Savannas

_______Savannas of the Rio Bravo Conservation Area, and elsewhere in Belize, are associated with Pleistocene coastal deposits (Birchall and Jenkin 1979; Jenkin et al. 1976; Wright et al. 1959). The savannas are characterized by poorly drained, infertile soils supporting a sparse vegetation association of grasses and sedges with palmetto, oak and pine.

_______Savannas are avoided by the modern Maya for agriculture, although they are used for hunting, as they may have been by the prehistoric Maya (see Rice and Rice 1980; Zeitlin 1984).

_______The savannas make up 4% of the Gallon Jug Region (Table 3), a much larger proportion of the area than in other areas of the central May lowlands. Savannas are not present to any significant extent within the Hills Subregion, but represent 8% of the Lowlands Subregion. Although no prehistoric settlements were found in savannas of the upper Belize River area, structural remains and other features have been reported in extensive savanna areas of the central Peten, Guatemala (Rice and Rice 1980).

Escarpments

_______The sharp ridges and steep sides of the major escarpments support only skeletal soils, and do not represent a viable agricultural resource. Escarpments are found throughout the region, but are larger and more concentrated in the west.

_______Major escarpments with skeletal soils make up 4% of the Gallon Jug Region, contributing to the unique characteristics of this area within the Maya lowlands (see Table 3 and Figure 3). No major escarpments are included within the Lowlands Subregion, but 7% of the Hills Subregion is classifiable as such. In the upper Belize River area, several prehistoric centers are located on escarpment tops, providing excellent views of the surrounding terrain and other centers, but the escarpments themselves would be avoided by settlement because of there extreme slopes.

Implications

_______The evaluation of land resources of the Rio Bravo Conservation Area suggests that a major difference will be found in the pattern of prehistoric settlement and land use between the Hills Subregion and the Lowlands Subregion (see Appendix I). Average settlement density is expected to be quite high in the Hills Subregion, probably in the vicinity of 100-150 structures per km2 or more in well drained uplands of moderate relief (compare with Ford 1986). Numerous centers can also be anticipated within the Hills Subregion, and are most likely to be found on hill-tops within the well-drained uplands. Minor centers may be spaced approximately 3-5 km apart, with major centers such as La Milpa spaced at greater intervals of perhaps 25-30 km. These estimates for the spacing of centers are based on observations in the upper Belize River area and other areas of the central lowlands (see Hammond 1974, 1981; Harrison 1981).

_______Within the Lowlands Subregion, overall settlement density is expected to be low, perhaps in the vicinity of 25 structures per km2. Any centers that may exist would be expected within the larger of the scattered patches of well-drained uplands found in the subregion. Well-drained areas would also serve as the most likely areas for residential settlement concentrations. Settlements, and perhaps minor center, would also be present in parts of he slow-drained lowlands. Some of the riverine-associated swamps in the area may have been developed for agricultural production; if this is the case, then associated settlements should be located adjacent to those swamps. It is unlikely that settlement would be found within the savannas, although evidence for some form of prehistoric use may be present.

_______These general resource and settlement expectations guided our preliminary archaeological assessment of the Rio Bravo Conservation Area. Our survey time was concentrated in zones with the highest potential settlement densities, the well-drained rolling uplands in and around the center of La Milpa. Secondary attention was given to the steeper hilly uplands and areas of slow-drained lowlands in order to assess the comparability of the Rio Bravo Conservation Area with adjacent areas. Due to the extent of inundation in the eastern section of the area, only air surveys were practical over the swamp zones. These were successful in identifying gross features in swamps, but could not be used to directly assess the nature of ancient Maya settlement in the area.