Chau Hiix Archaeological Project and Field School

       Archaeologists and students under the direction of K. Anne Pyburn have been involved in the development of public outreach, education, and tourism initiatives over the last 15 years at the Chau Hiix site located near the village of Crooked Tree, Belize.  Chau Hiix archaeologists and Crooked Tree villagers have exchanged ideas, information, and stories for years.  Early educational activities included informal school visits, open houses, and information booths at local festivals.  This season at the open house, over 100 Crooked Tree villagers (ages 1-80) identified artifacts, toured the site, and made drawings of Chau Hiix.  Most recently, project members developed signage and tourism booklets for guides in Crooked Tree village. Additionally, C.A.P.I. member Alicia Ebbitt initiated a formalized educational program at the local school.  She worked with local school teachers to organize a fieldtrip for middle-school students. Undergraduate field-school students developed activities for these students.  Undergraduate students learned that public outreach is an integral aspect of archaeological research.  Alicia hopes to make this part of her dissertation while students explore their own definitions of the past by handling artifacts and constructing oral histories.  These new projects are  developing at an appropriate time as the Belizean government begins to integrate the Maya civilization into national curriculum.  The last 15 years of public archaeology and applied anthropology have brought Crooked Tree villagers and archaeologists closer together, with the ultimate goal of incorporating and respecting multiple perspectives and stakeholders in interpretations of the past.

More Chau Hiix pictures coming soon!

Click Here to link to the Chau Hiix project homepage