A recent archaeological study in Belize has revealed an extensive pre-Columbian network of canals and ponds, likely serving as a massive fish trap spanning 42 square kilometers. Led by archaeologist Eleanor Harrison-Buck from the University of New Hampshire, the research utilized satellite and aerial imagery to identify this intricate system.
Field investigations included the analysis of 26 radiocarbon dates from excavations at the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest inland wetland in the Central American nation. Findings suggest that these canals were constructed by hunter-gatherer-fisher communities during the Late Archaic Period (circa 2000-1900 BCE) and continued to be used by their Maya descendants during the Formative Period (2000 BCE-200 CE).
According to Harrison-Buck, the canal network was designed to channel annual floodwaters into ponds where fish were captured, potentially providing sustenance for approximately 15,000 people year-round. She noted, “This study demonstrates that the development of complex societies in Mesoamerica did not rely solely on agriculture but also on the massive exploitation of aquatic resources.”
Analysis of sediment collected from excavation units indicated a tropical rainforest ecosystem at the time, with no evidence of crops such as maize or drained agricultural fields. Harrison-Buck emphasized that the canals and ponds primarily functioned as large-scale fishing facilities rather than agricultural land.
“The finding surprised us because we assumed these massive constructions were made by the ancient Maya of nearby urban centers,” she remarked. “However, radiocarbon dates confirmed they were built much earlier.”
This system not only ensured a stable food source but also facilitated social gatherings, explained Marieka Brouwer Burg, co-director of BREA and anthropology professor at the University of Vermont. “These intensive investments in the landscape likely laid the groundwork for the complex society characteristic of Maya civilization, which consolidated in this region around 1200 BCE.”
Residents of that era demonstrated responsible wetland management, sustainably utilizing resources to maintain these ecosystems over millennia, according to Samantha Krause, geography and environmental studies professor at Texas State University.
The research team, with local community support, plans to return to Crooked Tree Sanctuary to further study these landscape modifications, aiming to better understand past human-wetland interactions. The project received funding from the Alphawood Foundation Chicago and support from the Belize Institute of Archaeology and the Crooked Tree community, which facilitated mapping and excavation in their wetlands.