THE RUPUNUNI SAVANNA 
THE RUPUNUNI PHASE 
DESCRIPTION OF SITES AND EXCAVATIONS 
All but one of the 89 sites investigated in the savanna and adjacent 
wooded hills of the Rupununi District belong to the same archeological 
culture, designated as the Rupununi Phase. Three major types of 
sites are represented : habitations, cemeteries, and localities of possible 
ceremonial significance. 
HasiTaTIon SITES 
R-2:.MOCO MOCO VILLAGE 
On the forested northwest flank of the Kanuku Mountains, on the 
upper course of the Moco Moco River, is a small habitation site (fig. 
109). Sherds exposed on the surface of a path leading up the hillside 
were the first indication of its presence. Further exploration in an 
adjacent garden clearing revealed that the sherds were distributed 
over an area approximately 25 by 30 meters in diameter, correspond- 
ing to a slight knoll from which the land sloped toward the Moco 
Moco River some 500 meters to the west. Sherds were limited to the 
surface or in soil hilled around the tobacco plants. No other artifacts 
were found. 
R-3: MANARI CREEK 
A grassy hill about 1 km. northwest of the tree-covered slope of 
the Kanuku Mountains produced evidence of a Rupununi Phase vil- 
lage (fig. 109; pl. 53, a). The relatively flat summit of the hill 
rises some 30 meters above the adjacent savanna, providing a vantage 
point with a view toward the distant Pakaraima Mountains. Manari 
Creek runs along the base of the north edge of the hill. At the time 
of our visit, the site was overgrown with bunchy, bluish-green grass 
about 25 cm. tall and scattered small, scrubby trees. The ground 
surface was littered with iron concretions of pea size or larger eroded 
out of the lateritic soil. Sherds were concentrated in two areas, one 
40 by 100 meters on the highest summit of the hill and the other 60 
meters in diameter on the southwest end of the hill, which was about 
2 meters lower in elevation. These two concentrations were about 500 
meters apart, and sherds were thinly scattered in the intervening area. 
Sherds were abundant but occurred only on the surface of the hard, 
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