Lamanai lies scattered along the lagoon of the New River within the tropical rainforest of central Belize. Lama'an'ain (submerged crocodile in Maya) was one of the longest continuously occupied cities—from about 500 BC to 1675 AD or later—probably in part due to its situation on a major trade route, the New River.
Excavated by David M. Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum during a series of field seasons beginning in 1974, its 718 mapped structures lie stretched out along the shore of the lagoon.
Much of Lamanai's importance is reflected in the large, imposing Late Pre-Classic temple-pyramids which usually underlie Early Classic constructions.
Source: Michael D. Coe, The Maya, p. 63
David Pendergast, who excavated the site from 1974 through 1986 under the auspices of the Royal Ontario Museum, writes: "Our choice of the site for intensive investigation was based on the presence there of a 16th-century secular Catholic church, the existence of which was first noted by Castells, who incorrectly identified the structure as Pre-Columbian. Castells' description of the church was, unhappily, the basis for Thompson's mention of a structure with round portal columns at the site, possibly reflecting Central Mexican influence in Western Belize.
Though the church had been the source of some confusion, its presence demonstrated that Lamanai was inhabited in early historical times, and the possibility clearly existed that the occupation in that period represented the upper end of a continuum from the Classic (3rd to early 10th centuries A.C.) or earlier.
There was ample evidence, in the form of obviously complex, large structural remains, to indicate that the site had probably been an important center during the Classic, so that excavation could be expected to provide insights into developments in the Central Maya Lowlands over a considerable period.
Though the locale is generally known in Belize as Indian Church, a name apparently coined in the early 19th century, Lamanai is in fact one of the very few Maya sites for which the ancient name is recorded. It appears on a church list of 1582, and the site was visited and very sketchily described by Fathers Bartolome de Fuensalida and Juan de Orbita in 1618."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 29-30
"The construction sequence in N9-56 is now the most thoroughly explored among the larger structures at Lamanai, and it also extends over one of the longer spans of time. Underlying the late Early Classic construction...we encountered a well-preserved building that served as the primary structure for the modifications that followed...
The excellent preservation of the N9-56 primary structure is particularly fortunate, for it has left to us the large and unusual masks that adorn the stairside outsets.
We have excavated only those at the south, but limited probing indicates that the northern masks exist in an equally good state of preservation."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 37
"Constructed of stone rather than of stucco laid over a rudimentary armature as is generally the case elsewhere, the mask retains virtually all of its features as well as some of the 1–3 cm. thick coating of unusual grey stucco, created by mixing ash or ground charcoal with the plaster."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 37-38
Note the remains of the wall in the lower front of the photograph. This is the front wall of a later temple which once covered the masks. It was removed during archaeological excavation of the site to reveal the mask beneath.
"The facial features are clearly related to those characteristic of Olmec iconography in the Gulf Coast of Mexico, particularly in the upturned lip and the broad nose.
The overall treatment of the mask and back panel is, however, unlike anything reported from the Olmec area." Pendergast then goes on to argue that the headress of the mask is a crocodile headress, basing his arguments on similarities of the mask headress with iconography found on pottery at the site.
He continues, "Appearance of the crocodile in this ceremonially important setting underscores the likelihood that the name of the site was indeed Lama'anayin, designating the community as a place where the reptile enjoyed an exalted status in religious belief.
Whether or not that status was reflected in special ritual practices involving crocodiles is something we do no know, but it may be that protection rather than sacrifice or other ritual use of the saurians was dictated, as no offering or interment has included crocodile remains."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 38
"While we have no evidence of large-scale Post-Classic construction...it is clear that the Maya continued to make use of most if not all of the site center.
The major evidence for late use of a Classic structure comes from N9-56, obviously a focal point in the site for many centuries; here, atop what was already a decayed ruin, people carried out one or more large ceremonies in which numerous Mayapan-type figurine censers were smashed and strewn over the front, sides, and back of the mound."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 51
"Tunnelling in the core of the structure revealed the first of two tombs thus far encountered at Lamanai, set at the structure base near the front of the stair. The tomb contained only one of these fixes the date of construction at about 500 A.C. [a date contemporaneous with that of the staircase masks].
The Lamanai tomb form is a divergence...and seems an even more eccentric approach to elite burial than that adopted at Altun Ha. The N9-56 tomb was constructed atop the floor associated with an earlier structure, almost certainly just prior to commencement of the new building.
On the floor a mass of wooden objects, probably artifacts, was laid out and burnt, after which the body of the deceased was placed atop the pile of ash and charcoal, the upper body supported by soil and stones in an area where no burnt material lay, and the hips resting in a large redware basal-ridge dish. Around the body and the underlying material a wall of stones and clay was raised to a height of 26-28 cm. to serve as a base for the tomb enclosure.
The corpse was coated with red pigment and then a layer of clay, perhaps to retard decomposition in the tropical heat and humidity, while the surrounding area was filled with a variety of artifacts. Then atop the encircling wall a frame work of wooden members was erected, with cross-bracing probably tied or mortised into the rather irregular hoopwork. Over the framework went a coating of plaster bandages consisting of coarse textiles soaked in lime plaster, creating a cocoon-like chamber.
Fine textiles, either dyed red or soaked in red pigment, were laid over the coarse material, with both layers of cloth generally not stretched tight enough to prevent sagging between the sticks of the frame. With the coating in place, the tomb builders began to lay-up mortar and stones around the cocoon, eventually placing a row of capstones above the cloth-bound chamber, and, above these, masses of chert chips and obsidian flake blades and cores.
As the tomb construction is unusual, so are some of the contents. The cocoon appears to have contributed to better preservation than normal, though some wooden-backed mosaic objects, notably large ear ornaments incorporating human faces, had decayed.
There was, however, a considerable portion of a rotted wooden figurine with jade ear ornaments and, near the feet, a mass of clay which on microsocoopic examination proved to be the remains of plaited mats, textiles of several weaves, and cordage masses that may represent nets.
But the most striking preservation is that of a complete section through a tree, 68 cm. x 47 cm. and 27 cm. thick, weighing ca. 24.1 kg.; no signs of modification now exist on the piece, but its presence, set on edge at the head of the burial, suggests that it may once have had low-relief carving on at least one face. Radiocarbon dates almost ad infinitum are obviously possible with such wood samples, but have not yet been run."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 39
"Structure N10-43 has been the scene of major [archaeological] efforts in the past four seasons, with the result that we have now examined virtually all of the construction sequence, much of which can be dated securely. We now know that, while the final major modification to the front of N10-43 took place in Late Classic times, the bulk of the construction is Pre-Classic.
N10-43 is, therefore, with its height of 33 m., the largest securely dated Pre-Classic structure known in the Maya Area, a fact that has obvious implications for our assessment of the early importance of Lamanai in the Maya lowlands."
Pendergast, Journal of Field Archaeology 8:1 41
A pre-Classic mask flanks the central stair. The characteristic ear-plugs on each side of the face are perhaps the easiest element to recognize.
Structure N10-9 displays numerous contruction phases.
This temple, according to David Pendergast, continued to be renewed through the end of the Classic Period and late into the Postclassic, until at least A.D. 1200—and its use may have continued as late as the fifteenth century. In fact, one of the most remarkable things about Lamanai was its ability to survive and prosper late into the Post Classic, while its neighboring states were suffering decay and decline culminating in final collapse.
This structure displays features typical of Lamanai's distinct architecture—a chambered building set athwart the center stair, with no building at the summit. Pendergast writes that this was the first evidence recovered at Lamanai for what is now recognized as an architectural form characteristic of the site.
Structure N10-9 is also known as the "Temple of the Jaguar Masks" because of a pair of distinctive masks flanking the central stair. The precise placement of these masks on the lowest level of the pyramid can be seen in the previous photo. These masks were part of the Early Classic structure, and were later covered by a Late Classic modification in the 7th or 8th century A.C.
Caches found buried in the Late Classic architectural modifications to N10-9 included a jade mosaic mask, and a giant bowl and animal-motif dish, both black-on-red, which can be dated to the early Late Classic.
The Outpost Lodge is located in a gorgeous jungle wildlife preserve on Belize's New River.
This establishment not only caters to tourists, but also accomodates a variety of biologists and ecologists who come to study the local flora and fauna.
We referred to him as "Spider Man" because he would bring his tarantulas to the table with him and let them chill out while he had his breakfast.
About a year later, our friend Jeff read in the Sunday New York Times that someone from the Memphis Zoo had discovered a new species of tarantulas in Lamanai.
We were treated to a glorious evening boat trip on the river one night.
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