KULCHA Symposium Presenter, Dr. Alexandra Biar: Dory & Pitpan: two types of boats emblematic of Belize's inland waters

Ethno-archaeologist attached to the CNRS within the laboratory ArchAM UMR8096 (Archaeology of the Americas), my research focuses on the navigation of pre-Hispanic tradition. I am currently leading an experimental archaeological project, the MAYA CANOE PROJECT, in search of the nautical and technical history of the ancient Maya on the Rio Grande, Toledo District, Belize.

About the Presentation

Thematic Session: Traditional Knowledge Systems - September 3rd, 2021 from 8:45 AM to 10:00 AM (UTC-6:00)

Since prehispanic times, Belize's many rivers have been traffic arteries that structure the territory. Through the use of traditional indigenous boats, rivers connect coastal sites to those inland. I would like to introduce you to these two means of transport, emblematic of river navigation, the dory and the pitpan.

This presentation will share this aspect of my research within the Maya Canoe Project initiated in 2019. I will present their history and their origins but also their formal and technical characteristics to better understand their uses over the centuries. We will see how archaeology, ethnohistory, iconography and ethnography contribute to a better apprehending of the nautical history of the inland waters of Belize from yesterday to today.