Excavations of a Late Classic Range Building in Plaza B at Pacbitun, Belize

Over the past four decades many structures have been excavated in the site core of Pacbitun. However, the longest building at the site, designated as Structure 8, has never received much attention. Measuring 80 m in length, this range structure located in Plaza B, the hub of all residential activity in the site core, dwarfs all other buildings of its type. In the summer of 2023, excavations on the summit of Structure 8 were focused on providing information regarding the building’s terminal phase of architecture as well as its construction and chronological history. The main goal was to excavate at least one room on the center axis which would then be used to determine the total number of rooms that were constructed as part of the terminal phase.