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Beginnings of Village Life in Eastern Author(s): Rosemary A. Joyce and John S. Henderson Source: Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Mar., 2001), pp. 5-23 Published by: Society for American Archaeology Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/971754 . Accessed: 13/11/2013 20:17

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BEGINNINGSOF VILLAGELIFE IN EASTERNMESOAMERICA

RosemaryA. Joyce and John S. Henderson

Excavations in northernHonduras have produced evidence of initial village life that is among the earliest cases documented in Mesoamerica. Settlement beginning prior to 1600 B.C., the production of sophisticated pottery by 1600 B.C., and integra- tion in economic exchange networks extending into and by 1100-900 B.C. (calendar ages), are all consis- tent with patterns recorded in the Gulf Coast, Central Highlands, and Pacific Coast of Mexico. Supported by a suite of 11 radiocarbon dates, these findings overturn traditional models that viewed Honduras as an underdevelopedperiphery receiv- ing delayed influencesfrom Mexican centers.

Gracias a las excavaciones que se han realizado en el norte de Hondurasse han recuperadoevidencias de los orfgenes de la vida aldeana en la region, que se cuentan entre los casos mas tempranosen Mesoame'rica.Los inicios de los asentamientosenfechas anterioresa 1600 a.C., la produccionde ceramica elaborada hacia 1600 a.C. y la integraciona redes de intercambioeconomico que llegaban hasta Guatemalay Me'xicoalrededor de 1110-900 a.C. (anos calendaricos), son consistentes con los patrones que se han registradoen la costa del Golfo de Mexico, el altiplano centralmexicano y la costa del Paeffico,en particular el . Con base en la posicion estratigr4ficade los artefactosy 1I fechas de radiocarbono,se definencincofases tempranasque abar- can desde fines del periodo Arcaico (Sauce), el FormativoTemprano (Barahona, Ocotillo, Chotepe) y principios del Formativo Medio (Playa). Con estosfundamentos, se cuenta con evidencias contrarias a los modelos tradicionales, en los que se conside raba que Honduras era una periferia subdesarrolladade centros ubicados en Mexico desde donde llegaban con retraso infuen- cias culturales.

Excavations in several locations in Mexico In contrast,with the exceptionof isolatedreports have producedsignificant information about of early occupations in sites scattered along the earlystages of the developmentof village life PacificCoast in Guatemalaand E1 Salvador (Arroyo in Mesoamerica.Research at sites on Mexico's Gulf 1995; Blake et al. 1995), no comparablebody of Coast (Coe and Diehl 1980; Grove 1997; Rust and information has been developed for eastern Sharer1988), Central Highlands (Flannery and Mar- Mesoamerica, the region east of the Isthmus of cus 1994; Niederberger1976), and Pacific Coast Tehuantepecwhere societies of the Classic Maya Soconuscoregion (Blake et al. l995; Blakeand Clark worldlater took shape.With the reevaluationof the 1993; Clarkand Gosser 1995; Lesure 1997, 1998), extremely early dates reportedfor Cuello, a site has producedconsistent chronologies that place the located in the Maya lowlands of Belize (Andrews transitionto settled village life between 3000 and andHammond 1990), ceramic chronologies for east- 1800 B.C. In each of theseregions, early villages are ernMesoamerica extend back only to approximately markedby the constructionof perishablehouses, the 1200 B.C. (Sharer1989). use of pottery vessels, reliance on agriculturefor With excavations beginning in 1994 at Puerto subsistence,and participation in economicexchange Escondido(CR-372), a site nearthe Caribbeancoast networks,especially for the acquisitionof obsidian, of Honduras(Figure 1), we have producedthe first the volcanicglass thatprovided the fundamentalraw documentedcontinuous sequence of earlyoccupation materialon whichMesoamerican societies relied for in easternMesoamerica. At PuertoEscondido, strat- sharp-cuttingtools (Voorhies1996a, 1996b). ifieddeposits 3.5 metersdeep have now yielded a suite

Rosemary A. Joyce * Departmentof Anthropology,University of California,Berkeley, California94720 John S. Henderson * Departmentof Anthropology,Cornell University,Ithaca, New York 14853

Latin AmericanAntiquity, 12(1), 2001, pp. 5-24 Copyright(B)2001 by the Society for AmericanArchaeology

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Figure 1. Eastern Mesoamerica. of 11 radiocarbondeterminations thatprovide abasis mound showed that these deposits consisted of a forcomparison with Mexican Pacific coast sequences sequenceof floors,burials, and pit features,some of beginriingbefore 1600 B.C. (calendarage). which were associated with pottery of types pro- duced duringthe Late andTerminal Classic periods Puerto Escondido (ca. A.D. 45s 1000). Our initial excavationsdocu- The Puerto Escondido site consisted originally of mented the foundationsof a cluster of rectangular four extensive, low, earthenmounds located on a buildings,with 20 associatedburials placed adjacent tributaryof theChamelecon River, the smallerof two to buildingfoundations and in abandonedpits. This riversforming the lower Ulua Valley in Honduras. residentialoccupation of the moundcan be datedto Excavationsat PuertoEscondido began as an effort the earliestpart of the Uluaphase (ca. A.D. 45(}650) to document the nature of the site before it was by associatedpottery, particularly the assemblages destroyedby a housingdevelopment. The sequence preservedin filled, abandonedpits. of radiocarbondates reportedhere comes from one The sedimentsinto which the foundationwalls, of the two earthenmounds that have been the focus burials,and pits of the earlyUlua periodoccupation of our excavationssince 1994. were dug provedon excavationto date to the previ- Priorto our work,earth moving for construction ously identifiedMiddle Formative Playa phase (ca. had removedmore thana meterof depositfrom the 900-400 B.C.). These Playa phase depositscapped mound. The face of the bulldozercut throughthis a long sequence of remains dating to the Early

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Joyce and Henderson] BEGINNINGSOF VILLAGE LIFE IN EASTERNMESOAMERICA 7

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5 cm

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Figure 2. Barahona-phase pottery from Puerto Escondido.

Formative(ca. 160>900 B.C.), a periodpreviously area excavationof selected Formativeperiod fea- undocumentedin the region.The continuousnature turesprovided information about the use of the area. of these Formativeperiod deposits, including the Potteryrecovered from the stratigraphicunits was presenceat the base of the deposit of a component assignedto types based on a combinationof origi- lackingpottery, makes the radiocarbon dates reported nal vessel shape,characteristics of the clay mixture, herethe first evidence from eastern Mesoamerica that andtreatment of the surfaceof the vessels. Ourpre- is comparableto Mexican sequencesof Archaicto liminaryceramic analysis for the EarlyFormative is EarlyFormative period occupations. basedon detailedrecording of a stratifiedsample of morethan 7,000 sherds.This comparesfavorably to Depositional Sequence the stratifiedmidden used to anchorthe authorita- Excavationof a 2 m by 2 m unit to sterilesoil pro- tive sequence for Early FormativeOaxaca? which vided the basis for identifying the depositional containedapproximately 5,000 sherds(Flannery and sequencefor theFormative period. Additional wide- Marcus1994). Although we havenot yet completed

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2 m unit reachedthis level), we suggest that it rep- resents late Archaic use of the area,before pottery was adoptedin the region.The majorityof the obsid- ian flakes?produced through percussion, were made frommaterial available from outcrops located within 60 km. A small proportionof the flakes was made fromobsidian derived from La Esperanza,in south- ern Honduras. BarahonaPhase The Barahonaphase is markedby the earliestpot- teryyet identifiedat the site. Barahonadeposits con- sist of a series of surfacescovered by thin layersof debrisand riverine sediments. Post-holes from con- structionof perishablebuildings were encountered on severalof thesesurfaces. Fragments of bone,shell, chipped stone, and pottery were contained in the debrisbetween surfaces. Figure 3. Barahona- and Ocotillo-phase pottery from Puerto Escondido. The early pottery(Figures 2 and 3) consists of finelymade, thin-walled vessels in the shapeof small tabulationof ceramicsfrom all seasons of work at open bowls and closed-mouthbowls (tecomates), PuertoEscondido, we projecta final sample com- with elaboratedecoration, including incision, den- parablein size to thatused for the full analysisof the tate-stamping,and paintingin red and black. Bara- Oaxacanceramic sequence (for which approximately hona-phasepottery closely resembles that of the 50,000 sherds were tabulatedin detail). Chipped Barraphase, the earliestceramic period in Pacific stone was assigned to types based on morphology coast Soconusco (Blake 1991; Clark and Gosser and the productiontechniques employed, and the 1995; Lesure 1998; Love 1990, 1991). chemical compositionof a statisticallyrepresenta- Local obsidian sources and the La Esperanza tive samplewas determinedusing energydispersive source continuedto be employed.A small number x-rayfluorescence (McCandless 1998). The distrib- of bladesproduced from local obsidiandocument a utionof potteryand chipped stone through the depo- change in technologyof production.Following the sitional sequence was used to identify points of Barahonaphase, obsidian from La Esperanza ceased change in local practices of productionand con- to be used at PuertoEscondido until sometime after sumption.Based on the assessmentof stratigraphy, A.D. 250. pottery, and chipped stone, we identified five Ocotillo Pha.se episodes in the Formative period sequence of deposits,which we havedefined as phases.For clar- Ocotillo-phasedeposits continue the seqllenceof ity, these phases are described from most deeply surfacesand thin layers of debris.In additionto post- buried(earliest) to shallowest(latest), rather than in holes,other remains of perishableconstructions from the orderthey were encountered.They providethe the Ocotillo phase includeburned areas, or hearths. depositionalcontext for the carbonsamples that were Only obsidianfrom local sources has been identi- submittedfor analysis. Eled in the form of percussion flakes and small blades. Sauce Phase Ocotillo-phasedeposits containedpottery (Fig- Duringthe Saucephase, inhabitants of PuertoEscon- ures 3 and4) withoutthe most elaboratedecorative dido excavateda shallow pit into a naturalsurface. techniques,such as dentate-stamping,found on ear- Obsidianflakes and fragments of boneand shell were lier Barahona-phasepottery. Open bowls, teco- depositedin the pit andon the surface.Although the mates, and red painting continued to be popular. absenceof potteryfrom this deposit could be a reflec- New potteryforms includethick-walled jars deco- tion of relativelysmall samplesize (only one 2 m by ratedby polishingvessel surfaceswith a narrowtool

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Joyce and Henderson] BEGINNINGSOF VILLAGELIFE IN EASTERNMESOAMERICA 9

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Figure4. Ocotillo-phase pottery from Puerto Escondido. inzones and in linear patterns.Relationships with nishingin ways nearly indistinguishablefrom its Locona-and Ocos-phase potteryfrom Soconusco useat PuertoEscondido (Arroyo 1995:202). Early (Blake 1991; Coe 1961; Coe and Flannery 1967; potteryfrom Yarumelain the Comayaguavalley Demarest1987; Lesure 1998;Love 1990, 1991) are (Joesink-Mandeville1993) includesforms and dec- stillstrong. Farther east, the Metalio Groupof the orativemodes comparableto Ocotillo. Chilcalpat- Bostanphase (1450-1200 B.C.) at the E1 Carmen tern-burnishedduplicates the surfacetreatment and site in coastal E1 $alvador enrploys pattern-bur- motifsof the Puerto Escondido material,and pat-

This content downloaded from 136.159.235.223 on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 20:17:59 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions {l ; ' 'l:0'.,.' ;000 ;' ,, ; l0 000:J "'&' ,,0, ';5=-08 ...... 28:,:.:'t

LATINAMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol. 12, No. 1, 2001 10

Js --ew-vS =4 = = - _s _ I _ \ \

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. r 5 cm

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Figure 5. Chotepe-phase Rubi Red pottery from Puerto Escondido. tern-burnishingoccurs in other types as well, but Chotepe-phasedeposits are discussed in detailbelow. the precise complex assignmentsof these taxa are The pottery complex essentially includes a coarse not yet fully documented.ltayo-phase pottery from pastegroup that continues the pattern-burnishedtra- Copan (Viel 1993) also has some comparable ditionestablished in the precedingphase (Figure5), modes. and a fine-pastegroup in which new modes of ves-- sel formand decoration, including differential firing ChotepePhase (Figure6) andpolished black and gray surfaces with Chotepe-phasedeposits were more broadly exposed incised and carved motifs on flat-bottom,flaring- in wide-areaexcavations. Early Chotepe deposits wall bowls (Figures7-11), were executed. continuethe sequenceof surfaceswith pits indicat- ing perishableconstructions, covered by thin layers Playa Phase of debriscontaining bone, shell, chippedstone, and The constructionof the stepped earthenplatform pottery.These depositsalso containa few fragments marksthe beginningin the depositionalsequence of of ground-stonebowls of marbleand diorite.At the the Middle FormativePlaya phase. Traces of the end of the Chotepe sequence, standing buildings plastered surface of this platform, and footing were destroyedand the areaaround them filled to a trenchesfor two terraces,were identified.Set in the depth of approximately45 cm, forming a large, terracesof the platformwere at least two human steppedearthen platform. This finalChotepe fill con- burialswith tracesof pigment;at least fourcomplete tained debris from the destroyedbuildings mixed potteryvessels, one containingjade costume orna- with larger fragmentsof potteryvessels, chipped- ments; and two ground-stoneobjects. Additional stone artifacts,and other culturalmaterials. Obsid- Playa-phasedeposits covering the surface of this ian prismaticblades from Ixtepequeand E1 Chayal, stepped terracewere disturbedby constructionof sourcesin Guatemala,were addedto the repertoire pits, burials,and wall foundationsin the early Ulua of percussionflakes and small bladesmade of local phase, andwere cut in places by modernbulldozing obsidian. External relationships of pottery from operations.

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Figure 6. Chotepe-phase Sukah Differentially Fired pottery from Puerto Escondido.

Radiocarbon Dates sampleson whichthey are based, with one exception. Beta-129130was collectedfrom a MiddleFormative Eleven samplesof wood charcoalfrom this deposi- mixedfill butproduced a muchearlier than expected tionalsequence were submittedto BetaAnalytic for date.Since the depositionalsequence was markedby radiometricdating (Table1). All but one were ana- repeatedreconstuctionof perishablestuctures, includ- lyzed using direct atomic counting by accelerator ing ancientexcavations of holes for perishableposts, mass spectrometry(AMS). One smallsample (Beta- suchupward mixing of carbonis not unexpected.The 129130)was analyzedby standardradiometric meth- datederived correlates with thatof Beta-129129,and ods with extendedcounting time. we suggestthat the carbonsampled for Beta-129130 The orderof the conventionalradiocarbon ages is was movedupward through ancient excavation from consistentwith the stratigraphicposition of thecarbon themore deeply buried levels that yielded Beta- 129129.

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12 LATINAMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol. 12, No. 1, 2001

I

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, W

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F redpalnt

Figure 7. Chotepe-phase Boliche Black pottery from Puerto Escondido.

The calibrateddates (Figure 12) establishthat the Beta-129132), like the Ocos phase of Soconusco, depositionalsequence at PuertoEscondido is paral- continuedthe developmentof early decoratedpot- lel to, and approximatelycontemporary with, the teryand added larger, coarser vessels. In the Chotepe earliestevidence for settledvillage life in Mesoamer- phase (1100-900 B.C.; Beta-129127,Beta-129131, ica (Figure 13). The initial Barahona phase Beta-129133, Beta-129134, Beta-129135), there is (1600-1400 B.C.; radiocarbon samples Beta- a sharpincrease in evidenceof participationin exter- 129129,Beta- 129130) can be comparedto theBarra nal relationsof exchange.This is most evidentin the phase of Soconusco,which also saw the production presence of blades made from obsidian from the anduse of thin-walled,elaborately decorated bowls Ixtepequeand E1Chayal sources. E1 Chayal obsid- and tecomates(Blake et al. 1995; Blake and Clark ian has been identifiedas a monopolyof communi- 1993; Clark and Gosser 1995; Lesure 1998). The ties along the PacificCoast and in the Gulf Coastof Ocotillo phase (1400-1100 B.C.; Beta-129128, Mexico. Links in the same directionare evident in

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^4 v v 4 @ \ ¢ - \ \

Figure 8. Chotepe-phase Boliche Black bowl from Puerto Escondido. the adoptionof new modes of vessel form and sur- noe 1934).Figurines from the two sitesare also indis- face treatmentduring Chotepe phase, discussed fur- tinguishable (Joyce 1992; Pope 1987; Popenoe therin the following section of this paper.We stress 1934). The earlymonumental architecture at Puerto thatall evidenceindicates that this pottery was man- Escondido,comparable to examples in other areas ufacturedlocally in Honduras.Local conformityto of Mesoamerica(Lesure 1997; Lowe 1981; Sharer standardsof vessel shape and decorationindicates 1978, 1989) considered more advanced, was knowledgeof other,distant, settlements and engage- obscuredin this activeriverine environment by land- ment with them in common social relations.It does scaperemodeling (Pope 1985) andby laterbuilding not constitute evidence of centralized control by activity dating to the early Ulua phase (ca. A.D. inhabitantsof the large Olmec centers of the Gulf 400450; Beta-129125). Coast (Flanneryand Marcus2000). The conversionof Chotepe-phasebuildings into a Chotepe-Phase Ceramics and Interaction with single, monumental-scaleearthen platform at the Other Regions of Mesoamerica beginningof the Middle Formativeperiod (ca. 900 Althoughthe entire sequence of depositsfrom Puerto B.C.; Beta-129126)is accompaniedby the firstevi- Escondido is of significance, the Chotepe-phase dence of the importationof jade to the site, presum- ably from sources in the MotaguaRiver valley of Guatemala.Debris from working jade formed part of themixed Middle Formative deposits that buried this structure,indicating that the inhabitantsof Puerto Escondidowere obtainingraw material,not simply finishedproducts. The most likely tradingpartner in this exchange was the contemporaryearly village buriedbelow the Classic Maya city of Copan,in west- ern Honduras (Fash 1985; Garber et al. 1993; Longyear1969; Rueetal.1989;VielandCheek 1983). The vessels placedas cacheddeposits in the Mid- dle Formativeplatform at PuertoEscondido are for- mally identical to vessels recovered in burials at Playade los Muertos,a previouslyidentified village Figure 9. Chotepe-phase Boliche Black pottery from Puerto ontheUluaRiver(Joyce1992; Kennedy 1986; Pope- Escondido.

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14 LATINAMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol. 12, No. 1, 2001

kr -B 0 t - s ( -;es--9 '\ I ^ z = w

- -

^ s S¢m _ _ _ _ _

c burnishedmnes

_

Figure 10. Chotepe-phase Bonilla Yellow-Brownpottery from Puerto Escondido. ceramicsprovide the largestbody of materialfor a 1989;Vaillant 1934; Willey 1969). In the absenceof reevaluationof assumptionsconcerning the partici- well-documentedsequences of chronometricdates pation of northwesternHonduras, and of eastern for early deposits from the Honduransites, a rela- Mesoamericain general,in developmentsthat char- tively conservativeperspective gradually came to acterizedmuch of Mesoamericaduring the period dominateinterpretation, in which Honduraswas a between 1100 and 900 B.C. Early materialsfrom backwaterthat receiveddelayed "influences"from sites such as Playa de los Muertos, the Cuyamel otherregions of Mesoamericaduring the Formative Caves, Yarumela,and Copan have long been con- period.Our results from Puerto Escondido establish sidered of potential significance in understanding the contemporaneityof developments there with therelations of Hondurasto thedevelopment of early thoseelsewhere in Mesoamerica.This interpretation stratifiedsocieties on the MexicanGulf Coastand in is both more consistent with data from Honduras the MexicanHighlands (Canby 1951; Healy 1974; and elsewhere, and could accountfor some anom- Kennedy1986; Longyear 1969; Porter 1953; Sharer alies in datanoted at othersites.

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Figure 11. Chotepe-phase Fia Metallic Gray pottery from Puerto Escondido. Pattern-burnishingin the Early Formative Pattern-burnishingdoes not appearto be present fartherwest thanthe PacificCoast of Guatemala.All Potteryfrom Chotepe deposits included a groupwith early reportsnoted its presence in presumedEarly brownpaste andtemper derived from crushedrock; Formativecontext at the Mani Cenote in Yucatan bowls andjars in thisgroup often have red slip and/or (Yotolin pattern-burnished;Brainerd 1958). This pattern-burnisheddecoration (Figure 5). Although comparisongained additionalforce with the publi- nevernumerically common, pattern-burnishing has cationof the Swasey ceramiccomplex from Cuello, well-definedchronological placement at SalinasLa Belize, originallydated to 2000-1500 B.C. There, Blanca.It is describedas "virtuallyrestricted to the DuncanPring (1977) identifiedan unspecifiedvari- Cuadrosphase, and a goodhorizon marker" (Coe and ety of Yotolinpattern-burnished based on 26 body Flannery1967:26). Pattern-burnishing continues in sherds. Laura Kosakowsky (1987:14-15) later low frequencies in early Conchas at Salinas La renamedthe Swasey complextype Patchchacanpat- Blancaand LaVictoria ((::oe 1961:6142, 64, 71; (::oe tern-burnishedbecause of thepresumed gap of 1,000 and Flannery1967:55). yearsbetween the two samples.Her descriptionwas

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Table 1. Radiocarbonsamples from Puerto Escondido, Honduras

Beta Analytic sample number Calibrateddate(2 sigma range) Conventional radiocarbonage al3c Ulua Phase Beta-129125 cal AD 430-625 1530 + 40 BP -23.9

Playa Phase Beta-129126 cal BC 940-810 2730 + 40 BP -26.9

Chotepe Phase Beta-129134 cal BC 1105-895 2830 + 40 BP -26.1 Beta-129135 cal BC 1120-910 2850 + 40 BP -25.5 Beta-129131 cal BC 1140-920 2870 + 40 BP -23.3 Beta-129133 cal BC 1215-975 2900 + 40 BP -27.9 Beta-129127 cal BC 1260-930 2900 + 50 BP -25.6

Ocotillo Phase Beta-129128 cal BC 1410-1120 3030 + 50 BP -30.9 Beta-129132 cal BC 1410-1205 3050 + 40 BP -25.4

Barahona Phase Beta-129129 cal BC 1695-1510 3320 + 40 BP -24.8 Beta-129130 cal BC 1745-1305 3250 + 100 BP -24.8 Note: All samples are wood charcoal.Beta Analytic calendarcalibrations calculated with calibrationdata published in Radiocarbon,Vol. 40 (1998), using the cubic spline fit mathematicspublished by Talmaand Vogel (1993). based on eight body sherdsand a single rim sherd. rials including all the Patchchacanpattern-bur- WhilePatchchacan pattern-burnished was rare,it was nishedsherds belongto a terminalEarly Formative also quite distinctive,with smoothedsurfaces deco- componentplaced between 1200-900B.C. Andrews rated with thin pattern-burnishedlines, including (1990:19)argued that the only contextual associations diagonalcross-hatched fields. The narrow(0.2 cm) for Yotolinpattern-burnished, at LoltunCave, were width of the burnishedlines matches the fine-line entirely conformableto known Middle Formative tool size characteristicboth of theYarumela samples complexes in northernYucatan. Although he pre- andof the largerassemblage from Puerto Escondido. ferredto interprettheYotolin and Patchchacan sherds The sole rim is describedas a bottle with a pointed as equivalent,and therefore indicative of MiddleFor- lip formedby foldingthe clay to the exterior,a tech- mativeage for Swasey,he also allowedfor the pos- niquealso found at Puerto Escondido. Decoration was sibilitythat the two weredistinct, though his grounds confinedto the body. Body sherdsare describedas (a presumed lack of evidence for bottle forms at exhibitingthe curvatureand thicknessof jar or bot- Cuello) are unacceptablein light of Kosakowsky's tle forms. The Patchchacantype was limited to the descriptionof the type sample. earlypart of the Swasey depositionalsequence, and Pattern-burnishedsherds are not sufficientlycom- was not noted in the laterBladen complex. mon at Cuello,Mani, or Loltunto suggestthey were Kosakowsky(1987:1>15) noted, as one of the a typicalproduct of localmanufacture. Kosakowsky's bases for renamingthe type, thatE. WyllysAndrews (1987:1>15) generaldescription ofthe ceramicbody V did not believethe Swaseymaterials were actually of Patchchacan differs from every other type comparableto theYotolintype from northernYucatan. describedfor Swasey and for the later Bladen. She Andrewsmade his observationsas partof a reassess- notes the presenceof crushedmica in some of these ment of early Maya Lowlandspottery complexes, sherds.Mica is generallypresent, apparently as a nat- whichled him to successfullychallenge the proposed urallyoccurring inclusion, in clays of the lowerUlua earlydating of Swasey(Andrews 1990; Andrews and valley, and is presentin the EarlyFormative ceram- Hammond 1990). Despite their agreement that ics from Puerto Escondido. The rare pattern-bur- Swasey did not date as earlyas originallyproposed, nishedsherds found in Swasey complexat Cuello,at Andrewsand Hammonddiffer on the correctdating the Mani Cenote,and in LoltunCave may represent of Swasey,with Hammond suggesting the early mate- productsof exchangewith northcoastal Honduras.

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7nn RC Early Playa

Chotepe

Ocotillo

Barahona

Sauce

129130 Figure 12. Probability distributions of calibrated calendar dates for radiocarbon samples. Labe!s are Beta Analytic sample numbers. Inner brackets indicate 68.2% confidence ranges; outer brackets indicate 95.4% confidence ranges. Original plot produced with OxCal v2.18 (Stuiver and Kra 1986).

Sincepattern-burnishing continues in thePlaya de los Chronologyof Olmec-styleCeramic Muertosceramic complexes (Kennedy 1980:132) in Featuresin Honduras the same designs as defined at Puerto Escondido (Joyce, personalobservation of Playa de los Muer- AnotherChotepe-phase pottery group included dis- tos componentsat the PeabodyMuseum, Harvard, tinctivenew formsand surface treatment techniques, and fromYoro, Honduras, excavated by Joyce), the and a new clay mixture that produceda compact Ulua valley could have provideda source of these pastewith abundantsmall temper particles probably infrequentvessels duringeither time period. derivedfrom volcanic ash.Vessel surfaces,polished Pattern-burnishingis present in Cuadros,Bostan, but unslipped, are commonly black, grey, brown andYarumela Early Formative complexes (butnot, (Figures7-11), or have contrastingcolors resulting as Kosakowskymistakenly suggests, in SanLorenzo from differentialfiring (Figure 6). The predominant complex on the Gulf Coast), and the occurrenceof flat-based,flaring, or cylindrical wall bowls with the techniquein the Swasey complex is thusconsis- deeplycarved designs, sometimes with additional red tentwith an EarlyFormative dating. Other evidence pigment includingthe St. Andrewscross, a staror supportsa placementbefore 900 B.C. for each of diamond, a variant of the "hand-paw-wing,"and these complexes.The PuertoEscondido assemblage faces modeled on rims-closely resemble vessels sharesthe pattern-burnishedtechnique and precedes usuallyidentified as Olmecin style (Clark1994; Coe the developmentof Playade los Muertostypes. The and Diehl 1980; Flanneryand Marcus 1994, 2000; radiocarbondates discussed below confirmthe Early Grove 1997; Longyear1969; Sharer1989). Formativedate of pattern-burnishing(as well as the At Chalchuapa,Tok-phase pottery (ca.1200-900 complexiconographic motifs of pan-Mesoamerican B.C.) providescomparisons for severalmodes from distribution)at PuertoEscondido. Hendon and Joyce PuertoEscondido, including geometric motifs con- (1993) have obtainedradiocarbon dates supporting structedfrom nested rectangles and differentially assignmentof Playa de los Muertosceramics to the fired bowls, a minoritywith incised designs. Dis- initial Middle Formative,ca. 850-650 B.C., consis- similaritiesare even moreevident, however, with the tent with the externalcomparisons to Cuadroscom- importantpattern-burnished technique apparently plex made by Coe (1961). unrepresentedat Chalchuapa.More puzzling is the

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LowerUlua Copan El Salvador Soconusco Maya Valley Lowlands

Middle Playa Uir Colos Conchas Mamom Formative

Jocotal

Cuadros Chotepe Gordon Tok Swasey Cherla

Early Ocotillo Rayo Bostan Ocos Formative

Locona

Barahona Barra

Figure13. Earlysequences in easternMesoamerica. absence at Chalchuapa,despite its later low-relief it is consideredthat the Olmecexpansion took place, bouldercarvings in pan-Mesoamericanstyle, of any at least towardsCentral America, beginning at 900 of the incised motifs that suggest participationin B.C. In Guatemala,the presenceof Olmec traitsis wider Olmec networksof interaction. diagnosticofthe MiddlePreclassic" (Viel 1993:133; InHonduras, such motifs have been reported from Joyce'stranslation, emphasis added). Viel makesthe the CuyamelCaves (Healy 1974) andfrom the Gor- argumentmore explicit by using the datesproposed don subcomplex of Copan, to which Viel for the Jaralcomplex of Los Naranjos at thatpoint (1993:33X1, 132-133) assigns an initial Middle the only majorfocus of FormativePeriod interaction Formativedate. The Gordoncomplex is represented with Mesoamericain Honduras for comparison by 27 complete vessels from burialsin a cemetery with Gordon complex. Comparisonto Kennedy's and in the cavernsof the CopanValley, along with proposed dates for Playa de los Muertos,used as 23 sherds, seven of them diagnostic. Viel aptly additionalsupport for the argumentfor delayed adop- reviewsthe difficultiesinvolved in placingthese ves- tion of these traits,is consideredbelow, and argu- sels in comparativecontext, in the absenceof a larger ments for rejectingher late dating for Playa de los component stemming from refuse deposits. He Muertosare offered. adopts a conservativeposition conditionedby the The relevant question is whether sites in associationof these vessels withjade in the Gordon Guatemalaand Honduraswith "Olmec" traits in cemetery,although he notes in passing the opinion MiddleFormative ceramic complexes are the best or of David Grovethat jade could be foundearlier in a only potentialsources of comparisonfor eitherthe region as close to the Motaguasource as is Copan relativelyisolated Gordon vessels, for the Cuyamel (see Bishop and Lange 1993 for evidence that For- Cavesvessels to whichViel convincinglyrelates the mativeperiod jades fromMesoamerica originated in Gordon materials, or for the newly documented the MotaguaRiver valley). ceramicsfrom Puerto Escondido. Viel (1993:3941), The strongestargument for assigninga laterdate in supportof the MiddleFormative placement of the to these materialsin Hondurasthan in otherregions Gordonvessels, drawsspecific comparisons to types was the "peripheral"location of Copan:"Generally, at Salinas on the GuatemalanPacific

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Coast. A considerationof the chronology of these potteryof PuertoEscondido. But thesemotifs are types at SalinasLa Blancaand relatedsites helps to equallylacking in the MiddleFormative Conchas- contextualizethe Chotepe-phaseassemblage from phaseceramics from Salinas La Blanca. PuertoEscondido. Morerecent considerations of thearchaeology of In his original definitionof Ocos and Conchas the PacificCoast of Guatemalaand have ceramiccomplexes, based on excavationsat La Vic- refinedour understandingof the Earlyto Middle toria on the Pacific Coast, Michael Coe compared Formativeceramic sequence and inter-regional vari- severaltypes he identifiedfor the Conchascomplex ation,and they have resulted in newproposed dates (thendated 1000-300 B.C.) withmaterial from Playa for relevantcomplexes (Blake et al. 1995).For the de los Muertos(Coe 1961:55,66,69,72-73,7S78). Mazatanregion of Chiapas,John Clark (Blake et al. Since Coe had the advantageof direct comparison 1995;Clark 1994) defined the Mokayatradition, a with the Playa de los Muertostype materialat the localizedsequence of developmentsincluding the Peabody Museum, HarvardUniversity, his com- use of potterytypologically identifiable with the ments should be given considerableweight. They Cuadros and Jocotal complexes (now dated closely approximatethe observationsthat Joyce has 1000-900 and 900-850 B.C.; Blake et al. made,based on examinationof these andother For- 1995:175-179),as well as earlierOcos andBarra mative Honduranceramics stored at the Peabody, complexpottery. Included in the suite of vesselstyp- includingthe originalYarumela collection, the orig- ical of Mazatan-regionCuadros are a rangeof flat- inal "YojoaMonochrome" collection, and the ves- based, flaring-wallbowls with white slipped, sels from the Copan caves. Coe (1961:127) writes differentiallyfired, and black surfaces incised on the that"Conchas and Playa de los Muertosare clearly exteriorwall or wedge-shapedrim with geometric contemporaneousand they sharea host of traits. . . designs,some of whichare schematicversions of [althought]his does not imply a completeidentity." widespreadOlmec motifs, includingthe profile Subsequentexcavations at Salinas La Blanca in "dragon"and St. Andrews cross. Cuadros ceramics the sameregion (Coe andFlannery 1967) led to revi- identifiedin theMazatan region form the geograph- sion of the proposed sequence and new dates for icallyclosest documented body of materialparallel Conchas.Newly definedCuadros and Jocotalcom- to theChotepe-phase ceramic complex from Puerto plexes were placed before Conchas, and assigned Escondido.At the same time, the two complexes dif- dates between 1000 and 850 B.C., in the terminal fer in somesignificant regards. Although a similar EarlyFormative. The types identifiedby Coe (1961) rangeof necklessand necked jar forms with red slip as comparableto Playa de los Muertosremained in is foundin the two areas,the Mazatancomplexes the Conchascomplexes, dated after 800 B.C. emphasizepunctation, applique, and red linear ThemajortypesidentifiedbyViel (1993) as com- painteddesigns not known at PuertoEscondido. parableto Copan'sGordon complex (TilapaRed on Clark(1994: 196-199) contrasts Mazatan Cuadros White,Pampas Black and White, and Morena Black) withthe preceding Cherla complex (1100-1000 BC; presenta somewhatdifferent picture, both typolog- Blakeet al.1995: 173-175) with which it significantly ically andchronologically. All threetypes begin with overlapsin basicceramic inventory. Although dif- Cuadroscomplex, and while Morena Black and Pam- ferentiallyfired ceramics are part of theCherla assem- pas Blackand White continue into Conchas,they are blage, Clarknotes the absenceof the complex characterizedby new forms,especially composite sil- symbolicmotifs introduced in abundancein suc- houette bowls. Tilapa Red on White was rapidly ceedingCuadros. It is preciselythese motifs that are replacedin early Conchas by zoned Conchas Red generallyabsent from Cuadros as originallydefined andWhite ceramics, again with distinct vessel forms. at SalinasLa Blanca. Demarest (1987:336) had ear- Although the Guatemalantypes Viel comparesto lier raisedconcerns about the apparentabsence of Gordonpottery do continueinto the MiddleForma- "Olmecoid"traits in the Cuadros/Jocotal assemblages tive Conchascomplex, the closest similaritiesin ves- fromthe Pacific Coast of Guatemala,associating their sel formare with the Cuadrosand Jocotal complexes. appearanceafter ca. 900 B.C.with the first develop- The only majordiscontinuity with Cuadros/Jocotal mentof monumentalarchitecture and the appearance is the absence at Salinas La Blanca of the complex of carved-stone monuments at sites such as motifs thatdistinguish both Gordonvessels and the Chalchuapa.Michael Love's (1990, 1991)pioneer-

This content downloaded from 136.159.235.223 on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 20:17:59 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 20 LATINAMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol.12, No. 1, 2001 ing regionalexamination of theRio Naranjodrainage Tokceramic complex. Sharer (1978:209) argues that extendinginland from the sites of LaVictoriaand Sali- Chalchuapamay have played a less centralrole in nas La Blancaconfirmed the generalabsence of such the regionthan an uninvestigatedsite nearAhuacha- motifsin ceramicsuntil the Conchas-phase (85W650 pan, located in a pass 25 km to the west, to which B.C.) developmentof La Blanca, a regionalcenter, "Olmec"-styleportable objects are attributed. withmonumental architecture, sculpture, and incised Most of the externalcomparisons drawn by Viel white and black ceramicscarrying motifs of cleft- for Gordon-phasevessels are to terminalEarly For- headed profile faces (850-650 BC; Blake et al. mative complexes. "Olmec"motifs found in some 1995:179-181). His excavationsat La Blanca and Guatemalansites in slightlylater contexts, for exam- regional-scaleanalysis demonstrated that these ele- ple at La Blanca,are on vessels withdiagnostic Mid- mentswere restrictedto La Blancaitself, and differ- dle Formative complex-silhouette forms. The entiallydistributed within it. Gordonvessels, in contrast,are entirely comparable Clark's(1994: 197-200) analysisof the Mazatan in form, surfacetreatment, and decorationto Early region reached the same general conclusion, Formativecomplexes, as recently emphasized by althoughhere the local centersdevelop slightly ear- Flannery and Marcus (1994:135, 382, 390), and lier and thus have ceramicassemblages identifiable notedpreviously by many others(Fash 1985, 1991; with Early FormativeCuadros rather than Middle Healy 1974; Joyce 1992; Longyear 1969; Porter FormativeConchas. Where Cherla complex ceram- 1953). Chotepe-phasesherd samples from Puerto ics are widely distributedin the region, and may be Escondido likewise find their closest analogues in associated with multiple centers, Cuadrospottery EarlyFormative, rather than Middle Formative, com- with its iconographicallycomplex motifs is limited plexes, and the radiocarbondates discussed above to a single regionalcenter. confirmtheir Early Formative date. Unevendistributions of "Olmec"motifs are in fact typicalin all regionsthat have been thoroughly inves- Conclusions tigated. For Oaxaca, Flannery and Marcus Ratherthan an isolated, backwardrural village on (1994:329-339) documenteddifferential distribu- the edge of the Mesoamericanworld, the Middle tionof motifsthat they argued stems from three kinds Formativesociety of whichPlaya de los Muertoswas of differencesin patternsof ceramicconsumption: parthad a continuoushistory going back as early as status distinctionswithin communities;within-site any sedentarysociety yet documentedin Mesoamer- symbolic differentiation that may reflect social ica. Like otherprecocious Mesoamerican societies, groupings;and intra-regionaldifferences between the people of the Chotepe-phaseUlua valley partic- neighboring,but independent, communities. As was ipated in long-distance networks of exchange true of La Blanca, at San Jose Mogote they found throughwhich obsidianfrom Guatemalamoved as evidencethat larger amounts of exoticmaterials such farwest as the Gulf CoastOlmec centers. Honduras' as jade, shell, ironore, andmica are associatedwith Chotepe-phasesocieties participateddirectly in the the iconographicallycomplex pottery vessels. Flan- socialrelations that spread preferences for flat-based nery and Marcusconcluded that chronological dis- open bowls in shades of black and white thatoften tinctionis only one of the possible explanationsthat carriedcomplex carved motifs related to ideological shouldbe consideredfor differencesin the distribu- andreligious concerns. The participationof villages tion of symbolicallysignificant ceramic decoration. in far eastern Mesoamerica in these networks The Gordoncomplex vessels fromCopan are pre- demandsreevaluation of core-peripherymodels of cisely the kind of material that, elsewhere in the developmentof Mesoamericancomplex soci- Mesoamerica,is foundonly in associationwith par- eties duringthe centuriesfrom 1100 to 900 B.C. ticular kinds of sociopolitical involvements. The The deep stratigraphicsequence at PuertoEscon- absence of such explicit symbolism from contem- dido also requiresa new evaluationof the emergence poraryassemblages at neighboringsites, even those of sedentarysocieties dependent on agriculturefrom that are well-studied,is not by itself sufficientrea- predecessorsof the late Archaicperiod engaged in son to concludethat the introductionof these motifs diversified collecting strategies (Voorhies 1996a, was delayed.A similarexplanation may accountfor 1996b). The stratigraphy,features, and dates for the absence of complex motifs from Chalchuapa's Barahonadeposits at Puerto Escondido support argu-

This content downloaded from 136.159.235.223 on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 20:17:59 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Joyce and Henderson] BEGINNINGSOF VILLAGELIFE IN EASTERNMESOAMERICA 21 ments based on pollen samples from Lake Yojoa, 1990 Redefinitionof the Swasey Phase at Cuello, Belize. AmericanAntiquity 54:570-584. locatedonly 65 km away,for relativelyearly inten- Arroyo,Barbara sificationof maizecultivation in northwestHonduras 1995 EarlyCeramics from El Salvador:The El CarmenSite. (Rue 1989). Priorto the identificationof earlyoccu- In TheEmergence of Pottery,edited by WilliamK. Barnett andJohn W. Hoopes, pp. 199-208. SmithsonianInstitution pation at PuertoEscondido, the proposeddates for Press,Washington, DC. maize pollen at LakeYojoa were inconsistentwith Bishop, RonaldL., and FrederickW. Lange thelack of evidencefor early settlement in theregion. 1993 Sourcesof Maya and CentralAmerican Jadeites: Data Bases and Interpretations A Summary.In Precolumbian At present,models of the Archaicto Formative- Jade: New Geological and CulturalInterpretations, edited periodtransition in Mesoamericaare based on a few by FrederickW. Lange, pp. 125-130. Universityof Utah sites in whichconditions of preservationwere unusu- Press, Salt Lake City. Blake, Michael ally favorable.These sites may not be typicalof what 1991 An EmergingEarly Formative Chiefdom at Paso de la were probablyhighly varied routes towardgreater Amada, Chiapas, Mexico. In The Formationof Complex sedentismand increasedreliance on cultivationof a Societyin SoutheasternMesoamerica, edited by WilliamR. Fowler,pp. 27-46. CRC Press, Boca Raton. narrowerrange of plant foods. The role of fertile Blake, Michael,and JohnE. Clark lowlandriverine environments is especiallydifficult 1993 The Powerof Prestige:Competitive Generosity and the to investigate,due to the frequencywith which sites Emergenceof RankSocieties in LowlandMesoamerica. In FactionalCompetition and Political Development in theNew have been reworkedand buried by deposition(Pope World,edited by ElizabethM. Brumfieland John W. Fox, 1985; Voorhies and Kennett 1995). It is highly pp. 17-30. CambridgeUniversity Press, Cambridge. unlikelythat Puerto Escondido is unique,arld much Blake, Michael, John E. Clark, Barbara Voorhies, George Michaels, Michael W. Love, Mary E. Pye, Arthur A. morelikely thatthe agriculturalpotential of lowland Demarest,and BarbaraArroyo rivervalleys in Mesoamericawould have made them 1995 RadiocarbonChronology forthe LateArchaicand For- some of the most favorablelocations along with mative Periods on the Pacific Coast of Southeastern Mesoamerica.Ancient Mesoamerica 6: 161-183. swampsand lacustrine environments forearly tran- Brainerd,George sitions to increasedreliance on agricultureand to 1958 The Archaeological Ceramics of Yucatan.Anthropo- sedentism(Hesteret al.1996; Jacob1995; Jacob and logical Records19. Universityof CaliforniaPublications in Anthropology,Los Angeles and Berkeley. Hallmark1996; Jones 1994; Pohl 1990; Pohl et al. Canby,Joel 1996). It seems certainthat other equally early vil- 1951 Possible Chronological Implications of the Long lages exist elsewherein easternMesoamerica. The CeramicSequence Recovered at Yarumela,Spanish Hon- duras. In The Civilizations of Ancient America, Selected identificationof early settlementsin areasof active Papers of the 29th InternationalCongress of Americanists, riverdeposition may be difficult,but it is crucialto Vol. 1, editedby Sol Tax,pp.79-92. Universityof Chicago arrivingat more accurate understarldings of theearly Press, Chicago. Clark,John E. historyof humanoccupation in CentralAmerica. 1994 Los olmecasen Mesoamerica.El Equilibristaand Turner Libros,Mexico and Madrid. Acknowledgments.Excavations at PuertoEscondido were con- Clark,John E., and Dennis Gosser ducted under the authority of the Insituto Hondureno de 1995 ReinventingMesoamerica's First Pottery. In TheEmer- Antropologiae Historia.Funding was providedby grantsfrom gence of Pottery,edited by WilliamK. Barnettand John W. Hoopes,pp.209-222. SmithsonianInstitution Press, Wash- the Wenner-GrenFoundation for AnthropologicalResearch, ington,D.C. CharitableFund, Foundationfor the Advancementof Heinz Coe, Michael D. MesoamericanStudies, Incorporated;from the University of 1961 La Victoria: An Early Site on the Pacific Coast of California, Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility Stahl Guatemala.Papers of the PeabodyMuseum of Archaeology Endowment,Committee on Research,Center for LatinAmerican and Ethnology,No. 53. HarvardUniversity, Cambridge. Studies, and UndergraduateResearch Apprentice Program; and Coe, MichaelD., and RichardA. Diehl fromthe CornellUniversity Office of SponsoredPrograms, Latin 1980 In the Land of the Olmec. Universityof Texas Press, American Studies Program, and Archaeology Program. We Austin. thankJeremy A. Sablofffor commentson an earlierdraft. Coe, MichaelD., and KentV. Flannery 1967 Early Culturesand HumanEcology in South Coastal Guatemala.Contributions to Anthropology3. Smithsonian References Cited Institution,Washington, DC. AndrewsV, E. Wyllys Demarest,Arthur 1990 The Early CeramicHistory of the Lowland Maya. In 1987 Recent Research on the Preclassic Ceramics of the Vision and Revision in Maya Studies, edited by Flora S. SoutheasternHighlands and Pacific Coast of Guatemala.In Clancyand PeterD. Harrison,pp. 1-20. Universityof New Maya Ceramics:Papersfrom the 1985 Maya CeramicCon- Mexico Press, Albuquerque. ference, edited by PrudenceM. Rice and RobertJ. Sharer, AndrewsV, E. Wyllys, and NormanHammond pp. 329-340. InternationalSeries 345 (ii). BAR, Oxford.

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