In this paper we present the results of our analysis of the contents
and context of a Terminal Classic “problematical deposit” at
Blue Creek, in northwestern Belize, and consider the kinds of behaviors,
ritual and otherwise, that may have been responsible for it. We argue that
the deposit is secondary, and not the result of a termination ritual in
which whole vessels are smashed in situ on the front of a monumental
structure in the site center. Based on analysis of the ceramics found in
the deposit, specifically the number of whole pots and the forms of
vessels represented, as well as a careful consideration of the
stratigraphic evidence, we hypothesize that this problematical deposit may
represent the transported remains of feasting events that occurred
elsewhere at Blue Creek. The research that we present here has important
implications for understanding the behaviors and events that occurred
prior to the abandonment of Maya sites during the Terminal Classic period
(a.d. 830/850–1000). Furthermore, we offer a
methodology for the interpretation of problematical deposits that too
often go unanalyzed and demonstrate that detailed investigation of such
deposits contributes to a greater understanding of Maya ritual
behavior.