Life in an archaeological camp deep within the Maya Biosphere Reserve requires teamwork and engineering. While the team sleeps in tents and hammocks, a small number of key structures – our kitchen, laboratory, and sleeping quarters for guards and cooks – are the only permanent buildings in camp. Made from wooden posts and thatch roof, these buildings periodically need to be replaced. Watch the demolition and construction of a new kitch, as well as molding a new stove by hand.

SB Camp Renovations: © 2025, Proyecto Regional Arqueológico San Bartolo-Xultun. All rights reserved. Video by Riley Mallory. Filmed on location at San Bartolo, Petén, Guatemala, fieldwork authorized by the Dirección General de Patrimonio Cultural y Natural de Guatemala. Featuring the PRASBX team and Elvira Mendoza Raymundo de Espino.