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The final report of the excavations that took place at Negroman-Tipu in 1984, 1986, and 1987 is in progress. The results of the historic-period excavations directed by Robert Kautz from 1980 to 1982 will also be included. In addition, because the Spanish colonial-period excavations at Lamanai so closely parallel the conditions at Tipu, we are working towards reporting the architectural excavations and the artifacts from Lamanai and Tipu in the same publication. This has involved re-organization of our data bases to standardize the recording and cataloguing of buildings, features, stratigraphic lots, and artifacts. Although this is turning out to require a considerable investment of time and effort, we believe it will be well worth the trouble to combine reporting of the results from the two sites. We learned a great deal about 16th century domestic and ceremonial architecture from the work at Tipu and Lamanai; at Tipu, however, except for the 16th century church, only portions of structures were excavated. Therefore much remains to be known about how the buildings "worked" in terms of the spaces in which different activities were carried out, and how the relationships among buildings may have changed from prehispanic to colonial times. Changes in building styles as well as apparent changes in the relationship of subsidiary to main structures suggests that the Spaniards had some effect on the economics of residential households and hence on residential layout (see Hanson, Craig, Incorporating the Sixteenth Century Periphery: From tributary to Capitalist Production in the Yucatecan Cuchabal of Tiquibalon. Paper presented at the Society for Historical Archaeology, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1997). Further information on the work at Tipu and on mission archaeology can be found in the following list of publications. (Lamanai publications are listed under the "History of the Excavations at Lamanai.") As this web site develops, we hope to be able to make architectural and artifact drawings available for the use of others working on mission sites. Graham, Elizabeth. Graham, Elizabeth, Grant D. Jones
and Robert R. Kautz. Graham, Elizabeth, David M. Pendergast
and Grant D. Jones. Lambert, Joseph B., Elizabeth Graham,
Marvin T. Smith and James S. Frye. Pendergast, David M., Grant D. Jones
and Elizabeth Graham. Smith, Marvin T., Elizabeth Graham
and David M. Pendergast. |
 Reconstruction
of central Tipu about A.D. 1560. Painting by Marianne Huston. |
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My involvement with the Mesoamerican collections at the Royal Ontario Museum began in September of 1996, when I was given the opportunity to streamline the "Small Finds" or "Artifacts" database from Negroman-Tipu, on the Macal River in western Belize. I have reorganized and standardized the computer records, originally entered in dbase III+ format, in order to facilitate both intra-site and inter-site comparisons and analyses. In April of 1997 a systems upgrade took place, and SuperBase (v.8) was installed in place of dbase III+. SuperBase is a highly sophisticated software program that offers great flexibility in database design, management and implementation. SuperBase is also by far a more "user-friendly" program, operating in the Windows (as opposed to the DOS) environment. Given these advantages, the existing dbase III+ records of the Tipu "Small Finds" collection were downloaded into SuperBase and restructured for greater efficiency in terms of data inquiry (i.e., search and retrieval). We soon recognized that the application of the SuperBase program would provide significant benefits to the management of data from other Maya sites as well. Current projects involving the use of SuperBase include: the development of a database specific to locational information from the Tipu site; the development of a database specific to burial information for the Marco Gonzalez and San Pedro sites; and entry of artifact data from Lamanai. We expect that the computerization of the data from these collections will greatly assist access and retrieval of information for the purposes of scholarly research and publication. In addition to the above database management efforts, the application of the "Fieldworker" software program (intended for use on the Apple Newton product) significantly improved data collection in the field at Lamanai and Middle Caye, Belize, during the 1997 field season. The design elements of this program are easily interfaced with most desktop database programs (PC and Mac), and the Newton itself may be used in conjunction with a G.P.S. (Global Positioning System) for accurate recording of locational information. The advantages of "Fieldworker" and the Apple Newton relate to both efficiency and accuracy of recording data in the field, and the use of the program greatly reduces lab time spent on traditional data entry. With an eye to the future, we are currently investigating other software programs for application on Maya site data. They include AutoCad (v.14) for the creation of 3-D reconstructions, and a G.I.S. (Geographic Information System) for mapping purposes and spatial analysis. |
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Excavations at Lamanai have produced a faunal assemblage that is among the larger recovered from lowland Maya sites. Well over 20,000 bone and shell remains were found in various domestic and ceremonial contexts that represent all periods of occupation. The bulk of the assemblage was retrieved from Postclassic and Colonial period contexts, which were a special focus of research at the site. My dissertation examines Postclassic animal utilization at Lamanai. The research will include both traditional subsistence concerns related to diet and what can best be described as a social zooarchaeology. I am interested in examining not just the question of what the inhabitants of Lamanai were eating, but also who was eating what and why. Preliminary results of the analysis reflect the importance of the site's location adjacent to New River Lagoon. A large percentage of the assemblage is represented by various species that inhabit the lagoon, including turtles, fish, crocodiles, and freshwater snails such as the apple snail and jute. As is true of many Maya faunal assemblages there is a great amount of species diversity represented within the sample. In addition to the reptiles and fishes, mammals and birds are present in large numbers. Some of the mammals identified include deer, tapir, peccary, felids, agouti, paca, and armadillo. Curassows and turkeys are among the birds identified to date. Future analysis of the assemblage will also include an examination of the large quantity of bone and shell artifacts recovered as well as research related to issues of taphonomy in Maya zooarchaeology. Not only is this assemblage among the larger ones recovered, it is also one of the better preserved. The excellent preservation of the sample, represented by the large quantity of both complete and identifiable bones, will allow us to assemble an excellent comparative collection for future use. Our plans are to house this collection on site in Belize. |
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Palaeodemographic analysis has been carried out by Cathy Walper, University of Western Ontario, who presented her findings at the Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology meetings in London, 1997 in a paper entitled "A Preliminary Paleodemographic Analysis of Marco Gonzalez and San Pedro, Belize". Cathy found that San Pedro was more stressed than Marco Gonzalez, but that both groups show patterns similar to those at Libben. Cathy is now comparing dental morphology between the two sites in order to determine the genetic relatedness of the two groups and their relationship to the previously studied sites of Tipu and Lamanai. An analysis of dental calculus was undertaken by Angelique Mohring, University of Western Ontario, who presented the results of her work at the 1997 meeting of the Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology. Angelique found that calculus deposition was high for both sites, but greater for San Pedro. Paul O'Neal, University of Western Ontario, has developed a method of stature estimation using metacarpals from Marco Gonzalez and San Pedro. He combined the data generated from the formula with long bone data to determine that the coastal Maya of the two communities were similar in stature to those found by Glassman and Garber at San Juan and Chac Balam at the northern tip of Ambergris Cay, but relatively tall compared with the Maya from many inland sites. |
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| Cite as: Howie-Langs, Linda, Analysis of Terminal Classic and Early Postclassic Ceramics at Lamanai, Belize. In LAMANAI FIELD REPORTS 1997 TO 1999, edited by Elizabeth Graham and Heidi Ritscher. |
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Summary of Fieldwork Undertaken 1. The initial step involved location
of all of the ceramic materials to be included in the analysis
and compilation of a full list of the specimens. Identification
of the relevant, previously excavated material required sorting
of all containers of artifacts stored in the site bodega and
all bags of fragmentary vessels stored in the bodega and in the
museum, as well as checking of the vessels on display in the
museum. I Method used in the Stylistic Analysis Whole and nearly complete vessels - The major tasks at the beginning of the field season was the identification of all of the ceramic material to be studied and the compilation of a comprehensive list of the specimens. We concluded that the most straightforward way to approach this task was to inventory of all of the whole and fragmentary vessels that are currently stored in various areas of the museum and the bodega, as well as the Late Classic and Early Postclassic vessels that are currently on display in the museum. We then cross-referenced the inventories with the lot records, as well as with the descriptions and drawings of vessels previously compiled by David Pendergast. The result was a catalogue of the vessels stored in each storage area that includes the following information: vessel number, lot number, context, description of surface treatment, and description of form. We recorded detailed stylistic information for each of the whole or near-complete vessels to be used in the study. For this purpose we employed the descriptive system used by the primary excavators of the site, which summarizes and describes a variety of metric, categorization, and descriptive ceramic attributes. III The Assemblage - Contextual Information
and Excavation History Although some materials from the midden associated with N10-27 appear to date to the Late Classic based on stylistic criteria, and some may date to as early as the Middle Classic, the majority of the ceramic materials included in this study represent the Terminal Classic to Early Postclassic period of occupation at the site. The assessment of their chronological position is based on the body of stylistic evidence and contextual information that has accumulated since excavations began at Lamanai in 1974. Although the Early Postclassic stylistic types that are included in this study were described as Middle Postclassic in a 1987 publication by E. Graham, both Graham and Pendergast have now adopted the more period designation for the vessel types that is more widely employed in the Maya lowlands.
Structure N10-9 and Associated Material Prior to the cessation of major ceremonial activity on Structure N10-9, deposition of a midden began at the building's east side. Although there is no direct evidence regarding the depositional history of the material or the amount of time represented by the accumulation, the depth of as much as a metre in some portions of the deposit suggests either the passage of considerable time or short-term deposition on a large scale. The midden not only engulfed the east base of N10-9 and the south side of N10-7 (the immediate neighbouring structure northeast of N10-9), but also flowed over the platform edge and spread the rear (western) face of Structure N10-2, a Postclassic building situated immediately east of and below the plaza (Pendergast 1981:44). The fact that the sherd assemblages from N10-9 that are the focus of the present study (LA187-DMP, LA187-1999 and LA187-2000) all derive from the accumulation of debris at the east base and northeast corner of the structure provides a degree of spatial linkage among the three bodies of material. The assemblages are, however, the products of excavations that occurred at different times over a 25-year period, and were undertaken with partially different aims. The differences in aim resulted in the use of different excavation techniques, and produced variations in the makeup of the material recovered. Despite the dissimilarities in the origin of the three bodies of material, the content of the ceramic assemblages can be assumed to be consistent because on all three occasions even the most fragmentary ceramic material was retained. By far the most substantial excavations of the deposit took place between 1974 and 1980. The excavations were aimed at determining the history of construction activity associated with the north and east perimeter of N10-9 as well as the adjacent plaza area, and resulted in the removal of approximately half of the midden. The recovered contents include large amounts of faunal remains, a wide range of bone and stone artifacts, and roughly 150,000 sherds. Subsequent excavation of the deposit did not occur until 1999, when a small portion of the midden located at the northeast corner of N10-9 was cleared away in an effort to improve access to the plaza area from the main road to the site. Owing to the somewhat urgent nature of the clearing activities, all of the excavated soil was set aside so that it could be screened during subsequent field seasons, and artifacts were removed by hand as the material was cleared away. These efforts resulted in the recovery of an additional 1032 sherds (LA187-1999), as well as numerous other artifacts. The third assemblage of material, LA187-2000, was excavated during the summer 2000 field season in an effort to increase the size of the N10-9 sample to be included in the present study. This decision was made after it emerged that most of the ceramics excavated between 1974 and 1980 had been dumped in the lagoon following collapse of the building in which they were stored. Because it was apparent that the remaining sample of 899 sherds, roughly 0.6% of the original total, was in no way representative of the original assemblage as regards the range of vessel forms and the proportions of vessels types, it seemed that the only recourse was to excavate new material from a previously undisturbed portion of the midden. This effort resulted in the recovery of 4560 sherds, and an assemblage of material that Pendergast, the original excavator, deemed to be representative of the ceramic contents of the previously excavated portion of the midden. The total sherd count for the assemblages used in this study is 6491, and the minimum number of 616 vessels are represented, based on the diagnostic sherds. The counts for each assemblage are presented in the table. Structure N10-27 and Associated Material Assemblages LA701 and LA717 are the
product of excavations which took place in 1983 and 1984 that
were focused on determining the construction history of N10-27.
Both of these assemblages derive from excavation along the front
(west) face of the structure south of the central stair. The
first (LA701) represents refuse that accumulated above collapse
debris, and the second (LA717) represents the large body of midden
that was deposited before major accumulation of collapse debris
had occurred. Although neither of these accumulations was dug
in arbitrary units or artificial levels, it is clear that they
were separated in time by the accumulation of collapse debris
in front of the terrace face. Cache and Burial Vessels
REFERENCES CITED Graham, Elizabeth Gifford, James C. Pendergast, David M. Sabloff, Jeremy A. |
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Richard Meadows, University of Texas
at Austin Cite as: Meadows, Richard, Analysis of Terminal Classic and Early Postclassic Ceramics at Lamanai, Belize. In LAMANAI FIELD REPORTS 1997 TO 1999, edited by Elizabeth Graham and Heidi Ritscher. |
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Introduction Analysis of the assemblage of ceremonial flints recovered from the site of Lamanai, Belize continued during the 1999 field season with a number of interesting developments that raise further questions regarding the cultural contexts in which these chipped stone materials were produced, acquired, and utilized in ancient Maya society. Ceremonial flints, recognized as symbolic lithic forms, were produced on cryptocrystalline silicate (chert) quarried by the Maya across Northern Belize. In this region, chert appears in the form of large nodules obtained from shallow surface mines, as well as from low outcrops along limestone ridges. Macroflakes, procured from larger cores, were then reduced via direct hard hammer percussion into a variety of anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, glyphic, and more esoteric forms. These forms are clearly symbolic in nature and reflect varying religious and broader cultural themes associated with Maya cosmology. At Lamanai, ceremonial flints often occurred in large caches along the central axis of public buildings (observed at N10-9). They were also placed beneath the central axis of elite domestic structures (observed at N10-15), and in caches placed beneath large plaza altars (observed in plaza north of N10-9). Both the forms of these pieces and their archaeological context(s) indicate that they indexed meaning on a number of different levels. It seems certain that chert possessed a symbolic dimension to the ancient Maya in terms of its origin and special physical properties. Perhaps more important are the forms themselves, which link artifacts and the persons who produced them with larger ideological and political economic spheres. Historically emergent social relations of production, exchange, and acquisition of these lithic forms linked craft communities with elite lineages at Lamanai. However, prior to undertaking an analysis of symbolic lithic forms and the relationship with Maya cosmology and social reproduction, specific technological and morphological characteristics of the assemblage must be considered. Preliminary research has focused on providing a framework for classifying the assemblage of ceremonial flints from Lamanai. Data from research undertaken during the 1998 season were compiled and augmented in a number of ways during the 1999 season. A brief overview of the methods used in analysis during initial data recovery will be presented below. Method Research was conducted under the auspices of the Lamanai Archaeological Project, directed by Dr. Elizabeth Graham of York University. The focus of initial research was a macro analysis of all ceremonial flints recovered and cataloged during preceding investigations of the Lamanai Archaeological Project, then under the direction of Dr. David Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Musuem (Pendergast 1981). Each specimen was measured for maximum length, width, and thickness. Documentation of these dimensions provided an early glance at the relative size of each specimen as well as the presence of groups within the assemblage, as sorted by both form and context. .Each artifact was then classified into one of three primary technological categories. These are: 1. large bifaces (Table 1) 2. smaller, often perforated flakes (Table 2) 3. notched blades. Bifaces were then characterized as narrow, notched, thin, and (or) perforated (Table 3). Each specimen was then assigned a tentative classification based on general morphological characteristics. It must be noted that categories will be broken down further as research progresses. These categories include: a) Anthropomorphs- Occur in human form, either in profile or outline. b) Zoomorphs- Occur in animal form, either in profile or outline. Cat, bird, and reptile forms have been identified. c) Crescents- Occur with one or two branches, and as serrated, barbed, and notched crescent- shaped forms. d) Stars- Occur as five, seven, and nine barbed stars that are also occasionally perforated. e) Staffs- Occur as a variety of elongated forms that are often barbed and (or) notched. Some of these may have tipped long, wooden poles. f) Rings- Occur in a variety of forms, often with one or two branches. Rings are often barbed, serrated, and (or) notched. h) Trefoil- Occur as a three branched form, often notched. g) Tetrafoil- Occur as a four branched form, often notched. As indicated, each classification was then subdivided further by specific characteristics such as the presence of barbs, serration, notches, and foliations. It is hoped that a typology of this assemblage can emerge from the diversity of forms that are present at Lamanai. It is hoped that the assemblage can then be compared with assemblages from other sites in Northern Belize. And indeed, implementing these rather arbitrary categories, patterns are becoming visible in terms of continuity of form in the Lamanai assemblage. Characterizing raw material types based on subjective grading of color and grain size was undertaken to define the broad spectrum of chert used in the production of symbolic lithics. Moreover, it was thought that a raw material typology would also lend itself to comparative analysis. It is currently unclear where these chert materials were obtained and in what form they were acquired by the elite at Lamanai. It must be reiterated that the site of Lamanai is located in close proximity to an area of Northern Belize where high quality chert was readily available (chert bearing zone)(Gibson 1986; Hester and Shafer 1994; Shafer and Hester 1983; 1991). Lithic production in Northern Belize has been extensively studied, and the kinds of chert that were available to ancient Maya crafters has been documented from the site of Colha as well as the Chichiwate area (Gibson 1986; Tobey 1986). Comparison with the cherts appearing at Lamanai may provide insight with respect to location of origin. By documenting raw material color and grain size of the Lamanai assemblage, it is hypothesized that there will be some similarity between the raw materials comprising this assemblage and those comprising assemblages from other sites in Northern Belize. By recognizing raw material continuity, the issue of production loci can begin to be broached. A Munsell Color Chart was used to permit systematic documentation of the color(s) of the lithic material present in the assemblage. In addition, color pattern was assessed based on the presence of mottling, banding, as well as uniformity of color on each piece. The presence of cortex and fossil inclusions was noted for each specimen. Texture/ grain size was assessed by assigning individual specimens to one of five subjective categories. These categories are: very fine, fine, moderate, moderately coarse, and coarse. Again, in terms of an initial comparative analysis, similarities in the color and texture of pieces from Lamanai and from other sites in Northern Belize were visible. Also documented were the presence of a striking platform and (or) a striking platform remnant. Each specimen in the Lamanai assemblage was then sketched in plan view and photographed. Plan view sketches also included defining where color and texture changes took place on each specimen, as well as indicating which dimensions were which, especially critical with respect to ring and crescent forms, where length and width dimensions were often quite similar. It became clear during the fall of 1998 that additional macro level analysis had to be undertaken on the assemblage from Lamanai to further clarify technological and morphological characteristics of individual specimens. Although initial characterization of each form could be undertaken from the 1998 data, again issues of technology, production, and form came to the fore. Technological characteristics of each specimen had to be documented as the initial step in an assessment of the level of skill required for the production of specific forms. As well, although maximum dimensions provided initial comparative data, it was also necessary to consider a more refined data set with respect to morphology. This forced a return to the assemblage to search for other kinds of morphological characteristics, such as surface treatment and thermal alteration, and also required an overall refinement of morphological categories. In addition, low-power magnification was utilized in the four week analysis to permit initial identification of surface alteration and the presence of residues, pigments, and (or) appliques. In carrying out further technological assessment, the five largest flake scars visible on each specimen were measured for length. Additionally, the termination of each flake scar was classified in one of three categories. These are: feather terminations, step terminations, and hinge terminations. Next, edge angles were measured at consistent intervals around the perimeter of each specimen. It is proposed that edge angle can be used to calculate a thinning index, measured as the degree to which a particular form was thinned. The presence of smaller edge angles, occurring in conjunction with feather terminated flake scars, may give some perspective on the quality of chert utilized in production. On specimens that were classified as flakes and blades, the presence of a striking platform was recorded. The dimensions of each striking platform and the presence of a bulb of percussion were also documented. Evidence of thermal alteration, namely changes in surface color of the chert to a reddish pink, changes in chert texture, and the appearance of a clear sheen across the specimen were also noted. Again, the presence or absence of fossil inclusions in the chert was recorded. Edge alteration and margin retouch present on each specimen was also described with respect to form and location. Edge alteration often consisted of repeated attempts to thin particular specimens, as well as the failure to doundertake such thinning. This was indicated by the presence of stacked step and hinge scarring along specific margins. This phenomenon was especially apparent when the material possessed irregularities that hindered thinning efforts, such as cortex and voids in the chert. Morever, step and hinge scarring stacked along the interior of notches indicated the difficulty of simultaneously attempting to notch and thin particular specimens. Grinding and edge rounding were also noted and contrasted with areas that appeared to exhibit use wear. Although no specimen in the Lamanai assemblage appeared to exhibit use wear along lateral margins, a number of specimens exhibited use polish along medial portions, an indication that these forms may have been hafted. Perhaps the most startling development was the documentation of residues, pigments, and stains present on the surfaces of a number of specimens in the assemblage. Although during the previous year it had become clear that a number of the pieces exhibited residues, the extent to which all three of the aforementioned types of surface treatment were observable was not initially apparent. With each discovery of a specimen that bore surface alteration, the old adage of "you can't see what you don't look for…" became increasingly apparent. A total of 23.5% of the assemblage of ceremonial flints at Lamanai exhibit one of three kinds of surface treatment. Specimen surfaces were subjected to systematic visual inspection utilizing a 10X magnification hand lens. Earlier observation of residues consisted of identification of what appeared to be organic substances across the surfaces of a number of pieces. These were brown and (or) dark gray in color and were often circular in shape. Oftentimes, residues appear in specific locations on each specimen. The second type of surface alteration was classified as pigment, and in some cases paint. These comprised one of four colors: a dark reddish brown, red, orange, and yellow. The dark reddish brown appears to have been in some cases smeared across certain portions of individual specimens. Of course the color lends itself to an interpretation of dried blood, but the material may in fact be a thick application of red ochre. The lighter hue of red occurs generally in conjunction with orange and yellow, and appears to be some form of paint. Orange and yellow also occur in combination, and on two specimens are part of a more stylized design and (or) representation. The third type of surface treatment, identified as staining, appears to represent spots where pigments or paint have eroded completely from the surface of a specimen. However, the long term presence of the substance has altered the chert surface, with the result that outlines of stylized forms are identifiable. Discussion and continuing research To reiterate, symbolic lithic forms can be positioned at the intersection of technology, political economy, and ideology. They occur as a wide array of culturally significant anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, glyphic, celestial, and more esoteric forms that are the material manifestation of complex webs of meaning. The production and consumption of symbolic lithics was a link between the producers of recognizable symbols, namely lithic craft communities in Northern Belize, and those communties that consumed them in cultural context, namely the elite at sites such as Lamanai (see Helms 1993). By examining elemental composition of pigments present on the following artifacts, it is hoped that we can obtain comparative data for further analysis of pigments present on artifacts from Lamanai as well as other sites in Northern Belize (Altun Ha and Colha). Thus, we can begin to consider both aesthetic standardization of the lithic forms themselves, and further technological standardization as regards pigment composition. The production continuum necessary for the crafting and decorating of symbolic lithic artifacts for their culturally appropriate consumption was very probably complex. In addition, the acquisition and ultimate deposition of the artifacts in an archaeological context may have been separated by a considerable time span. Relative dating of deposits of Maya symbolic lithics on the basis of ceramic sequences has proven more than adequate for determining when these artifacts underwent the final phase of their use life. However, the date of this event or series of events does not address the potential for extended use life histories. In many cultures, specific symbols were passed from generation to generation as lineage or family heirlooms, as inalienable possessions. This indeed may be true in the case Maya symbolic lithics. There is little doubt that the production and decoration of individual specimens occurred within a constricted time period, perhaps hundreds of years prior to their final deposition. Through radiocarbon analysis, a chronometric age of pigments present on these artifacts can allow us to begin to consider date of production and thus add a new temporal component to our interpretations. This is critical for understanding how the Maya manipulated symbols in order to reproduce ideology, as well as within what time frame these symbols were in use. Multiple lines of evidence can only broaden our view of how material culture was deployed by the Maya. Specimens to be sampled Lamanai specimen 53- Barbed crescent recovered from Altar 1 Cache 3 in Plaza [N10]2, adjacent to Structure N10-7, north of Structure N10-9. Although the cache included Late Classic ceramics, and the chert specimen is potentially of similar date, the cache context is very likely to be Terminal Postclassic or later, and the re-use of materials in the cache means that they cannot be shown to have been associated in their original setting. Specimen exhibits both red and orange pigments with red to be the pigment to be sampled (figure 1). Lamanai specimen 62- Serrated ring recovered from Cache N10-9/8, beneath the central stair of Structure N10-9. This specimen was dated on the basis of associated ceramics to the Terminal Classic Period. Specimen exhibits red, yellow, and orange pigment with yellow to be the pigment sampled. Lamanai specimen 63- Nine barbed star from Cache N10-9/8; Terminal Classic Period. Specimen exhibits red and yellow pigment with yellow to be the pigment to be sampled. Lamanai specimen 72- Anthropomorph recovered from Altar 1Cache 3 (see above). Specimen exhibits red pigment across the medial portion. Concluding remarks The 1998 and 1999 seasons of the Lamanai Archaeological Project have been an exciting two years for archaeology at Lamanai. Part and parcel of the recent flurry of archaeological research at this ancient Maya site is the continuing analysis of the large assemblage of ceremonial flints recovered there. Technological and morphological classification of these symbolic lithic forms document continuities and contrasts in the assemblage, and permit the initial formulation of a typology for these important artifacts. Moreover, the diversity of forms and the presence of elaborate surface treatment on a number of specimens motivate further study with regard to both physical and symbolic composition of individual specimens. Individual forms were the sites of cultural inscription. They not only were part of the elaborate iconography that represented ancient Maya cosmological themes, but also were seen as a medium for further aesthetic articulation that indexed more subtle layers of meaning. This no doubt links individual specimens as well as the overall assemblage to powerful cultural contexts in which social relations of production, acquisition, and consumption were reproduced. It is anticipated that continued analysis of this assemblage of ceremonial flints can provide further insight into these historically emergent phenomena. References cited Gibson, Eric C. Helms, M.W. Hester, Thomas R., and H.J. Shafer Pendergast, David M. Shafer, Harry J. and Thomas R. Hester 1991 Lithic Craft Specialization and
Product Distribution at the Maya Site of Tobey, M.H. |
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Thomas M. Shelby, University of Alabama
Museums Research supported by: FAMSI E-mail: shelb001@bama.ua.edu Cite as: Shelby, Thomas M., A Preliminary Report on the Stucco Façade of Structure N1-28, Lamanai, in LAMANAI FIELD REPORTS 1997 TO 1999, edited by Elizabeth Graham and Heidi Ritscher. |
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During the 1981 and 1982 field seasons of the Royal Ontario Museum's Lamanai Archaeological Project, a large collection of polychrome fragments of modeled stucco from the upper zone of Structure N10-28 was recovered in a stratum of building demolition material. In July of 1998 I conducted an exploratory study of the collection to determine the feasibility of pursuing more intensive archaeological investigations and iconographic analysis. A grant was awarded by the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI) to fund a preliminary analysis of the collection as well as minor excavations on Structure N10-28. Structure N10-28 is located in Plaza N10-3, an assemblage of elite residential and administrative buildings that dates to the Late and Terminal Classic. In keeping with the Maya propensity for making architectural modifications, the structure and its façade were partially chopped, this time to make way for later construction during the Terminal Classic. The remains of the façade were strewn about the structure and subsequently buried. The fragments of stucco range in size from less than 2 cm2 to a large head of a supernatural measuring some 36 cm long. Numerous anthropomorphic forms and profiles are present, many of which are larger than life size. Other forms include glyph-like elements, borders, headdress fragments, saurian imagery, supernaturals, and a number of other iconographic motifs and decorative forms. Pigment is present on virtually all pieces, and includes a variety of colors. Many of these fragments contain specular hematite within the paint. It is hoped that an iconographic and stylistic analysis, when complete, will be a significant contribution to Late and Terminal Classic Maya art. Figure 1: Excavations in progress on Structure N10-28, looking northeast. fragments were noted, as well as the usual obsidian blades, shell, and lithic material. Over 400 pieces of stucco sculpture were recovered from this area. The presence of charcoal was also noted within the matrix. Operation 2 was the continuation of the 1981 trench between N10-28 and N10-15 to the north. Architectural features encountered include the back platform corner of N10-15 and the base of a wall between N10-28 and N10-15, similar to the more complete wall at the southern end of the space between the two buildings. We are unsure of the reasons for the construction of these two walls, which sealed off the space between the structures. An estimated 230 pieces of stucco were recovered, much of it being small fragments. Operation 3 began as the probing of four small facing stones exposed at the surface about two meters north of Operation 2, which turned out to be the secondary face of the N10-3 Plaza complex. A Buk Phase (Early Postclassic) midden abuts this face. It was cleared out enough to reveal an inset corner and a setback, and at the corner it abutted a core face. Operation 4 was the compete removal of core from the area immediately adjacent to and overlapping the N10-28 platform. The area excavated was approximately 5.5 meters by 1.5 meters on the plaza floor. After removal of the overlying core, which included the recording and removal of a core face, the debris layer was sectioned into five one meter increments from the corner. It was then decided to come down on the debris layer, carefully exposing the stucco fragments, ceramics, and facing stones in situ. One of the significant finds was a Terminal Classic polychrome vessel, the fragments of which were found in three of the one meter sections, perhaps an indication of a termination ritual, as charcoal in small quantities was noted throughout the matrix. Stucco fragments number in the hundreds. The general stratigraphy observed consisted
of two levels, Level A being equivalent to the large mass of
core (approx. 3 meters), and Level B, which ranged from 10 to
35 cm. Large stones composed Level A, which was capped by a relatively
thin layer of soil. Level B was strikingly different, being yellowish
in color, and composed of facing stones, stucco, structural core,
mortar, ceramics, and pulverized building material. Artifact
density was extremely high, in contrast to the low volume of
artifacts from Level A. The narrative program of the stucco façade of Structure N10-28 represents a ruler (an ahau) surrounded by subsidiary figures, representing lesser elites of Lamanai society, as well as captives. The main figure is a male, and is represented by a profile head (Figure 2b), upper arm, a lower leg, and a jadeite bead pectoral. The size and rich adornment of this figure suggest that it may represent the ahau of Lamanai, and in all likelihood it was located over the central doorway. Figure 2: (a) saurian limb, and (b) face of the central figure. Figure 3: (a) head of Kinich Ahau, and (b) his earflare. heads have not yet been determined. In sum, the façade seems to convey a program on the charter of power and Maya kingship. The pictorial groupings include a wide range of motifs and forms. Many of these are decorative, such as adornos, beads, buttons, and other forms that have not yet been classified. A number of anthropomorphic forms have been identified, including arms, feet, legs, as well as elements of elaborate elite costume. At least five lesser figures of the royal court have been identified, as well as two captive figures. A number of pieces, when grouped, depict a seated male figure set against a green background decorated with incised curvilinear patterns. This is the panel of which significant portions were reconstructed in 1982, which contained a large center cartouche portraying a seated human figure (Pendergast 1985:94). A large number of enframing elements
exist in the collection, with a range of color, sizes, and shapes.
These pieces are thought to have framed individual images and
to have delineated the entire façade. Feathers from headdresses
and costume have also been noted, as well as two glyphic forms.
Four knots have been identified, the best preserved of which
is a bright blue. Two examples of a trefoil motif in the collection
represent a non-anthropomorphic version of the Jester God. Four
fragments of a witz monster were noted, which identify a structure
as a sacred mountain and the entrance to the Underworld. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS In all likelihood, the façade
had a rather low profile, with vertical projections rising at
intervals between the corner and center of the structure. The
latter two projections, because of their importance and placement,
probably rose to a much greater height over the rest of the façade.
A comparable façade that is quite likely to approximate
the appearance of the one on Structure N10-28 is located at Seibal,
to the west in Guatemala (Willey 1982). The number of stucco
fragments recovered in proportion to architectural area is relatively
small. Taking into account the damage and destruction of the
stucco pieces from the demolition and fall of the façade
from the structure, the volume of the sculpture is still disproportionate
to the quantity of pieces recovered. With regard to style, based on comparable images from other sites in the lowlands, the façade appears to follow Late Classic canons of art. It has been posited that Structure N10-28 may have been the Popol Na, or council house, of Lamanai, though we lack the requisite mat motif that identifies a structure as such. However, several factors may support the idea that this structure may have been the seat of power at Lamanai. First, the N10-3 plaza is the only recognized elite residential/administrative area at Lamanai; second, Structure N10-28 is the only structure within this group to have an elaborate upper zone decoration of the nature and scale of this one; and third, the narrative content relating to power and royal authority suggests such an identification. FUTURE PLANS A number of changes made during the 1999 season have greatly expanded the original scope of work, and hence several more field seasons will be required to achieve complete analysis of individual fragments and pictorial groupings. This has allowed for the development of a methodology of analysis that will be consistent from beginning to end. At the beginning of the stucco project in 1998, time restrictions dictated that only the larger pieces be roughly sorted based on like patterns and generalized categories. As the sorting has become more refined, categories now follow Maya iconographic labels. In addition to stylistic and iconographic analysis, it is hoped that estimates can be generated on area of finished surface and façade size. It is also planned at some point to conduct a chemical and microscopic analysis of the stucco and the paint. For long range goals, after analysis of the pieces is completed, funding will be sought to cover the complete excavation of the eastern area of N10-28. I have every reason to believe that there was sculpture on this side as well, as it would have faced the open lagoon, and careful excavation may provide us with the best chances for possible reconstruction. REFERENCES CITED Pendergast, David M. Willey, Gordon |
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©2002, Elizabeth Graham