Mayan pyramid demolished for road fill

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the demolition of a Mayan pyramid in Belize, which was reportedly destroyed to provide fill for road construction. Participants express their emotional responses and opinions regarding the implications of this act on cultural heritage and archaeology.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express deep sadness and outrage over the destruction, labeling it as a significant loss to human history and cultural heritage.
  • One participant suggests that the company responsible should face severe legal consequences to deter similar actions in the future.
  • Another participant argues that the pyramid may have been abandoned and would have deteriorated naturally over time, implying that the demolition might not have been entirely preventable.
  • There is a viewpoint that, despite the loss, the destruction has provided archaeologists with a unique opportunity to study the construction methods of the pyramid.
  • Emotional reactions include extreme disapproval of the actions taken, with some participants using strong language to convey their feelings about the perpetrators.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the emotional impact and the significance of the loss, but there are differing views on the implications of the pyramid's abandonment and the potential for archaeological insight gained from the destruction.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect assumptions about the pyramid's condition prior to demolition and the effectiveness of legal protections for archaeological sites in Belize.

Greg Bernhardt
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Sad sad sad

A Mayan pyramid that has stood for 2,300 years in Belize has been reduced to rubble, apparently to make fill for roads.
Local media in the Central American country of 334,000 people report the temple at the Noh Mul site in northern Belize was largely torn down by backhoes and bulldozers last week.
"This is one of the worst that I have seen in my entire 25 years of archaeology in Belize," John Morris, an archaeologist with the country's Institute of Archaeology, told local channel 7NewsBelize. "We can't salvage what has happened out here -- it is an incredible display of ignorance."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/14/world/americas/belize-mayan-pyramid-destroyed
 
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The company that did this should be shut down and the owners thrown in jail, along with a fine so hefty that no one else will feel tempted to do such a thing again.
 
Shocking! To destroy this temple was a crime. Too bad any punishment would not bring it back!
 
Probably was abandoned and with no upkeep it would have eroded and fallen down on its own anyways in another 2500 years.
 
Flaying is too good for them. :devil:
 
I couldn't believe it when I saw this. This is an important part of human history...and now it's going to be used as filler in road construction. Apparently this has happened several times in Belize, despite these ruins being protected by the government. I guess Noh Mul was the largest one that has been destroyed yet though.

If there's a silver lining to it though, it has allowed archaeologists a glimpse into the construction of the pyramid. Hardly compensation, but it's an opportunity to examine the construction methods more closely, if nothing else.

Pretty sad though.