Archaeological Surveys

Archaeological surveys of the Iwokrama Forest were first carried out by the late Guyanese archaeologist Dr. Denis Williams of the Walter Roth Museum, between 1993 and 1994, in which various petroglyph and other types of sites were identified along the main rivers and streams bordering the forest. A total of twenty-six sites were recorded, which included petroglyphs, artificial depressions, sharpening grooves, a quartz-toll manufacturing station and horticulturally-associated habitation sites.

During recent consultations with communities on a management plan for the Iwokrama Forest, Iwokrama was asked to prioritize continuation of archaeological studies and to incorporate site protection in the management of the Iwokrama Forest.

With this mandate and following on from Williams' initial surveys, the Iwokrama International Centre is conducting additional archaeological inspections of areas not visited by Williams, and to make recommendations regarding the development of management protocols for the archaeological, socio-cultural and spiritual sites in the Iwokrama forest, as well as guidelines for monitoring the integrity of these sites.

In April 2002, archaeologist Dr. Mark Plew, of Boise State University, Idaho, USA, led a team of Iwokrama Forest Rangers and local community members into the Iwokrama Mountains. The survey team identified two petroglyph sites, located along secondary and tertiary streams respectively. This discovery is important as it indicates that prehistoric Amerindians inhabited the interior forest areas, and engaged in activities that have been hitherto traditionally associated with the major waterways. Of further significance is the identification of an area, characterized by rock outcrops and boulder shelters, which could have served as a location for short term habitation and burial ceremonies. Also notable is the discovery of rock art in settings above present water levels, which raises questions on the temporal frame of geological activity in the Iwokrama forest.

Dr. Plew's consultancy resulted in recommendations regarding archaeological reconnaissance in Iwokrama, and which are presently being prioritized within Iwokrama's management agenda:

1.) A summary of the surveys completed by Dr. Williams will be finalized and published, in order to provide a useful baseline of data upon which to develop the archaeology programme.

2.) Owing to the Rangers' relative lack of knowledge and experience concerning archaeological reconnaissance, Dr. Plew will conduct training/workshop sessions for rangers and other Iwokrama staff, planned for September/October 2002, which will introduce principles of archaeological research, methods of data recovery or site recording, and an introduction to the archaeology of the area.

3.) An archaeological site form will be developed for recording archaeological or cultural resource sites within the forest, and equipment such as tape measures and protractors will be provided, in order to formally document the sites.

4.) Using Dr. Williams' studies, a more general brochure will be prepared on the Archaeology of Iwokrama which can be used both as a guide by rangers and as a source of information for interested researchers and local communities; thereby further instigating and spreading recognition of the antiquity of the human/ecosystem interface, and its relevance for rain-forest conservation and development.