Do Form Measurements Have A Place In Archaeometry? Conjoining Diversity Indices with Chemical Analyses of Pottery from Petén, Guatemala ( ) Leslie G. Cecil and Michael D. Glascock University of Missouri Research Reactor Center

Early Group 1 Conclusions

Introduction Methodology Augustine 1

Augustine 2 While conducting fieldwork in Guatemala Archaeometric analyses of pottery manufacture and exchange typically focus on the composi- At the time of the Spanish contact in Petén Guatemala (16th century), as many as five Early Group 2 socio-political groups occupied territory in the central Petén lakes region (Jones 1998:18). from 1995-1999, Cecil collected rim diameter tion of sherd pastes. While this focus is essential for understanding provenance and ex- Spanish documents and Postclassic to Colonial (13th-18th century) period ethnohistories of and sherd thickness measurements for Post- change patterns, it cannot always address the more socioeconomic concerns of variation

classic slipped tripod plates excavated by (log base-10 ppm) Cerium within ceramic traditions and degree of quality control during the manufacturing process. these groups document their presence (especially that of the Itza and the Kowoj), their chang- (log base-10 ppm) Vanadium Augustine 3 Early Paxcamán Ceramic Group Sherds Trapeche Ceramic Group Sherds Proyecto Maya Colonial from the archaeologi- Variation within ceramic traditions also can be interpreted through diversity indices that in- ing alliances and dominance relations in Petén, and their repeated migrations to and from Red Slips Pink Slips Black Rims (painted and/or fireclouded) Double Slip Technology clude rim diameter and wall height measurements. This study demonstrates the value of northern Yucatán to central Petén. The documents suggest that Petén was divided into ad- Tan to Light Gray Pastes Tan to Light Gray Pastes cal sites of Ch’ich’, Ixlú, and Zacpetén. Cecil Some Volcanic Ash Temper, Mostly Calcite and Mostly Calcite Temper Chromium (log base-10 ppm) Chromium (log base-10 ppm) Shell Inclusions Monochrome Slip, Black Line Decoration, combining descriptive information (form measurements) with trace chemical data to better un- ministrative provinces headed by and named after a dominant lineage and each lineage con- Monochrome Slip, Black Line Decoration, Incising Red Line Decoration also collected the same measurements for Sherd Thickness Postclassic slipped pottery from Tipuj (curated Rim Diameters Rim Diameters * derstand the changes in Postclassic pottery manufacture (Early vs. Late) and the correspond- # trolled several subprovinces or territorial regions throughout the area. Early 1 Early 2 Early 1 Early 2 Augustine 2 Augustine 3 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale), Augustine 1 .88 .48 Augustine 1 .07 .02 All Petén Augustine .80 .37 ing socioeconomic milieu. The best documented Postclassic Maya socio-political group is the Itza. They controlled Augustine 2 .46 .05 Augustine 2 .51 .08 Early Group 1 .88 .48 All Petén Augustine .65 .03 All Petén Augustine .30 .02 Early Group 2 .24 .05 Augustine 2 vs. Augustine 3 .54 from Macanché Island (curated at the Florida Macanché Island Trapeche .005 .33 Macanché Island Trapeche .23 .01 Macanché Island Trapeche .001 .0005 Early Postclassic Paxcamán, Trapeche, and Fulano ceramic group pottery separate into territory along the southern and western basin of Lake Petén Itzá and had their capital at Noj- Macanché Island Fulano .16 .52 Macanché Island Fulano .17 .04 Macanché Island Fulano .16 .07 All Petén Early Paxcamán .26 .46 All Petén Early Paxcamán .94 .15 All Petén Early Paxcamán .09 .07 Museum of Natural History), and from Topoxté All Petén Late Paxcamán .56 .06 All Petén Late Paxcamán .10 .0008 All Petén Late Paxcamán .19 .05 two distinct chemical compositional groups. In addition to chemical differences, the majority of peten or Taj Itzaj, on modern Flores Island (Figure 1)(Jones, Rice, and Rice 1981) and may All Petén Topoxté .25 .06 All Petén Topoxté .03 .0003 All Petén Topoxté .10 .005 *Group 1 did not have rims. have been an alliance of multiple socio-political groups (Jones 1998). Itza territory may have Island (curated at the Peabody Museum of Ar- Early Group 1 vs. Early Group 2 .29 Early Group 1 vs. Early Group 2 .32 #Group 3 only has two samples. the samples in Early Group 1 are from Ch’ich’ and Ixlú while those from Early Group 2 are pri- chaeology and Ethnology). Within-group and Level of significance = p < .05 Sherd Thickness marily from Zacpetén. This may suggest that manufacture of the earlier Postclassic pottery included the archaeological sites of Ch’ich’, Tayasal, Ixlú, Macanché Island, and Tipuj and Augustine 1 Augustine 2 Augustine 3 between-group variability of the Postclassic All Petén Augustine .11 .72 .35 (especially the Trapeche and Fulano ceramic groups) was near Ch’ich’ and/or at Ixlú. There is most likely changed throughout the Postclassic period as boundaries were contested and Early Group 1 .07 .51 .28 Augustine 1 vs. Augustine 2 .13 Fulano Ceramic Group Sherds Augustine Ceramic Group Sherds Figure 4: Bivariate plots of chemical and ANOVA data of Early Group 2 .02 .08 .12 Macanché Island Trapeche .12 .60 .36 Augustine 1 vs. Augustine 3 .83 Red to Red-Orange Slips slipped plate rim diameters and thicknesses also a manufacturing center at Macanché Island as is indicated by the statistical variability of changed. Black Slips Macanché Island Fulano .53 .31 .86 Orange-Red Colored Pastes the Paxcamán, Trapeche, and Fulano ceramic groups Double Slip Technology on most All Petén Early Paxcamán .03 .34 .13 Augustine 2 vs. Augustine 3 .36 Some Volcanic Ash Temper, Some Quartz Temper, Light to Dark Gray Pastes All Petén Late Paxcamán .09 .35 .30 sherds regardless of time period (these samples have yet to be analyzed by INAA). Mainly Calcite Tempered were calculated using one-way ANOVA statis- (left) and the Augustine ceramic group (right). Ellipses Although less well documented, the Kowoj occupied territory from the northern and east- Mostly Calcite Temper All Petén Topoxté .30 .07 .65 Monochrome Slip, Black Line Decoration Monochrome Slip, Black Line Decoration, represent 90% confidence intervals and red squares indi- ern shores of Lake Petén Itzá and Lake Salpetén. They claimed to have migrated from May- Red-and-Black Line Decoration, Incising tics. Possible rim diameter and sherd thick- Level of significance = p < .05 The Augustine ceramic group sherds divide into three chemical composition groups. The ness variability of the chemical compositional cate statistical significance. majority of sherds in Augustine 2 are from the archaeological site of Tipuj. Because of the dif- apán at approximately AD 1530 as a result of Spanish contact and political turmoil (Jones Figure 2: Early Postclassic Ceramic Group Characteristics 1998). Kowoj territory may have included the archaeological sites of Zacpetén, Topoxté groups was tested and then compared to other Results ferences in slips (double slipped) and the criterion of abundance, it is possible to suggest that Island, and possibly Macanché Island, Ixlú and Tipuj. Rulership of Macanché Island, Ixlú and ceramic group data. Sample sizes are listed Early Postclassic Pottery (Figure 4) Tipuj is one location of Augustine production. Augustine 3 represents a second possible loca- Tipuj may have changed multiple times during the Postclassic period due to changing alli- in Table 1. The null hypothesis is that the rim ● Paxcamán, Trapeche, and Fulano ceramic groups have two chemical compositions. tion for manufacture at or near Ch’ich’ as clay samples from the lake shore near Ch’ich’ ances and borders. diameters and the sherd thicknesses were the Early Group 1 and Early Group 2 do not exhibit variability in rim diameter and sherd “match” samples from that archaeological site (as well as other sites) (Cecil 2007). In general Throughout the Postclassic period, the Itza and Kowoj manufactured pottery made from la- same regardless of chemical or ceramic thicknesses. (although not always statistically proven), pottery of the Augustine ceramic group is larger and custrine gray carbonate clays as is evident from the plethora of it at all of the Postclassic ar- group. Plates in Early Group 1 are larger than Trapeche plates from Macanché Island. thicker than most other central Petén Postclassic pottery. chaeological sites in central Petén and western Belize (Figures 2 and 3). They produced pot- Early Group 2 plates are smaller than Augustine ceramic group plates and thicker Early Postclassic plates are more variable (larger and thicker) in diameter and thickness tery with three different slips (red, black, and pink) classified by archaeologists as the Pax- than most other plates. than those of the Late Postclassic period. While the variability decreases during the Late Postclassic period, Paxcamán ceramic group pottery could have been manufactured from any camán, Fulano, and Trapeche ceramic groups, respectively (Figure 2). The Early Postclassic Table1: Sample Sizes for One-Way Analysis of ● Augustine 1, Augustine 2, and Augustine 3 rims and thicknesses do not vary. However, period is also characterized by the production of the orange-red paste pottery of the Augus- Variance (ANOVA) they are larger and thicker than most Postclassic samples. number of lake clays in the region. Three paste chemical groups occur that correspond to Paxcamán (later) Ceramic Group Sherds various decorative modes. Late Group 1 is decorated with red-and-black decoration or black- tine ceramic group. Two probable locations of production have been identitied: Ch’ich’ and Red Slips Number of Samples Number of Samples Light to Dark Gray Paste Rim Diameter Sherd Thickness line decoration and the sherds were excavated from Ixlú and Tipuj. Late Group 2 primarily Tipuj (Cecil 2007). During the Late Postclassic period, the Kowoj at Topoxté Island produced Tempered with calcite, shells, quartz, biotite, feldspar, and hematite Early Group 1 7 7 Late Postclassic Pottery (Figure 5) Monochrome Slip, Black Line Decoration, Red Line Decoration Early Group 2 6 6 Red-and-Black Line Decoration, Incising consists of undecorated sherds from Ch’ich’ and incised sherds from Ixlú, Tipuj, and Ch’ich’. a creamy-white paste pottery (Topoxté ceramic group) (Figure 3) and traded it primarily to Augustine 1 0 4 ● Late Postclassic Paxcamán plates have larger rim diameters than those produced at Augustine 2 16 17 Finally, Late Group 3 contains pottery from Zacpetén that is decorated with red-and-black or other Kowoj at eastern lake archaeological sites (Cecil 2001; Rice 1979). In addition to chemi- Augustine 3 2 3 Macanché Island, but are within range of other Late Postclassic plates. Late Group 1 15 14 red-only motifs as well as minor amounts of undecorated pottery from Ixlú and Ch’ich’. cal differences within the ceramic groups, variability in rim diameters and sherd thicknesses Late Group 2 16 16 ● Because Topoxté pottery was made at only one location, variation is minimal. However, Late Group 3 5 5 Topoxté ceramic group pottery can also be divided into two chemical groups (the third, ash provides insight into Maya pottery manufacture during the Postclassic period. Topoxté Group 1 14 14 thickness varies between Topoxté Group 1 and Topoxté Group 2. Topoxté Group 2 8 8 All Petén Early Paxcamán 46 46 paste group is not included). Topoxté Group 1 is decorated with red-on-paste decoration and Macanché Island Trapeche 31 31 Macanché Island Fulano 6 6 Topoxté Group 2 is decorated with red-and-black or black only decoration. Only Zacpetén and All Petén Augustine 32 32 Topoxté Ceramic Group Sherds All Petén Late Paxcamán 205 205 Tipuj had Topoxté ceramic group plates. This pottery was made by the Kowoj only at Topoxté All Petén Topoxté 58 58 Red Slips Late Group 3 Island and exported to other sites in the Petén lakes region (Cecil 2007; Rice 1979) and in Creamy-white to Light Gray Pastes Macanché Island Late Paxcamán 32 32 Late Group 2 Tempered with calcite, quartz, biotite, chalcedony, and chert Topoxté Island Topoxté 12 12 Monochrome Slip, Black Line Decoration, Red Line Decoration Macanché Island Topoxté 10 10 some instances carried to Mayapán (Cecil, personal observation). Therefore, the close simi- Lake Yaxhá Red-and-Black Line Decoration, Incising Topoxté Group 1 Lake Salpetén Tipuj larities of the rim diameters of Topoxté Group 1 and Topoxté Group 2 (p=.97) is not unusual. Ixlú Figure 3: Late Postclassic Ceramic Group Characteristics What is interesting is that the sherd thicknesses are statistically different between the two Tayasal Zacpetén Topoxté Island Topoxté Group 2 Lake Petén Itzá groups and that those Topoxté ceramic group plates excavated from Macanché Island were

Ch’ich’ Macanché Island (log base-10 ppm) Cerium Scandium (log base-10 ppm) statistically-significantly thicker than plates being traded to Zacpetén and Tipuj. This may In order to obtain data concerning chemical grouping, instrumental neutron activation Late Group 1 Lake Macanché analysis (INAA) was used because it is the best chemical method to address questions suggest that different thickness of plates were being manufactured depending on the decora- Chich’en Itzá Nojpetén Chromium (log base-10 ppm) Chromium (log base-10 ppm) tive program and differential trade patterns among the Kowoj. Mayapán about ceramic paste variability (clay, natural inclusions, and temper). Pottery samples were prepared for INAA using procedures standard at MURR (Glascock 2007). Portions Acknowledgements Rim Diameters The INAA research and operating support for the MURR Archaeometry Laboratory was provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation (BCS- 0504015). This research was also supported in part by a Rim Diameters grant from the US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology Award No. DE-FG07-03ID14531 to the Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium under the Innovations in of approximately 150 mg of powder were weighed into clean high-density polyethylene Group 1 Group 2 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 All Petén Topoxté .56 .69 Nuclear Infrastructure and Education program. The archaeological research was supported by funding from Proyecto Maya Colonial of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, from the National Science Foundation vials used for short irradiations at MURR. At the same time, 200 mg of each sample was Macanché Island Late Paxcamán .005 .007 .05 Late Group 1 vs. Late Group 2 .46 Topoxté Island Topoxté .16 .30 (Dissertation Improvement Grant SBR-9816325), and from Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid of Research. I would also like to thank the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Eth- All Petén Late Paxcamán .64 .12 .27 Macanché Island Topoxté .92 .96 Group 1 vs. Group 2 .97 nology for allowing me access to their Postclassic pottery collection and the Instituto de Antropología e Historia (IDEAH) of Guatemala for allowing the export of the pottery sample to the United States for study. Topoxté Group 1 .61 .72 .91 Late Group 1 vs. Late Group 3 .62 Late Group1 .61 .71 weighed into clean high-purity quartz vials used for long irradiations. Along with the un- Topoxté Group 2 .71 .75 .91 Late Group 2 .72 .75 All Petén Topoxté .71 .32 .55 Late Group 2 vs. Late Group 3 .91 Late Group 3 .91 .91 All Petén Late Paxcamán .23 .39 References Cited ↑ known samples, standards made from National Institute of Standards and Technology Cecil, Leslie G. 2007 Postclassic Maya Ceramic Advances: Conjoining Stylistic, Technological, and Chemical Compositional Data. In Ceramic Research Advances, edited by Frank Columbus. Nova Science Publishers, Sherd Thickness Hauppauge, NY. N (NIST) certified standard reference materials of SRM-1633a (coal fly ash) and SRM-688 Sherd Thickness Group 1 Group 2 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 All Petén Topoxté .05 .28 2001 Technological Styles of Late Postclassic Slipped Pottery from the Central Petén Lakes Region, El Petén, Guatemala. Ph.D. dissertation, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale. University Micro- (basalt rock) were similarly prepared, as were quality control samples (e.g., standards Macanché Island Late Paxcamán .10 .95 .17 Late Group 1 vs. Late Group 2 .30 Topoxté Island Topoxté .12 .35 films, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 40 km All Petén Late Paxcamán .46 .28 .41 Macanché Island Topoxté .005 .05 Topoxté Group 1 .02 .21 .16 Late Group 1 vs. Late Group 3 .83 Late Group1 .02 .11 Group 1 vs. Group 2 .05 treated as unknowns) of SRM-278 (obsidian rock) and Ohio Red Clay (a standard devel- Late Group 2 .21 .46 Glascock, Michael D. Topoxté Group 2 .11 .46 .39 2007 The Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Research Reactor [hyper-text document] http://archaeometry.missouri.edu All Petén Topoxté .11 .86 .18 Late Group 2 vs. Late Group 3 .98 Late Group 3 .16 .39 Figure 1: Postclassic Archaeological Sites in Central Petén oped for in-house applications). The following elements were counted and used for this All Petén Late Paxcamán .001 .05 Jones, Grant D. Level of significance = p < .05 analysis: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Level of significance = p < .05 1998 The Conquest of the Last Maya Kingdom. Stanford University Press, Stanford. Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V, Yb, Zn, and Zr. These elements were used to produce Jones, Grant D., Don S. Rice, and Prudence M. Rice Figure 5: Bivariate plots of chemical and ANOVA data of the Late Postclassic Paxcamán ceramic group (left) 1981 The Location of Tayasal: A Reconsideration in Light of Petén Maya Ethnohistory and Archaeology. American Antiquity 46: 530-547. bivariate elemental plots reflecting the general compositional differences among the and the Topoxté ceramic group (right). Ellipses represent 90% confidence intervals and red squares indicate Rice, Prudence M. 1979 Ceramic and Nonceramic Artifacts of Lakes Yaxha-Sacnab, El Petén, Guatemala, Part I. The Ceramics. Cerámica de Cultura Maya 11: 1-85. specimens. statistical significance.