Semester of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Geography and Anthropology
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Underwater excavations were carried out at Ch’ok Ayin, one of the Paynes Creek Salt Works in southern Belize to determine the role of the structures in salt production. Ch’ok Ayin is a Late Classic (550-800 CE) Maya residential household group with four buildings: A, B, C, and D. The wooden posts from these buildings were preserved in anaerobic mangrove peat. The goals of this project were to determine the use of Building B and to identify the species of tree that the wooden building posts were sourced from. Underwater excavation of Building B was undertaken by marking an 11 m transect line through the building by sinking a rope along the interior of the eastern half of the building with PVC pipes. Transect excavations through Building B revealed an abundance of briquetage (brine boiling pottery) at the southern end of the structure. Analyses of artifact data indicate that Building B was a dedicated salt kitchen. Of the 25 posts sampled from Building B, eight have been identified.
Date
3-27-2026
Recommended Citation
Miller, Sarah N., "Excavating an Ancient Maya Salt Kitchen at Ch'ok Ayin, Belize" (2026). LSU Master's Theses. 6369.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/6369
Committee Chair
McKillop, Heather
LSU Acknowledgement
1
LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment
1