One of the most challenging aspects of exploring value in the past is defining it in a relational... more One of the most challenging aspects of exploring value in the past is defining it in a relational way that is not based on modern conceptions and capitalist preoccupations. At the same time, as researchers, we need to have a common understanding of what value is and how to define it before we understand it. What is it that made something have value and what does that mean? We find it helpful to break value down into three parts, as suggested by Penny Crook (2019), who included V 1 (measure), V 2 (esteem), and V 3 (moral). V 1 , discussed as exchange value, is usually applied to commodities in the market and in terms of equivalencies and direct measures of value. Does exchange value exist when there is no commensurability or fungibility of products? Can we truly measure the worth of objects in the Mesoamerican past? In some cases yes, as will be
This work addresses varying interpretations of the production, circulation, and consumption of ja... more This work addresses varying interpretations of the production, circulation, and consumption of jades in the Maya area from the Preclassic through the Postclassic periods (600 b.c.–a.d. 1697). Traditionally, exchange of jades has been seen as a dyadic relationship between elites (gifting and tribute). Some have argued for gradations of value in the circulation of jades, which probably circulated in both elite and commoner spheres. More recent research argues that jade blanks were commoditized because they could be standardized. In this article, we evaluate this last claim, concluding there is no evidence for standardization and commodification of jade blanks, and a dearth of jade blanks in archaeological deposits. We critique the expectation that commodities in some nonindustrial economies should be standardized, and make suggestions about what kinds of jade objects, if any, have greatest potential to become commodities in the Maya area.
XXX Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2017
El sitio arqueológico Holtun se encuentra en el departamento de Petén ubicado a unos 12 km al sur... more El sitio arqueológico Holtun se encuentra en el departamento de Petén ubicado a unos 12 km al sur del sitio de Yaxhá y 35 km de Tikal. Holtun se considera un centro cívico-ceremonial y forma parte de un grupo de epicentros preclásicos ubicados al sur del lago de Yaxhá. En este trabajo se revisan los resultados de temporadas de campo y laboratorio (2012-2016) del Proyecto Arqueológico Holtun. También se discutirán los resultados preliminares de análisis de radiocarbono, fauna, lítica, cerámica y suelos. Utilizamos estos análisis para comparar patrones de asentamiento y cultura material entre comunidades del Preclásico y Clásico Tardío dentro y alrededor del sitio.
This data article contains an atlas of paste fabrics and supplemental paste compositional data ge... more This data article contains an atlas of paste fabrics and supplemental paste compositional data generated from Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramics at the Maya site of Holtun, Guatemala. The data include maps showing locations of archeological contexts, excavation profiles, photographs and photomicrographs of sherds and paste fabrics, and compositional data produced by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) at the Research Reactor, University of Missouri (MURR). The NAA data include a biplot and table of canonical discriminant analyses, Mahalonobis distance calculations , and Euclidian distance searches between the samples.
This study uses type: variety-mode classification, digital stereomicroscopy, and Neutron Activati... more This study uses type: variety-mode classification, digital stereomicroscopy, and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) to characterize the paste composition of Late Middle Preclassic-period pottery at the site of Holtun, Gua-temala. The sample consists of 98 sherds including unslipped utilitarian ware, slipped serving ware, and Mars Orange fine paste serving ware. NAA reveals four paste composition groups that approximate types produced through type: variety-mode classification and paste groups recognized by digital stereomicroscopy. The analysis suggests a pattern of production in which unslipped utilitarian vessels, slipped serving vessels, and Mars Orange fine paste serving vessels were produced using different paste recipes. While unslipped utilitarian vessels and slipped serving vessels may have been produced and consumed locally, Mars Orange fine paste serving vessels were likely produced in or around Holtun but consumed more widely. Results of this research suggest the Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramic economy at Holtun was characterized by incipient specialized production, and exchange of at least one ceramic ware. These results advance our understanding of Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramic production and exchange at Holtun, and inform the study of the development of socio-political complexity in the Maya lowlands.
This paper presents recent research results from the site of Holtun in the Department of Flores P... more This paper presents recent research results from the site of Holtun in the Department of Flores Peten. The site is located around 12 kms south of Yaxha. A map of the site was carried out during 2012 and it was noted its location over a karstic mountain. There is a Triadic Group, a Group E, a ball court, a causeway, and other residential groups to the southwest of the center. Results from the survey are presented here as well as recent data gathered by the new Project that began in 2010.
Valley, Guatemala: a refined method to determine artifact provenance. The only known jadeitite so... more Valley, Guatemala: a refined method to determine artifact provenance. The only known jadeitite source region in Central America lies along the Motagua River in Guatemala. Jadeitite from north of the Motagua Fault Zone (MFZ) differs petrologically from that found south of the MFZ; thin section petrography reveals three populations of differing mineralogy south of the MFZ. However, petrologic multiplicity of jadeitites within each source region makes the identification of artifact provenance difficult using current methods. Since northern and southern occurrences of jadeitite formed in distinct petrogenetic environments, stable isotopes may improve the resolution of provenance determination over that possible with mineralogy alone. The present study uses stable isotopes (O and H), together with other petrologic and geochemical analyses, to address the problem of discriminating jade sources near the MFZ. The utility of this approach is evaluated with jade debitage from Cancuén, the sou...
Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC... more Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was undertaken to provide information on the nature and location of past human activity in the ancient Maya city of Cancuén, Guatemala. The use of ICP-MS to detect trace and ultra-trace elemental enrichment of two excavated soil floors from the late Classic period is the first study of its kind in Mesoamerican archaeology. Geochemical background of the site was established by the analysis of palaeosols and nearby undisturbed ‘off-site’ soil profiles. Robust statistical methods used in the study clearly distinguished the level of anthropogenic enrichment across the former floors. Many elements measured showed only minor departures (10–20%) from the site's background soil chemistry. The greatest levels of elemental enrichment were detected in the rare earth elements, mercury, and gold. The latter is of particular interest considering the consensus that gold was absent from the world of the Classic-period Maya. Comparisons of the spatial pattern of mercury enrichment with lithic and archaeological data show strong linkages to past industrial and ritual activities. Elevated rare earth element concentrations were recorded broadly across both soil floors and are considered to be related to concentrated human occupation in antiquity.
The Inalienable in the Archaeology of Mesoamerica, Mar 30, 2013
Annette Weiner's concept of "inalienable wealth“ is a powerful theoretical construct that can hel... more Annette Weiner's concept of "inalienable wealth“ is a powerful theoretical construct that can help archaeologists understand how artifacts gained value, were used to foster group identity, and created social difference. In this chapter we first review the concept of inalienable wealth as conceptualized by Weiner for use in understanding cultural practices of contemporary societies in Melanesia. We then discuss why inalienable wealth holds potential for archaeological datasets, how archaeologists have used it in the recent past, and how contributors to this volume employ the concept.
The rarity of jade as well as its hardness, durability, and sacred color gave it a value incompar... more The rarity of jade as well as its hardness, durability, and sacred color gave it a value incomparable to other materials in Mesoamerica. The labor investment of the crafter, the esoteric knowledge used to create the objects, and the identity of the possessor(s) all contributed to the legacy of jades as inalienable possessions. Jades were gifted, displayed, interred, and even destroyed in honor of the history, memory, prestige, and identity of the object and of the possessor, which were mutually constituted. Jades that were once thought to simply legitimate the elite prestige may have had nested social meanings, and the concept of inalienable possessions can help us to understand that complexity.
Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC... more Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was undertaken to provide information on the nature and location of past human activity in the ancient Maya city of Cancuén, Guatemala. The use of ICP-MS to detect trace and ...
One of the most challenging aspects of exploring value in the past is defining it in a relational... more One of the most challenging aspects of exploring value in the past is defining it in a relational way that is not based on modern conceptions and capitalist preoccupations. At the same time, as researchers, we need to have a common understanding of what value is and how to define it before we understand it. What is it that made something have value and what does that mean? We find it helpful to break value down into three parts, as suggested by Penny Crook (2019), who included V 1 (measure), V 2 (esteem), and V 3 (moral). V 1 , discussed as exchange value, is usually applied to commodities in the market and in terms of equivalencies and direct measures of value. Does exchange value exist when there is no commensurability or fungibility of products? Can we truly measure the worth of objects in the Mesoamerican past? In some cases yes, as will be
This work addresses varying interpretations of the production, circulation, and consumption of ja... more This work addresses varying interpretations of the production, circulation, and consumption of jades in the Maya area from the Preclassic through the Postclassic periods (600 b.c.–a.d. 1697). Traditionally, exchange of jades has been seen as a dyadic relationship between elites (gifting and tribute). Some have argued for gradations of value in the circulation of jades, which probably circulated in both elite and commoner spheres. More recent research argues that jade blanks were commoditized because they could be standardized. In this article, we evaluate this last claim, concluding there is no evidence for standardization and commodification of jade blanks, and a dearth of jade blanks in archaeological deposits. We critique the expectation that commodities in some nonindustrial economies should be standardized, and make suggestions about what kinds of jade objects, if any, have greatest potential to become commodities in the Maya area.
XXX Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2017
El sitio arqueológico Holtun se encuentra en el departamento de Petén ubicado a unos 12 km al sur... more El sitio arqueológico Holtun se encuentra en el departamento de Petén ubicado a unos 12 km al sur del sitio de Yaxhá y 35 km de Tikal. Holtun se considera un centro cívico-ceremonial y forma parte de un grupo de epicentros preclásicos ubicados al sur del lago de Yaxhá. En este trabajo se revisan los resultados de temporadas de campo y laboratorio (2012-2016) del Proyecto Arqueológico Holtun. También se discutirán los resultados preliminares de análisis de radiocarbono, fauna, lítica, cerámica y suelos. Utilizamos estos análisis para comparar patrones de asentamiento y cultura material entre comunidades del Preclásico y Clásico Tardío dentro y alrededor del sitio.
This data article contains an atlas of paste fabrics and supplemental paste compositional data ge... more This data article contains an atlas of paste fabrics and supplemental paste compositional data generated from Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramics at the Maya site of Holtun, Guatemala. The data include maps showing locations of archeological contexts, excavation profiles, photographs and photomicrographs of sherds and paste fabrics, and compositional data produced by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) at the Research Reactor, University of Missouri (MURR). The NAA data include a biplot and table of canonical discriminant analyses, Mahalonobis distance calculations , and Euclidian distance searches between the samples.
This study uses type: variety-mode classification, digital stereomicroscopy, and Neutron Activati... more This study uses type: variety-mode classification, digital stereomicroscopy, and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) to characterize the paste composition of Late Middle Preclassic-period pottery at the site of Holtun, Gua-temala. The sample consists of 98 sherds including unslipped utilitarian ware, slipped serving ware, and Mars Orange fine paste serving ware. NAA reveals four paste composition groups that approximate types produced through type: variety-mode classification and paste groups recognized by digital stereomicroscopy. The analysis suggests a pattern of production in which unslipped utilitarian vessels, slipped serving vessels, and Mars Orange fine paste serving vessels were produced using different paste recipes. While unslipped utilitarian vessels and slipped serving vessels may have been produced and consumed locally, Mars Orange fine paste serving vessels were likely produced in or around Holtun but consumed more widely. Results of this research suggest the Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramic economy at Holtun was characterized by incipient specialized production, and exchange of at least one ceramic ware. These results advance our understanding of Late Middle Preclassic-period ceramic production and exchange at Holtun, and inform the study of the development of socio-political complexity in the Maya lowlands.
This paper presents recent research results from the site of Holtun in the Department of Flores P... more This paper presents recent research results from the site of Holtun in the Department of Flores Peten. The site is located around 12 kms south of Yaxha. A map of the site was carried out during 2012 and it was noted its location over a karstic mountain. There is a Triadic Group, a Group E, a ball court, a causeway, and other residential groups to the southwest of the center. Results from the survey are presented here as well as recent data gathered by the new Project that began in 2010.
Valley, Guatemala: a refined method to determine artifact provenance. The only known jadeitite so... more Valley, Guatemala: a refined method to determine artifact provenance. The only known jadeitite source region in Central America lies along the Motagua River in Guatemala. Jadeitite from north of the Motagua Fault Zone (MFZ) differs petrologically from that found south of the MFZ; thin section petrography reveals three populations of differing mineralogy south of the MFZ. However, petrologic multiplicity of jadeitites within each source region makes the identification of artifact provenance difficult using current methods. Since northern and southern occurrences of jadeitite formed in distinct petrogenetic environments, stable isotopes may improve the resolution of provenance determination over that possible with mineralogy alone. The present study uses stable isotopes (O and H), together with other petrologic and geochemical analyses, to address the problem of discriminating jade sources near the MFZ. The utility of this approach is evaluated with jade debitage from Cancuén, the sou...
Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC... more Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was undertaken to provide information on the nature and location of past human activity in the ancient Maya city of Cancuén, Guatemala. The use of ICP-MS to detect trace and ultra-trace elemental enrichment of two excavated soil floors from the late Classic period is the first study of its kind in Mesoamerican archaeology. Geochemical background of the site was established by the analysis of palaeosols and nearby undisturbed ‘off-site’ soil profiles. Robust statistical methods used in the study clearly distinguished the level of anthropogenic enrichment across the former floors. Many elements measured showed only minor departures (10–20%) from the site's background soil chemistry. The greatest levels of elemental enrichment were detected in the rare earth elements, mercury, and gold. The latter is of particular interest considering the consensus that gold was absent from the world of the Classic-period Maya. Comparisons of the spatial pattern of mercury enrichment with lithic and archaeological data show strong linkages to past industrial and ritual activities. Elevated rare earth element concentrations were recorded broadly across both soil floors and are considered to be related to concentrated human occupation in antiquity.
The Inalienable in the Archaeology of Mesoamerica, Mar 30, 2013
Annette Weiner's concept of "inalienable wealth“ is a powerful theoretical construct that can hel... more Annette Weiner's concept of "inalienable wealth“ is a powerful theoretical construct that can help archaeologists understand how artifacts gained value, were used to foster group identity, and created social difference. In this chapter we first review the concept of inalienable wealth as conceptualized by Weiner for use in understanding cultural practices of contemporary societies in Melanesia. We then discuss why inalienable wealth holds potential for archaeological datasets, how archaeologists have used it in the recent past, and how contributors to this volume employ the concept.
The rarity of jade as well as its hardness, durability, and sacred color gave it a value incompar... more The rarity of jade as well as its hardness, durability, and sacred color gave it a value incomparable to other materials in Mesoamerica. The labor investment of the crafter, the esoteric knowledge used to create the objects, and the identity of the possessor(s) all contributed to the legacy of jades as inalienable possessions. Jades were gifted, displayed, interred, and even destroyed in honor of the history, memory, prestige, and identity of the object and of the possessor, which were mutually constituted. Jades that were once thought to simply legitimate the elite prestige may have had nested social meanings, and the concept of inalienable possessions can help us to understand that complexity.
Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC... more Inorganic chemical analysis of soil floors using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was undertaken to provide information on the nature and location of past human activity in the ancient Maya city of Cancuén, Guatemala. The use of ICP-MS to detect trace and ...
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