PAPERS of the NEW WORLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION NUMBER FORTY-ONE The Chantuto People: An Archaic Period Society of the Chiapas Littoral, Mexico by BARBARA VOORHIES (With Spanish Translati'on of Concluding Section) NEW WORLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PRovo, UTAH 1976 PAPERS of the NEW WORLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION NUMBER FORTY-ONE The Chantuto People: An Archaic Period Society of the Chiapas Littoral, Mexico by BARBARA VOORHIES (With Spanish Translation of Concluding Section) NEW WORLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION BRIGHAM YouNG u NIVERSITY PRovo, UTAH 1976 GARETH W. LO\tVE DIRECTOR SUSANNA M. EKHOLM SERIES EDITOR STEPHANIE BIRD VOLUME EDITOR Printed by BRIGHAM YOUNG U. IVERSITY PRINTING SERVICE PROVO, UTAH "In shallow salt Water, these impenetrable Woods of Mangroves are frequented by great Numbers of Alligators, which being too big to enter the closest Recesses of these Thickets, the smaller Ones find a secure Retreat from the Jaws of their voracious Parents. These watery Woods are also plentifully stored with ravenous Fish, Turtles and other Animals which prey continually one upon the other, and the Alligator on them all; so that in no Place have I ever seen such remarkable Scenes of Devastation as amongst these Mangroves ...where the Carcasses of half devoured Ani­ mals are usually floating in the Water. They grow in most parts of the Earth under the Torrid Zone and are found but little north or south of the Tropicks." M. Catesby 1731: 63 quoted in Bowman 1917: 603 V ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have received generous assistance from of 1971. I am grateful for her unwavering many people and organizations throughout good spirits which were a tremendous asset, this study. especially during some potentially frustrating The excavations were carried out under experiences. Christopher Dunn, Wayne Olts an archaeological concession (No. 10/69) is­ and Gilberto Utrilla assisted during the exca­ sued by the Instituto Nacional de Antropo­ vations. Their contributions were vital to the logia e Historia to the New World Archaeologi­ project's success and I highly value our shared cal Foundation, Brigham Young University. times together. Without their help I would Financial support during my reconnaissance have accomplished ve1y little. trip of 1971 was provided by a General Re­ I derived much personal pleasure from the search Grant from the University of California, tremendous hospitality extended to us out­ Santa Barbara. The research was funded by a siders by the people of La Palma. I am par­ National Science Foundation grant issued to ticularly indebted to Eduardo Coutino, Don the regents of the University of California. Martin de los Santos, Miguel Ochoa, Elias Some of the archaeological and other re­ Ochoa, and Arnulfo Vera. These men fo1med mains were examined by people whose con­ the core of our excavation crew and also be­ tributions I deeply appreciate. James J. Child­ came our friends during our brief but intense ress perfo1med the nutritional analysis of stay in their village. clams; Matsuo Tsukada studied the midden I benefitted also from stimulating dis­ samples for possible pollen; Elizabeth S. Wing cussions with Albert C. Spaulding, Barbara and Kathie Johnson analyzed the vertebrate L. Stark, Elizabeth S. Wing, and Phillip L. faunal remains; Joseph E. P. Morrison, Joseph Walker. Phillip L. Walker has been particu­ Rosewater, and Allyn Smith examined shells; larly helpful in this regard. Jose Luis Castro­ Phillip L. Walker studied the human remains; Aguirre and A. Starker Leopold were kind and Larry R. Wilcoxon studied the obsidian enough to write long info1mative letters in collection. answer to my queries regarding aspects of The majority of data processing was per­ their areas of speciality. formed in Santa Barbara where I was assist­ The manuscript was read in part or com­ ed by several people: Jane Divinski, Anabel pletely by Stephanie Bird, Susanna M. Ford, George Gregg, Paul Heuston, Martin Ekholm, Gareth W. Lowe, Albert C. Spaulding, Jacobson, Ronald Jeffries, and Michael Perez. Phillip S. Walker, and Elizabeth S. Wing. I In Chiapas I received assistance from various am very grateful for their helpfulsuggestions. staff members of the New World Archaeologi­ When I was first considering this project, cal Foundation. Jorge Acuna N. made a pre­ Carlos Navarrete shared with me much un­ liminary identificationof the ceramic material, published information on the Soconusco. Ramiro Jimenez P. drew the illustrations, and His generous attitude and the specific infor­ Mario Vega R. photographed the artifacts. mation he provided me about sites and Elisabeth Brown thoughtfully and carefully logistics gave tremendous impetus to the pro­ typed the manuscript. ject's realization. Eduardo Martinez E. has Some additional people not only contri­ provided me with considerable assistance buted their professional expertise, but also throughout this study. He has been consis­ personally involved themselves in the project. tently eager to offer the kind of help that makes I am doubly grateful to these individuals. the difference between a difficult or a smooth Cynthia Hutzel shared with me the first ex­ progression of a project. He also surveyed periences in the field area during the summer two of the sites. vii Gareth W. Lowe has supported the proj­ The collections have been deposited with ect in many tangible and intangible ways the New World Archaeological Foundation, difficult to detail. He has offered eve1y form then at Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, of professional assistance from the time of my and since moved to Comitan. first inquiries about the feasibility of this proj­ ect until its conclusion. I am exceptionally Barbara Voorhies grateful for his munificence. University of California Santa Barbara, California March 1976 viii CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................ vii INTRODUCTION . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Background and Objectives .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Cultural Backdrop of Study . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 Coeval Occupations . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Cultural History of the Soconusco .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Prehistoric Coastal Dwellers . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 Residence Patterns . .. .. .. 11 Subsistence Patterns . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 Exchange Systems .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 PRESENT-DAY ENVIRONMENT . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Resource Community Zones .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Shallow Water Marine . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Beach Sand and Low Beach Scrub .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Mangrove Forest . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Herbaceous Swamp . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20. Madresalar . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Tropical Savanna . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Forest and Field Systems .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 Marine Estuary and Lagoon System .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 Community Periodicities .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 Reptiles . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 Crustacea .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Birds . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Fish .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 People . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 Summary . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28 Limiting Factors . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28 Ecological Analysis . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29 RECONSTRUCTION OF PREHISTORIC SOCIAL SYSTEMS: EXCAVATIONS AND DA TING . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Excavations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Methods . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Stratigraphy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 Zapotillo, Cs-8 . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 Tlacuachero, Cs-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 Camp6n, Cs-6 . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39 Depositional Histo1y .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39 Stage 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39 Stage 2 . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41 Stage 3 . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41 ix Dating the Occupations .......................................... 41 Methods .................................................... 41 Results ...................................................... 42 N8Wl and NlE9 at Cs-6 ................................... 42 N3E3 at Cs-8 ............................................. 42 OE2 at Cs-7 ............................................. 43 Conclusions ................................................. 43 RECONSTRUCTIO OF PALEOENVIRONMENTS AND EFFECTIVE ECOSYSTEMS ................................... 45 Fauna ......................................................... 45 Invertebrate Remains .......................................... 45 Mollusks other than Marsh Clams and Barnacles ................ 45 Marsh Clams .............................................. 48 Shrimp ................................................... 52 Summary ................................................. 53 Vertebrate Remains ........................................... 54 Methods ................................................. 54 Results ................................................... 55 Conclusions .............................................. 55 Flora .................................. • .... •