Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

The Institute of Archaeology has upgraded the stairway to Xunantunich.  Looks great!  Thanks, IA!

They also stopped by Howard Smith Nazarene primary school to teach the students about the Popul Vuh.

"In our efforts to improve access and safety at our archaeological reserves, the IA completed a new and improved access stairway to the main plaza at Xunantunich. Visit the site today and remember that it is also free for Belizean residents on Sunday!"

The Institute of Archaeology is celebrating International Archaeology Day tomorrow at the Museum Building in Belmopan.  They'll be announcing the winners of the 'Preserving the Past for the Future' poster competition.  They'll also have many Maya artifacts on display, and the IA team will be there to test your skills with some trivia. 

"Inviting schools to bring their students to visit on Friday October 18th, 2013."

The Institute of Archaeology is have a poster competition to celebrate International Archaeology Day, which is October 18th.  The theme is 'preserving the past for the future,' and it's open to high school and primary school students in standard 4 through standard 6.  The deadline to submit is October 4th.  For more information email research@nichbelize.org.  The prizes are a tablet, digital camera, and school supplies.  Good luck!

The Institute of Archaeology celebrated International Archaeology Day by having an exhibit at their main office in Belmopan.  They got many great pictures of the event and the primary school students that were able to attend it.  Dr. Jaime Awe, Antonio Beardall, and the rest were there celebrating the event and imparting their knowledge of archaeology.  Daniel Meza, of New Life Presbyterian School in Orange Walk, won the poster competition.  Thanks, IA!

The Institute of Archaeology is having a Winter solstice overnight camping trip at Caracol.  The trip will include a traditional Mayan dinner, multiple ceremonies, a guided tour, a presentation, transport, and more.  Contact the IA for more information at research@nichbelize.org.

If anything good comes out of the discussion of the destruction of Noh Mul by the greedy, it'll be that the Institue of Archaeology's Anti-Looting campaign gets more attention.  They've been going around the country, and were at the Benque HoC's International Museum Day celebrations last week, educating the youth on antiquities  There's a lot of key information in their latest article.

"Along with looting comes the destruction of ancient monuments.  A monument is any old building, erections or other non-portable objects left behind by ancient civilizations such as the Maya or other historic people such as the colonizers of Belize.  Legally, any building over one hundred years is considered a monument.  Both monuments and antiquities are legally protected by law under the National Institute of Culture and History Act, Chapter 331 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000."