Overview

Chan is an ancient Maya farming community in Belize, Central America. For over 2000 years – between roughly 1000 BC and AD 1200 – Chan’s hilly terrain drew the attention of ancient farmers who developed a community, constructed a small ceremonial center, and farmed using systems of terrace agriculture.

Since 2002 our international team has been excavating the Chan site with the goal of understanding the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Maya farmers and uncovering the important roles that they played in the rise and demise of Maya society. We see our work at Chan as an opportunity to build an understanding of the importance of the everyday lives of ordinary people in human societies.

On this web page you will be able to find out more information about the Chan site. Our annual field reports are available here for download in pdf format on our publication page.