mirador, guatemalaghn.globalheritagefund.com/uploads/documents/document... · 2014-05-06 ·...

Mirador, Guatemala

Photo: R. D. Hansen

2013 Project Progress Report

Mirador, Guatemala – 2013 Progress Report

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Executive Summary

The Mirador Basin Project conducted field research from the months of July through

December 2013, with work conducted at the major sites of Tintal, El Mirador and

Nakbe, which represent three of the most important sites of the Mirador Basin. This

field season had some extremely important discoveries and conservation measures of

historic importance, which will strengthen the potential for future World Heritage

status for the Mirador Basin.

In addition, great efforts were incorporated in the conservation, not only of the

cultural heritage, but the natural heritage as well. The work included emergency

interventions as well as systematic conservation and preservation monitoring. The

highly trained conservation team continued to consolidate and stabilize monumental

architecture at El Mirador, with work being conducted with the use of stone and

stucco. The work contributed enormously to the long-term preservation and

conservation for the needed permanent exposure of architecture for scientific and

touristic values. Also critical to site preservation was the construction of a protective

shelter over the unique Popol Vuh frieze uncovered over the past few years.

Also important is the social and economic development of the Basin communities from

which many Project workers and support staff are drawn. One component of this

process is worker education in the field, with practical skills training and literacy

classes implemented during the field seasons.

For decades now, the Project has taken an active role in the defense and protection

of the Mirador Basin because of severe threats from road intrusions, invasive settlers,

massive deforestation, looting, poaching and narcotics trafficking. The transition

from Basin “exploitation” to “conservation” is a process rather than an event and will

take time and effort to achieve, but huge strides are being made through educational

outreach, changing local people’s perceptions as they learn and understand the

unique geological, natural and cultural importance of the Mirador Basin.


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2013 Project Progress Planning

A major focus for the Mirador project and GHF support was the planning and

completion of a protective roof over the Popol Vuh frieze in the Great Central

Acropolis, an initiative started in 2012. Roof components were constructed in the

headquarters of Aceros Arquitectónicos in Guatemala City, and transported to

Carmelita. It was then transported by TAG (Transportes Aereos Guatemaltecos)

helicopters from Carmelita to El Mirador, with a total of 47 helicopter flights with the

cargo transported externally. This effort involved the transport of scaffolding,

welders, acetylene torches, pulleys, ropes, medical supplies, food supplies, and other

equipment. In addition, the columns and beams had to be transported by helicopter,

a technique that required extreme caution and care by seasoned pilot Federico

Monzon.

Above: Helicopter transporting materials for shelter construction. Photo: A. Pozuelos


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The cement foundations for the large columns had been prepared during at the end of

the field season in late August, but the cement needed to cure for several months

before being capable of withstanding the weight of the structure. The building design

was created by Dr. Richard Hansen, with mathematical calculations from John

Cybulski, and input from Edgar Suyuc. Neither of the two similar protective roofs

which had been constructed previously at El Mirador are comparable in terms of size,

complexity, or technology.

However, the virtues and capabilities of these protective roofs are extraordinary:

They allow in light, but not UV light; they allow the surrounding vegetation to be

seen; the copper color polycarbonate panels reduce heat; the staggered

polycarbonate panels let air movement under the roof so that temperature and

relative humidity remain constant; the joist columns and beams allow the vegetation

to be viewed through the metal, dramatically reducing the visual impact; the

protective structure is not competitive with the original art and architecture. These

factors have provided a new model for conservation and preservation that can be

employed elsewhere in the Mirador Basin and other areas of the world.

Above: Completed roof over the Popol Vuh frieze. Photo: R. D. Hansen


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Above: A portion of the Popol Vuh frieze protected by the shelter overhead. Photo: V. Michael


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Conservation

In 2013, extensive conservation work was conducted in numerous parts of the site

including the Great Central Acropolis (particularly on the Popol Vuh frieze), Danta

Pyramid and the Cascabel Group.

Great Central Acropolis.

In the Great Central Acropolis, excavation continued around the Popol Vuh frieze in

an ongoing attempt to determine its full size. Excavations to the west of the frieze

have not detected evidence of the stucco sculpture that was exposed on the

superficial stucco panels. However, Dr. Richard Hansen discovered that the panels

continue below the floor of the pools and the reservoir system.

Above: An example of the very well preserved lower frieze panels, which still show traces of

color. Phtoo: R. D. Hansen

Hansen’s excavations to the east of the center pool of the water system have

revealed evidence that the panels do continue in that direction. The presence of well

preserved art buried below the stucco floors but not above it suggests that the panels

above the floors, such as the Popol Vuh frieze, were intentionally buried in antiquity.


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Excavations on the east side of the central pool revealed that the richly modeled

stucco art continues below the floors and is sealed by rubble as well, similar to the

conditions found elsewhere. Stucco-modeled ear spools and knot bundles were also

uncovered during the 2013 season, another example of iconographic features found on

both the eastern and western sides of the central pool in the Great Central Acropolis.

Above: The ear spools and knot bundles uncovered during the 2013 season. The soil in the middle of the ear spool was intentionally left in place to strengthen the art until adequate stabilization and consolidation can be enacted. Photo: R. D. Hansen


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San Francisco-based conservator Lisa Sardegna spent a good deal of time at the site,

actively working on consolidation and conservation of these important friezes in

addition to leading conservation training for project team members.

Project team members under the guidance of conservator Lisa Sardegna mix lime (top) and repair stones (above) to conserve exposed archaeological features. Photo: L. Sardegna


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Danta Pyramid.

Intensive excavations and architectural consolidation procedures were conducted on

the Danta complex, the massive pyramidal structure that dominates the eastern side

of El Mirador. Conservation was conducted at the summit of the Pava Pyramid as well

as at the base of the third level of the enormous Danta Pyramid collection of

structures, with consolidation work undertaken on the central primary stairway.

Above: Consolidation work in process on the central primary stairway. Photo: R. D. Hansen


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Above: Completing consolidation of the Pava Pyramid. Photo: R. D. Hansen


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Cascabel Group.

The Cascabel Group is located on the section of the monumental architecture of the

civic center of the site, forming the northern edge of the Great Plaza and the Leon

Plaza at El Mirador. Work during the 2013 season in the Cascabel Group continued in

scope and intensity in both investigations and conservation of the buildings. The work

concentrated on three buildings of the group, with consolidation and conservation of

the summits of Structure 200 and Structure 204.

In addition, work was conducted at the bases of both Structures 200 and 204 in order

to stabilize, consolidate and permanently expose the basal facades of these buildings.

Conservation measures were employed on the stairways of the buildings as well as

routine maintenance. Approximately 75% of the existing stairways of the buildings

have now been consolidated.

Above: Cascabel Structure 204, showing a portion of the exposed façade and primary stairway. Photo: R. D. Hansen


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Community Development The Mirador Basin project continued with its extensive program of education and

training for the local Guatemalan workers involved with the project each year. This

program, enacted by the project for decades, involves detailed course work for

workmen focused on literacy, mathematics and English. The courses are taught every

Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and have proved to be a highly successful

program with strong, positive outcomes.

The project employs a government program called CONALFA, which has simple

workbooks designed to teach people to write, identify the letters of the alphabet, and

learn the phonetic values associated with letters. In addition to literacy programs,

the project has established a rigorous educational lecture series with staff members

teaching subjects such as history, health, hygiene, first aid, family finances,

investment strategies, archaeology, environmental responsibility and geography.

These classes provide information and knowledge to workers for their personal benefit

and to make them more aware of the surrounding world and their stewardship

responsibilities in it.

Above: Educational class underway for the project workmen. Photo: B. Hansen


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Above: Local workmen participating in an on-site literacy course. Photo: B. Hansen


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Partnerships

Over the years that GHF has supported the Mirador Project, a strong partnership has been established with The Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES) in the United States as well as in Guatemala. Project partnerships with Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) and Instituto de Antropologia e Historia (IDAEH) of Guatemala have also been instrumental in realizing the great strides made in the protection and conservation of the Mirador Basin – along with the significant natural and cultural heritage which it contains – and the opportunities created through investment in community development to improve the lives of those living in and around the area. We thank all of our partners, project support staff and fieldwork team members for their ongoing commitment to heritage preservation and community support.

Above: Guatemalan staff of the Mirador Basin Project.


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About Global Heritage Fund GHF’s mission is to save the Earth’s most significant and endangered cultural heritage sites in developing countries and regions through scientific excellence and community involvement. Founded in 2002 by Dr. Ian Hodder of Stanford University Archaeology Center and Jeff Morgan, GHF is the only non-profit international conservancy working exclusively in developing countries, where there are many threatened heritage sites but few financial and technical resources and little expertise to scientifically conserve them. GHF goals include:

• Preserving structures and physical evidence of cultural heritage • Advancing education about, and protection of, endangered heritage sites • Advancing community involvement and benefits from preservation

Our work takes each selected heritage project through a process called Preservation by Design, encompassing master planning, scientific conservation, community involvement and partnerships to provide enduring protection, management and financial support. GHF currently has 12 projects in 10 countries, including China, India, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Turkey. While the nature and depth of each of our projects differ, one theme runs throughout: that the monuments, art and architecture of our ancestors can, if respected, bring lasting cultural, social and economic benefits to civil society. GHF’s mission is to help people realize the value of these assets in places where the sites are all too often neglected – or worse. GHF invests in countries and regions that have seen few financial or technical resources for cultural-asset preservation and development. Holistic and effective preservation of cultural resources requires extreme care and planning to make preservation economically viable to local stakeholders. GHF goes beyond heritage conservation: We provide catalytic funding, site planning and technical training for local people to become capable stewards, giving them the opportunity to contribute more easily to their families and communities. GHF’s projects also have benefits that surpass their primary conservation and development objectives; our work holds particular significance because the monuments that we select are rich symbols of national identity and patrimony. For more information on GHF’s mission and projects, see:

www.globalheritagefund.org

Global Heritage Fund 625 Emerson Street Suite 200 Palo Alto, California 94301 USA

Tel: (650) 325-7520 Fax: (650) 325-7511

[email protected]

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