From The Science Blog

The spectacular Maya temples of Mexico and Central America are among the most stunning relics of the world's past civilizations and are indicative of an ancient people sophisticated in religion, politics and science.

But for all their grandeur, such public edifices suggest little about the details of daily personal life.

It is precisely such details that University of California, Santa Barbara archaeologist Anabel Ford has been seeking in her effort to preserve, excavate and restore the El Pilar Maya site along the border of Belize and Guatemala.