Caches

The Maya site of Lamanai, located in northern Belize, exemplifies one of the longest occupation spans in the Maya Lowlands. First occupied in the Preclassic (ca. 1500 B.C.) and continuously inhabited through the Classic period “collapse,” Lamanai was thriving when the Spanish arrived in A.D. 1540. Lamanai’s lagoon-side location at the head of the New River, with direct access to the Caribbean Sea, allowed for cultural and economic exchange well beyond the immediate region. The N10[3] architectural group (aka Ottawa Group), located in the Central Precinct of Lamanai, has been interpreted as an administrative and elite residential complex, or palace, of some significance due to its lengthy occupation span and its location adjacent to two important ceremonial plaza groups in the Central Precinct. During the Late to Terminal Classic period (A.D. 624–962 at Lamanai), the Ottawa Group underwent a major architectural transformation, which may be an indication of changing
functions and strategies on the part of Lamanai elites. These modifications may have played a role in Lamanai’s persistence during the transition from the Classic to Postclassic periods in Mesoamerica—a time when other cities were abandoned in the Maya Lowlands.
    During the massive remodeling of this Ottawa Group, some masonry structures were razed, while others, such as Structure N10-15, continued to be remodeled. This thesis gives a fresh assessment of the function of the Ottawa Group, describes the architectural sequence of
Structure N10-15, and examines the caching patterns present throughout the different architectural stages. When considered together, the architectural changes at Structure N10-15 and associated changes in cache composition and placement signal a change in emphasis shifting away from exclusive elite-led activities associated with divine kingship toward those of a more inclusive and public nature.

This article discusses a cache of artifacts--bronze weapons and utensils, beads and miniature pottery vessels--from Middle Bronze Age IIA (1900-1700 BCE) Tel Dan, Israel. After a typological description of the contents, a series of possible interpretations is offered, with the conclusion that this is a ritual offfering desposit, perhaps a sort of quid pro quo gift to a deity with the aim of achieving a desired action or result.

Recent excavations within the Archeodome at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village (39DV2) have revealed a cache of bone tools and other worked bone artifacts. This tightly clustered cache of objects is believed to have symbolic or ritual significance. The Mitchell site has also produced other isolated discoveries of non-utilitarian bone objects that require detailed analysis. Together, these objects have been analyzed in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the significance of bone tools and worked bone objects within Initial Middle Missouri cultural lifeways.