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		Ma'ax Na Archaeological Project (July 7-21, 1996) 
	
		Co-directed by: Dr. Leslie Shaw (AFAR)
			        Eleanor King (University of Pennsylvania) 

	
				Sponsored by:

		The Andover Foundation for Archaeological Research (AFAR)
				    P.O. Box 83
				Andover, MA  01810  U.S.A.

				Phone: 508-470-0840

This two-week opportunity to join an ongoing archaeological project in 
the Rio Bravo area of western Belize is designed for people who have an 
interest in both Maya archaeology and the ecology of tropical 
rainforests.  Dr. Leslie Shaw and Eleanor King, Maya archaeologists who 
have each worked in Belize for over 14 years, are now co-directing a 
project in the Rio Bravo Preserve at the newly-discovered site of Ma'ax 
Na.  Participants will have the opportunity to excavate at the site, 
assist in the mapping of the site's ceremonial center, and work in the 
field laboratory with the ceramic, lithic, and other artifacts recovered 
during the excavations.  There will also be opportunities to visit the 
sites of Lamanai on the New River and La Milpa, a Classic Period Maya city.

		The Rio Bravo Conservation Area

The site of Ma'ax Na is located within the Rio Bravo Conservation 
Area in northwestern Belize, near the tri-national border with Mexico and 
Guatemala.  The Rio Bravo Conservation Area originated in 1988 with the 
purchase of a tract of undisturbed tropical forest that had been saved 
from development.  Rio Bravo is a conservation success story managed by 
the Programme for Belize (PFB), a non-profit Belizean company dedicated 
to fnding ways of making the preserve self-sustaining while still 
protecting the 202,000-acre forest as a unique ecological and 
archaeological resource of extraordinary educational and scientific 
importance.  PFB has received support from the Nature Conservancy, the 
Massachusetts Audubon Society, and other organizations.

		The Archaeology Field Station

The Programme for Belize Archaeology Project's camp was built in 1993 
next to the Rio Bravo Research Station, and includes a large two-story 
dormitory with double rooms and a laboratory (electricity until 9 PM). 
The kitchen is staffed by two excellent cooks.  Dining facilities, 
showers, and latrines are available at the camp.  The nearby Rio Bravo 
Research Station has a library with books and maps covering the ecology of 
the area and a small gift shop.  As archaeology field camps go, this one 
is quite luxurious and requires a minimal amount of "roughing it".

			Costs and Logistics

The expedition costs of US$ 1295 includes all ground transportation in 
Belize, lodging for fourteen nights at the Programme for Belize 
Archaeology's field station, three meals a day, entrance fees to sites 
and parks, and a contribution to help support the archaeological research 
within the Rio Bravo Conservation Area.  Airfare is not included.  Your 
total cost is considered a tax-deductible contribution to AFAR.  Group 
size is limited to 16 people.  A deposit of US$ 400 will hold your place 
on the project.  For further information and application forms, please 
write AFAR at the address above or call 508-470-0840.