16
La Estela 1 de La Mojarra, Veracruz, Mexico
FERNANDO WINFIELD CAPITAINE Museo de Antropologia de Xalapa
MEDIADOS DE NOVIEMBRE DE N MID-NOVEMBER 1986, after centuries 1986, despues de siglos de inmersion, una of immersion, a large and imposing stela A gran y portentosa estela fue recobrada del I was recovered from the Acula River in the Rio Acula, en la zona sureste del Estado de Ve southeastern part of Veracruz State, Mexico. racruz, Mexico. El monumento contiene el retrato It bears the full-figure portrait of a richly at de cuerpo entero de un personaJe rica mente atavia tired personage and an unusually long hier do y un texto jeroglifico inusualmente largo. La oglyhic text. The monument, though dam pieza aunque danada en algunas partes por roturas aged in places by breakage or superficial ero o erosion superficial, se encuentra en un estado sion pitting, is in remarkably good condition. francamente bueno. El proposito de este informe es It is the purpose of the present report to de describir este extraordinario monumento y hacer scribe that extraordinary piece and to make algunas observaciones prelimina res acerca de las some preliminary observations on the impli implicaciones de su descubrimiento. cations of its discovery. Ellugar donde se encuentra es en el pueblo de The site of the f.ind lies at the settlement La Mojarra en el municipio de Alvarado, aproxi of La Mojarra in the municipio of Alvarado, madamente a mitad de la distancia entre las cono about halfway between the well-known ar cidas zonas arqueologicas de Cerro de Las Mesas, chaeological zones of Cerro de las Mesas, en el municipio de Tlalixcoyan, y de Tres Zapotes, municipio of Tlalixcoyan, and Tres Zapotes, en el municipio de Santiago Tuxtla (fig. 1). municipio of Santiago Tuxtla (Fig. 1). Es una region deanchos y lentos r[os bor The area is one of wide sluggish rivers deados de manglares y con asentamientos espo bordered by mangroves and sporadic settle radicos (fig. 2). Mucho de la parte alta de esta ments (Fig. 2). Much of the higher part of this llanura pantanosa aluvial estd dedicada a pasto swampy alluvial plain is devoted to cattle para el ganado, 10 cual ayuda enormemente a reve pasture-a circumstance that helps greatly in lar el gran numero de sitios arqueologicos de la re revealing the large number of archaeological gion. En la propia La Mojarra, un grupo de mon sites in the region. At La Mojarra itself, a tfculos de tierra ocupa el area cercana al lugar group of earthen mounds occupies the area donde se descubriola estela (ver figuras 3 y 4). De close by the discovery site of the stela (Figs. 3 acuerdo con los pocos datos que se posseen, el & 4). According to the sketchy accounts monumento fue encontrado por casualidad bajo el available, the monument was encountered agua, aentre cinco y diez metros de la orilla este del by chance under the water between five and Acula; a una profundidad de unos dos metros ten meters from the east bank of the Acula, at (Nota 1). a depth of about two meters (Note 1). 1 2 3
EL RIO ACULA 2 THE ACULA RIVER ···:-:,··-.fL ~ ~ '\VERACRUZ
• sitios arqueo/6gicos
I~~~. A6aj Takafik.
Cerro .".:;.:... d£. .. :.., ·-i.·.···.. '".:":." .•. :~_ '.. -_'. 3 Cas Mesas
Tres Zapotes•
.. San Andres Tuxtla- .... ~ .... '::,', . -, .; '. _.(',' ~.' . 0l'TE"01CO kil6metl'Os LAyO 4
VISTA PANORAMICA DE LA MOjARRA, VERACRUZ (La f!l.'clra illdiCll cllllStlr d011l71.' 51.' dl.'5Cl11wi6 la ('stela) (Arrow shows di~covcrv site of-tela) 4 .---- 5
.' EI monumento es de basalto y pesa aLrededor The monument is of basalt and weighs de cuatro toneladas. Puede ser descrito como un an estimated four tons. It can best be de ... bloque mas 0 menos trapezoidal de grosor irregular scribed as a roughly trapezoidal slab of ir (fig. 5). Mide 2.34m de alto en su Lado izquierdo, y regular thickness (Fig. 5). It is 2.34m high on 2.1Om en el derecho. Tiene 1.10/11 de ancho en la the (observer's) left side and 2.10m on the parte inferior, y 1.42/11 en la superior. EL grosor right. It measures 1. 10m across at the bottom variaampliamente, yendo desde 54 ccntimetros a15 and 1.42m at the top. The thickness varies centimetros de izquierda aderecha enla parte supe greatly, ranging from .54m to .15m from left rior, y de 45 centimetros cerca de La base. to right at the top, and from .17m to .45m Toda la parte tallada ocupa La gran superfide near the base. All of the carving occupies the del anverso del bloque. La cara trabajada de La parte large obverse surface of the slab. The worked izquierda de la estela estd toscamente acabada, pero face of the left side of the stela is roughly fin no forma angulo recto con la cara anversa (ver las ished, but does not make a right angle with secciones en la figura 5). EL resta de la pieza estd the obverse face. The remainder of the piece esencialmente sin acabar. EL grada de dana se is essentially unfinished. Damage to the stela muestra en la figura 5. face is shown in Figure 5.
... escala 1:20 .'
...... ::. .. ,. , . -,'1 '... I a:....
secciones ....
...... _--...- ...... _-
escala 1:10
".....
area d" dtlli" II/axill/" area of maximum Jamagl' 5 FOTO paR E. LOGM! WAGNLR 6 7
OEseRlPc/ON GENERAL GENERAL DESCRIPTION
OMO PUEDE VERSE en la representa s MAY BE SEEN in the accompanying cion que se acompana (fig. 7), la cara tallada rendering (Fig. 7), the carved and in Cy grabada de la Estela 1 de La Mojarra tiene A cised face of La Mojarra Stela 1 is su espacio mas 0 menos igualmente dividido entre about equally divided in terms of space allo La representacion de la figura erecta y el texto cation between the depiction of the standing jeroglifico acompanante. figure and the accompanying glyphic text. El monumento fue claramente disenado para The monument was clearly designed to ser colocado en posicion vertical, ya que su parte stand upright, for its lowermost portion, or mas baja, alrededor de una septima parte de la al butt-about one-seventh of the total vertical tura vertical total, se dejolisa. height-was left plain. The worked portion La parte trabajada de La estela comienza con of the stela begins with a wide horizontal una ancha banda horizontal centrada por un a band centered by a bilaterally symmetrical rreglamiento simetrico de cuatro eirculos grandes y arrangement of four raised circles flanked by elevados, flanqueados por bandas exteriores verti exterior vertical bands edged by rectangular cales, con lineas, y bordeadas pOl' "lenguetas" rec "tabs." The upper boundary of this band tangulares. La parte superior de esta banda sirve serves as the base line for the figure, and also como linea de base para la figura y tambien como as the lower boundary of the field occupied parte inferior al campo Gcupado por la principal by the main portion of the glyphic text. parte del texto jeroglifico. The figure, in low relief, is that of an La figura, en bajo relieve, es la de un dig elaborately costumed male dignitary facing natario elaboradamente vestido que mira a la de the observer's right. A raised circle appears recha (del observador). Ull eirculo elevado aparece just off the slightly damaged nose of the fig justo al lado de la ligeramellte da'-lada Ilariz de la ure, and a device, perhaps an emblematic figura, y un sfmbolo encerrado ell Ull elaborado symbol, enclosed in a scrolled and "beaded" cartucho curvado y COil abalorios, ocupa la zona cartouche appears immediately in front of the inmediamente frente a la cara del illdividuo. La face of the individual. The posture of the fig postura de la figura estci ligeramellte girada y conla ure is slightly turned with left hand (on the mana izquierda (a la derecha del observador) ex observer's right) extended, holding a similar tendida, sujetando un cartucho similar pero par but partially damaged cartouche, also bor cialmente borrado, tambiell bordeado por eirculos. dered by circlets. The other hand and the La mana derecha y el objeto curvo que sujeta se en curving object which it holds are damaged cuentran danados e imposibles de recollocer. beyond recognition. Desgraciaaamellte, casi la totalidad del tercio Unfortunately, almost the entire lower inferior de esta figura, illcluyendo la parte baja del third of this figure, including the bottom por vestido, las pierllas y los pies, estci 0 biell perdida 0 tion of the garment, the legs, and the feet, is tan danada que no puede ser recollstruida. either missing or so heavily damaged as to El texto jeroglifico aparece ell 21 columnas preclude reconstruction. verticales, las cuales pueden dividirse ell dos The hieroglyphic text appears in 21 ver grupos principales. El primer grupo, consistellte tical columns which themselves may be di 1:10 en las columnas A-L, aparece como las 12 co vided into two main groups. The first group, ...... lumnas relativamente cortas por encima del tocado consisting of columns A-L, appears as the 12 de La figura. relatively short columns above the headdress El segundo grupo, columnas M-U, ocupa la of the standing figure. The second group, totalidad de la mitad derecha del l11onumento. columns M-U, occupies the entire right half Cuatro glifos aislados, aparentemente idellticos, of the monument. Four isolated glyphs, que aparecen en la parte superior de los brazos y seemingly identical, which appear on the sobre el componente inferior del vestido (~pierna ?) upper arms and upon the lower portions of 7 Gt'lIrxc Stuart estdn marcados como V- Y (fig. 7). the costume (leg?) are labeled V-Y (Fig. 7). 8 9
LA FIGURA THE FIGURE 8 L TOCADO DE LA FIGURA estti domi HE HEADDRESS of the figure is domi nado par una enorme cabeza de perfil can un nated by a huge profile head with a Elargo pica u hocico curvado (fig. 8). Pegados Tlarge downcurving beak or snout (Fig. escala 1:5 a ella, ya la especie de casco que forma la base de la 8). Attached to it, and to the helmet-like affair gran cabeza, se encuentran cuatro cabezas mas that forms the foundation for the large head, pequenas (fig. 8 a-d), tambien de perfil mirando are four smaller heads (Fig. 8a-d), also in pro hacia la derecha. Dos de ellas caronan a la cabeza file facing right. Two of these surmount the grande y dos estdn debajo de ella, aparentemente en large head and two appear below it, appar una banda envolvente (fig. 8e). ently on an encircling band (Fig. 8e). Elevcindose desde la cabeza de perfil superior Rising from the upper left (or rear) pro izquierda (0 posterior) hay un elemento anudado, file head is a knotted element which, in turn, el cual, a su vez, estd coronado par un objeto verti is topped by a vertical, pointed, serrated ob cal, puntiagudo y serrado, quizcis un cuchillo (fig. ject-perhaps a knife (Fig. 8f). Originating 8f). Originando del mismo elemento anudado, una from the same knotted element, a rope (8g)
"~, ..~' '. cuerda (8g) se curva hacia la izquierda y hacia curves left and downward, ending in another ..... :..... abajo, terminando en otro nuda yen un colgante knot and a large rectilinear pendant (8h). At " . " grande rectiUneo (8h). Pegados ala cuerda y al ele tached to the rope and the dangling element menta suspendido, se encuentran pares de adornos are more or less regularly spaced pairs of cir en forma de cfrculo, espaciados mas a menos regu clets. The inside (or right edge) of the rope larmente. EI interior (0 lado derecho) de la cuerda, appears to have some sort of cloth (?) at parece tener algun tipo de tela (?) unido a eL, tached, though this is somewhat damaged. aunque estci un poco danada. La parte exterior de la The exterior edge of the rope is paralleled by a cuerda se encuentra paralela a una hilera de cuatro succession of four fish (three completely visi , ' peces (tres de ellos completamente visibles), que ble) facing upward as if swimming along the miran hacia arriba camo si estuvieran nadando par rope (8i). Two knotted bands descending la cuerda (8i). Completan el tocado dos bandas from the ear ornaments of the large snouted anudadas que descienden desde los adornos de las profile, and a stack of similar elements issu orejas del gran perfil can pica, y un mont6n de ele ing to the rear (Fig. 8j), complete the head mentos similares que salen hacia atrcis (fig. 8j). dress. Los hombros de la figura estan cubiertos par The shoulders of the figure are covered un ropaje (fig. 8k) marcado can elementos a modo by a garment (8k) marked with scale-like ele de escamas, quizas plumas, que se extienden hori ments, perhaps feathers, which extend hori zontalmente hacia afuera desde el centro que se zontally outward from the center which is encuentra oculto par el pelo (?) del individuo; y un hidden by the hair (?) of the individual and a gran elemento anudado del cual pmde (fuera del large knotted element from which hangs (off centro) un pectoral can una cabeza de perfil (8/). center) a profile-face pectoral (81). Tied below Atados bajo el pectoral se encuentran tres colgantes this pectoral are three oblong pendants in the rectangulares en forma de placas (fig. 8m). form of "celts" or plaques (Fig. 8m). Desde la envoltura de los hombros bajan dos From the shoulder covering descend " ," ',1.': grupos, a niveles de elementos del vestido, se two separate and overlapping sets or levels of
., , ..... parados y superpuestos. Cada uno de ellos tiene costume elements. Each features a zone filled
.; una zona llma de estrfas paralelas verticales (fig. with parallel vertical striations (Fig. 8n) over . \, I ITOO . - 8n), sabre la cual cuelgan cuatro bandas anchas, which hang four wide vertical bands, sym t~ ::: y . .. simetricamente espaciadas, talladas can bordes metrically spaced, incised with linear bor ,,' " lineales, y centradas par lineas paralelas onduladas ders, and centered by parallel wavy lines /'Nij . 'j (80). Todo ella term ina en placas cuadradas call (80). All end in large square "tabs" bearing .. -:. .", ' . './ motivos prcicticammtc idbzticos celltrados par ele virtually identical motifs centered by inverted " mentos can fan lias de la letra U illvertidas (8p). U-shaped elements (8p). Although the lower 10~ -----:-=~ _ 11 '-.
_-",,_a ~. . •
DETALLES DE LA FIGURA
'. . f' l "'/111 f\'/I\IIl'r !illoSrtl!w,; 1/11' .' ,I" , 9 12 13
Aunque la parte inferior derecha de este elemellto right part of this affair is badly damaged, the EL TEXTO JEROGLIFICO THE HIEROGLYPHIC TEXT estd muy daiiada, todo ella pareee haber sido !IIW whole appears to have been a symmetrical realizacion simCtrica de la porci(JII intacta. completion of the intact portion. The upper AS DE LA MITAD del area del anverso VER HALF of the area of the obverse La parte superior de los brazos .II los IlOmbros arms and shoulders of the figure are hidden de la estela de la Mojarra estci dedicada a ofLa Mojarra Stela 1 is devoted to one de la figura estcill ocultos par la parte superior de by the uppermost part of this mantle, but the M una de las inscripciones jeroglfficas mas O of the longest hieroglyphic inscrip este manto, pero la parte illferior de los bmzos (que lower arms (which bear glyphs V and W) largas, en un unico monumento, conocida en tions on a single monument known from tiene los glifos V .II W) aparecc como exterior a la appear as exterior to the lower part. Two wide Mesoamerica (Nota 2). Enseguida es aparente que Mesoamerica (Note 2). It is at once apparent parte inferior. Dos anchos elementos (8q), CStdll S-shaped elements (8q) are attached to the este texto estd fisicamente dividido en dos grupos, that this text is physically divided into two unidos a la parte trasera de la figllra. rear of the figure. separados pOl' medio de un "pasillo" vertical mayor separate groups by a wider-than-normal ver Los brazos de la figllm estan I//(/rcndos can Both arms of the figure are marked with de 10 normal, entre la parte del texto que esta en tical "alley" between that portion of the text brazaletes (fig. 81'), represcntados simplemcnte wristlets (Fig. 8r) simply depicted as two cima de la figura de pie y el texto mucho mayor que above the standing figure, and the much como dos anchas bandas. Un grupo de lineas wide parallel bands. A set of lightly incised estti enfrente, ocupando la mitad derecha del longer text in front, occupying the right half debilmente grabadas (8s), formal/do !Ill area pam lines (8s), forming parallel curving bands, monumento (fig. 7). Tambien esta claro que, sill of the stela (Fig. 7). It is also clear that, with lelo y bandas, aparece entre el hombro al/terior dc la appears between the figure's front shoulder excepci6n, la orientaci6n de los jeroglfficos en un out exception, the orientation of the glyphs in figura y la zona encima del bmzalete, pareciel/do and the area just below the wristlet, appear grupo es opuesta a la de los del otro, como se ve enla one group is opposite to that of those in the como si pasara "pOI' detrds" dc este liltil/IO. ing to pass "behind" the latter. figura 10. other, as shown in Figure 10. La parte inferior del vestido, [mjo el doble The lowermost portion of the costume, manto arriba mencionado, es irreconstruzlllc. UI/a beneath the double-lpyered mantle noted parte de una envoltura a taparrabos (fig. st), con above, is unreconstructable. Part of the sur las marcas X y Y, aparece parcialmellte il/tacta face (Fig. 8t), bearing glyphs X and Y, ap Justo a la izquierda (des de el p!llito de vista del ob pears partially intact just to the (observer's) servador) de un delgado cordoncillo vertical le left of a thin raised vertical ridge which ap vantado, que parece origillar de/a lillea que defille la pears to originate at the line defining the de ~ M porcion destruida del ropaje, .II jllsto debajo del pec stroyed portion of the upper costume, and ~o 0 toral. A su izquierda, y posiblemfllte a Sll derecha, just below the pectoral. To its left, and pos o~ aparecen areas que muestrall porciolles de ul/a rcja sibly to its right, appear areas bearing por U"U eNg W'J de bandas estrechas con forma de diamallte (8u). tions of a diamond-shaped grid of narrow IT1'§) Pequenos nudos se ven en tres plilltos dc la rcja a la bands (8u). Small knots appear at three izquierda (fig. 8v). points of the grid on the far left (Fig. 8v). ~ ~ EI objeto sujetado ell la mallo derecl/(/ dc la The object grasped in the right hand of ~ . . figura ha desaparecido casi completamellte, a ex the figure is almost completely gone except II cepcion de uIla peq ue('/(/ pa rtc delma IIgo (fig. Sw). for a small portion of its handle (8w). The EI elemento alludado ell la partc illferior izqllierda knotted element at the far lower left of the de la zona esculpida dell/wllumel/to (uer figllms 6 sculpted area of the monument (see Figs. 6 & fuum ~ y 7) puede haber sido parte de esfL' objeto. 7) may have been part of this object. columnas A-L columnas M-U Finalmellte, debe Ilotarse, quc la I/WIlO Finally, it should be noted that the ex izquierda extelldida de la figllra, la clial slljeta el tended left hand of the figure-that which cartucho enrollado hacia el frellte de la figllra, tielle holds the scrolled cartouche out to the fig las unas de los dedos claramellte I//(/rcndas (fig. ure's front-has its fingernails clearly de Q§0 8x). Esto, dada la aparellte posiciol/ haeia arriba picted (8x). This, given the apparent upper del dedo pulgaI' de la lI1allO (desgraciadalllcllte solo position of the thumb on the hand (unfortu su base es visible [Sy J), Crfa 1I11a illversi61l de la nately only its base is visible at 8y), creates a allatom[a, ya quI' ell esta aetltud, SI' ('eriala palma. reversal of anatomy, for in this attitude the y no la parte dclantera dc la 11/(/110 l:qllicrdn, n 110 palm, not the back, of the left hand would ser que estuviera doblada ell lIna posicilJIl imposi show, unless it is twisted in an impossible ble. Esta situaeioll plledc pcsar Sll[lJ'(' la ({It'stilill manner. This may bear upon the general general de la disposicioll dc los elcmclltos Cll el question of the layout of elements depicted monumento, yn que ell /11 eoloeacitll/ del texto on the monument, for a "mirror image" re jeroglifico se manifiesta 1I1/a clam illZ'crsitll/ dc versal, or bilateral symmetry, is clearly man 10 imagen como en Ull espejo, 0 simctrfn bilaferal. ifest in the layout of the hieroglyphic text. 14 15
Las Fechas The Dates
FLanqueando La linea que corresponde aprox Flanking the approximate central verti imadamente aL eje verticaL centraL deL mon umen cal axis of the monument-the line dividing to-La zona Lisa verticaL entre Los dos grupos prin the two main areas of text-are two clear cipaLes de texto-hay dos fechas claras expresadas dates expressed in bar-and-dot, or "five" con barras y puntos, 0 combinaciones de "cinco" y and-"one," combination numerals in the "uno," en eL estiLo de notacion que tipifica el five-place notation that typifies the Long sistema conocido como La Cuenta Larga (fig. Count (Fig. 11). Both are preceded by intro 11a,b). Ambos juegos de numeros esttill precedidos ductory sets of hieroglyphic signs, and both pOI' glifos introductores, y los dos terminan COil end with signs in cartouches which are cer signos en cartuchos que SOil sin duda sigllos de dras tainly day signs of the 260-day "Sacred deL "RedondeL Sagrado, " eL cicio caLelldario meso Round" of the Mesoamerican calendar, with americana de 260 dias, call coeficientes llulI/(!ricos. numerical coefficients (the number accom (EL numero (5) que acompalla al sigllo del dia de La panying the day sign of the right-hand date fecha de La derecha {fig. 11b, parte abajoJ sill dllda [Fig. lIb, bottom] doubtless occupied the ocupaba La porcioll de sllperfieie desapareeida jllsto area of missing surface just to the left of the o 0 0 a La izquierda del eartlleho.) All/bas feehas estrill cartouche). Both dates are also accompanied ( :oJ tambien aeompaJladas pOI' eI coefieien te nllll/(!rico by the numerical coefficient of the day of the deL dia deL "AIIO Vago" de 365 dias. 365-day "Vague Year." La feeha de Cuenta Larga a la izqllierda (fig. The Long Count date to the left (Fig. lla) 11a) es 8.5.3.3.5, la ClIaL en el sistema Clasieo is 8.5.3.3.5, which in the Classic Maya sys Maya aLeanzaria al dia del Calelldario Redondo de tem would reach a Calendar Round day of 13 13 Chicehan 3 Kayab (Nota 3). Ell este easo el sig Chicchan 3 Kayab (Note 3). In this case the na deL dia es lIna eabeza de serpiellte (Fig. 11a, day sign is a snake head (11a, bottom), cor o abajo), correspondiellte a la significaeion Maya y responding to both the Maya and Mexican Mexicana de este dia (Thompsoll 1950:75). EI significance of this day name (Thompson o 0 0 J coeficiente correcto (3) para e/ dia de/mes apareee al 1970:75). The correct coefficient (3) for the Lado del mas bajo de Los g/ifos qlle intrvdlleell a esta day of the seventeenth month appears beside 000 fecha (Fig. 11a, superior derecha). the lower of the two hieroglyphs which intro La configuracioll de La otra (posterior) feeha, duce this date (11a, top right). o 000 8.5.16.9.7, es igual, pero sus jervglificvs intrv The pattern of the right-hand-and c ductores estan precedidos par side glifos eneima de later-date, 8.5.16.9.7, is the same, except elIas en la misma coLumna (uer fig. 14, M1-7J. that its introductory glyphs are preceded by Esta segunda notacion de ClIellta La rga alcallzaria, seven glyphs above them in the same column en ei sistema Maya, UlIa feeha del CalClldario Red (see Fig. 14, Ml-7). This second Long Count o 0 ondo de 5 Manik 15 Pop. En este caso, eL cvefieiellte notation would, in the Maya system, reach a ( ::::J del signa del dia ha desapareeido y 110 es posi/JIe 1I1la Calendar Round date of 5 Manik 15 Pop. In a identificaci6n acertada de la cabeza de 1I1l allilllal this instance, the day sign coefficient is miss que estci en ei cartueho (fig. 11 b, abajo). Segl! 1/ ing, as noted above, and a positive identifica P Thompson (1970:76), tallto la praeticn Mexicnlla tion of the animal head in the cartouche (Fig. II II ~ (y tambien La de los Mayas de las tierras altas) lIb, bottom) is not possible. (According to l: c~ tend ria un venado. Otra vez, sin elllbargo, el Thompson [1970:76), both the Highland f I ,I coeficiente eorrecto del mes aparece al lado del Maya and Mexican systems call for a deer restaurada/?IJ jeroglifico introduetor (l1b, sllperior izqllierda). head.) Again, the correct month coefficient Entonces, La evideneia illtemail/dicaqlle.lIle appears beside the introductory glyph (lIb, canicamente, estas dos feehas de ClIellta Larga ell top left). Internal evidence thus indicates b La Esteia 1 de La Mojarra son tota/lIlellte cvllse that, mechanically, these two Long Count 11 cuentes can praeticamellte tados los delllas ejelll dates are fully consistent with virtually all pios conocidos (nota 4). other known examples (Note 4). 16 17 Ordell de Lectura Reading Order
Para la solucion de esta es basico supcJIler que Central to the solution of this question is las columnas illdividuales debell SCI' lefdas de arriba the assumption that the individual columns aabajo. Esto parece ulla premisa segura, basada 110 are to be read from top to bottom. This ap solamente en la disposicioll de las fechas men pears a secure premise, based not only upon cionadas, sino tambiell en el formato colull1lla the arrangements of the dates just noted, but (mica y orden de lectura de arriba a abajo que car also upon the single-column format and top acteriza a practicamente todos los textos meso -to-bottom order of reading that characterizes americanos del Per[odo Preclasico (Justeson virtually all Mesoamerican texts of the Pre 1986:447, etc.). Estos illcluyell el texto (CI/ la classic Period (Justeson 1986:447; etc.). These misma sistema de escritura) grabado ell la Es include the text (in the same script) engraved tatuilla de Tuxtla (Holmes 1907; Covarrubias upon the Tuxtla Statuette (Holmes 1907; 1957; Meluzin 1987), que es tambien d "pariente" Covarrubias 1957; Meluzin 1987), also the mas proximo conocida de la estela de La Mojarra ell closest known "relative" of La Mojarra Stela 1 cuanto a la fecha y proximidad geografica (fig. 1; in terms of date and geographical context Notas 4 y 5). (Fig. 1; Notes 4 and 5). Dado un orden de lectura columnar de arriba Given a columnar reading order of top to las fechas en A3 y M 10 (fig. 11); y un "6" en The requisite "2" is a abajo, resulta no obsta/zte claro, co III0 se ha men bottom, it is also clear, as noted above, that of J2. EI imprescindible "2" no esta presente. Esta missing, however. ciona mas arriba, que de los dos grupos prillcipales the two major groups, or sets of columns that posible presencia de 10 que puede ser sobre todo This presence of what may be most of a de columnas que constituyen el texto ell su total constitute the text as a whole, one was inten un expresion de un Numero de Distancia, su Distance Number expression suggests that idad, uno fue intencionadamente colocado CI/ orden tionally rendered in reverse order (Fig. 10). giere que su posicion adecuada entre las dos fe its proper position between the two dates inverso. Toda la evidencia disponible indica que las All available evidence indicates that the Col chas solo se conseguirfa si el texto sobre la figura would only be attained if the text above the columnas A-L (las 12 que estdn encima de la rep umns A-L, those above the figure portrayed se invirtiera (Nota 6). figure was read from right to left (Note 6). resentacion de la figura estdn en orden illverso (fig. (Fig. 12) are backwards. De acuerdo con los pUlltOS que se acaban de In accordance with the points just 11). En primer lugar, los jeroglfficas de la forma de First, as noted, the head glyphs in those citar y la falta de evidencia que indique 10 con cited-and the lack of evidence to the con cabezas en esas columnas estan miralldo a la de columns face right instead of left-a general trario, las columnas sabre la figura han sido trary-the columns above the figure have recha (del observador) en lugar de ala izquierda, 10 violation of the usual direction of early textual marcadas en orden inverso en la Figura 12, para been labeled in reverse order (L-A) in Fig cual es una violacion general de la direccion lISU representations (which most often face the ref/ejar 10 que parece ser el orden carrecto de lec ure 12 to reflect what appears to be the cor aide las representaciones textuales formativas (las beginning of the text), and a specific violation tura. Una version fotograficamente invertida de rect reading order. A photographically cuales normalmente miran hacia el principio del of the apparent text order of the Tuxtla Stat esas columnas, para mostrar como aparecerfa reversed version of those columns, to texto), y una violacion espedfica del aparente orden uette (Meluzin 1987:68). un orden de lectura de izquiedo a derecha (A-U, show how a left-to-right reading order del texto de la Estatuilla de Tuxtla (Meluzin Second, what appears to be a glyphic se expone en la figura 13. (A-L) would appear is shown in Figure 13. 1987:68). "phrase" occurs twice on the monument, En segundo lugar, 10 que parece ser Ull frase once in Column R at positions 4-7 (see Figure jeroglifica occurre dos veces en elmollllmento, una 14), and again in Columns Band C at posi vez en posiciolles R4-7 (vel' figura 14), y otra vez tions B7 through C3 (Fig. 14). In other words, en posiciones 87 hasta C3. En otras palabras, assuming that this run of glyphs in Column R asumiendo que esta serie de glifos ell la columna R does constitute a cohesive unit of some sort, constituye una unidad coherente de algun tipo, esa that same unit reads from right to left in col misma unidad se lee de derecha a izquierda en las umns Band C. (The appearance of what columnas 8 y C. (La aparacion de 10 que MCluzin Meluzin [1987:69] calls an "ending sign," in [1987:891 llama un "signo de fillal," intermlado terspersed at B9, cannot be explained). en 89 no puede ser explicada.) The difference between the two Long La diferencia aritmetica elltre las dos fechas de Count dates on the La Mojarra stela is, in Cuenta Larga de la estela de La Mojarra es, CI/ terms of the periods, 13.6.2. Interestingly, a terminos de los perfodos de Cuellta Larga, 13.6.2. "13" appears at position 11 (above a sign re Interesantemente, un "13" aparece ell la posicion sembling a Maya tUIl, which also appears in 11 (sobre el signo que se asemeja a un tun Maya, el the introductory glyphs of the dates at A3 cual tambien aparece en los glifos introductores de [Fig. 11] and M10 [Fig. 14]), and a "6" at J2. ... Ver la figura 7 para el distibuci6n actual de los glifos en el monumento '\ 00 A F M N 0 P Q R S T U 1 0000 000 1~" ~.,t'-'-I. l§OS 1 (Gll~ 1~ 1 '" • ~ ~ ~ ==::l '~ 1~ ~oo,-,11. t1J (£] ~" ~ .. ~ (§@ @§!l ~ ~ @§!9 0 ~ CYVI ~.".. aJ [fff? ~G±8 GJ 5~ ~ ~ 8IEl " 5 GIEJ ~ ~~ 5 • 5~ G sEB ~ ~ H] ~ 5..~: 5 [GtrclJ 5 ii:iD!Ilml 5 GtE r","" 00 ==(iiiiiil..0o r-t:JU"""I ~ 6:IDl ~ G1JC) ' ' ~.. ~ C)&10 ~' ~ ~ 912 .. :~ ~ ~ GEl t:>~~ am (\J"iJl m" 001 ~ ~ ~ G II 10~ ~ ~><: ,'= 10 r-:-:o 10~ ~. GH] ~ ~ 10 ~:, ~ 10 tJ!fj. a~ [05 10~ ec.: ~ ~ ~= 00 10 ~ ~ 1O~~~9~ 10 §W ~ ~2..:J: c:HEJ EDIi3 ·1 ru-u"' ~,'= v 0 = IS 14~ 000 cZBJ .. ~ (/1 11/ vu G ~ c::=:= ttl ~.. 5 lIt.'no~. ~ ~ .~ ~ 15~ g~ ®G 15 ~ o <7fl. fr~ ~ C:::::::J 7 I~I = QQ? . , ~. "'\ \\ 15 pUb (U"Ul ~ ~ "8 ~ 000 0 0 ~ £Woq 00il 45~ @l.. ~ GID ~ ~ -40 ffi ~ 45 GffJ L ~ fUI:i1 ~~ GIEl ~$ ~ \C(,l.~ ~ ~ 35 -35 ~ - 00 C8J 50 qff) bJU6 GIfl 49'~ 49 ~ ~ ffifJ -44~ 510 ~ *38 5lllL? -38 BJ rODos LOS GLIFOS en la Estela 1de La Mo"arra se muestrall aquf a ALL THE GLYPHS on La Mojarra Stela 1are shown here at one-fifth quinto de tamafio actual. La colocaci6n es por co unlllas, como esliill ell el actual size, The arrangement is by columns, as they appear on the monumento mismo (ver fig. 7). Sin embargo, aquellos que esliill mostrados monument itself (see Fig. 7). However, those shown In negative en10rma ner,ativa (izqulerda) hall sido invertidos para reflejar el cambio de form (left) have been reversed to reflect the ad~ustment of actual or en actua aorden de lectura, eXfalicado arriba, y mostrado eIlla figura 13, order to reading order, as explained above and s own in Figure 13. La numeraci6n de los glifos sigue a costumbre normal, con los Ilumeros ala The numbering of the hieroglyphs follows conventional practice, izquierda de la columna p'ertinente, EI sfmbolo' aparece anles de un numero with the ker numbers abpearing to the left of the relevant column. 9 cuando faltanJlifos arriba en la misma columna, como en las columnas N, The symbo • appears efore a number when there are missing ,11M 0, 'toP' Los reas donde estti dafiada la superficie estan marcados por el glyphs above it, as in Columns N, 0, andJ'..:."pamaged or missing 14 s(m 10 areas are marked by means of the symbol ... • CO 20 21
CARACTERISTlCAS DEL TEXTO CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEXT todos los casos. Este signo tambien encabeza diez, 0 cases). This sign also is the beginning ele mas de una ClIarta parte, de los segmelltos del ment in ten, or more than one-fourth, of the E5ULTA APARENTE, despues de una T IS APPARENT from a careful inspection texto. Los pr6ximos, en cuanto asu frecuencia, son text segments. Next in order of frequency are cuidadosa inspecci6n del texto en el mo of the text on the La Mojarra monument los signos ~ y (G1JCl] . signs 6!@ and IGUaj . R numento de La Mojarra, que el sistema de I that the system of writing used involves Los jeroglificos en forma de cabezas, de los The head glyphs, of which there at least escritura utilizado combine el usa de signos indi the use of both individual signs and com cuales hay unos 13 fOYlnas distilltas, representan 13 distinct forms, depict humans (LI, Ml, viduales y compuestos de esos signos. La numer pounds of those signs. The numbering of ele figuras humanas (Ll, M1,etc.), sobrenaturales etc.), supernaturals (OS, R27, etc.), and ani aci6n de elementos, 0 "bloques" jeroglificos, en la ments, or glyphic "blocks" in Figure 14 is (OS, R27, etc.) y animales (R14, 529,etc.). De las mals (R13, 529, etc.). Of the former, some figura 14 estd basada unicamente en la con based solely upon the physical connection of primeras, son creadas algunas variantes inte interesting variants are created by headdress exi6n ffsica de elementos. 5in embargo, incluso este elements. However, even this apparently resantes por medio de rasgos del tocado. Es evi features. Evident is the contrast, for example, aparentemente poco complicado criterio presenta uncomplicated criterion presents some ambi dente el contrasto, por ejemplo, entre las cabezas en between the heads at E2 and LI, and those at alguna ambiguedad. Por ejemplo, aunque el signo guity: For example, although the sign at R3 E2 y Ll, Y las 09 y Q15 (Nota 9). 09 and Q15 (Note 9). en R3 (ver figura 14) toca al signo que estci por de (see Figure 14) touches the sign below it, R3 La aparicion de Iltllnerales, expresada por The appearance of numerals expressed bajo suyo, R3 se cont6 como un elemento separado, was counted as a separate element, based on media de combinaciones de barras y pUlltOS, en la by bar-dot combinations at the tops of columns basado en las otras 35 veces en que el signo aparece the 35 other occurrences of that sign in the parte superior de las columnas delltro del texto within the text (for example, 11, Nl, and 01) en el texto (Nota 7). text (Note 7). (por ejemplo, 11, N1 .II 01), illdica que si los ele indicates that if the elements for which they Una catalogaci6n preliminar de esos ele A preliminary catalog of those elements mentos para los ClIales siruell de coeficielltes se en serve as coefficients are indeed present (and mentos, los cuales aparentan ser los signos consti which appear to be the constituent signs of cuentran en efecto preselltes .II 110 suprimidos, ell not suppressed), then those elements occur tuyentes del texto de La Mojarra, estci siendo ac the La Mojarra text is presently being com tonces los dichos elementos aparecen bajo los below the numbers, corresponding to the later tualmente realizada. En total, el texto (columnas piled. In all, the text (columns A-D) employs numeros, correspolldielldo al estilo Maya tardio ell "Maya" style rather than to "Zapotec" style of A-U) emplea unos 140 signos diferentes en un total some 140 different signs in a total of about 520 lugar de al estilo "Zapoteca" de Oaxaca. De entre Oaxaca. Of the glyphs below the ten numbers de unas 520 apariciones combinadas graficamente appearances combined graphically into 428 los jeroglificos bajo los 10 lIumeros Illostrados (y 110 shown-and no less than four of those are en 428 jeroglificos diferentes (Nota 8). different hieroglyphs (Note 8). menos de cuatro de e/los son lIulI/eros "13") 13s-none are recognizable except perhaps Las formas de los signos en el texto de La Sign shapes within the La Mojarra text ninguno de elias es reconocible excepto quizas el for the sign resembling the Maya tun at 12. As Mojarra sugieren que algunos son "signos princi suggest that some are "main signs"; others, sigllo que se parece al tun Maya ell posicioll 12. noted, it appears just below the number 13, pales;" otros, "afijos" (casi siempre horizon tales), "affixes" (nearly always horizontal), al Como se ha sellalado, aparece Justo debajo del and 13 tuns is a correct component of the in aunque, al igual que en la escritura Clasica Maya though, as in later Classic Maya script, such a mlmero 13, .II 13 tunes es 1/11 compollellte correcto terval connecting the two Long Count dates. posterior, tal distinci6n puede demostrar ser en su distinction may prove to be largely a matter of del intervalo que cOllecta las dos fechas de Cuellta This "tun" semblant also appears in its proper mayor parte una cuesti6n de forma. La manera en form. The way in which the various signs are Larga. Este tun tall/biell aparece ell su posicion (by Maya standards) position in the date in la cuallos diferentes signos estdn combinados unos combined with one another shows a general correcta (para las 1I0rmas Mayas) ell los jeroglificos troductory glyphs (Note 10). con otros muestra una tendencia general hacia el tendency toward "stacking" one above the introductores de ambas fechas (Nota 10). All the hieroglyphs are incised, with a "apilamiento" de uno sobre otro en lugar de uno al other rather than side by side. Several exam Todos los jeroglificos esteill grabados, call general line width of 1.5mm-the same as lado de otro. Tambien parecen estar presentes al ples of conflation also seem to be present, the lineas can un allcho gelleral de 1.5I1/m, el mismo de that of the fine lines used to detail various gunos ejemplos de combinaci6n 0 fusi6n de signos, most obvious being at position Q22, appar las finas lilleas usadas para detallar diferelltes features on the bas-relief figure. In addition, el mas 6bvio se encuentra en la posicion Q23, ently a combination of the two signs which rasgos en la figura del bajo relieve. Adelluls, partes parts of some signs (see, for example, B2, K2, aparentemente una combinaci6n de los dos signos may be seen alone at *035 and 544. de algunos sigllos (uer, por ejell/plo, 82, K2 Y Q5) and Q5) have shallow excised areas. Slight que pueden verse s610s en *035 1/ 544. The horizontal "bracket" sign with two tienen zonas cortadas poco profu IIdas. Pequellas stylistic differences between signs that all EI signo horizontal con dos puntos 0 ele dots or U-shaped elements ( ("UU]), which diferellcias estilisticas elltre sigllos que, seg/III su other evidence suggests are equal (i.e., NI0 mentos debajo de la forma de una U invertida matches the "ending" sign of the Tuxtla Stat gieren todas las demcis euidellcias, 5011 iguales (i.e. & P9; *N35 & Q13) may indicate the work of ( C""U"""U1 ), que iguala al signo "final" del texto de la uette text discussed by Meluzin (1987:69), NlO y P9; N*35 .II Q13b), puedell illdicar el trabajo different scribes on the monument. The Estatuilla de Tuxtla discutido par MeLuzin divides the present text into at least 36 seg de diferelltes escribas ell el IllOlIumento. La configuration of most of the glyphs is charac (1987:69), divide al presente texto en al menos 36 ments, in addition to the two Long Count configuraci611 de la mayo ria de 105 jeroglificos estd terized by a calligraphic quality much like the segmentos, ademas de las dos fechas de Cuenta dates already discussed (which end columns caracterizada por ulla calidad caligrcifica muy codical, or painted, form of Maya hiero Larga que ya han sido discutidas (las ClIales term i A and M, but without that sign)-a total of 38 parecida a la forma de los jerogrficos Mayas en los glyphs, in which the bottom boundary of the nan las columnas A y M, pero sin ese signo), 10 such subdivisions. The longest of these units c6dices, ell la cual ellimite illferior de la forma del cartouche form is arched and the left end is cual hace un total de 38 subdivisiones. La mas (R9-39) has 31 glyphs; the shortest (C5-6), cartucho estd arqueado .II el extrell/o izquierdo cur curved (i.e., P20; 52). This, plus the obvious larga de estas unidades (R9-39 )tiene 31 jeroglificos; only two. vado (i.e. P20 .II 52). Esto, mas el uso obuio de use of partially incised column guide lines la mas corta (C5-6), s610 dos. After the "ending" element, the next lineas de guia de las colulI/nas parcialll1ellte gra (note the right-hand margins of 0, P, and Q), Despues del signo "final," el que aparece mas most frequent sign to appear is GRJ, which badas (notar los margenes derechos de 0, P Y Q) indicates that the text was actually laid out on frecuentemente es GIEJ (30 veces), y solo, en casi shows up 30 times (and alone in nearly all indica que el texto fue trazado en la piedra alltes de the stone prior to carving. ser taUado. 22 23
MATERIAL RELACIONADO RELATED MATERIAL
ESTUDIO EXHAUST/Va del archivo N EXHAUSTIVE SURVEY of the a: San Andres Tuxtto: tato de t'statuilla de Ilefrita (dibujo pM G"orgt' Stuart dt'l oriX;1Ial, cortfsia del arqueologico de Mesoamerica en busca de Mesoamerican archaeological record National Museum of Natural History. material que puede ser productivamente for material which may be produc Smithsonian Institution. Washigton. D. C. ) LE A {l'scala: .67 X ramO/it' artualJ comparado con la Estela 1 de La Mojarra esta fuera tively compared to La Mojarra Stela 1 is out del proposito de este informe. Sin embargo, en side the stated purposes of this report. How terminos de iconografia y epigrafia, una revision ever, in terms of both iconography and epi superficial de la literatura proporciona algunas graphy, a cursory review of the literature rn comparaciones interesantes. La busqueda mas pro yields some interesting comparisons. ductiva naturalmente se encuentra en el campo del The most profitable search naturally lies iM arte monumental Preclasico Tardio de las regiones in the realm of Late Preclassic monumental ~ del sur de Veracruz, del Istmo de Tehuantepec, y art from the regions of southern Veracruz, - del area de la costa del Pacifico de Chiapas y from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and from 691 Guatemala. Estas regiones se encuentran uni the Pacific Coast area of Chiapas and Gua ~ ficadas por el estilo artistico "Izapan" (M. Coe temala. Those regions are unified by the G 1966:60; Quirarte 1973; Parsons 1986; etc.); las "Izapan" art style (M. Cae 1966:60; Quirarte =000 primeras expresiones formales del calendario me 1973; Parsons 1986; etc.); the earliest formal ~ soarnericano (Coe 1962); y esporadicos ejemplos de expressions of the Mesoamerican calendar \:BE a algunas de las primeras formas de escritura meso (Coe 1962); and sporadic examples of some of americana (fuera de la zona de Oaxaca), las cuales Mesoamerica's earliest forms of writing (out Justeson (1986) califica como "Isthmian." Todas side of the Oaxaca area), which Justeson estas se refieren al monumento de La Mojarra. (1986) labels as "Isthmian." All these Late La cabeza grande con pico que'domina el toca Preclassic manifestations are pertinent to the do de la figura de La Mojarra se parece a una La Mojarra monument. mascara utilizada por el personaje en la Estela 11 de The beaked or snouted head which b. epe fraxltl,·"tv dt' (eram/co ,Oil xl(ft'~ lfllfl,xrafa pllr Ge(lrxt' Stuart del (lrIxwal, ftlrft-sia dt'! MuSt" Nacw Kaminaljuyu (Miles 1965:260) y puede estar re dominates the La Mojarra headdress resem tlaf de Alltropt,ltlXla.'I (/ l"stltuto Naejollal Jt' AI/tro· pohWia f Hishlrta, Mex/(lt; dd",j(l por Gt'(Jr,>\I' Stuart lacionada de alguna forma con la "Deidad Pajaro bles the mask worn by the personage on it'scala: aproxlIuaJamt.'I1tt' 5 X tama';tI actllal}) Principal" definida por Bardawil (1976) y am Kaminaljuyu Stela 11 (Miles 1965: 260) and pliada por Cortez (1987). La cabeza frontal de perfil may somehow relate to the Principal Bird mas alta de la estela de La Mojarra tiene un doble en Deity defined by Bardawil (1976) and elabo la cabeza de deidad "de largo labio" representada en rated upon by Cortez (1987). The topmost uno de las femures humanos tallados encontrado en front profile head on the La Mojarra stela has la tumba 1 de Chiapa de Corzo (Agrinier 1960:16) a near duplicate in the "long-lipped" deity (Nota 11). head depicted on the carved human femur EI sistema de escritura utilizado en la estela from Chiapa de Corzo Tomb 1 (Agrinier b de La Mojarra aparece en la Estatuilla de Tuxtla 1960:16) (Note 11). (Holmes 1907; Covarrubias 1957; Meluzin 1987; The writing system used on the La y fig. 15a); en un fragmento de ceramica de Chiapa Mojarra stela appears on the Tuxtla Statuette c de Corzo en el Museo Nacional de Antropologia de (Holmes 1907; Covarrubias 1957; Meluzin Mexico (fig. 15b); y en una mascara de ceramica 1987) (Fig. 15a); on a pottery fragment from con forma de mono, de proveniencia desconocida Chiapa de Corzo (Fig. 15b); and on an un © 1982 JUSTIN KERR que se encuentra en una coleccion privada (fig. provenanced ceramic monkey mask in a pri 15c). Puede tambien haber formado el texto no cal vate collection (Fig. 15c). It may have also endarico de la Estela C de Tres Zapotes (Stirling formed the non-calendrical text of Tres Za c: COL callt':/ta certimicQ dt' Uti mono (escQla: aprt1ximadaIll0l/(' .5 X tamal;LI actual} 1940: Fig. 5; Coe 1976: Fig 4a). Un pequeflO texto potes Stela C (Stirling 1940: Fig. 5; M. Coe en una cabeza de hacha de El Sitio (Na varrete 1976: Fig. 4a). A short text on a celt from EI 1971: Fig. 5), Y los jeroglfficos de la "Piedra de Sitio (Navarrete 1971: Fig. 5) and the glyphs Chapultepec" (Stirling 1943: fig. lOb) tambien on the "Stone of Chapultepec" (Stirling 1943: 15 pueden ser pertinentes. Fig. lOb) may also be pertinent. 24 25
RESUMEN SUMMARY
STE NUEVO MONUMENTO del sureste HE NEW MONUMENT from south de Veracruz proporciona un nuevo cono eastern Veracruz provides some new Ecimiento y eleva muchas preguntas impor Tknowledge and raises many important tantes relativas al periodo Preelasico Tardio de questions relative to Late Preclassic Meso Mesoamerica. Aunque los detalles especificos del america. Although specific details of the ar contexto arqueol6gico son dificiles de encontrar, la chaeological context are elusive, the stela NOTA 5 NOTES estela sigue siendo un objeto no portdtil de origen remains a non-portable object of secure pro venance, and it is dated. 1. EI silio de La Mojarra fue brel'el11ellte l'isilado a l11ediados de a/lril 1. The site of La Mojarra was visited briefly in mid-April 1988 segura, y esta fechada. de 1988 par el autor. acol11pmiado par el Licellciado Oril'e Garcia by the author, accompanied by Lic. Orive Garcia Mora, Presi EI materia! calendario por si solo es de un gran The calendrical material alone is of great Mora, Presidellte MUllicipal de Aluarado; /01111 M. Kesilisiliall, dente Municipal of Alvarado; John M. Keshishian, M.D. of interes, dado el excelente estado de los jeroglificos; interest, given the excellent condition of the M.D., de WashillgtO'I, D.C.; y George Stuart de la Natiollal Geo Washington. D.C.; and George Stuart of the National Geo la expresi6n del cielo de 365 dias y la aparici6n de glyphs; the expression of the 365-day cycle; graphic Sociely l/ del Celltro de llIl'estigaci611 Mal/a. Esla rapida graphic Society and the l=enter for Maya Research. That cur and the appearance of "new" glyphs. Among illspeccioll mostro Ulla exlellsa zOlla COil 1111 largo II/Ollticulo, que es sory survey showed an extensive site featuring a long nuevos jeroglificos. Entre estos ultimos hay dos probablel11ellte Ulia IIlczcla de uarias cOllstrucciolles difaClllt's, oriell mound-probably a composite of several different construc signos de dias y elementos introductorios de Cuenta the latter are two day signs and Long Count lado aproximadal11ellle a die: grados aloesit' del I/Orle lIlagllCtico l/ tions-oriented approximately ten degrees west of magnetic Larga, que ineluyen 10 que pueden ser patranes de introductory elements, including what may l'arios 1i/OIllfculos 0 grlll'0s de 1Il0lltiClllos caCtll/os. north. and several nearby mounds or mound clusters be month patrons. In addition, evidence los meses. Ademas, los datos arriba citados sug 2. Olros IIlOlIUlllelltos COil texlos Jeroglificos desacostlllllbradalllellte 2. Other monuments with unusually long hieroglyphic texts ieren la presencia de un Numero de Distancia. En cited above hints at the presence of a Distance largos sOllllorlllallllellle de la ZOIIa Malia. Eslos illelulICllla ESlela 31 are mainly from the Maya area. These include Tikal Stela 31 terminos de fechas de Cuenta Larga de este periodo Number. In terms of Long Count dates of this de Tiknl (/olles y Sattalilwaite 1982: fi:~. 52); la Estel~ 22 de Nartllljo Oones and Satterthwaite 1982: Fig. 52), Naranjo Stela 12 (Gra ham and Von Euw 1975:2:36), Caraco! Altar 21 (Chase and temprano (ver nota 4), la estela de La Mojarra nos early period (see Note 4), La Mojarra Stela 1 (Graham y VOII EUll' 1975:2:36); el Altar 21 de Caracol (Cilase II Chase 1987:33); l/ tas taNas del Teml'lo de las Illsail'ciolles de Chase 1987:33), and the tablets of the Temple of the Inscrip proporciona dos de los mas claras y completos provides us with tWQ of our clearest and most Palellque (Robertsoll 1983: figs. 95-97). tions at Palenque (Robertson 1983: Figs. 95-97). ejemplos. complete examples. La talla en relieve de la figura nos propociona The sculptor of the figure provides us 3. Por 1110til'oS de cOIll'elliellcia, se ilall ulili:ado aqui los t('rmillos de 3. For the sake of convenience only. the calendrical terms calendario y los rolulos ulili:ados de COSIUIlt/lrt' al disculir el sislema and labels customarily used in discussing the Classic Period uno de los mejores ejemplos conocidos del estilo with one of the finest known examples of the del Periodo Cltisico de los Mal/as. La llalurale:a de la relacitjll ellire la Lowland Maya system are used here. The nature of the re "Izapan" y en esa parte de la zona "Isthmian" Izapan style-and in that part of the Isthmian estela de La Mojarra l/ la cll/iura Maya, l/ CIllre olras culturas de la lationship of La Mojarra Stela 1 to the Maya and to other cul mas distante de Kaminaljuyu y de las tierras altas area most distant from the Izapan zone, ge allligua Mesoamerica, 5610 puede l'ellir dadal'or II/I allalisis posterior tures of ancient Mesoamerica can only come with further nerally thought of as the focus of the fullest l/ por col11paraCiolles /ltlsadas ell 1111 cOllocimielllo Illas «mll'lelo de La anaylsis and comparisons based on a more complete knowl Mayas, que siempre se ha tenido como el foco del MOJarra y de los dalos arqueol6gicos ell la ,'eWla regi611 de Veraerll: edge of La Mojarra and the archaeological record in the neigh desarrollo pLeno del estiLo. Quiza mas importante, development of the style (Parsons 1986). Per meridiollal. boring region of southern Veracruz. el monumento pone en yuxtaposici6n eL estiLo de haps more importantly, the La Mojarra mon [zapa y a La enigmatica escritura antes conocida ument brings into juxtaposition the Izapan 4. Las dos feellas de Cuellia Larga ell la ESleia 1 de La MOJarra 4. The two Long Count dates on La Mojarra Stela 1 may be puedCll ser equimlelltes, por lIledio de la forllluia de correlacioll equated by means of the 584285 correlation formula to May 21. unicamente a traves de La inscripci6n de La Es art style and the enigmatic script heretofore 584285, al 21 de lIlal/o del alio 143 de IIl1eslra Em .'I ,,113 de Julio del A.D. 143 and July 13, A.D. 156. These dates place the monu tatuilla de Tuxtla y de otras dos artefactos, uno known only from the Tuxtla Statuette in mio 1561alllbihi de Iluesira Em. Estas fL'cilas sitliall ftllliollulllellio ell ment squarely in that "family" of Late Preclassic Long Count fragmentado y el otro de praveniencia desconocida. scription and two other artifacts, one frag la "familia" de lasfeellas del Preelasico Tardio de Cllellia Larga, «1110 dates known from southern Veracruz. Mexico, to the distant mentary; the other, unprovenanced. cido desde el area que I'a desde el sur de Vemall:, M('xico, alml'(;s de Pacific Slope of Guatemala, and include the archaeological EL monumento de La Mojarra tiene quiza su la l'ertiellte del Pacifico de Gllalemala. Eslos SOil los lIacimielllos sites of Chiapa de Corzo. Chiapas, Mexico (Lee 1969); Tres mayor importancia en cuanto al desarrollo y exten It is in the matter of the development arqueologicos de Ciliapa de Cor:o, Cilial'as, Mhico (Lee'1969); Tres Zapotes.Veracruz. Mexico (Stirling 1940); El Bald, Guatemala si6n de la escritura Mesoamericana y las practicas and spread of Mesoamerican writing and cal Zapotes, Veraeruz, Mexico (Stirlillg 194()); [I Bali!, Gllatemala (COl' (Coe 1957); and Abaj Takalik, Guatemala (Graham. Heizer, & endrical practices that the La Mojarra monu 1957); Abaj Takalik, Gualemala (Grailalll 1987), II Sail Alldr~s Shook 1978); as well as the nephrite Tuxtla Statuette (Holmes calendricas. Su descubrimiento fortuito aumenta Tuxlla (Holmes 1907). . 1907). instantaneamente Los ejempLos existentes de esta ment holds perhaps its greatest importance. Estas fecilas (exelllyew!o recollslrllcciolles cllesliolla/lles) SOil In chronological order. the most secure of those dates escritura, de mitad del sigLo segundo, casi en siete Its fortuitous discovery at once increases the conlO siguell: are as follows: veces. Por otra parte el tamano extraordinario de existing sample of this mid-second century ESlela2 de Chial'a de Cor:o: (7.16.)3.213 16 BOI 16 XulJ Chiapa de Corzo Stela 2: (7.16.)3.2.13 (6 Ben 16 Xul) este texto proporciona una base de datos sin prece script almost sevenfold. Moreover, the sheer ESlela C de Tres Zapotes: 7.16.6.16.18 6 Et:llall (j Uo) Tres Zapotes Stela C: 7.16.6.16.186 Etznab (IUo) dentes para eL anaLisis de la estructura y patr6n de length of this text provides an unprecedented ESlela 1 de EI Baul: 7.19.7.8.1212 E/' 10 Mllall) El Bald Stela 1: 7.19.7.8.12 12 Eb (0 Muan) data base for the analysis of the structure and ESlela 5 de Abaj Takalik: 8.(2.)2.10.5 (7 Clticcilall 18 Uo) Abaj Takalik Stela 5: 8.(2.)2.10.5 (7 Chicchan 18 Uo) esta escritura. Se espera que La aplicaci6n de analisis Abaj Takalik Stela 5: 8.4.5.17.11 (7 Chuen 14 Kayab) pattern of that script. It is hoped that the ap Estela 5 de Aba; Taknlik: 8.4.5.17.11 17 Ciluell 14 Kaya/ I ) lingUisticos aL problema resulte pravechosa para Estela 1 de La Mojarra: 8.5.3.3.5 13 Chicchan 3 (Kayab) La Mojarra Stela 1: 8.5.3.3.5 13 Chicchan 3 (Kayab) ayudar a reconstruir tanto La cultura como las plication of linguistic analysis to the problem Estela 1 de La Mojarra: 8.5.16,9.7 (5) Manik 15 (Pop) La Mojarra Stela 1: 8.5.16.9.7 (5) Manik 15 (Pop) dinamicas culturaLes de un capitulo importante del will prove profitable in helping to reconstruct Eslaluilla de Tuxlla: 8.6.2.4.17 8 (Cal'all 0 Kallkill) Tuxtla Statuette: 8.6.2.4.178 (Caban) (0 Kankin) both the culture and the cultural dynamics of pasado arqueol6gico de Mesoamerica. Todas las feellas soialadas es!till marcadas por IIIIa allsellcia de All the Preclassic Long Count dates from those sites are an important chapter in the archaeological jeroglificos de los I'eriodos, ulla I'rdctica qlle colllillU6 ell d Periodo marked by an absence of period glyphs-a practice that carried SL:BMITIED NOVEMBER 1987; Cltisico del Cerro de las Mesas, Vcrt/au: (Slir/illg 1943, 1965; Coc into the Classic Period at Cerro de las Mesas, Veracruz (Stirling REVISED JUNE 1988 past of Mesoamerica. 1965,elc.). 1943, 1965; Coe 1965, etc.). 26 27
5. La Estatuilla de Tuxtla, una pequena figura de nefrita que se en 5. The famed Tuxtla Statuette, now in the collections of the BIBLIOGRAFIA cuentra actualmente en la coleccion del Museo Nacional de Historia National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Insti Natural de la Smithsonian Institution, en Washington, D.C., tution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (catalog number 222579), E.E.U.U., (cattilogo numero 222579), fue descubierta cerea de San was plowed up near San Andres Tuxtla, Veracruz, sometime LIST OF REFERENCES Andres Tuxtla, Veracruz, en 1902, y publicada par primera vez par before June 4, 1902 (Mason letter of that date in the files of the William Henry Holmes (1907). La figura de 15.8 cms. de alto, es la Division of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, published representacion de un ser antropomorfico can pica de pato, cuyas partes by William Henry Holmes [1907)). The figure, 15.8cm high, is frontal, laterales y trasera estan grabadas COil UII total de 68 the anthropomorphic representation of a being with a duck jeroglificos (MeLuzin 1987). Entre elias hay ulla Cuenta Larsa equi/, bill, the front, sides, and back of which are incised with a total AGRINIER, PIERRE HOLMES, W. H. alente al ana 162 de nuestra Era, justa menas de seis alios desplles de la of 68 hieroglyphs (Meluzin 1987). The inscription includes a 1960 The Carved Human Femurs from Tomb 1, Chiapa de 1907 On a Nephrite Statuette from San Andres TuxtIa, Vera posterior de las dos fechas en la estela de La MOJarra . Long Count date equal to the year 162 of the Christian Era, just Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico. Papers of the New World Cruz, Mexico. American Anthropologist 9: 691-701. less than six years after the later of the two dates on La Mojarrd Archaeological Foundation, no. 9 [publication no. Stela 1. 5]. Orinda, California. JONES, CHRISTOPHER, AND LINTON SATIERTHWAITE 1982 The Monuments and Inscriptions of Tikal: The Carved 6. Los jeroglificos en los brazos y delalltal frontal de la figura (fig. 8), 6. The glyphs on the arms and lower front of the figure (Fig. BARDAWIL, LAWRENCE W. Monuments. Illustrations by William R. Cae. Univer quiztis el nombre a cargo del individuo, tiellell ulla idelltiea colltrap 7, V-Y), perhaps the name or office of the individual, have an 1976 The Principal Bird Deity in Maya Art: An Iconographic sity Museum Monograph 44, TikaJ Report no. 33, part artida en la posicion 'P39 (fig. 14), pero de nllevo, half ulla iIH'ersioll identical counterpart at position 'P39 (Fig. 14), but again, there Study of Form and Meaning. En The Art, Iconography, co/~mlla A. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The University Muse entre los asociadas conla figura .II los del texto de la de la mallO is a reversal between those associated with the figure and that and Dynastic History of Palenque, Part Ill, editado por um, University of Pennsylvania. derecha. Este ultimo punta conduce a la especulacioll de qlle IlO Ii in the right-hand column text. The last point leads to the spec Merle Greene Robertson, paginas 195-209. Pebble nicamente el texto sabre la figura, sillo tambien la propia figura, par ulation that not only the text above the figure, but the figure it Beach, California: Pre-Columbian Art Research and JUSTESON, JOHN S. alguna razon conocida ullieamente par los que hicierol/ ell/lOIIUIIIClltO, self, for some reason known only to the makers of the monu the Robert Louis Stevenson School. (Tercera mesa re 1986 The Origin of Writing Systems: Preclassic puede estar tambien illllertida ell relacioll Call el texto que oellpa la ment, may also be reversed in relation to the text which occu donda de Palenque) Mesoamerica. World Archaeology 17(3): 437-458. mitad derecha del bloque. Una situaeioll tall illusllal jllstifiearla la eOIl pies the right half of the slab. Such an unusual situatiQ,n would figuracion anatomicamente imposible de la IIlt/110 extelldida de la fig also explain the anatomically impossible configuration of the CHASE, ARLEN F., Y DIANE Z. CHASE ura, mencionada arriba. En resumell, si se dil,ide la eara de la Estela 1 figure's extended hand, noted above. In short, if the face of La 1987 Investigations At The Classic Maya City of Caracol, Belize: LEE, THOMAS A. Papers deLa Mojarra par su eje lIertical, .II se illllierte lillicamellte la parte Mojarra Stela 1 is divided along its vertical axis, and if the left 1985-1987. Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute, 1969 The Artifacts of Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico. of the New World Archaeological Foundation, no. 26. izquierda (pero incluyendo la totalidad de la IllallO extelldida), el re portion (but including the extended hand of the figure) is re Monograph 3. San Francisco, California. sultado mostraria Ulltextoculltilluode izquiada aderecha .II IIIIa figllra versed, the result would reveal a continuous left-to-right text; Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University. anatomicamellte logica miralldo hacia la izqllierda. CUll ellatra and an anatomically logical figure facing left, with four COE, M,CHAEL D. jeroglificos correctamente orielltados ell sus /Jrazos .II ropa. correctly-oriented glyphs on his arms and costume. 1957 Cycle 7 Monuments in Middle America: A Recon MELUZIN, SYLVIA sideration. American Anthropologist 59: 597-611. 1987 The Tuxtla Statuette: An Internal Analysis of its Writ 7. Una situacion similar es citada par Meluzill (1987: Fig. 7) ell el 7. A similar situation is cited by Meluzin (1987: Fig. 7) in the 1962 Mexico. New York: Frederick A. Praeger. ing System. En The Periphery of the Southeastern Classic texto de la Estatuilla de Tuxtla. Tuxtla Statuette text. 1965 Archaeological Synthesis of Southern Veracruz and Maya Realm, editado por Gary W. Pahl, paginas 68 Tabasco. En Handbook of Middle American Indians, 113. Los Angeles, California: UCLA Latin American Center. 8. Can todo esto, debe ser recordado qlle este ejemplo, tall grallde 8. With all these counts it must be remembered that this sam editado por Robert Wauchope, tomo 3, paginas 679 715. Austin: University of Texas Press. como es, tiene unos 20 0 25 sigllos 0 compllestos jeraslificus perdidos ple, as large as it is, has an estimated 20 to 25 signs or glyphic (vel' figura 14). compounds missing (see Figure 14). 1966 The Maya. New York: Frederick A. Praeger. (otras MILES, SUZANNE W. ediciones en 1980, 1984, Y 1987) 1965 Sculpture of the Guatemala-Chiapas Highlands and 9. Las cabezas ell L1, 09, .II Q15 aparecell cumo partes de la misma 9. The heads at Ll, 09, and QI5 appear as parts of the same 1976 Early Steps in the Evolution of Maya Writing. En Pacific Slopes, and Associated Hieroglyphs. En cadena de tres glifos, sielldo la ullica diferellcia e/ elt'llimto del toeado chain of three glyphs, the sole difference being that of the front Origins of Religious Art and Iconography in Preclassic Handbook of Middle American Indians, editado por Robert [rontal. En L1 (como en E2) ese e/emento es lllia especie de diamallle headdress element: At Ll (as at E2) that element is a sort of Mesoamerica, editado por Henry B. Nicholson, paginas Wauchope, tomo 2, paginas 237-275. Austin: Univer encerrado en matro pUlltas, ulla cOllfiguraciollllista 110 solo ell los sig diamond within four dots, a configuration seen not only in the 107-122. Los Angeles, California: UCLA Latin Sity of Texas Press. nos en C2 y R6, S;'IO tambiell en la mitad de la represelltaeitjll de la signs at C2 and R6, but also in half-depiction on the profile American Center. cabeza de perfil en la parte superior fro IItal de/tocado de la figllra re head at top front of the headdress of the figure shown on the NAVARRETE, CARLOS presentada en la estela (fig. 8b). i Pod ria el jeroglificode ealleza mareada stela (Fig. 8b). Could the head glyph so marked be a referent to CORTEZ, CONSTANCE 1971 Algunas piezas Olmecas de Chiapas y Guatemala. asi ser una referencia a la figura 7 the figure? 1986 The Principal Bird Deity in Preclassic and Early Classic Anales de Antropologia 8: 69-82. Mexico: Instituto de Maya Art. Manuscrito de la tesis presentado a la fa Investigaciones Hist6ricas, Universidad Nacional 10. Las otras seis apariciones de este sigllo ell el textollo plledell sa 10. The six other occurrences of this sign in the text cannot vet cultad de la Universidad de Texas en Austin. Aut6noma de Mexico. explicadas todavia. be explained. CovARRUBIAS, M,GUEL PARSONS, LEE ALLEN 1957 Indian Art of Mexico and Central America. New York: 11. Un monumento conocido solo COIl origm ell cl area gmeral de 11. A monument known only to be "from the area of Alvara 1986 The Origins of Maya Art: Monumental Stone Sculpture of Alvarado, que se encuentra actualmelile ell exhi/Jieioll ell e/ Mllseo de do," now on display in the Xalapa Museum mav be of the same Alfred A. Knopf. Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala, and the Southern Pacific Coast. Xalapa, puede ser del mismo periodo. Represmta IIIIt/ figura de pie, period. It depicts a standing figure facing the observer's left. Studies in Pre-Columbian Art and Archaeology, no 28. GRAHAM, IAN, Y ERIC VON Euw mirando hacia la izquierda del obserllador. slljetalldo 1111 obJeto pareci holding an object resembling that on the Ld Mojarra piece. In Washington, D. c.: Dumbarton Oaks. do al de la pieza de La MOJarra. Ademas, la colocacitill de la fisura ell addition, the location of the figure in relation to the surround 1975 Corpus of Maya Hierogtyphic Inscriptions, Volume 2, Part relacion con la zona circundal/te de la cara deimOlll/mellto reCl/erda a ing area of the monument face recalls that of La Mojarra Stela I. 1: Naranjo. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Peabody Mu la de la estela de La Mojarra. POI' desgracia, la sllpaficie de esta pieza Unfortunately, the surface of that piece is eroded so that it is seum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard Uni QUIRARTE, JACINTO 1973 Izapan Art Style: A Study of its Form and Meaning. estti tan erosionada que resulta imposible determillar si alg II lIa l'CZ ex impossible to determine whether or not a text was ever pre versity. Studies in Pre-Columbian Art and Archaeology, no. istio un texto alii. sent. 10. Washington, D. c.: Dmbarton Oaks. GRAHAM, JOHN A., R. F. HEIZER, Y E. M. SHOOK 1978 Abaj Takalik 1976: Exploratory Investigations. En Studies in Ancient Mesoamerica, lll, editado por John A. ROBERTSON, MERLE GREENE Graham, paginas 85-110. Contributions of the Univer 1983 The Sculpture of Patenque. Volume 1: The Temple of the sity of California Archaeological Research Facility, no. Inscriptions. Princeton, N. J.: Princeton University 36. Berkeley, California. Press. 28 29
STIRLING, MATTHEW W. 1965 Monumental Sculpture of Southern Veracruz and 1940 An Initial Series from Tres Zapotes, Vera Cruz, Mexico. Tabasco. En Handbook of Middle American Indians, edita Mexican Archaeology Series, vol. 1, no. 1. Washing do por Robert Wauchope, tomo 2, paginas 716-738. ton, D. c.: National Geographic Society. (la unica Austin: University of Texas Press. publicaci6n en la serie) 1943 Stone Monuments of Southern Mexico. Smithsonian In THOMPSON, J. ERIC S. stitution, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 138. 1970 Maya Hieroglyphic Writing: Introduction. Norman: Uni Notes on the Rubbing of the La Mojarra Stela Washington, D. c.: Government Printing Office. versity of Oklahoma Press.
JOHN M. KESHISHIAN, M. D.
My purpose in making the rubbing of La Mojarra Stela 1 was to provide a portable version of the content of the monument that would accurately reflect both the linear configurations and the areal re lationships of the figure, the hieroglyphic text, and other features of the worked surface. 1 The re sult-along with the hundreds of photographs taken by E. Logan Wagner-provided both the general framework and specific details for the drawings in this report. The rubbing was made on April 13, 1988, at the Museum of Anthropology of Xalapa with the per Nota del Autor mission and cooperation of Director Fernando Winfield Capitaine, and with the assistance of various members of his staff. The technique employed was a modification of the traditional Chinese wet-paper ESTOY EN DEUDA con varias personas, cuyo apoyo y colaboracion han servido para estimular mi trabajo: technique, and the work was done under virtually ideal physical conditions. 2 Beatriz de La Fuente y Ruben Bonifaz Nuno, de la Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; de la Fuente por el The physical character of the stone-basalt with a pitted surface-dictated the choice of paper to be interes en analizar ellegado prehispanico desde una perspectiva iconografica buscando ellenguaje propio de las civili used, for it had to be neither too thick nor too thin, and able to easily mold itself to the surface in order to zaciones mesoamericanas; a Bonifaz Ie agradezco el habenne ensenado a ver los trazos y relieves desde otra optica mas provide an image of appropriate sharpness. For this I tested several varieties, and chose a thin, laid mul fascinante y nueva para mi que ha facilitado enormemente la investigacion; Mimi Crossley de Rice University; E. berry paper manufactured by the Komura Paper Company of Kobe, Japan. The thinness of this paper Logan Wagner de Austin, Texas; Wilbur E. Garrett y George Stuart de la National Geographic Society; y David proved the key factor for the amount of detail desired, though that very quality renders it very fragile and Stuart de Princeton University. Tambien a ]. B. Johnson; Antonio Rumayor Mendez; Miguel Osorio Aguilar; subject to tearing. When dry, this paper has the general character of strong tissue paper. I used two layers Marco Antonio Reyes Lopez; Manuel Lopez Fierro; Ricardo Ortega Basurto; Hector Cuevas del Museo de for each section of the rubbing so that none of the pigment would reach the surface of the monument. Antropologia de la Universidad Veracruzana; Linda Schele de/a University ofTexas. Y tambien mi esposa Ana Maria I began with the relief of the figure since that area-in contrast to the incised glyphs-possessed Reyes Escobar y mis hijos Fernando, Martin y Ana Maria, quienes sacrificaran muchas horas par este proyecto. various levels of worked surface, and thus more potential problems. First the (doubled) paper was care-
05 30 31
fully placed on the surface of the monument, covering the desired rectangle, and moistened with water from a plastic spray bottle. The proper amount of moisture for effective results is difficult to formulate with any precision; suffice it to say that it must be enough so that the paper begins to mold itself to the underlying surface, providing a clear outline of the features on that surface. 3 As the paper began to dry in place, I began to gently tamp it with what can best be described as a slow but firm "pounding" ac tion-this to complete the pressing of the paper into the details (lines, crevices, etc.) of the sculpture. A thick layer of felt tapped with a very light rubber mallet works well, but in this case I used a tight cylindri al roll of felt batting, two or three inches in diameter, to force the paper as deeply as possible into the depths of the carving. Also, I worked from the center of the rectangle of paper outward toward the edges. This not only helped assure that the paper would stay in place, but also minimized the problems caused by air that might become trapped beneath the paper, causing bubbles. When the paper, clinging to the details of the sculpture as closely as possible, had dried to the point at which the ink would not spread by capillary action, the actual application of the pigment was begun.4 For this stage, I used "daubers" made from squares of Italian necktie silk into the centers of which had been placed a few thicknesses of surgical gauze wadding. With the corners drawn together, twisted, and taped, a small, firm bag-like implement is created. The taped portion forms an effective handle for grasp ing, and the bottom becomes a smooth convex surface with just enough balance between firmness and
Nl-7
5cale 1:1 32 33
scale 1:1
.,
, ,.
t ?
". " ..~~ ; . ... '. ;""e. ~'. '-
,'0 , ;
.....
resilience to act as an ideal inking surface. In anticipation of the rubbing of the La Mojarra monument, around 20 of these daubers had been made. At this point, a few cubic centimeters of pigment-l prefer black architect's India ink by Pelikan, sometimes thickened with finely ground stick ink-were placed in a shallow glass container. I used a "master" dauber to dip into the ink dish, then transferred the pigment evenly over the smooth surfaces of two others, which were used for the application of the ink to the paper on the monument. Working with quick but gentle wrist action, I used the inked daubers, one at a time. This action more a "stamping" than a "rubbing" motion-proceeded so that one contiguous area or one complete feature of the sculpture was covered at a time. (It is usually advisable to work from one corner into the rectangle). When all the features of the sculpture in any given section had been inked in this manner, the paper was left in place until it was completely dry. The rubbing of La Mojarra Stela I took approximately eight hours, and was done in six sections of varying size. The original is now at the ational Geographic Society, Washington, D. c., and a full-size copy has been made for the Museum of Anthropology of Xalapa. The accompanying illustrations, including the use of the rubbing as a "negative" (p. 35), show that rubbings possess qualities which perfectly complement the photographic record, and that together the two can help in providing the optimum documentation of a monument such as La Mojarra Stela 1. 5 M8-11 scale L I N'i-lb RUBBING OF THE FIGURE 1:4 NEGATIVE IMAGE OF THE RUBBING 36
NOTES LIST OF REFERENCES
1 In some cases where relief is unusually high, the flattening out of ANDREWS IV, E. WYLLYS the finished rubbing illtroduces some areal distortion. 111 this installCe, 1943 The Archaeology of Southwestern Campeche. fortunately, that distortion proved to be negligible. Contributions to American Archaeology and History, no. 40. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Pub. 546. 2 A useful popular accowlt of the methods and materials involved in Washington, D. C. the wet paper technique is that by KellIleth Starr ill the December 1957 Chicago Natural History Museum Bulletin (pI'. 4,5). For the role of rubbings in the recording of Mesoamerican mOllumwts, see AIl GRAHAM, JOHN A. drews IV (1943:57); Greene (1967); TOlleyama (1971); I. Graham 1972 The Hieroglyphic Inscriptiolls and Monumental Art of Altar (1972); and Grewe, Rands, alld Graham (1972). The Iloteworthy de Sacrificios. Papers of the Peabody Museum of Ar collection of original rubbings of Maya Area monumwts by Merle chaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, vol. Greene Robertson is in the Latin American Library, Tulalle Univer 64, no. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts. sity, New Orleans, Louisiana.
GREENE, MERLE J Porous stones such as sandstone or limestone tend to suck the paper 1967 Ancient Maya Relief Sculpture. New York: The Museum onto their surfaces by capillary action. of Primitive Art.
4 In the controlled atmosphere of the Xalapa Museum, this dryillg rate was accurately predictable. 111 outside field cOllditions, however, GREENE, MERLE, ROBERT L. RANDS, AND JOHN A. GRAHAM with fluctuating humidity alld other variables, the drying rate is 1972 Maya Sculpture from the Southern Lowla/lds, the Highlands much more difficult to calibrate. and Pacific Piedmont, Guatemala, Mexico, HOlldurns. Berkeley, California: Lederer, Street, and Zeus. s The use of a film positive of the rubbillg (or any portion of it) as a negative produces an image that is perhaps epen 1I10re illfornzatil'e than the original black-an-white ill1age ill its lI1anifestatioll of surface TONEYAMA, KOlIN texture, line configuration, and the character of low relief sculpture. 1971 Relief Sculpture of Allcie,lt Mexico: RubbillgS of Objects Film positives of the La Mojarra stela were dO/Ie at the photographic from the Mayan and Aztec World. Boston, Massachu laboratories of the National Geographic Society, alld later conl'erted setts: Boston Book and Art (and Bijutsan Shuppan into "negative" halftOIles at the Cellter for Maya Research. sha, Tokyo).
R7,8 scale 1:1
Editor's Acknowledgements This is to express my deep gratitude to all who helped with the preswt research report: Mimi Crossley, who told me of the monument; E. Logan Wagner, who showed me his first photographs; and Femando Winfield Capitaine, the author, who had immediately realized the significancc of thc piece and agreed to write its first scholarly description for this series. I am indebted to Isabel Churruca for her help with the Spanish text. I thank Wilbur E. Garrett, editor of National Geographic for his support; and the following members of the National Geographic Society staff: Ellwood M. Kohler, Jr., of Pre-Press Graphics; Alfred M. Yee of Photographic Scruices; Kathryn Bazo of Translations; and my associates Suzanne Borenzweig and Diana McFadden. I thGllk Gwe Stuart for invaluable editorial help, and David Stuart for useful advice. Special acknowledgements are dlle to the extraordinary contributions of E. Logan Wagner and John M. Keshishian, M. D., during the April trip to Veracruz; and to Lic. Griue Garcia Mora, Presidente Municipal of Alvarado, for making possible our trip lip the ACllla River. Finally, I thank Domingo Valencia and his family for their hospitality at La Mojarra.