An archaeological team from the University of New Hampshire, led by professor Eleanor Harrison-Buck, has uncovered compelling evidence of a large-scale pre-Columbian fish-trapping facility in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (CTWS) in Belize. This discovery, which dates back to the Late Archaic period (cal. 2000-1900 BCE), challenges existing narratives about early Mesoamerican societies by highlighting the importance of aquatic resources in the development of complex societies. The findings, published in Science Advances, suggest that the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the region relied not just on agriculture but also on sophisticated methods of mass harvesting aquatic species to support large populations, with the potential to feed up to 15,000 people year-round.
The CTWS, located in the largest inland wetland in Belize, is a unique ecological and archaeological site. Harrison-Buck’s team employed radiocarbon dating and other advanced archaeological techniques to analyze 26 samples from excavation sites in the sanctuary. These results indicated that the fish-trapping facility pre-dated the rise of the ancient Maya civilization by over a thousand years, suggesting that large-scale wetland enhancements were part of a broader adaptive strategy to manage the resources of the region.
The fish-trapping network uncovered by the team consists of an intricate system of canals designed to channel annual floodwaters into ponds for trapping fish. These canals were likely used by hunter-gatherer-fishers in the Late Archaic period, well before the Formative Maya period, which typically dates from around 2000 BCE to 200 CE. Unlike the more well-known agricultural practices associated with the Maya, these findings point to the use of wetlands and aquatic resources as a central part of life for these early societies. The research indicates that the trapping system was an early form of landscape engineering, predating agricultural practices such as maize cultivation in the area.
“These canals were clearly designed for fish trapping on a massive scale,” said Harrison-Buck. “The dates show that the fish-trapping networks were initially built by Late Archaic hunter-gatherer-fishers and were later used by their Maya descendants. This reveals that aquatic resource management played a critical role in the early development of social and economic structures in Mesoamerica.”
The excavation also provided environmental data, including sediment samples that revealed a tropical forest dominance during this period with no signs of maize cultivation or domesticated crops. This suggests that the region was not primarily an agricultural landscape at the time but was instead shaped by the presence of wetlands that provided ample fish stocks. The team’s multi-proxy data, which included nitrogen and carbon analysis, further supported the idea that these canals were not agricultural in nature but served as large-scale fisheries.
The research also highlights the importance of wetlands as ecosystems that supported social gatherings and long-term habitation. “The canals likely allowed for annual fish harvests and social gatherings,” said Marieka Brouwer Burg, a co-director of the Belize River East Archaeology (BREA) project. “These gatherings would have encouraged people to return year after year, fostering social cohesion and potentially leading to the development of more complex societies, like the Maya, in the region.” Such intensive landscape modifications may have eventually paved the way for the emergence of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization around 1200 BCE.
One of the key insights from the research is how the ancient hunter-gatherer-fishers of the Late Archaic period understood the management of wetland resources. “Wetlands have always been critical ecosystems for humans,” said Samantha Krause, a professor of geography and environmental studies at Texas State University. “The Archaic people knew how to manage wetland resources sustainably, ensuring long-term ecological balance. This responsible management allowed for continued occupation of the area for generations.”
Looking ahead, the team plans to expand their research to cover a larger area of northern Belize to gain a deeper understanding of how early societies interacted with wetlands on a broader scale. The local community has been instrumental in supporting the research, and further investigations will provide more insight into the complex relationship between ancient human populations and the natural environment.
The study challenges traditional views of Mesoamerican prehistory, emphasizing the critical role of wetland ecosystems and aquatic resources in the development of ancient societies. It also highlights the innovative approaches taken by early hunter-gatherers to adapt to and thrive in challenging environmental conditions. The research contributes to our broader understanding of how early civilizations in the Americas shaped their landscapes to support sustainable populations long before the rise of agricultural practices.
The study’s co-authors include Mark Willis from Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia; Angelina Perrotti of the Palynology & Environmental Archaeology Research Lab in Monona, Wisconsin; and Katie Bailey from the University of Vermont’s Department of Anthropology. Their collective efforts shed light on the rich and complex history of human-environment interactions in Mesoamerica long before the emergence of large-scale agricultural societies.
Source: University of New Hampshire