Excavator mining the structure for road fill

The destruction of one of the largest ancient buildings in Belize is particularly deplorable because the motivation was so casual:  it provided a convenient source of road fill.  This sorry episode highlights a key factor in the accelerating erasure of the remains of our past around the world:  few people see them as having significant value, compared with the practical benefits of new roads, houses, stores, parking lots.  Archaeologists need to find more persuasive ways to show the public that material remains of our heritage can enrich all of our lives — they matter.

Interior structural features reflect a long history of remodeling

Ancient building blocks destined for road fill