasted for 500 years, until the
Spanish arrived. In the center of the fresh water lagoon at Laguna is an
island which has been documented as a shrine. Exactly how long this shrine
existed is unknown. It could have been established prior to the settlement
and the settlement grew up around the banks of the lagoon as a result.
This is one of the questions we will be answering.
The Maya had a special relationship to water. Besides using it for the
obvious, it played a major role in their spiritual life. In short, it was
a direct path into their underworld. And, it played a role in ritual
activity as a result.
I am an underwater archaeologist who has been studying the Maya for 30
years. What I do is limited to a handful of individuals worldwide. In all
modesty, I am probably the leading expert in the field. My objectives for
these and other projects is to understand how the water resources adjoining
individual Mayan sites affected and influenced the lives of those living
there. For example. At Blue Creek we know there are several cenotes or
sink holes. Were one or more of them used exclusively for ritual activity?
Diving in them will answer this question. At Laguna I want to understand
exactly what was deposited in the lagoon. Was is a dump as well? Was it
used for burials? What type of offerings were deposited? Cerros adjoins
the sea. It was a major trading port for 2000 years. From previous
research we know the Maya's ports were large and specialized. We would
like to find all of the ports at Cerros and link them to structures on the
shore. We also want to find places where ritual activity occurred.
Sport Diver magazine will also be doing feature articles on this research.
If you would like to be part of this exciting opportunity to add to your
diving experience, please let me know.
I don't run a school or travel agency. I don't charge for your
participation. You will work. The work is hard. You will live in the
field. I prefer hammocks. Whatever you spend is your cost. You will need
to provide your travel expenses and buy your own food (pretty cheap in
Belize). In exchange I offer you diving like you've never done before.
Paul
- -
("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
`6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`) Paul E. Pettennude, Ph.D.
(_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `.``-..-' Maya Underwater Research Center
_..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,' pettennude@us*.ne*
(il),-'' (li),' ((!.-' 305-554-1557
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