Hollow cavities, plaster, singer workers, oh my!!!

Before I begin let me apologize for the typos! Spanish keyboard here and a brain totally mixed with English and Spanish.

Well another great day in what I have to consider archaeological paradise. Our excavations have progressed nicely and in Op S we have reached the TBJ (tierra blanca joven) horizon, the living surface of Ceren. You should by now be feeling very connected to our work if you are reading this because I walk each day at 4pm after work to the Internet cafe still covered in dirt as I write to you! So the Ceren tephra is actually helping me type this- we like to call this our washable tan.

Okay on to the archaeology-today we found many hollow cavities in the western two operations Ops Q and R. It appears we have a maize field in these areas. In Op T (furthest east and north) we also have what appears to be a mazie field with a very large branch that was blown off a tree during the eruption of the Loma Caldera volcano 1400 years ago.  In Op S we have the beginning of a maize field in the far eastern corner but almost the entire rest of the excavation appears to be an area with open spaces where possibly activities might have occured. In this Op we have a very clear field boundary for the maize, which is exciting, but we need to excavate more to more fully understand it. 

 

First- we test the plastic bag to make
sure there is no hole in it



We mixed and poured the dental plaster into the hollow cavities of Op S.  This is a mix of powdered dental plaster we put into a plastic bag and then add water to it until it is the right consistency.These will harden tonight and then tomorrow we will clean off the TBJ surface and excavate these plant casts. Very exciting times.



Next, we add the powered plaster



 

Then we add water to the plaster mix

 

Finally we pour the dental plaster mixture
into the hollow spaces and will excavate
these once they h



Please let me know if you have any questions... In other exciting project news, we have a flush toliet being FINALLY put into our house! After years of outhouses with cockroaches, spiders, mosquitoes, ants, giant grasshoppers, etc.  we will finally get some cushy accomidations added to our cinder block field palace. But for now our workers, the tour guides, and the guards at site are having a blast making fun of the gringos who make very good use of the site museum´s bathroom! I´m pretty sure they have bets going on the gringo visits to the facilties each day!



Oh and when my workers found out I will be here for my birthday (July 4) they became very excited and began planning my party. They practiced how they will sing to me and even wrote happy bday kris (their spelling of my name) with the extra plaster. ;)

That´s all for now... but much more fun to come tomorrow.

Chris