Archaeology Project
In 2009 ECOMAR and the St George's Caye Village Council partnered with the Texas State University at San Marcos, the University of Massachusetts at Boston and the Belize Institute of Archaeology and launched an important historical archaeology project in Belize: to uncover artifacts from historic St. George's Caye, the first capital of Belize.
Project Leaders
Each summer Dr. James Garber, Professor of Mesoamerican Archaeology at Texas State University at San Marcos, and Dr. Lauren Sullivan, Senior Lecturer of Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, visit St George's Caye with their field technicians and university students to conduct archaeological digs. Both professors have been working in collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology in other parts of Belize including Cerros, Cahal Pech, and Rio Bravo. Extensive surveys have been conducted on St George's Caye primarily in Belize's smallest archaeology reserve, the Historic St George's Caye Cemetery. In 2013 archaeological studies commenced in the shallow seabed looking for evidence of sea turtle crawls. Future plans include mapping several underwater wrecks located around the island. Each year Dr Garber and his team publish an annual report summarizing the findings, the reports are available below to download or review.
Annual Reports
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
|
2014
1. Introduction James F. Garber 2. Field Investigations on St. George’s Caye: Results of the 2014 Field Season J. Heath Bentley, Lauren Springs, James F. Garber, and Lauren A. Sullivan |
2013
1. Introduction James F. Garber 2. Investigations on St. George’s Caye: Results of the 2013 Field Season Matthew T. Elverson, James F. Garber, Lauren A. Sullivan, Lauren Springs 3. A Smoker's Delight: An Analysis of English Tobacco Pipe Bowls From St. Georges Caye, Belize Matthew T. Elverson 4. Results of the Skeletal Analysis for the 2013 Field Season on St. George’s Caye Lauren Springs 5. Stable Isotope Analysis of Human Diet at St. George’s Caye, Belize Julia Prince and Cric J. Barelink |
2012
1. Introduction James F. Garber 2. Field Investigations on St. George’s Caye: Results of the 2012 Field Season J. Heath Bentley, James F. Garber, and Lauren A. Sullivan 3. Results of the Skeletal Analysis for the 2012 Field Season on St. George’s Caye Lauren Springs |
|
2011
1. Introduction James F. Garber 2. Field Investigations on St. George’s Caye: Results of the 2012 Field Season J. Heath Bentley, James F. Garber, and Lauren A. Sullivan 3. Results of the Skeletal Analysis for the 2011 St. George’s Caye Archaeological Field Season Lauren Springs |
2010
1. Introduction James F. Garber 2. Field Investigations on St. George’s Caye: Results of the 2010 Field Season J. Heath Bentley, James F. Garber, and Lauren A. Sullivan 3. The “Grey Lady” Ghost of St. George’s Caye James F. Garber and Lauren A. Sullivan |
2009
1. Introduction James F. Garber 2. Origin of the name “Belize” James F. Garber and Jaime J. Awe 3. The Cannon of St. George’s Caye James F. Garber and Lauren A. Sullivan 4. Field Investigations on St. George’s Caye: Results of the 2009 Field Season Jennifer Cochran, James F. Garber, John Searle, and Jaime J. Awe 5. Button of the 7th West Indies Regiment James F. Garber |
Master's Theses
2012. ST. GEORGE’S CAYE: A BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF EIGHTEENTH CENTURY BELIZE By Lauren C. Springs
A grad student of Dr Garber's, Lauren Springs completed her Master's Thesis on the skeletal remains and is currently completing her PhD on her research conducted at St George's Caye.
ABSTRACT
While a majority of archaeological investigations in Belize are centered on prehistoric Maya sites, a research gap exists regarding historic site excavations in the archaeological records of Belize. This study aims to increase the amount of information available about the recent history of Belize by assessing the skeletal biological profiles of the individuals interred in the historic cemetery at St. George’s Caye. The cemetery is dated to the mid to late eighteenth century and is the oldest historical, non-Maya cemetery in Belize (Garber 2010). A total number of eighteen individuals were excavated during the 2011 St. George’s Caye Archaeological Field School, which took place in July of 2011. The individuals were in single, unmarked graves and had few identifying artifacts and coffin materials associated with them. Both non-metric and metric data were collected for the individuals analyzed. Maximum long bone lengths were used as a proxy for stature and compared against contemporaneous British and American populations via Analysis of Variance and Tukey’s Studentized Range (HSD) tests to assess baseline health. There were a relatively high percentage of males in comparison to females represented in the excavated individuals from cemetery at St. George’s Caye and the age distributions for the individuals were relatively young. Descriptive stature data seems to suggest a depressed level of health in the St. George’s Caye settlement, but long bone metric analysis in ANOVA does not support the hypothesis that the individuals differ significantly from their peers in the American colonies or in Britain. The prevalence of common dental pathologies observed in the St. George’s Caye sample is consistent with those observed in the British samples. The St. George’s Caye sample is consistent with a population that was not significantly different from its contemporaries. In order to gain a clearer understanding of the relationships of health and nutrition in colonial Belize, further research and excavations need to be undertaken to increase the sample size and clarify any patterns among the data collected.
A grad student of Dr Garber's, Lauren Springs completed her Master's Thesis on the skeletal remains and is currently completing her PhD on her research conducted at St George's Caye.
ABSTRACT
While a majority of archaeological investigations in Belize are centered on prehistoric Maya sites, a research gap exists regarding historic site excavations in the archaeological records of Belize. This study aims to increase the amount of information available about the recent history of Belize by assessing the skeletal biological profiles of the individuals interred in the historic cemetery at St. George’s Caye. The cemetery is dated to the mid to late eighteenth century and is the oldest historical, non-Maya cemetery in Belize (Garber 2010). A total number of eighteen individuals were excavated during the 2011 St. George’s Caye Archaeological Field School, which took place in July of 2011. The individuals were in single, unmarked graves and had few identifying artifacts and coffin materials associated with them. Both non-metric and metric data were collected for the individuals analyzed. Maximum long bone lengths were used as a proxy for stature and compared against contemporaneous British and American populations via Analysis of Variance and Tukey’s Studentized Range (HSD) tests to assess baseline health. There were a relatively high percentage of males in comparison to females represented in the excavated individuals from cemetery at St. George’s Caye and the age distributions for the individuals were relatively young. Descriptive stature data seems to suggest a depressed level of health in the St. George’s Caye settlement, but long bone metric analysis in ANOVA does not support the hypothesis that the individuals differ significantly from their peers in the American colonies or in Britain. The prevalence of common dental pathologies observed in the St. George’s Caye sample is consistent with those observed in the British samples. The St. George’s Caye sample is consistent with a population that was not significantly different from its contemporaries. In order to gain a clearer understanding of the relationships of health and nutrition in colonial Belize, further research and excavations need to be undertaken to increase the sample size and clarify any patterns among the data collected.
2013. THE INFLUENCES OF PARENT CULTURES ON THEIR COLONIES IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF INTERMENT STYLES AND MORTUARY MATERIALS IN THE ST. GEORGE'S CAYE CEMETERY, BELIZE. By Matthew T. Elverson.
Matt Elverson has been been a grad student leading archaeological research at St George's Caye and is now the
ABSTRACT
Maya archaeology has dominated the focus of archaeological projects in Belize. However, the potential for studying the historic past of this country is emerging. This study aims to elucidate the development of burial styles and mortuary materials within the cemetery on St. George's Caye. A historical analysis, as well as an inter-cemetery comparison was completed to better understand the colonial funerary enclosures of the island, including the box tomb, pinch toe coffin, and sarcophagus of Thomas Potts. The investigation and interpretation of burial structures within the St. George's Caye cemetery were successfully completed by utilizing previous archaeological examinations, reviews of corresponding archaeological and historical publications, oral histories, and related global archaeological digs. This confluence of data has supported my hypothesis that the styles of interments and grave goods on the island were influenced by a cultural association with other British colonies on the Mosquito Shore, New England, South Carolina, Jamaica, and England. A review of interments and mortuary materials in these locations has supported my proposed cultural connections as well as explained the evolution of burial styles and personal objects within the St. George's Caye cemetery.
Matt Elverson has been been a grad student leading archaeological research at St George's Caye and is now the
ABSTRACT
Maya archaeology has dominated the focus of archaeological projects in Belize. However, the potential for studying the historic past of this country is emerging. This study aims to elucidate the development of burial styles and mortuary materials within the cemetery on St. George's Caye. A historical analysis, as well as an inter-cemetery comparison was completed to better understand the colonial funerary enclosures of the island, including the box tomb, pinch toe coffin, and sarcophagus of Thomas Potts. The investigation and interpretation of burial structures within the St. George's Caye cemetery were successfully completed by utilizing previous archaeological examinations, reviews of corresponding archaeological and historical publications, oral histories, and related global archaeological digs. This confluence of data has supported my hypothesis that the styles of interments and grave goods on the island were influenced by a cultural association with other British colonies on the Mosquito Shore, New England, South Carolina, Jamaica, and England. A review of interments and mortuary materials in these locations has supported my proposed cultural connections as well as explained the evolution of burial styles and personal objects within the St. George's Caye cemetery.
2016. FROM THE SEA TO THE SMOKER: A HISTORY OF SEA TURTLE EXPLOITATION ON ST. GEORGE’S CAYE, BELIZE. By Heath Bentley
Graduate student Heath Bentley has worked with Dr Garber since 2009 when the St George's Caye Archaeology Project was founded.
ABSTRACT
Historic literature frequently mentions the exploitation of sea turtles throughout the Caribbean by indigenous populations and early settlers alike. Large and abundant, these animals provided a readily accessible protein source for European and African populations as they traveled and inhabited coastal and island settlements. An exploration of documents held by the Belize Archives and Records Service reveals that sea turtle capture and sale was once a sufficient contributor to Belize’s coastal economy. Commonly called “turtlers”, 25% of the population was involved in the capture and sale of sea turtles by the late 18th century. Offshore reconnaissance during the 2014 field season of the St. George’s Caye Archaeology Project located and recovered sea turtle remains from at least two of four turtle corrals that were documented on a 1764 map. An analysis of the faunal material recovered from the island since 2009 indicated that 74.6% of the number of identified specimens comprised at least two different species of marine turtle. Turtle species varied in their preference by people as a food item, the method of capture used, and their role in the economy. The analysis of the distribution of turtle bone across the island has given us insight into which species were held in the respective corrals.
Graduate student Heath Bentley has worked with Dr Garber since 2009 when the St George's Caye Archaeology Project was founded.
ABSTRACT
Historic literature frequently mentions the exploitation of sea turtles throughout the Caribbean by indigenous populations and early settlers alike. Large and abundant, these animals provided a readily accessible protein source for European and African populations as they traveled and inhabited coastal and island settlements. An exploration of documents held by the Belize Archives and Records Service reveals that sea turtle capture and sale was once a sufficient contributor to Belize’s coastal economy. Commonly called “turtlers”, 25% of the population was involved in the capture and sale of sea turtles by the late 18th century. Offshore reconnaissance during the 2014 field season of the St. George’s Caye Archaeology Project located and recovered sea turtle remains from at least two of four turtle corrals that were documented on a 1764 map. An analysis of the faunal material recovered from the island since 2009 indicated that 74.6% of the number of identified specimens comprised at least two different species of marine turtle. Turtle species varied in their preference by people as a food item, the method of capture used, and their role in the economy. The analysis of the distribution of turtle bone across the island has given us insight into which species were held in the respective corrals.
