Book

Preclassic Maya burials at Cuello, Belize

B.A.R.Oxford, EnglandPublished In 1989 • Pages: xii, 412

By: Robin, Cynthia.

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This is an excavation report on 142 burials uncovered at the Cuello site in northern Belize. All tomb excavations were part of a large-scale area excavation (a roughly 90 X 70 meter square area) of the western half of Platform 34. Most of the burials (124) date from the Preclassic Period and 103, or 82 percent, from the Late Preclassic Cocos Phase (300 BC- 250 AD). In general, Robin notes a fairly even distribution of grave goods. In many cases, ceramic bowls were used to cover specific parts of the body. Robins documents the change in the platform's function from a domestic patio to public plaza between the Middle and Late Preclassic. Two Late Preclassic mass graves including 12 and 32 individuals reveal mutilations and decapitations, which Robin interprets as ceremonial sanctification of a hereditary ruling lineage.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Archaeological excavation methods
Processing of basic materials
Structures
Utensils
Burial practices and funerals
Mourning
Archaeological inventories
traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Preclassic Maya
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2001
RegionThe area the document pertains to
Middle America and the Caribbean
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Maya Area
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
Book
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Archaeologist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Ian Skoggard ; 2000
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1975-1987 (Cuello Project)
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
2900-1750 BP (1750-1400 BP)
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Cuello, Belize
NotesAdditional notes
Cynthia Robin
Includes bibliographical references (p. 407-412)
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
89175288
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Mayas--Antiquities