Journey to Belize: Photos, a Bowl, and Rain

by Posted on

This post continues the retelling of my recent trip to Belize: participating in an archaeology field school and learning about jaguar conservation. The previous entries in this series can be found in the “Travel” category, or by searching for “Belize” in this site’s search bar.

On June 5, 2017, I returned to Pretty Group.
A Hot Start

The most memorable aspect of June 5, 2017 was the heat. It felt like I was walking through a hot soup as I made my way to Pretty Group – which I first described here.

Once we had finished our three-mile hike through the jungle, I exclaimed that rain would be a welcome relief. I would later come to regret that.

For now, however, there was work to do. My main task that day was to close the first lot (level) in one of the units at Pretty Group. This required all the roots to be clipped, and nearly all of the loose dirt to be swept up. This would make the unit’s fine details more visible in the photos we were about to take.

Closing Photos

Closing lots required careful documentation. In addition to measuring the depth at several points (a process I described here), we always photographed each lot from at least two angles. Sometimes we also took 3D photos.

3D photography was an involved process. To start, the photographer made a circle around the appropriate unit with his or her foot. They then walked around this circle, taking photographs of the unit as they went. Each photo had to slightly overlap the previous one (I forget the exact percentage). The photographer had to make two laps: one while standing and one while kneeling or crouching. Taking 3D photos could get uncomfortable, but it was worth it.

I do not wish to surprise anyone, but this is not the most comfortable environment to kneel in.

Back in camp, more experienced participants than I could construct a three-dimensional computer model using the photographs we had taken. If done correctly, one could construct a digital replica of the original unit. The level of detail these computer models could capture was remarkable.

An Incredible Find

Later in the day, Humboldt State University’s project director and another one of our students came over. At this point, Pretty Group’s team leader had been working hard all day. She had been removing heavy rocks from her unit, only to find even larger ones.

When our project director arrived, she began excavating in the aforementioned unit. After removing a few more stones, she uncovered the remnants of an extraordinary ceramic bowl. The bowl was in several fragments, but they were well preserved. Our visiting student found even more pieces, and they fit together like a puzzle to reveal the vessel’s original shape. It was a shallow bowl, with a reddish hue and a smooth texture. 

Pretty Group’s team leader did not miss the irony. She had been working for hours in this unit, finding nothing but rocks. Our project director, by contrast, located a large bowl almost as soon as she arrived. I found the situation to be rather amusing.

Rain

On the way back to camp, my earlier desire for rain came back to haunt me. I was riding in the back of a pickup truck, along with several other students and one of our Belizean workers. Suddenly it started raining – hard. We all got soaked, and the raindrops stung when they hit us. Our worker remarked that I had previously asked for rain, and now I had it. I could not help but laugh.

Surprisingly, it rained very little while I was in the jungle. This shot was taken much later, in the Belizean capitol of Belmopan.
Thesis Hunting

There was positive news regarding my search for a thesis project in the evening. Sheila, whom I introduced earlier, informed me that she had spoken with Melvis: an experienced guide at the La Milpa Ecolodge. Sheila had arranged for me to meet Melvis in two days, so that I could speak with him about the challenges facing the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area.

I was extremely grateful for Sheila’s help, and looked forward to meeting Melvis. It was a relief to finally have some sense of direction.

The next day, June 6, would be full of learning.

Published by Josh Gross

Wildlife, social science, conservation, and scicomm.

21 Thoughts

    1. Thanks Grabbety! I would looove to be able to share more information with everyone, but I’m being cautious because I’m not entirely sure what material is safe for me to share on social media (to not give away locations to looters or prematurely release too much data). I also didn’t take nearly enough photos while I was down there. Maybe one day I’ll be able to return with more experience and permission clearances.

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  3. Pingback: Of Unwitnessed Moments | Becoming The Muse

        1. I’m still in school, and have a lot of work to do in that regard. I’d love to plan another trip soon, but I don’t have the money right now. Hopefully I’ll be able to travel again once I finish my degree…which should only take another year.

          What have you been up to?

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          1. I’m working on my business which doesn’t feel like work at all lol😊 That’s pretty much what I do all day other than going to the gym.😁
            I’m sure your next year trip will be even more smashing! Any place in mind?☺

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          2. When your work doesn’t feel like work, then you know you’re on the right path!

            There are SO many places I’d like to go. I’m trying to stay open to whatever opportunity presents itself, but while I was in Belize I ended up living with a man from Nepal. He put the idea of going to India and/or Nepal into my head, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since. So either India or Nepal would be where I’d most like to go next.

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          3. Wow instead of ‘either’ make it both Nepal and India. If you are in Nepal you are almost in India! It will make of one big exciting trip. Apart from the diverse wildlife, the cultures are very diverse as well, you might get a bit confused but you’ll enjoy it more😀 Wishing you all the best for the trip!😊

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  5. Pingback: Journey to Belize: Backfilling, Profiling, and a Close Encounter of the Feline Kind – The Jaguar

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