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The discovery of carved marble fragments with a Late Classic-to-Terminal Classic period (550–900 CE) elite burial in the center of a courtyard at the ancient Maya site of Pacbitun, Belize adds to the corpus of Ulua Valley marble vases fragments found in the Maya lowlands. Confirmation of the vase's origins by both style and stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis shows that the likely source of production is the archaeological site of Travesia in northwest Honduras. In addition to the implications for trade and political connections between the archaeological sites in Belize and Honduras, the direct association of the vase fragments to a potentially desecrated burial highlights some interesting questions about local politics at Pacbitun, Belize.

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys provide distinct advantages for archaeological prospection in ancient, complex, urban Maya sites, particularly where dense foliage or modern debris may preclude other remote sensing or geophysical techniques. Unidirectional GPR surveys using a 500 MHz shielded antenna were performed at the Middle Preclassic Maya site of Pacbitun, Belize. The survey in 2012 identified numerous linear and circular anomalies between 1 m and 2 m deep. Based on these anomalies, one 1 m × 4 m unit and three smaller units were excavated in 2013. These test units revealed a curved plaster surface not previously found at Pacbitun. Post-excavation, GPR data were reprocessed to best match the true nature of excavated features. Additional GPR surveys oriented perpendicular to the original survey confirmed previously detected anomalies and identified new anomalies. The excavations provided information on the sediment layers in the survey area, which allowed better identification of weak radar reflections of the surfaces of a burnt, Middle Preclassic temple in the northern end of the survey area. Additional excavations of the area in 2014 and 2015 revealed it to be a large square structure, which was named El Quemado.