THE UPPER ESSEQUIBO RAIN FOREST 
THE TARUMA PHASE 
DESCRIPTION OF SITES AND EXCAVATIONS 
Habitation sites of the Taruma Phase were encountered through- 
out the part of the upper Essequibo River included in the survey, 
that is from Black Water Creek northward to a point between the 
mouths of the Kassikaityu and Kuyuwini Rivers (fig. 79). This 
area has not been accurately mapped, and contains no permanent 
points of reference to which the site locations could be related. Con- 
sequently, figure 79 is derived from small-scale maps plus our own 
observations. Distances between sites in the descriptions are given 
in paddling time. Translated to the map, this gives a general idea 
of the site distribution. Since the landscape is uniform and the 
height of the bank often is not evident from the river (pl. 40), it 
is impossible to describe any of the sites well enough to permit their 
relocation without the aid of a local guide. 
Twenty-four habitation sites of the Taruma Phase were visited 
and the majority were excavated stratigraphically. Additional evi- 
dence on the Phase comes from 11 former field clearings. No ceme- 
teries or other clues to burial pattern were encountered. 
HABITATION SITES 
E-1: KANASHEN 
A small creek flows into the left bank of the Essequibo at the west 
edge of Kanashen, the 1952-53 headquarters of the Unevangelized 
Fields Mission (fig. 79). On the opposite side of the creek from the 
mission buildings is a higher rise, which had been cleared for a 
field. Digging holes for planting cassava and bananas revealed 
sherds, a large sample of which was collected by the Hawkinses 
prior to our visit. The site is on an elevation 5 meters above the 
December water level, a sufficient altitude to prevent it from flooding 
in the rainy season. From the edge of the site, the land slopes down- 
ward slightly toward an inlet 250 meters away along the river’s 
edge. The hilltop, which parallels the river and is coterminous with 
the site, is an elongated ovoid area 90 meters long by 50 meters wide. 
The surface collection was made over the major portion of this area, 
where the sherds had been exposed by cultivation. 
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