Maya sites in Belize saved by joint venture

Posted On: Aug 10th, 2015 at 12:55

Belize
Several Maya sites, including Tamarindo, have been saved from agricultural destruction by a Maya Research Program deal that keeps the sites for ecological and archaeological purposes. The Maya Research Program (MRP) is a U.S.-based private corporation, affiliated with the University of Texas in cooperation with the Belize Institute of Archaeology, that uses its financial might to save archaeological sites for future excavation.
The destruction of ancient sites in the jungles of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras – the centre of the Maya world – is a sad and daily occurrence as modern farmers and locals try to eke out a living from the land. I think it would be even more productive if local farmers were paid to find and report sites, uncover them, assist in archaeological work and carry out any ways necessary to save them. Cooperation is surely the key to saving these sites. Purchase of land by private corporations is in itself a concern, but that’s another story.

http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/summer-2015/article/endangered-ancient-maya-sites-saved