On the writing front, an article written by Phil, (“Epigraphic Evidence of Macro-Political Organization in Southern Belize: A View from the Early Classic Period”) was published in the edited volume entitled Archaeological Investigations in the Eastern Maya Lowlands: Papers of the 2004 Belize Archaeology Symposium, published by the Institute of Archaeology and the National Institute of Culture and History, Belmopan, Belize.  In addition, to this, Phil is, still in the final stages of dissertation writing and hope to finish soon.

The research front has also been quite busy and active.  Phil, along with two other colleagues (former SIU alum Keith Prufer of Wichita State University and Andy Kindon of West Valley College), have begun a long-term archaeological and epigraphic reconnaissance of an Early Classic (AD 200-500) Maya site known as Uxbenká.  Located in the southern foothills of the Maya Mountains of southern Belize, Uxbenká is perhaps best known for its four Early Classic stela that record the names of several Early Classic historical individuals from the great lowland site of Tikal.  The first year of the Uxbenká Archaeological Project (UAP, funded by FAMSI) was an enormous success.  They managed to map ten major architectural groups and were able to locate two new carved stelae and several new carved monument fragments.  In addition to a series of new site maps, perhaps the most important discovery of this season was the discovery of Stela 23.  Found along side a looter’s pit, Stela 23 is now “officially” the oldest dated stela in all of Belize! The fragment (shown here) contains an unusual and truncated Initial Series date of August 25, 455. What makes this new stela even more exciting is that it contains a possible lunar reference to a “New Moon” that is recorded in modern Yukatek sources as b’iha’an tu ch’een uh meaning “the moon has gone to its well.”  This makes this monument only one of two stelae that make such a specific reference to the “New Moon.”  Though broken, it is hoped that next year’s first season of excavations will uncover the rest of what appears to be a perfectly preserved text and image (as can be seen by the foot just above the text). They have submitted grants to both the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies Inc (FAMSI) as well as with the National Science Foundation and  are confident that they will receive further funds to continue the UAP.  Please stay tuned!   

Lastly, Phil organized a unique symposium entitled The Ohio Mayanist and Precolumbian Research Symposium this past Fall in conjunction with CSU’s annual K’inal Winik Festival of Maya Art, Language, and Culture here at Cleveland State University.   Philbrought together seven noted Precolumbian scholars from the around the State of Ohio to present some of their latest research.  Besides himself, speakers included Ellen Bell (Kenyon College), Kevin Johnston (Ohio State University), Laura Martin (CSU), Peter Dunham (CSU), Marc Abramiuk (CSU), and Sue Bergh (Cleveland Museum of Art).  This first ever symposium was an enormous success and Phil hopes to organize another for next year.   Phil also helped organize and direct this year’s Maya Hieroglyph Weekend that featured noted archaeologist and epigrapher Dr. Peter Mathews of La Trobe University. This year’s topic was “What’s in a Name?: Names and Naming Practices of the Classic Maya.”