Sacred Giants: Depiction of on Maya Ceramics in , , and Belize1

,2 3 CHARLES ZIDAR* AND WAYNE ELISENS

2Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299 St. Louis, MO, USA 3Department of Botany & Microbiology and Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA *Corresponding author; e-mail: [email protected]

Sacred Giants: Depiction of the Subfamily Bombacoideae on Maya Ceramics in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize This study categorized and identified depicted on Maya ceramics from the Classic Period (250 A.D.–900 A.D.). We chose art objects with a predom- inance of iconographic images of Malvaceae subfamily Bombacoideae, which are easily id- entified morphologically and have culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, economic, and cosmological significance to the Maya. Among ten species of Bombacoideae native to the Southern Lowlands region of Central America (Belize, parts of Guatemala, and Mexico), the Maya utilized at least six, which also have Maya names. We observed four or five bombacoid species depicted on Maya ceramics; most images were identifiable to . Burial urns and incensarios (incense burners) commonly had images of trunk spines of pentandra, the Maya “World .” Flowers of ellipticum, a used to make ceremonial beverages, were most similar to floral images portrayed on vessels, bowls, and plates, alth- ough the morphologically similar flowers of aquatica may also be depicted. Plants representing funebris or Q. guatemalteca, which were used during preparation of cacao beverages, were discernable on drinking vessels. Key Words: Malvaceae, Bombacoideae, , bombac, bombacs, ceiba, ancient Maya, Maya.

(FLAAR 2008; Marcus 1982; Schlesinger 2001). Introduction Painted and sculpted images of whole plants, The interpretation of ceramics, including leaves, fruits, and flowers were represented on glyphs and figural depictions, has been at the many Maya artifacts (Schele and Freidel 1990). forefront of Maya scholarship for decades For example, in Classic Maya art and writing, (Reents-Budet 1994). Little from the Maya there is strong support for the identification of culture remains to enlighten modern Maya the breath soul with flowers; the Ahau glyph scholars to the life of this pre–Columbian culture (= lord, flower, sun) appears commonly with because Spanish religious zealots burned most depictions of flowers (Houston and Taube 2000). Maya codices (texts) as anti–Christian doctrine in Plants depicted commonly on Maya ceramics the 1500s. Archaeologists and epigraphers have include cacao, corn, calabashes, and water lilies; used stone stelae, architectural carvings, and vessels also were made in the likeness of squash ceramics to learn more of their political structure, and gourds (Schele and Freidel 1990). We religion, language, and use of natural resources. documented images of Malvaceae subfamily Plants were significant to the Maya culturally, Bombacoideae (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group ritualistically, economically, and ecologically 2003) because of their relative ease of identifica- tion, inferred importance to the Maya, and known importance to the Maya in modern times 1 Received 22 June 2008; accepted 4 March 2009; (Schele and Freidel 1990). Botanical motifs on published online 3 April 2009. ancient Maya monochrome (black and white) and

Economic Botany, 63(2), 2009, pp. 119–129. © 2009, by The New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A. 120 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL 63 polychrome (multi–colored) ceramics, censors, Oliv. (1 species), Ceiba Mill. (2 species), and burial urns have been observed (e.g., FLAAR Swartz (1 species), Pachira Aubl. (1 species), 2008) but discussed minimally, despite common Pseudobombax Dugand (2 species), and Quarar- depictions of flowers and trunk spines of the ceiba ibea Aubl. (3 species). Several species are ecolog- tree () and other bombacoids ically significant and are utilized economically in (Bassie-Sweet 1991; Grube 2001; Sharer 1996). the region (Balick et al. 2000). Ceiba (Ceiba This study focuses on the southern lowland pentandra, C. aesculifolia) visually dominate many region of the Maya, located in the modern forests of Central America (Lentz et al. 1996) and countries of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico are among the largest in the Mesoamerican wet (Fig. 1). Table 1 shows ten Bombacoideae species forests. Provision trees ()are that are native to this region (Standley 1923, abundant in wetland habitats and often dominate 1930; Standley and Steyermark 1949; Breedlove in shallow open swamps (Standley and Steyermark 1986; Balick et al. 2000). As also seen in Table 1, 1949). Pollen and larger botanical remains of they represent the following six genera: bombacoids have been identified from archaeolog-

Fig. 1. Map of the Maya World and the southern lowland region of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. 2009]

TABLE 1. ETHNOBOTANICAL USE, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, AND NAMES OF NATIVE SPECIES OF BOMBACOIDEAE OCCURRING IN THE LOWLANDS REGION OF MEXICO, 1 GUATEMALA, AND BELIZE . CERAMICS MAYA ON BOMBACOIDEAE OF DEPICTION ELISENS: AND ZIDAR

Scientific Name Common Name(s) Mayan Name(s) Geographic Range Mayan Utilization Plant Part Used Bernoullia flammea Oliv. Locust tree, pojote, Uakuz, Uacut Mexico to Manufactures Wood, for canoes amapola, mapola Food Seed Ceiba aesculifolia (H.B. K.) Pochote Piim, Choo Mexico to Costa Rica Manufactures: fiber Wood Britton & Baker f. Food Immature fruit Also: medicine Seed Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. Ceiba tree, silk cotton Ya’axche’ - “green tree” Mexico to Manufactures: cloth, Wood tree, kapok, inup or yáaxche’ - “first tree” stuffing Food Also: ritual, fuel, Leaves medicine, oil and Seed fibers construction Seed oil Ochroma pyrimidale Balsa, polak n/a Mexico to Bolivia Manufactures Wood (Cav. ex Lam.) Urb. Also: medicine and Seed fibers construction Pachira aquatica Aubl. Provision tree, provision Cuyche, Zapotebobo Mexico to Brazil Food Leaves bark, santo domingo, Also: medicine, dye, Seed sapote bobo, uacut, construction Immature bark zapote bobo, zapoton Immature fruit Pseudobombax ellipticoideum n/a n/a Belize, Guatemala Construction, medicine, n/a A. Robyns fuel, other products Amapolla tree , shaving Chulte, Mapola Mexico to , Beverage (intoxicating drink) Sap (H.B.K.) Dugand brush tree Zaccuyche, Chaccuyche, West Indies Floral ornament Flowers Cuyche, K’ux che’ Flor de cacao, madre Used as Q. gualtemalteca? Mexico to Costa Rica Similar to Q. guatemalteca? Similar to Q. (La Llave) Vischer de cacao gualtemalteca? Quararibea guatemalteca Bass, bastidos, batidos, Huyu Mexico to Food Branches (Donn. Sm.) Standl. & cincho, coco mama, Also: construction, rituals, Flowers Steyerm. swivel stick tree, swizzle other products used as a spice stick tree with cacao and for cacao frothers Quararibea yunckeri Standl. Black oak n/a Belize to Honduras n/a n/a

1 n/a= no data known. 121 122 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL 63 ical studies using flotation techniques at a variety palmately compound, conspicuous (up to 35 of ancient Maya sites including Cerros and Cuello, centimeters long) radially symmetrical flowers both in Belize (Hammond and Miksicek 1981). with few to many (Figs. 3a,b and 4d), Excavated bombacoid pollen has been dated to and capsules (Fig. 4e) containing one to many 1,000 years BP (Crane 1996), which supports the seeds often enveloped in silky endocarp hairs purported long history of human usage in the (Kubitzki and Bayer 2003; Smith et al. 2004). region. Ceiba and Pachira are New World genera that The bombacoids represent a lineage of trees have trunk spines when young, but often lose that are diverse in the Neotropics and are them as they age (Gentry 1993; Kubitzki and characterized by swollen and/or spiny trunks Bayer 2003). Flowers typically have five sepals (Fig. 2a), alternate leaves that are simple or and five petals that often curl back revealing

Fig. 2. Depictions of trunk spines of Bombacoideae on Maya ceramics. a. Trunk spines of Ceiba pentandra; Photo by Charles Zidar. b. Copan incensario (K–5476d). c. Seated figure with cape incensario (K–6479). d. Peccary incensario (K–5899). Photographs 2B–D courtesy of Justin & Barbara Kerr (FAMSI 2008). 2009] ZIDAR AND ELISENS: DEPICTION OF BOMBACOIDEAE ON MAYA CERAMICS 123 stamens that number from 5 to more than and Guatemala, whereas many other bombacoids 1,000 and many times have colored filaments. peak in April in this region (Freidel et al. 1993; Petals are showy and often large; corollas are Lobo et al. 2003). Pollinators are diverse and colored white, pink, red, yellow, orange, and include bats, hummingbirds, bees, hawkmoths, purple (Smith et al. 2004). Trees of wet forests and nonflying mammals (Smith et al. 2004). are characteristically evergreen, whereas those of Animals appear often with depictions of bomba- drier forests are deciduous. Ceiba trees reach their coid–like flowers on Maya ceramics (FAMSI flowering peak in January in (Mexico) 2008).

Fig. 3. Depictions of flowers of Bombacoideae on Maya ceramics. a. Flower of Pachira aquatica (courtesy of D. W. Stevenson). b. Flower of Pseudobombax ellipticum (courtesy of G. D. Carr). c. Bombacoid flower depicted on a ceramic cacao pot with corn god Yum Ka’ax opposite flower (courtesy of FLAAR, Nicolas Hellmuth). d. Bombacoid flower represented on a black and white ceramic plate (K–4669). Note crane depicted opposite flower. e. Bombacoid flower represented on a polychrome vessel (K–7610). Note hummingbird depicted opposite flower. Photographs 3D–E courtesy of Justin & Barbara Kerr (FAMSI 2008). 124 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL 63

Fig. 4. Depictions of flowers, seeds, and endocarp hairs of Bombacoideae on Maya ceramics. a. Floral image of species of Quararibea (Q. guatemalteca or Q. funebris) on a cylindrical vessel used for sacred chocolate drink ingested by ancient Maya elite (K–6641). b. Bombacoid–like flower associated with a Maya headdress of an elite male depicted on a cylindrical cacao pot (K–2345). c. Flower of Quararibea sp. (courtesy of G. D. Carr). d. Flower of Pseudobombax ellipticum (courtesy of K. C. Nixon). e. Dehisced fruit and seed with fibers (kapok) of Ceiba pentandra. Photo by Charles Zidar. f. Polychrome image on a cylindrical cacao pot depicting a palace scene with kneeling pads stuffed with kapok (K–5456). Photographs 4A–B, 4F courtesy of Justin & Barbara Kerr (FAMSI 2008). 2009] ZIDAR AND ELISENS: DEPICTION OF BOMBACOIDEAE ON MAYA CERAMICS 125

The primary goals of this study were to Bombacoideae and other plants used historically examine ceramic iconography to identify depic- by the Maya were obtained from various sources. tions of plants in the subfamily Bombacoideae Archaeo–palynological studies have been con- and to elucidate their cultural significance to the ducted in Belize (Fedick 1996). Modern Maya Maya people of the Classic Period (250 A.D.– plant usage has been inferred with the assistance 900 A.D.). Ceramics were an integral part of Maya of Maya healers in the region by Arvigo and daily and ceremonial life and had various forms Balick (1998). and uses. Ornamentation of ceramics was provid- The primary source for locating plant images of ed by sculpting, appliquéing (the application of Maya ceramics was the Justin and Barbara Kerr decorative items), or painting. Incensarios and image collection that is available on the Web site burial urns took the form of large cylinders. of the Foundation for the Advancement of Cylinders, bowls, and plates were the three main Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI 2008) and forms for smaller ceramics. A cylinder was used to the Web site of the Foundation for Latin hold cacao drinks, bowls often held corn (atole/ American Anthropological Research (FLAAR pozole), and plates usually held tamales (Reents- 2008). The Kerr collection contains the largest Budet 1994). Monochrome ceramics were found collection of ceramic images accessible to scholars typically on everyday wares, whereas polychrome and contains Mr. Kerr’s rollout photos, which ceramics were used primarily for ceremonial and captured continuous and complete Maya scenes ritualistic purposes (Reents-Budet 1994). Handles, painted on cylindrical vessels. We also consulted tripods, or additional types of ornamentation were additional sources in the search for bombacoid provided by appliqué and sculpting. images (e.g., Schele and Miller 1986; Schmidt et al. 1998). Approximately 2,638 images were Materials and Methods examined for depictions of Bombacoideae on We identified plant images on Maya ceramics Maya ceramics. as bombacoids based on their distinctive mor- phological features such as palmately compound Results and Discussion leaves, trunk spines, five–parted flowers with The Maya used seven of the ten species of recurved petals, and numerous stamens. When Bombacoideae native to the southern lowland the depictions were naturalistic, we identified the region (Table 1). We list Maya names for six of genus of the plants by comparing the depictions the seven species; it is uncertain whether the to published plant descriptions (e.g., Kubitzki Maya distinguished between Q. funebris and Q. and Bayer 2003; Standley 1930), illustrations, guatemalteca. We observed species from four and/or images (e.g., USDA/NRCS 2008 and the genera represented on Maya ceramics: Ceiba University of Hawaii Botany Department Plant pentandra, Pachira aquatica, Pseudobombax ellip- Families Image Gallery [University of Hawaii at ticum, and Quararibea guatemalteca or Q. funeb- Manoa 2008]). We examined preserved plant ris. Representations of Bernoullia flammea, Ceiba specimens at the herbaria of the University of aesculifolia, and Ochroma pyrimidale were not Michigan, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and observed on our sampling of Maya ceramics. It is the University of Oklahoma. Living plants native not known whether Pseubobombax ellipticoideum to the Maya southern lowland region were or Quararibea yunckeri were used or distinguished examined at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami by the Maya. (Florida), the Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead Depictions of tree forms, trunk spines, and (Florida), and the National Botanic Garden in flowers were represented most often (Figs. 2, 3 Washington, D.C. and 4a–d), with images of silky fruit hairs We based the determination of species native depicted infrequently (Fig. 4e–f). While we did to the southern lowland region of the Maya on not observe representations of bombacoid leaves floristic and taxonomic treatments (Arvigo and and fruits, we noted some fruit depictions (e.g., Balick 1998; Balick et al. 2000; Lentz et al. 1996; FAMSI 2008, Kerr Collection K–1226, K–4546) Schlesinger 2001; Standley 1923; Standley and that appeared to be similar to those of Bom- Steyermark 1949). Scientific names followed the bacoideae, but most likely represented the inde- International Plants Names Index (IPNI 2008); hiscent fruits of the Calabash tree (Crescentia determination of synonymy was aided by TRO- cujete L., Bignoniaceae). Trunk spines were PICOS (Tropicos.org 2008). Determination of depicted by appliqué and were observed on 126 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL 63 incensarios and burial urns (Fig. 2b–d). Depic- and the upper world (home of 13 benevolent gods) tions of flowers were painted on cylindrical where the dead could climb its trunk and branches vessels, bowls, and plates (Figs. 3c–e and 4a,b). to the highest sky (Thompson 1970;Schlesinger Sculpted representations of Bombacoideae were not 2001). The ceiba tree is still held in high regard in observed. Portrayal of the ceiba tree (Ceiba pentan- the southern lowland region by indigenous people dra) was the most common followed by images of who often leave ceiba trees unharmed when forest the shaving brush tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum)or wood is harvested and areas are otherwise clearcut the provision tree (Pachira aquatica); depictions (Schele and Freidel 1990). The ceiba is used in of the swizzle stick tree (Quararibea guatemalteca or present–day festivals and ceremonies throughout Q. funebris)wereinfrequent. Central America (Freidel et al. 1993;Schlesinger 2001;Williams1981). SPECIES OF BOMBACOIDEAE DEPICTED ON MAYA CERAMICS Pachira aquatica (Provision Tree) Ceiba pentandra (Silk Cotton or Kapok Tree) The provision tree or Guiana chestnut also has Ceiba trees can attain 50 meters (m) in height trunk spines and is common in wetland habitats and are characterized by large buttress, swollen in the southern lowland region. A tea can be trunks, spreading crowns, stout spines on trunks made from the bark (Arvigo and Balick 1998) and branches, and palmately compound leaves and its large seeds, which often exceed 2 cm in with five to sever leaflets. The flowers of C. diameter, are edible after roasting (Standley pentandra are abundant on mature trees, but are 1923). Even though P. aquatica shares palmately inconspicuous with comparatively small petals compound leaves with five to eight leaflets with (≤3.5 centimeters long) and only five stamens. regional species in Ceiba and Pseudobombax, the No depictions of flowers were observed of C. fruits and flowers of P. aquatica are distinctive in pentandra nor of C. aesculilfolia, which also has the southern lowlands, because of their large size flowers with few stamens but with larger petals (fruits and petals to 30 cm long), numerous that are up to 16 centimeters (cm) long. Fruits of stamens (to several hundred; Fig. 3a), and C. pentandra are elliptic in shape and up to 12 cm recurved greenish to yellowish petals at anthesis. in length; they contain large brown seeds envel- In Belize, Arvigo and Balick (1998) reported that oped in silky hairs (Fig. 4e,f) that were used by the provision tree was used as a food source theMayaforstuffing pillows and cushions during times of drought or crop failure as well as (Schlesinger 2001). for its medicinal uses for blood disorders, kidney To the Maya, the ceiba (yaxche) was a sacred pain, anemia, and low blood pressure. We tree that mapped out the upper, middle, and observed several images of bombacoid flowers on underworlds, represented the five directions, and Maya ceramics that had recurved petals and stood in the exact center of the Earth (Thompson numerous stamens resembling those of P. aquatica 1970). The ceiba tree was the “” (e.g., Fig. 3c–e). (Ya’axche’, “green tree,” or “first tree”)(Schele and Mathews 1998). Representations of the ceiba Pseudobombax ellipticum (Amapolla or Shaving “ – ” tree as a cross like image (e.g., Temple of the Brush Tree) Cross of ) were common on sculpted elements such as palace walls, stelae, and sarcoph- This species lacks trunk spines but has pal- agus lids (Grube 2001; Schele and Mathews mately compound leaves with five to seven leaflets 1998). The stylized cross–like form of the ceiba as do the regional species of Ceiba and Pachira. tree appeared infrequently on ceramics. The large fruits (10 to 12 cm long) produce small In contrast to the paucity of representations of seeds enveloped in silky hairs as in Ceiba. The the ceiba growth form, trunk spines were depicted flowers of Pseudobombax ellipticum have hundreds commonly on ceramic incensarios and burial urns of stamens and five petals that are large (7 to (Schele and Mathews 1998). The ceiba was 13 cm long) and recurved at anthesis (Figs. 3b associated with creation myths as well as with and 4d). Although smaller, the flowers of P. rituals and beliefs concerning death: Its roots ellipticum are similar in overall appearance but connected the underworld (home of the nine gods more colorful compared to those of Pachira of sorrow and pain) to the middle (human) world aquatica. The showy white or pink–to–red 2009] ZIDAR AND ELISENS: DEPICTION OF BOMBACOIDEAE ON MAYA CERAMICS 127

flowers of P. ellipticum are used commonly for and an elongate staminal column with compara- ornament in Mexico and Guatemala (Standley tively few stamens similar to species of Quarar- 1923; Standley and Steyermark 1949) where they ibea. Because Quararibea spp. were used twice in are esteemed for their beauty (Fig. 4d) and where preparation of the Maya cacao beverage, their there is a long history of medicinal and ornamen- representation on the vessel appears appropriate. tal usage. Standley (1923) noted that P. ellipticum (synonym ellipticum H.B. & K.) was PLANT PARTS OF BOMBACOIDEAE DEPICTED most likely the tree described and illustrated by ON MAYA CERAMICS Francisco Hernandez as Tlacoxiloxochitl or Xilox- ochitl (flor barbada) in his Thesaurus (Hernández Trunk Spines and Ximénez 1615, F. 68). Trunk spines (Fig. 2a) are depicted on Maya For the Maya, the amapolla or shaving brush tree incensarios or censors (incense burners), burial was used to make an intoxicating drink in religious – fi – urns, and other ceramics (Fig. 2b d). Spines are ceremonies such as those for sacri ce and self commonly present on smaller trunks and mutilation (Flannery 1982). Sap was drained from branches of three species found in the Maya the tree and fermented to make the drink. Because lowland region: Ceiba pentandra, C. aesculifolia, of their large size and history of ceremonial and and Pachira aquatica. Of these three species, C. ornamental usage, the flowers depicted on plates fi – pentandra has much cultural signi cance to the and vessels in Figs. 3c eand4bmostlikely Maya and is associated with cosmological beliefs. represented P. ellipticum. Bombacoid trunk spines have a distinct cone shape, which distinguishes them from spines of Quararibea guatemalteca and Q. funebris other woody plants growing in the region. Ceiba (Flor de Cacao, Swizzle Stick Tree) trunk spines are the closest morphological match to the protuberances commonly found on Maya The three species of Quararibea occurring in ceramics. Trunk spines are represented most often the southern lowlands region are trees or shrubs as appliquéd decoration on unpainted or simply without trunk spines and are characterized by painted ceramics such as burial urns and incensar- simple leaves, which distinguish them easily from ios (Fig. 2b–d) that are associated with Maya the palmately compound leaves found among rituals of death and sacrifice. Vessels with spikes species in Ceiba, Pachira, and Pseudobombax. or “spines” are associated commonly with animals Flowers of Quararibea spp. are differentiated (Fig. 2d); lords and gods also appear on these readily from these latter genera by their smaller ceramics (Fig. 2c). size (white recurved petals less than 5 cm long) and stamens numbering 10 or 15 and united into Flowers an elongated staminal tube (Fig. 4c). Species of Quararibea are often differentiated by ovary Bombacoid flowers are depicted commonly on locule number and leaf pubescence type–characters ancient Maya monochrome and polychrome that may not have been significant to the Maya. ceramics such as cacao pots and laks (= hawte’), Consequently, there has been some confusion in the which are plates used to hold tamales. Vessels literature concerning what species occur in this depicting flowers of the Bombacoideae were used region (e.g., Standley and Steyermark 1949; Balick primarily for ritual meals or food offerings (Reents- et al. 2000) and what species were used by the Budet 1994). We observed depictions of flowers Maya. of either Pseudobombax ellipticum or Pachira Flowers from both Q. funebris and Q. gualte- aquatica on cacao pots (Figs. 3c,e and 4b) and malteca are used to flavor beverages made from on a plate for holding tamales (Fig. 3d). Flowers cacao (Standley 1923; Standley and Steyermark of both species are large and have long recurved 1949). Species in this genus also were important petals that reveal a “brush–like” group of numer- to the Maya; flowers were used as a spice in ous exserted stamens. The combination of the preparation of the sacred cacao drink and large and colorful flowers of Pseudobombax branches were used as stirring/frothing sticks to ellipticum with hundreds of colorful stamens prepare the libation (Flannery 1982). Figure 4a make it the most likely candidate for the portrays images from a vessel used for cacao bombacoid floral image associated with a Maya beverages that depict flowers with recurved petals headdress of an elite individual painted on the 128 ECONOMIC BOTANY [VOL 63 cacao pot in Fig. 4b. Other bombacoids utilized biological iconography of Maya material culture by the Maya, such as the species of Bernoullia, and hope they contribute significantly to our Ceiba, and Quararibea, have flowers with fewer understanding of this remarkable culture. stamens and smaller petals. Flowers of Pachira aquatica, though larger than those of Pseudobom- bax ellipticum, are not nearly as colorful. Acknowledgements Gods and animals often are an integral part of The authors thank Marjorie Duncan, Blanche bombacoid flower images and appear attached to Haning, Nikole Zidar, Daniel Moerman, and the floral stalk (peduncle) in our examples. We Mary Jo Watson for their critical reading of the observed three depictions of gods or animals. manuscript. Charles Zidar gratefully acknowl- Figure 3c depicts Yum Ka’ax, a youthful god of edges the encouragement of Joe Whitecotton maize/agriculture with maize foliage growing and Dorie Reents-Budet as well as the assistance from his head. This image was from a poly- of the Duke Museum of Art, The University of chrome pot excavated in the Petén region of Michigan Herbarium, Justin and Barbara Kerr, Guatemala. Figure 3d depicts a crane–like bird the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoa- associated with a flower on a black–and–white merican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI), The New York plate from an unknown site (FAMSI 2008, Kerr Botanical Garden, The Missouri Botanical Garden, Collection K–4669). The plate was 35.5 cm in Fruit and Spice Park, Fairchild Tropical Gardens, diameter and depicted two similar floral/bird and Lindy Allen. We thank Justin and Barbara images separated by vertical text. Figure 3e depicts Kerr, Gerry Carr, Kevin Nixon, and Dennis a hummingbird with a flower on a polychrome Stevenson for their permission to reproduce photo- vessel from an unknown site (FAMSI 2008, Kerr graphs. This paper represents a portion of a master’s Collection K–7610). The vessel was 30.5 cm in thesis submitted to the College of Liberal Studies at diameter and depicted two similar floral/bird the University of Oklahoma. images with a border of horizontal text at the rim. The smaller, white–flowered blossoms of Quararibea funebris or Q. guatemalteca appear to Literature Cited be represented on a cylindrical vessel used for Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). 2003. An cacao drinking (Fig. 4a,c). This species was used Update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group to flavor and froth cacao beverages so it is Classification for the Orders and Families of appropriate for representation on a cacao vessel. Flowering Plants: APG II. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141:399–436. Seeds and Endocarp Hairs Arvigo,R.andM.Balick.1998.Rainforest Remedies: One Hundred Healing Herbs of Silky nonwettable hairs envelop the seeds of Belize. Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. several bombacoid genera in the southern low- Balick, M., M. Nee, and D. Atha. 2000. Checklist lands: Ceiba, Ochroma, Pachira, and Pseudobom- of the Vascular Plants of Belize. The New York bax. Among these genera, the endocarp hairs of Botanical Garden Press, New York. Ceiba pentandra are particularly copious and Bassie-Sweet, K. 1991. From the Mouth of the impervious to water (Fig. 4e). Their use by the Dark Cave. University of Oklahoma Press, Maya as a stuffing material is depicted in Fig. 4f, Norman, Oklahoma. where seeds and the hairs (kapok) are possibly Breedlove, D. 1986. Listados floristicos de used in kneeling pads. México IV: Flora de Chiapas. Instituto de Our observations indicate that bombacoids were Biologia, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México. culturally significant to the Maya and as such were Crane, C. 1996. Archaeobotanical and Palynolog- represented frequently on ceramics. Images of the ical Research at a Late Preclassic Maya Com- growth form, trunk spines, flowers, and fruit/seed munity, Cerros, Belize. Pages 262–277 in S. L. hairs appeared on artifacts associated with everyday Fedick ed., The Managed Mosaic: Ancient life and with important rituals and beliefs. Along Maya Agriculture and Resource Use. University with cacao, corn, cucurbits (squash), and water of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, Utah. lilies, it is apparent that the Bombacoideae represent Fedick, S., ed. 1996. The Managed Mosaic: a plant group of great importance to the Maya. We Ancient Maya Agriculture and Resource Use. encourage additional investigations of the ethno- University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2009] ZIDAR AND ELISENS: DEPICTION OF BOMBACOIDEAE ON MAYA CERAMICS 129

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