Soils and ancient settlement in the Sibun River Valley, Belize: Environmental variability in the Maya Lowlands

This paper presents results of an archaeological soil survey of the Sibun River Valley, Belize. The highly varied soils of the valley result from the dynamic hydrological regime of the river and the diverse geolpgy of the watershed. Soil landscape models are presented for three sections of the river, demonstrating chronosequences, toposequences and geosequences of soil variation. Soil evidence corroborates archaeological andother findings suggesting that the Sibun River Valley may have been an important cacao-producing centre for the Late and Terminal Classic Maya. The riverine setting provided an avenue for trade and abundant alluvial soils, but also subjected inhabitants to the hazards of flooding.