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University of Copenhagen A Painted Spondylus Shell from Burial 1-9, Pacbitun, Belize Helmke, Christophe; Cheong, Kong F.; Healy, Paul F.; Jørgensen, Mads S. Published in: Mexicon Publication date: 2015 Document version Other version Document license: Unspecified Citation for published version (APA): Helmke, C., Cheong, K. F., Healy, P. F., & Jørgensen, M. S. (2015). A Painted Spondylus Shell from Burial 1-9, Pacbitun, Belize. Mexicon, 37(2), 43-47. Download date: 08. Apr. 2020 www.mexicon.de B11348F Zeitschrift fOr Mesoamerikaforschung Journal of Mesoamerican Studies - Revista sobre Estudios Mesoamericanos Vol. XXXVII April 2015 Nr. 2 101 48120012 +.,.., · -:- · +-:: · ~ : j. · .. i . + · i I -i- 1 . · i -i- ~ I ~ ' unY"<. -o'''YII 1'. ·.. '. :_.· +' ·.·. j·: ·.: :: t·i :: ..... ' 1-: -t,-· Ic· · 10140l20012LL~:;,·····~ 1: ~ . · .: f:0_.:f::~. N I , . ·<7 -t: :.,.~.::.+.: ~- . I •' ' . j'.: : :·: ·. { '. ·. ·. :·: I ··-.·... +j.':.:-':: ': . ~ :.··:.:: -i- 1 i . -i- 10134120015 10134!20026 0 5m Fig. 12. Upper fas;ade, western part of main fas;ade, Structure 2. Photo: Stephan Merk, 2015. Fig. 11. Partly looted recessed plain panel, western part of main fas;ade, Structure 2. Photo: Eduardo GonzalezArce, 2015. site, the lack of excavations, and the condition of the build­ ings, an affiliation of El Delfin to either the Chenes or the Rio Bee style could not be established. Nevertheless, it is possible to say that without doubt the site belongs to the Late Maya Classic (AD. 600 - AD. 900). References Andrews, George F. 1997 Pyramids and Palaces, Monsters and Masks. The Golden Age ofMaya Architecture, vol. 2, Architecture of the Chenes Region. Lancaster: Fig. 13 . Remaining part of the vault in Room 2, Structure 2. Please Labyrinthos. also notice the niche in the walled part between the western doorway 1999 Pyramids and Palaces, Monsters and Masks. The Golden Age ofMaya column and the western doorjamb in the lower right corner of the Architecture, vol. 3, Architecture of the Rio Bee Region and Miscel­ picture. Photo: Eduardo Gonzalez Arce, 2015. laneous Subjects. Lancaster: Labyrinthos. Gendrop, Paul Ruppert, Karl and John H. Denison, Jr. 1983 Los Estilos Rio Bee, Chenes y Puuc en la arquitectura maya. UNAM: 1943 Archaeological Reconnaissance in Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Pe­ Mexico, D.F. ten. Publication 543. Camegie Institution ofWashington: Washington, Muller, Florencia D. C. 1960 Atlas Arqueol6gico de la Republica Mexicana 2. INAH: Mexico, Ruz Lhuillier, Alberto D. F. 1945 Campeche en la Arqueologia Maya. Acta Anthropol6gica I: 2-3: Pifia Chan, Roman Mexico, D. F. 1985 Cultura y Ciudades Mayas de Campeche. Editora del Sureste: Mexico, D. F. Pollock, H. E. D. A Painted Spondylus Shell 1970 Architectural Notes on Some Chenes Ruins. In: Monographs and from Buriall-9, Pacbitun, Belize Papers in MayaArchaeology, William R. Bullard (ed.). Papers of the CoPENHAGEN (Christophe Helmke), SANTA FE (Kong F. Peabody Museum ofArchaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cheong), PETERBOROUGH (Paul F. Healy), LoNDON (Mads vol. 61, pp. 1-87. Peabody Museum: Cambridge, Massachusetts. S. J0rgensen). Between 1984 and 1987, a Trent University 1980 The Puuc. An Architectural Survey of the Hill Country of Yucatan project, under the direction of Paul F. Healy, excavated the and Northern Campeche, Mexico. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum, Maya site ofPacbitun, located in the Cayo District of Belize vol. 19. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard (Healy 1990; Hea1y et al. 2004b ). During the final season, University: Cambridge, Massachusetts. the team excavated a trench into Structure 1, the tallest py­ Potter, David F. ramidal structure at the site, and the central temple of the 1977 Maya Architecture of the Central Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Publica­ eastern triadic complex that dominates the site's principal tion 44. Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University: New Plaza A (Figure 1). This trench uncovered Burial 1-9, the Orleans. only vaulted tomb discovered at the site, which contained 43 mexicon • Vol. XXXVII • April2015 a wealth of grave offerings, including the valve of a spiny of Structure l, the most imposing building of Plaza A in the oyster shell (Spondylus sp.). Whereas this shell has already site epicentre. The large vaulted masonry tomb was about 3 m figured in foregoing reports (i .e. Healy 1990: 257; Healy et long, 1 m wide, and 1.2 m high, and represents a major under­ al. 2004a: 231, Fig. 14.3b; Wagner 2009: 60, 63, 223, Fig. taking in terms oflabour investment. The burial was covered C-11, Table 5 .5), the painted design that embellishes this by a thick (8-1 0 cm) layer of thousands of chert flakes in­ shell has escaped proper identification and commentary. In tentionally struck from cores and spread across 16 large, flat, this research note we present a new drawing of the shell and carefully trimmed slate capstones. The grave contained the discuss its design. remains of a tall (170 cm), adult (45+/- 5 years) male, lying supine (Figure 2). The head was positioned to the south, typi­ Archaeological context cal of the Belize valley, and face up (see Welsh 1988: 52-63, The tomb designated as BU 1-9 was located almost 5 m be­ 226-227). The skeletal remains, both head and torso, were low the terminal, axial stair, deep within the core of Structure covered in red cinnabar, considered a royal mortuary trait 1. The tomb was built in the first portion of Phase 4 (of five (e.g. Chase 1992: 36-37). Accompanying him was one of the major architectural phases at Pacbitun) that is more or less equivalent to the Coc ceramic phase, which corresponds to AD 550-700. This was a time of major architectural renewal i:::::==:::i150km Mex1co Gulf of Mexico Mexico 11 Pacific Ocean 0[ 8( =,-~ I ~bone(, tubes 0 20 cm 25 Fig. 2. Plan of Burial 1-9 at Pacbitun showing the skeletal remains Fig. 1. Map of the Maya area showing the location ofPacbitun and of an adult male and associated burial furniture. Note the many nes­ other archaeological sites mentioned in the text. The inset shows a tled ceramic vessels, the slate mirror backing, the bone tubes, the plan of Plaza A at Pacbitun. Note the location of Structure I - con­ items of personal adornment and the Spondylus valve capping the taining Buriall-9 - the central structure of the eastern triadic com­ cranium (plan by Christophe Helmke, based on Healy et al. 2004a: 44 plex (map and plan after Helrnke et al. 2006: Figs. I & 3). Fig. 14.1). mexicon • Vol. XXXVII • April 2015 richest arrays of artefacts encountered at Pacbitun. The bur­ Altar de Sacrificios (Smith I972: 259-260), Piedras Negras ial furniture consisted of I9 slipped vessels, many complete, (Coe I959: 56, Fig. 64), Tikal (Hellmuth 1967: 195, Photo 90; about one quarter of which were polychromes, the remain­ Moholy-Nagy I985: I49; Moholy-Nagy and Coe 2008: 59), der being monochromes of black or brown-black colouring. Rio Azul (Hall I989: 63 , 142), Altun Ha (Pendergast 1982: The vessels represent a striking variety of forms: 10 bowls, I 00; Fig 57), and Baking Pot (Helrnke 2008: 139, Fig. 17), 4 dishes, 2 vases, 2 pitchers, and 1 jar, many stacked inside suggesting that the custom is a shared royal mortuary practice others. Additional mortuary offerings included polished stone of the Lowland Maya in the Classic Period. Although these jewellery (3 jade beads and 1 pyrite tube), a matching pair shell "skull caps" are superficially reminiscent of the practice of circular shell earspools, five hollow bone tubes, and a of covering skulls with ceramic vessels or metates, the latter drilled circular slate backing for a mosaic mirror (the pyrite were clearly intended to protect the skull, a function that can­ tesserae having corroded away) (Healy and Blainey 2011; not be assigned to the shell specimens on account of their size Healy et al. 2008). Of special interest for the present study and placement. Based on the shell "skull cap", in conjunction is a large marine valve with a design, painted on the interior with the large size and prominent location of the tomb, as surface. The Spondylus valve, was positioned at the back of well as the richness of the grave offerings, it has been argued the head, like a skull cap. Burials containing similar marine that BU I-9 contained the remains of a Late Classic ruler of shell "skull caps" have been identified from royal burials at Pacbitun (Healy et al. 2004a: 235). The Spondylus shell valve The shell has been identified as an Atlantic spiny oyster shell (Spondylus americanus), and measures approximately I2,2 cm long by 9,9 cm high (Figure 3a). As such the shell is a fairly large specimen, since S. americanus typically reach a maximal size of c. I 0 cm in diameter (Rosenberg 1992: I42). Although parts of its edges have deteriorated, the extant hinge and beak indicate that this is a left valve. Its interior, or ventral, surface was decorated by a design rendered in black pigment. Prior to the application of the design, the orange porcellaneous interior was intentionally scraped to produce Fig. 3. The Spondylus valve showing the eroded design on its interior a smooth surface. The practice of altering shells by means of surface. Hatching indicates the extent of the cinnabar adhering to scraping and polishing is commonplace in the Maya Low­ the shell (photograph by Kong F. Cheong; drawing by Christophe lands (Hammond et al. 1991: 362; Moholy-Nagy and Coe Helmke). 2008: 59), although both worked and unworked shells appear in burial contexts with great frequency. What truly sets this particular specimen apart is the painted design (Figure 3b ). Unfortunately, it is now partially eroded and is concealed in parts by a significant coat of calcium carbonate, which undoubtedly formed post-depositionally within the tomb.
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