Lower Dover is a
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (East Africa), a p ...
archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or recorded history, historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline ...
in the Belize River Valley. It is located on the grounds of the Lower Dover Field Station & Jungle Lodge, in Unitedville,
Cayo District
Cayo is a district located in the west part of Belize, and it contains the capital, Belmopan. It is the most extensive, second-most populous and third-most densely populated of the six districts of Belize. The district's capital is the town of S ...
,
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
. The site is bordered by the
Belize River to the north,
Upper Barton Creek to the west, Lower Barton Creek to the east, and the
Western Highway to the south. Lower Dover is one of several
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (East Africa), a p ...
archaeological sites
An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...
in the area; it is across the
Belize River from (and south of)
Barton Ramie, 3 kilometers west of
Blackman Eddy, and 6 kilometers east of
Baking Pot.
[Guerra, Rafael, and Renee Collins. (2015). Excavations in Lower Dover’s Palace Complex: Results of the 2014 Field Season. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2014 Field Season, pp. 1-16. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.]
History
The site of Lower Dover consists of a civic ceremonial center that was occupied in the latter part of the Late
Classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
, abandoned during the Terminal
Classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
, and partially reoccupied in the Early
Postclassic;
and a settlement area to the south that was occupied as early as the Middle
Preclassic.
[Petrozza, Michael Louis, and Michael Biggie. (2015). Lower Dover Settlement Survey: 2014 Field Season. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2014 Field Season, pp. 25-37. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.] Based on its location and the similarity of its architecture to that of the better-understood
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (East Africa), a p ...
archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or recorded history, historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline ...
of
Cahal Pech
Cahal Pech is a Maya site located near the town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The site was a palatial, hilltop home for an elite Maya family, and though the most major construction dates to the Classic period, evidence of continu ...
, it has been speculated that Lower Dover's civic ceremonial center was an administrative seat for both the Lower Dover and
Barton Ramie settlement areas,
[Kulig, Shannon R. (2015). What Were the Elites Doing?: Understanding Late Classic Elite Practices at Lower Dover, Belize. Unpublished Undergraduate Honors Thesis, Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh.] and a replacement in that role for
Blackman Eddy, which was abandoned in the
Late Classic.
However, nothing is known for certain about the political status of Lower Dover, or about its relation to other sites.
Much of the site remains unexcavated, and no dated or inscribed monuments have been discovered.
[Hoggarth, Julie A., and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. (2011). The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2010 Field Season. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.][Hoggarth, Julie A., and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. (2014). The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2013 Field Season. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.][Hoggarth, Julie A., and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. (2015). The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2014 Field Season. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.][Hoggarth, Julie A., Rafael A. Guerra, and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. (2012). The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2011 Field Season. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.][Hoggarth, Julie A., Reiko Ishihara-Brito, and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. (2013). The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2012 Field Season. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.]
Excavations
The site of Lower Dover was discovered by William and Madeline Reynolds, owners of the land and proprietors of the Lower Dover Field Station & Jungle Lodge, and brought to the attention of the Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History (
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
), in 2009.
[Wilkinson, Patrick, and Molly Hude. (2011). 2010 Excavations at the Major Center of Lower Dover. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2010 Field Season, pp. 7-14. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.] The civic ceremonial center was first surveyed in 2009,
and excavations have taken place there every year since 2010.
The southern settlement area was first surveyed in 2013, and excavations have taken place there every year since 2014.
All archaeological work at the site has been under the aegis of the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project (BVAR) and the direction of Dr.
Jaime Awe, and excavations have been conducted by Rafael Guerra every year since 2011.
In 2013, the entire site was surveyed via
LiDAR
Lidar (, also LIDAR, an acronym of "light detection and ranging" or "laser imaging, detection, and ranging") is a method for determining ranging, ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected li ...
ground-penetrating radar, as part of the West-Central
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
LiDAR
Lidar (, also LIDAR, an acronym of "light detection and ranging" or "laser imaging, detection, and ranging") is a method for determining ranging, ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected li ...
Survey.
Ceramics
Pottery types that have been identified at Lower Dover include Ahk’utu Molded-Carved, Alexander's Unslipped, Augustine Red, Belize Red, Cayo Unslipped, Daylight Orange,
[Guerra, Rafael A., Michael Petrozza, and Rebecca Pollett. (2013). Excavations at Lower Dover Plaza F: Results of the 2012 Field Season. In Julie A. Hoggarth, Reiko Ishihara-Brito, and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2012 Field Season, pp. 210-232. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.] Dos Arroyos Orange-Polychrome, Garbutt Creek Red, Miseria Appliqued, Mountain Pine Red,
Paxcaman Red,
Pedregal Modeled, Platon Punctated, Roaring Creek,
Savanna Orange,
and Tutu Camp Striated.
References
Further reading
* Barillas, Derek. (2015). Lower Dover Excavation of Plaza B: Unit B14-1. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2014 Field Season, pp. 22–24. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Ebert, Claire E. (2015). Chemical Characterization of Obsidian Artifacts from Cahal Pech and Lower Dover, Belize. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2014 Field Season, pp. 210–221. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Guerra, Rafael. (2011). Preliminary Survey of the Lower Dover Maya Site, Unitedville Village, Cayo District, Belize. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2010 Field Season, pp. 1–6. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Guerra, Rafael A., and Shawn Morton. (2012). 2011 Survey at Lower Dover. In Julie A. Hoggarth, Rafael A. Guerra, and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2011 Field Season, pp. 105–107. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Perkins, Carrie A. (2013). Excavations of Chultun LWDCH1, Lower Dover, Unitedville, Belize. In Julie A. Hoggarth, Reiko Ishihara-Brito, and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2012 Field Season, pp. 247–257. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Perkins, Carrie A. (2014). Excavations of Chultun LWDCH2, Lower Dover, Unitedville, Belize. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2013 Field Season, pp. 201–211. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Rawski, Zoe J. (2015). 2014 Excavations at Plaza M, Lower Dover. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds., The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2014 Field Season, pp. 17–21. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Stanchly, Norbert. (2013). Preliminary Analysis of the Faunal Remains from Plaza F, Lower Dover, Belize. In Julie A. Hoggarth, Reiko Ishihara-Brito, and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2012 Field Season, pp. 233–246. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
* Sullivan, Kelsey J., Julie Hoggarth, and Rafael Guerra. (2014). Site Core Lithic Analysis: A Comparison of Lithics from Baking Pot and Lower Dover in Cayo, Belize. In Julie A. Hoggarth and Jaime J. Awe, Eds. The Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project: A Report of the 2013 Field Season, pp. 212–223. Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.
External links
* Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project (BVAR
www.bvar.org* Institute of Archaeology, National Institute of Culture and History (Belize
* Lower Dover Field Station & Jungle Lodg
www.lowerdoverbelize.com
{{Maya sites
Maya sites in Belize
Maya sites
Cayo District