ISSN 1870-249X Article Characterization of Archaeological Ceramic from Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico, by Nuclear and Conventional Techniques (original) (raw)
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Journal of the Mexican Chemical Society
Ceramic potshards collected at the archaeological Mayan site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico were analyzed by NAA and data were statistically studied. The ceramics were of local manufacture and from other sites of the Upper Grijalva Basin and Guatemalan Lowlands and Highlands. XRD indicated that quartz, feldspars, montmorillonite and calcite are the main components of pastes. Pigments were analyzed by means of SEM and XRD, and hematite, pyrolusite, maghemite and calcite were identified. A discussion is presented in the context of the Mayan region.
Characterization of Ceramics of the Maya Protoclassic Period in Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico
MRS Proceedings, 2014
ABSTRACTAs a result of archaeological investigations carried out in the pre-Hispanic city of Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico a large number of fragments of pottery vessels were recovered from the period known as maya protoclassic. The most important of this collection was its similarity to ceramic style representative recognized as Holmul, whose production has been identified mostly in the region of the Central Maya Lowlands. This style includes Ixcanrio Orange Polychrome ceramic type as diagnostic type more easily distinguished by its orange slip and tetrapods supports. Izamal, is the only place in the Northern Maya Lowlands has reported a large amount of pottery of this ceramic type. In this study we try to identify the origin of manufacture using X-ray diffraction technique. This will allow us to understand the social and political behavior of this ceramic tradition and their presence in this region of the Maya area.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2017
This paper presents data on Late Formative to Terminal Formative (300 BCE–300 CE) ceramic assemblages that suggest a change in the use of Valley of Oaxaca ceramics and ceramic styles at Cerro Jazmín, Oaxaca, Mexico. We describe the characteristics of 29 dated ceramic assemblages from civic-ceremonial and residential contexts. We present INAA results and chronological trends in the ceramic assemblages that point to a decrease in the use of Valley of Oaxaca gray-ware serving vessels from the Late to Terminal Formative and a significant increase in the use of two types of locally-made serving vessels, one that was stylistically similar to crema vessels from the Valley of Oaxaca and another that was stylistically distinct and widespread in the Mixteca Alta, but rare in the Za-potec region. These serving vessels would have featured prominently in domestic and public food-consumption events. We interpret this shift as evidence of Cerro Jazmín's political and cultural independence, centuries after it was first established. Resumen: En este artículo se presentan datos de colecciones cerámicas del Formativo tardío y terminal (300 a.C.– 300 d.C.) del sitio mixteco llamado Cerro Jazmín, en Oaxaca, México. A través de la descripción de 29 colecciones cerámicas asociadas a fechas de radiocarbono, se demuestra que hubo un cambio cronológico notable en el uso de cerámicas y estilos cerámicos procedentes del Valle de Oaxaca. El artículo describe las características de las 29 coleccionees cerámicas provenientes de contextos residenciales y cívico-ceremoniales además de presentar los resultados de un análisis por activación neutrónica de una muestra de los materiales. Los cambios cronológicos apuntan a una disminución en el uso de cerámicas de pasta gris provenientes del Valle de Oaxaca del Formativo tardío al terminal. Otro cambio fue el incremento significativo en el uso de dos tipos cerámicos hechos en la re-gión mixteca, uno que producía vasijas estilísticamente similares a las cerámicas cremas del Valle de Oaxaca y otro que seguía un estilo propio de la Mixteca Alta y que era menos frecuente en la región zapoteca. Arguímos que estos tipos cerámicos de vasijas de servicio hubieran sido importantes en actos de consumo de alimentos en el ámbito doméstico y en eventos públicos y rituales. Interpretamos este cambio cerámico como un reflejo de la creciente independencia política y cultural de Cerro Jazmín siglos después de su fundación.
Characterization of pottery from Cerro de Las Ventanas, Zacatecas, Mexico
Radiochimica Acta, 2009
With the aim of classifying prehispanic pottery from Cerro de Las Ventanas site, Juchipila, Zacatecas, M´exico, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to analyze ceramic samples at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center. Thirty-two chemical elements were measured: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu,Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Ti, Th, U, V, Yb, Zn, and Zr. Two multivariate statistical methods, cluster analysis and principal component analysis, were performed on the dataset to examine similarities between samples and to establish compositional groups. The statistical analyses of the dataset suggest that the pottery samples form a unique chemically homogeneous group, with the exception of one pottery sample. The compositional data were compared to an existing Mesoamerican ceramic database. It was found that the newly generated data fit best with data from a previous chemical analysis of pottery from the Malpaso Valley. However, despite the apparent similarity, pottery samples from the site of Cerro de Las Ventanas represent a new and unique chemical fingerprint in the region.
This study uses type: variety-mode classification, digital stereomicroscopy, and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) to characterize the paste composition of Late Middle Preclassic-period pottery at the site of Holtun, Gua-temala. The sample consists of 98 sherds including unslipped utilitarian ware, slipped serving ware, and Mars Orange fine paste serving ware. NAA reveals four paste composition groups that approximate types produced through type: variety-mode classification and paste groups recognized by digital stereomicroscopy. The analysis suggests a pattern of production in which unslipped utilitarian vessels, slipped serving vessels, and Mars Orange fine paste serving vessels were produced using different paste recipes. While unslipped utilitarian vessels and slipped serving vessels may have been produced and consumed locally, Mars Orange fine paste serving vessels were likely produced in or around Holtun but consumed more widely. Results of this research suggest the Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramic economy at Holtun was characterized by incipient specialized production, and exchange of at least one ceramic ware. These results advance our understanding of Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramic production and exchange at Holtun, and inform the study of the development of socio-political complexity in the Maya lowlands.
Archaemetric study of ceramic figurines from the Maya settlement of La Blanca (Peten, Guatemala)
In this article, analytical results will be presented and discussed regarding a selected set of figurines from the ancient Maya settlement of La Blanca in Petén, Guatemala. The objective is to characterize the ceramic material by two analytical complementary techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD) and total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). The data obtained by means of both XRD and TXRF were compared and analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques in order to obtain sample groups according to their chemical composition. The results of this archaeometric study have been compared to those that have been obtained through macroscopic characterization by means of the traditional classification system know as Type-Variety. Discordances have been found between the clusters obtained by the Type-Variety classification system and the multivariate classification procedures performed on analytical data.
Peer reviewed by: PhDr. Dagmar Dreslerová Ph.D., Oddělení archeologie krajiny a archeobiologie, Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, Česká republika. English translation and corrections: PORTER, s.r.o., Pluhová 42, 831 03 Bratislava, Slovenská republika, www.porter.sk Mgr. Eva Jobbová Mgr. Peter Valent Tobias Brooks Graphics, layout and cover design: Marcel Križan, SAHI Printing: FINIDR, s.r.o., Český Těšín Cover illustration: Front cover: Preclassic stucco mask of Maya deity from Uaxactun in Gutemala (Photo SAHI). View of the highest part of the site of Tell Fekheriye in Syria (Photo SAHI). Bronze Age pottery found at the site in Budmerice, Slovakia (Photo SAHI). Surface fi nd from Budmerice, Slovakia -a heart-shaped pendant (Photo SAHI). Back cover: Preclassic stucco mask of deity from Uaxactun in Gutemala (Photo SAHI). Map showing the activities of SAHI on three continents.
Mineralogical characterization of pre-hispanic pottery at the Mesa de Los Santos region, Colombia
Revista Boletín de Geología, 2019
The application of mineralogy in archeology has been growing in interest in particular in relation to establishing the origin of the clays used in the elaboration of ancient ceramic artifacts. The mineralogy did not show a clear relationship with the colors expressed by the pottery system defined by the archaeologists; that is, independent of the color of the slip, each group has the same mineralogical components. Fourteen Pre-Hispanic pottery sherds from the Mesa de Los Santos region (Colombia) were selected for mineralogical characterization by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The objective of the work was to contribute to the knowledge of the production technology and elucidate a possible regional origin of these ceramics. The observed mineralogical phases were plagiocalse, quartz, potassium fledspar, clay minerals, micas, carbonate minerals, and iron oxides. Firing temperatures are in the ranges 600-800°C for almost all the analyzed samples.
Journal of Field Archaeology, 1989
The Valley ofOnxaea (Mexico) has a long prehispanic sequence ofreducedgrayware (gris) pottery that is antecedent to the region)s renowned contemporary blaekware made today in the village of San Bartolo Coyotepec. Although generally plain) this prehispanic gris ceramic tradition underwent several significant changes in suifaee finish) thickness) and paste composition. A series ofpreliminary analyses) including petrographYJ porosity measurements) and firing temperature experiments) were employed to identify more precisely the technological parameters of these ceramic shifts. The results of these technological analyses were integrated with distributional studies of pottery selectedfrom more than 1400 collections by the Valley ofOnxaea Settlement Pattern Project. Together thesefindings offer a new perspective on the often-controversial Classic-Postclassic transition in gris plainwares.