Archaeology Under the Canopy is a conservation strategy developed by Dr. Anabel Ford for the preservation of

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, th ...

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

monuments at the archeological site

El Pilar El Pilar is an ancient Maya city center located on the Belize-Guatemala border. The site is located north of San Ignacio, Belize and can be accessed through the San Ignacio and Bullet Tree Falls on the Belize River. The name "El Pilar" is Span ...

, an ancient Maya center on the border of

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern 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 wate ...

and

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

. This style of conservation encourages the conservation of

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

foliage for the protection of monuments and the strategic exposure of ancient structures.

Objective

The objective of Archaeology Under the Canopy is to preserve Maya cultural heritage by protecting the forest

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

guarding ancient Maya artifacts and monuments from damaging elements. The El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Flora and Fauna practices this conservation strategy and treats the forest as if it was another piece of ancient Maya civilization. This conservation strategy aims to become an example for other future projects by showing the benefits of cooperating with nature rather than destroying it. With the increasing support of Archaeology Under the Canopy, the knowledge of environmental conservation for cultural conservation can spread and potentially improve other ancient sites around the world.

Standard approaches to excavation

Exposing ancient architecture provokes the natural process of degradation and decomposition. The standard approach to excavation is to remove soil and foliage to reveal and record archaeological remains. After the excavation is complete, dramatic monuments are typically consolidated and left exposed for public viewing and tourism. Fully exposed monuments are then at risk of

looting Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

or other forms of potential damage. Over the past century of excavation in the Maya world, wind, rain, and acid-producing microbes have caused extensive damage on ancient

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

monuments Pieces of Maya history have started to disappear due to the loss of the natural environment surrounding ancient Maya sites.

Archaeology Under the Canopy’s alternative approach

Archaeology Under the Canopy has four main components: the forest canopy, the practice of

forest gardening Forest gardening is a low-maintenance, Sustainable gardening, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and Nut (fruit), nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegeta ...

, the leaf litter on the forest floor, and the ancient monuments. Each of these components plays an important part of the innovative conservation strategy. The natural environment is recognized as protection for ancient monuments. After an excavation is complete, monuments or sections of monuments – such as a wall, room, stair, or

doorjamb A jamb (from French ''jambe'', "leg"), in architecture, is the side-post or lining of a doorway or other aperture. The jambs of a window outside the frame are called “reveals.” Small shafts to doors and windows with caps and bases are known ...

– are selected for consolidation and viewing. The majority of the monument is left covered with plant foliage for stabilization. Fully exposing the ancient monuments by clearing its natural environment accelerates the natural degradation process. Archaeology Under the Canopy protects the monument from the elements and the integrity of the environment for the future. This presentation style of monuments encourages visitors to kindle their imagination and consider other aspects of Maya life beyond elite

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

. Visitors are inspired to ask about the forest context of this advanced civilization, its relationship to the environment, plant use, land management, forest regeneration, and what happens when monuments are neglected over time. Archaeology Under the Canopy introduces long-term manipulation schemes around local forest regions that will allow for immediate benefits to local people and valuable experimental data. Therefore, local communities are encouraged to participate in the conservation and evolution of the Maya forest so that the knowledge of conservation continues to spread.

Influential charters

Though Archaeology Under the Canopy was conceptualized for the Maya world, it is based on the Athens Charter for the Restoration of Historic Monuments, the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites, and the Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance. The practice of Archaeology Under the Canopy has implications for archaeological conservation all over the world, integrating environmental and cultural contexts of a site.

External links

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References