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Article History

Accepted: 6 December 2024

First Online: 18 January 2025

Declarations

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: The research was conducted under the auspices of the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) Project. Since its founding by Awe in 1987, BVAR has engaged with the communities of Western Belize, featuring Belizean directors, indigenous senior personnel, and collaborations with local heritage groups and educational institutions (see Hoggarth et al., ). The Belizean community and descendant Maya communities actively participate in project research, influencing the types of questions posed and the approaches employed. Bioarchaeological research conducted by the BVAR Project has been discussed with local indigenous Maya communities as part of a consultation process led by Walden and F. Tzib. Belizean students received basic training in osteological and laboratory methods during work at the Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography. The research received approval from the Belizean National Institute of Culture & Heritage – Institute of Archaeology (NICH-IA) and passed the ethical review process at the Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography. This study incorporates research from previous analyses conducted under the ethical permissions of these same institutions. The researchers on this project aim to treat the human remains with the utmost respect. Data collection procedures adhered to institutional ethics guidelines and were conducted under the supervision of collections staff to ensure best practices. Data has been shared directly with these institutions, and results will be communicated to local descendant/stakeholder communities in Belize in early 2025.

: The authors declare no competing interests.