El Rayo, Nicaragua (2010)

By Geoffrey McCafferty, University of Calgary (mccaffer@ucalgary.ca)

In 2010 we returned to El Rayo for a limited field season, specifically to answer questions about Locus 2.  In the previous season excavations at Locus 2 encountered deeply stratified deposits spanning the Bagaces to Sapoa transition (AD 600-1250).  Another feature was a masssive terrace wall that separated Bagaces deposits from deep Sapoa deposits.  Additional testing was designed to collect further information on the transition, and to clarify the function of the terrace wall and deep Sapoa levels.

A 1 x 2 m unit was excavated near Operation 1 from 2009.  Again it featured Sapoa period artifacts in the upper levels, forllowed by a dramatic shift to Bagaces material about 60 cm below the surface.  At a depth of about 1.5 m architectural remains were discovered, representing a stone wall and floor.

Feature 7, stone surface and masonry wall associated with Bagaces period ceramics

An excavation on the west side of the terrace wall discovered in 2009 exposed the northern limit of the wall, and also reached sterile soil on the outside of the artificial terrace.  Ceramics at the interface with sterile soil dated to the Bagaces period, further indicating that the wall was built at that time.

Feature 4, north end of terrace wall, above sterile soil

Northeast of the terrace wall was a concentration of large stones on the surface forming a linear alignment, perpendicular to the terrace wall.  Excavation around these stones revealed a cobble surface, probably a walking surface, and an artifact concentration that included a large fragment of a Tola Black on Red vessel with a bird head applique, and a large stone with a circular hole that appears to have been a grinding stone.  This was likely a residential structure dating to the Bagaces period.

Cobble surface associated with wall rubble

Grinding stone associated with possible domestic structure

Additional excavation units were placed west of the terrace wall, in an area that had only produced Sapoa period materials during the 2009 season.  Once again, only diagnostic Sapoa ceramics were found down to sterile soil at about 1.5 m below the surface.  A portion of a stone structure was also encountered, made of at least eight courses of compact cobbles.  Time did not permit further exposure of this structure, and its function remains unknown.

Feature 3, undetermined architectural feature dating to Sapoa period

In Locus 3, located about 200 m west of Locus 2, clearing a banana orchard near the ceremonial burials identified in 2009 presented the opportunity to map and shovel test an additional extension of the El Rayo site.  Several low mounds were visible on the natural rise, and shovel holes dug to plant banana trees revealed Sapoa period ceramics as well as human skeletal remains.  A grid of shovel tests, at 10 m intervals, was laid out and excavated.  In one test pit, a complete vessel was encountered, and subsequently excavated.  This turned out to be a 'shoe pot' with a shallow olla covering the opening.  Careful excavation of the inside of the shoe pot revealed evidence of turtle, but no human remains.

Shoe pot in Locus 3, with vessel base nearby

In addition to these minor excavations, the goal of the 2010 field season was to complete analysis of previous season's discoveries.  This included ceramic analysis by Carrie Dennett and Lorelei Platz, lithic analysis by Brett Watson and Christina Pitre, faunal analysis by Ruth Martinez and Ashley DeYoung, objects by Sacha Wilke, ceramic objects by Sharisse McCafferty, and human skeletal remains by Andrea Waters-Rist and Rocio Herrera.  Sacha Wilke supervised the processing of new materials and photography, with the assistance of Sarah Keller.  Another goal of the summer was the creation of a retrospective museum exhibit, commemorating ten years of the University of Calgary's research in Nicaragua.  Seven bilingual posters were created, and are now on exhibit at Mi Museo in Granada.  The Spanish language text of the posters was published in the museum's journal Mi Museo y Vos.

Posters discussing results of ten years of archaeological research in Nicaragua, in Mi Museo, Granada