ECOMAR
  • Welcome
    • About >
      • Site Map
      • COMMUNITIES
      • Partners
      • Blog
    • References >
      • Classroom Tools
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Research Station
    • Research Trips >
      • Field Station
    • St George's Caye
    • Marine Research >
      • Conch
      • Dolphins
      • Fish
      • Manatees >
        • Manatees Research
        • Manatee ID >
          • Delfina
      • Sea Turtles >
        • Sea Turtle Rehab >
          • Bubbles
          • Grace
          • Hope 4 Freya
        • Gallow's Point >
          • Turtles Gallows Pt
          • Rhody Hope Majil
          • Hope 4 Nature
        • Robinson Point
    • Archaeology Project >
      • SGCAP 2014
      • SGCAP 2015
      • SGCAP 2016
  • Turtle Watch
    • Sea Turtle Census >
      • Nesting Beach Observations
      • In-Water Observations >
        • Photo ID
        • Turtle Recaptures
      • Stranded Sea Turtles >
        • Stranded Turtles 2010-2012
      • Illegal Take
    • Sea Turtle 101 >
      • Legislation
      • Classification
      • Anatomy
      • Life History
      • Species
      • Threats
      • Historical Importance
    • Nesting Beaches
    • Satellite Telemetry >
      • Ms Caye Bokel HOPE
      • Tracking Recently >
        • St Kitts SASSY
      • Historical Tracks >
        • Belize BSTCN >
          • Gallow's Point ECOMAR
          • Gales Point GPWS
          • Hol Chan
          • Lighthouse BAS
          • Lighthouse MAR Alliance
          • Glovers ECOMAR
          • Glovers WCS
          • Port Honduras TIDE
        • Barbados UWI
        • Cayman Islands DOE
        • Costa Rica STC
        • Jamaica NOAA
        • Mexico NOAA
        • Mexico UNAM
      • Education Resources
    • Outreach Materials >
      • Turtle Watch Newsletters
    • Operation Green Turtle
    • Turtle Network >
      • In-Water Surveys
      • Sea Turtle Rehab
      • BSTCN Members
  • Coral Watch
    • Coral Bleaching 101 >
      • Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coral
      • Remote Sensing
    • Coral Watch Publications
    • Coral Network >
      • Coral Members
  • Lionfish
    • Lionfish Served Here!
    • History in Belize >
      • GCFI Fisherman Exchange
      • COMPACT Lionfish Project
    • Lionfish Publications
    • Caribbean Strategies >
      • Culling Protocol
  • Reef 365
    • Reef 365 Reports
  • Ocean Watch
    • Manatee Deaths >
      • 2017 Manatee Deaths
      • Archives Manatees
      • Manatee Facts
    • Climate Change
    • Oil Exploration
    • Ciguatera
    • Haulover Creek
    • Wildlife Interactions
  • Marine Mammals
    • Sightings >
      • False Killer Whale
      • Humpback Whale Sightings
      • Killer Whales
    • Whale Stamps
    • Marine Mammal Workshop >
      • Management Considerations
      • Interaction Guidelines
      • Vessels & Approaches
      • Swimming With Cetaceans
  • Get Involved
    • Adopt A Beach >
      • Adopt A Beach Sign Up
      • Adopted Beaches
    • Adopt A Reef >
      • Adopted Reefs
    • Volunteer
    • Reserve A Trip
  • Submit Report
    • Coral Watch
    • Lionfish Hunter
    • Oceans 365 Rare
    • Oceans 365 Report
    • Octopus
    • Turtle Watch In-Water
    • Turtle Watch Nesting Beach
    • Submit Report Nesting Beach Old
    • Turtle Shell 4 Sale
    • Turtle Watch Stranded
    • Marine Mammal Form
  • Gift Shop
  • Donate
  • Contact

St George's Caye Archaeology Project 2014

2016 ARCHAEOLOGY SYMPOSIUM
​Texas State University Master's candidate Heath Bentley studied sea turtle exploitation on St George's Caye in the 2014 field season, and presented his results at the Institute of Archaeology symposium in 2016.  Heath has been working with Dr Garber since 2009 when the first reconnaissance of the project was conducted and assisted in field excavations on the island

​
FROM THE SEA TO THE SMOKER:
​A HISTORY OF SEA TURTLE EXPLOITATION ON ST. GEORGE’S CAYE, BELIZE



SUMMARY
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.

Picture
ST GEORGE'S CAYE
Mailing Address: PO Box 1234, Belize City, Belize
Cel: + (501) 673-3022  Caye: + (501) 614-3483
Email:
[email protected]
Picture
Copyright © 2023
  • Welcome
    • About >
      • Site Map
      • COMMUNITIES
      • Partners
      • Blog
    • References >
      • Classroom Tools
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Research Station
    • Research Trips >
      • Field Station
    • St George's Caye
    • Marine Research >
      • Conch
      • Dolphins
      • Fish
      • Manatees >
        • Manatees Research
        • Manatee ID >
          • Delfina
      • Sea Turtles >
        • Sea Turtle Rehab >
          • Bubbles
          • Grace
          • Hope 4 Freya
        • Gallow's Point >
          • Turtles Gallows Pt
          • Rhody Hope Majil
          • Hope 4 Nature
        • Robinson Point
    • Archaeology Project >
      • SGCAP 2014
      • SGCAP 2015
      • SGCAP 2016
  • Turtle Watch
    • Sea Turtle Census >
      • Nesting Beach Observations
      • In-Water Observations >
        • Photo ID
        • Turtle Recaptures
      • Stranded Sea Turtles >
        • Stranded Turtles 2010-2012
      • Illegal Take
    • Sea Turtle 101 >
      • Legislation
      • Classification
      • Anatomy
      • Life History
      • Species
      • Threats
      • Historical Importance
    • Nesting Beaches
    • Satellite Telemetry >
      • Ms Caye Bokel HOPE
      • Tracking Recently >
        • St Kitts SASSY
      • Historical Tracks >
        • Belize BSTCN >
          • Gallow's Point ECOMAR
          • Gales Point GPWS
          • Hol Chan
          • Lighthouse BAS
          • Lighthouse MAR Alliance
          • Glovers ECOMAR
          • Glovers WCS
          • Port Honduras TIDE
        • Barbados UWI
        • Cayman Islands DOE
        • Costa Rica STC
        • Jamaica NOAA
        • Mexico NOAA
        • Mexico UNAM
      • Education Resources
    • Outreach Materials >
      • Turtle Watch Newsletters
    • Operation Green Turtle
    • Turtle Network >
      • In-Water Surveys
      • Sea Turtle Rehab
      • BSTCN Members
  • Coral Watch
    • Coral Bleaching 101 >
      • Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coral
      • Remote Sensing
    • Coral Watch Publications
    • Coral Network >
      • Coral Members
  • Lionfish
    • Lionfish Served Here!
    • History in Belize >
      • GCFI Fisherman Exchange
      • COMPACT Lionfish Project
    • Lionfish Publications
    • Caribbean Strategies >
      • Culling Protocol
  • Reef 365
    • Reef 365 Reports
  • Ocean Watch
    • Manatee Deaths >
      • 2017 Manatee Deaths
      • Archives Manatees
      • Manatee Facts
    • Climate Change
    • Oil Exploration
    • Ciguatera
    • Haulover Creek
    • Wildlife Interactions
  • Marine Mammals
    • Sightings >
      • False Killer Whale
      • Humpback Whale Sightings
      • Killer Whales
    • Whale Stamps
    • Marine Mammal Workshop >
      • Management Considerations
      • Interaction Guidelines
      • Vessels & Approaches
      • Swimming With Cetaceans
  • Get Involved
    • Adopt A Beach >
      • Adopt A Beach Sign Up
      • Adopted Beaches
    • Adopt A Reef >
      • Adopted Reefs
    • Volunteer
    • Reserve A Trip
  • Submit Report
    • Coral Watch
    • Lionfish Hunter
    • Oceans 365 Rare
    • Oceans 365 Report
    • Octopus
    • Turtle Watch In-Water
    • Turtle Watch Nesting Beach
    • Submit Report Nesting Beach Old
    • Turtle Shell 4 Sale
    • Turtle Watch Stranded
    • Marine Mammal Form
  • Gift Shop
  • Donate
  • Contact