Geoarchaeology and Agroecosystems of the Booth’s River Depression

Geoarchaeological and agroecological research in the Three Rivers Region of northwest Belize and specifically in the Booth’s River Depression started in the 1990s. Regional geology is structured by normal faults creating escarpments and depressions that evolve into fluvial karst valleys that host agroecosystem features including wetland fields, terraces, canals, dams, and reservoirs. Our initial research in the Three Rivers Region followed accounts of canals to study areas of wetland fields. We excavated wetland fields that had complex natural and anthropogenic stratigraphy similar to Aztec chinampas. In the broader region, lidar coupled with field and lab studies identified the largest Ancient Maya wetland field complexes, and new lidar data indicate large swaths of wetland fields and canals within the Booth’s River Depression.