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CHIPPED STONE
TOOLS 'Harold' structure N10-27 Excavations conducted on structure N10-27 concentrated on midden accumulation. Midden debris found over the lower central stair consists of material that has been redeposited with minor disturbances, but still datable remains, with possible reconstructable vessels and fairly well preserved faunal material. Lot assignments from the midden over the lower stairs include LA1108, LA1115, and LA1119. The second midden investigated at the southwest corner of the structure contains moderately disturbed material not completely reliable for dating due to mixing. Only one lot was assigned for this midden, LA1114. Other lots for this area include LA1113 and LA1120. Both expedient and formal tools are found in the assemblage from the N10-27 area. A total of 47 expedient flake tools (Table 3) were recovered from the five lots. The majority of work was carried out on the southwest front midden (LA1114) and a total of 31 flake tools were identified from this area. The remaining 16 were from lots LA1108, LA1113, LA1115, and LA1119. Table 3.
Expedient flake tools from 'Harold' structure N10-27
The assemblage of flake tools analyzed exhibit
both marginal retouching and use wear. One of two flake tool production
strategies could be occurring; 1) primary, Other formal tools include LA1108/5 (Figure 5 and Table 4) recovered from the midden material over the front lower stairs of N10-27. This is a complete specimen referred to by Hester and Shafer (1991:157) as a side-notched dart point dating to Early Postclassic (circa AD 900-1200). Similar points were recovered at Colha and Pendergast (as cited in Hester and Shafer 1991:156) has recovered similar specimens from Altun Ha and previous excavations at Lamanai. Contextual information of the midden overlying the front stairs of N10-27 (LA1108) provided us with 'Buk' ceramics with a date of Middle Postclassic (Graham 1987:81-90). Graham feels 'Buk' ceramics were produced in quantity by AD1140, which generally corresponds to the date provided for side-notched dart points recovered at Colha and the LA1108/15 specimen recovered at Lamanai in 1999. Excavations at Colha have identified a transitional period where there is a disappearance of dart points and laurel or lenticular bifaces become dominant, (see below). Two other fairly complete chipped stone tools from N10-27 midden include LA1114/15 (Figure 5 and Table 4) a lenticular biface recovered in midden contexts dating from Early to Late Postclassic. Lenticular bifaces are a fairly common occurrence throughout Belize at sites with Postclassic activity including Santa Rita (Shafer and Hester 1988:115), Barton Ramie (Willey et al 1965:421) and Colha (Hester and Shafer 1991:158). Hester and Shafer discuss the chronological distinction between the Early Postclassic lithics that can be separated into "Early" and "Late" facets. The early facet assemblages include side notched dart points (Figure 5, and Hester and Shafer 1991:157) and antler billets (Hester and Shafer 1991:156) It is during the late facet that lenticular bifaces become dominant and side-notched dart points disappear and analysis conducted here tentatively verifies this for Lamanai as well. The second tool recovered was an oval biface (LA1114/8 Figure 5 and Table 4) similar to specimens recovered from El Pozito referred to as biface celts by Hester et al (1991:72) due to the identification of polishing and bashing. These oval bifaces generally date to the same time period as the other lithic material recovered in the midden located on the southwest front of N10-27, Early to Late Postclassic. Further investigation through excavation in primary areas and analysis of previously excavated materials will need to be conducted at Lamanai to see if the same trend may be present. The last category of formal tools is Late Postclassic arrowpoints (Figure 5 and Table 4). These arrowpoints are found frequently throughout the Maya region. A similar type of point has been recovered at several sites throughout Belize but are found to have a more elongated shape (Shafer and Hester 1988:112-114, Hester et al 1991, Willey et al 1965). These are not to be confused with the short triangular small side-notched points found more frequently (Figure 5, LA1114/6 and 1114/17). During excavations conducted in 1999 four elongated side-notched arrowpoints were recovered, three predominately unifacially worked and one bifacially worked. Two have mid-section side-notches and two appear to be small arrowpoint preforms.
Formal tools from 'Harold', structure N10-27. a) Early Postclassic side-notched dart point (LA1108/5) b) Postclassic lenticular biface (LA1114/15) c) Late Postclassic arrowpoint (LA1114/17) d) Late Postclassic arrowpoint (LA1114/16) e) Oval biface (LA1114/8) Illustrations by M. C. England. Table 4. Formal
chipped stone tools from OP99-1, 4, 6 & 8
These are all attributes described by Shafer and Hester (1988:112-114) that are characteristic of these Late Postclassic arrowpoints. These arrowpoints were recovered in lot areas, LA1110 and LA1181, both preliminarily identified as Late Postclassic middens. Shafer and Hester hypothesize that there may be a "typological separation of the elongated versus the short triangular side-notched form" (1988:114) and they suspect chronologically the short triangular points are more recent. 'Ottawa' - N10-15, N10-28, and Plaza [N10]3 Only a small collection of formal stone tools were recovered in the 'Ottawa' complex (Table 4, OP99-6) most likely due to excavations which were focused on the clearing of rooms and removal of core during the 1999 field season. A lanceolate biface (LA1311/1) very similar in form to specimens recovered at El Pozito (Hester et al 1991:73) and Barton Ramie (Willey et al 1965:416) was recovered during clearing of core of the east platform of N10-28. The Lamanai specimen as with the El Pozito lanceolate biface is lenticular in shape and wear in the form of edge dulling and beveling suggest their use as knifes.
Stemmed unifacial blade points from 'Ottawa'. a) LA1337/1 b) LA1337/2 c) LA1336/1 Illustrations by M.C. England. Three other formal tools from 'Ottawa' include
stemmed blade points (Figure 5, LA1336/1, LA1337/1, and LA1337/2). All
three specimens are unifacially worked on the blade, and LA1336/1 and
LA1337/2 contain bifacial chipping on their stems. The smaller of the
three, LA1337/2, tapers at the stem very much like the Late Classic
stemmed blades recovered at El Pozito (Hester et al 1991:73). All three
stemmed blades were found in what has been tentatively identified as
caches. Two of the stemmed blades (LA1337/1 and LA1337/2) were found while
cleaning core above a two step staircase leading to a bench in 'Room C' in
structure N10-28. As suggested by Pendergast this may represent a
dedicatory offering because of the blade association with a phase of
building construction within a residential area as opposed to a more
ceremonial offering to a god or a diety. The other specimen (LA1336/1)
also located in structure N10-28 was recovered when one of the large
'plinth' stones was lifted from the lower platform just west of the
central stair. Again the cache's location-not along the primary axis-and
what can be seen as a lower value object leans more toward a residential
building dedication. But its placement below the 'plinth' may not be in
direct relation to an architectural feature leaving the cache's purpose
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