This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarill... more This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarillo, a hinterland outpost of the Copan polity, and at an associated residential group, Site 5, in the Río Amarillo East Pocket of the Copan Valley. Late Classic period evidence indicates that the site of Río Amarillo operated as an administrative center for the Copan polity with the likely objective of increased agricultural production for the burgeoning population in the Copan Pocket. In the Terminal Classic period, Río Amarillo shared the fate of Copan, with evidence indicating it was burned and sacked. However, unlike the Copan Pocket, many residential groups remained occupied during the Early Postclassic. Here we focus on Site 5. An unbroken occupation from the Late Classic through to the end of the Early Postclassic period, as this site provides a window into an existence without the requirements of tribute given to their western neighbor. We hypothesize that the smaller settlement size and higher amount of rainfall in this valley pocket, as well as a richer and more diversified environment, were important factors in the survival of some of its population.
This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarill... more This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarillo, a hinterland outpost of the Copan polity, and at an associated residential group, Site 5, in the Río Amarillo East Pocket of the Copan Valley. Late Classic period evidence indicates that the site of Río Amarillo operated as an administrative center for the Copan polity with the likely objective of increased agricultural production for the burgeoning population in the Copan Pocket. In the Terminal Classic period, Río Amarillo shared the fate of Copan, with evidence indicating it was burned and sacked. However, unlike the Copan Pocket, many residential groups remained occupied during the Early Postclassic. Here we focus on Site 5. An unbroken occupation from the Late Classic through to the end of the Early Postclassic period, as this site provides a window into an existence without the requirements of tribute given to their western neighbor. We hypothesize that the smaller settlement si...
Page 1. Morales, Tirso, Benito Burgos, Miguel Acosta, Sergio Pinelo, Marco Tulio Castellanos, Leo... more Page 1. Morales, Tirso, Benito Burgos, Miguel Acosta, Sergio Pinelo, Marco Tulio Castellanos, Leopoldo González, Francisco Castañeda, Edy Barrios, Rudy Larios y Cruz Jau 2008 Trabajos realizados por la Unidad de Arqueología del Parque Nacional Tikal, 2006-2007. ...
Investigations at sites across northwestern Honduras—inside and outside the Maya area—have reveal... more Investigations at sites across northwestern Honduras—inside and outside the Maya area—have revealed diverse food activities and ingredients. Paralleling the evidence from durable artifact assemblages, we see transformation over time in materials and practices, as well as the movement of elements across the landscape. Botanical evidence points toward a dynamic overlap between northern and southern societies, with northwestern Honduras serving as a sort of regional crossroads. In this article, we compare cuisines from several ancient communities in northwestern Honduras, using microbotanical and macrobotanical residues. We briefly address the political and historic context of the region and provide abridged biographies of several culinary taxa. Of particular interest are milpa annual crops such as maize and squash, managed and cultivated palm species, wild and managed herbaceous species, edible fruit species, and root and tuberous crops such as lerén, sweet potato, and manioc.
Desde hace mas de 20 anos, el nombre de Hixwitz "la colina del jaguar" estaba registrad... more Desde hace mas de 20 anos, el nombre de Hixwitz "la colina del jaguar" estaba registrado en textos glificos clasicos que provenian de las regiones del Usumacinta y el Peten Central en las Tierras Bajas Mayas. Hasta hace poco, este nombre parecia hacer referencia a un sitio no descubierto. Sin embargo, las investigaciones de D. Stuart sobre la Joyanca, El Pajaral y Zapote Bobal demostraron en 2003 que Hixwitz representaba un territorio ocupado por varias ciudades de las que Zapote Bobal era la mas importante. Como consecuencia del descubrimiento de este antiguo territorio, bien conocido por los textos pero desconocido para la arqueologia, que comenzaro los trabajos de campo en ZB en 2004. El estudio de los tuneles de saqueo de 5 estructuras piramidales ha permitido reconstruir una cronologia preliminar de la ocupacion del sitio que en concordancia con las fechas de los monumentos, sugiere una ocupacion comprendida entre el 600 y el 700 d.C. Asi llegan, con esta primera camp...
Abstract Mercury was widely used in the art and rituals of the pre-Columbian Maya. A large amount... more Abstract Mercury was widely used in the art and rituals of the pre-Columbian Maya. A large amount (>6 kg) of documented liquid mercury has been recovered in Maya cultural deposits at Copan, Honduras. The Copan Acropolis also contains abundant evidence of cinnabar (mercury sulfide) use in ritual practice: sprinkled over tomb surfaces; coating the bones of the dead; and covering offerings. Discovering the specific source of cinnabar and liquid mercury used in Copan will contribute to further interpretations of economic networks utilized by the Copan Maya. The geology of the Copan Valley supports the hypothesis that mercury could be mined locally. To test it we designed a geochemical survey on the stream network within the Copan watershed basin using portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (pXRF) analysis. Results of the survey confirmed data from previous geologic mapping, indicating the presence of mercury in the valley. However, its concentrations are extremely low, sporadic and do not support its potential as a mining source. Therefore, it is very likely that mercury found in Copan ritual contexts was brought from elsewhere either as tribute or through trading.
... University Press. Demarest, Arthur, Brent Woodfill, Tomas Barrientos, Mirza Monterroso y Fede... more ... University Press. Demarest, Arthur, Brent Woodfill, Tomas Barrientos, Mirza Monterroso y Federico Fahsen 2007a La ruta Altiplano-Tierras Bajas del Occidente, y el surgimiento y caída de la civilización Maya del Clásico. En ...
Recent investigations at La Joyanca and its surrounding areas revealed a dense and extended prehi... more Recent investigations at La Joyanca and its surrounding areas revealed a dense and extended prehispanic occupation throughout the regions of rivers and lagoons south of the San Pedro Mártir River, in the northwestern area of Petén. La Joyanca, a midupper ranked center of the Late Classic period, had an occupation that extended along two thousand years between the Preclassic and the Terminal Classic periods. The influence and domination of this city by the governing center of El Perú-Waka’, located approximately 20 km to the east, seemed only natural in the political Classic scene.
This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarill... more This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarillo, a hinterland outpost of the Copan polity, and at an associated residential group, Site 5, in the Río Amarillo East Pocket of the Copan Valley. Late Classic period evidence indicates that the site of Río Amarillo operated as an administrative center for the Copan polity with the likely objective of increased agricultural production for the burgeoning population in the Copan Pocket. In the Terminal Classic period, Río Amarillo shared the fate of Copan, with evidence indicating it was burned and sacked. However, unlike the Copan Pocket, many residential groups remained occupied during the Early Postclassic. Here we focus on Site 5. An unbroken occupation from the Late Classic through to the end of the Early Postclassic period, as this site provides a window into an existence without the requirements of tribute given to their western neighbor. We hypothesize that the smaller settlement size and higher amount of rainfall in this valley pocket, as well as a richer and more diversified environment, were important factors in the survival of some of its population.
This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarill... more This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarillo, a hinterland outpost of the Copan polity, and at an associated residential group, Site 5, in the Río Amarillo East Pocket of the Copan Valley. Late Classic period evidence indicates that the site of Río Amarillo operated as an administrative center for the Copan polity with the likely objective of increased agricultural production for the burgeoning population in the Copan Pocket. In the Terminal Classic period, Río Amarillo shared the fate of Copan, with evidence indicating it was burned and sacked. However, unlike the Copan Pocket, many residential groups remained occupied during the Early Postclassic. Here we focus on Site 5. An unbroken occupation from the Late Classic through to the end of the Early Postclassic period, as this site provides a window into an existence without the requirements of tribute given to their western neighbor. We hypothesize that the smaller settlement si...
Page 1. Morales, Tirso, Benito Burgos, Miguel Acosta, Sergio Pinelo, Marco Tulio Castellanos, Leo... more Page 1. Morales, Tirso, Benito Burgos, Miguel Acosta, Sergio Pinelo, Marco Tulio Castellanos, Leopoldo González, Francisco Castañeda, Edy Barrios, Rudy Larios y Cruz Jau 2008 Trabajos realizados por la Unidad de Arqueología del Parque Nacional Tikal, 2006-2007. ...
Investigations at sites across northwestern Honduras—inside and outside the Maya area—have reveal... more Investigations at sites across northwestern Honduras—inside and outside the Maya area—have revealed diverse food activities and ingredients. Paralleling the evidence from durable artifact assemblages, we see transformation over time in materials and practices, as well as the movement of elements across the landscape. Botanical evidence points toward a dynamic overlap between northern and southern societies, with northwestern Honduras serving as a sort of regional crossroads. In this article, we compare cuisines from several ancient communities in northwestern Honduras, using microbotanical and macrobotanical residues. We briefly address the political and historic context of the region and provide abridged biographies of several culinary taxa. Of particular interest are milpa annual crops such as maize and squash, managed and cultivated palm species, wild and managed herbaceous species, edible fruit species, and root and tuberous crops such as lerén, sweet potato, and manioc.
Desde hace mas de 20 anos, el nombre de Hixwitz "la colina del jaguar" estaba registrad... more Desde hace mas de 20 anos, el nombre de Hixwitz "la colina del jaguar" estaba registrado en textos glificos clasicos que provenian de las regiones del Usumacinta y el Peten Central en las Tierras Bajas Mayas. Hasta hace poco, este nombre parecia hacer referencia a un sitio no descubierto. Sin embargo, las investigaciones de D. Stuart sobre la Joyanca, El Pajaral y Zapote Bobal demostraron en 2003 que Hixwitz representaba un territorio ocupado por varias ciudades de las que Zapote Bobal era la mas importante. Como consecuencia del descubrimiento de este antiguo territorio, bien conocido por los textos pero desconocido para la arqueologia, que comenzaro los trabajos de campo en ZB en 2004. El estudio de los tuneles de saqueo de 5 estructuras piramidales ha permitido reconstruir una cronologia preliminar de la ocupacion del sitio que en concordancia con las fechas de los monumentos, sugiere una ocupacion comprendida entre el 600 y el 700 d.C. Asi llegan, con esta primera camp...
Abstract Mercury was widely used in the art and rituals of the pre-Columbian Maya. A large amount... more Abstract Mercury was widely used in the art and rituals of the pre-Columbian Maya. A large amount (>6 kg) of documented liquid mercury has been recovered in Maya cultural deposits at Copan, Honduras. The Copan Acropolis also contains abundant evidence of cinnabar (mercury sulfide) use in ritual practice: sprinkled over tomb surfaces; coating the bones of the dead; and covering offerings. Discovering the specific source of cinnabar and liquid mercury used in Copan will contribute to further interpretations of economic networks utilized by the Copan Maya. The geology of the Copan Valley supports the hypothesis that mercury could be mined locally. To test it we designed a geochemical survey on the stream network within the Copan watershed basin using portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (pXRF) analysis. Results of the survey confirmed data from previous geologic mapping, indicating the presence of mercury in the valley. However, its concentrations are extremely low, sporadic and do not support its potential as a mining source. Therefore, it is very likely that mercury found in Copan ritual contexts was brought from elsewhere either as tribute or through trading.
... University Press. Demarest, Arthur, Brent Woodfill, Tomas Barrientos, Mirza Monterroso y Fede... more ... University Press. Demarest, Arthur, Brent Woodfill, Tomas Barrientos, Mirza Monterroso y Federico Fahsen 2007a La ruta Altiplano-Tierras Bajas del Occidente, y el surgimiento y caída de la civilización Maya del Clásico. En ...
Recent investigations at La Joyanca and its surrounding areas revealed a dense and extended prehi... more Recent investigations at La Joyanca and its surrounding areas revealed a dense and extended prehispanic occupation throughout the regions of rivers and lagoons south of the San Pedro Mártir River, in the northwestern area of Petén. La Joyanca, a midupper ranked center of the Late Classic period, had an occupation that extended along two thousand years between the Preclassic and the Terminal Classic periods. The influence and domination of this city by the governing center of El Perú-Waka’, located approximately 20 km to the east, seemed only natural in the political Classic scene.
Archaeological research at the Plaza of the Seven Temples at Tikal, Guatemala has contributed sig... more Archaeological research at the Plaza of the Seven Temples at Tikal, Guatemala has contributed significant insight into political and ritual complexes during the Classic period (A.D. 250-850). Here we examine the relationship between lithics and social space that includes a technological systems perspective of biface production. Such perspectives examine the domains of production activities, artifact properties, and use activities as they relate to Maya culture. Thus, our research questions are: 1. how is biface technology from the Plaza of the Seven Temples characterized?, and 2. how were formal lithic tools, typically regarded as utilitarian, used in important social spaces by the Classic Maya? Our preliminary data show that bifaces were used in a variety of important social contexts, including primary deposits, secondary deposits, special offerings, and burials suggestive of central Mexican interaction. Analysis revealed interesting patterns of fragmentation in cached offerings that likely relates to the object biographies of particular bifaces.
Resumen: La comunidad de Río Amarillo se ubicó en la esfera de dominio de la capital regional de ... more Resumen: La comunidad de Río Amarillo se ubicó en la esfera de dominio de la capital regional de Copan. Las investigaciones arqueológicas llevadas a cabo por el Proyecto Arqueológico Río Amarillo, Copan desde el año 2011 han permitido conocer las interacciones entre el centro rector y este sitio secundario, así como con otras regiones y sitios más distantes, todo ello a través del análisis del patrón de asentamiento, excavaciones de diversos edificios, análisis de materiales, entre otros aspectos del campo arqueológico. El PARAC cuenta con un importante componente que investiga el medio ambiente antiguo y las dinámicas de interacción entre los habitantes de este sector del valle, que se ha sugerido cumpliría con la función de proveer alimentos a cambio de bienes producidos o distribuidos desde Copan, para lo cual se han llevado diversas investigaciones puntuales que se describen en esta ponencia con el fin de intentar comprender este importante tópico.
Abstract: During the Late Classic period, the ancient community of Rio Amarillo was located within the sphere of the regional capital of Copan. Archaeological research conducted by the Proyecto Arqueologico Rio Amarillo, Copan (PARAC) since 2011 has elucidated interactions between the main city and this secondary center, as well as with other regions and distant sites. To date most of the methods of analysis involved the documentation of settlement patterns, the excavations of structures, and the analysis of artifacts. An important goal of PARAC is the documentation of ancient human-environmental interactions. A number of scholars, who have previously worked in the Copan Valley, have suggested that Rio Amarillo, with its fertile plain, may have acted as a breadbasket, providing food in exchange for goods and possibly raw materials distributed from Copan. In order to test this theory a range of environmental samples have been taken.
This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarill... more This article documents the transition from the Late Classic to Postclassic periods at Río Amarillo, a hinterland outpost of the Copan polity, and at an associated residential group, Site 5, in the Río Amarillo East Pocket of the Copan Valley. Late Classic period evidence indicates that the site of Río Amarillo operated as an administrative center for the Copan polity with the likely objective of increased agricultural production for the burgeoning population in the Copan Pocket. In the Terminal Classic period, Río Amarillo shared the fate of Copan, with evidence indicating it was burned and sacked. However, unlike the Copan Pocket, many residential groups remained occupied during the Early Postclassic. Here we focus on Site 5. An unbroken occupation from the Late Classic through to the end of the Early Postclassic period, as this site provides a window into an existence without the requirements of tribute given to their western neighbor. We hypothesize that the smaller settlement size and higher amount of rainfall in this valley pocket, as well as a richer and more diversified environment, were important factors in the survival of some of its population.
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Abstract: During the Late Classic period, the ancient community of Rio Amarillo was located within the sphere of the regional capital of Copan. Archaeological research conducted by the Proyecto Arqueologico Rio Amarillo, Copan (PARAC) since 2011 has elucidated interactions between the main city and this secondary center, as well as with other regions and distant sites. To date most of the methods of analysis involved the documentation of settlement patterns, the excavations of structures, and the analysis of artifacts. An important goal of PARAC is the documentation of ancient human-environmental interactions. A number of scholars, who have previously worked in the Copan Valley, have suggested that Rio Amarillo, with its fertile plain, may have acted as a breadbasket, providing food in exchange for goods and possibly raw materials distributed from Copan. In order to test this theory a range of environmental samples have been taken.