The archaeological site of Colha is located in a chert-rich zone of northern Belize about 60 kilometers north of Belize City. It is primarily known for its Maya occupation, although the area was first occupied by Archaic hunter-gatherers probably around 3400 BC.
The Maya occupied Colha for a very long time, beginning with the Middle Preclassic period (between about 900-300 BC) through the Middle Post Classic (AD 250). Colha has evidence of some of the oldest chocolate consumption (ca 1000-400 BC) in Mesoamerica. Stone tool making, particularly obsidian craft working, was extremely important at Colha. There were over 4 million stone implements recovered from 36 workshops within the site core. These stone tools were also exported elsewhere; of particular note are the many lithic eccentrics created there.
Archaeologists estimate the most populated period of Colha's history was during the Late Preclassic (250 BC-AD 250), when the stone tool workshops were in full force. At least 600 people lived at Colha during this time, and the site included paved plazas, a ball court and various public buildings.
Archaeologists associated with Colha include Norman Hammond, Thomas R. Hester, Harry Schaefer and R.E.W. Adams, among others.
Sources
Brown, David O., Meredith L. Dreiss, and Richard E. Hughes 2004 Preclassic Obsidian Procurement and Utilization at the Maya Site of Colha, Belize. Latin American Antiquity 15(2):222-240.
White, Christine D., Mary E. D. Pohl, Henry P. Schwarcz, and Fred J. Longstaffe 2005 Isotopic Evidence for Maya Patterns of Deer and Dog Use at Preclassic Colha. Journal of Archaeological Science 28(1):89-107.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
