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PAPERS

of the
NEW WORLD archaeological FOUNDAHON

num13va NINETEEN
NUMBER

the cye
ceramic
Cie ramic
history
r

aau
avu
of the central highlands
A 0
1I

Cli
of chi apas mexico
chiapas

by

T PATRICK CULBERT

publication no 14

NEW WORLD arcueolocical fou


arciaeolocical foundation
tdanrn
youn university
yoong
BRIGHAM YOUNG

provo
novo LIT
movo
PKOVO urt
uit
UTAH4h ah

INS
1965
J ALDEN MASON
EDITOR

university MUSEUM
university OF pennsylvania
UVIVERS
philadelphia

orders for and correspondence regarding due


die publications
the
of the new world archaeological foundation should be sent to
dmm ror
DIRECTOR
rom OF LIBRARIES
brigham young university
provo utah

pnce
pnee
anee 300
300
3.00

pied
printed by
BWGRAIA YOUNC
YOUINC university psimas
PSSSSK
provo utah
CONTENTS
PREFACE vi
vil
vii

introduction 1

the background 1I
geography 1I
climate 11
2
previous archaeological
archeological
Archeological investigations 3
chronology 4
AND excavations
SITES AVID
avld
anid 5
mercedes do de la maria 7
cerro campanat6n
canipanatbn 7
yerba buena 9
rancho san nicol&s
nicolks
nicolas 13
san gregorio
prio
Greg orno
onno 17
la hermita 18
amabwgo
amatenango
Amate teopista
Teo
nango and teopisca
Toopisca
toopisca 1 I 18
cerro cuchumt6n
cuchumton 19
cerro ecatepec
ecitepec
EcAte pec 19
moxviquil 25
sequencing THE CERAMICS 27
seriation 27
the last prehistoric Cent
centuries
urier 34
determination of phase boundaries 36
THE CULTURAL
CULTLJRAL ASPECT OF THE CERAMICS 43
modem native pottery production 45
antiquity of village specialization 46
CERAMIC description 49
criteria for ceramic types 49
form classification 49
the 1types and forms 50
sak phase 51
Cera raic types
ceramic 51
mercedes red mercedes variety 51
Teo pisca white toopisca
teopista
teopisca Toopisca variety 51
xakiltic unslipped xakiltic variety 52
san sebastian fine red san sebastian
Sebasti
in variety I1 52
vessel forms 52
kan phase 53
ceramic types 53
campana red campana variety
varnet
variet
vannet 53
las rosas white las rosas variety 54
madronal ware 54

ui
lil
ill
iii
santa elena red santa elena variety 54
Soya Poly chronie soyat
titan polychrome
soyatitan Soya itin
soyatitan
titan variety
sovatitin
Sovat 55
skapl
skapin red skapin
skadln variety 56
vessel forms 56
unique forms 60
tsah phase
asah 60
ceramic types 60
yerba buena fine yerba buena variety 60
yerba buena fine san nicolasnicolis variety 61
yerba buena fine san cristobftl
crist6bal variety
cristabal 61
xfoxviquil black moxviquil
moxviquil moxviguil variety 62
vessel forms 62
rare
bare and unique forms 66
yash phase 67
ceramic types 67
san gregorio coarse san cregoriogregorio variety 67
tzaconeii red
tzaconeja bed tzaconeji
tzaconeja varidy
variety 67
ixtapa fine ixtapa variety 68
ixtapa fine cuchurnt6n
cuchuinton variety 69
ghana
chana modeled carved chanal chahal variety
cbanal 69
vessel forms 69
68
luin phase
lum
lurn 71
ceramic types 71
eastern complex 72
heistan hard fluista
huistin
huistan haistann variety
huistan 72
western complex 73
la hermita coarse la hermita hermits variety 73
ecatepec
Ecate
ec6tepec
pec red ecatepec
pee bed Ecatepec vannoty
variety
vandety 73
chay nula red chamula variety
charbula
charnula
chamula
Char 73
vessel forms 73
forms largely confined to the eastern sector 74
forms largely confined to the western sector 76
discussion AND SUMMARY 79
sak phase 79
kan phase 79
tsah phase
asah 82
yash phase ai
&i
&4
lurn phase
lum 86

references 899

iv
IV
TABLES

1 ological phases of the chiapas highlands


archeological
Arche
archaeological 4
2 summary of points of ceramic change 38
3 functional classes and vessel forms 43

CHARTS

1 Seria
senia tiou of ceramic types
seriation
nion 29
2 seriation of ceramic types corrected data 30
3 seriation of vessel forms bowls 32
4 seriation of vessel forms jars 33
5 frequencies of vessel forms in combined samples bowls 34
6 frequencies of vessel forms in combined samples jars 34

FIGURES

1 map of mesoamerica
Meso america vili
viii
2 sites in the chiapas highlands 6
3 mercedes de la maria 7
4 cerro Campa
campanaton
naton
campanat6n 7
5 yerba buena a8
6 caches casts
cists and vessels from the chiapas highlands 10
fromm yerba buena
7 burial and cache vessels from 11
8 rancho san nicolas 13
9 san gregorio 16
10 la hermita L 18
11 cerro ecstepec
ltepec
Ecate pec ceremonial precinct
ecatepec 20
12 cerro ecitepec
ecatepec
Ecatepec tombs and contents 21
13 vessels from tombs at cerro Eci ecatepec
ecitepee
Ecate pec
tepee 22
14 vessels from tombs at cerro ecatepec
ecitepec
Ecate pec 23
15 vessels from tombs at cerro ecatepec
Ecate
ecitepec
pec 24
16 sak phase vessel forms 52
17 las rosas white with black decoration 54
soyatitan
18 Soya titan polychrome 55
19 kan phase bowls
bowl
bowis 56
20 lateral ridge bowls 57
21 composite silhouette outcurving side bowls 57
22 kan phase bowk
bowl 58
23 kan phase jars 59
24 kan phase unique forms 60
bine with red on red orange decoration
25 yerba buena filie
fine 61
26 moxviquil black 82
62
27 round side bowls and dishes 63
met
28 fillet bowis
bowk
bowls 63
29 large diameter bowls 64

v
30 tsah phase jars
asah 65
aj
3j tsah phase rare
W asah hare and unique forms
hitre 66
32 large diameter round side bowls
33 yash phase jars
a
69
71
ustan hard
hiustan
34 heustan
Hi 72
linn phase bowls
35 lurn bowk and dishes
bowis 73
vaue
baue neck jars
36 vwnxe 75
outcurving neck coarse jars
37 ontcuning JUS
JUS 76
3A linn phase western complex vessels
lum
liun
8 lunn 76

VIi
PREFACE
at reported
stage of the research imported
every stags
stege with ree fee information ojuoaumg aroheolo
me
rne archeolo
hor i was knitted
beg
heg
hot
her assisted by the gancnxity ad glcal
gical
cical work wort
wora done doob hi
dooe in 1961 iggi la
1261 in L
& chp
cap
cuapaj
vice and cooperation of a targe
indmdz 7
large
tarse lup
lum number of highlands and neighboring regions redions
individual nd institutions admitting9 my I1 am sincerely grateful to the board of
inability to discharge mv grat bude
my debts of gratitude
gratstude
grabtude
grab tude
stude djectm ecton of the BYU new worm Archa
director
directon
Dir ecmon archaeolo-
vole
adio
edio
runy in a few brief pan
rudy
fully graphs I1 will at
paragraphs gical foundation for including thib this report in
thu
thus la
tempt to give credit to at bast least sene
bash
wash sens of
some the publication series saries of the sdun
paries soun
foundahoo
foundabow
Foun dahoo
dabow
dahow
damoo
damom dur
thoe who played important zol
those
&ineaw
delineation of the ceramic history of the
yoi
rol
roler an the fag my mum
lag
ing nul
num
MBJOKU in be field I spent many
pleasant and fruitful houn
the
haur
hour wuth
boom
houm
boum
1
with the field
wuh
central highlands of chiapas mesocss meooo
meono teff of the foundation exam
taff
staff
steff tome rmer
asamdomg
examtome
asam
usam thee oar cer
cee
cae
cor
the
rhe
rho work would have bom bow
bem
been impossible aedo collections snd
audo
ando
amio
amlo ad exchmpog
and
add acchangtog information
without the deeply appreciated
and coopction
cwpra&tior of the
tad pennusloa
ted
bepartainentode mou
mob
mab
about our respective
am duo to cftnah covoth W to
novoth
alk sii
ala G lowb hag
lowe
Ssped 1 dunla
1

for hu
bag
thanla
chanla
mirt
his assid
prehupdrucco of mexico to
umentos prehupiiuoos whose
w ance in the preparation of thau
UIOB ibis publlcahoo
ihas
tham pubucation
directors dr agoado ignade bernal and leter
igoado later
latar end for information obtained from him about
md
and
dr ronronan
romin an pins
pina chan spodarspecial thaalu mud obe amici hom
oer
ceramics
obr eur
ewi
eul
ham several regloss reglons in the
regtonf contra
eno central
ena
IDA
be given 09 of equal importance was WM twa ac
the tn
tha flins Dep gaon
dqresoon
depmaon maon to druce warren hea enr
fee tha
ene
lor
bea the apper
upper
opper
tho vfipu
ansai ax
ansal
andal
ancial annance
artance
assistance provided by the national
science foundation of the united states of
llm to dalr
hul
bus
hus
xum
lum
allm

ap de combo
eps
epa
apa
BQ
d&lr
examim the
corm and
COTBO
tho
tiia collections
tii6 loufidlo&s frons
wui to discuss
umi th
xt03& chi
dimun tho noramn noraml
oonaiuo
H

america for which I1 am graft pateroleol


graftfol
paterobfoL thankj
eul thanki
7hanit sequence from the nto to dr william T
no
are
lne eiso due to the officials and penooad
alio
lre also
niso
niao sanders for information about the
sandon blo oer
hlo
tho eer
ear amici of
anllo
earansia
obr ansia
oeramici
ameci
eusea nadocal
of the musea
museo nadooal of mencomexico and ehe the
ebe suft cruz
santa
senta cuiss and to carlos
criss carloe navarrate
carios eneta fred-
Navaneta
anete
musec Nac
museo
MUMO naaooal
nacuinal
minai do
uinal
minal de arqueologla y atno etno
etnologia rick A lieb perenon
petenon
lich
Pe tenon
mice aad
lichmice
menon
mion add domm
agid
asid donald brock brockidgtangton
agton
of guatemala for thair
their kzodiim ID in coawag
imxiof for information about parts of the new now

leady
loady
study collections in their inctituam vu world archaeological foundation colloctions conecboni
collections
abia for comparative research
able
abla
ahle
my deepest gratitude must he expressed
with which they sve
weth as ingils
are
eve inuils
famfhar
1I must broferprofft
profer
brofft my
in mict oncere
moct poncere
exicere rasped
respect
to my teacher or
ady
rober M ad
dr bobert
robed
robert
advice and assistance made mayor
adom who
mehar contnbu
contribu
be- gog
or and
for
duuj
A gratitude to the late
end
baring with se
duus me his
twe
tint
timm
me prdnond
rwFs
drofonnd knowledge of
hiom for
blom
blons to tha ras earch both in 66
this research
rei
rms the red reehn of
reeha th lpas
the chapai
ehe alpas
cmapai highlands
ifighlawk
highlandi
landi and for hla
Highlands hu parmis
his
hka
theary u
theory and in the gime more
zine practical nost
sime maiten
cost
enah ters of
engs
enes
sloa to refer to and use photographic
licis
sicis oc
photograph
photographi i of some
rmoxviquil ome
fild
field operation I1 must aiso also thank dr adsms adems or the cora
of coranuce
obramux regn
rein
nuce erom
from
irom
roin wib the
twe to of moxvitpiu
lito
nio sinn
wio kimn
for permission to use data
date
me dabs
dane rroci the 1961
damn from
croci 1091
dr roberthobert L rands was wa mot
most kind in m per
seun
eason
baum chlap highlands
seln in the chiapas
eajoa
field wajoa lands t1rhe
High landi
lendi the
he
he etting
mtting
mftting me to examine hb his collechouchou isomi
collechom
collecizons from
oab and
oai
secta oni
sections nd drawings of the tooibf and I 1 I
1
palenque armando armamdo duvalier wu was equally
vessels from carm EcAte
tomb vesseis ecatepec
ecitepecpec as wen gener
as all of the ate
aj aie
site maps were provided by
nie
geder
generous oui is
mus
omi
of the muo rag
museo
in extend
extending Log to me the fadh
sog
ional in turtle cudh04
badh
fadlitfei
gutlezrax
Pag
pagional
rcgtockal
juk
duk
him
JUL
a
chalm and in assisting in canta conta ding
ming own
contacting
nib research was a pert
this
ibis put of the meck
part man-
mam
mack-
menk of
ees of utes wes
was my siso Is extended
alio
00
erx
evs web appreciation aiso sieo
siao
also
natur project of the department of an
in nature
tdiopology of the university of chicago
thlopology I1to the muhinxlo
multitude of
oglrti anthropologists owners of attas
ogiste
ogists
other people
peopled arcbeol
arobaol
sites and
sltes end
toe
lob n
itiiimlannn and ftmffrpppfiitt pro
iob dzzoulaticis nno
dro
fro
frd
DKO
workmen whoe whose coopercooperation tion aided in this
eion thle
thie
thia
vxled by all of the bemben 0oc the
vidacl
vidaca ac project 00rck
rea
reaearch
research
merckearch
are pratt liby acknowledged cobvenatknr
hiby
gratefully
KiBy converastlood
finally I1 arn am deeply indebted to my wife
ann wilb
wile
and correspondence with dr norman A barbara L Cur cun
mcquown whose leidoostatistical
lexkxxtatfstlcal data we are
1 culbert
bart who prepared all of the
durt
berv
srb
arb filustrobons of vessel sections used in this
fllustraoom
uced here provided wright into posuffile w
used pocuue
pocque M report without her loyalty and nenn patience
coarbumons
oonstnictioctf of the history of the M may
msp in
map this work never would have been completed ol
01
the eres
ares
area
erea
mrea thanks arb aln
an
are ain duc
alm
siso
sico
alco aue to dr edward
muc
mue
due edwerd
E cacek and donam
F camek
csbwk bonald mcvicker for sharing
donald patncx
T Patr iclE culbert
patricle
patriche
bdie

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introduction
THE background classic period both the cera
eera nues and other
ceramics
the ceranuc arche ological information suggest that al-
archeological
archaeological
ceranic research described in the
cerarme
following report was part of a general an though clearly maya the culture of the
throp ological project undertaken by the de-
thropological central highlands was always marginal to
ment of anthropology of the university
partment
part more sophisticated developments in other
of chicago in the central highlands of chi parts of the maya area in several instances
P
apas mexico As part of a program inves- the ceramics demonstrate selective diffusion
inuizts
tigating both the present inhabitants and the
ti and cultural lag both of which can be con-
sidered indicators of the marginal position
past history of the region the principal ob-
archeological ceramics
jective in studying archeological
archaeological of the culture
was to provide a chronological framework
within wl
I1

which
ch such broader problems as ter- geography
rit orial organization and settlement pattern
ritorial the area
wrea
ared
wred covered in this report the cen-
adams 1961 could be moye more meaning- tral highlands of chiapas mexico is one of
fully interpreted the major physiographic zones of the state
in addition the ceramic history of the of chiapas aa a9 1 it is a highland plateau
fig
chiapas highlands provided some informa- the long axisaras of which with a northwest
aias
tion that could be related to problems of southeast orientation parallels the pacific
culture history in the first place the com- coast the tle central highland zone is the
ile
parison of ceramic sam samples from different physiograpbic province encountered
fourth physiographic
ries
rles
kles
irom the pacific ocean
sites demonstrated a marmarked
mai ed increase in reg- in moving inland froni from
ional differentiation between the classic and along the coashmash there is a narrow coastal
mast
coast
postclassic periods in the highland and regon
snd repon
region
redon plam which slopes rapidly upward to the
piam
plain
PIRM
secondly the senation procedure re wed
med to
used rug
rugged
marm ne
ed sierra madre de chiapas the sierra
obtain a sequential order of ceramic sam- madre is separated from the central high-
ples for the major periods
arn dods of oc
eods mion
alon
occupation lands by the central depression of chiapas
peni drnof rapid technolog-
showed several periods
pent gnialva river more
through which flows the cnjalva
ical change that were designated as the
phase temporal boundaries
0
commonly called the rioo grande de chiapas
by the inhabitants of the central depres-
hy
finally the ceramic data from the cen- sion on the atlantic side of the highlands
tral highlands add another point of cm com- the terrain breaks gradually downward
parison for the general history of maya through a mountainous northern zo rie to the
zone
rue
ceramics ethnohistoricai matenal calnek
ethnohistorical manenal
material guit
broad gulf
guif
cult coastal plain which covers the
culf
nd indicates that at the tame dle con-
tune of the
fame die part
port chiap
chaap and the neighbor-
pant of chiapas
northern pann
quest the highlands were occupied by speak- ing state of tabasco
ers of the tzeltal and tzotzil branches of the area considered here to be the cen-
the mayan family of languages A point of tral highlands proper is approximately rec-
interest in ceramic study was vas
mas to determine tangular in shape measuring 80 km along
whether any suggestion might bee be made
ben the long axis and vwywg
vaiymg from 30 to 00 eingking
eins
about the historical depth of maya occupa- in width me the height of the plateau summit
tion m the area the evidence given in the is over most of the area between 2000 and
following pages indicates that throu gb OU t
throughout 2500 m placing the re gwn clearly in the
region
the entire history of the chiapas highlands climatic zone known as nam tierra frk the core
ham frea
fria
the cerar mc complexes have their closest out-
ceramic of the plateau is cretaceous limestone much
otner parts of the maya area
side ties with obner
other faulted in the process of uplift several peals
peais
peaks
lexioostabstical data mcquown 1964 sup-
lexicostatistical of tertiary and quaternary volcanic origin
the tzeltal and tzot-
port a conclusion that tlle geological situation and add
complicate the geoloycal
w71licate
zil languages began to differentiate in about t e disruption of the plateau surface
to ane
tne
their present locations at some time in the dle
die since however a large part of the basic
1I
2 war
NWAF
L
waf PAPER no 11
itt CULBERT chirps CENTRAL 111cilla
CHIAPS
CHIAPAS HIGHLANDSNDS CERAMICS

sedimentary deposits have only a slight in- direce north eventually joining the grijalva
directl
direcd
clination
cli leei areas and valleys are not urt
leel
nation level
levei un- in the state of tabasco
Ta bisco
common in the legion paiticularly particularly along the
pajticularly tle northwesl
the north wesL corner of the
northwest bhe central
soa
501 periale
southwestern perialetei
perirnetettei
er data from muller
mulier highlands is bord crem
creA by tile
bordered the
tiie vailey in which
affley
tlle valley
ried 1957 and adams iggi
tied 1961 1x1 apa is located like the val-
the town of ixtapa
A few details might inight hebe given about the tile
tiie corn
constan
cona
conutan
ley of Cora itin at the other
coraitin extremity of
othor extrernity
regions that border on the central high- kt apa valle has an
the plateau the lxtapa au ele-
lands to the southwest the wgl egl land pla-
highland vation 500 m lessins than that of the plateau
ims
teau is bordered by the central depression summit and is not here in chided in the cen-
included
which is drained into the gulf of maxico mexico by tral highlands
griplva
the grijalva
giijalva riverrivet the descent irom
biver imm the
from
highlands to the Do pression is marked by
depression latt
climate
cliftlate
steep scarpa broken by narrow steplike
scarps
sleep scarpg ue ille pla-
step like
ilke the climate of the plateau ski nimit
summit
sti
sul of the
teaus surface drainage of the plateau sum- central highlands is cold and of medium
mit in this direction is limited with most of humidity with a summer rainy season 01 ol
oi
the mort
short steep
sicep
sleep ah earns arising from under-
bicep stidams
sticams months duration and a vinter dry season
six inonths
ground drainage from the highlands at alti- during which heavy frost frosts are not uncommon
tudes well below the summit at highet altitudes vegetation in die dle higher
the
the southeastern corner
rhe comer of the central parts of tike
tiie zone is pine forest which gives
the
highlands is delimited by the cumidin Coniitan val-
conl
comidin
coniitan way to evergreen oak forest at slightly lower
ley which slopes downward to the ole east into
oie
die elevations the clini ate and rainfall of the
climate
the tropical lacand6n lacand5n forests although plateau summit afford only a single annual
Mullergied
classified by imullerried ried 1957 as part of
mullerried
died crop of com ccm
corti squash and bealls
oorti
oom beans thore there
thoro is
the central plateau the conutan comitan
comitant valley is never a shortage of vater hater ily
water the central
ill tiie
in
lly tile
tlle ctmtral
at its highest part 500 m below the plateau highlands but acfe&s alvess to available water is a
aevess
summit and is thus in a different ecological problem in some localities on parts of the
zone for the purposes of this report the plateau there are enough smail mall streams
maii
mail
small rtreams to
&tmams
comiti
comitaii
Comi in valley will not be considered a part
tall
taii
tali supply thiethe needs of the inodern inudern commun-
of the central Hig blands
highlands ities while in other areas surface water is
the eastern
custom border of the central high- rare during the dry dn season and settlements
lands is marked by a gradual dropping off must be located near the scattered springs
of ridges and valleys which run in a south- and water holes springs spring are rare on the
easterly direction to the lowland forested ana
and ultops
ridges ancl
anci
anol lull tops which are
lulltops arc the locati
locations
ons
oDs
area the most important of the valleys at of prehistoric ruins and the transportation
the casteinn edge of the highlands is the oco of water must have beem heen a time consuming
been
betm
singo valley surface drainage is more im- occupation for the ancient inhabitants of the
portant on this side of the central highlands region
than on any other several river systems system all the climate is variable in the regions that thai
of which empty into the Usu usumacanta
macinta river
usumacinta border the highland to the west south-
or one of its major tributa ries run4outheast
tributaries run outfeast
outheast west and southeast including the valleys of
from the Hig blands some of these rivers
highlands wa pa and comitin
ixtapa comitia
mitan the climate is semiarid
comitan
Comitin senn alid
arld
arid
of which the tzaconeji
tzaconeffi is the most notable and semitropic
semitropical aj to tropical depending on
trate to considerable distances into the
penetrate
penc
pent the altitude in these areas the growing sea-
highlands in systems of narrow valleys and son is restricted to the summer months when
canyons there min and severe droughts are not un-
here is main
rain
to the coith noith the central highlands known current agricultural production
stansa
roducbon in
merge gradually into the mountainous reg- these areas includes the shansa standard n hig highland
illand
liland
ion called montanas del norte by mili lemed
mill
Miil
bv Sliff lerned pius bananas citrus fruits and teer
plus
crops piuse beer
hear
bear
aitho
although
1957 Altho ugi the northern muntain
mountain zone streams or lu iu irrigated areas crops more typ-
does not leachlech the altitude of the central ical of moist tropical ciu ehi
cin
chi
clu nates to the east
chinates
clunates
plateau it iaib marked by sharp wiriations variations of and north the gradual descent from the cen-
altitude and by riumerousnumerous small valley sys- tral highlands leads into moist tropical areas
tems which do not show any consistent pat- clurdcteiizcd bv extremely heavy summer
characteiaed
tern of orientation rivers from this zone run rains in boine somr of taw
homp
bomp
soine
borne these
t1w se areas tio b pical
epical rain
tropical
tiopical
archeology
archaeology
PREVIOUS ARCHE OLOGY 3

forests can be encountered at elevations as studies in the grijalva ailey the new
aliey
alley
grqalva vailey
grijdlva valley ew world
high as 1000 m in these areas have flora and ardaeological foundation isis conducting an
ardiaeologmal
fauna typical of wet tropical regions and of extensive program of survey and excavation
course the agricultural potential of such and there are a number of reports in print
regions even if the prehistoric inhabitants or in the proem
prool of publication papers 1133
process
of the central highlands did not themselves
have lands at lower elevationsboos they must
eleva bons
sit
5517 Brocking
broclun
brockington
brockingtoo
17 Bro clun too personal communication
warren personal communication much of
have had ample opportunities to trade for this material unfortunately is not directly
products from the tierra caU
cauente
adknse
calente
ente for there are pertinent to the research reported here since
few areas of the highlands that are more than il refers mamay
it mainly to the preclassic periods re-
a two day walk from a warmer climatic zone mains of which were almost totally unrep-
resented in the chiapas highlands
previous Arche
archeological
archeoiogical
ological
archaeological to the
tlle east of the cential
tile central
cenfaal highlands
investigations the classic maya ruins in the Oco ocosmgo
singo and
ocosingo
coy nitin valleys attracted the attention of a
comital
cornitin
comitan
Cor
previous knowledge of the amheology
atheology
arche ology of
archeology number of early travelers and archaeologists
archeologists
centra highlands was very scanty A
the central dupaix see lord kingsborough 1831 48
183148
number of the explorer
lorer archeologists
archaeologists of the stephens 1841 the selers seier seler low
soler C 1900
seler
19th and early 90 centimes passed through
20th centuries soler E 1901
seier
seler and blom and lafarge
the region but none of them reported any 1926 visited the ruins of tonina near oco
sites considering the unprepossessing nature singo and published maps and data con-
of the highland remains and the absence of cerned with architecture and sculpture of the
stone sculpture and monumental architec- site as well as a few illustrations of pottery
ture of maya
mava style this lack of reports is not from graves the selers and blom and la-
surprising farge also reported on several of the classic
in more recent times schumann 1936 nenod sites in the comitan
penod comitim
comitant valley since
visited the site of san gregoria
gregorio and reported
VFV toning
tonini and the comitan
comitia valley sites are the
comitin
a plumbate vessel that was recovered from points closest to the chiapas highlands at
the site shook 1956 made inquiries about which such classic maya features as dated
aloag the pan american highway but
sites along stelae and corbeled arches occur the sites
merely reports the sites and does not seem are of considerable interest for this research
to have visited all of them all of the dle sites
die unfortunately none of the reports listed
reported by shook are described by adams above contain more than a few paragraphs
1969 with the exception of the platform dealing with ceramics and since the illus-
mounds reported by shook on the floor of trated vessels were all mortuary offerings
amateriango valley my intensive survey they cannot be considered to have been rep-
the amatenango
Amatenango
in the amateoango valley failed to reveal
sunvey
reveel resentative of the ceramic inventories of me rz
mounds and it seems likely that shook was sites involved some ceramic data for monma tonma
tonu3a
regen
yegen ing to low natural eminences on the
referring and two sites in the comitiacomitin valley were
comitan
valley floor some of which have a deceptively obtained however from surface collections
mound like appearance when seen from the made by the university of chicago project
highway blom and weiant information in 1961
from frans blom excavated at the site of excepiaon of the central de-
with the exception
moxviqud at the edge of the san cristabal
moxvxquil crist6bal pression reports of the NAVAF MWAY the sites
their data and collec-
valley references to then
theu or areas closest to the central hi ul
highlands for
tions are included m the ceramic analysis which ceramic reports are av available include
ude
that follows the tabasco coastal plain berlin 19 1956
arcbeological investigation in the low- palenque rands and bands rands 1957 rands
land areas bordering the central tfigblands
highlands 1961 and piedras negras buder 1935
butler
degras butier
has been similarly sparse and has usually to the north and east and paculeu zaculeu wood-
been of a sort that does not contribute to the bury and tnk ign nebal smjth
ank 1953
1933 sauth A JL
smith
present study only m the central depres- and kidder 1951 zacualpazacualpd lothrop 1936
sion of chiapas has a body of data been wauchope 1948 the alta verapaz vegapaz butler
amassed that includes thorough ceramic taurnulco dutton and hobbs
1940 and tajumulco
4 NWAF
N WAF PAPER
PAPLH no 19 cui
CULBERT
CUL BE HT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

1943 to the southeast all of these sites are


arc refer to these periods as phases and omit
vide gap of unknown terri-
separated by a wide tle
ile
specific names foi ceramic complexes the
tory from the region covered in this report highland chiapas phases are presented in
table 1i
chronology
since the detailed presentation of the data taz
tax
TABLE 1I aircueological
tanne abcheolocical PHASES OF TJM
CHIAPAS HIGHLANDS
tym
THE
folloA is most meaningful in the light
that follow
of the final results of the research it seems
advisable to introduce at this point the names cultural period phase estimated dates
and dates of the phases defined in the pre- late postclasstc
postclassic lum AD
A 12so 1524
12501524
D 1250 1534
history of the central highlands of chiapas yash
it has already been demonstrated by adams early postclassic
Poste lassic
lessic
iassic AD 1000
10001250
1250
1961 that there were differences in other late classic tsah
asah A D 700
7001000
1000
elements of culture that correlated with the early classic kan AD 300700
300 700
time periods defined on the basis of ceramic discontinuity
study so it is possible from the outset to late preclassic sak 300 BC AD 100
SITES AND excavations
the initial problem in obtaining a cer- lections
sections from these sites
utes
sltes in order to add sup-
amic sequence for the central highlands of plemen
plementary
tary data on the western sector of
chiapas was to discover refuse deposits that the highlands collections obtained by blom
would demonstrate changes in ceramic styles and weiant from excavations at the site of
it was planned originally to excavate exten- moxviquil were also inspected locations of
xloxviquil
sively at a single site with a long history of refer rea
all of the sites referrej
ria to are marked in
reJ
referrer
referred
occupation and deep undisturbed cultural figure 2
91

debris very little field work had been done the sites at which 1I excavated cluster
before it became evident that there was little along the southwestern periphery of the cen-
hope that such a site would be found in tral highlands the reason for this distribu-
the area most of the ruins were located on tion was that the project under which the
hlllsides where neither topography nor
hill
steep hillsides
hifisides work was begun was cun cenfined
confined
cen fined to a narrow
notow
climate were favorable for the accumulation transect in this area extending downward
of deep deposits in addition most of the from the more elevated parts of the high-
sites proved to have had relatively short per- caanal to a point a few kilo-
lands near chanal
iods of occupation that rarely exceeded two meters short of the gnjalva river in the
phases central depression during the second field
considering the nature of the deposits season the area sampled was expanded to
the most profitable approach was to empha- include almost the entire southwestern per-
size limited excavations at a number of sites iphery by excavations in the san cristobal
each of which would provide a segment of valley near the western limit of the high-
the ceramic sequence where an overlap be- lands and at yerba buena about 20 ams kms
tween sites could be found the sequence short of the descent into the comitan comital val-
cornitfin
would become continuous rather than a col- ley which marks the eastern boundary of the he
lection of discrete phases in addition to the region sampling was also extended into the
fact that this method seemed to be the only northeastern highlands by excavations at san
feasible way of obtaining a sequence within gre
gregorio tzaconeia river
orlo a site on the tzaooneja
orio biver one
the time andaid resources available it provided of ta
t ee rivers which provide access to the
a better understanding of intraregional var- maya lowlands to the east the third field
iation than excavation at a single site would season provided a lay lar er sample from the
larger
have done and md made it possible to do small san cristobal vValley oyy extensive excava-
scale testing of features of other than cer- tions at cerro ecatepec
Ecatepec and extended cov-
ecittepec
interebt at sites pertaining to several
amic intere&t
intereat erage to the area north of san cristabalcrist6bal by
different phases excavations at cerro cuchumton
excavat2ons cuchumt6n although
two field seasons from september 1958 1858 the coverage of the central highlands was
through january 1959 and from january far from complete the work included a
through march 1960 weirewere devoted to the col-
weime large enough area to indicate some of the
lection of ceramic samples 1I made strati- patterns of regional variation and to suggest
graphic excavations at six prehistoric high- that the major features of the ceramic se-
marln cerro cam
land sites mercedes de laa maria
marir
merla
meria
marin quence p 4 hold true for most of the
panat6n yerba buena rancho san nicolas plateau the far northern extremities of the dm
san gregorio and la hermita and in the highlands remain unknown and the pre-
modern towns of amatenango teopista
Amatenango and teopisca
Teopisca classic and early classic periods of the west-
dr adams participated in some of this work arn part of the highlands are poorly under-
ern
during a field season m in 1961 in which 1I stood but with these exceptions the ceramic
did not participate adams calnek and me- history of the region is fairly well weil controlled
weli
vicker personal communication made nude fur- me
the test pit pitsq were stratigraphically sub-
the highlands at the sites
ther excavations in dele
flie
edle divided in levels 25 cm in depth although
cuchumton and cerro ecatepec
of cerro cuchumt6n ecitepec
Ecatepec wherever possible natural or architectural
1I had the opportunity briefly to review col features were substituted for arbitrary levels

5
NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

CENTRAL CHIAPAS HIGHL


archeological
archaeological
ARCHEOLOGICAL 5ijwwty

cefitew interval 250 moore

loft

few

txwt
towt a

91

late

srm
sim aq THE
figure 2 SITES tre
twe
T chiapas
CHIATAS
CHLAPAs HIGHLANDS

1I moj6n de madronal
mojen
mojon 12 cern
cerro pedregal 23 cerro mispia
misbia 34 el fnital
anital
2 unnamed 13 rancho campana 24 cerro chenikultik 35 la mcbitz
3 mercedes de la maria 14 yerha buena
veytia 25 santo ton 36 aa atinaja
1a tinaja
4 cerro pel6n
pelan paraje 15 lomulh6h 28
26 san juan de la hainaca
hpanaca
hannaca 37 vulcin Huite
dulcin huitepec
pec
5 cerro pel6n
pelan 16 campanatta
cerro campanatoa
campanat6a
Campan atoa
aton 27 itin
pueblo viejo soyatitim
utin
suyatitin
Suyat 38 unnamed
6 hoina
haina kerem 17 xuma 28 yahhisch
yak
cerro de yalchuch
yaich
Yalch uch 39 santiago
pifia parada
7 pffia
affia 18 colonia For
forvenir
venir 29 ska pin antivo
antico 40 unnamed
8 unnamed 19 unnamed 30 corral de piedra 41 tzajahtcutn
9 amawitz
amowitz 20 cerro xnjdluk
xakilfik cerro ecate
31 cervo ecatepcc 42 ceara
cenra C uchumt&
10 rancho san nicolas
nicolis 21
22 cerro tzenam
trenam copanaguasr
32 copanaguasda 43 san gregorw
gregoew
11 cerro tzontawitz 92
22 cerro chavira 33 la hernita
hei mita
hemnita
archeological
abcheological
archaeological
ARCHE OLOGICAL SITES 7

although there were very few sealed samples charcoal from all of them suggested that the
both tho
the excavation data and the results of area tested had probably been the residen-
nation indicate that most of the refuse de-
se
seriation tial part of the site all of the test pits reached
posits had been undisturbed since the time fairly deep sherd bearing deposits beneath
of deposition a layer of sterile topsoil which measured be-
the following section gives a brief des- tween 50 and 100 ern thidi
cm in chidi aness the quan-
thickness
cness
crip tion of the sites at which excavations
cription tity of sherds
shards recovered was too small
smail to per-
were made and discusses the most impor- mit an exhaustive analysis but the fact that
tant stratigrapbic
stratigraphic pits at each site it also
&tratigrapbic the common types and forms occurred at all
presents the history of each site insofar as levels indicated that owe there were no major
it was revealed by the ceramic analysis site changes during the time represented by the
descriptions generally follow those given by deposits the surface of the soil is being con-
adams I 1959
1950
1
stantly built up by wash from the nearby
ma
m1 slopes
hill siopes so the depth of the refuse de-
MERCEDES DE LA MARIA posits need not have been indicative of any
great length of occupation all that can be
the site of merce
meree
meren
mercedes maria fig 3
des de laa marfa
said on the basis of the small sherd sample
locate on the floor of the amatenango
is located amete
Amate
ainatenango
nango available is that the site of mercedes de la
teopista
teopisca
Teo pisca valley about 1I km northeast of the
maria was occupied for an indeterminate
pisca the only visible structures
teopista
town of teopisca
toopisca
Teo
Too
are a single large mound and two smaller length of time during the late predassic preclamic
smailer period
mounds all of which have been badly des-
troyed in the process of recent earth moving CEKRO canipanaton
CERRO campanat6n
mercedes is unique in several respects among the site of cerro Campanaton
campanat6n fig 4
campanaton
the sites at which excavations were made it is located on a range of low hills at the
dle outer
die
is the only one of these sites located on a edge of the villa las rosas shelf one of tiyethe
tile
tho
diye
valley floor rhe
the central mound was origin-
nhe
steplike plateaus that break the descent
ally larger and more dominant than was from the central highlands to the trough of
irom
common in the central highlands and it is
the only excavated site that produced cer-
the brij
grij
griialvf
ahat rier mation
river since the el
elevation of the
amics dating from the late Pre gamic
preclassic
Us rosas shelf is 1250 m cerro cam
villa las
damic period ta is in a location which is intermediate
panaton
t6
manaton
three test pits were made in refuse de- between the Hig blands and the river valley
highlands
posits outside of the area of visible archi- the ceramics however clearly
dearly demonstrated
tecture A stone pavement encountered in that the area was part of the central high-
one of the pits and quantities of ash and lands kramic
wramic province in prehistoric times
ceramic
the hills on which the architectural fea-
fl tures of the site were placed overlook the

.0
0

CV
GV 3 XN
0 loo
100
100 200 m
1

figure 3 MERCEDBS st
dt marla
A MARIA
IIA
LA MAPIA figure 4 clao campanaton
calger
caltrapeaton
CAMPA raton
caller peaTON
CAltrA NATON
8 NMAF
NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

1I

c u V e

lvov

or

yG x
i
2
11
c
6S
e S
T
ia
i1
0 8
a
B

sl i m
A
ir
i
w

cd

a
D
0

lop
YERBA BUENA 9

steep descent to the next lower shelf but by seriation in view of the complex history
offer only a slight and gradual elevation when of the site and the fact that its ceramics
approac6d from the las rosas shelf in this
approacned
approached were an important factor in addino adding
adding continuity
sense the topographic piA placement
pla cement is inter- to the ceramic sequence a deta lej
led discui
bed
detailed dischi
discus-
mediate between the valley floor sites of the sion of the more important pits at the site
late preclassic and the hilltop sites of the seems worth while
late classic the site consists of at least two pit 1 was excavated in the center of the
terraced hillsides several small pyramids ball court floor at this point the intrusion
and a widespread scatter of occupation de- of a cache into bedrock had bad badly mixed
bris the deposits so the pit viras was of little use for
foul test pits were made at cerro cam stratgrapby the ceramic collection did
stratigraphy
panat6n three in small mounds the fourth however provide a rough estimate of the
in an area where there was a heavy concen- date at which the ball court was con-
shards but no architecture
tration of surface sherds struc ted the upper level of sherds
structed shards which
none of the pits provided more than three was collected from the surface to a point
25 cm levels of calcai turai material the analy-
tural
cultural slightly below the badly destroyed ball court
sis of ceramic types indicated only a short floor dated largely from the early part of
time span between the upper and lower lev- the tsah
asah phase with some adinixtuxe
admixture of both
els in the excavations and all of the ceramics earlier and later cypes
types A lower sherd level
rypes
pertained to the early part of the kan phase collected from fill and pits its in bedrock dated
since the cerro cempa
campanaton
campariat6n
Campa naton collections were from the kan phase witri altrI
altriough
ough there was some
although
the earliest classic period cera nues recovered
ceramics mixture with later ceramics these samples
in the excavations and since the site is close indicate that the ball court was certainly in
to the xakiltik site which seem seems to extend use during the tsah
asah phase
from the kan phase baak bark into the
back dle sak phase
die there were two parts to the cache en-
danis 1961342 the villa las rosas shelf
adanis
adams
adalis
A countered in the yerba buena ball court one
is the ont1v area where there is known to be
only
oul
av diem was located in the approximate cen-
of them
4
evidence of the transition from the preclassic ter of the ball court at this point about 25
to the classic cm beneath the present ground surface
cin hur faco there
burface
vas
mas a cap of large rocks that measured 140
was
YERBA BUENA
tle
by 110 cm the rocks had been laid without
yerba buena fig 5 was one of the mortar and with ith little attempt at symmetri-
largest sites encountered during archeologi cal placement removal of the upper cap of
cal reconnaissance in the chiapas highlands rocks disclosed two o large flat slabs which
0

the nuns
ruins cover several hills and ridges over- covered a small cache pit 25 by 45 cm in
looking the pan american highway at a point size wd and 60 cm deep me the sides of the cache
comitia there were pit had been formed by the careful place-
comitin
about 25 km west of comitan
at least two ceremonial groups of altar or ment of flat slabs similar to those that were
shrine platforms at the site the larger of tbod used as cap stones
capstones
carstones
which contained an I shaped ball court and the cache pit contained
contal ned half of a large
several plazas the ceremonial centers occu- urn um which was decorated by the figure of a
pied the sumn dt of the ridge and the area of priest or god formed in modeled clay on the
summit
dumn
occupation and terracing extended several exterior of the vessel fig 6fe vlei 6afeb since thaethe
kila meters along the hills and ridges and pit was sealed and no trace of the
kilometers
klio he missing
readied down into the small valley at the half of the urn could be found it must be
reached
nf the slope
foot cef concluded that it was fragmentary when it
woie made at was placed in the pit tim
seven stratigraphic pits wore
weie
wime the fact that the frac-
yerba buena all of them were either in the ture neatly bisects the figure on the exterior
largest of the ceremonial centers or on ari
arl may indicate that breakage was intentional
orl the mav
first few terraces just below it the collec- rathernather than accidental the urn
rattler
ratfler tle
ile um is similar m
tions obtained make possible an outline of concept to the famous urns of monte alban
the history of activity in the ceremonial cen- and other sites in oaxaca caso and bernal
1952 but the figure portrayed is not equi-
confirinatior 19592
ter and give good stratigraphic confirmation
to the trends of ceramic chair chan indicated valent to any of the figures known from oax
cheif
cherf bax
10 NWAF
NWAK PAPER no 19
10 bertt CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS
beati
CULBERT
CUL BERTi

ir 7

Z- TA

ers
emr
PER

AM
J 1

01106leu
C e
figure 6 CACHES clfffg AISM vr
ciffrs kikm
cifers AND smrz cwm
VESSELS rrom
nwm himilan
arom THE CHIAPAI HIGHLANDS w
a F fragment of law chanel
chansi modeled
modcled carved waro ves9d from san nicolai 6b fregm
vesad
ware mesad fragmentary
large
brae urn
brac covering tomb in pit 3 yerba buena da
ra in cache pit yerba buena c slabs covenng d7
d cer-
tomb yerba buena e large bowl
amic contents of bomb bawl tmlat
hat buri&l yerba buena
tim buriqt
at Lcontained the buriat

am
aca closest parallels to the yerba buena
the the fragmentary urn was the only arti-
um are several urns discovered by E seler
urn pt in
fact discovered in the first cache pit iti the
lil
III
111

in the caves of qtenqu en santo in nenton


aten yerba buena ball court underneath the urn um
huehuetenango guatemala see E seler
hushuetenango however were a number of fragments of
l901figs
Figs 24448
11901figs
11901 244 48 250 25862258 62 since the bode which seem to have been the rem
bone remainss
i

wen
qu en santo caves are close to the border of the skeleton of a tiny bird it seems likely
between mexico and guatemala and just on that a small
smail bird was included as a part of
Comit
the far side of the comitan
comitalhin valley trade con-
comitfin
lin
fin the offering when the ball court was dedi-
nections between that areaarm and the central cated
highlands of chiapas are not surprising vail- at one side of the ball court very close
lant 1927375 gives a stylistic date of AD to the bench a second cache was discovered
qu en santo maternal
550 to 650 for the wen
won aerial
te rial
material
terial this offering was not so carefully covered as
YEBBA BUENA
YERBA 11

the cache described above nor had bad pauw


paun
pains was probably foreign to the chiapas keigh higjh
kfigh
been taken to prepare a symmetrical cache lands the ccylindrical
hrldrical form is rare at sites in
smau
pit in this case a small
smail pit roughly carved latils and is usually associated with
High latiz
the highlatil
highlands
in bedrock served as the cache chamber this caches
second offering contained a tubular jade bead pit 2 was located at the edge of a low
iong axis a rectangular
perforated along the llon
ilon
long flut extended outward from the
platform that
with roundf
jade plaque witk rounda
rounded corri
mounded ers and a mir-
corners bottom of the stairs of a large pyramid into
ror ot iron pyrite thin flat segments cement- what could be called the main mam plaa at yerba
maln plaza
ed to a round stone disk A few very poorly buena pit 2a aa was on the platform while
smed
saed fragments of human bone that were
preserved
pre pit 2b
ab was off the front edge of the platform
also found in the pit seem to be a secondary plan remains of a plat
m the pleza
piam
plam
plaza
pieza piat ionn
fonn floor
platform
bunal tae
bunai
burial tle offering did not include any
ile
the were uncovered in pit 2a aa but there was no
ceramics indication in pit 213 that the plaza surface
A badly broken cylindrical vessel fig
7 a was found in the fill imme
tle
ile
had ever been floored the upper levels of
tely over
immediately both parts of the pit showed a mixture mudure of
the cache in the center of the ball court at ceramics from all three phases during which
yerba buena although there is no certainty the site was occupied ime the single level be-
that thu any placed at the
intentionally
this vessel was intention aRy low the platform floor and the bottom level
same time as the cache the fact that reoonrebon of the pit in the plaza provided what was
structible vessels were extremely rare in the
structible probably the earliest kan phase sample recov-
refuse and fill deposits in the central high- ered from yerba buena
lands suggests that the cylinder
linder may also pit 7 tested a low elevation near the cen-
offering
have been a dedicatory of7ering bm
offering at the time ter of the main plaza only two levek tevels of
levels
leveis
te
of construction of the ball court the vessel
was of a monochrome yellow orange type that
shards were recovered and both proved to
sherds
contain fta mixture of ceramics from the kan

a
b

figure 7 BUMAL annam


AND CACHK VESSELS wom
mom YERB BVSHA
a from cache 2 b f from the tomb bunal a yellow orange monochrome cylindrical ves-
largo red slipped burial vessel cd red slipped annular
sel b large annular base bowls e red slipped
fht bae plate f red monochrome tripod bowl with rattie
bao
flat base mattie feet
rattle
12 NVAFF
NAVA na
FAPEH N
PAPER 19 cul
cui ch1apas CENTRAL HICHLANS CERAMICS
CLi mERT CHIAPAS
CULBEIM

asah and yash


tsah tle
ile
the combined evi-
phases ime circular ou thile the final lower layer con-
thrle
outline
dence of pits 2 and 7 tha
eha
ehu the area
that
indicated sisted of three flat stone slabs of irregular
bad been in heavy use
maln plaza had
of the main shape that measured about 1I m in length

form that wa tested by pit aa


th
throughout the history of the site the plat-
2a was prob-
by 30 20 to 50 cm in width with a thickness
varying between 5 to 10 cm fig 6 c the
varying
ably constructed during the kan phase or tora
tomb itself was circular in section with a
nry
at least no later than the mry
very early part of diameter of 75 cm and a depth of 1I rn it
the tsah
asah phase if the platform was not con- was constructed of small stones square or
struc
structed tlle kan phase the concen-
ted during the rem
red angular in shape that had been placed
rectangular
trated deposits of kan ceramics in the lowest without much interest in obtaining a smooth
leleh enat some other
leveh make itt seem likely that
levels face the tomb was floored w ith th similar
froin the early
nearby construction dated from stones also placed without attention to ob-
classic taining a smooth seir face tere
surface
stir wm no
there were
two pits on the terraces immediately be- traces of the use of either plaster or mortar in
low the main ceremonial center gave excel- the tomb construction
atigraphic evidence for the ceramic
lent sl
stratigraphic the body had been placed in a lar largee
te
sequence pit 3 and pit 6 were made in a high restricted orifice bowl I1 fig 6ae 6ee but the
terrace below the main plaza no evidence preservation was too poor to determine whe-
of houses or platforms was encountered in ther the skeleton was still articulated when
either pit but a stone hned aried tomb was un-
hried it vaswas introduced into the bowl A round
covered by pit 3 me the ceran nio offering from
ceramic
nic erf 0 t ed jade bead was
perforated vas the only artifact
the tomb indicated that the burial had bad been founddrtin
foun rain
in the bowl the ceramic contents of
made about the middle of the tsah asah phase the tomb consisted of six vessels fig 6ad 6dd
despite the presence of the burial and the the restricted orifice bowl that contained the
necessity of abandoning the pits at 100 and remains was of a local red slipped type but
75 cm respective
lent data the sen
the samples gave excel- the fonn 4
form was not diagnostic of a particular
i
atlon analysis indicated
sedation period the burial bowl was covered how
that the upper levels from both pits pertain- ever with an ogen open mouth fillet bowl of yerba
ed to the yash phase and were among the buena fine see fig 7 b the presence of ot
latest samples from yerba buena the second tins essel indicated thit
this amill almost
th t the bmill
bonal
bunai
bunal
level in both pits dated to the tsah asah phase certainly took place duling the tsah asah phase
although tins irom pit 3 showed the
bins level from
lins
this four additional vessels vesseis hadhid been placed
effects of the construction of the tomb bv in the tomb as an offering r two of these ves-
material which
misture of earlier maternal
some id admixture sels fig 7 crf ac rfd were round side bowls with
must have been thrown up from deeper de- annular bases base which were made of a red
posits when the tomb was built below 50 slipped ttape
A
vre that was probably
vpe 1 I
of highland
cm both pit 3 and pit 6 shoi shoved
ahoi ed ceramic incinufacture
manufa tlire the third offeit
manefa C alire offctory
offeitory
offertory
ory vessel was
samples that were highly characteristic of a1 red slipped round side plate dih
.1
ithwith flat base
the kan phase in te termss of arc
architectural fig ae 7e this form is known from other
activity the presence of pure kiwi ln
ceramics so close to the surface indicated
klui phase sites in the chiapasChiaps highlands but is very
rare in the area and may have bave been either
that the terrace wall must already have of local manufacture or an import from out-
reached a height of several meters during side the dle highlands the final vessel in the
die
the early classic for if the terrace wall wau
wah had
waii
wail tomb was a monochrome red out ria zing side
fla
fia
outflaring
not been there kan ceramics would have bave tripod plate with hollow rattle feet fig 7 f
been washed down the slope this form was not native to the chiapas
tle first pit
ile
the indication of the exist enoe of
ence
existence highlands and the vessel must have been
the tomb in 3 was the presence of two either imported or a copy of an imported
large slabs of rock that were lying across vessel monochrome vessels of this form were
the pit at a depth of about 25 cm below the common toward the end of the late classic
surface at one end of these slabs and at a period in the maya mava lovd ands at a time
lowlands
slightly lower level the capping stones of equivalent to tepeu
depeu 3 at uaxactu
uaxactun 1
n see
the tomb began to appear there were sev- simm 19551934
smith 1955193
1955.19344 for literature references
eral ayers
avers of cap
layers stones that formed a roughly
capstones
carstones fig 51 b 1112 12
SAN nicolls
NICOLS 13

pit 4 was excavated on a very high ter- the major excavation efforts of the first
race slightly above that on which pits 3 and field season were devoted to digging at
6 were placed A short distance below the rancho san nicola
nicolass A total of 14 strati-
surface the excavation brought to light the graphic pits and architectural explorations
wall of a buried structure which had stood were made these included a thorough test of
on an earlier terrace the wall was preserved Ali three structures in the main ceremonial
aall
ail
to the height of 13 13 m and was found to
1.3 center and 6 pits on the terraced hillsides
hillsides
rest on a well plastered floor the tle wall had which were probably the living area of the
been plastered on both surfaces and con- site
tained a large sample of sherdsshards in the fill excavations in the ceremonial center at
between the rocks thismls sar
mis riple which dated
sampie
sample
niple rancho san nicolas
NicoliLs included surface clear-
from the middle of the asab tsab phase was the
tsah ing of all three pyramids short axis trenches
only sealed sample of tsah asah ceramics re- e through two of them and pits in the center
covered during the highland chiapas ex- of the ball court
couri and in what seemed to have
cavat ions the structure was apparently not
cavations been the plaza the samples recovered
in use for very long before it was filled to were of little interest from the stratigraphic
permit the construction of a higher terrace
wall the fill from inside the wall was a
homogeneous sample dating from the end of
vir
in
ingful
int for neither deep refuse nor mean-
viewpoint
architectural stratigraphy were en-
countered ceramics of the yash phase were
tsah phasee except for a slight admixture
the asah scattered over the surface of all the buildings
of earlier ceramics in the surface level but seem to have been the result of the
in total the ceramic samples from yerba same sort of diminished activity that occur-
buena indicated an occupation that began ega n
red at yerba buena during the yash phase
during the kan phase and continued through the major part of the construction dated
asah and yash phases the depth and
the tsah asah phase two of the pyramids
from the tsah
quantity of kan ceramics indicated a fairly were completely constructed at that time
long and intensive earleari
early classic occupation
for at least the part of the site tested the tle
ile
terracei was established during
system of terraces
this phase and construction in the major
ceremonial center was probably begun as
well the asah
tsah phase saw a continued heavy
use of the ceremonial center accompanied by
further and probably expanded construc-
tion which included further work on the
terraces and the probable construction of the
ball court there was no building activity
that can with certain tv be assigned to the
certainty
yash phase the impression gaven given by ac
the dis-
trib ution of yash ceramics is that of a marked
tribution
decline in population and activity

RANCHO SAN NICOLAS


the site of rancho san nicolas fig 8 is
tim
huh
hub
located on two hills
hilis about 2 ian
lan distant from
km
the large amatenango teopisca
teopista valley it is
typical of the ruins in the central highlands
consisting of terraced hillsides
hill sides and three small
CV 10
ceremonial precincts the major and best pre 100 aeo in
io .100
100 266
366
served of the ceremonial centers occupied a
contour interval io m
saddle between the two hills hins and was com-
posed of three rectangular platforms two of 0
which enclosed an I shaped ball court kacho
rancho
figure 8 KANCHO
kqcho SAN NICOLAS
14 N
NAVALV
F paper nj
VAPER nu 19 Cn BERT
beat
CULBERT CETHA HIGHLANM
CHIAFAS CENTRAL
CHIAPAS HIGHLAN
HKHLADS nframlca
M M1
ramic 3
HAMIC ramich
hamice
hamic3
and since one of these pyramids served as been perforated in the center off tins thi de-
oue side of the ball court tile
one the court
tiie coutt must pression
dare from the asah
also date
dace tsah phase the trench the pits in the terraced hillsides hill sides at
through the third pyramid disclosed the re- hancho san nicolas provided data of interest
rancho
mains of a low platform which had been for both the thu eera inic study and the history
ceramic
cera
cerainic
completely co erred by the final structure
covered of the site pit 12 the only ite lie on the hill
one
unfortunately the cera inic sample from the
cerainic
ceramic slope to the southeast of the- main maln
in a in ceremon-
early platform was too small smail to give signifi- ial center revealed a 2 m deep deposit of al-
eau
cau
cant data but hut kan types sseeemed mied to predom- most pure tsah asah phase ceramics it was ob-
inate it seems probable that a small plat- ihat
vious ahat
tii at this terrace had not well weli
been
veil construct-
form dating from hom the kan phase had been
irom ed until the late lale classic period but from a
rebuilt to serve as one ane side of the tsih phase single test there was no basis to tu decide whe-
ball court ther this represented an isolated hi stance or
instance
A cache mm sisting of two vessels and a
consisting whethe
whether thill this tm ums hill
entire had remained unde-
bad
hib hwd
small jade piece was found in almost the ex- veloped until the tsah asah phase
centar of the ball court at rancho san
act centpr pits 7 and 8S which fasted tested i heavy sherd shord
nicolls the cache had
nicolas bad been placed inside ja concentration on at terrace ferrate to the northwest
small stone enclosure the top of which was of the main maii cere monial center provided a
mail
maln
50 cm below the present ground surface A large sample of kan ceramics with vith only a
tree that was growing exactly above the cache surface scatter of tsah asah phase material pit 15
had seriously displaced the stones that form- several ten aces above pits 7 and 8 on the
terraces
ed the cache pit but the pit ssm med to have
eemed northwestern hill encountered a 25 m de-
rough iv square and to have rnea
been roughly measured
sured posit of cultualcullurrtl debris the lower half of
cultuml
40 cm on a side it was constructed in part which was sealed by a plait ered floor the
plastered
of large stones which had been dressed on oil ceramics beneath the floor pertained to the
only one or two sides and in part of thin kan phase while tah ceramics were tile the
tlle
stone slabs which had bad been placed on end to Mmalor component in a rnfxed
major
maior mixed sample froin from
serve as parts of the wall another large flat above the flour pit 13 on a slightly lower
slab was wed med
used as a8 caps tone
capstone tension
extension of the same terrace in
cx ili which pit
ill
15 was made turned into an extensive exca ecca
the more interesting of the vessels in the ation of a burial area the vessels included
vation
atlon
nation
aaion
offering masvas a flat bottom cylinder
was I1
20 cm offering vere
as offerings vete of or forms cor coy ninon to both
common
in height and 14 cm em in diameter it still ex- the kan mid wid tsah
and asah phases and could not be
hibited a fe few traces of pink and green stucco securely dated but the deposit into which
but it was impossible to determine either the the biu lais were intruded was 01
burials of kan date
technique or the designs of the original stucco the
tiie terrace platform on which the burial
tile
decoration the paste form and stucco dec- area was located is about 25 in in width and
oration all indicate that the tho cylinder was a tests covered a length of 75 rn without en-
trade piece for no similar vessels were wer en- countering the end of the burial ground in
countered plseise
lse
pise where in the chiapas high-
elsewhere
eise either direction
lands the paste of the vessel appeared to me althougl
although
Althou gl the remains of more ehan than twen-
rhan
to be very similar to that of a common type ty individuals were recovered from the test
irom palenque where stuccoer
from stuccoed cylindrical
sturxnwd
pits made in the burial area they yielded
vessels also occur relatively little information about burial
tle second vessel in the cache
the caebe was a practices the burial urea trea vasnas
area was discovered
straight side dish vithwith flat base it was dec- when bonivoniv Igea
onlv 1 gen
ten days of the digging season
lea
orated with a monochrome red orange slip remained anki antl had to be investigated rapidly
and
anti
and was probably of yerba yerha buena fine the my own inexperience plus that of the work-
ade offering which had been placed inside
jade menn the poor preservation of the remains
rn
of the cylinhical
cylindrical vessel was a rectangular
cylindiical and the disturbed nature of the area in
piece 3434 by 37
3.4 37 cm with rounded corners
3.7 corner which fragments c from apparently earlier bur-
one face was highly polished the other less ial
lal
lah gave frequent faise
lais false alarms precluded
so methe highly polis
polisbed
polishedbed face had a ely
hed circular
cir milar
cly the careful ex excavation that would have been
depression in the center and the piear pled had
pied
piew
piecr desirable
SAN NICOLAS 15

the burials at rancho san nicolas were a round side bowl arith
with annular base a round
normally made in groups containing from sule bowl
suie
side vith flat base a strai
bowlvith
with
nith
mith ht side plate
straight
stral
two to four individuals all of the evidence outcurving sile
with flat base an outcurvmg sife
side bowl with
however indicated that the burials were pri- flat base an outcurving side dish with
mary rather than dlan secondary of the seven
dian hat
flat base and a round side dish with flat
winch the position of burial
skeletons for which base the first four vessels mentioned had bad
could be determined five were seated with a reddish orange slip and were probably of
the legs and arms flexed the back sometimes yelba buena fine an attempt had ap
yerba par
appar-
resting against a large rock the other two ently been made to fire the outcurving side
iwo
skeletons
skeie
skele
skole tons were in a flexed position and lying dish black but the result was A mottling of
on the right side no effort had been made black and reddish orange me the round side
to orient the heads
beads in any particular diorec
direc decorated on the interior with aal
dish was decoiated
tion simple pattern of dark red ovals on a red
the remains had bad frequently but not al- dish orange background once again the last
ways been placed in crudely made stone velv Is may be nothing more than vari-
two vesv
vessels
vesseis
casts in some
cists sorne instances these consisted of no
ants of local types
more than a circle of one or two courses of burials 8 and 9 were accompanied by an
large rocks in other cases the cist was of a offering of two vessels a round side bowl
beehive shape with a large fiat fial slab of rock
flat with
writh annular base and a composite silhou
arith bilhou
serving as a capstone ette bowl both of these vessels are of mono-
four of the burials or burial groups were chrome red the round side bowl with annu-
accompanied by offerings of from one to lar base is of a very verv typical highland form forin
vesseis since there were several whole
six vessels tle composite silhouette
ile
the silhoiiette form is rare in the
shards that could not
vessels and many large sherds central highlands but does occur in a few
be associated with any burial as well as stray other instances
fragments of human bone it seems likely that burial 15 offered clear dear evidence of the
huna area was in use for an extended
buna
the burtal
burial occasional disturbance of early burials at
period of time and that earlier burials were rancho san nicolas
nicolis it was located just out-
sometimes disturbed in the process of placing side of the rock tomb that housed homed burials
subsequent ones the vessels placed with the 10 14 me
1014 the skeletal remains consisted gf of only
burials offered little ceramic information of a skull cap and a few vertebrae and there
importance for most of them were of types was no evidence that any sort of cist cast had
and forms native to the central highlands eksted in this location near the bones there
existed
and even those that vere were not of standard was a large fragment of an outflaring side
highland types and forms could not be re- bowl of Soya itin polychrome it seems
soyatitin
soyatitan
Soyat titan
titen seel
seem
seol likely
lated to other ceramic
ceranue sequences that the rem ains called burial 15 had been
remains
burials 13 a goupdoup of three individuals
group disturbed by the instrusion
ins trusion of burials 10 101414
were accompanied by an offering of four no vessels were discovered with the latter
vessels a round side bowl with annular base group burial so no date can be given for
a round side bowl wuth voth flat base a round
with the group but the Soyat itin polychrome bowl
soyatitin
soyaritan
Soya rutan
ritan
hutan
side bowl with a slightly restricted orifice associated with burial 15 is earlier than the
and flat base and a round side dish with flat vessels that were associated with other group
base me the first three vessels
vesseis mentioned were burials in the area
monochrome with red to reddish orange slip what could be determined of the burial
while the fourth was red orange with a black practices in the burials encountered at
line around the interior of the lip with the rancho san Nicol
bancho nicolasfis contrasts sharply with
kis
possible exception of the black on reddish the more formal tombs containing only a
orange vessel all were probably of local single individual that were encountered at
manufacture and even the bichrome vessel
may have been a variant van ant of yerba buena
yerba buena and cerro ecatepec
construction of the cists
tle
ile
Ecate pec the
casts the haphazard plac-
poor

fine ing of several individuals in thu the same cise


cist
aa an adult and a juvenile and the failure to include offen
burials 7 and 7a ngs with some
offerings
vere accompanied by an
were in offering of six ves- of the burials suggest either haste baste or a lack
mano0 the vessels included
sels and a stone ma of attention to care of the dead since all of
16 NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBEBT
CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

dp

loo
mip
heo
100
mhd

ic
sam
SAN GREGORIO

JCV 43

i 44q 1 j 0

CONT INTOVAL 10 w&ter5

figge 9 sme
figure grmc
cstjscotm
SAN grac
SAN GREGORIO
GBEGORIO f
17

the offering found with the group burlah nver consisted


river it con isted of a series of plazas as-
could have been contemporary it is possible cending the ridge that leads to the summit of
that these burials are A result
resuli of some fatal the hill me
the most important part of the cer-
catastrophe such as a war or epidemic that emonial center included a ball court a large
precluded the attention normally given to the and a number of large pyramids the
plaza arid
arld
tle presence of burial 15 and large
ile
dead the domestic area occupied the hill closer to the
fragments of other early vessels however river and consisted almost entirely of ter-
demonstrated that the brial burial area had been races and low bouse
house mounds A large pyra-
in use for some time and the bedrock in the mid at the summit of the hill and a small fea-
area was too gose
dose to the surface for formal
close ture which was probably a ball court were the
tombs to have been constructed at any time only structures to which aich
hich a ceremonial char-
whatever the situation that accounted for acter could be assigned
the group bu rials it is necessary to conclude
burials ten test pits and enches
aud br
trenches divided evenly
that there were also ocial differences that beteen the two hills
between bills were made at san
separated these burials bionifioni those at other
fiom cregorio in spite of the size of the site
gregorio
sites the fact that burials at all other sites ceramic remains were very scanty and the
were encountered only at locations close to deposits were uniformly shallow only two
ceremonial centers aile
alie the burial area at
alle
ren teis while
fenters
vided aa
4
pits both in the area of house mounds pro-
a many as three 25 cm levels of
rancho san nicolis
na culas was well removed from
n1 coias
colas a&
its ceremonial center perhaps indicates that shards these two pits showed a gear
sherds dear trend
clear tread
bread
brend
ky chance a burial ground of the common
by of ceramic change with yash phase ceramics
people was encountered here while boniv only
oniv at the bottom and ceramics from the early
tombs of individuals of higher status were part of the lum
luin phase at the top two other
lurn
found at the othey sites pits both on the domestic
do mestie hill closest to the
the history of rancho san nicolas closely river yielded good samples of early carly lum
phase ceramics since one of these latter pits
parallels that of yerba buenadnena the
duena tle site was
ile was close to the ceremonial mound on the top
first occupied during the kan phase at which
time the terrace system was begun and there of the hill
bill it seems likely that this mound
was some building in the ceremonial center was still in use during the lum phase A
brief test of the small ball court on the
tle latter reached its final form during the
ile
the
mestie hill did not provide enough cer-
domestic
do
tsah phase when activity st
asah at the site seems
amics for quantitative comparison but did
to have been at its peak the tle
ile yash phase was
a period of decline with a smaller popula- show many late forms
tion and little or no new building atye the
ilie
atie fact the major group of ceremonial buildings
builtin s
buildin
that the pits in the terraces usually encoun- on the innorthern hiu
hib disappointin
hill yielded a disappoint
disappointing
disappointingly
in 91y
tered evidence of only a single phase sug- small collection of ceramics fairly numerous
gests that the population of the site was shards were encountered only during exten-
sherds
never very large for only a part of the avail- sivee clearing and trenching
trencmng
drenching of a building on
able space was in use at any one time the north side of the main plaza this samplesampie
as well as other samples from the ceremonial
center dated from the yash phase and con-
SAN GBEGOMO
GREGORIO tained verv material of a later date it
very little maternal
me
the group of ruins known as san gregorio seems likely that the ceremonial center was wu
fig 991 is located on two adjacent hills over- little used after the end of the yash phase a
tzaconeji river san lG
looking the tzaconeja regorio
cregorio conclusion that is supported by the fact that
was the dominant prehistoric semm seff lement
mement
settlement
semf of the stone facing from the sides of the large
the section of the river valley in which it was ball court had been systematically removed
located and in size and architectural devel- in prehistoric times
opment it was exceeded among the sites test- the yash phase was certainly the most
ed only by yerba buena period in the history of san gre-
important gnod
there WAS between the
a clear separation gorio at enodmat
at time both hills
bills were in use
sacred and secular precincts at san gregorio one as a cere
ceremonial
moMa center the other largely
me
the ceremonial center occupied the more for residence at the end of the yash phase
bills farthest from the
northerly of the two hills the ceremonial center fell into disuse but
18 NWAF
NWAY PAPER no 19 culbert
CULBLBT
CULBURT CHMPM CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
CHIAPAS HXHLANDS CERAMICS

occupation continued on on the other hill with rase there were no house mounds vis-
this case Is
some ceremonial activity probably being con- ible on the zurface
surface
nected with the large pyramid and ball court six test pits were made at la hermita
that were located there the site seems 0too one of these ww was at the base of the small
have been totally abandoned elyey early in the pyramid hiie hile the rest were in a large nat
while hat
ilat
flat
lum phase for the early lum lurn ceramic sam- area just below tile
the
tlle crest of the hill although
tiie
ples reveal little more than the transition be- shards were plentiful and several of the de-
sherds
tween the yash and lum phases posits reached depths of a meter or more
there was no evidence of ceramic change
theret
LA HERMITA during the perlo 3 of occupation tae
th pernod
tho period
perio the cer- tle
ile
la hermita or cerro santa cruz fig 110 amic sample pertained to tc a short period at
was one of a complex of late sites which the end of the lum phase and although
occupied the hills and ridges surrounding the there was as noo direct evidence for this con-
0

valley of san cristobal las casas la her- cl usion it is highly likely that
clusion hat thu
tilt site was
the
mita is located on a steep hill at the south- occupied at the time of the conquest
vailey and its natural
eastern comer of the valley 1.1

defensive advantages were supplemented by amatenango


amatenanco
AMATE NANCO ana
NANGO ANM
ANT TEOPISCA
the construction of
or a trench across the only in addition to the prehistoric sites des-
easy route of access the site seems to have awve
cribed above
abo ve excavations were undertaken
served an essentially domestic fune fion with
function in and near the modem towns of amatenango
Amatenango
arnateriango
a single small pyramid at the summit of the Teo pisca it was hoped that one or both
and teopisca
teopista
hill being the only evidence of ceremonial of these towns might yield refuse deposits
depos its
tle rest of the site consisted
construction the which would provide
ravide a link between the
davide
of the usual terraced hillside although in present day anstee
ansthe
and the prehistoric past it would

too
gop
goo CCRRO SANTA CRUZ
CV 33
41

CONTOUR INVERWA 10 NEYEAS

A
A

F
figure
egure
igure 10 laherbnta om
LA HERMITA OR cratto
ciswo
crktto SANIA CRUZ
CERRO CUCHUMTON 19

have been of particular interest to nace dace back end of the yash phase or beginning of the
tiace
pre conquest times the ceramic industry luni phase with occupation probably con-
into preconquest
easts today in amatenango
ensts
that exists amatemrigo
Amatenango tinuing until the tune time of the spanish con-
in both cases the hopes of encounterencounterill
encounteringill 9 quest the ceramics were regionally variant
ily
lly
early colonial and prehistoric remains were from both the ceramics of the san cristobal
disappointed although eight pits vere
were made valley and those of san gregono
gregorio the only
in various places in teopista
teopisca
Teo pisca and fifteen pits other locations at which ceramic material of
amatenango
Amate nango the collections recovered a2 comparable date was recovered
in
showed almost no pottery that could not be
duplicated in present day inventories while CERRO ECATEPEC
CERKO
archeological work was in progress in
the archaeological
archeological cerro EcAteecatepec
placed pec is a large ridge top site
teopista
teopisca
Teo pisca the telephone company san
poles along the main street from one end of cristobal valley
located at it the southwestern corner of the sali
sari
town to die other all of the post holes were area
like other late sites in the
pouts it showed a well developed and exten-
checked for evidence of deep
deet refuse de
deposits
douts sive terrace system but no great amount of
but all were uniformly shallow
shalfow uch a ceremonial building extensive testing of the
with such
sueh
complete test it seems very unlikely that im- site was done by adams calnek and mc-
portant deposits were missed boch boih amate
both vicker during 1961 although the quantity
Teo pisca must have been the result
nango and teopisca
teopista resuit of sherds
shards recovered was high most of the pits
of a resettlement of the native population either
encountered sterile soil within 50 cm
during colonial times since not even any of the surface or failed to show evidence of
ceramics were recovered upon which a col- ceramic change A few of the stratigraphic
onial ceramic complex could be based the and architectural excavations however
pits
samples from amatenango
Amatenango and Teo teopista
teopisea
teopisca
pisca were gave enough data to indicate the his-
ceramic
not included in the ceramic analysis tory of the site pit fit 4 tapped a refuse deposit
125 m deep which showed a development
1.25
125
CERKO CUCHUMTON
CERRO from ceramics of the yash phase in the bot-
brief mention must be in ade of three tom levels to ceramic
made ceramics9 of the lum lurn phase in
sites in the central highlands which pro- the top level the excavation of structure 2
duced ceramic collections that served as sup- produced two fill samples from different
tary data in this study cerro cuch
plementary
plemen stages of construction tae tle upper fill contain-
ile
the
umt6n cerro ecatepec
amton
umton ecitepec
Ecate pec and moxviquil ed a mixture of sherds shards from the tsah taah and
t3ah
since 1I was as not present at any of these sites yash phases while uie the lower sample dated
Nl ule

during excavationshons there site descriptions entirely from the tsah


excava nons
excavahons
bons asah phase structure 3
and excavation data are derived from adams showed a history similar to that of structure
1959 and from personal communication 2 the fill was a mixture of tsah asab and yash
tsab
with robert hi adams and frans blom ceramics but a deep pit in the corner comer of the
cuchumt6n is A large site on a ridge structure underlying the final fill sample was
cerro cuchumton
some 15 km lan north of the town of san cris
ian entirely from the tsah asah phase
ph2se
tibal
t6bal in spite of an extensive system of ter- pits and trenches in the first terrace be-
races there does not seem to have been anv any low the ceremonial center fig 11 encoun-
adv
construction assignable to tered a series of six tombs and a cist which
great amount of constriction
ceremonial functions limited
lim ted test excavations contained an unusually nch rich collection of cer-
were made at the site by adams calnek amics tomb construction although not dem-
Nicker in 1961 in general refuse de- on
and mcvicker
Mcvicker strating much sophistication in the tech-
onstrating
posits were shallow and the sherds shards few in niques of masonry was formal and identical
number and badly weathered only three pits in general plan for all the tombs fig 12
tle
ile
pits 3 4 and 5 produced usable data and the bodies had been placed extended on
none of these was deeper than 1I in there their backs with no consistent directional or-
was little evidence of ceramic change in any ien tation of the heads the cerro ecatepec
ientation Ecatepec
of them but the total collection indica teil tombs are an additional evidence of the tre-
teki
indicated
that the site was occupied during the lum mendous di ersity of burial practices during
diversity
erdity
phase with the stall stert of occupation at the the tsah
start
stait asah and yash phases in the central
20 NWAF
NW A F PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

Is

cerno ECATEPEG
CERRO

tj
tJ
figure 11 CEPAO czrlmonial
ECATIK C onial fawn24
onlan
ONLAL PMXCINT
sim
showing tomtx and cat
ng locations of tomta
tomhc

highlands of chiapas
chopas
chupas although many fea- existed between the inhabitants of the cen-
tures of the culture were common to the en- tral highlands and people from other reg-
tire region the cu storns associated with bur
customs ions
isis differed completely from one site to the
lais me
the most striking of the vessels from
next and sometimes varied between different cerro ecitepec
ecatfpec is a polychrome barrel shape
locations at the same site vessel that pictures a procession of persons
the similarity in tomb construction and approaching an individual seated upon a
the fact that the same ceramic types were throne fig 13 a the lip of the vessel is
common to several tombs leads to the con- encircled by a band of maya glyphis
glyphs and a few
clusion that the burials must have been ap- glyphis appear scattered among the f igures
glyphs
proximately contemporaneous for this rea- cylindrical and barrel shape vessels decor-
son the ceramics from all of the tombs will bends ard
ated with glyph hands
bands and figure painting
be discussed as a group M macx h off the pottery
uch had a wide distribution in the mays maya area
mava
recovered fr refe ucx
om the cerro
from rrcs E
arcs ecitepec
e
tuc
tombs gic
gie
cie
during the first half of the late classic per-
was iradead ware from outside of the central
trade iod the vessels
vesseis are most common in the
highlands and the local pottery that ap- maya
maxa lowlands and may well have been
mava
pears iss of types whose exact temporal distri- distributed from that region tsee
see smith 1955
bution is not known for this reason the 168 9 figs 22flc
1689 a c 72 b the combination
tomb ceramics do not help much in relating of colors used in the ecatepec
Ecate pec vessel how-
ecitepec
the local sequence to those of other parts of ever is not the same as that in am ani of the
sni
america but they do provide an indica-
mesoamerica
mesoarnerica
Meso figure painted polychromes
poix chromes with which 1I am
poly
polychrones
polycbromes
tion of some of the trade relationships that familiar and the vessel mav have come from
CERRO ECATEPEC 21

LINTEL

A ploor
FLOOR GLASS

7
tim
01wriore ISM tig TOMB no 2
swa
swu pidvwm tigi
ska op

borle aboda
abodl
rss rma
FWA
WWI d
sou
IM tou
too hewl
hawl
bowl
bawl hadd
bood
hudd
pmworo
pe 10111 wo A

boo bwl
bom kwi bbwW
floer seas
floes
FLOOR skas
p61066 kowt
bowl
kowl

of bona 1 cowal
wowal
11110r

TOMB no 1 0 2 am
3m

tom19 no 3
erey
gray
arey wd erbig
vrbig
mo- dt LINTEL
ba
b1 diet
IWAS
arloof ree
trloof aee
vol
4 too jil
ieo JIM
gik
sin
ole a A
ima
beo
boo
wos
won rely
pair
mely h M W
Wre
or

arag gjeto
grow
mraw 5jeto
tom13 nog

tripod
acab
akab
hess
rim hese
bose pol
mei
mel

A f j 3 iddle M I1

qflo
ests
wets
TOMB n05 pets
ibre

df
so

figure cerro
cearo ECATEPEC
ciumo
12 CEKRO tobias ANP
TOMBS ow
and CONTENTS

some part of the maya region that is still any examples 1I know from the tikal uaxac
archeo logically the closest approx-
unknown archaeologically
archeologically run area for they combine a sort of repre-
tidn
sidn
colors of the eca
imation of the color Eci
ecatepec
ecitepee
Ecate pee vessel
pec
tepee sen tation most common in the early classic
sentation
cyhnder of unknown provenience that
is on a cylinder
15 of that region with a vessel form that is typi-
was purchased from a collector in tabasco cally late classic again they may well rep-
mexic
mexico by the mexican un national museum resent trade of the highlands with a low-
cook de leonard 1954 1934 whatever the land region closer than the central region
source of the eca ecatepec
Ecate pec vessel the date is
cepec
tepec m m i i it
A recent personal communication from bruce
very probably equivalent tu
J
ti either tepeu
depeu 1I warren states that these vessels are closely
or T tepeuu 2
depeu similar to his bernozibal
bernozabal
Bern ozabal polychrome
polvehrome ber
another style of polychrome decoration vozabal
nozabalbai variety a pottery tyke
bal
nozilbal
noziL type widespread
is exhibited by
16 dishes from tomb 4
bv three dashes in thewestern
the western end of tiie
the central depression
ilie
fig 1313bbbdd this decoration in red and the latter being an area of zoque domination
black on orange features figures of animals the three black modeled carved vessels
port raved in a semiabstract
portrayed semi abstract style although in figure 14 are probably all of the same
these vessels are probably from somewhere ceramic type and come from a source out-
ceramie
within the maya lowlands they are unlike side of the chiapas Hig blands the vessel
highlands
22 NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

1I P 1I

422
4

M
pi
og

ar
7r

AF

AMIN 5
CERAMICS OF CERRO ECATEPEC 23

ciuc
ciu7

MR
i- IFf
W

rlj
mv
V
al

00

WD
24 NWF
NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBERF
CULBERT CETBAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICSS
CHUPAS CENTRAL
CHIAPAS

1I I1
vc7191
gilr
gilm
da
d4 0
a b

7 Z
tam
kam
d
M I1

h
7IN

k IM
V
j

figure 15 VESSELS AT cljwo


WASELS JFHOM TOMBS vr CY inno
ilmo ECATEPIA
a slab foot fool tripod bowl tomb 1 dark led red paint
pami on unslipped buff but clay
cia probably ixtapa
cla
clas
cias ixtcipa
fine b tripod bowl tomb lomb 1 darde
dark
daric red paint on unali
dadie
lound side bowl with lugs at lip tomb 5 T
unsapped
unshpped
unsli cv
ped buff elty pro babiy ixtapa fine
probably
bably
c black round d straight side IYM tomb tomi 2 black
decoration on white slip ilip ixtapa fine e unslipped stamp seal seat tomb
lomb 2 f strangia
straigia
stral gilt side bowl
strai
lomb 6 dark red paint on unshipped
tomb unshppedped buff clay
unslippod
unslip pod cia probably
cla
elay iltapd vve
probable ixtapa fine g tripod bowl
lomb 6 daik
tomb dalk red paint on unslipped buff clay probabl habl ixtapa fine h unslipped monkey
pio babl
babi
probably
pro
effigy wb istle tomb 2 i round glde
whistle glae
fide bowl with bosses
side bosie
hosie tomb 2 bed lied slip inside and lip hp
outside section
rection ritli bosses
lection witli bosses 111191i
bossc iinshpped probabl ixtapa fine
PP ed 1probably finc bosl tomb 3 red
tripod bosi
ixtapa fine Ik slraight
1

hp over white base slip ivrapa


slip straight side bowl lombtomb 3 white bise ilip with
base slip v ith
traces of overty mg decoration in red and black etapa
overlying htapa filif
fuic
ixtapi eilif

with monkeys appliqued


appliques into a carved
appliqu6d other sites it is unfortunate that the tombs
panel figfig 14 a is as far as 1I knowunique
know unique cannot be lc exactly dated in terms of the local
the vessels carved with glyphlike
glyph like designs ixtapd fine the only local type
sequence ixtapa
fig 1414fcc
bfccc are vaguely similar to a type represented was produced during the rrsah tsah
esah
of vessel that occurs in the tile guatemalan
tiie yash and lum phases A communication
highlands around lake atitlan atitl6n lothrop from brum warren indicates that the ber
19m but the resemblance is not very clos
1933 cios
close riozftbal polychrome types cone
riozabdl spond best
conespond
the vessels of ixtapa fine that were re- with tepeu
depeu 1122 and the ixtapatxtapa fine with the
covered from the tombs at cerro ecatepec eciftepec
Ecate pec xillas cist vessels of chiapa dp
maravillas
Mar de corzo
fig 15 jk were probably of
1 R a b d f g jac
fac
local manufacture the variety of color com-
iggi
agriniei 1964
agriiiier fis
196t mi gs 1225 22125
22 125 thus an early
J 1221125
1221
tsah dute
asah date seems mostmoat probable for these
bi nations used in the decoration of these is
binations cerro EcAeck
ecatepee
ecatepec
Ecate
tepee tombs
pec torn
pee bs
typical of ixtapa fine but all of the design in connection with cerro ecatepec ecitepec
Ecate pec men-
elements are relatively simple tion should be made or of two small sites CV 38
on the whole the ceramics fromfroin the cerro and CV 44 A adarns iggi both of which are
dams 1961
Eci
ecatepec
ecitepee
Ecate pec tombs show a greater ceramic soph-
tepee located at the foot of ot the slope that is sur-
istication and a wider sphere of trade con- mounted by the larger site of cen ceno
cerro
ced
cedoo ecatepec
ecitepec
Ecate pec
pee
tacts than do the cer arnic collections from
ceramic both sites produced ceramic samples that
moxviquil
moxxiiquil 25

date from the end of the lum phase of a the early classic site at the foot of the hill
date comparable to that of the occupation
occupalhon was unrelated to any later activity at the site
of la hermita at the other side of the val-
ley CV 44 however was located on top of MOXVIQUIL
MOXVIQUEL
which was probably of early
an earlier site winch moxviquil is a typical hilltop site of the
classic date the ceramic sample from the central highlands located on one of the
earlier site was completely unrelated to early hills that enclose the san cristobal
cristobai valley
classic cer armos from other sites tested in the
armes
ceramics on the north in size and site plan moxviquil
ffighlands but showed very strong
chiapas highlands is almost identical to rancho san Ni nicolas
colas
coIAs
connections with early classic sites in the blom and weiant excavated at the site and
northern part of the grijalva valley lowe gathered a sizable ceramic sample which in-
195915
1959 15 cluded a number of whole vessels from
the total ceramic collections from cerro tombs the general ceramic collection sug-
Ecate pec indicated an occupation that con-
ecatepec
ecitepec gests that moxviquil
moxviguil was occupied during the
tsah phase until the con-
tinued from the asah tle
ile
tsah and yash phases the tomb pottery in-
asah
cludes several fine orange vessels
quest in the last century or two before the vesseis that indi-
conquest the inhabited area was extended cate trade between the central highlands
onto the valley floor at the foot of the hill and the guit
guif
cult coast of tabasco
culf
sequencing THE CERAMICS
the extent of the area covered by the information about the order of succession of
archeologicat research in the central highl-
archeologmal the various ceramic elements and the fashion
ands of or chiapas and the failure to find in which elements were replaced by hy others
lengthy periods of oca oem patlon represented
occupation
pation with the passage of time although
Althou gli
911 prelim-
in any single deposit posed problems in the inary ins
inspection flom sev-
from
on of the ceramics hhorn
construction of a ceramic sequence that would eral fair
fairly deepp pits had indicated the direc-
cover the total period of occupation of the tion of trends of change the majority of pits
region there was enough evidence from failed to show noticeable change or were too
stratigraphy and from general relationships shallow to give convincing evidence to en-
with other sequences so that there was rarely
doubt about which collect i ons were early ana
collections and ae
largee the number of usable samples and
lar
2e
make it possible to bridge the gaps between
different pits and different sites the most
which werr were late but questions about the
specifics of ceramic change could not be promising method of opera tAon was the senh
tuon
operation seri
serif
sehn
easily answered data from different pits ation method phillips ford and griffin
aaion
and from different sites had to be fitted to- 1951
talang account of regional as well as
gether taking seriation
temporal variation
because of these problems and because in the seriation procedure used for the
of the nature of the collections not all of the chiapas highlands ceramics all of the sam-
phases oouldcould
bould be sequenced b the same ples were considered to be independent and
method where it was pos sibe a senation
possible separate the samples were arranged without
procedure was used to study ceramic change consideration of site or stratigraphic position
the collections from the salcsaic and lum phases
sak
sale in the test pits to show an orderly pattern
however did not provide material suitable of increase or decrease of the elements
for nation
seriation
se so the ceramics of these phases the ordering of the samples was then val-
had to be considered as simple units without idated by reference to the stratigraphic data
internal differentiation since undisturbed refuse deposits encountered
the small sak phase collections provided close to the surface of the ground are more
only minimal information about the ceramics recent than deposits buried beneath them
of the earliest of the highland phases be- each series of superimposed samples had bad a
cause of the close relationships with grijalva known temporal order that was independent
valley ceramics however the preclassic date of the order achieved by seriation when the
of the sak phase was clear while the lack of two methods of ordering the data produced
continuity between sak ceramics and those the same results there remained lierlelitrle doubt
of later phases indicated a temporal gap at that the sequence of ceramic changes had
this point in the sequence been correctly interpreted
beginning with the kan phase and ex- two separate sets of data from the cen-
tending throu
through
gli earty part of the lum
911 the early
phase there were sufficient data to attempt
blands were used for seriation the
highlands
tral Hig tle
lle
primary seriation charts were based upon the
a more sophisticated study of ceramic change ceramic types types proved oved to have changed
the system of classification outlined in a fol- crough
krough the part of the
in a regular fashion through
lowing section made poss ne the separation
possible highland ceramic sequence
bence
uence for which the
and tabulation of the ceramic types and ves- seria ted but the changes
samples could be sericated
seriated
sel forms encountered in the cera callec
inic collec
ceramic were yel lat vely slow and all major types
relatively
rel
froin this period there
tions from
eions inere were clear dif- spanned at least two phases to provide a
ferences
feren ces among the samples in the cew cer
earme
ceramic more sensitive chronology for the dating
inventories represented that were pres urnel
presumed of surface collections changes in vessel
to be due to changes in ceramic styles forms were also studied by means of seria-
through time nese tese data
hese fata had
data llad to be ordered tion the se nation of vessel forms showed
in a manner that would provide maximum that a number of forms
terms had had short spans
ferms

27
28 NWAF
N WAF PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

of existence these fonn& fonna provided a type


forms ranged to give the chart presented as chart 1I
fossil sequence for use with mixed collec- tug
tus
this and the succeeding seriation charts do
TVs
tions for which the frequency of ceramic ele- not include data from six samples that would
ments was not significant not fit the pattern made by the rest of the
data from three of the six sites at which samples it was encouraging to note that these
1I excavated were used in preparing the sen six mixed samples which could not have rep-
tle
ile
atlon charts the collections from the sites
annon resented the short occupation span necessary
of mercedes de la maria and la hermita for geria
serla tion were with one exception from
seriation
sevia
were so different from each other and from lev els since some
surface levels sonne mm
sorne n is only to
mixing
those of the rest of the sites that they did be expected in surface samples thee necessia
nec
necessit
essit
necessity
not provide enough common elements to make of discarding these samples does not chy chal-
comparison by seriation possible twe tle
the reason lenge the validity of the procedure
for the difference was that both sites were litde
lattle comment need be added to the
battle
rated
separated the others by temporal gaps
from dle
die representation of ceramic change presented
sec
sen
secrates
secrated
w hilee the ceramics from la hermita were by the type senation all major types
xii
sedation chart AD
regionally variant as werwen
well although the col-
weil
weli showed the expected unimodal distribution
lections from rancho san nicolas
nicolis pertained curve with good continuity between sites in
to the time range for which se netlon could
nation
seriation all of the pits that produced two or more
ali
ail
adl
be used they were sorted during the first stratigraphic levels there were only two in-
season of field work when the method of clas- stances in which the levels
leveis appeared on the
sification
sifi basis of paste and temper
cation on the bam seriation charts in an order that reverses their
had not reached complete reliability the stratigraphic position one case of reversal
type breakdown for rancho san nicolis nicolas was occurred in pit 1I at san gregorio where
not therefore completely cona parable to that
comparable
oona level 1 the 025 0 25 cm level showed an earlier
from the other sites and could not be used series of ceramic types than did level 2 the
for seriation 2550
25 50 cm ern level occurring as close to the
no attempt was made to sennate sberds
sherds
seriate the sheeds surface as it did this transposition can be
cuchumt6n and cerro
recovered from cerro cuchumton explained as a result of erosion or construc-
ec&tepec during the 1961 season most of the
eefitepec tion activity which displaced an earlier cer-
shards had been discarded before 1I re-
body sherds amic sample mto ato a house mound of later
onto
viewed the collections and the use of ran
or run date the second case of transposition was in
sherds alone would have distorted type fre-
shards pit 4 at yerba buena in this pit level aa 1a
quen cies in favor of the finer types the
quencies a surface stripping only 15 cm thick pro-
smaller vessels of which produce more rim vided an earlier ceramic sample than did any
shards when broken than do the larger ves-
sherds of the
tile deep fill samples that lay beneath it
tiie
sels of coarse types even if the body sherdsshards since this case again involved a surface level
had been available it seems unlikely that the in a very steep part of the site the same
nation of types would have been reliable
se
seriation explanation can be applied as was suggested
tle
ile
tae
the regional variation between the areas for the reversal in pit ht 1I at san gregono
tested in 1961 and those from which the bulk there was then a high correlation between
of the material was gathered was great en- the temporal order obtained by seriation and
ough so that it could not be expected that that indicated by stratigraphy this agree-
the varieties of known types that occurred ment could not have been obtained had there
would necessarily have had bad the same tem- been any major error in classification or in
poral range as the varieties from the better seriation
known eastern sector of the highlands ibe tle
ile
the the samples from the three sites used in
nation ceraimc types was therefore
sedation of ceranue
senation
se the seriation study do not overlap in chart 1I
based upon the collections from the sites of levels from cerro campanat6n occupy the
cerro campanat6n yerba buena and san bottom levels from yerba buena the middle
gregono and covered the period from the and levels from san gregorio occupy the
early part of the kan phase through the upper part of the chart this might be taken
early part of the lum phase as an indication that the occupation spans
me
thefrequencies of ceramic ty pes in each
types of the three sites did not overlap another
sample were graphed and the graphs ar and more likely explanation is that there
SERIATION OF tffes
effes
CHABT 1 SERIATIM OF CQAMIC TYPES

06 m

vmvs
vmss
do
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30 NWAF
N WAF PAPER no liy
ley
19
119 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

chadt
CHART 2 atlon OF CERAMIC TYPES
serl ATtON
SERIATION
SERI ff MRECTED DATA
CORRECTED

sung
suns
SUCLKMA ymm
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1I

n mua
RUA
VYBUENA PSA LIA lla
LU 1
0B m 11111 1
iybuena
V BUENA
BUENA paa
ra
r3 L IA
p3a LLIB
I1 BOB m 101111 1
BWNA
Y IS 1I
OR bill I1
YB UENA PS 11
YBUENA
vfaucma
VBUWA
ll
p5l2
ra
r5
LI
L2 1
1
1 1111111
COMMON
m
u
1I

Y
wel
mel
Y BUENA pa
REM
MA
p6 LLI1I
YBICNA PS LIB lia
LIS
1I iob
JOB

i
11111111
seblin
IN
11
I1

semm
Y aena
bena
SENA
YBUENA PA HLL
suena
RLL f imn
IMB 00
SCOW

5 suema
BUENA PA L 2
YBUENA
Y 12 1 111110 010111
guena
BUENA pa
bulna
5x YBUENA pill
p4 FILL
FLL 2 aab
BBI
amb
a augna
suena
B
Y UENA pa
YBUENA p4mwall
p4 IN WALL
mall BOOM 01111111
z BUENA pa
BUENA
Y p6 L122 1 1111 1 1
V BUENA paa
SYBUENA p3a 12
p5a 1 11111111
uena
HYBUCNA
guena
pa l1a
l aa
V MENA p4 L IA
bena
pili
pllt
allt
BUENA P 1I 11
1

r
111110

r
BUENA
Y
Y
BUENA va
BUENA
Y p7
12
v7 L 2 i
bla rara
yYBUENA pa
BMA
78
V BUENA p5
p4 AS
AB FL
r3 12 1
10111111
H
Ybulena
BUIENA r3
YBUENA
ruena
suena
p5l3
ra
13
BUENA p3 L 4
Y VXXA r3
BB
suena
B UENA PI FILL
YBUENA
V ill H
Y BUENA pa
BUENA p6l3
p6 113
3 w B
BUENA 128
YBUENA
Y 928 13 a sou
suena
Y BUENA paa
BUENA p2a
12
92a LZ 1 1I noa
pom
nom
rourl
GCT
C ptl2
CT
agr ill 12
01 m 01 1I

SCCT
QCT
S CCT
C CT
hl5
gia
15hla
ilk
hta 12
QCT RIA a i f

5
2 clct
C VE
1 p2l1ll
92 11 IB
Q
CCT
CT 14 li
fiall
fi4ll
act
QCT
2 CCT
2 CCCT
CT
act
ace
QCT
CCT
CCT
C CT
64 13
pa
11
p4 13
15
92 12
piala
pial3
13
P IA
ll rm
m
1I

i
1IM
ilmi1
IMMI
I1
nall
maul
KALK
it wriveme
seme
IOWA
ail
all
asl
C
CCT
C
CT
CT pa ll
LI
PS 11
p3 12
p5
MM
1 gan
son
will
CCT
C- CT pa
p3l5
p& LJ im11
SEBIATION OF TYPES
SEMATION 31

were slight regional differences in cera cerainic


ceraimc
inic graphic area into the same chant chart providing
ichart
chann
frequencies that made the samples from that the samples are unmixed A although gh in
each site more like each other than like the theory each sample should fit the chart ehart at
sampia from other sites it is probable
samples robable that
mobable one precise point the random variations aro aye
arc
are
ayo
there was some but not much overlap be- uch that most samples can be placed any-
inch
huch
tween the later levels at yerba buena and the where within a series of levels that corres-
earlier levels at san greg Creg Drio and between
gregorio pond to a tinae time span between one third and
the earlier levels at yerba buena and the one half phase a maximum difference of
later levels at cerro campanaton
campawt6n
Campa naton about 150 years this degree of error is a
yash phase deposits from yerba buena relatively low one for ceramic time estimates
and san gregorio demonstrated one clear in chart 1 would not serve so useful a function
stance of regional variation the data pre- however for mixed samples such as are fre-
sented in chart 1I show unexpectedly low fre- fre quently obtained in surface collections such
quen
quenciescies for almost all ceramic types in the samples could not be fitted into the charn chart
chant
earlier levels from san gregorio tern term
these
ei sse same because they would present a mixture of or early
levels have a high frequency of tzaooneja tzaconeji and late ceramics which could not have re-
red
bed a type ihm the was rare at yerba buena
blut sulted from a short span of deposition for
and rancho san nicolas during the yash this reason a senn seri anon
sen
1
ahon of vessel forms was
seriahon
sern atlon
phase also undertaken for it was suspected that
tzaconeiii red appears suddenly
since tzaconea some vessel forms had had spans of persist-
in the san cregorio
gregorio samples at almost peak ence more restricted than those of the cer-
frequencies it was suspected that the ab- amic types
sence of the type at yerba buena was due the sedation
seriation data for vessel forms is pre-
regional rather than temporal variation
to regonal sented in charts 3 4 5 and 6 for this ser-
this hypothesis was checked by eliminating iation the data from rancho san nicolis
tzaconep
tzaconeli bed red from the tabulations of types were added for the vessel forms used in
for san creg orlo and recalculating the yke
gregorio
Greg orio
Drio fre-
fre
rke sorti
corti patlythe san nicolas collections were es-
sorting
quen cies of other types me
quencies the sericated
seriated results
seriated senti alij
alik
aily of the same categories as were used
sentially
ally
of the recalculations are pre iented in chart
presented
dented in sorting the collections from the other sites
2 all types show consider abb greater con-
considerably tn
in preparing the charts the order of levels
tinuity between yerba buena and san gre- obtained gm from the type se elon was used
nation
serta
seria tiou
eion
gorio when tzaconeja red shexds sherds are omit-
shelds but data from all levels that had provided
ted from the calculations if there were a
ped fewer than 25 za rim sherds
z5 were either on
shards weze dt
omit-
tim differential between the end of occupa-
timp
gime te
ted or combined with data from an adjacent
tion at yerba buena and the beginning of level if one of the adjacent levels also pro-
occupation at san gregorio the seriation vided too few rims foy iny
for inclusion
chaft
chart slave been smoothed by the
have
chadt could not alave
siave the seriation of vessel forms gave ait much
tzaooncfd red for the ratio
elimination of tzacones les regular pattern than did the
less
ies ari abon of
ani
tho seriation
wri
between the later cyp typm san gregono coarse
typ
tymm ceramic q es simple forms such as the
types
heistan hard and the predominant ear-
huistin
and huistan twl
twi
round side awl bowl small outcurving side bowl
lier ptype yerba
te yerha buena fine would still small straight side bowl and sma smallmouth
smail
small11 mouth

have showed variation between the two sites jar showed distributions that covered long 1
iong
the evidence thus supports the hypothesis spans of time with no clear pattern of in-
tzaameji
that Tzaam eji red was a local or northeast-
tzaconeja crease or & crease other forms such as the
decrease
ern highland type which did not reach the restricted orifice fillet bovibowl open mouth fillet
southerly
more sout herly sites in any quantity
berly
beriy bowl deep outcurving
outeurving side bowl polychrome
tle seriation of ceramic types gave a pic-
the outflarin
outflarusg side dish coinal chinal vague neck jar
ture of an orderly process of change and re- flatlip
flat lip jar perforated lar jar and wide mouth
placement of typess between the beginning jar were clearly restricted in their distribu-
of the kan phase and the early part of the tions and can serve as type fossils fossills whose
lurn phase in tlthee central highlands of chi-
lum presence in a collection gives evidence of cul-
apas it should be possible to fit the type tural remains from a specific period of time
frequenciess for samples from 2any sny untested even the forms with restricted temporal
site within the same time range and geo distributions failed
faded in many cases to show
32 NWAF
N WA F PAPER no 19 CULBERT chiapas
CHWAS
CHJAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

CHART 3 SERIATION OF VESSEL FORMS dowls


UWLS
BOWLS

21I a5 4 95 6 7 a 9 10 11 a 0
i&akfc
&40e& r2u
ra
r2
rau ll
11 1I 1I a1 0 1

&
weg
wes
haeft
S &&aeft
MFG
eal
ram
emm
aneg
rl 12
RL il
00 1I
1I I
1
1

LJ
1I
ebb
110
1I
aneo
&w0
takii
OU
HILS
21
ft2l2
L 3 ege
sse
1 wa
w1 0 1
1I
&akii
1
& 112 12 00 I1 1 1
&mit
&
sum
aum r2l5
wit
mc6
92
seewa
seema
15
LUM itr6bld6
6 af
3f a 1 1

&l
al
9 &mkcl
3 sudia
B
YUJCNA
Y r5al1a
UDIA 10k L aa
1a
&jknu
16639 FLL 00100
iemlim
lem
0010 1
1
1
Y uena
eena
mena03
UCNA
KXNA
lla
& LIA mno
MWO 0 1 1 1
S Y RXNA ft3a lis
03a LIB 1 see
sus
BOB 1I 1 00
asa
esk fftssf
5r5n 3 af
3f I1 I1 I1
Yeana
m
ran
ena RLI
KINA
YBUOU
nak 121I 11
ran
BAN ll
LI
ll
05 11 ali
alt 100
1I

11
a
1I

1
A
1
01 1

ask
rsm 91
41 12 0 00 I1
ranak
rr&k
L &k Rrip
ak sip JT
01 1I

Y BUENA
suena
suema
Y BUENA
0 UL
qa
q6 11 i 0 W a
suena
X AUENA ra lla
lia
r& LIS a 1
a
2
woja ra
moja
Y KOJA r4 rill
fiul 1I FILL B ibn
100 1I

V pa
p4 12
irvena
i&vena 10 3 1

itan 03 ML
itak
mul
TBUM 14 MWL 03 01 1

zt&k pnxlf
P L ax riz l&&l
&x PIZ
siz
lan
l&n M 13 1010 1I 1I
Y ardia 26 12
YKMA 13al2 OKUA
YN RX 12
ys04a ra r& 12
lt&k 9 7 l&la 55
55
wa
w& RIA
ak
L &k
kia 12
kis
01 l&43 00 WB
rsm
esk 21 W 2
buena aa
td suema
SUENA a& 13
SUEM i&l&purl
ma
m5
01
WMA pa
V mma p6 LS
uuu
umu VA 13
t WAM W
tuam gle
tuan AIL
ble 13 6 W sei
sel
001
ilak
ram
rak
ia bair
il&k i&
la
R 15 l& 1110
11 10 10
a E
1
IN
9
irb
ibb
100

CCT itala
ital2
cot p4l1
got
QCT
12 11ll 0
a 10
20 ens
010
aa
eese
ebes
8000
MW
C CT 24 12 2 101b
lct
QCX p4l3rzl2
act gao n&l2
0
ECT sko a 0 M M a

bowl forms
1 round side bowl or dish 7 deep flaring side bowl
2 restricted onfioe fillet bowl Incensano frying pan type
8 incensano
3 open mouth fillet bowl outcurvmg
9 small Out
outcurving bsh
curving side dish
4 pseudo neck bowl 10 small straight side dish
5 lateral ridge bowl 11 comel
comai
comal
6 composite silhouette outcurvmg
outcurving side 12 deh
deb
dub
polychrome flaring side dish
bowl 13 cylinder
semat10n OF FORMS

CHART 4 xiumon
langr OF VCSXL FORHS MRS

2
91 at4t 1n
mw
ell
elz
wll alq
all

119
0
1111 0
mama

464
vi 1111low

UM
30 95 nos
mos
low
www
300
30o

MVA

ed
30
1101 MIEN
ad 641
a
dd rb

30
w
0o dyoll
dfoll
no
30
d
30
c
35vd
so at igistil
no WIMMIJIME

1 ad
9d

Iv
od
iddeft21
di
won
bom
v
m

vygna
elna r&l25
w
rsx
ran
dr&n
rem
reh
p71a5
ri&l2
&sx r1l&45
dd

r&n & lahl


ran eahl
F m

tubma r&l5
tuxma
6130
mm

Y uena 1&laiiiu
w uema
UXMA M
30yumna
euena & LB
XMXNA
ttyudm
so RJLB
sll&m
svd
nvd
avd
d a
ran
lan
lak
sum
SUH
ld&k MOT laz
lez
on
dagr
actrs rul2uu
901
d601 ra L
go
a ra
c
g LUUI
dact &uullj
jarfonir
14 vague Zneck jar
nech 18g
0
wide mouth couse jerjar
15 fist LID
fiat
flat liu jar 19 mouth jar
wide mowth jkr
16 averted run jar
everted jer 20 tftll outcurvmg neak jar
nock
noak jer
17 perforated jar
jer or colander 21 jar
mouth j&r
small mowth
34 NWAF
NIVAF PAPEH
PAPER no 19 cfjlfcebt
ccr1a e11t chlap
CHIAP VS CTNTRAL
CHIAPVS
CHIAPAS CFMTRAL HIGHLANDS taamics
tAA
tra rama
ram1
MICS
1

CHART 5 frequencies OF VESSEL FORMS IN COMBINED SAMPLES BOWLS

1 2 5 4 5 6 7 86 9 tt
to 11 it2 is
transitional 1I i 1 1
I ATE yash
1LATE YASM
YASVA I1 i ft I
1 I1
eagly
EARLY YASH
EABLY

capuy
lanly
tsar
tsan
LATE TSAM
TSAW
n t 1I 1I
lanux TSAH
CAPLY
CARLY 1I 1
kani
LATE KAN a N I1 I1 I1
MIDDLE KAN 1I I1
SCALE
FADLY KAN
EAOLY M I
1

t nLant ror sole


rot
varal
varol suiwf
if
97
r
arST
lut
lar
lur
tart
J
yark
talk

CHART 6 frequencies OF VESSEL FORMS IN COMBINED SAMPLES jars


JARS
JAR 5

14
ta
iaA
1.4 S
15 16 ff
17 Is 19 20
SO 21
transitional
LATE yash
wash
VASH
YASH
EARLY YASW
LATE
LA tsar
IT TSAH
TSAW
EARLY tsam
TSAH
LATE KAN
MIDDLE KAN SCALC
SCALE
EARLY KAN wtynupbtot
1I tip
tir
fir
sit
sie
nie
K

li
smooth firequency curves the probable rea- suynnia m the scription
in summary scriation sequence ob-
son for the lack of regularity in the seriation
senation
tiou tained by charting the frequencies of cer-
of vossel mali size of the sam-
maii
mail
vessel forms is the ssmail
small amle elements mdi
amie
amic indicates m orderly pattern of
cates an
ples that resulted irom from using only foim
ironi fanni in
fcnni change in the ceramic history of the centrad
central
dilative shards with SUCII
dicativesherds
dicative
dica tive sherds such small samples ran- highlands of chiapas the aalmost i
almost complete
dom variations in sampling or the displace- agreement between seriation and sa atigriphic
sviatigraphic
ment of shards from dich
if even 2 few sherds dieh
their correct little doubt that A correct tem-
data leaves fittie
level inrk the deposits would have been cap- poral orde
ordering
zing sainpls wa
ring of the samples was achieved
aebieved
aebieved
able of producing an exaggerated effect on
charts on the themy that small sample
the charns
chants the last prehistoric centuries
size was ac dle primary cause of the irregular-
die
faini seriation each phase was sub-
ities in foini
foim the piocedure that was applied
pjoccdure
seriation procedure
divided into two or threediree equal divisions and to the majority of the ceramic sz samples tt om
aples from
combined form totals for each division &vision iffie central highlands or chiapas yielded a
the
safie
flated the seriation of the com-
calculated
were calel
calci ceramic sequence that is completo froin from the
bined totals is presented in charts 5 and 6 beginning of the kan phase about A D 300
me
the regularity of the frequency curves was va tlle
iilo
through bile dle lum
tile early part of the
die 1 um phase
greatly iiunproved by the lurn lumping
ping process ended about A D 1350 the seriation
which endea
but there were still several instances of split squence
equence thus terminated a t a poult
point in time
tous distributions whether
discontinuous
pe aks or discontim
peaks about two centuries prior to the conquest of
these variations were still due to sampling the
tite lard in 1524 data for
spaniard
ilie area by the Span
spaniards
depo sih or actual variations ok
error mixed deposits oi khe period off the prehistoric ceramic
ibeP final ptniod
peiiod
cauld not be determined
popularity could seria ted but enough
seriated
sequence could not be sericated
LAST prehistoric CETURIES
CENTURIES 35

evidence was vas available from scattered sites the tsah


asah phase and continued through the
that hadbad been occupied during the latter part luin
lum
lurn phase most of the test aits nits encountered
of the lum lurn phase to make possible the com- bedrock within the first stratigraphic
stratigraplue level
pletion of the cinclus
tile sequence although conclus
tlle and provided mixtures of ceramics from all
ions concerning the ceramic history of the phases of occupation in three pits a rough
cen times before the conquest must be
last centimes
cenhmes stratigraphic sepa rabon was encountered
rahon
separation
advanced with less confidence than is possi- asah and yash ce
with tsah rumics at all levels
ceramics
ble for those relating to earlier periods the but with lumm lumo ceramics only in the upper
lurn
LUTO
general ceramic inventory and the patterns levels nese
these pits indicated tle tie
the temporal pos-
of regional va nation have been fairly well es-
variation ition ofor the lumluna phase relative to the tseh
tablished and yash phases supporting the late dale daie as-
date
ceramie samples were recovered from six
ceramic signed to the phase on the basis of evidence
sites in or near the central highlands which from la hermita
ermita furthermore examples of
fl
were judged to have been occupied until the luna phase types known from san cre-
lurn
lunn
end of ghe lurn phase one of these sites la
fhe lum
the gorio occurred in the cerro ecatepec ecitepec
Ecate pec collec-
hermita was tested by me during the 1960 tions
season tour four of the sites were excavated by
ioui
lour excavations at the site of cerro cuchum Cu chiun
cuchiun
couchum
adams calnek and mcvicker mevicker during the ton provided another ceramic co
bon Rection that
collection
1961 season cerro ecatepec
ecitepec
Ecate pec
pee CV 38 CV 44 dated mostly from the lum phase cerro
and cerro cuchurnt
cuchumtonan
6n and a surface col-1 cuchurnt6n is located to the north of san
cuchumt6n
kection
llection
chon waskas obtained from the site of cha cristobal about equidistant from the late
calxib in 1961 sites in the he san cnstobal
cnst6bal
costobal valley and the
la hermita was the only site covering easly lum phase site at san gregorio the
early
the late part of the lum phaye chase at which
phase ceramic inventory from the ute ate
site showed a
excavations were aimed primarily at recov- mixture of elements some of which were
ering a ceramic sample and also the only known mostly from the san cristobal valley
site for which there was time to complete a others from san gregorio the three types
full analysis of the ceramics unfortunately that had the highest frequencies of occur-
fhe pottery from la hermita was so variant
the rence in the collections were san gregorin gregorio
from that recovered at other sites excavated coarse huistan
heistan hard and ixtapa fine huis
huistin ruis
huls
during the 1959 ISM and 1960 seasons that no ian hard and san gregorio
tin
tan cregorio coarse were
direct connections with earlier parts of the present in amounts that varied from one pit
sequence could be proposed and the site was to another but in several pits huisman huisdn hard
huistan
dated as late postclassic only by ky the elimina- was the more common of the two types a
tion of other possibilities also the short per- fact that indicates a date for these pits later
iod during which the site had been occupied than that for any of the samples from san
produced ceramic samples that were essen- cregorio
gregorio in one pit ixtapa iytava fine was the
tially homogenous with no indications of most frequent type showing frequencies
trends of change or of what sort of ceramic
cetamic
ceiamic than those for any other site within
higher rhan
complex had preceded the la hermita com- the central highlands two of the three pits
plex that produced fairly large quantities of shards sherds
excavations in the san saa cristobal valley
vailey had a few samples of la hermita coarse in
in 1961 provided additional samples of lum lui
lur
ceramics and additional evidence for the tem-
the upper levels and a complete absence of
the type in lower levels thus offering addi-
poral placement of the phase the two small tional evidence of the temporally late posi-
unnamed sites CV 38 and CV 44 which are tion of the type all common vessel forms
at the foot of the steep ridge occupied by that occur in the cuchum
cuchumt6n
couchum tan
t6n collections are
the site of cerro Ecate
ecatepec
ecitepec
pec produced ceramic forms already known from other sites to have
samples comparable in types and forms with been common during the lumm lum phase
lumo
LUTO
samples from la hermita the final lum phase kase sample was a sur-
the large site of cerro ecatepec
ecitepec
Ecate pec dem- face collection from the site of chac chacalxib
abda
abdb
onstrated different patterns of occupation in the Oco singo valley just outside the east-
ocosingo
and ceramics ceramic collect ons from the
collections 6entral Hig
ern boundary of the central mands this
highlands
Wands
site indicated an occupation that began in collection is of interest because it provides
36 NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBERT CULALPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
CHIAPAS HICHLANDS CERAMICS

the only evidence of continuity


tiie
tile continuitv through the was clearly established by the study of lum
luyn
lum
lurn phase of the ceramic tradition of the lannic
rannic complex
phase collections both the ce
ceramic
eastern highlands which is otherwise known represented by the early lum
lurn levels from
only from early lum levels at san gregorio san gregorio and
nd that represented by collec-
in a sample of or slightly more than 100 sherds
shards tions from la hermita and other sltes
sites
sltes in the
sites
shards are of quistin
54 percent of the sherds ruistin
haistan hard
huistan san cristobal valley continued through the
gregorio coarse and the
34 percent of san gregono late postclassic peiiod
penof and were in all pro-
penod
remainder of nondistinctive types which may babi
bability fume of the
lity still in existence at the time
bime
or may not have been native to the central spanish conquest of thic
spanisn the chiapas highlands
thie
highlands there are no examples of types in 1524
horn san creg
aside homm
horm
hiom orlo coarse that are
gregorio
Greg orio
oriu
trom highland phases earlier than the
known from determination of phase boundaries
lum phase the most common vessel form
luin
chacaldb collection uis the vague neck
in the chacalxib nenk the final problem that caudd
could be consider-
jar followed by perforated jars and lound tor the sericated
ed for seriated alt of the
seria ted pall
palt
pail
ait he sequence was
side bowls in terms of both type percent- tiie placement of rase
tlle
ille
ilie
tile aase
phase bound
boundaties
boundaries
aules in light
aties
atles
ages and vessel frequencies the sample from of the patterns of ceramic change the seri
chacalxib could be roughly fitted into the ated
abed samples cover a period of about 1000
seriation charts at a point later than any of years and reveal a pattem katlein of continuous
patlein
the excavated samples this fact together change over that thi period of time although
with the complete absence of earlier types the seriation procedure and stratigiaphic giaphic data
stratigraphic
strati graphic
such as yerba buena fine indicates that the reveal the temporal order of the samples
cbacawb represents a fully
collection from chacalxib they do not immediately indicate the phase
developed eastern lum ceramic complex divisions of the scquen ce the necessity of
sequence
schuen
completely consistent with the trends of dividing the sequence into phases was how-
change established for the beginning of the ever obvious regardless of whether or not
lum phase by the samples from san gre-
luin there were abrupt changes to mark phase
gorio it eliminates boundaries the ceramics from the earliest
elirnfnates any possibility that the
eastern tradition found at san gregorio might phases weie almost entirelyentire ly different from
have been suddenly terminated and replaced those of the latest phases and the total se-
by the tradition common to the western quence had to be divided into units of hom-
sites ogene ous content to delimit phases within
ogeneous
in view of the foregoing evidence the the sequence it was v as necessary to review the
ceramics of the chiapas highlands can no data for clusters of changes which mi ht
might
longer be considered a single ceramic com- serve as indicators of points of transition be- C
plex during the lum phase but must be di- tween ceramic leies in the absence of
lexes
complexes
ceiamic comp
vided into at least two complexes one of such change clusters the phase boundaries
pre ailed at eastern sites such as san
which prevailed would havehaxe had
bad to be arbitrarily placed at
interval
gregorio and chacalxib the other in the san convenient intervals 1

cyistobal
ciistobal valley at least the distinction of
ciist6bal the distinction of phases connected with
two separate ceramic complexes is admittedly different ceramic comp lenes is however only
leves
ieves
complexes
simplification for the collections from a part of the total study of ceramic change
an over
oversimplification
cerro cuchumt6n
cucbumt6n represent a mixture of such a study must begin with the histories
ceramics from the two complexes and display of individual ceramic elements whether they
a higher frequency of ixtapa fine than does be ceramic types vessel forms or modes in
either complex the true picture might well lbs iti history each element has a time of intro-
its
ibs
have been that of a series of different types duction and a tume time at which production is
vith its own center of distribution terminated between introduction and disap-
each with
which merged in varying proportions in dif- pe arance most elements may
pearance mav be expected
tile central highlands if to show a unimodal
ferent sections of the
tlle uni modal
modai curve of frequency
such were the case tiie the two ceramic com- which rises to a peak and then declines in
tile
plexes mentioned here represent nothing completely gradual change the frequency
more than regional crystallizations of the curve ib smooth with a proportionate amount
overall pattern at the very least one point of increase or decrease per unit of time still
determination OF PHASE boundaries 37

within the unimodal frequency curve the change and others that are strongly marked
rate of change can vvary ary
nary
N ary from the pattern of bich affect a
by a series of rapid changes which
gradual change in the direction of a more large part of the ceramic inventory
abrupt change pattern departures irom arom the
rrom
from
gradual change pattern are manifested by with the models of culture change in
rapid increases or decreases in frequency mind attention may now be turned to data
within a short time span perhaps followed from the present research which bear upon
by periods during which winch the frequency re- the nature of ceramic change in the central
mains constant for the sake of emse ease of refer- highlands of chiapas data from the sak
ence such points of accelerated change will win
wih phase and the later part of the lum phase
be referred to as change points discontinu- must be omitted from consideration for sam-
ous distributions bimodal frequency curves ples from these time periods could not be
and other departures from a unimodal uni moda curve
unimolal
unimoda
molal ile
nation charts ahe
used in the seriation
se the senation
of change are possible but are rarely en- method used for the remainder of the se-
countered in ceramic research quence provides an excellent framework for
when considered in combination the his- the stud
study of culture change for it presents a
tories of the individual ceramic elements in- long series of samples arranged in a temporal
dicate the trends of change within the cer- order and shows the transitions between dif-
amic complex as a whole the complex is ferent types and forms in this discussion
composed of a number of elements each of reference will be to the corrected type seri-
which is constantly changing in accordance ation chart chart 2 which omits tzaconeji
tzaconeja
with its own pattern of change the presence red from consideration
weli marked phase boundaries
or absence of well
weil reference to the frequency curves of cer-
between sequent ceramic complexes depends chirt 2 shows that
chart
chant
amic types presented in chann
upon the degree to which the introductions most of the curves approach the ideal curves
of new elements the disappearances of old of gradual change it is impossible to denote
elements and the change points of different fadeal
fadual
with any precision the precise points of intro-
wit
elements tend to cluster duction and disappearance for most of the
culture change through time ranges be- types for sporadic examples tend to occur
tween two polar types one is completely vell before and well after the areas of con-
well
weli
weil
meli
meil
gradual change with a constant invariant tinuous distribution in the charts the vague-
rate thetle other is an abrupt change the
ile ness of initial and final points of distribution
most extreme example of which bich is total re- for ty pes may be attributed in part to shal-
types
placement of one culture by another at a low samples and mixing of the deposits and
single point in iame inme when ceramic change
time in part TOro a small number of errors that must
approaches the gradual model the sequence have occurred in the sorting twe tle almost in-
ile
the
will fail to show anv any clusters of changes for
adv evitable sorting errors would have a dispro-
there are by definition no abrupt changes onate effect in lengthening spans of
portionate
porti
individuali features and the points of in-
in individua stence
persistence even though they would bave have
persistence
tersistence
deysi
tersi
dersi
troduction
tro and disappearance are randomly een too small to affect the shapes of the
been
spaced in a sequence which represents this frequency curves materially
changeselence
sort of chang thee phase boundaries may be he although points of introduction and cess-
placed arbitrarily and are only ouly the division ation of production could not be determined
of a continuum for the sake of convenience for the ceramic types there were a number
the abrupt model of change represents the of instances in which type frequencies de-
ultimate in clustered change for this model parted from the normal smooth curve to
presents the most di stinct phase boundary
distinct
i
stinca show fairly rapid increases or decreases
possible a total replacement of one ceramic ceramic within the space of a few samples on the
inventory by another vitha vithm beef
vithin a bnef
brief period
of time change within an actual ceramic seriation charts loci of accelerated change
sequence may fall anywhere beamen between
bewmen the two at which a consistent change of greater than
extremes and in fact a single sequence may 5 percent in frequency occurred within 3
boun danes that are purely
have some phase boundaries samples on the seriation charts were tabulated
arbitrary divisions of a period of gradual as change points
38 NW
N V AMj
VVA
vea
V par
PAH no
PAPER nr 16
1
ulbert chilas
ulaeht CHLAAS
CHIAPAS CENTRAL HICHLAVDS CERAMICS
CF HAMICS

the dita
data
duta ir
etscl
fur vessel
for etsal flims supplied fur
etS cl foims
fuiuis
iniormatiors about the nanye
thei nltrmation nature of Lctistl
ulturee
tradition of the phase while up to 23
enr
opnr
mnr of th the san sar
ample
ampiepits
ples were at boundary at
pies
25 per

change ifui ceramics rhese these glata


giata
data biffi
elata differed in
diffi Z eidler elle
either ene of
eile
end 0 the phase
tite phasle
tile pha&e
chasle
bome re sped trom
icspechi from that thut
chut litm aed
chat pnvided
liam ded by the the points cf of ceramic calange chiiii denionhtrate
chri
chir
ch
chlange
seriation ot annc types ifmst
of et amic rwt it was pos-
ewt dennite pattern of thtisring
a definite ohltering st at rhethe
che points
orne
sonie cases to determine points of
sible in sense
senie choser as phase boundaries beginning at the
chosen
introduction and disappearance reference earliest end of the sericated seriated
seria ted part of the se-
to charts 05 and 4 shows that some form
1 quence the first all duster
eit
eil
cll ister of changes to ap-
lster
had continuo
continuous ui distributions with sharp sharo cut- pear occurred att at i point ariar
fat king the chauge
m4rjdng
rriar change
off points before or after which tewo thy
the were
thwo frott early kip
frorr
frore kn to middle
kin middie kan ka when this
noi
n ot or
rm
foiyn
kozyn
oi only a few
fozyn thyr ther ver
there
kv itcdttctcd
were
vcr aiso
scattered exampless of the
scaftered
also abrdpt
abrapt
abrant changes lit in the
tit
tik
iong phase is divided inic
knig
long
tins cluster of
dro three sub
inin
ot changes was not naw
subphases
phases
ased aq the
nsw
trcgune
frequenc 4 s in which a nur
frequence nurriber
ilurrtber
riber of forms
1
basi
b asis for
basis pha5ft boundary becajse
aphasf becaj
because
be cakse
bakse se the data
appear td since the evel
appeared kevel by
levei
level
verv erratic rcults
lei
iel
lel
ly levei sni sri iton
seriation
Clit rt
resiikt charts
gait
gaft
faileed
galic led to mik its ine
ced
eluster appelu
cluster
aning entirely cear
meaning
lne clear the
ulear tile
tlle
of forms gave very appeiuss at the pinit
appedu polut on
point m the seriation
3 andaud 4 cou
change points but
coum
boumd notlot lye
yot
bui tho
ix
lie used to dee
iye
dle combined samples
det
determine
termine
wermine clatts
charts M
ign
ton pin
uon
here
w here tho dw
0n the liam clau
data
ld trom cerro
dwaa irom C
eno campana
frora rancho san nicol&s
liau frotii nicolas
die
the lon fin
nln
an brora
gin
gln
tto in
115 chlrts
iii charts
chilrts and
35 arid
arld 6 made it possible and yerba buena sirim
ated midway
loi abed
is located
sinc cerio cerlo
ceric
cci io cainpanat6n
acci
drav between the highlands
rrs dwav
caiiipari8t6n
place abrupt jpt changes in frequency to
ab apt loc
vit hij
wthii
git
vithiihii onelne half
naif a phase and the grijalva valleyI itt Lis ipossible that the
1
the final rim assignment of phase boundar-
aanal
hanai cera
cora mics erom
ceramics from that site were regionally lath-
irom
ies as made madr by considering the location of
wade if er than temporpjjly
ternporail ly diffdifferent
Prent fron
hrent iron those of
irow
frow
irom
all points of ceramic change introduction bancho san nicoas and yerba busma
randio
banalo
rancho
nancho buna with-
disappearance and change points for hoth both out supporting evidence from froin other sites iu
types and vessel forms nere mere
there were a num- the Hig highlands
blands of cerarnics ceraunics signil
ceramics similar
sirnil lar to those
ber of clusters of points i
0 S of change which of cerro campa cainpanaton mat611 a dier definite
initc conclusion
inita
could be used to divide the sequence into inro
inho that evro cerro
etro ccimpanntii ceramics
erro garnpanat6ii cerarnies
cerami cx were eau etf
eaf
pha ses of approximately eque
phases ej elt
aque
ejtit
tit
eli lenh
length the lie thatt
ile
lier han thoe froin other subes site iid lid not geini
did stinn
center points of these auster duster were chosen
clusters jnitiable
iiistifiable iri lri spite 01 oi this reason for caution
nnuidan arc nmarkl
marki I1 do feel hat the ceramics from oni cerro cam
hfoni
honi
boni
i
ris phase boundaries
as
dis
dds p s and are
ps ark d on the eel nhat
setla
setia
serlation
setiation
seriation
serial chans table 2 presents a simurnary
chads
iod charts
ton
tod sjnrnary panat6n are noi earv
panaton
manaton carv
eary srnnple
sainple from frum A piort part DFof
if the locatioxt
of locstiou of points of charig than
chan in rela the kan phase not lot enc ountered a-at the othor
encountered other
tion to the phase Ivun ivundaries
iwundaries
darles A change that
daries sltes if thee
sites the difference wt mte
were
weie
WTC re rc gonal one
ic giona
roccurred within rhee samples on either side would expect not only tt1w 1 frequency
1c gire
fire quency differ
of a phase boundary bourdary
bour dary WA considered to be
bourt
bourkdary
bourk encis noted buh
ences
enccs
ances but also the ibe appearance at cerro
located at the thi bot bond
bondari
bondarv
boi ncnary
arv and all other
nciary Campana
campanato
campanatn
cain vanat6ntn of types and aud forms
fornis not native
hanges vere considered to be within phases
ichanges to the cental highlands
this system of division meant diat a mini- uter the
after guster
gustev
duster
he chut rr of ehaviges
chines
chunes
eha
oha viges ust discussed
mum of A 50 percent of the sant samples
sani pies frorn
ples rom each
brorn the ceramic
arnic tradition of the mma
cerzrnic remainder inder of the
phase vas ncnsiderednn&idered to be within th full kan phase was qute quite stable at the end of
qmte
the kan phase and the beginning bezinninl of the asah tsah
rpi L 2 sutmary
api sur
sufmary
svnfifkhy
Suf MARY
marv
harv OF
oiz polrsn
POINTSs or phase
pl ase tha
aie there was wa a niarkefclust
marked dhisfcerr of changes change
CERAMIC CHANGE by which hp transition
the trausi tion between the quite
terent
herent ceramics of the kan tuand
dif
dlf
dih
different tsab
tsah
id asab
total pos
fos
PGS plas
phases took plact place once the more character
location w sequenv
in sequens
seftienv of
ota change elenwnts of tahe
istir elenients the kan kar phaseplust had been
early
karly
earis midd kyo
earls kan bonn
kao boun
boundary
daiy 1I
11 ipplkcd by those of
fephwed 0 he tsih pase
the phase the
vitant middie late kan phase
vithnt middle 4 cera
ceramic traditi
inic tmdition
tradition
traditinn nn of the chiapas highlands Hied ands
avi
kvi
K irii tsah
arii asah boundary 1Ia
1jjI1 began a iong lair
lnir pe
long
lone od oi
penlodiod siow and gradual
of slow
pli
rii
ril anee almos
aimos
almostt no lic change avas
I1

ahm thm tsah


within asah phase 2 ance
rilance lir
tic nvasa noted wethin within
the tsa phage
tiie
llie
tike phase and afthough the ysab taah yash
nih yash bfidndar
1ximidarv TI1
eary was
un ears
b undar
undary
dary
andary mar kei
markel
murkei
murkel
WA nitarked
mur kel bv suster
b ai duster
cluster of seven
within yad phase
ya11 3
yash lintn r chang
eil anges
ell
cli
changes ev mo
nios of thee these were fle fie
frequency
quency
lutn boundary
liitn 1

1langes in existing features tea


changes
chanles fea tures which did not
determination OF PHASE boundaries
sound ARiKS
BOUND aries 39

result in any radical alteration of the exist- erist- posits from which the ceramic samples were
ing
in 9 tradition this fairly rainy smooth trans
1
transition
filion recovered might rnigbt have distorted the results
between the gite lite classic and early post-
litte of analysis Arche ological data are rarely
archeological
archeosogical
archaeological
classic phases in tile tlle chiapas highlands is a
the ideal and a failure to estimate the results of
point of considerable inter cst which will be
est
interest incomplete oi mislead ing data can lead to
01 misleading
discussed at length in the final section at grave errors in interpretation
the
t end of the yash phase another cluster the apparent history of individual cer-
of changes marked the introduction of the amic features mav may be shifted toward either elther
cither
ceramics of the lum luin phase since only a few
lurn the gradual model or the abrupt model of
samples from san cregorio attributable to the
gregorio attributabfe change by vanous various defects in the nature of
early part of thl the lurn phase coud couid be placed
aoud the deposits from which material for analysis
on the seriation charts these few samples was obtained discontinuity of occupation is
have been referred to as transitional on the a major cause of shifts toward the abrupt
bharti to indicate that they are still so close
charti
charts model1 discontinuity of occupation may
mode mav re-
to the yash ashlum
z ash lum boundary that they cannot
luni sult in late points of of introduction early points
be considered representative of fully develop- of AN
orf
off appearance and the appearance of ab-
disappearance
ed lum ceramics although the gumber cumber of
number rupt changes which had no real basis in gau gaa
fau
fact
changes
chaives
chanves 0 at the
yash lum boundary was the major discontinuities within a single site
same as that which marked the tsah asah yash or between two sites are easy to detect the
boundary the transformation was in fact a major discontinuity between the sak and kan
more radical me one it vwas as marked by bv the re- phases in the present sequencebence uence was umnis
omnis
unmis-
placement of yerba buena fine fire by the con- takable for the collections from the two
siderably different quistin haistan hard a change
huistin
huistan phases had almost no elements in commom common
that was without parallel in the transition be- short time or partial discontinuities create
tween ene tsah and yash phases
the asah in ore of a problem for detection As ford
more
inore
tlethe data for the development of ceramics phillips ford and griffin 1951 has pointed
during the lum phase were not sufficient to out refuse tends to accumulate unevenly in
provide any deai deri
deal
derinite
definite conclusions Althou
nite concluions
concluiions althoucrcr
although occupied areas A location that received
vere a number of samples available
there were heavy refuse while there was a house located
that dated from the lum lun phase most moet of
moat nearby may have received little or no debris
these samples were from the western sector after the house was abandoned and then
of the highlands by this phase the diver- may have been subject to further heavy trash
between
gence bahit
behit men the tw
oen two sectors of the high- accumulations when another house wvas vasas built
was
1lands
I had increased to the point at which the
th vicinity if the gap between the struc-
inn tho
the western samples could not be adjusted tures was a small one in time the tow tom
total
to complete the seriation charts on the basis ceramic picture proi prodded
ded by midden deposits
provided
prod
of a single surface colle oien from immedi-
oion
collection in thetlie location will wr
alie respond
correspond to the pattern
ately outside rhe boundary of the central
the bounclaq given by a period of rapid change simply
hijbiands proper to the erst
highlands erit
east
east it seems likely because part of the total time span was poorly
that the trends of change indicated by the th represented the danger of distortion of the
few early lum levels at san gregorio con- ceramic results by b partial discontinuities of
tinued without serious disruption until the this sort bec onles greater the sin
becomes
onies ailer the
smailer
smaller
alier
aller
time of the conquest the 1 he lum phase sam- number of locations
location tested to obtain ceramic
ples from the western highlands were from samples for in the case of continuous but
contexts too lacking in stratigraphic control location3 of refuse dumps the use of
shifting locations
to indicate patterns of change in that region a large number of pits in different locations
tbt ceramic data seem to indicate several
the of a site increases the likelihood that hhie the en-
periods of accelerated ceramic change which tire time range will be represented hi in the
were used to define rhe the boundaries between samples
phases in the ceramic sequence in the cen- mlat seems to be an example of partial
miat
what
tral highlands of chiapas before these clus- diss
disc continuities in ceramic data ran
discontinuities van be illus-
can
ters of changes are ac epted as fact how-
accepted
apted trated by ref rei
reference
arence to ekholm s huastec se-
erence
ever some consideration should be given to quence 11944 1944 the major excavation of a
the manner in which the nature of the de single large pit in deep deposits in pinuco pabico
pamico
40 NWAF
N W AY PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

cheating sharp breaks between


gave results in
indicating distortion due to subsuming an unde-
the ceramic periods when however data sirably long time span within each sample
from supplementary pits at el prisco frisco and may be detected by bv reference to sealed de-
tancol
nancol are taken into account the abruptness posits or to burials or caches that contain a
of the phase boundaries is decreased the
or number of vessels of different forms or types
el pnsco
ansco ceramics provide data that inoh inch
indicate
cate sealed deposits cannot contain ceramics
a more gentle transition between periods 2 which had not been introduced at athe time of
and 3 while the tancol
nancol material provides a burl
buri
sealing while burialallind
buriallind
and cache offerings pro-
more gradual transition between periods 5 vide evidence of the coexistence of features
and 6 see ekholm 19.36506 19365
1936506
1944365
194436566
1944.3656606 37071
66 3770
37071.
370
377071
71
377071.
aside from the discontinuity between lle lie
ile
the
burial and cache vessels were too few in
quantity and too limited liniited in types and borins
forins
forms
sak and kan phases and a possible slight represented to provide much information for
discontinuity between the earlv
earlaj and middle the sequence or of the chiapas highlands only
sections of the
ibe kan phase the chiapas high- two sealed deposits were encountered by the
land data seeni
seem to be free from gaps for there
are none of the clusters of sharp cli
excavations thetle
ile ibe sample found sealed within
changes
anges be- the wall in pit 4 at yerba buena consisted
tween adjacent levels which indicate the pres- almost en tirey of yerba buena fine and
entirely
ence of major discontinuity santa elena red and was completely lack-
sharlow
shallow bich material col-
sharrow deposits in which onil ware campana red
Madr onal
ing in madronal onai bed and
lected AS a single stratigraphic level contains las rosas white and san gregono coarse
ceramics representing a long period of refuse both of which were found in all unsealed
accumulation also tend to distort the result- tsah
asah phase deposits this suggests that at
ing impression of ceramic change the effect the middle of the th tsah
asah phase the time from
of such distortion is to increase the apparent which the wall sample dates there may mav have
spans of persistence of elements and to give been a period after the disappearance off ma-
the appearance of contemporaneity to ele- dronal ware but before the introduction of
ments which may never have coexisted if san grgregorio01710 coarse if this were the case
for example a standard stratigraphic level egistortion
enough distortion has occurred from the use
encompasses material covering a timetune span of of shallow unsealed deposits to give madronal
150 years it could include the initial exam- ware an apparent persistence of at least half
ples of a late type which appeared during the a phase too long and to give san cregorio grcgorio
crcgorio
last 50 years of this interval and the last ex- coarse an apparent appearance at least half
tye that was no longer
amples of an early type a phase too earl for the seriation chart indi-
produced after the first 50 years such types cates that both tivpes topes spanned the tsah
tvpes asah
would then appear to overlap slightly even phase
though they were in actuality separated by the other sealed sample from beneath a
a gap of 50 years floor in pit 15 at rancho san nicolls nicolas gives
the frequency curve will be unpredictably data that tend to support the seriation chart
sbaliow deposits with the direc-
affected by shallow this sample which contained a ceramic dis-
tion of distortion depending upon the point tribution
trib ution typical of the middle of the kan
at which the curve is cut by the samples A phase contained a small amount of yerba
gradual change might be made to appear buena fine this evidence suggests that the
abrupt if one sample included the peak fre early appearances of small amounts of yerba
quency and the areas of high frequency on buena fine suggested by the seriation sedation chart
either side of it while adjacent samples were had basis in factt but is far from conclusive
obtained from lower frequency areas at the for the date of construction of the floor that
end of the curve on the other hand an ab- sealed this sample could have been later than
rupt change might be made to appear gradual the ceramics beneath it suggest
if the samples straddle the boundary at which in summary it seems possible that the
the change took place on the whole the lar- shallow deposits found in the ruins of the
ger the number of samples included the chiapas highlands might have tended to dis-
stronger will be the possibility that the total tort the iimpression
ression of ceramic change in the
effect will be to distort frequency curves to- direct MF
direction
i0 n 0of a gradual change model with
ward the gradual model of ceranic
ceramic change long spans of persistence of types and forms
determination boudries
HOUDRIEs
OF PHASE HOUNDAMEs 41

and a lack of abrupt change in frequencies tween the occupation at cerro campanato
gampa naton11ll
Campa
the histories of many of the ceramic types and occupations at other sites has already
do present a pattern of gradual change the been mentioned and was one of the primary
data for vessel forms indicate however that factors influencing the decision that these
this pattern is more likely a leieflection of his- changes should not be considered to mark a
tban a result of the nature of the
torical f act aban
than phase boundary the kan tsah asah and tsah
asah
deposits for A number of forms show re- yash phase boundaries are spanned by sev-
strict ed distributions and abrupt changes in
stricted eral pits from both yerba buena and rancho
frequency since both type data and form san Nicol fis this makes it most improbable
nicolas
his
bis
data were obtained from the same samples that the clusters of changes that marked
any defect of the deposits which would give these two boundaries were the result of a
a false impression of gradual change for the discontinuity of occupation for the discon-
types would have created a similar impres- tinuities would have hadbad to be site wide and
sion for the fforms
lorms at an identical time at two sites to produce
discontinuities and shallow
shadow deposits may the results given by the seriation charts that
also have a distorting effect upon the clus- the cluster was due to a compression of the
tering of points of ceramic change and the data resulting from shallow samples is also
consequent placing of phase boundaries unlikely for in other stratigraphic pits which
both of these defects of deposits compress do not show sharp changes the samples and
the data and make points of change appear sample time spans were similar to those of
to correspond thus creating the impression of phae boundaries
the pits that spanned the phase
sharp phase boundaries none of these situ- the cluster of changes separating the sam-
ations would be expected to separate a clus- ies
ples earlyy part of the lum phase
les from the earl
eari
trom
irom
from
from those of the yash phase is not haged based
ter of changes that did occur together
this consideration raises the question upon such secure data since the transition
whether the change clusters upon which the between the two phases was sampled only on
one of the two hills upon which the site of
phase boundaries of the chiapas highlands san gregorio is located the possibility that
sequence are based may be an artifact of the a slight discontinuity existed cannot be qed
med
ruled
nature of the deposits the possibility that out since however the yash lum transition
the cluster of changes that separated the was repeated in two pits where both phases
early kan phase from the middle kan phase were represented the evidence is slightly in
may have been due to a discontinuity be favor of the reality of the change cluster
THE CULTURAL ASPECT OF THE CERAMICS
arche ological data are cul- fine vessels encountered among the archeo
although all archaeological
archeological
tural in the broadest sense of the dm term it logical remains
is useful to make a distinction between tech- fine vessels were also probably used in
nological data dealing primarily with descrip- connection with ceremony and ritual the
no
tion and chronology and the inferences about majenty mapnty
majonty of vessels encountered in burials
patterns of living that can be made from and caches in the chiapas highlands were of
these data the ne section following is basic any
basically
aUy
technological and descriptive and will not dot try TABLE 3 functional CLASSES AND
to infer anything about the rote role of ceramics
roie VESSEL FORMS
in the life of the prehistoric inhabitants of
dle chiapas highlands the present section fornis
die
the forms phases
although ad m 1itte dl conjectural offers so
admittedly ye m e I1 fine quality vessels
some vesseis
hypotheses ab ou t the function of vessels a nid
bout nd
rid round side bowl ol
bound 01 dish all phases
about the manufacture and distribution of the outflanng side dish
polychrome outflaring kan
ceramics described in the fol lowing section
iol
foi
following lateral ridge bowl kan
tethe first cultural problem deals with the
function of the potteryI in the lives of the
1
deep outcurvmg
outcurving side bowl
smail composite silhouette bowl
small
kan
tsah
asah
prehistoric inhabitants of the area ibe tle great cylinder
ile
the yash
majority
majot
major ity of the pottery encountered fits into vertical neck jar yash
a number of broad classes to some sorne of which small outcurving side dish lum
lurn
quite specific functions can be attributed on small straight side dish lum
the basis of shape limitations and compar-
ative ethnographic data while for others only 221 large diameter storage bowls bowk
bowis
tentative functions can be sue sua rested me
gested
suagested
suggested the ma- deep outflanng side bowl kan
jor vessel classes are the following 1 fine bovi
restricted orifice fillet bowl tsah
asah
quality vessels 2 large diameter storage open mouth fillet bowl tsah
asah
bowls 3 broadmouth
broad mouth jars for water storage large diameter restricted orifice bowltsa
4 narrow mouth jars for the transportation large diameter flatlip
flat lip bowl tsah
asah
of water 5 Co cocales
males 6 colanders 7 ancen
comales incen round side bowl
bow large diameter
sarlos A list of the specific vessel forms as- variant lum
signed to each of these functional classes is neckless jar lum
presented in table 3 broad mouth jars for water storage
broadmouth
3abroad
3broad
for the first and largest class of pottery wide mouth jar ar
lar kan
the general term fine quality vessels has flatlip
flat lip jar tsah
asah
been adopted this class includes mcludes the better
mclaud wide mouth coarse jar yash
made and better finished pottery which us- outcurvmg
outcurving neck coarse jar lum
lurn
ually occurs in small bo bowl bonns twe
w1I1 fonns
wa forms tle
ile
the assign-
ment of a specific function to the class is dif- 4 smallmouth small mouth jars for water transportation
ficult and in fact the class may have had bad tall outcurving neck jar kan
more than a single function vaillant 1931 everted lip
averted hp jar tsah
asah
269 recognized the me same general class of or ves- vague neck jar lum
sels in the preclassic periods of the valley of 5
mexico and suggested that they thew may
mav have camai
camal
comai
5comal
been used in serving food although the
1I comal tseh
ane
tne pos-
sibility of this use exists and a comparable 6 Cola
sibility colander
coim
colm rider
usage is reported in modem modern yucatan R perforated jar
ar lum
195810566 the number of ve-
thompson 1958105 ves- 7
sels used in serving food in modem
eis modern indian inmnsarios
inoensarios
villages of Meso mesoamerica frying pan orpe
type yash
meleo
Messo america is limited and
messoamerica
melco I
1

would not seem to account for all of the round side bowl type lum
43
14 NWAF PAPER no it1 CULBEST
Cl LBERT chiapas cemeal
CJWWAS CENMAJ lilchjands CJ
cemmal 111giblands HAMICS
CJHAMICS
CEMMOICS

eias there
this elass
elas
clas
class niere are also representations of use of which persists iists until the present rhe
per fists the

mujais
smail bowls
small bowis being used in offerings on a
howls function of these utensils among mo deril na-
derri
modern

murais
uaact un smith
unact
pain teu vessel from uaxactin
figure painted tives varies considerably among the inhab-
19s5fig
1955 fig 72b72
72 and in the Bonam
bonampakpak mur-
fionarnpak itants of AraR arartc
aina tC r1dt1go in tiye
alna
ainatenango tile chiakas high-
the chiapas
tlle chianas
als Rt
ais ruppmt Mt thoe
rtippert
stippert
Rupp
ippert ripson aud
thompson
thorripson
Thor and
and
bud proskouriakolf
proskouriakoff
Proskouriakofflf lands the mesel vesells are used to sift tcmpei
vessels
vesseis ternier as
ternper aaii
1955 the abundance 01 ot
ol fine vessels in ref- it inis being added to the clav in the produc-
use from house mounds in Hig liland chiapas
highland tion of the paste for pottery inakino
tuon akino
making 111
in in high-
lii
lil
III
seems to indicate that the vessels had both land guatemala sash hurh ve
hufh
such
huch vesseis
vessels
asels arc
ssels are used sed to
ritual and doi dol nostic functions
domestic
nestic rinse corn pfter after it liashas been soaked in lime to
ihas
the second class elass of vessels large storage soften it for the ibe preparation of hortillas tortillas
tor tillas arid
and
arld
bowls mts mis an important element in the cer-
was
wis are sometimes used in connection with ritual 1

tradition of the central highlands par-


amic traditions offerings plicketson
piicketson
Plick etson and ricketson 1937
doring the asah
arly during
ticularly
ticul tsah phase ille the
ilie large
itie 253 prrior&ted
2531 pcrhrr&ied xesm matds
maids
desm As 01 inlander
cl Lolan
ol def type
der lype oc oc-
size of the body and large iare
larc
lare
alarc diameter of the curred in the chiapas highlands highlirds
nigblands only
higblands
Hig juring
onh during
duning
ox if ice indicate that these vessels would
orifice
oxifice v ould
ouid be the yash and lum lurn phases hut but tiiethe spen
specific
SPIN AttiC
well adapted to use for storage bowl bcwl of the
bowis
bowls use to which they were put cannot be stated
same general size md and shape arearc still used by Ince marios
marlos are the only
incemarios
incensarios ese vlass
mily vessel
wily elass tot
class toi
foi
fot
the tzeltal antl and tzotzil inhabitants of the reg-
anti which a solely cerer cremnnip1
rionial function can
lionial cori be
con
cart
cari h
ion Sunisimilaiki ornis in yucatan are used as
lii bornis
tornis indicated the use of incensarios incsnsarios of both
cooking pots ancl and water basins R thomp-
antl
anti simple andhig4v
and highly ornamented types was very
son 1958113 117 11788 figs 34 36 conanon
common
con
eon anon in uyeuie historic meno
diehistoric
vrebistorie
Die mesoamenca
america and con-
mesoamerica
Meso
the separation of vater
ille vaten carrying jars
water tinues to b e a part oi indian exl cli stova at the
custom
exi
rroin water storage jars is based upon mod-
froin
broin re sent although only
pPresent 1I
two incensnru
inceniariv tYypes pes
ern ethnographic data observation of jar ould be ii1
ouid
could
C titified in thle
dentified
citified the cceramic remains
thae
forms and their use in highland chiapas and from highland chiapas there is a possibil-
highland guatemala indicates such a separ- ity that some of the simple simpie bowl forms might
aiso have been put Itsuffle
ation and edwin shook personal communi- also
sunfle
1o this As use
cation and raymond Thomp thompson sun 1958
son 1958130
19581301
19581201120 1 the
ahe failure to include looking conking0 pohs
cooking pots mozg
pats morg
among
1123344 figs
1234 fleg 37
fieg 3741
3041 41 report that it holds nhue true
hueue the functional classes class t of vessels veselts does dom not in-
for yucatan as a well weli cany
veu
weil carrying jars have a
ing pars
lars
fars adv doubt that such vesseis
dicate any
anv vessels eX iStel lia
existed in
lii
small diameter neck which is tali taii or of med-
tall prchiswri highlands the ornIs
the prehistorir
prehistoric omissionslon is due
sion
ium height to prevent spilling and a small smail to the fact that it was impossible to determine
enough capacity so that they can be bc carried which speispel ific vessel forms might have be-
specific
idic
when full water wafer storage vessels are of a longed to this class from a consideration of
much greater capacity and havea have a broader ori-
hakea modern ethnographic data it seems deems likely
fice to permit dipping the water from the that smalley
smalle examples of ot either large ial gc diameter
lal
lai
vessel b y ineans of some sma
Y indans
infrtns small11 container the bowls or wide mouth nn oa larh jars
lars
IT might hhsive ve served
aive
arche ological data suggest that stuen
archealogiual
archeological
archaeological stien a dis-
such tius function
tins
this
between
tinction betm ecn jar forms
ean
een olins held trite for all ail
ali an al
ttennpt
altecnpt was wai made using rhe the functional
phases of the centia highlands sequence assignments rierarierv
domed ed for bessi classe to de-
vesselI classes
vessi
with the possible exception of or the sak phase termine whether the ibe arche ological data
archeological
archaeological da la ED in-
for which thu the sample
sampie was too small smail to be dicated anyanv oiffe
differentiation
adv coiffe rentintion of 0 ceramic inven-
indicative tory between cereinordal
ceremonial and domestic con-
conl ales
coniales
comales
consales
Coni aies briddgridd les are still the standard
iddles
ggfriddles
gr riddles
zes texts in the chiapis
chiapas
chiapns
1I I1 highlands lands itL was assum
higginlands
Higgin ass nn-
utens
utensusus used in
utensils m cooking tor tillas in me meio io ed in teis
this comparison that vesg vessel ira fra
fragments
ments
anierica
anxerila
erica
ani ehica add although pottery coyn
and
enica lind
lidd cocales
comales
curn
corn aies have
ales found onor house
hou se terraces wid wd remo remord rd frorn
frori
brorn
been largely replaced by metal ones at pres- w architectural evidence of corernullial
ant coremoitia ac-
ent the falmfaim remains dhe the same and is quite
fhe tivity conid be le assigned a do metic origin
domestic
unmistakable Coi cocales
col nales were laic
comales
coinales rale in prehis-
raie
zaic refuse from
froin within the ceremonial precincts
toric highland chiapas and it sceins or from the terraces immediatelyimmediateiv belo 1
sceini likely
scfins below them
beio
that sorne
mome other object perhaps a large stone
some was presumed to have had bad AH an origin con-
was used for this dils purpose nected withvith activity in the ceremonial cen-
colanders
Co anders are art another type ot of eselesiel
es
escel lei fre-
lel
iel ters fill sary
samplespies and samples
sani ples
sari sm pl from deposits
quently found in archaeological dt posits the
arche ological deposits
archeological whose location left doubt as to their origin
MODERN natee
natie
nativ
nat1eF
NATIN POTTERY 45

were not considered in spite of the fact that pattern of manufacture and distribution of
pottery from ceremonial contexts was com- prehistoric ceramics in the chiapas high-
pared with pottery from domestic contexts for lands before describing the archeological
archaeological
phase of the sequence there are no clear
all phases ceramics it might be well to review com
indications of any difference in either the parable data for the modern modem indian popu-
kind or frequency of vessels represented in lation for there is still a flourishing ceramic
the two contexts perhaps these results should industry based upon native Meso mesoamerican
american
techniques of manufacture there are only
sur 1 sing for an area in
not be considered surprising
which there was so tr tittie
little
tittle two major centers of pottery production in
t t le evidence for an
elaborate ceremonial organization for even the highlands at the present time agaten amaten
ainaten
fr
in the far more complex society of the erly ango and chamula the potters of amate
early
karly
rowlands gifford
classic maya Iowlands
lowlands
ikwlands nango specialize in the production of three
cifford and smith
clfford
nd feel that there is little difference be- handle ca can taros used for carrying water on
cantaros
cantarow
tween the ceramic inventory found in cere- several occasions when I1 counted vessels
monial centers and that round hind in house
bouse hared in the streets of the village more
fixed
fared
being mated
mounds than 80 percent of the vessels were cantarowcan
cantaros
cintaros
cintaros
A single instance of a specialized ceramicadmittedly an inadequate sampling of pro-
inventory
invent orv from a ceremonial location occur- duction this estimate is still probably rep-
red at the late lum phase site of la hermita resentative in addition to cin taros tinajas for
cantaros
cintaros
can
cantarow
here a very abundant deposit of sherds water storage various large and small bowls
shards at
the base of the single small pyramid of the with restricted orifice colanders cooking
site produced an extremely high concentra- pots incensarios and cocalescomales are produced
for sale to indians of the region and a num-
incensarim blackened by the
tion of simple incensarios
soot of offering fires this case does not shedber of specialty items are turned out for sale
much new light U to tourists amatenango
an the ceremonial use of
upon arnateriango
Amatenango vessels especially
pottery for the offering cajtaros
cin
caj
car taros are in great demand and can be
cintaros
offering of incense upon the
steps of churches and in other places of cer- found in almost any part of the highlands
emonial importance is still a common prac- although the distribution is centered in the
indi genes of guatemala
tice among the indigenes southern section along the pan american
sunman
sunmat
in sun highway
arche ological data of-
archeological
maT the archaeological
summary
maw
ittle confirmation of the functions sug-
fered ittie
fttie the majority of the vessels from amate
gested for major vessel classes on the basis nango are sold wholesale to ladino merchants
soldvholesale
of shape limitations and ethnographic data teopisca
Teo costobal las casas and
pisca san cnstobal
in teopista cnst6bal
nevertheless the form classes in the archeo comitia
comital
comitin
mitin they are then retailed to indians
comitan
Co mitan
logical ceramics from the chiapas highlands who visit these towns for the market and to
compared well with form make purchases when the pottery is to be
forin classes still being
compared
comtared oid in one of the aforementioned towns it
old
sold
produced
pro
pyo tuced by native potters and it seems not
unlikely that there may have been a contin- is transported to the to tonn by amatenan
town arnatenan
uity in function as eeli the most common
vell
ds well
weli
weil geros either by bus or truck another mech-
form classes showed great stability in the anism
anis m of distribution is by indians of
chamula
Char zinacantin
nula and Zina
zinacantan
cantan who buy large sil
cantin
cer antic history of the region all classes being
ceramic
represented in each period for which the
ceramic inventory can be considered to be
plies of the vessels to be distributed on trad-
ing trips through the more remote parts of
1
sup-
sit
sul

completely known in spite of the fact that the highlands amatenangeros do not seem
the specific forms within a single class variedto engage in trips to sell their pottery retail
through time certain rules of basic shape and although they will sometimes take a load of
tter for
pottery
P ater or retail sale at fiesta markets in
dimensions were adhered to with a regular-
ity that suggests
0
ne
that they had a basis in ves lrf
igbb ing towns
neighboring
sel function
1
much less is known about the pottery
industry of Char
chamula
nula both the cera inie type
inic
rnic
ceramic
and
modern native pottery production thosetheof vessel forms of chamula differ from
amatenango
Amate nango and on the whole the
the research reported here also made chamula pottery appears to be considerably
possible some tentative conclusions about the more crude chamula cfiamula pottery is never en
ag
4g
C NWAF PVPEH nn
ni 9
19 CULHKRT hign ANDS
dign
CHLJPS CEIVIRAI 111giii anos
AMS CERAMICS
CKRAMCS

countered in the southern part of the high- conclusion can be diaun froin the similarities
diama from
diamn
lands where there is easy access to the towns because of the jack lack of information concern-
Amate nango pottery is sold it in-
where amatenango ing the immediately preconquest peccon quest history of
prccon
creases in frequency with remoteness from haistan
liuis
fluis tin hard and
fluistin
huistan nd the failure to determine
the panamerican
Pan american highway although too little the colonial ceramic complex of the high-
is known about hele fhe outlying sections of the
ehle lands
highlands to make it possible to be specific on the basis of the cera inic analysis it
ceramic
about distribution chamula hila pottery is not
Channila has been tentatively concluded that there
sold by any of the stores in the towns where here were villages specia lising in the production of
village speciahziug
specializing
specialising
Amatenango pottery is handled and it seems
amatenango
arnatenanjo pottery in the chiapas highlands from tile the
tiie
tlle
likely that most of the distribution is handled beginning of the classic period until the
by the indians themselves present no concrete data to support this
venango is a third pottery making center
tenango vonc lusion could be prodicid
conclusion
conc prodict
brodict
prod icidd without un an
of the chiapas highlands which must be impossible costly and tume
impossibly time consuming tech-
mentioned but about which almost no in- nological study of large quantities of ceram-
formation can be given this village located ics but the beef feef
fe
feer for the pottery established
el fot
in the northern part of the highlands had a by working with laige numbers of or sherds
shards
large pottery indus tn at the timp
industry limp
time of the visit dom
from several sites gave a distinct imp impression
ression
of blom aid and lafarge 1926 in a vear year of that all of the examples pertain inor to each
pertaining
iner
lnor
0
oa thein half of the
oathein
field work in the mathein
soathein
soa th high- of a number of varieties w ere so nearly nearlv iden-
lands 1I saw no example torango
examplesvs of venango
tonango pottery
tenango tical that the fhe best assumption is that thit they
thab
being used by the indian population but tlle the
tho
tile were produced at a single location
pottery is still being produced and may well the type yerba buena fine might be dis-
be of impoT tance in the far northern and
importance cussed as an example three vane ties of the
varieties
northeastern fr ingles of the area however al-
fringes type are distinguished the yerba buena san
most no ethnographic information oil this
on tilis nicola and san cristobal1 vanne tun the
varieties
vaiieties
varie
varietum
vahie tuM
region is available yerba
yorba buena and san nicolas varieties have luave
ludve
aside from the specialized centers of pot- the same paste and temper and an equivalent
regional
regl
regi FJ jistribution
distribution and were probably pro-
tey manufacture there aie frequently one 01 ui
duced at a single location while the san
dur
duc sail
salk
saik
more women in tho the lar er indian or indian
larger
ladino towns who maie
makil
makee a few items es- cristobal variety with different paste aud and
pecially nalos and cooking pots for local
comatos
cornalos
comalos
peci ally cor nales temper had a different area of highest fre-
sale the volume of this production is small smail quency and probably had a separate source
and the producers make no effort to enter the the yerba buena variety occurred in medium
decoiated and better firn
field of decorated
deooxated finished
flin shed items to large quantities in the three excavated sites
amatenango
such as amatefiango cin
cantaros
Amate nango cantarow of classic or early1I Poste postclassic
lassic late in the
lato
iassic date
daie
dato
cintaros
eastern sector of the highlands and as a
millor sarieh
minor variety at the two sites of this date in
antiquity of village
vinage specialization the san crisi6bal
cristabal valley in addition samples
crist6bal
although the pattern of indian pottery of the kairl ety were noted in surface collec-
variety
valri
production has undoubtedly been influenced tions from more than twenty sites in the cen-
latinization at
ladiniation
by the increasing ladinization ana
ot the amma
arma and
area
ama tral highlands and about half a dozen sites
by the competition of low priced glazed pot- tiie grijalva vauey
in the
tlle
tile hauey NWAF collections
badey
vadey
tery and metal bowls and dishes there seems samples from the different sites are sso simi-
to be a good possibility that the specialized lar in paste temper and color of slip the
centers of production are survivals from pre features that would be roost likely to differ in
hispanic times red on buff pottery
potters nade
nude in
potter wude 1 pottery produced in sevelan sevelal different plac
seveial places
nango today resembles the late post-
amatenango
Amate bat
hat ii is difficult to imagine that therecould
that it there could
huistan hard in use of matte
huistin
classic type heistan iave been more than a single center of pro-
have
lave
bave

red on buff decoration general appearance of duction Sam samplesplei of the yerba buena variety
paste and temper and the fact that the dom- that occurred in the collections from canco cerro
ccnco
inant vessel form in both types iss ai water Ecate pec rould be distinguished
ecatepec
ecitepec distinguishi 4 without
carrying ar with handles specific design great diffy
yeat diffh
peat nidy from those of the san
difficulty crista
sall crist6
sali
sail
motifs and vessel forms differ however no &
bal variety the dominant variety at the syte site
situ
VILLAGE specialization 47

similarly the san crist6bal


cristibal variety was rec-
cnstobal manufacture of san Gregregono
gorto coarse perhaps
ognized in preliminary sorting of the collea collec-
colle4 paralleled the modem situation in which a
tions from yerba buena biena and ranchobancho san number of villages have potters who make a
nicolas where it occurred in smau
nicolis small amounts
smail few of the coarser vessels for local use while
with the other two varieties it was not tab- the finer vessels are brought in from special-
ulated as a separate variety for these sites ized cent
centerss
because until its western center of distribu- the division of the central highlands be-
tion was revealed bv by excavations at cerro tween the two diverging ceramic traditions of
ecatepec
Ecate
ecaftepeepec in the following year no meaning the lum phase is roughly similar to the di-
could be attached to the ceramic differences vision between the areas of maximum distri-
from the yerba buena variety bution of ceramics from amatenango
Amatenango and
it seems likely that the following types ne
chamula at present the pana Pan
panamerican
pandmerican
merican high-
Pand american
and ane ties were produced in villages spe-
aetles
antles
aneties
thes way and the function of san cnstobal
cristibal
crist6bal as a
izing in pottery manufacture campana
cializing
cial trading center have resulted in a greater
red las rosas white soyat itin Polye
soyatitan
Soya titan
sovatitin
Sovat brome
polychrome spread of Amateamatenango
nango ceramics than was
yerba buena fine all three varieties iv 1I enjoyed by ceramics from the eastern sector
heistan hard la
tapa fine ixtapa variety huistan
huistin during the late Poste
postclassic
iassic period but when
lassic
hermita coarse it is not necessarily true that allowance is made for the results of modern
modem
each of these types and varieties vas was made at
was communications systems the parallel between
a different village for it is possible that a the lum
lurn phase and modem distributions be-
single center may have produced more than comes closer
tt ry in modern amatenango
one type of pottery Amatenango the suggestion that village specialization
two kinds 0or pottery are produced that in in cer arnic manufacture may have an an-
ceramic
arche ological sample would be classified
archeological
an archaeological tiquity of more than one thousand years in
as separate types one is a harder barder slipped the chiapas Highighlands
Wands merits further study
mands
pottery with medium tempering while the navarrete personal communication has ar-
oped pottery with heavy
unsli aped
undipped
other is a softer unali rived at the hypothesis that most of the post
re
calcite tempering the reason given by in- dassic ceramics of the guatemala highlands
ejassic
cassic
formants for the different classes of potter pother
pottery were also the result of specialized production
is that the heavier tempering must be added and has managed to trace the sources of some
to all vessels intended for use m in the fire pre histone types to pottery centers which
prehistoric
while vessels for other uses are made of the
ahlie still exist today or are known to have existed
more attractive slipped pottery in the colonial period in the classic period
for most of the highland chiapas types of the peten the situation for domestic pot-
and varieties not listed as products of a spe- tery of monochrome red varietiesarleties seems to
arie
zed industry the lack of inclusion is due
cialized
ciali have been different for the domestic pottery
to too limited a sample to give assurance from tikal differs considerably in paste and
of the pattern of manufacture santa elena firing characteristics from that of uaxactun
uaxact6n
red is not included because it is too undis- although there is an identity of vessel forms
tive and too widely variant to make a
tinctive
tinc tle
ile
the more highly decorated types of the pe-
tae
definite conclusion possible san gregono gregorio ten oron the other hand were probably made
coarse on the 0otheruher
ther hand is a type that in specialized centers although the preserva-
was probably made in a number of locations
perhaps even locally in each village although
lai
lal
mal has been too
tion of decorated types at tikal
poor to allow a careful comparison with uax bax
paste temper and color wior are too crude and
mior acton ceramics A pull
actun
actin
actdn puli
fuu
full scale technological an-
variable to permit the separation of varieties days from
alysis of both ceramics and native clays
the vessel forms in which the pottery occurs some of the better known regions of meso
differ at each site a pattern that does not america seems likely to be a source of im-
occur for any of the types considered to be portant data about prehistoric economic pat-
the products of a specialized industry tae ile
tac
the terns
CERAMIC description
the
rhe
rne
nne goal of ceramic classification in this ferent enough so that the sherds shards could be
research was to separate recurring combina- separated by inspection and the use of these
tions of modes each of which differs enough characteristics permitted the inclusion of both
from other combinations so that there is little rim and body sheedssberds even when they were
sherds
doubt that they represent distinct typological small or badly weathered by the time the
units before presenting the description of the analysis of samples gathered during the sec-
type and forms defined by the analysis a
types ond field season was undertaken all of the
few comments must be made about sorting sorting was being done first on the basis of
and classification procedures since an ef- paste and tern temper
per and subdivisions were
ternper
ternier
fort was made to consider correlations be- made using other attributes the use of paste
tween all obsen abie modes the order of
observable
able and temper as primary sorting characteristics
sorting by different modes would not have has ssome
home precedents in Meso
bome mesoamerican
american cer-
affected the final results for the final correla- amic classification drucker 1943
19143 used
tion ot all modes would have indicated the these features as primary type diagnostics
most frequently recurring combinations in for the ceramics from tres Za zapotes
potes and
zapotek
practice however it was much easier to sort brainerd 1958 used them in the separation
first on the basis of the attribute which most of yucatecan slate wares shepard s techno-
clearly and consistentlyd differs among the logical study of ceramics from san josg josi
jose
various types the use of such an attribute thompson 1939 and benque
banque viejo
means that most types were sorted out at thompson 1940 showed variations in tem-
once thus minimizing the number of resort per through time as did rands analysis of
ings the palenque collections rands personal
communication in these last three instances
criteria for ceramic types paste and temper were used as secondary cri-
since the earlv teria in sequences based largely upon vessel
earla work of vaillant in the forms
valley of mexico 1930 1931 surface color since paste and temper were the dom-
and decoration have traditionally been the
inant variables in the classification of types
intensive studied
attributes most intensively lv and most
for highland chiapas pottery the subdivi-
frequently used to differentiate types in cer- and naming of the types does not always
sion
anaivsis when these
amic analysis features show follow
the common practice which makes
considerable variety they are ideal as ds a basis
surface treatment an invariable feature of
classitication the first attempt tvpe names phillips and gifford
for primary classification
to sepaiate
separate provisional varieties of tape nani
central willey and gifford 1960 nd smith
hig
highlands it is
hin mands ceramics was based upon surface ever that the basic principle that types should
hoped how-
treatment it soon
soor became evident that sur- represent
face treatment did not varv rep
ree resent attribute clusters has been main-
van enough in the tained throughout the classification
ceramics of that area to behe of much use in the
separation of varieties almost all of the cei eel
cel
amias were either plain or red slipped A
amics form classification
few highly distinctive types were exceptions the classification of vessel form was done
ruie but the separation of these rare as a separate procedure from type classifica-
to this rule
buk
buik of the collections unsorted tion and is presented separately in this re-
types left the bulk
with onn
onk subtle variations of color to serve port the reason for the separation was two-
onh
a s an alj
as
alg
als ald in further subdivision
aia
aid fold first forms tended to crosscut types
eventaalhl after an intensive study air
eventually or a ind even some of
oir ot the more characteristic
few key lots which indicated temporal dif- forms were produced in more than a single
ferences
feren ces paste and temper proved to be the ceramic type second even forms that were
best basis for separating the types pastes restricted to a single ceramic type frequently
and tempers from the vanous
various types were dif showed a more restricted temporal distribu

49
50 NW A F PAPER no
NVVAF 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS central
centrkl
CHLAPAS CENTBAL hl HLAKDS CERAMICS
HIGHLANDS

tion than did the cyptyp if the forms had been


type proportion in the present classification this
considered merely modes of the ceramic types ideal wasw
wah& not completely achi
achl eed because
achieved
the unity of multiple type forms would not the lack of large sherd sections made measure-
have been apparent and the temporal signifi- ments difficult for a number of the vessel
cance of the forms would have been more dif- classes
ficult to comprehend or with lack of care in describing the various forms the term-
might have been lost altogether it must be inoltlog
og used by smith in the uaxactn
tow
inology
anol uaxdctun report
remembered that whole vessels were the ob- 19554 has been followed A brief sum-
mary of the major form classes used by smith
potteyecmaking for highly
ject of prehistoric pottery
decorated types the decoration oration my may have will be presented here for reference
been of equal or even of more importance to essel with unrestricted or
bowl a vessel ot little
the user than the forms of the vessels but in restricted orifice whose height mey may be le
pottery intended for domestic purpose vessel equal to 0o dot less tun
pot
but not thion one third it
forms and dimensions must have been the venel ath
duh a vewel
diameter dish mth
tth unrestricted
primary consideration for utility any system
orifice W we
whosee hel&ht
heieht
heidht is
and one fifth its diameter plate a ve
onethird
ane
ii between one third
veel el
vessel
of classification that relegates form to a status ith unrestricted orifice whose height is
moth
of dependence upon decorative considerations less than one fifth shts dim neter
diameter
can easily ignore much information of cul-
tural importance for some vessel classes that did not have
bave any
mobable height
complete sections the most Pprobable
robable
like the ceramic type the vessel fonn form is
had to be estimated from base frap nents
fragments
bents
based upon a cluster of modes that con- and wall curvature
sistently occurred together unfortunate
unfortunately
ly
due to nherhe fragmentary condition of the pot-
the
all measurements fo for vessel forms are
tery vessel size and proportions could not be given in centimeters for each dimension for
which a series
serles of vessels could be measured
taken into account in the form classification to
talken
both the range and median are arc
aro given except
the degree that would have been desirable for a few cases in which the sample size was
the probable importance of ruze rize and propor-
size
wize
too small and the measurements too erratic
tion in the categorization of vessels was sug-
to provide a median that could be accepted
gested by brief eth nogra we work that 1I did
ethnographic
balog
malog forin class the med-
as representative of the forim
form
maxing village of ama
in the tzeltal pottery macing
making
ian rather than the average of measure-
te nango in an attempt to elicit the classifi-
venango
tenango ments has been used to avoid distortion by
catory system by which the potters of ama the inclusion of a few exceptionally large orr
tenango separated vessels oi
venango ot different forms
exceptional
exceptionally
lv small examples
pottery inventories were taken in several
potte
households
house7olds
households asking the dle name given to each
die
vessel when two vessels of somewhat simi- the types and forms
lar shapes were given different names the the types and forms are presented accord-
difference between the vesselvesseiss was asked
vessels ing to phase with each type ete or form describ-
the initial reply was usually phrased in terms ed under the phase dun duringn g which it reached
of the ideal use for which the vessels were peak frequencies in the central highlands
intended and the explanation was enlarged where there avas
was significant comparative ma-
abas
either voluntarily or upon further question- terial either from the archaeological
arche ological literature
archeological
ing to stress some difference of size or pro- or from collections inspected in museums
portion As an example a cantaro tzeltal such comparisons aye arc discussed and refer-
are
kip was said to differ from a kinaia tinaia tzeltal
tinaja ences given ceramic types of the central
ti siw because the cantaro was used for
nasha
tina
fina sim highlands however frequently proved of
carrying water while the dnaja
tinaja was used for
atinaja little value for comparative purposes plain
storing water the visible difference indi- and red slipped types accounted for the ma-
cated between the two vessels was that the jority of sherds
shards in collections for all phases
tinaja had a wider orifice than did the cane
atinaja can- and these two classes of surface treatment
taro this evidence suggests that a classifica- were so common in prehistoric mesoamencan
mesoamerican
Mesoamerican
tion of vessel form aimed at recreating the ceramics that they cannot be considered
significance of the vessels to their prehistoric themsekes the same thing
meaningful in thernsekes
users should stress characteristics of size and is true of the simpler vessel forms for such
CERAMIC classification 51

forms as round side bowls were also so widely surface treatment fairly thick polished
distributed that they are re without chronolog
chyonolog
chronology red slip somewhat waxy to the touch groov- grow-
ica or are0area I1 significance on the whole how- ing and inci
arpa sing occur but are very rare
incising
sang
ever vessel lorms om s provided much more com-
forms firing pottery is fairly soft with 20 per
para tive data than did the ceramic types
parative cent of the sheris showing dark cores
the great extent to which the comparative forms 1 widely everted averted rim bowls 2
data draw upon examples from the maya round side bowls 3 large straight side
area reflects cr true condition not a lack of bowls 4 medium neck jars 5 shortneck short neck
research nor any1I presupposition that the cer- jars
amics of the Cli cit lapas highlands should be
chiapas chronological posi tion occurs only in the
position
fosition
Fosi
h
related to those of the maya mava region the sa sakk phase samples
literature on ceramics from froin mexican sites
with the exception of sites in northern mex- teopisca teopista
Teopisca white Teo teopista
teopisca
pisca variety
ico which lie outside of the boundaries of paste texture medium to fine inclusions
Mesaamerica vas
mesoamerica
mesaamerica
Meso vs as carefully
careful lv checked as large amounts of medium size particles of a
was the literature on sites from fr rn the maya white crystalline material1 sample too small
drex and 1I had the opportunity to review to comment upon color range
area
drei
general collections in the museo nacional of surface finish white slip comparable in
mexico in search of similarities to the cer- thickness and polish to the red slip of mer-
amics of the chiapas highlands examples of cedes red
comparative interest that were seen by me in
museums but which have no literature refer- fhing
ahing 6 sample too ment
comment
small for corn
ence are referred to the appropriate museums forms the only rim sherd encountered in
abbreviations for these collections are ex the excavations was from a widely averted everted
plaided in the first instance in which they rim
plained rim bowl
nim
him
VIM

appear in the descriptive section forms are chronological position occurs only in the
listed in order of frequency sak phase samples
adia cent key
see adjacent
J
key
kevI1 to vessel colors for with a larger sample it seems likely that
colors of vessels depicted in the figures un- mercedes mercedea red and teopisca Teo pisca white would
teopista
less noted otherwise all illustrations are at prove to belong to a single ware the two
one to four scale types are directly related in slip character-
istics and vessel
vessef
vessel forms to 1late ate preclassic
Prec lusic
SAK PHASE
types from the depression of the grijalva
CERAMIC rms tyres
fesPES
TYPES alver navarrete 1959 low
river
biver lowe 1959 authors
mercedes red mercedes variety inspection of chiapa de corzo collections
paste tenture n
paiste texture edlum
m edium to fine color these same features are also found in types
commonly trn tin with orange cast but fre- belonging to paso caballo waxy ware smith
tan
quently bron to reddish InOus ions small and G
inclusions gifford
rord nd
ifford
clfford
cifford
Gif lord which includes chicanel
chicaner
Chicanel
to medium amount ani ounts of finely ground non- waxy ware from uaxactiin
ant uixactun smith sinith 19551
1955 1
calcareous rock perhaps quartz quantz sand notice- and nui numerous
nul nerous a yet unn unnumed
unnamed
arned ceramic units
able numbers of hurly huriy large heini
fairly herni tiie particles from the late PreAL
hematite
tite prealsac
freal SAC of the peten their
preckissic
Prec kissic
which were probably an accidental inclusion tendency to waxiness and the chicanel chicaner like
in the clay vessel forms in which they were produced

red omnp
onxngw
omna unslipped white block
KEY TO VESSEL COLORS
52 NWAF PAPKH noi 19 CULMET gen
CHIAMS CENMIAL
CEN nul
HIGHLANDS
1i1c cl
HLAL S CERAMICS

rel and
rei
cave littie doubt that mercedes red
leave nd sherds from the late prec
shards lassic sites of paso
preclassic
iassic
feo pisca white participated in the wide-
teopista
feopisca
teopisca
Teo
Ch cane influence of late preclassic
spread chicane
do laa vega fai
de
mg W
fig 5 3b
fig
fii 43a and imgana lg
igina ina dolores
lna

date
san
SAKprase
fraase
frase
PHASE
SAKPHASE VESSEL
PHAJSE VKSSEL forms
vrkshpcd xautik
xakiltik unsfipjwd xakiltik variety
paste generally similar to the paste of averted rini
widekv everted
widely rim bowl fig 16 r
howl kafig
hig
kig
kfig
mercedes red color varies more widely and form base unknown side straight
strug ht or out
tends more to darker shades of brown and curving orientation of side ovitflaring
ovit flaring rim
outfiaring
gruy temper more abundant ancl
gray and less fine
anci finelyIi idely everted
widely averted often with a slight shelf at
ground than in mercede red
1
uncturp
unc turp
the junctitre and side
riilii an
ture of rim sidt lip rounded nr or
hinted
ointed
pointed
P
surface treatment unslippedd one groov-

r
ed sherd is tho anly example of decoration
the only
firing soft with 30 percent dark cores
foiw 11 shortneck
fornvp
fomw 1
short neck rusisu s 2 large re
jus
ils
jsu
itus
itu
stricter orifice bowls 3 shallow round side
stricted ride soa
moo
edo b
d

1 shal low straight side boyds


shai
shallow
bowls 4 1 Sbal boy as
boals
bovis
bovls
bov 4s
chronological FoOpod tion occurs only in the
position
fod
fortion
footion figure 16 sae PH VIE
SAKPHVIE
lat SAK
163 SAX lse veshel rohm
kie VESSEL
SA pha
sak phase samples
phage bou I b c nr
ai round side bow
hou 1 C dely
widely
deiv cveited
delv evel
evet
eval bowl
ted run bowls
bowis
meduin high
meddin
d avledwiri iick
hio ulce
bick ar
ikicl par
ilce far
fam
san Sebast bed sau sebastian variety
lin fine red
sebastian
ihn
paste texture medium fine to ffine
lne
ine color dtmc5iony tlle
dirnerisiony the
ilie shards
tile sherds inn the sample per
per-
usually buff to tan inclusions small to med- taining to the sak phase were too small to
ium amounts of very finely ground material provide measurements of dimensions either
of undetermined nature lorm
for this form ither sak forms that
01 for the other
orm oi
surface treatment slip of medium thick- frain
follow from
froin the degree of curvature of the
ness rercdd where oxidized but more frequently
red
bcd rim however it was possible to estimate that
smudged to red brown or bro brown
vvn incising and
pvn averted rim bowls were always of
widely everted
grooving are far more frequent than in any large diameter in excess of 25 ern cm
other type found during the investigation all decoration unslipped red or white slip-
four yim shards encountered are either in-
rim sherds ped both interior and exterior
cised or grooved since body sherds shards are very
small it is impossible to estimate the fre
types mercedes
Merced ps red teopista
Teo pisca while
teopisca
xakiltik unslipped
quency with hole
hole vessels ere dec-
ith vwhich vwhoie
w hoie
orated in this manner but it iviust hae been
inust have
inest chanuo
chmnuo
chrwwlogiciit ical po
icat ort this form occurs
position
titiort
Titiori
very high incised deignsdesigns seem to have been only in sarn pies from the suk
samples
sain ples sik phase
sak
simple rectilinwr pat tenis
rectilinear patterns comparative data vessels of this torm
his toem
lorm
form
firing all of the 35 sherds shards of this type some of them identical avith with examples from
show large lark dark cores the pottery is soft tho central highlands were
the werf voyvorninon during
and appears to have llave been fired at dt low tem- the late preclassic period in the grijalva de-
perature
pera vith a limited supply of oxygen
ture with pression lonya lonyf 1959 fig 43 a all ot
ijowp of top
forms all four rim shards sherds aie from
frolli small rov
row fourth sherd from left in third row
bowls with round straight or out outcnrvmg
outcurving
curving
fig 53 a first and second sherds shards from left in
sides top row all of second and third rows fig
53 b diii
thirdd sherd
dibi herd from leftlift in top row all of
chronological position predominantly sak second mv ow navarret 1959 figr
irime fi 5 hk h k rn
phase but one sherd of san sebastian
Sebasti
in fine p similar forms are iialush awd by nowc
llustrated
slush nowe
lowe
red was recovered from an lin parla
ein parlv
ear1v kan phase 1959 fig 59c 59 c first sherd horn left in top
deposit at ceiro campanaton
carnpanat6n
Campa naton ro
0
o first three sheadssheids frorn
broin left ix
brorn
rroin serond
in second
verond
derond
comparative data san sebastian fine row from czapa izapa on the pacific coast boast of chi-
red or a related variety probably occurs in apas bowls of apprwiimmtely
ampro vni ate the sayne
appro ani 1
saine form
sarne
the grijalva valley foyfat similar incised bowl
foi
for howl were a characteristic feature of if late pre-
forms are illustrated by lowe 1959 among ceratnic complexes in the mava
classic ceramic
ceramie maya lawlow
IA w
SAK & KAN PHASES 53

lands they occur canei phase at


in the chicanel
chicaner
cbicanel
Chi canel jais
jars
jays
lars vith short necks occurred in later parts
lais with
uaxact6n smith 1955 figs 16 c 17
uaxactun 1 7 70 of the sequence only during the sak phase ase
75o3
7503a 3
a 33 75 in san josejost 1I thompson short neck jars the dorni
were unslipped shortneck nant
dominant
1939 figs 24 aacc k 0 p r 26 26&c
b 0 in the jar form
copan archaic longyear 1952 fig soa 50oaacc
50
soo
comparative data this is a simple form
and in the formative of yucatan brainerd without highly distinctive features which
1958 fig 5 a there as
19 is little doubt that this could be roughly duplicated by samples from
sak phase form was part of a widespread many ceramic complexes throughout meso
late preclassic tradition america there was bo wever a general pat-
however
tern in the development of jars ats in the maya
ars
round side bowl or dish fig
hound a
16 0 area in which jars with short necks predom-
form base flat some examples were pro- inated in the late preclassic period to be
bably rounded side rounded orientation of followed by jars with much taller necks
side unrestricted to slight restricted orifice during the classic periods this was true at
dir ct lip ro
rim direct
dirt
dire undedor
rounded or pointed uaxactun smith I11955 figs 16
uaxactun 16ffb 70fla
a b 70
dimension generally small diameter
dimensions 3 12 at tikal cui
312 Cul berr nd
culbert at san jose
josa
probably shallow thompson 1939 fig 222 22
272 and at copan
decoration 11 Un lipped red slipped inter Long vear 1952 fig 30 ah m n this was
longyear
lor and exterior examples in san sebastian the earliest of several instances in which gen-
fine red incised or grooved era patterns of development of vessel forms
eral
for the chiapas highlands paralleled those
Sebasti
types mercedes red san sebastian
in fine the maya lowlands
of fine
dine I
red xakiltik unslipped
chronological position simple round side neckless jar
bowls occur in all phases of the chiapas high- form base unknown side rounded ori-
lands sequ
sequence
dequ ence en tation of side restricted orifice rim direct
entation
up
lip rounded
flaring side bowl dimensions probably large diameter
form base unknown side straight ori- decoration un unslipped
slipped red slipped
outflaring rim direct lip
entation of side outflaring
en
rounded types xak
aak itik unslipped mercedes red
xakiltik
iatik
dimensions the tle bowls seem to have been
ile chronological position simple neckless
of large diameter jjars
lars al phases of the highland se-
ars occur in all
ali
ail s-
decoration uni slipped red slipped inter-
url
unslipped
Uri eice
quence
ior and exterior medium high neck jar fig 16 a 1

types xakiltik unslipped


xaldltik Unslip edes red
mercedes
ped Mero
peZ form neck shoulder juncture well de-
chronological position me the outflaring fined neek curving orientation of neck
neck out
outcurvmg
outcurving
bo I1 of the sak phase has the same gen-
side bow outflaring
outflaring rim direct lip rounded
eral shape as the deep outflaring side howl bowl dimensions diameter medium neck
that was common duing during the kan phase it height medium
seams not unlikely that there may
scans
scams
seems mav have been decoration red slipped interior and ex-
a functional continuity between tletwo
the two forms terior of neck
neck jar
shortneck
short types mercedes rpdred
hed
form neckneek body puncture
unc ture well defined
uncture
juncture chronological position comparable to jar
but lound
round
rounded out curving orientation of
eLd neck outcurving
lttcur forms that occur in all later phases this
tins form
neck slightly ontflaring
oiitflanng ri nj
ontflaring rim direct
irect lip round-
direct is rare during the Ssak phase
ed or pointed
dimensions the neck is very short to KAN PHASE
vith
short with rable
varable
zabie diameter
zable
variable
marable
kith va CERAMIC TYPES
decoration unslipped campana red campana variety
types xakiltik unslipped paste texture medium color most fre-
chronological position although a few quently brick red but with some examples
r4
M
ra NAVAF PAPER no
NNVAY nu 11 9 CULBERT cehi
cehn
CHIAPAS CHNI central
rai
bai clra4ks
iiicrhlands CERAMICS
ral 11wb11nds
tan or brown inclusions milek medium
minet
mikek burr
hurr 2inounis or
hurn ainounls of santa cruz sanders 196.1
site of sanra 1
1961 and nyv
finely ground mat arterial
exial including both hard
eitai I1
nspeclion of the santa cruz collections bul
inspection but
hut
hul
and soft white particles fairly large lumps of bhe santa cruz
dic
the
hie
hic hruz
C ruz white slippedflipped type is ver
hematite occasional golden mica
T earmerd me
mra
mka unlike las
imaya Lw
maya
mava
amaya
la
lan rosas
lalands
kosas white in
lands there weye were
neye
IT cneche central
the
dhe
nether mono-
sttrfwe treatment
urfoze
S diunn thick yed
medium red slip
ved nere
olor varying sometimes toward orange
with Cc0011
6011 chrome win winte
whitete nor black on white LVPs types gir
dur-
GIT
polish incising rare
or pink slight pollsht ing the early classic at uaxactnn raxachin smith
uaxach
1955 in general
genera urfac& treatment 1Ilas
surface as
firing pottery is fairly soft with about rosas
2f per cent of theJ sherds
af
2q shards showing0 dark cores bosas white is more lnore si
inore vailar to teopisca
similar
sivailar teopista
Teo pisca
forms 1I round hound side bowls 2 deep
white from the sak plirst
highlands and to late
ps
pliest in the lh chiapas
latil preclassic types fr
io latel
latea fromm
gurflarmg side bowls 3 lateypl
outflaring laterplridge
xidge bowls
bidge
with composite silhouette 4 outvurving
withcomposite sie
outcurving side crl
the crijalva
faiva vail
grijalva
Cri
ir jalva
falva vait
vall
vailey
valleyley nowe
nowc
lowe m59
1 and clduw
bowis 5 smallmouth
lowland maya mava area smith aid and gifford
ald Gi iford
bowls
bmvls small mouth jjays ars
jars
lays
nd than to any known types dating from
1jd
lid
iid
chronological position the 17h highest fre- tle harly1I classic vesspi
tiie early
tlle
tile
tie karly vesh 1 l forms of las rosas
vess kosas
quency of thisthis type about 40 pei cent the
cerit of tile
tlle white
whito however differ froni
winto froni the forms of
froin
total sh erds occurs in the earliest kan phase
herds late preclassic vcci
vc1i
white e tp s
samples ra r& avered thereafter campana red
recovered
alered
overed
comments since sinca las rosa 1a11ite vhilc is rcre

sampie
teadily
tea dlly
dily in frequency it ik
beadily
decreases steadily is presen
present
in about half of the asah tsah phase sam pIrs and
samples striclrd
str
sir ku tirely to the kan
isted entirely
icted 11
lan phase and pre-
perll aps due to mixing in sam-
occurs rarely perhaps
peril sents a characteristic combination of surface siirrace
ple from the
ples tiie yash phase olor and vp
color ssel forms this type is a good
vessex
versel
vessel
isel
asel
chronologic
chronological ed marker for occupation dating
las rosas variety
las rosas white nas th at phase
to that
paste identical to that of campana red aed
bed vere
vare
madronal were iare
ware
surface treatment white slip of medium since campana
Carn pana red and las rosas white
thickness color varies from white inro
inho cream
into obvioush made from the same paste
were obviously
and pink some vessels have decoration in the two types luave
have been grouped as afi single
sinile
sanile
0
black over white slip figfig 171
the black
blaek ware madronal mare mafe it v as possible
jmpowbje
hapossible
ha to
is always in the form of horizontal bands and
lff
iff
bad weathered sherds
attribute badi shards tu to one or
dots near the rim of the vessel slight polish
poh sih another of the tle teu
tie ti u titypes
tiu
tio
teo pes but
bilt such sherds
hilt shards
incising rare could easily be identified as a madronyl
madronal
madeo
Madro
nfadronalnai ware
ngi
nyl
oft the basis of puste
on
ont ane
ade temper character-
paste kald
knld
istics for this neason
rf ason the ware rather that
reason
mnason thar
than
the separate types was used usedd in tab
ust
use tah alation and
tabulation
tabalation
tabalatkm
ab1
7b on the st riation
striation charts
seriation
santa clersa
fc ecna
elersa red santa elena
iena bed
lcna
lena eiena
kiena
klena
klenn variety
C
this type
chis hpe consisted of a heterogeneous col
figure 17 LAS ROSAS WHITI
bosas WKITL n rih
whitl NWITH
rik hiekbick lection of
luction shards that showed greater variety
0 sherds
decoration in almost all chai actpnstu s than did the
characleristis
chal
shards sorted int
sherds I otliel of
any othiel
into ally
ariy
arly othex ciftral
af3f the ccntreil
carnpal
firing comparable to that of campany
carnial highland types it was a residual riisherdy
dual category to
jred
red
ired
ined
farm
form
forms I1 outflaring side bowls
deep outfiaring
the ex
extent
lent fliat
tent flaat undistinct
tliat undistliictive
undistinctive
undistinctinelve
ive sherds tended to
iNe shards
be considered
derea of this type since an unclass-
consi derrA
2 round side bowls 3 small smallmouth
mouth jars ified category was used in sor sar tincy ho
sorting
tinor
sartincy however
wemer
wewer
chronoioqtcal position most frequent in the sherds
chronotogival shards considered to iye lie santa eiena
he
ite elena
ihle earliest part of the kan phase rare in the shared a common if rather
the
tile
ille father broad tradition
nither
later part of that phase and completely ab- of prr djll toil aj
dill
production
arrdall andj fj
tinish
binish
jjs1j 1vt seer
sterns
SeeT lillely that
ukcly
lIS lilleby
its A

sc nt during the tsah


sent asah phase technical
with teAch nical analysis of paste and temper
comparative data white slipped pottery the type upe
U pe could be ived divided
avid sm
ivid xax1 into sevaral
se lit well
vAral
varatcit
several cil
compaidtively rare in the maya
was coinpaiatively neil varieT
nell
defined
defirezi
mava area defi
defl reZi varlet
vari eues
vann
varieties
varieues
vani
varietdes attempts
des but attempts
atten ati to make such
pti
Er
erly
during the erly
eris
eriv daoes oc- a subdivision on the basis of v1suary
lv classic period it doel visuals observ
visualv observe
cur in the trough of the grijalva river at the bieableble attributes gave
abie give nuce
luch
such
buce inconsia
huce inconsiatcnt tent results
KANPHASE
KAN types
PHASE TIPES 55

thit
that it ws drefetable to leave the type ass a
as prefeidhle stofac Treut mem the basc
treat
surface treatinepir
treutmem base color of the
anety tor the purposes of this report
anet
single abety polychrome iis orange althaith ouen a few ex-
ourn
although
amples may hetehsie bur of the base clay
have the buff
paste texture fine to coarse color tan
as a background color designs were added
bedim
inclusion small to medim
brown or brick inclusions meditim
owr the base color in dark red and black
over
OWT
amounts of fine to medium size parti cies
cles
particles
partl
among which a translucent material perhaps
the inside of the vessels is usually eritt
entirely
rely
sand predominates
r orange except for a band of dark red ed at the
lip on the outside both lip and base are en-
surface treatment slip of medium thick- circled by a wide band of dark red the red
ness with
voth lovi
vuth o0
to medium polish the slip ailo used to divide the exterior of the
aho
ako
was aiso
also
color vax ed slightly through time during
vaned vessel into panels upon which designs were
the xan
kan phase dark red sometimes varyin
maryin
varying
1 9 painted in dark red black was used as nar-
to lighter shades of red predominated in row lines to outline the panels and designs
the succeeding tsah
asah phase and thereafter and in a few instances was used for the
red orange was the most common slip color designs themselves the hattei
lattei seem to be
sorne vessels were left unslipped during the
some
sonne seminaturahstic but not enough large fracr
serninaturahstic frag-
frace
kan phase these were usually made of a ments were preserved to determine what was
well smoothed buff paste portrayed
ft ring the hardness of santa elena red
firing firing although the pottery is soft only
varies with vessel form coarse jarsars are soft sberds show dark
sherds
about 10 per cent of the sheeds
while tb inner better finished forms are of
thinner cores
haid ness of the total sample 30 to
medium haidness
hardness forms 1 he
better than 90 per cent of the
sherds have
40 per cent of the shards bave dark cores rim sherds
shards are from flat
flatbottom
bottom dishes with
iris figure is slightly higher for coarser ves-
lais
this outcurved outflaring sides
straight or slightly outcurved
sels and lower fotfor finer vessels
vesseis
essels
seis 13
1
round side bowls
for
forms 1I round side bowk 2 outcurv
outeurv
outcurve
ing side dishes 3 straight aidealde dishes 4
side
open mouth fillet bowls tsah phase
bowis asah
bonds
5 widely averted lip bowls or jars 6 wide
5videly everted
mouth jars 77 tall outeuning
1 outcurving neck jars kan
phase 8 vertical neck jars ars 9 smallmouth
small mouth
nales rare 11 censers
cornales
comales
cornalee
jars 10 Cor censera rare
erwa
rowa
eswa
M
chronological positum santa elena red N
was the most common type in the central
highlands throughout the kan phase and
through most of the tsah
asah phase it reached
peak frequencies of 50 to 70 per cent of total
shards during the middle and lato
sherds late part
iati
latt partss of
base it declined slightly in fre-
the kan phase
hase
quency during the tsah
asah phase but still aver-
aged better than 25per
25 per cent of the ceramics
at the end of that phase sana
san
santaa elena red con-
tinued to decline during the yash phase and
was only sporadically present during the
lum phase
soyatitan
Sova titan polychrome Soya
Soya
sovatitan
fig

volcanic ash
18
paste teture
texture
Sova titan variety
soyatitan
sovatitan

deture fine color buff very rare


examples are brown or graygry the only visible
cies of soft
ire scattered large particles
inclusions vre
are
aro parti cles
pArtl
f
figure 18 soyt r1tv4 poe
sotttltn
sott polschrome
polychrome
poltchhome
POL SCHROME
56 NWAFF
NAVA PAPER no 19 culbert
CULBFRT
RI CHIAIAS tyrral
central
HUHLVDS
HUHL VDS CERANITCSS
CHUPAS CKNTRAL HIGHLANDS

chroriolugical posl
chrowluycui posifim
posiiioiv
poai
Posi fim encountered only
nim
him hann
hal
haa
RANN phast
chast VESMISEL FORMS
phasu4 FOKWS
in samples daning dating to the early earty and middle round side bowl bow or dish
parts of the kan kat phase
kai charts3 no H
fig 19 0f chant
chart 1

cornparatil
comparativee data Soyad soyadtall
soyatitan
Soya tAll Po
titan pochrome
polychrome
Chrome yon rast
ydr
for
fon z
basc flat rounded lo
bast
hast lav ling
lmv
10 ring or nor-
is clearly related to ana
with santasaniai cruz Polye
and perhaps identical
brome irom
polychrome from the site silc
wal ling side
iiic
idic
on iee
mound
ide mounded
rounded onentt
round rd orientation
onen tt n of side
norqiiij 1 unrestricted in aii few cases
ide-
orificeice nortnalh
lee
of santa cruz in the grijalva valley srnders senders
sandcrs
sanders I
slightlyI1 restricted bifflnn knect
tiffl &tect or vervI1 slibtby
dnect slightly
sligbtly
1961 A polychrome type thit ihli was made in ever
everted
avertedted lip rounded poixned ned or rounded
poi rited
poirited
poir
poix
the same vessel forms and nd utilized
utifized the
utili2ed he sarne
same
saine bevel
colors iss a part purt of the IN protoclastic
protoclassic
otoclassic
Proto classic ceramic
Dimeo siony diameter logg
dimension 1
1026
10 26 median itJ
inventory at chiapa dc de corzo ffarrm wrren
Wrren per-
arren
communication
sonal communication atlon
catlon
cation hut the chiapa de
but ration mu
dfcorafwn
occoration
Occo liot
slot
most
mustst amat
fmat bendy
frequently shpped with
uendy sapped
slspped A
corzo type has hes a Mi
bes
bas liferent
miferent
different paffe and tem-
ferent pashe
paste
pasfe red I
1
tea or
teo onney
cr red omc g e lottv intent mol
ge bot moi
iid
cid
L

ird
mel exterior
t
per the typl type is not closely related to any s
oinemfcs ct inshppfd
lul dipped rxfiioi
lui
ini tmerior quine
mvrior omu chite
soine vvhite
hite
known type typl from
fir
typcii hir
bir wri the maya lowlands the
color scheme and arranger arrangement rient of
fient
flent ot delk
deliration
dccoratioo
delmration
deem
deLm ration
is vaguely aialleled
naialleled by decorationjee oration on basal
dee g
flange bowkb6wk
bowis from tzakol
bowls tzall
tzaol 2 and 3 at uaxac
hn dalith
run
unn lith lq5
salith
smith
Sa a955 figs 26 2628 28 but similar
vessel gornis
fornis ild
forms lid
did riot
iid bicorne important at
becorne
not btfcorne
naxacn in nntij
1j19act4n tep-e
und tepeu2
unn
oiwymnt7 so
commcnta soyatitan
Soya titann polychrome is so
catita
vatita io un- b
like other central highland types ani and was statt
brast
brase
ktw h1a&f
figure 18 KA
atw ttatt boviis
bovins
io clearly restricted in time that where it oc-
so wi plourd pudc
pseudcneck
llourd side h l b puda
iwa1111ide 1pude
bowl
net k bowk
nec
peifectly diagnostic of kan phase
curs it is perfectly
occupation distribution of or the type ID the
black on white miite di
milte
maiteor
01 chronie
dichronie
dicaro
dichro irie dm
trie
rrie duration
dmration
ration and
deccrehion arid
avid
highlands
Higmand was wa not uniform me the type was
incising
r ue 1snore
aie cnmrnon on this form
I ore cornmem funn than
fonn
common during the kail kan
kau
kati phae at R rmicho
kall phase
phage acho
reicho san
mcho saly
sail
sall
on any other loryn unmount ciiicountred
un count red in tbe
uncount b highl-
abe
nicolas bait blit was rare at yerba buenia
balt buena be-
ands this forny soflitnc occurs in sov
forni sorneffines
form soy
soyau
goyau1ti
iti
ati
lei
cause of its uneven distribution and lack of tir polvqlroy
tar polvclironi1 0
llie
alle
alie
relationship to other highland types it seems typs produced
type product
produce d in 11 atl lali
ali
all
ati
uli lall phase types
kall
kali
ik cl that Soya
ikel
ikcl
incl
sikclv soyatitan
titan polychrome was import- polvchrornl
titan polvehrorav
but very
ven rare juii soa
verv bod
bodtitan
sovafitaf
sod
ed into the highlands
ifighlands frowl sorne some neighboring
region probabl tlle
realon nie central depression
dle
dic
tile
tire idonolrnl pos
31rovolgicf7l position
ition aitho
fos ivion although
Altho tigh theth fre-
rrc
arc
quen
quencie cies arv widell
cles adel
widelv
mdel hie ticv noa
bie
aa
1a r0a0z
rod
nod orittv 04
arit stirnpka
oi slmapks
skapin hediredi Sf lin
sflin
red skzl3j min n variety
eflin
nln irom hhie
froni
from the cllrk
carit und
carlt ind ral
and rnliddle periodspends of the
PW teatuie
paste kan phase liase
texture fine to very line color
textuie hae gwei
llave lwei hfufcnie
frequen6eb of round
varies between taii
inclusions are verv
tall orange tar
tail
side bmi
tai and
tan ami Is f5i
bals
und brown
is shown by
er finely ground and can be
fai IM per cent
b iny
i t of total nims

in series froin later phases


it
cims than

detected oiily because they reflect light


oldy bemuse
biily codiintf although alic flic
iie eberil
tle
tie
aie eril
ertl feature
eneril
general
en
surface treument
surfac
red oranc
mea
ly mma
ty orane
orange
branc
treo
trwtmenl
in
gent
genf rhe
Treu ment
color but
ot he
me thin sh
is I
10
SU 1JI-
slip isS usu
thioughvt the higland
throixgboktt
red brown on
dr hoi
ssid hol iel
higlihnd rd
higwand chiapias anene
uain invariable
nain
remain
lel
qnene
sequence
sequence

nudged
smudged
si specimens A few examples hase time arc
there are soine
soint minor viviations
boint
bave
have iuons xiu
va duons iti modes Q
in
ati of
curved lines in dark red painted owr form thrmigh
thrcnh
over the redc thrig
tiin1
thriv ring
rino
hing 0 baes on
bases
banes oxl this form
oxi

oi ange slip
first appear during tiye tite kah
the kn
kan phase the low iov
lov

frivu0 th
ftrirg
friou rhe pottery is soft
the
van nt 01
variant
soft to medium hard
of sing imse
ol ring
hurd
luse
base which is little more mre than
about 65 pc cent of the shards
nubhm of CIA
a imbhin
sherds have dark
elay
clay
clav
claIA
C areh restricted to kin
is largelv
largely
abreh lin
hase Sd MilleS but even
phase elen
eleo
VWN i in hse bsy
absy Sarn
these sarnples
pies it
ples
sciinplei
cores
is tess
less corn
coinron
coinson
coin ron
honoin than tii
oil
ufl
ual tho hiphc
the
til higlictr ring base
1

forms 1 round side bowls 2 deep


pseudo neck bowl
curving
out
outctuving
outcurving side bowls
chronological position occurs in smail
smal
small rifigg 19 b chai chaitt
chait3
chat t 3 oa na
04o44
amounts
arn
ain ounts it the
at oie
ole ear
vie end of the ean
kar phase and the
kac
kan fora
forb base unknown side
forir
forin skie rounded to
ginning of die tsah
bt
beginning asah phase iiearlk stia ight near lip ore
nearlv stitiglt
nearly stiaight
straight orc talon of
taion
orientaion
orten
orientation
orien ot bide
side
xan PHASE FORMS
KANPHASE
KAN 57

restricted orifice run everted upward and


riin averted
jiin phases including the lum phase whether the
backward to give the appearance of a short late examples indicate that the form was still
neck lip pointed in production or was merely the result of
dimensions diameter 12 1230
30 median 20mixing could not be determined
decoration red slipped outside rare ex comparative data forms very similar to
ampies unslipped
amples the lateral ridge bowl of the kan phase oc-
cur in a number of other regions of meso
tipps santa elena red yerba buena
types
america usually in late preclassic contexts
campina red rare san gregorio
fine campana
coarse rare 17sahtsah and yash phases
asah examples of the form often identical with
those of the chiapas highlands occur fre-
chronological position this form has a quently in collections from late preclassic
long and erratic history in the chiapas high- aiva valley1I chiapa de corzo
ne
lands the most consistent ap in the Gril
sites ni
arances are
appearances
alva
grijalva
lter periods V VI and possibly later collections
there
from early kan levels thereafter examples
of the new world archaeological foundation
occur sporadically through the rest of the lesea region guanacaste
kan phase and thie asah and yash phases
the tsah
NWAF the frailescafral lesca
frailcsca
Frai Guanacaste
phase navarrete 1960 fi fig 31f
31 I f similar
conipirative data vessels of approximate-
conspirative
contimrative forms occur in the late pr ll
e11
prectassic
preclassic
Prec ciassic
lassic
Tassic
aisic
1

assic of the cen-


1
v this form occur in a number of different
ly tral maya lowlands uaxact6n uaxactun chicanelchicaner
cbicanel
Chi canel
canei
sites and time periods such as the late pre- phase smith 1955 fig 70a 70 0 41 tikal end
toa
classic at san agustin
Agus rin chiapas navarrete pre
of the late preclassic
Fre classic culbert yid nd
rid the
1959 fig ad 66d
d panuco 111 lii ekholm 1944
ili
III form is less common in the guatemala guate maia high-
cuatemala
Cuate mala
fig 68 a and the torn phase at zacualpa lands but does occur at bome late preclassic
wauchope 1948 fig 49 c there is no salcaji
salcaja
sites 1sai
Sal calk quetzaltenango collections of
caji
caja
cali
caia
pattern to the occurrences and it must be Arque ologia y atno
the museo nacional de arqueologia etno
presumed that they represent independent ap-
pro aches to a simple form
proaches
6
logia guatemala MNAE xaminaljuy6
kaminaljuyu
MNAE forms vaguely similar were found
ININAE
no at panuco period III ili
111 ekholm 1944 fig
lateral ridge bowl fig 20 chart 3 5
sch h and tres Z tre zzapotek
apotes
otes drucker 1943
houette
ho
23abd le
form base probably flat composite sil- fig 23 a b rf g the temporal indication
abd
uette ridge sometimes scalloped between of forms is essentially late preclassic this
lover sections side lower sec- is only
the upper and lower onla one of several instances in which
onlv
tion rounded upper section straight orien kan phase forms seem to have represented
persistences from forms aluch wluch had wide dis-
which
tributions at the end of the late preclassic
composite silhouette outcurving side bowl
fig 21 chart 3 no 6
llure 20 LA
figaire
1
iture
allure LATEM M RUXK
miml benv
BOWL form base unknown au
all large sherd
ali
ail sberd
oberd sec-
tions show composite silhouette side lower
outflar
tation of side lower section widely outflare section probably rounded upper section out
ing upper section restricted orifice nm
rim di- curving orientation upper section widely
rect lip pointed out flaring rim direct lip rounded flattened
outflaring
dinwns onse diameter 2030
dimensions
onge 20 30 median 24 thickened
or thic tenor
kenM into bump on exterior
ex
decoration red slipped interior and ex- dimensions diameter 203220 32 median 26
terior upper section deeper than for other corn
types campana red santa elena red
chronological position this form shows
a cluster of occurrences in samples from the
kan phase dur-
paris of the klin
middle and late parts
ing which period it occurs in all samples in
frequencies ranging between 5 and 16 per
cent of total rims before and after this per- figure 21cocronl
comfonfc bilhoue m
biihouertk
iod there are scattered examples from 211 ali
ail
all ou aua mr
nua
mum
OUTTURN inn smew
INH smms BOWLS
SSS wat
xiva
WAFF PAPER no
NIVA 19 CULBPRT
CULBERT HICHNDS
CENTRAI HICHIANDS
CHIAPAS CENTRAL HICHI TRAMICS
ANDS CERAMICS

cosite silhouette forms of


posite ot the chiapas high- gerior
terior a few examples of di chlorne
chrorne
diclmnw
chr orne decora
L

lands whi
tion red on w1fite hi atk on ted
biase
blade
ack
1
red orange sec-
dcvration
Dew ration red slipped
dem
dewration dipped hiterior
interior and ex- ond osor
ccosor
cotor usually confined to lip one example
color
terior a few examples of dif di chrome decoration dirk red and black on red orange
dark
durk
red on white dark red on red orange black types campana red las rosas white
on white when two colors an are used the sec- filic yerba ruena
yerba buena fixic
fnic buena variety
ond color was usually added as a broad band chronological podticm
chronologwal posifityn A rare
on the exterior of the lip
eire form the
etre
types campana red las rosa hosa white
chicb occur in samples
whic
only examples of which
from the kan phase
santa Eleeie kaa rpd
eiena red yerba buena fine yerba
kap
rAp
comyarafiie
comparative datil aae
data
comparatife datri iae
liye
jae
like
ime the preceding
buena variety rare yorm has logest
form this forin simiiarilim with
c-losest siniflarkies
chronological position almost entirely re- usuhiun
vstihitan vv sels
vesseis
vessels
vesels longyel
lon
longyeu
Long yeu
seis hon e
fen
feu 1952 fig
nig 50
pig au
0 1 3u
strict ed to the kan phase with peak ficquen
stricted fie
frequen
cles in the
cies
cien he middle cf the phase
fhe
ringSide bowl
fiaringside
flaringside
deep FIa
Fla
cennpurtaive data the form or
compfirfiiive of this boboll
bowl
howl
boi
no
fig 22 b chart 3 no7
not
noa 7
is so simple that it is not easy to make signi-
ficant
fieant comp
fic ansons those examples of the
comparisons form base flat side slaight
suaight
snaight or very
form that had bad lips thickened into a bump on slightly ontrwvmg
otitourving on soyne ampies
amples
soiyic examples
boyne A there
the exterior find the most direct similarities is a oiat outtlaring
slight change of angle from less outtlaring
outfiaridg
with composite silhouette vessels usulutin
vesseis of Usu iutin
lutin
usulutan
lutan outflarmg at a point too low to con-
to more outflaxing
ware longyear 1952 fig 50 j fc lthrop lothrop
dothrop sider it to be eversion ofor the nmrini rndirect
1933 figs 19 f 22 c 329 32 aaff although the OD times slightly incuived lip bounded
sometimes iounded
xounded
centa
centw of Usu
centm ugulutan
usulutan
lutan produetion
luran production was far too to the
tok ibe oiinensiow diameter 2060
dimensions 20 60 modian
median 26
south of the chiapas highlands the ware was there wre
ure no complete sections but the larger
are
not uncommon in the late preclassic period sherds inc
shards licate that the vessel was deep
indicate
of the grijalva vanney
valley
vanley and could have exerted decoration red slipped interior and ex-
an influence on local styles terior white slipped inter lor and exterior
interior
mack on white some amples
rarely wack
black ampies fae en-
are
examples ane
aae
verticil side bow
verticid
vertical ov fig 22 a
dow circled by a finger impressed fillet at a point
forin base unknown sometimes compos-
form well below
belom the lip
ite silhouette upper section straight or round- types campana red las rosas rosus
bosas white
ed orientation of upper section ververtical
vex tical rim
direct lip thickened into bump on
eiena red yerba buena fine yerba
santa elena
an exterior
diinewion diameter 18
dimeivdow 1830
30 median 34 24
varle
Varie
buena variety
1311en tvc
onlyI five examples
fosiftn the
chronological position itle most charac-
itie
ilie
1 te ristic examples and thle
teristic the highest frequencies
thue
til
fil
decoration red slipped interior and ex-
decora
decoro of this form occurred during the kan phase
peak frequencies from J 2 to 22.7 wor cent of
27 per
27
wer
total rims wem during the early part of the
were duning
kan phase ith consist
kart enit fr
consistent
crit
erit cjucncies be-
frequencies
tween 5 and 115perper cent of total rims through
the rest of the phase scattered examples
a continued to appear through all subsequent
phases
carnparatite data de
comparative deep bowis
bowls
cp bonis
boN ith
ls with
raiot
straight outflaring
st out flaring walls and medium to large
diameters have a long messamer
icing history in mesoamer
particulariv in the maya reg
parhcularlv
ica particulariv lOil they
region
many 1lite
appear in anany
inany ite prec
late preclassic
fassic
cassic and early
classic ceraridu
cerat conplex
complex
dc complexes
cerar idu
ruc
ruu occasionally
es and occasion alij
in late class c cermn
A ceramic
carmn le ones sai sa
salcaja
Sal caja site
quetzaltexiango late pr elas
qiietzaltenango eias
elassie MNAE pa-
olay ic MTNTAE
figure 22 pir
FJI ase
pyn
KANPHASE
KAN PHASE bov s nuco period 111 lil ekholm l44i
III a44 fig 6 c f g
a vertical side bowl b deep harng sid bowls
flaring pidto
sidto tikal late preclassicand early
preclassic and earl
& ari classic cul
eari
arl cui
xan
KANPHASE
KAINPHASE
KAN
KAIN PHASE FORAIS
FORMS fornis 59

uaxactun chicanel
bert nd uaxactun
1
Chi canel and tzakol
chicaner
smith 1955 figs 11llbe
libe
ilbe
b e 12 a
albe aff 16 e 4477
41013 the slightly incurved lip
19 fc 1141013
141013.
noted in some kan phase specimens is most
frequently encountered in late preclassic ex-
ampies smith 119555 fig 16 cv 47
amples 4 7 on the
other hand when the form is encircled by fin- 0

r
impress fons it is typical of the karly
ger impressions early
classic or even late classic tres Za zap
zapotes
zapotek
potes
dtf
daf
Alei ant 1943 fig 11 b san
early classic weiant
IN thompson 1939 fFig
josg IV
jose ig 59 c maravil- C

Frai lesca region nav


las phase late classic frailesca d
b
argete 1960 fig 39 e
arrete1960
arrete figure
bigum klas
kam
figum 23 kwan
KAN PHASE jars
phases
KANPHASE
YLAN jams
jabul6
jamul
JAFL
a wide mouth JAR
ian
lan b ta
taii
tali
tall outcumng
outeurving nege
nock jar
neck jars
jers
polychrome flaring side dish c small lank d
smail mouth lars
jars
lark J concave hp lar ar
irr
fig 18 aaji
ajr
ahh chart 3 no 12
amples angle
ampies
form base flat some examples
wt anee
ande to
taii outcurving neck jar
tali
tall
curving
base side straight or very slightly out
outeurving
outcurving
ont fig 23 b chart 4 no 20
rnediun out
orientation of side medium outflaring
flaring rim form neck body juncture vague to well
weil
weli
direct rarely very slightly everted lip round
everted
averted outcurve ing orientation of neck
defined neck outcurv
ed pointed thickened on exterior naring rim direct lip rounded or
outdarlng
daring
medium outdaring
outflaring
flaring
dimensions diameter 1640 16 40 median 28 pointed
decoration bedred and black on orange in Dimen nons lip diameter 12
dimensions
mons 122424 median
itin polychrome patterns see
sovatitin
sovatitan
Sova
typical Sovat titan 439
4.3995
43
18 height 4.395
4395
439 9 5 median go 60
6.0
GO
60

P 55 decoration most commonly unslipped


types soyatitan
Soya titan polychrome but wen
weil smoothed i arely red lip on sin
well smoothed
slu
siu
tan paste
chronological position restricted entirely
to the kan phase during which frequencies eiena red
types santa elena
range from 0 to 30 per cent of total rims chronological position the form clusters gusters
dusters
thera seems to have been an element of reg- in a few samples from the middle of the kan
there
ional variation in the distribution for this phase and occurs only sporadically before and
forin was very common at rancho san nic after
fonn
olas fairly common at cerro campanaton
campanat6n
Campanaton
and rare at yerba buena small mouth jar fig 23 c chart 4 no 21
smallmouth
wide mouth jar jag
lay
lar foa
form neck body juncture well defined
tar fig 23 a chart 4 no 19 neck outcurvmg orientation of neck outflare outflar
form neck body juncture vague neck ing nm rim direct lip rounded or rounded bevel
autcurving
aut
out
outcurving ifts frequently straight orien-
curving0 or gifts
le&s
dimensions lip diameter 12 122020 median
tation of neck outflanng rarely vertical rim 14 neck diameter 8814 14 median 10 height 30 30
3.0
direct lip rounded or pointed 35 median 33
3.5
35 33
3.3
dimensions lip diameter 14 30 median
1430 decoration red slipped interior and ex-
23 neck di lameter 12
diameter 1228
28 median 18 neck
terior of neck
56 median 4 6
sg
5.6
height 3 3 56
typ
cyp
types yerba buena fine santa elena
falion red slipped poorly polished
decoration
Deconailon red campana red tzaconeia
tzaconej a red rare
neck usually shows marks of smooihing
smoothing tool yash phase
types santa elena red chronological position SmaIr nouth jars
smallmouth
small mouth
smail
chronological position most common in occur in the kan tsah asah and yash phases al-
the kan phase with the peak in the early part though they are rare in au all phases they are
of that phase scattered examples occur in encountered with slightly greater regularity
tsah phase
esah
samples dating to the tsaih in samples dating from the kan phase
r60 N way
WAX
AF PAMB
PAPFR no 19 cflnert
culbert
c171best CETRAL HIGHLANDS
CHAPAS CENTRAL
CHIAPAS IMAMICS
HICHIANDS CE
CERAMICS

concave lip jaw


jai
jay fig
jar 23 d dirnciwow
dirneasivns lip diar
dlan
dian
diameter 12.0
13
rieter 13.
120
130
hfiit
helit
120 heigilt
form neck body juncture vague neck 34
curving orientation of
cir slightly out
straight or
fir outeurving
outcurving decoration Ln
unslipped barki
darki
slipped interior darkly
darkin
neck vertical lo it slightly outflaring
10 out flaring rim evert smudged probably from u- usev as an inc emano
umano
inccnsarii
incemano
ngbt
ed at almost a bight
iight angle from the neck and
rind
find type rather coarse paste and temper
iq oovcd on the
tyoovcd th interior to give A dishlike ap- mannfacturf
could be of local atatinfacture
pe arance lip ro
pearance mided
rounded
dimensions lip diameter 820 8 20 median composite silhouette bowl with grooved lip
13
1.3
13
1I
24cc
fig 24
decoration red slipped interior and ex- form base probably1I roundled
winded
minded
roundlet
roundled side
wed nde lov
ude
lide
vide iov
lom pr
lower
oi neck
terior of section rounded upper section inset
ins then allt
ullt
it
campana
types Carn crba bucika
arba
pana red ycrba buelta fine
buena
run direct lip roini
curving nun
rinn rot
fot
roi nidd
roinidd
ded with deep
roinided
ycrbo
yarbo
yerbti buena variety parallel groove on interior
groovesii ork
chronological position this is a fonnionn
lonn decoiation red orange
decoration
osr which ouly
of al
onla a few examples were found am
onlv type unknown
at rancho san nicolis each of the occur-
an nicolas bulging neck jar with effigy fig 24 d
vas in a definite or probable kan
rences was form neck body juncture well weli defined
weil
con let
coclet
phase conlet but angular neck
neek bulging urle
orient
orle
urie ition of neck
urienution
nUtion
aition
comparative data an almost identical nearly veT tical rim everted
vertical averted
evi red lip pointed
ample of this form waq
ampie
rample
mample
ex
eexample va recovered from
haq 15irnensions
dimensions NIP neek
neckek height aa
nicek
nic 5a
mound 3 tomb 3 nebal guatemala dccumttpn
droqrsition while
MNAE the nebaj shonia pr
inken should
white slip
sin incised
slid indrek
indsek design
nebab spec
specinken
specimexi pro
pyo
babiy be gated
bably dated to the late classic sinith which seems bf an eye
seeth to be 0

and kidder 1951 type las rosas aate


aite
alte
vite
wl lite

remse TSAII PFUSE


PILASE
PIMSE
KANPHASE
KAN fobmft
PHASE UNIQUE forms1
KANPIMSE
CERAMIC TYPES
CEBAMIC
effigy dish fig 24 a 1

form base flat side round rim direct yerba buena verba buena variety
bucila fine yerha
yerba
verha
lip rounded effigy head perhaps a turtle paste textute
texture
tcxtuie medium to rine eine color us
fine
alph
apph aued on exterior near lip
qued
appliqu&l lully tan
umily tau to orange tan vith mth some examples
shading toward brown or brick red inclus-
ions small amounts of finel finek ground white
fine 1
1
material which is probably ca
1 cnlcte
leite large ves-
sel forms hahaee more abundant
mcie abtin lessfuely
dant and less rinely
dinely
i
ground tern per st
temper mie bierds
soni
mip
mte sherds shom tiny duk
dierds show dark
b C d ares indi catle of the presence of an in-
catie
indicative
completely oxidize organic substance the
figure 24 KAN pime
KANPMAE
PM AE UNIQVF FOMUS inclusion
itic mav have bcpn
may
lusion of which ruay
inay en either ac-
been
heen
bc
a effig dih hb eveatedrial
effiry dish inciiiaiiu tf gorn
evea ted iinri inceiisado gom
com
corn cidental or purposeful
ci
cosite silhouette bowl with grooved lip
posite hp d bulging Truat ment the vessels have a
treatment
surface truatment
trcattnerit
neck
rieck jaa
ipa
jaw effig
ar with effigy weil polished slip which is almost
railly thin wenn
raifly
fairly weli
well
always red orange in color on about ono ano
one
dwwnswns lip diameter 122
dirnewkms 122
12.2
132 28
height 2.8
38
28
third of the sh erds usually those frona
teerds
therds
sherds from si
front
irona nail
nali
nall
small-
decoration polished
roli shed black
rolished er better finished vessels a white base slip
type paste and temper lreare ire not unlike is visible under the surface slip ip there are
those of local types so the bow bowl may have
inay
1
a few examples of curviliniar
curvilinear
cur
W cux vilinear
bilinear designs
0 paiiityd
pairitud
nufaeture
been of local manufacture
ni m dirk red over the red orar
in dark orap
ocar ge slip fig 25
and a few of black on red onwge
ZL
oringc de
oringe decaration
decadation
decoration
caration
averted rim ineezisario
everted incensario fig 24 b incising and other techniques of 4 surface nun
nat
hat side near base almost ver-
ilat
form base flat
fiat iputalion are rare with the exception of
ipulalion
tical with videly outflaring
widely upper section thumb impressed fill els which are regularly
fillels
fillets
lip rounded ceitain bowl forms
applivd to certain
applifd
applied
TSAHPHASE WPES
TSAH PHASE TYPES 61

comments the yerba buena variety of


yerba buena fine is most common in the
eastern part of the central highlands it also
b occurs however in tsah tsab
asab phase collections
from the sites in the san cristabal
crist6bal valley par-
ticularly in the form of restricted orifice fillet
figi
figure mm BULN 4 pinie
eire 25 milha
lire milba
1 EIIHA pine WITH
finie
FINE rim
ned ON
witti RED bowls a form that does not seem to have been
rien granfe
red
hed
HAD 01range
oranfe DECO
decoration
MALTION produced in the other varieties of the type
yerba buena pines finet san nicolis variety
pine
fine
fines
firing the pottery is of medium hard- paste identical with that of yerba buena
ness with only about ab 10 shards fine yerba buena variety
1b per cent of the sherds
having dark cores
surface treatment unslipped but well
forms 1 round side bowls 2 restrict smoothed
ed orifice fillet bowls 3 open mouth fillet
bowls 4 rest isted orifice bowls 5 large
restricted
r icted firing idenhcalwith
identical with that of yerba buena
pseudo out fine yerba buena variety
flatlip
flat lip bowls 6 neck bowls 7
curving side dishes 8 straight side dishes forms the only form in which this vari-
9 cylinders rare 10 censers
censera rare ety occurs is the flatlip
fiat bip
flat tip jar
lip
11 gverted
everted rim jars 12 vertical neck jars
averted logical position the poor state of
chronological
ChroMi
13 I smallmouth
1
small mouth jars preservation of many of the sherds shards made it
chronological Post posi tion the
position tie type yerba impossible to achieve a dependable separa-
tle
buena fine which includes yerba buena tion of the two varieties of yerba buena fine
fine yerba buena variety as the major the yerba buena variety and the san nicolas nicolis
variety at the sites from which senh abon sam- variety an estimate oi
seriation
seri
sehn of the time span of the
ples were taken was rare during the early latter variety was made from the occurrence
part of the kan phase but increased steadily of the flat flatlip
fiat lip ars which are the only form
fip jars fom
bom
throughout the phase to frequencies of 15 t6 to for this variety on this basis the san nicolas
ta nicolis
20 per cent of the total sberds sheeds in the latest variety seems to have been largely restricted
sherds
kan samp
sampler
sampierlecne
lev the steady increase in frequen- to the tsah
asah phase with only a few scattered
cy continued through the tsah asah phase reach- examples from samples dating to the yash
ing totals of 40 to 50 per cent of the sheras phase and none fronk front those dating to the
from
in samples from the end of the phase the kan phase
type began to decrease in frequency at the comments yerba buena fine san nico-
start of the yash phase but still accounted c lis variety does not seem to have
las haveentered
entered the
for 15 to 20 per cent of the sherds shards at the end san cristabal
crist6bal valley for no examples occur-
of the phase the samples from the early red in collections from that part of the high-
part of the lum phase used in the seriation lands flat flatliplip jars did appear in that region
charts show a marked dec linein the amount but they were made of santa elena red rather
declinein
of yerba buena fine and the type was pro- than of yerba buena fine san nieolas nicolis var-
nicolas
bably no longer produced by the end of the iety
lurr
lum
burr phase
yerba buena fine san cristabal
crist6bal variety
comparative data the technique of oi ap-
plying a white primary slip under a red or
paste texture medium color most com-
uaxactan smith
orange slip was used at uaxactun monly cream to
td buff inclusions medium am-
fubphases tzakol 3 and te
1955 during the subphases
sub
fubphases ounts df
of small to medium size particles of a
white crystalline substance probably calcite
eai
eal
mal guibert
peu I1 and 24 at tikal gulbert
culbert nd at least
during the equivalents of tepeu
depeu 1I and 2 at surface treatment the slip used is pro-
banque viejo thompson 1940 during per-
benque bably the same as that used for the yerba
lii and IV and at pai
III
iods 111 fai
Fal enque rands per-
palenque buena variety but because of the lighter
sonal communication during the late clas- shards of the san crist6bal
paste sherds cristabal
cnst&bal variety tend
sic in all of these cases however the white to be yellow orange rather than red orange
mary slip was used for vessels which were
primary no instances of the use of a white primary
dew
dem
decorated
rated in polychrome designs slip were noted
82
62 NVAF
NWAF PAPER no 19 CULBERT CETRAL HIGHLANDS
CHIAPAS CENTRAL cfjjk
ERMICS
t1c5

firing the pottery


firl
fira
ness with

fogu
fotwez
potteiy
potteiv
t about 10 per
the whole shards
sh rds

pe
type
is of medium hard-

fomu forms of the san cristobai


corets on
cent dark cores
ads of the san cristobal vari-
ety seem to be slightly softer than those of the
other varieties of the ty
cristobal variety
are similar to those of the yerba buena var-
with the exception that restricted orifice
iety ivien
fillet bowls and open mouth fillet bowls do
ip 1I
L

figure 25 moxviqvu
26 MOXVQIU

very frequent in one the


fhe
d

BIACX
a
ohe small sample recovered
not occur
shards are incised in simple geo
eight of ten sherds
chronological position abetbe stratigraphic
the pati eins with tn
patt
metric patterns
patteins angles
angies
anoles
triangles filled with
situation at giro Eck
a ceiro ecitepee
ecatepec
Ecate
ecktepee
pec and the limited 0
common motif
nes the most cornmon
diagonal hilines
time available foi
tune
tume fol study of the collections
iol
rrom that site did not allow the development
irom
from
arom filing sample too small for comment cymiment
of aat delicate scheme for the temporal assess- forms outeurving side composite
outcurxing
ment of the various samples for that reason bowis 2 round
silhouette bowls hound side bowls
hiblorv of yerba buena fine
the hi&lory
hillory sali
sall
sail chronological Posi pfwtiofi
position
positiow
tiow moxviquil black
cristobil
criit6bal
Crist obil varirry cannot be given in great de-
cristobal is too rare to define exact ten tem limits but
poral iiinits
temporal limirs
tail the t pe vas as abundant during both file the
tiie
tlle bave been most common during
it seems to have
tsah and yash phases with some suggestions
asah tsah
t5ah phabe
the asah phase
mav have baa
that it may bad a slightly later peak
had P ea k than comparative data lqoxvtqujl black
moxviquil biage
blage
blade
did the yerba buena variety the san cristo- shares the traits of black slip incising and
bal variety is also quite conl irion in samples
common
rylon small bowl forms with both the he fialanza
balanza
froin cerr ecatepec
ceru
from cerro Ecate pec in which sherds
shards of the black and carmelita black groups of the
lum
lurn phase predominate but it remains un pete
petenn classic smith and gifford nd but
ceitain whether the variety continued to be
certain does riot
not share any more specific features
produced at that time or whether its appear- oth these two
with avo groups
iwo
hvo
ance in these samples should be attributed
to mixing
comjnents ne
connnenu the site of moxviquil infor-
mation from prans frans blom deserves special
comments
Com ments buena fine san
menty yerba baeria
baerla son cris- mention in connection writh with the tyte
urith type that
tobal vaijet
vaiietyv is known only from a limited
variety bears its name A far larger sample of die dle
dic
study and cannot
cannot be considered to be com- type came from moxviqiw
moxviquil particularly from
pletely
1I
defined there is no doubt that this tombs than camecarne from any site excavated by
variety had a center of distribution m the the author 11 ii as seems not unlikely ML morvi
moxvixvi
western zone of the highlands for it is the quil black was produced largel largelyV for rnurtuatv
mortuary
predominant variety at the sites in the san iwity at other fthighland
laiity
lacity
purposes its dwity ighland sltes
ftighland sites
crist6bal
crist6hal vanney
Na fley and the most common vari-
vailey
valley
cristabal vanley uney
uley which produced few fw tombs is not suu surprising
slu prising
ety in a velyveix small sample of yerba buena
velv
northem site of cerro cuch
fine from the northern TSAHPHASE
TSAH PHASE VESSEL FOBMSforms
FORINTS
arnt6n the variety occuis
arnton
nmt6n occurs but is 01
occuts ol mi-
of
nor importance at sites in the eastern zone round side bowl fig 27 chart 3 no 1
of the chiapas highlands
ok form base flat am lular or rarely
iular
annular
rounded side rounded orientation of side
nfoxviquil variety fig 26
moxviquil black moxviquil usually unrestlicted
unrestricted orifice with only a few
imresfaicted
paste the sherd sample recovered was examples of slightly restricted orifice rim di-
too small to permit a firm definition of paste oi slig
rect 01 siig lidy evrted
slightly
ildy averted lip rounded pointed
everted
and temper characteristics in genera
kenera paste
general or rounded bevel
01
and temper seem to fall within the range of dimenvions diameter 12
dimensions 1236
36 median 20
variation of yerba buena fine pastes and
but a larger sample might prove
tempers butt
buit
326
3.26
3261
32
3.261
height 3361
326
3261 6 11
decoration red slipped interior and ex-
decoraiion
to he unwarranted
lo be
this conclusion 10 terior red slipp cd interior only dark red
slipped
surface treatment the thin black slip on red orange rare incising rare
lov
iou to high incising is
lou
varies in polish from low types yerba buena fine all varieties
TSAHPHASE
TSAH PRASE FORMS
PHASE 63

comparative data thih this form is closely


paralleled by bowls from late classic and
early postclassic sites of the gri
crl
cri aiva valle
I alva
grijalva 1vaile
valie
vaileyY
valley
but there are clear differences in ceramic
types and minor nodes of form between
typical examples from the highlands and
navan ete 1960 fig
the grijalva region navarrete
ri a c NWAF collections me
37oac the restricted
tho
hilet bowl of the chiapas highlands
orifice offlet
ffflet
can be considered a part of a series of simi-
rourmsme
figure 27 HOUND
round SIDE bc
bowns
BOWLS
Ls AND DISHES lar but regionally varying bowl forms that
had a wide distribution in the maya lowl-
chronological position this form occurs ands during the late classic period these
in all tsih phase samples meith
with
veith frequencies bowl forms share the general
encial features of re-
geneial
ancial
ranonz
ranona
ranging between 25 and 45 per cent of total strict ed orifice large lameier
started
stricted lameter
diameter red slip fre-
rims dhere bs and frequent decoration
there was no pattern of increase or de- quent thickened bps
hps
crease by means of finger impressions sometimes
game
same times
comments round side bowls of the as in the chiapas Hig
highlands
Mands placed on a fil-
tsah
asah phase were very similar to those of the let of clay restricted onfice
office bowls with
kan phase low amular
annular bases were very thickened lip and finger impressed fillet oc-
tsah phase while averted
rare during the asah everted curred during the tepeu subphase at uax
depeu 1I subphase u1x
duax
rims and rounded bevel lips were more com- actus
actun 8911121518
48089111215
act6n smith 1955 fig 4808911121518
480891112.1518
48 a 89111215 18
and during a comparable time at tikal cul-
tsah phase than during the kan
mon in the asah
phase bert nd A similar form without fillet oc-
restricted orifice fillet bowl
curred in period IV at san jose Pl
joge thompson
ompson
1939 fig 59 and during the late classic
fig 28 fe chart 3 no 21 period at piedras negras
degras butler 1935 plate
form base unknown side rounded some- 8 rands personal communication forms in
times with a well marked break where the the same general
genera pattern were common dur
wall turns in to a restricted orifice orientation
of side slight to medium restriction of orifice
rim slight to medi
medl
mediurn
medium
urn eversion lip thickened
on interior slightly below hp or just at lip
pointed above thickening when whon thickening
occurs below lip WSS
dimensions
Dim enslow diameter 18 1860
60 median 35
decoration exterior of bowl encircled bv
fillet of day marked by finger impressions
the fillet is placed at th
the point where the wall
tho
changes curvature to attain restricted onfice
office
red or red orange slipped interior and ex-
terior
types yerba buena fine yerba buena
ett
etc 0
oon
001
variety
chronological Popoasan
posuwn
plasan
agan
agon
asan restricted orifice
fillet bowls do not occur in any samples dat-
ing from the kan phase the tle
ile
at the beginning of the tsah
form appeared
asah phase and is
present in all samples until the middle of
the yash phase it continued to appear spor-
aa
2aas
adlcally
adt
adi
adically
caily in low frequencies during the sec- b
half of the yash phase and the early panr
ond baff
haff par
pan
part
pant figure 28 finlet BOWLS
FILLET howls
bowns
of the lum phae phate luth bowls b rcstricted
a open mouth
muth restricted onace
office bowls
onfice
64 nvr
ivr r paper
N xv pam
eam R
PAN
PAPEK no 14 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTBAL
CENTPAL HIGHLANDS
RKHLANOS CKRAMICS
E 1I A 1 IC 3 r
ing the regional pcriucl puriod in yucatan brain-
period in yucatan brainerd 1958 figs 2 c 0 I111I
erd 1958 figs 22 7 but hut in yucatan the and one example fig 2 e s identical with
forni pers isted into
peisistcd
persisted
peis iulo colonial and modern
solo numerous chiapas highlands specimens
times I brainerd
1 brainer V hns 58
U fig 33 h A restrict- some samples
sorneexamples
Sorne piedra negras
examples from piedras ncgras
degras approxi-
ed orifice bowl
bovi with thickened lip but with- mate the form but they are not character-
out fingei
fingel impressions was found at ties tle
the ceramic complex at that site
istic of tie
ile
zapotes
7apotes diucker
zapotek deucker
Di ucker 1943 1941 figs 14 359 35g fc
15g
159 rands personal communication
comnnini cation
catlon
2ldrfd at a on
21a
gla
gia
glad
giad levei which was not made
je level
lime
time
clear in the report in the huastecan
Hua
huasteca bow
steca a bowl comal chart 3 no 11
form with fillet but with more rounded sides
forin form base slightly rounded side very
and smaller diameter than was common in roud
roudbd
slightly rotwdtdbd orientation of glde
suic widely
ride
side
sulc
shic
the biava
viava nei occurred in panuco period
net
alea out
outflaiing
outflaring rint direct or slightly upturned
oui flaring rim
rini
IV ekholm 1914 19 14 fig 83 lip rounded appendages a few rew
row examples
have two diametrically
dianietrically opposed handles
open mouth fillet bowl which consisted either of flattened tabs of
fig 28 a chart 3 no 3 clay or hol
hoi
horizontal
37ontal loops
forin base flat one exam pic
example side dimensions none of the fragments re-
rounded orientation of side ranges from covered wax
was
va large enough to measure but tee
the
oose
rise
oise
0
out flaring to vertical at up
slightly outflaring lip rim di- form vas
nasis of largo
large diameter and extremely
rect or slightly everted
ever ted lip thickened either
averted shallow
rounded or grooved ton unslipped ard nn unsmoothed
decora fon
deroratlon smoothed
dimensions diameter 2850 28 50 median 42 types santa elena bed red unslipped var-
rod
bod
height 17 one example iant
decoration encircled by finger im press
impress chrorwf ogtcaj position me
chronological the lonn
ionn
fonn
honn ot
occurs
curs
ed fillet interior red slipped exterior totally
total 1 only during the asah tsah phase and early part
unslipped or red slipped down to fillet ihe yash phase and never exceeds 5 per
the
of ahe
types yerba buena fine yerba buena cent of the total rims even during its period
variety
varle
Varie tv of production the form was missing from more
dtonologicvl
chtanoloical Povi
position
povl tion continuous dis- thall half the samples
thail
them
trib
tribution
ution of the form in low frequencies be-
gan verv
very slightly before the beginning of the
large diameter restricted olifice
orifice bowl
tsah
asah
T sah phase and continued until the end of fig290
fig 290a
99
that phase A few scattered examples appear- fann
fonn
form base flat side rounded orienta-
ed in samples as late as the middle of the ide
aide restricted orifice rim direct lip
tion of yide
kide
yash phase thickened either rounded or flattened
comparatiie data similar but distin-
comparniwe
comparative
gui shable forms occur at numerous late

V
guishable
iassic sites in the cen-
classic and early postclassic
Poste lassic
tral depression of chiapas NWAF collec-
tions urge
large open mouth bowls usually dec- a
1I
orated with finger
linger
tinker impressions have a distri-
linker b
bution similar to that of restricted orifice
bowls see preceding page in late classic larcy
largy
LAWIDI
figure 29 LAWI dikiifrrj
DI meyer
METER BOWLS
sites of the maya lowlands they occur in
bojs
holhI hb pint
boas
aff restricted orifice boa
hoa1
flatlip
flat lip bowl
fiat howl
wl

part of the late classic period at


the early ewt
pwt nimen ww diameter 26
dtmcntprlv
dimenww
Dimen 2660
60 median 45
uaxactu MNAE kai
kal
XINAE and tikal
uaxactunn ninae mal culbert nd
but at these sites they are ral decoraf fon
decorah
decoration
ion interior red slipped exterior
ralee and seem to
rare
raie
rai
have been fnnctionallv
finictionailv replaced by open ough unslipped
mouth bowls
bowis with in curved lips thompson
howls types yerba
yerha buena fine yerba buena
1939 figklo 69 illustrates a vaguely similar
kio
kig variety
form trom period IV at san jose iose A number chiowloicil position this form was
chronolootcal
of examples of this vencial form appear in
thl 5 geneial
thi gencial never common in the chiapas highlands and
collections dating from the tile regional period
tlle occurs only jr
in scattered1 examples from sam
TSAHPHASE
TSARPHASE
TSAR PHASE FORMS
TSAH 65

tsah phase and early part of the


pies of the asah
ples ever ted
either direct or averted
everted lip flattened or
yash phase grooved
comparative data the form by itself is dimensions lip diameter 14 22 median
1422
simpie that it is not of comparative value
so simple
shuple 16 height 30 to greater than go 60 median 49
6.0
60 49
4.9
but in this late classic earl
eari postclassic
early Poste iassic con-
lassic decoration unslipped but well smoot bed
hed
smoothed
ly a part 07
cleaily
clearly
text it is cleai of the complex of types yerba buena fine san nicolis nicolas
large bowls discussed on pagfes
pagles 6344
pages 63 Vati ety santa elena red unslipped variant
vari
variety
vard
chronological position the major period
flat up bowl fig 29 b
large diameter flarup of production of this form extended from
unknow
form base unknown rn probably flat side
unknowen slightly aftel the beginning of the tsah
tsab
asab phase
asah
rounded orientation of side ranges from until the middle of the yash phase there
flaring to vertical at lip rim direct
outflaridg
outflaring
slightly out are some indications that the form continued
lip flattened to be common until a later date in the west-
dimensions diameter 2850 28 50 median 35 36 ern sector of the highlands
decoration
decoratton
Deco ratton interior red slipped exter- comparative data jars of this general
ior rough unslipped form occur with bomeiome frequency in classic
some
tome
home
types yerba buena fine yerba buena collections from the site of santa cruz in
variety the gnjalva valley sanders 1961 figs 37-
38 but at santa cruz the variant with out
chronological position this form
forin was
never common in the chiapas Hig Wands it
mands
highlands curving neck and direct rim predominates ra-
ther than the straight neck averted
everted rim vari-
occurs only in a few samples dating from
eari part of the yash ant although some examples appear at other
tsah phase and the early
the asah earl postclassic
classic and early Poste lassic sites along the
phase
comparattue data A vessel of this form
forr was not generally common
grijalva the form
in that area NWAFMVAF collections this form
up is diagnostic of pot-
with similar flattened lip may also be related to the unslipped jars of
ters of the chacalhoaz hase late classic
cbacalhaaz phase uaxact
ath
athedras degras randl
edras negras
at piedras rands
rands personal communi-
the tepeu
depeu phase at uaxactun dn smith 1955 IM
cation see also butler 1935 forms 25 and
eai
eal
and the late classic period at tikal mal for it
shares with these forms of the central lowl-
26 sporadic occurrences at other sites fail ands the characteristic flattened lip mode
to show any significant pattern scattered occurrences of a similar form in
flatlip
flat lip jar fig 30 a chart 4 no 15 san jose 111ili thompson 1939
III IM fig 46 a
tres zapotes
zapotek drucker 1943 fig 16 d dff
form neck body juncture well
weli defined
weh
weil and finca arabia late classic guatemala
angular neck usually straight sometimes NINAE do not suggest any pat-
highlands MNAE
slightly out curving oiientation
outcurving orientation of neck usu- tern of development and the form is not
outflanng
ally out flaring sometimes vertical when the
outflaring characteristic enough to presume that they
neck of the jayar is straight the arun
jar
lay jrun ever ted
un is everted
averted indicate any sort of prehistoric connection
when the neck is out curving the rim may
outeurving
outcurving mav be
rim jar fig 30 b chart 4 no 16
averted bim
everted
forin neck body juncture well defined
form

csfw
ryl
usually angular neck straight somewhat bulg-

dyl
ing orientation of neck outflaring or infre-
quent ly vertical rim slight to wide eversion
quently

wal
lip rounded or pointed
dimensions lip diameter 10261016
10 26
16 median
18 neck diameter 8 824
24 median 11 height
3 336
6 5 median 4949
4.9
decoration red orange slipped interior
and exterior of neck one example of red
b orange on white decoration
types yerba buena fine all varieties
figure 30
a flat hp jars b
TIAHPHASE
TIAH PHASE
riah PHASXphass lal
las
jars
phage JAKS
lars
JAW
nm jars chronological position this form had a
66 N woy
wot
NWAF
WAY PAPER n-o
no 19 MJLBERT
CULBERT chlap
CHIAP MWRM HIGHLANDS CERAMICS
ks CENTRAL
CHIAPAS

long history ni in the highlands of chiapas tion of side lowek section outflanng upper
scattered examples appeared as early as the section nearly outlaring
nearh vertical to outtlaringdaring nm
outdaring
outt rim
middle of the kan phase the form is gen- slightlyeller ted lip rounded or pointed
averted
everted
ellerted
ever
elter
evler
erally present in samples dating fionn florn the
from dimensbom diameter 16
oimensiow 1626
26 4 exam-
tsa
t&ah and yash phases with maximum fre-
taah ples
quen cies ranging up to 16 per cent of total
quencies decoration black slipped incised on ex-
rims for specific samples only one example
rans
runs
tans terior
occurred in deposits clearly associated with types moxviquil black
lum phase occupation in the eastern sector
of the highlands but the form may mav have per- chrollogicalexclusively
chrowlogical
Chrow
chronological
chronojogical position nis form is
tim
mls
mis
sisted into this phase in the wester known almost exclusive lv from the site of
westen
western sector
moxviquil where it occurred in quantity in
comparative data averted
everted rim jars iden- grave contexts not more than a dozen frag
tical with those of the central highlands

1961
Ilate
during the classic period at the site
occurred duding
of santa cruz in the brij
crij alva
griialva
aiva valley sanders
grihalva
and were found sporadically at other
ate classic and early Poste postclassic
iassic sites in
lassic
r b
that area NWAF collections jars of thus this
form had a wide distribution in the maya
area during late classic times averted everted lips
are not generally characteristic of jar forms
in the peten but a few examples occur at d
C
both tikal culbert nd uaxact
and uaxactun dn
smith 1955 fig 47
smith 47fll3
a 1 3366 the uaxac 31 tsan
figure 51 PKASE rase
TSAJI prasa
prase rabs ANO
rabe
hase
HAAE
ulel
ulva
umei
AN O UMOI FORMS
oiftsts
tun examples dateddaled as tepeu
depeu 1I share the a0 smail
small comp&ite
sma5tconvo s lhoucttelowls
ite silhoucue I honzontal
howls 1IT llon2ontal nm
vessels
vesseis
eer c insloping sicle vessel d vessel with bow
imloping sicie boss
bo
bulging neck exhibited by some specimens
from the chiapas highlands everted averted lip
everled hp jars
occurred at piedras negras rands personal
degras elands ments nvere slies me
were encountered at other sites
sltes the
tho
communication butler 1935 plate 7 dui tsah
tsfth and the
form appeared dining both the asah
yash phases
pil ases but nothing more MITI
pli nn IX said
hiti
mutl
ing the late classic and a similar form decor-
mg
ated with incising occurred at palenque in iii
ill
iri about its temporal distribution
mixed lots which could not be specifically bim vessel fig 31 b
horizontal rim
rands
dated rands
bands pers onal communication ex-
onel
onei
personal porm
pumi
pomi
act duplicates of chiapas highlands speci-
furm this category vvas
form as defined on the
avas
basis of a rim mode tor no com piete sections
plete
complete
plute
mens were found at tulum bulum in the yucatan of the form were recovered from a few feo of
peninsula sanders 1960 fig ac 5c 1114 14
shards it is known that
the larger sherds thai both bowls
and at florescent period sites in yucatan ars are included in the category but the
and jars
18 an approx fars
brainerd 1958 fig 20 e 13 1318 dppim shards which could be specifically
number of sherds
imatch similar form was common at neb
imatcly
kmatch ncbaj ai attributed to bowls or jars was so small that that
during the late classic MNAE and unslip- the separation did not seem leasable
iea subie and all
lea sible
sibie
sabie
sable
ped jars with averted
everted rims occurred during the characteristic llin
shards sharing ithe
sherds nin treat-
liin
the san francisco phase at cotzumalhuapa vere lumped together side straight or
1I
ment were
on the pacific coast of guatemala thom thomp-
son 1948 fig 41 the conclusion made
P curving orientation of sidet
slightly out
outcurving side nearly
averted to the point where it
vertical rim everted
from these comparative examples is that this approaches a horizontal portion the rim sec-
form was common during the late classic tion is broad and in some cases iss flattened
and earlyI1 postclassic perio
perlo cli in many parts
periods
rks
lip rounded
and shelf like hp
abe maya area
of the
tbe
oration red
decoration
De bed slipped interior arid
and ex-
arld
terior
TSARPHASE bark AND UNIQUE worms
baek
TSAR PHASE RARE
BARE FORMS
FORNIS
types santa elena red yerba buena
smail composite silhouette bowl fig 31 a
small pine
fine
F me lare
iare
laie
lale
forra
form
forna base unknown composite silhou- chronological
b
portion
position the scattered oc-
ette side upper section out curving orienta
outcurving currences
curren
Lurren nus
dus
ces of this roim are
foinn
fainn
boim arc con
cun fined to the
confined
PHASE TYPES
YASHPHASE
YASH 67

asah phase and the early part of the yash


tsah chronological position san cregono gregono
phase coarse appeared at the start of the asah tsah
phase and was present in small steady
sloping side vessel fig 31 c
In
insloping
jnsloping amounts 10 to 15 per cent of total sherds
shards
form base unknown seems to be com- throu h t that phase the type increased
throughout
rapidly zt
rapiag
raniag in frequency at the start of the yash
posite silhouette upper section straight in
sloping rim direct lip beveled phase and composed almost one half the
ceramic sample during the latter part of that
dimensions uplip diameter 18 ems
enns
phase san gregorio coarse decreased in
decoration and type unknown sherd is frequency during the lum phase but was
weathered still in production at the time of the
probably stull
conquest
vessel with bosses fig 31 d coarse unslipped
comparative data
form base unknown side out curving
outcurving pottery usually devpted
devoted to large jar forms is
orientation of side almost vertical rlyn
run sec- one of the major components of almost every
tion near lip shows increased outcurve lip ceramic complex known in mesoamerica
Mesoamerica As
round
mound
rounded a general rule this pottery has been little
dimensions lip diameter 22 cm studied and poorly described from personal
decoration unslipped bosses of clay ap kal
kai
mal and uaxactun
inspection of the tikal uaxactfin collec-
tions 1I have noticed that a particular class
piqued
phqued on exterior sherd too small to indi-
pliqu46d
cate pattern of placing bosses of this pottery heavily tempered with large
type probably a variety of
0 yerba buena
calcite particles appeared at both sites during
fine the late classic and increased in frequency
until the end of occupation at those sites see
YASH PHASE also smith 1955 since thi ottery from
thiss pottery
the peten is very similar to ian irn
lan
san cregorio
CERAMIC tyre
type
tyrer
tyres
TYPFq
CIRRAMIC TYPES
coarse in temper surface and vessel forms
gregorio
san gregorio coarse san gregorio variety there is some possibility that the types weire
were
pare
page
paste texture very coarse color gray
maste part of a general pattern during late nate classic
brown or brick red brick red
ted paste
aste was found times and thereafter
at all levels but was most frequent
frequent during comments there is more variety from
the latter part of the yash phase and the one site to the next in san gregorio coarse
lum phase paste of this color was also more than in any other type known from the chi-
common in the western sector of the high- apas highlands general
beneral characteristics of
deneral
lands than in the eastern sector inclusions paste color and finish have different ranges
large quantities of coarse particles of ens of variation at each site but none of the dif-
talline calcite ferences
feren ces is systematic
1I
enough to provide a
wass
bass
basis for the distinction of more than a
surface treatment always unslipped and
unsmooth
unsmoothed cd single variety vessel forms made from san
gregorio coarse also vary from one location
firing the pottery
potter is soft with about 25 to another although the general forms are
per cent of the sherds
shards showing
sbowing dark cores
A number of sherds shards have a core that is
similar everywhere specific modes of hi p
lip
shape neck height and other small features
not black but of a different color from the tend to be concentrated at a single site it
pastete near the surfaces this phenomenon is might be mentioned that there is a possibility
far
frequent about 33 per cent in sheeds
sberds with
sherds that san gregorio coarse was produced 100 loo
red paste but rare 5 per cent or less in
ally at many or all of the central highland
shards writh
sherds with pastes of other colors
urith
sites in contrast to the majority of other var-
forms 1 wide mouth flatlip flat lip jars es- ieties which 1I believe to have been produced
peci ally at san gregorio
pecially 2 I vague neck
1
in specialized centers
jars 3 short grooved neck jars especially in
the san cristobal valley 4 colanders tzaconep
t74cmeji red tzacmej&
tzaconejft variety
only in the eastern sector 5 round side paste texture fine to coarse color almost
bowls 6 straight side bowls rare always brick red to orange inclusions fine
68 NWAF
N V AY PAPER no 19 CLLBEHT
CULBERT PAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS
CHLPAS
CHL

dirk
dark
d irk and fine white particles both of min- ne pottery is very hard and was
firing the
eral origin and large particles of herna hematite
berna tite lgb temperature dark
probably fired at a high
the quantity
quanti at inclusions ranges from small
tv of ale common but these
or discolored cores aie
alc
to large can be attributed to the very fine paste
surface treatment the vessels were given which impeded the penctiation of oxygen oggen
a cream to white underslip and then an ad- during firing
ditional slip of bright red sometimes either
ditional fm
forms
rw 1 small outcurving side tilde bowls
the interior or the exterior of the vessel was 2 round
bound side bowls 3 straight outflaring
left of cream color with ith the red slip applied side dishes 4 straight outflaring
outflarmg side dishes
only to the other side the combination of with widely everted
averted lip 5 cylindrical ves
red and white
while slips was never used to make sels
patterns the white slip was rarely polished chronological position examples of or ix
abile
vhile
wbile the red slip received a low to medium tapa fine ixtapa variety occurred in small
polish both slips are thick and very soft sort asah phase deposits at cerro eca
quantity in tsah
firina the pottery is very soft with 65
firing tepee the type reached peaked frequencies
to 75 per cent dark cokes
codes
cores during the yash phase but continued to be
forms 1 bowls with round sides and important during the lum phase
slightly in curved lips 2 round side bowls Comme
commentsnfs the long time span and the
chronological position tzaconeja
tzaconeii red range of decorative techniques observed for
was very common in yash phase samples at ixtapa fine suggest that with larger samples
san Crcregorio
gorio but declined markedly in the and better stratigraphy it would be possible
few lum phase samples from that site the to subdivide the type into several additional
type was very rare at all other sites so it varieties examples of ixtapa fine were not
likeh that it was a local type at san
seems kikeh
likehr isolated from collections from the eastern
gregorio
cregorio sector of the chiapas highlands although
a few examples may have been sorted into
ixtapa fine Letapa
iitapa
xtapa variety the odd category for eastern sites there is
paste texture very fine color usually little doubt that ixtapa fine was concentrated
orange with some examples buff or tan in- esterr sector of the highlands
the estern
thew
largely in thewesterr
western
clu sions usually none visible but some
clusions the fact that the type is more frequent in
shards particularly from cerro Ecate
sherds ecatepec
ecitepec
pec surface collections from
fzom
arom sites in the ixtapa
rrom
have a few tiny gray mineral particles valley to the west of the highlands than in
any site in the highlands indicates that it mav
may
staface treatment the surface treatment
swfacc
stafrace
of this type seems to be unusually varied but
or have had its origin in that direction
small samples and poor preservation made it comparative data the general charac-
difficult to determine the range of decorative te
teristics of a fine untempered paste decora
techniques the most common surface treat- tion and vessel
veisel form suggest that there may
ment is a thin white slip which ranges from be a relationship between ixtapa fine and
chalky with low polish to hard with high
chai
chal the various types of fine orange pottery the
polish A thin red slip was less frequently relationship is certainly not a direct one for
applied to the base clay and there are a few the more characteristic decorative elements
examples of a black slip directly over the and vessel forms of ot fine orange do not ap
base clavelay in other cases traces remain of
clay peai in ixtapa fine but the presence of im-
pem
peal
lack paint which had been applied
red or black ported fine orange vessels in tombs at mox
either separately or on the same vessel over viquil shows that the ware was known in the
a primary white slip ilcisin
incising and 0grooving
incisin central highlands and ixtapi ixtapa fine could
are fairly common mostly of of a sort empha- well have been a local imitation me the most
sizingg thin lines which are either incised
sizin
cizin direct similarities of ixtapa fine are with Z
thyo ug h the white slip or sometimes perhaps
hrough fine orange smith 1958 which appar-
used on unslipped vessels me the patterns as ently had
bad a center of production in tabasco
far as could be determined from the small at a time transitional between the late clas-
fragments recovered nverewere curvilinear or rec- Postelassic periods the peak
sic and early postclassic
postelassic
tilinear designs
ti of Z fine orange occurred somewhat before
YASHPHASE
YASH FOMIS
PHASE FORMS 69

that of ixtapa fine and ixtapa fine con- form could be determined is a barrel shape
tame but a lag of this sort
tinued far later in name
time vessel with annular base
is not surprising if one considers the gener- chroiw1ogscal position all of the exam-
chroiwlogical
ally isolated nature of the chiapas highlands ples came from surface deposits at rancho
culture san nicolas and could have bave pertained to
ixtapa fine cuchumton
cuchumt6n variety tsah phase or to the yash phase
either the asah
although the latter is the more likely
paste the cuchumton
cuchurnt6n variety of ixtapa comparative data the relationship of
fine differs from the ixtapa variety in hav- fino orange smith 1958 and
this type to Z fine
ing a paste that is more porous and in con- to carved ferruginous ware smith 1955 1956
taining small amounts of very fine inclusions fig 86 is obvious in paste and temper
of undetermined nature the paste color is caanal modeled carved clearly falls outside of
chanal
invariably orange the flye
fine orange group without technolog-
surface treatment preservation was too ical analysis it is impossible to determine
poor to gie much indication of die ole surface
oie
the whether the type was imported or was a lo-
treatment A white slip occurs with some cal copy of more widely spread modeled
frequency and there are a few cases in which carved ites
ates
1tes
lypes
there ar
are traces of red paint over a primary
white slip but the mcijonty
jonty of the sherds
rntjority
mal
mci
mel shards are SHPHASE
SH
YASH PHASE VESSEL FORMS
1
vea thered no examples of incis-
completelyI weathered round side bowl or dish
ing or grooving were noted fig 27 chart 3 no 1
firing the pottery is less hard than the data offered for this form in the descrip-
ixtapa variety but there are art almost no dark tsah ceramics hold equally true for
tion of asah
cores the yash phase average frequencies for this
forms similar to those of the ixtapa form continued to be about the same during
variety the yash phase as they were during the tsah
asah
chronological position this tais variety is phase there
niere is ho wever
mever a variant of the
however
known only from lumlurn phase adieposits at cer-
luin form common at san gregorio which differs
ro cuchumton
cucliumt6n but since it was most frequent enough from
froin other examples to make separ-
in lower levels at that site it may have had
bad a ate description desirable
peak during the yash phase
round side bowl large diameter variant
ghana
chana modeled carved chanal
chane caanal variety fig 321
32
fig 6 a form base ungown
unsown side rounded ori-
unknown
en tation of side ranges
entation langes from slightly outflar
outflare
athin
paste nkithin
ithin the range of variation of
yerba buena fine
surface treatment some
sorne examples have
a red orange slip while others seem to have
been unslipped but well polished modeled
carved decoration appears on the exterior of
the vessels most of the sherds
shards are too small
to show design patterns bur the carving Iiss
of an intricate style similar to that of Z fine
1
figure 32 langl
large
laage
langh dlameteb
d1a1etr
U
srur
sme
ROUNDSWE
ROUNDSIDE
ROUND bowla
SWE BOWLS
SIDE

orange the large fragment shown in figure ing to slightly restricted lim direct or slight-
6a shows a dancing figure surrounded by
aa 1ly
incuiving lip rounded
ilke designs this same
lyphlike
like
glyphlike
glyph bame fragment has an dimensions me
identical design on the opposite side of the the small size of the sherds
shards
and the unevenness of the apsbps made measure-
vessel suggesting that the design was pro- ment difficult but the diameter is regularly
duced from a mold ams considerably larger than
in excess of 30 cms
firing the pottery is fairly hard with no is standard for other round side bowls
dark cores noted in the small sample decoration pfost
most
nfost commonly red slipped
forms the only example for which the interior and exterior red slipped interior un
10
70
I
1 WAF
NWAF
N PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHWAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
CHIAPAS CERAMICS

slipped exterior A
vi bite slipped interior red
hite argete
arrete 1960 F digs 42 f
figs
igs t 43
45 f ir it occurred at
slipped exterior uaxactun
uaxact6n dil ring tepeu
during depeu 3 smith 1955 fig
types tzaconeja
tzaconeii red 66 b 23 and at tikal culbert nd
iid during
culixirt itd
chronological position this form was en- the early Poste postclassic
iassic frying pan
lassic pin inck nsuios
mcwsaiios
countered only at the site of san cregorio
gregorio vere
were
bere most common in yucatan during the
mosi cornmon
it WAS common in levels dating from the
ft three phasis
phases period although
phascs of the mexican pernod
some examples did appear as early as the

li
last half of the yash phase with frequencies
h as 25 per cent of total rims in some
as Ihigh
1 i florescent period brainerd Bramerd 1958 fig fi
fic 23
fle
samples
samp es there was a decrease in the fre- f the form anpe ared at zan
appeared
alpe Zai
zaciialp
zaizalpa
zalpaA during
muth which the form
with
quency wuth forin appeared in the the pokom
folcoat and tohiltobil
bobil phases wauchope
Wau chope
chape
froin the lum phase there may
few levels from 1948 figs fig 45 68 c the tohil
figh toiiil
cohil vessel shown
hoy
however
hoN vemer have been a connection between
vever wei
wel
melcular inter-
in the latter illustration is of particular
ibis form and large dianacter
this diamcter bowk that were
diameter bowls
bowis estt because it shows shaws the same sort of ap
common during the lum phase in the west- est pliued
phnu6d
I1 decoration as occurred in iu a few in-
he highlands both of these
ern sector of the stances on chiapas highlands incensarios
inceiisarios
large round side bowl forms seem to fill the cylinder chart 3 no 13113
role played by other large bowl forms in
earlier phases form base flat yide
side straight orientation
vide
nide
mide
of side vert ical ayn
vertical
vent icah arn ohie
rim chie
ohle et lip rounded or
diiect
direct
lleen sario frying pan type chart 3 no 8
hicensarip
sarip
lioen sanno
hicensario
hicen sarlo pointed
farm base unknown side rounded ori-
form dimensions diameter 1018 10 18 median 14
en out flaring rim di-
entation of side medium outflaring examples from the eastern sector ol of the
01
rect lip rounded appendages a hollow tub- highlands
ular handle round in cross section was at- decmztion red slipped whit
decoration white
te slipped
tached to the bowl just below the lip lxtapa fine
ixtapa incised exterior lctapa
ixtapa
decoration plain and red slipped exam- fine cream creain slipped one example from ball bad
bab
bali
bail
ples occur in about equal frequency in some court couri cache at yerba but na painted
butna
buena minted stucco
smized decoration was
stvlizcd
cases at seized appliqu
applique
as appliques
appliquedad to one example from ball
app liqued
6d bail court cache at bancho
bali
balt
bait
handle or the inside of the bowl but it san nicolas
the hande Nico liis red and black on cream poly-
was not possible to determine what this dec- chrome one example figure painted poly-
oration might have represented chrome one example from tomb at cerro
types santa elena red yerha buena ecatepec
yerba buona Ecate pec
fine yerba buena variety heistan huistin hard
huistan tapes yerba
types ferba buena fine ixtapa fine
heistan variety
huistin
huistan types foreign to the central
cenlrai highlands
chronological position frying pan ancen incen chronological position cylindrical ves-
sanios occurred in only a few samples all dat- sels vmre t cre rare in the chiapas highlands the
amre ne
ing from the tsahasah and yash phases it should scattered occurrences in the eastern sector
be noted however that the presence of this date from one ede
ode tsah and yash phases in ahe
the asah the
ihe
form could be detected only when the sherd area of distribution of ixtapa fine the west-
actually showed the juncture or place of junc- ern and north northwestern
vestern parts of the highlands
handie and bowl other examples the form seems to have
ture of the handle
baudle luyn
lum
lurn
bave persisted into the dum
beve been sorted into round side phase
could easily have
bave
wilie handle fragments could have
bowls while comparative data cylindrical vessels
been misclassiiied
misclassified as feet
miselassified have a long hiton mes nerica and the
mesoamerica
biton in Meso ar
america
comparative data frying pan mcpnsanos incensanos form by itself is not riot a significant time diag-
nol
had a wide distribution in prehistoric meso
llad meio nostic
america vith
with most examples belong
eith belongingng on comments both the number of decor-
the postclassic time evel
levei or at lleast
level I easI
1 lio earlier ated trade pieces in this class of vessels
no
llo
1 110
betweenii late classic and
than the transition betwee aud and the archeolm 0 ial
archeoogial lai cod
lal con
contexts n which they
texts lin
jin .11

early postclassic the form forin was found in the were found indicate ant this form must have
torm
fral lesca subregion of the grijalva valley in played a role in the vere
fraiiesca
frailesca
Frai mordai life of the
ceremonial
mordal
buiz and tuxtla phases nav inhabitants of the chiapas highlands
the postclassic ruiz
luks PHASE TYPES
lume
LUMIPHASE
LUNSPHASE
LUMI
LUNS 71

wide mouth coarse jar contal gro


zontal oes that encircle the interior of the
grooves
fig 33 a chart 4 no 18 widely outflaring neck
form neck body juncture vague neck types san gregorio coarse la hermita
curving orien coarse

uwt
straight or less frequently out
outcurving
position
Chrono loveal Pon
chronological tion this form was im-
P portant during the yash phase and continued

H
into the early part of the lum phase but
seems to have died out before the last stages
a of the lum phase
s comments this form is another illustra-
6 tion of regional variety within the ceramic
figure 33 YAOH
YASHPHASE
YAOHPHASE jar
YASH PHASE JARS
JAB type san gregono coarse me the shortneck
short neck
1
jtb
nth
uth
eP wide mouth lats h vertical neck jars
utb coarse jars
JRTS ars
lars wide mouth jar was found only in the western
sector of the highlands where it coexisted
tation of neck widely out
outflaring
flaring rim direct
outflarin& with a variant form of the wide mouth coarse
lip rounded flattened or grooved jar
dimensions lip diameter 14 to greater verticalneck
Vertical Neck jar fig 33 b
than 30 median 18 height 332 3244
24444 5 exam- form neck body juncture well defined
ples
neck straight orientation of neck vertical
decoration unslipped and unsmoothed rim direct or slightly everted
dim
hdm averted rare lip
apes san gregono coarse
types
Types rounded pointed flattened rare
chronological position some examples of Dimen stans diameter 816
dimensions 8 16 median 12
this form were found in tsah
asah phase deposits height 7474
JA one example but other large
7.4
but a continuous distribution of the form in fragments indicate that this height is probably
fairly high frequencies did not begin until typical
the middle of the yash phase during the last
half of the yash phase the wide mouth jar decoration red orange slipped interior
was the most important jar form although and exterior of neck dark red on red orange
a fe
few examples have a crude face appliqued
appliques
appliqued
appliqu6d
the form decreased in frequency in samples on the neck
from the lum phase production seems to
have continued through most of that phase types yerba buena fine yerba buena
and perhaps until the rune
tune of the conquest
time variety santa elena red huistan ruistin
heistan hard
comments this form shows a tendenc
tend
tendency
enc
huistin variety rare
huistan
heistan
tendence
nation from one site to another within
to va
variation chronological position this form occur-
the eastern sector of the highlands the flat- red in all phases of the chiapas highlands
lip mode and straight neck were predominant sequence with the exception of the late pre-pro-
at san gregorio while rounded lips and out classic sak phase although the form was
curving necks occurred with far greater fre- never common the appearances were slight-
quency at yerba buena ly more consistent during the yash phase
ihan during other phases the use of an ef-
than
short nego
shortneck
nedo wide mouth jar
neck
node figy face on the neck seems to have been
form neck body juncture well defined asab and yash phases
restricted to the tsah
tsab
and angular neck straight orientation of
neck widely outflaring
out flaring rim the body of the LUM PHASE
essel turns directly outward into
sessel
vessel intowht
what might CERAJIIC
CERMIXIC TYPES
be called either a short neck or a nm
rim without
neck lip rounded or flattened fo
fol
foi all of the preceding phases it has
been possible to consider the
tile ceramics from
tiie
dimensions lip diameter 16 26 median
1626 all known parts
piris of the central highlands as
pirts
20 6 examples 1525
height 152.5
15 25 median 2121
2.1 a single cera rnic complex stressing regional
ceramic
inic
6 examples variation only in the comments made about
decoration unslipped and unsmoothed varieties that had restricted distributions in
about 75 per cent of the vessels have hon
bon postclassic
postelassic
the late Poste
postcla&sic lum phase rhe
iassic lurn
lassic dle ceramic
the
die
722 N V AFF PAPER no
nn 19 CrL BEin
cel
CULBERT chips
CMAPA
CH lPh CEVJRAL HIGHLANDS cf
CEMRAL clkamics
HANUCS

divergence within the higy Higi hd become


lauds bad
highlands had die rectilinear geometric motifs che
dle
tite
eite cecur
cecurcdvutci
vutcd with
cd wath
w- ith
great that Ait seems best to consider the
areat
so oreat either vere veis hoe
verv
vete hue lines or with lines of medium
ceramics as tvo complexes one pertaining to width yee
noath yen
verv
merv rarely black
ven beick us
hiack weil as red was
as well
weli
the easivrn
ibe eabiem sector ot of the ayea
urea the other to
area used in the tiie desir
tlle
tile designs yr pys
pis
the we stern sector types of the eastern cera-
sterr
western A ft w shards
few
sherds vith with other sorts of painted
complex
mic curn
mie corn
vurn plex ere cre encountered only
were oni at the 5site
ite de oration have
decoration
dec hake been provisionally included
bave
bake A

ot san gregono
of gregorio in specifically lum contexts huistan hard these include white on
in haistan
and even here bere the linnliun
lum
lunn deposits date only polished yed rd
red red iid
ird
ii d arld
ir
rid and black or
arid on gray and
from the earliest part of the phase for thi
ctorn this
is red black an d cil ad ell ti 0on gla I the paste
cli
yellow 1

reason the history


reagon
reavon historv of the late posu postclassic
lassic
iassic chaucten&tics alad
chavacteria4es alid design rnotifs
atio
ailo rnctifs re ugnized 3nized
complex for the fh eastern sector of tiye tlle high-
the
tile
ehe in these sheeds sberds are closer
sherds jo ner
zer to those of huisman huislan
lfuistan
lands is very poorly understood cerar ceramics
bics per
nics en
i

hard than to thoe thov of ann an other known high-


taining
baining
tiiinine to the aciern actern
tern complex occurred at
wettern
webtern
Ac land t pc hild it seemed unwise to inttodi introduce ice
duns of la Herr
the runs
nuns heri nita and cerro
hermita ec
cutro ecatepec
EcAte pec
pee
tepee
topec
topee
kopec several riem dee types on the basis
nev
dev ba- is of a handful
in
lii
iii san rihbdl valley where
sin C cri5tebal
lil the san here although of aadotaaot sherds
variant
iron this tune
Consider abi
shards considerably abl lar larl
larer
ihrerl sam
inrer
the quan tit of material recovered vas
quantity VA larlarge pies from
ples fron ins-
lariz avill
time rbarig il be
vvill W needed
stritigipluc
the strata
che ignaphic data arc
ere
dara vereerc too poor to give lve L before it can be determined
orated potte
terznined
at
1t whether this dec-
lie
the limits of
precise jnrorniation
piece information about the patterns pitterns of or potto
pottoviv iy does rall
ay
elv
viv fail within
fali
rali
fall
rail ithsu lleile
change at cucbunit6n
cuchuniton directly
directl
directly north or of san variation of guista huista
haistann Iliard
huistan lard
ihard
lard or vil ether new
ir whether
vii
critobal
cristibal
crist6bal
Cri tobal thetile ceramic
tiie inen
inentory
cera inic inventory hows a mix-
tory shows
invedtorv types or varr etie sho
varietie
varieties
varietine
vari illI be designated
should
cartem
castem and Nv
ture of ccistcni estern
esterd typs
western fonns
tepes and formsl
formal firing
firina huistan haistan hard is harder than any
L

with tile
the compi ex shghtlv
tlle western complex
tiie shgbtly piedorni
predorni other ttype ype encountered in the central ii high-
igh
1

agh
nant lands dark cores occur in about 30 per cent
of the sheeds sberds with a slight tendency
sherds tendene
tendencet for
COWLEX
LUM PHASE EASTERN COMPLEX
more dark darl cores to occur in early
dari earl samples
eari
huistan heistan variety fig 34
heistan hard huistan
huistin huistin than in late ones
pave
pa
paste
pahe
poste
pohe
paite nne
nue
ite texture medium to firle
ste
stc hue color us form qf ai i vacue
1i vigue neck
bacue deck jars probably with
lallv
lalev
ual1v som linies
buff or tan somclimes
eilmes gra
somo ellmes
somolinies
climes grav
gray the princi
princl handles 2 colanders Cu
coi landers
Col cinders 0 rounel side ide bo Is
bowis
bowls
inck ision is a large quantity of very
pal inclusion
inch filfly
verv fine
fidfly oulcnm n side bowl 55i
4 outennin 1
ai censers
censera rare
divided calcite chronological fo position
vition Ht
aition tistAn hard oc-
haistan
httistan
huistan
curred in A feak le
fevk scattered in starves in sam-
instarves
instaricts
ples from the tsah t&ali phase natll
asah vth naill the begian beginn
beginning ing
oll
osl
011
r of the yash
ot sash phse
vash ahse mall
phase mail but consistent cons stent
slent
W 77K amounts of the tp began to appear in al-
hegan
0 d most all ample
mott ampie
ampies
amples
samples5 but even ec n by
eun b the end of the
b e v lo
io
hulst ein
phase hulstein
Huist eln hard still averaged
lin
.10 per cent of the total sherds
10
ja
j0
shards during the
less than

figine
fagine heln had
HLMN HRD
l hemn H RI
ea imit of the lun-i pime
pnt
amit plue the i w increas-
iibruptk to fipqneih pe
1

ed abvuptl fleillelluics lek 0A


lck 3 so 0 30 per
sui
sul
sni tace treatment bout 60 per cent ot
about of benr the hio
cenr
cent hlo oi the tiie hpe could
tile type ronld
conid not be
sullarc
sullars
face
taced
traced anv any further bv b seriation but aI surface
the iiiiistin hard are unslipped but
tile shelds of hiiistan
tiie adv 1

this collection from trom


irom the he Illate postclassic
iteite Poste iassic site of
lassic
well smoothed since the slip used on tills thik
exticmelv durable the percentage
pe is extreineiv
type pero enlige
perc enlife ut
A clccilvib
chacal
chabal ijb in tile
elb
iab tlle ocrsingn
the
tiie ocris
ocrisilla illa VA le suat suggests
n rests
slipped
wislipped sherds
imslipped
wi
im shards wa
slierds wats probably not eawh nawh
11

niuc h a f
ciuc that
tii
tit huitjn
liui stin hard
liuistin haird vu va s the most cornmon
dithering the in
fectea byv weathering inotrt common slip liin
lini
uini phasephit vpc tpl
fpc in the eastern sector of the
I1

is verv thin red avith ith nutte


nvith matte fim sli about 5
finish
sil
sll hillinds
Hil
hollindslinds sporadic
ffivblands ioradiv
lora dic
iora dle occurrences of quistin
div huistin
hiiistan
per ce nt 0of the sherds
cent
dent shards aiho
slierds hordenine
bord
hord
chovv a borde
iiho glinc
ilinc he
edine be hard r lare 1 iare sltes
hire sites
mt of the ii iiestern
estern sector indi-
cate thoat
their lle the ap wag
lie
ile vas probably till being
was
oween lugelarge reis
i reus of red
luse areas ttdd slip and d
areas so it iss not unlikely thit that the slipped roduved itt tre
pioducec the
tic time
fic ilme of olt oie t conquest
ole
the onque&t
and the unslipped sherels actuall
A
iictutilh
actuals represent
rep
repie ent
resent cniirfititc data
conqnirattre dafa red on i huff 1.1
brif colored
buff
different pn an ts of partially slip
parte slipptd
rtd
slipped
itd vesseis
vessels
ess els
wesselseis cla flimsfoinis uhe
foims dw basic dcctritie elelen
basle deconitive
basie elencit
elencie
eien
elem
aerna
lernaeit na in aI
cit 1

Occasion
occasionally
occasiontilltill titile
tiie led dip
le red
1 hip wasvris 11utd
veis itd d to inaeinac 1
nun
111 ber of late posclsic
simier
kimber
ben posiclassiv ceran cerl
ceri
cerimic
ceraniii
ceramic
ceranini iii types in
mic
mie
lle
lie
design on the base elly
designs clay
ehly tre
tle dearn
clav tlle
tile desrn
dest an
desi 4n elements guatcn llla
the guatemala iila highlands these include
ella
LUMPHASE
LUM PHASE FORMS 73

types probably produced at chinautla and


types to have appeared during the latter half of the
mixco viejo MNAE collections navarrete yash phase and to have readied
reached a peak dur-
personal communication lothrop 1933 ing the early part of the lum phase
chamula red
bed chamula
cbaxnula variety
LUM PHASE WESTERN COMPLEX
paste texture medium color tan to red-
la hermita coarse la hermita variety dish tan inclusions small to medium
paste
faste texture coarse to extremely coarse amounts of fine to medium size translucent
color most fre quenOy brick red sometimes
frequently particles
tan or brown inclusions are remarkable both surface treatment pied red slip of low to
ried
wed
for the quantity and number of different sub- medium polish
stances represented large particles of hema-
tite a translucent material that is probably
tle pottery is soft with about 20
ile
the
firing ime
per cent dark cores
sand particles of some dark mineral and var-
ious other things are represented many of
forms 1 round side bowls 2 com
the inclusions are probably the result of using cosite silhouette bowls 3 pseudo neckbowls
posite neck bowls
howls
bowis
an impure clay rather than of intentional chrorailogical position chamula red was
chronofogicaz
tempering never a common type and seems to have
occurred only during the lum phase
surface treatment always unslipped and
unsmoothed
firing the
tlle pottery is soft to medium hard
ilie low
lom
LUX
LUM prase
LUXPHASE
PHASE VESSEL
LUMPHASE bohms
VESSFL IFOBMS
with about 50 per cent of the sherds
writh shards showing round side bowl or dish
dark cores fig 35 a chart 3 no 1
forms 1 wide mouth jars 2 outflare outflar
oufflar form base flat rounded rare side
neek jars 3 short grooved neck jars
ing neck rounded orientation of side outoutflaring
flaring rim
4 vague neck jars 55. large diameter round bp rounded special mention should be
direct lip
side bowls 6 restncted
rastneted orifice everted
averted lip made of feet made from the ceramic type
bowls 7 round side incensarios 8 minia- quistin
huistin
haistan hard Altho
huistan ugh the number of fbeet
aithongh
although eet
ture bottles rare recovered was still so small that only a few
thon la hermita coarse
posthon
chronological position
posttion
Posgnon
Post tion
ghon vessels could have been involved feet are
wah present in small quantities during the
wa
was huistin hard than in any
more frequent in heistan
huistan
yash phase and increased rapidly through other highland type most of the foet fee
fea
feet are
the lum phase samples
sampier judged to date just
sampler long and hollow but a few shorter solid
before the conquest contain la hermita examples occur since none of the feet are
coarse in frequencies of greater than 80 per attached to a complete vessel section it is im
cent of the total shards posuble to say to which form or forms they
posable
pos&ible
should be attributed since however round
ecittepec rej eca
bej
Ecatepec red
ecatepec bed een
ecatepec
Ecate pec variety
tepee must common bowl form
side bowls are the most
paste tex
texture
ture medium to coarse color
usually red some turies buff or brown inclu-
sometimes
ternperedith
sions tempered with large quantities of finely 1
divided white material probably calcite oth-
b
oover nne
ude range of very
nde
covet the ssarne
er inclusions cover bude
hude
harne
barne
heterogeneous substances that occur in la
hermita coarse and probably indicate a com-
mon clay source for the two types
surface treatment thick unpolished red r
slip
firing the pottery is always soft with
shards having broad dark cores
almost all sherds
C
forms 1I large diameter round side
bowls 2 restricted orifice averted
everted lip bowls figure 35 LUMPHASE bowns AND DISHES
LUM PHASE BOWLS
BOWIS
outcuiving gae
a round side bowls b small outcurying sae
gme
gide
glde
side
chronological position the ty pe seems
type dishes c smau
smail trught side dehes
small tought
striught duhes
74 NWAF PAPER no
NNVAF wui
kun
mci 19 CUL bert
CULBERT
BERl CHIAPAS CENTRAL
CENTLIAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

produced in guista
huistan hard it is not unlikely
huistan ar forms therefore only sections large en-
jar
that at least sorne
some of the feet caine
came from
froin this indica
ludica
iudica
ough to indicate te clearly that the vessel had hed
bad
form AA few solid nubbin feet are associated been a dish were co ntcd in the category
counted
type ixtapa fine no effigy feet oc-
with the hype discussed here probably resulting in the ex-
cur in the chiapas highlands clusion of some small &herds shards that had be-
sherds
dwier
dinten rions diameter 11
sions
dwterwions
Dwter wions 222
1322
1222
12
72222 median 18 vessel of this form
longed to vessels
vesseis
De caration red slipped coarse uu slipped
decoration continents this forn was common to
san cregorio coarse red on buff clay both the eastern and western see tors of the
sectors
sec
ruistan
Rui stan hard red and black on buff clay
hui
hul
huistan
Hui
huisman chiapas highlands and seems to have had bad a
stAn hard white slipped ixtapa
hwstan
huistan
hul
Hui
hastan
hustan finej
hrtapa fined
fine similar temporal distribution in both sectors
incised on ixtapa pixie
od exterior jitapa fir
fix during the postdate
Poste lassic
iassic however there were
differences in 111 the tytype a from which the form
types produced in all cera otes of
inic types
ceramic
ceramie 1I P

lum phase but rare in the coarse types


the linn was made in tile the two sec
tlle tars with tzacodeja
sectors
tors tzacoveii
chronological poslPositm the data are no
position not
red and liuis
hu stan
fluis nln hard predominating in the
vin
uin
fluisvin
tapa fine in the west
east and ixtapa
sufficient to indicate the trend in frequency
of round side bowls in the eastern sector of 4 smail straight side dish
small
the highlands during the lum phase the fig 35 6 chart 3 no 10
three luyn
luin phase samples for which calcula-
liun
linn
1

form base flat side straight orientation


tions could be made show frequencies that of side outflaring ted
ever
out flaring rim direct slightly averted
everted
are within the lower part of the range of or sharply averted horizon
everted to horizontal tai ixtapa
tal llxtapa
variation for earlier phases ancl and may repre-
antl
anti fine lip rounded pointed rounded bevel
sent either an incipient decrease in popularity
of the form or random variation in thu tiu
flu
the vest-
tin mest
west- dimvntow diameter
dhnmnionv dlanneter 10
Dian 1030
30 median 20
ern sector the frequency of the form is aug- 465
4.65
4654
46
4.654
height 465
4654 5544 4 examples
mented by the presence of a number of ex- decoration red slipped while ahil
whil
whitete lipped
slipped
amples of a large diameter variant that does several types of dichroite
dichroiae
dicbroine
not occur in the least
east types produced in all au slipped typed
alj
ail type en-
countered in the chupa
chiapas highlands with the
small outcurving side dish exception of soyatitin
Soya
Soyat itin polychrome
titan
soyatitan
F ig 35 b chart 3 no 9
fig35fo chrottofogico position this
chrotiologica mls forin
mis ferin is an
form
form base hat fiat side out
flat curving orienta-
outcurving almost universal one in ene the central highlands
of chiapas it occurs in low frequencies in the
tion of side medium to widely outflaring out flaring
rim direct oi everted to horizontal
01 sharply averted
majority of samples from all phases two
ixtapa fine lip rounded or pointed slight peaks were noted one in the early part
of the kan phase tile tiie second iri
tlle tho lum
the
ini iho
irl
dhnenskms
difnensums diameter 16294 1624
16 24 height 41
294 41
4.1
phase
one example
decoration red or red orange slipped fo&mr LARGELY CONFINED
FORMS tire
tien
CONIMNED TO THE
TIIE
red on smoot bed buff paste jluistan
smoothed
hed haistan
hul
Hui stan hard
huistan EASTERN SECTOR
smoothed buff paste uu slipped haistan
unslipped hul
huistan
Hui stan
huist&11 vague neck jar fig 36 chart 4 no 141
14
hard red slipped interior white on red ex- form neck body juncture the body
terior one example huistan haistan hard whito white
merges so gradually into the neck of the
slipped ixtapa fine
types yerba buena fine tzaconeja
vessel that it is inn possible in many cases
impossible
irn
tzawneji red to specify exactly the point of or juncture
hultgn
hultin
hultgen
HuLst aan
fin txtapa fine
lan hard ixtapa
hulstfin out curving orientation of neck ranges
neck outcurving
otitcurving
chrontkgival
chronitoical position this form fonn appears abtflaring to examples in which
from slightly outflaring
autflaring
aut
out
in scattered examples from all phases except the entire neck is in sloping up tip to the rim
the sak phase but is present in the majority rim short but frequently sharp eversion aversion
of samples only during the lare late part of the
iare lip rounded or pointed appendages this
yash phase ana lum phase partial data
and the lurn forni seems to 1have
form xiae been equipped
liae
riwe equ ipped with loop
aqu dipped
for this phase suggest a late peak it should be ies when made in huistan
handies
handles
iland les
liand
lland heistan hard no
huistin
roted
doted that the profile of small shardssherds of this sherd large enough to indicate the number
forin is common to both dish and
yeneral form
general of handles was recovered one specimen in
PHASE FORMS
LUMPHASE
LUM 75

tobil phases at zacualpa


tohil
in the pokom and bobil

r wauchope 1948
tle
ile
tae
IM fig 49j
the form also oc
49 y mccppss
w cc ap
occurred in san jose
curLed
occuned
occurled
pp as
josg IV
thompson 1939 fig 93 at the transition
between late classic and early postclassic
and in a late classic sample from chi chipoc
woc
TOC
MNAE smith 1952 A A bird s head effigy
very similar to chiapas highlands examples
was recovered by sanders 1960 19w fig ab
i960 8b
8 fo
figure 36 VAGUENECK
VAGUE NECK jans
necil jams 33 from the site of ichpaatun in the yucatan
peninsula while somewhat similar bird s
the collection of frans blom hasbas an eff
effigy
iby
i9y beads were found at paculeu
heads zaculeu woodbury
aboe one of the handles
abole
bird s head just above and trik 1953 fig 275 f in an undated
one or two similar effi tin hard
haistan
fluistin
huistan
gies of elwis
effigies Fluis couumalhuapa
surface collection and near cotzumalhuapa
recovered in the excavations vere
were probably thompson 1948 fig 58 g also in a surface
placed in a similar position collection the example from cotzunialhu
cotzumalhuapa
was placed at the rim of a bowl the other
dimensions lip diameter 824 89 24 median
924 uren
14 height 557 one example two examples were broken off but may wren weil
weli
well
have been attached to vessels
decoration red slipped unslipped red
on buff paste exterior red slipped interior perforated jar or colander
types huist&U hard san gregorio
haistan
huistan cregorio fig 34 chart 4 no 17
coarse yerba buena fine rare form perforated with evenly
body
chronological position one sample from spaced small holes neck body juncture vague
the kan phase and four from the tsah
asah phase curving orientation
neck out
outcurving orienta tim of neck outflare
outflar
contain examples of this form it is likel likely
y ink rim direct or ever
mg
ing ted lip rounded
everted
averted
that these examples are due either to mi Mi
mixing 9 dimensions lip diameter 8810 10 3 exam-
or to accidental approximation of the gorm fann
fon
fann
fonn
form ples
the form begins to appear with some fre- decotation
denotation
decoiotion
Deco tation unslipped red slipped red
quency inn the yash phase but does docs not on buff paste hul stin hard
huistin
huistan
Huistan
heistan
achieve continuous distribution until the
achie typvs huistan
cyp
types hald san gregorio
heistan haid
huistin head
early samples from the lum phase what coarse santa elena red
seems to have been a late sample of the lum chronological position there are two
Chacalub in the oco
chacalub
phase from the site of chacalxib samples from the yash phase that show very
singo valley1I suggests that this was the dom- high frequencies of perforated jars these
inant vessel form during the last half of the high fiequencies may well have been due to
frequencies mav
lum phase in the eastern sector of the high- the separate tabulation of a number of sherds
shards
lands from the same vessel and probably are not
comparative data examples of this form indicative of any great number of vessels in
huistin hard appeared in the west
heistan hardappeared
made in huistan production at that date continuous ap eay
appear-
ear
ern sector of the highlands but are so rare ances of the form began in the lum akase pkase
phase
that they must be considered trade pieces and it is likely that peak frequencies occur-
haistan hard example was found in
another huistan red during that phase it should be noted
comit in valley blom collections an
the coinxtan that body sherds
shards showing perforation were
proximately
approximately similar form made in an un-
arproximately
approximately
ar tabulate
tabulatedcf as perforated ars but that most
slipped calcite tempered ware was found in shards would probably have been tabu-
rim sherds
the colonial town of copanaguastla in other lated as vague neck jars for few sherds
shards are
regions of mesoamerica form have a
Mesoamerica similar forms large enough to demonstrate the perforated
postclassic
slight tendency to cluster in Poste iassic cer-
lassic body
amic complexes but there are a number of comparative data perforated small-
occurrences from classic contexts as well in postclassic
mouth jars are a specifically Poste tea
iassic fea
lassic fear
postclassic times jars with a vague neck ture most common in the guatemala high-
body juncture and everted
averted rim appeared in lands they have been reported from several
panuco V ekholm 1944 fig 23 23ghg h and late sites near lake atitlan
atitlin chuitinamit
chuitinandt
76 NWAF PAPER no 19 CUL herl
bera
CULBERT
BERl chiapas
CMAPAI CENTRAL HIGHLANDS E 11 A M IQ
cfcaamlcs

chukumul
Chuku
7071
70
mut
chulliml11
mul and
71 fig 42
Pas jaye
ind Pasa jave lothrop 1933
pasajave
pasajaye
ajaye
from the tohil
zacualpa wauchope 1948151.
bohil phase at
1948151
postclassic tajumulco dutton and hobbs
r
1943 ffig
rig
igig a at uaxactun
82al
82
and
anti from
antl
anil

uaxactin there was


much earlier occurrence of perforated
a mueh
att
rat

vas
r
figura 37 0u7cv14jn
figure G nly1c
CXTCUMNG
CXTCUMNGNneilo
N ICK COAME JIS
COAHSE J IS
7
jars in period J jpreclassic
preclassic ricketson
rie ketson and
ric
hieketson
rscketson
Hie
ricketson 1937
1937253
1937953
953
dimewionv lup
dinzenions 636
626
lap diameter
di arneter 36 median
arreter &&26
comments A few perforated jars j ars were 14 3035
30 35 median 45
height 303.5
3035 45 there is con-
4.5
ceramie types in the
made in local ceramic tile Nv
tlle estern
western sid erable varia
siderable timi in the neck dimension of
variation
varla
waria
sector of the chiapas highlands during the these vessels with little tendency for dimen-
postclassic but they were not nearly so corn- com- sions to cluster
mon as in th the eastern sector decot alion unslipped and unsmoothed
oecwfrtion
alfon
formas LARGELY CONFINED TO THE
FORMS
FORMIS types IAla hermita coarse
WESTERN sea TOR
SECTOR
SEC chrwwlogical
chroiwioical position the peak trequen
round side bow
bowl large diameter variant cy ute in the lum
form occurred ate
of this tomi ate
phase at the
tho ast before
lb time jiust tike conquest
betoi c the
tiie
form base unknown side rounded orien-
stratigrapbic data the time
because of poor stratigraphic
tation of side ous tfflaring
laring rim direct lip
outflaring
out ip ot introduction of the form could not be de-
borni conid
lorm
rorni
rounded
ter mined but it may have been as early
termined eariy as
earl
dimensions diameter 3052 30 52 median 40
the yash phase
decoration red slipped interior unslip-
ped exterior incvnsario
incen&ario tyle
tyie
round side dish type
fyie fig 38 18 a
types Char nula red ecwpec
chamula Ecat opec rea
ecatopec red
bea
bed form nat single perforation in cen-
hat
farm base flat
fiat
chronological position this form was im- side rounded and thickened near
ter of base sidle
portant in the western sector of the central bade orientation of bide
base I1 sde
ade open mouth to
side
hide
highlands during the yash and lum lunt phases
luni slightly restricted oriorifice
orl fice rim direct lip
five yim
there was not enough stratigraphic aphia data to
strategi aphic
stratigi rounded appendages three loops of clay
indicate the time of peak frequencies but were placed on the interior of the dish reach-
the form WRS no longer common during the froin the sides to the base
ing from
closing stages of the luin
linn phase dimensions diameter 142 142 height 40
14.2 40
4.0
neckless jar
ampie
ample
example
one cx
decoration unslipped and unsmoothed
form base unknown side rounded orien- three examples were stained by red ochre achre
dired
tation of side restricted orifice rim direct rroxn use of
but the stains probably resulted froin
everted just at lip lip rounded or
or slightly averted
rounded and thickened
deuie wions diameter 3644
diniewions
Dinie sions 36 44 4 exam-
ples
decoration unslipped red slipped
types la hcnnita
hennika coarse chamula red
hennita
eca pec red
Eci tepee
ecatepec
ecitepee
Ecate
production of this
chronological position productionof b
fo m was at a peak at some time during
fol
foi
the yash phase or the lum phase but was no
longer common in the dosingclosing stages of the
lu
lum rn phase

couse jar fig 37


outcurving neck coarse
form neck body juncture vague or
rounded neck almost straight to widely out a
curving orlen
orien tatlion
orientation
orientat
oriental neek medium to wide-
tion of neck
y outa
ly outfflaring
out taring rim direct lip rounded
outflaring
laning
figure16
figure luw
lem htiu
luu PKASE
htmu
16 LUMPKASE
LUM
a round side desh qtyps
dishtype
dish
mv4tzvoz cor
VWTKW complex
coh gri
tri x VESSELS
COMPUEX
mcemario b minla
pp iucemario
type
ap minis
miniature
buc jar
LUMPHASE
LUM PHASE FORMS 77

the vessel in offerings rather than from an bottle


attempt at decoration form neck body juncture unknown
types la hermita coarse neck straight or slightly out
outeurving
outcurving orienta-
curving ocienia
ocienta
Chronologicat position this form was tion of neck vertical to slightly inslopmg
chronologicat
chronological idslopmg rimnm
found in only one location directly in front direct or slightly everted lip rounded
everted
averted
of the single pyramid at the site of la her- dimenremu lap diameter 1822
dimeiwons 1831
1821
22 4 ex-
18 21
mita tius
tins means that the form certainly was amples
in existence at the end of the lum phase decoration unslipped
but the total amount of time it covered can- type la hermita coarse
not be stated for no comparable location was powwn
positwn
chronological powen
Posit wn known only from
excavated at any other site in the western
sector samples from the end of the lum
lurn
luen phase
comments the functional assignment of
this form to the general class of incensarios
incensanos ju
jar
tar fig 38 b
miniature tay
is supported both by the location in which a form neck body juncture rounded neck
large deposit of the vessels occurred and by curving orientation of neck
outcumng
straight or out
outcurving
the fact that almost all examples were en- out flaring rim direct lip rounded
outflaring
crusted with charcoal in the same deposit dimensions lip diameter 4 one exam-
with the dish forms were found a quantity of ple
large fragments of cylindrical form neither decoration unslipped
rims nor bases were recovered so the total
form remains in doubt but it seems not un- type la hermita coarse
likelyf that these vessels were large hollow chronological position found conl
onl
onlyY in the
cylinders that served as bases for the dish deposit at the foot of the pyramid at the site
incensarios of la Hex
hei
hermita
mita
discussion AND SUMMARY

ne foregoing
the sections have presented the the connections between the people partici-
be explained
data upon which the ceramic seque we of the
sequence
beque pating in these traditions cannot he
central highlands of chiapas was based at presen 1969 11 suggests that
present but lowe 195911
the ceramic complexes have been described
mie alva depression was occupied by a
grialva
the Gri
grijalva
grihalva
aiva
and the temporal ordering of the complexes mayan people during the late preclassic
and the nature of the transitions between me
the few highland sites of the sak phase were
them discussed A phase by phase considera- probably derived directly from the occupa-
tion of the ceramic history of the central grijalva river for they are
tion along the grijaiva
highlands can now be attempted drawing located in positions of easy access to the
together the data that shed light upon gen- nver valley no verv
river very precise date can be
eral cultural and historical patterns within given to the sak phase on the basis of the
catin the ceramic relation-
the area and indication
indicatin
indicating
indi very scanty evidence available but a guess
ct lapas highlands with
ships that linked the chiapas date of 300 B C to A D 100 might be sug-
the rest of mesoamerica
Meso america gested
kan phase
sak phase because of a discontinuity in the data cer-
ceramics of the sak phase the earliest earnest amics cannot be used as a basis for conclus-
cm
phase ighland sequence are the least
h ase 1Iii n the 11
highland
known of the ceramic complexes sak cer-
ions about bhe thee nat
th ur e of the transi
nature
tween the late preclassic salk
til
tim bk
transition
sak phase and the
be-
amics were encountered by excavation only early classic kan phase on the basis of other
at the site of mercedes de la maria and the data some important trends in the culture
sample from that site was too small to permit history of the chiapas highlands seem to
any subdivision of the phase or even ta to
t0 give have been initiated during this transitional
assurance that the total ceramic inventory period see adams 1961344 34455 beginning
19613445
1961 344
is recognized As adams 1961 342 34244 has perhaps at this time and continuing through
pointed out the scar CIty of preclassic remains
scarcity
SCaT the early part of the kan phase there was
in the area seems to be a definite fact rathey rather an expansion in the population of the central
than the result of incomplete sampling and highlands that led from the two very ssmail small
mall
maii
mali
one must conclude that the occupation of the sites that could be dated to the sak phase to
area was very limited before the beginning the much larger and more numerous sites of
of the classic period tsah phase in my opinion this expan-
the asah
in spite of the limited ceramic sample sion was too great to be explained as a nor-
air perhaps because of it the sak phase
or
oir mal increase in the very small preclassic pop-
proved easy to date for this phase use rather it
ulation of the area bather seems that ame
tme
there
could be made of the excellent ceramic se- must have been an influx of people entering
quence obtained from excavations at chispa chiapa the highlands from some outside region
de corzo by the new world archaeological the kan phase also marked a drastic
foundation warren personal communica- change in settlement pattern between the val
tion sak phase ceramics conform well to lev floor sites of the sak phase and the hilltop
ley
those bommhorn the late preclassic period at chi-
borm slies
sltes that were so typical of the asah
sites tsah and
apa de corzo and other sites in the depres- later phases there may have been a transi-
sion of the grijalva river lowe 1959 ign the tional period in terms of settlement pattern
late pye
fye
preclassic
Fre classic ceramic traditions of both the Campanaton the earliest xan
for cerro campanaton
campanat6n kan
ican
central highlands and the grijalva valley are phase site at which excavations were made
part of a widespread group of traditions that occupied a low eminence that is considerably
covered the lowland maya area and neigh- different from the high steep WIl wll
wilsides
hillsides
hill sides upon
mii
boring regions during a time equivalent to which later sites were built both of the other
th clicanel
thee Chi
C canei phase at uaxactun
hicanel
chicanercanel uaxactdn smith and classic sites tested rancho san nicolas and
gifford nd the tle exact nature and extent of
ile yerba buena occupied steep hills and ridges

79
80 NW
N WAF
AY PAPER no 19 CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

and both showed initial occupations dating porlant types in the kan inventory there must
portant
from the latter part of the kan phase have been at least strong trade connections
these changes were accompanied by a and perhaps even ceramic identity between
marked change in ceramic tradition for there the southeastern part of the central high-
was almost no connection between ceramics comitia
comitan valley in early classic
lands and the comitin
of the sak phase and those of the kan phase times kan ceramics were totally absent in a
since the temporal gap between the sak and large surface collection obtained from the
kan samples cannot have been much more classic site of tonina in the oco
ocosingo
singo
0 vailey
valley
singe collec-
than two centuries the ceramic transition although there is a kan vessel m in the
must have been fairly abrupt tions of the mexican national museum that
there is some indication that the kan has a stated proven tonini
ence of tonina
provenience
phase ceramic tradition did not cover the recognizable trade pieces from outside
whole of the central highlands the three the central highlands were extremely rare
sites at which kan cer oer cimics were encounter-
ceramics in kan phase deposits A single specimen of
ed cerro campanaton
Campa naton rancho san nicolas
campanat6n nicolis a characteristic white slipped vare
kare found in
ware
and yerba buena are all in the southern or santa cruz in
large quantities at the site of
part of the highlands and all belong to a the grijalva valley occurred at rancho san
single ceramic province in the western sec- nicola
nicolass in a sample datable to the end of the
tor of the highlands a ceramic sample which kan phase A polychrome basal flange bowl
has been provisionallyI1 dated as early classic fragment was recovered from a pit at rancho
was recovered during excavations at cerro san nicolas in which a mixture of kan phase
Ecatepec ta
ecatepec
ecitepec this
t1ius sample was totally unrelated and tsah
asah phase ceramics occurred since the
to the kan tradition and reflects instead con- bowl form is typical of the early classic per-
nections with a tradition that was common in iod of the maya lowlands uaxactun
uaxact6n tzakol
the northern part of the grijalva valley dur- phase smith 1955
19 it would have been ser-
ing the late preclassic and early classic the tle
ile iously out of place in the tsah
asah phase and
western sector of the chiapas highlands
higbilands was must be considered contemporary with the
too poorly covered for this early time range kan ceramics in the pit
to indicate whether there had been a gear dear
clear in the absence of evidence of 01 outside
boundary between the kan and the northern trade connections the kan phase was dated
grijalva traditions on the basis of general similarities in ceramics
outside of the centra
central highlands kan gri
Cri jalva valley and
with the cultures of the grijalva
ceramics were encountered in quantity at the the lowland maya region A number of
gri
site of santa cruz in the grijalva
crljalva
Cri laiva valley
vailey but these similarities involved the forms of the
at this site were mixed with numerous types
which were foreign to the highlands collec-
tw ean
kan phase ceramic complex and and late pre-
ind
classic ceramics from other areas the lateral
william sanders kan
tions in possession of wilham ridge bowl deep outcurving side bowl and
ceramics were very rare in other sites in the deep straight side bowl find parallels in the
grijalva valley NYAF collections but it
vailey NVVAF late preclassic ceramic complexes of the gri-
should be pointed out that santa cruz acala lovland maya region
jalva valley and the lowland
and chiapa de corzo are the only sites in this and soyat
Soya itin
irin polychrome is very similar
titan
tiran
soyatitan
sovatitin
Sovat
particular part of the valley adjacent to the protoclastic
to a protoclassic
Protoclassic polychrome type from chi-
central highlands that ar are known to have apa de corzo
had an earlyeardy classic occupation lowe
eaddy lowe in spite of this list of late preclassic
1959 15 16 burial and cache vessels re-
1969 similarities to kan ceramics the total kan
ported by lowe and Ag rinier 1960 mason
aganier
agnnier
agrinier
rinler collections cannot be considered preclassic
1960 lowe 19692 1962 and agiinier
Agrinler
rinier 1964
agrinier Proto classic yle
protoclastic
or even protoclassic ile
the connections with
for the Jiqui pilas and laguna phases at
jiqmpilas
jiquipilas late preclassic ceramic complexes involve
chiapa de corzo do not include any vessels only a small percentage of the total collec-
of highland origin tionss and the rest of them are not compat-
tio
A fair number of examples of kan ceram- ible with a preclassic date many of the most
ics also appeared in a surface collection from common forms of the kan phase are clearly
the site of hun chavin in the comitancomitia val-
comitin not preclassic hemispherical bowls with ring
ley since these included almost all of the im base which are common in the kan oollec colac
colkc
discussion SUMMARI
AND SUMMARY 81

tions were a classic rather than preclassic


eions grialva
grta1va
alva valley or the maya lowlands the
grihalva
Griaiva dle
die
form in the maya region at uaxactun
uaxacti5n they two regions with which kan ceramics are
did not appear until tzakol 2 smith 1955
1965 most closely related these possible sources
kaminaljuy6 they first appeared
23 while at kaminaljuyu receive some support from the distribution
in the esperanza phase kidder jennings of kan ceramics which seem to have first
IM 177 most of the jar forms
and shook 1946177 become established in the southeastern part
of the kan phase have high necks which are of the central highlands
comparable to the classic forms in the maya grialva
grilalva
crlaiva
cri
grihalva
data from the Gril
Gri alva valley may have
lowlands and completely different from the dle
die some bearing upon this question lowe
short out curving jar necks of the preclassic
outcurvmg
outcurving id59 warren personal communication on
1&59
ijaxactan smith 195523 san
of that region uaxactun the ceramic sequence of chiapa de corzo
1939158
jose thompson 1939.158
josi brockington personal communication on the
the total impression of the kan phase site of santa rosa mere nere
there was an intensive
ceramic complex is that of an early classic occupation of the entire central depression
tradition of ultimately maya origin but of pats during the late preclassic and
chiapas
of Chia
considerable isolation with the failure of protodassic
protoclastic
protoclassic 195911
Proto classic periods lowe 19591114 14 sug-
maya early classic polychrome decoration gests an origin in the maya lowlands for the
and the vessel forms associated with it to pen- 4
basic ceramic tradition of this era but to-
ward the end of the preclassic the centra
etrate the highlands many preclassic forms central
persisted among the finer vessels the forms depression underwent a period of increasing
of kan utility vessels followed the general regional divergence in ceramics and was
maya pattern of development from the late subject to influences from the highlands of
preclassic to the early classic although with- guatemala and the gulf goast coast of Me
boast mexico
doo
out specific similarities to any known maya at about the start of the classic period
early classic ceramic complex in the ai1ilightt there was a serious disruption of the estab-
of these conclusions it seems likely that thele lished pattern of occupation at the same
kan phase began at about A D V 300 a date time sites in the northern part of the
at which some of the rather specific preclassic grijalva valley displayed ceramics that show
R ma
m& mesMRS would not be remarkable
similarities it connections with the gulf coast of mexico
should be noted however that if cerro cam traces of earlier maya connec-
and almost all tram
panat6n was as suspected earlier than the
panaton
manaton tions disappeared from this area it seems
other two kan sites at which excavations were quite possible that the influence that was res-
made penetration of the highlands proper sible for the disruption of occupation in
ponsible
pon
by the kan tradition may not have occurred the grijalva valley might have resulted in a
earlier than A D 400 to soo500 on the basis of
SW displacement of population into the central
tsah phase the end date of the
data for the asah highlands
kan phase has been set at A D 7700 foo a cen-
200 yle
ile
the source and nature of the relationship
earla classic in the
tury after the end of the earlv between the ceramics of the chiapas high-
peg
pei
peten
an tle
ile
the fact that the kan
6n ime kar phase deposits lands and those of the lowland maya area
were generally deeper and of more varied cannot be explained because of the lack of
ceramic inventory than the deposits from data from intervening areas the relationship
other phases tends to support the long time may have been remote MW and mediated entirely
span suggested for the phase through the inhabitants of the grijalva val-
if the assumption is made that people ley but the possibility of other connections
moving into an area that had previously been cannot be dismissed Althou gb classic maya
although
very sparsely populated would not be likely traits such as dated monuments and the cor
to abandon their ceramic tradition and adopt baled arch reached the Oco
beled singo valley at
ocosingo
new one one may use the cer-
a completely now the eastern border of the highlands during
amic data to speculate about the origin of the the early classic slom
blom and lafarge 1926
classic period population in the chiapas morley 1946 there does not seem to have
highlands if there was a mo ement of peo-
movement been any direct ceramic influence in the
ple into the highlands from some outside highlands from this source for the surface
region during the kan phase
hase the most likely collection of ceramics from the site of tonina
source would seem to uve have been either the showed no connection with kan ceramics the
82 NNVAY papher no
NWAF PAPER 19 CULBEHT
CULBERT chiapas
CHLUAS
CHIAFAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS

ceramic tradition of or the central highlands of tzeltal and tzotzil or tzeltal tzotzil and
seems to have been shnilady ally unrelated to
simil aily
similaily
atly
similarly chui but the preliminary linguistic data in-
that of the late classic occupation of the dicate that the periods of separation involved
comital valley where lowland maya
comitan miya traits are far too short to make such a history likely
ilso appeared but kan ceramics did occur oecui jr
occui unless tl the
tir w final tabulation of thetite lem6statis
tlle
tile lexicostatis
comitia valley during the early classic
comitin
the comitan tical data
dala results in considerably longer pez per
pei
peh
and some connections
connections with the mayamaya region lods of separation a morc moro likely explanation
more
through this area before the arrival of classic would seem to be bc that the advent of the un-
maya features is possible differentiated tzeltal tzotseu
tzotzii group in the re-
tzotzil
attention
kttention should also be given to the gions bordering the highlands was a part pait of
palt
degree to which the ceramic data correspond senes
the serres
serles of new
senei
series ne influences and unrest that
glottocbronological data derived from the
to glottochronological marked the end of the tile late preclassic in the
tilc
modern indigenous languages of the chiapas gri
Cri
grijalva
alva valley
crialva
aima
alma
highlands although adams 1961344 196134 chiaeas
chiakas
196l344 has as although it seems probable that the spread
already considered this question some soine ex- of classic ceramics in the central highlands
pansion of his remarks in terms of the latest of chiapas can be correlated ith itb the advent
with
iab
ceramic data mav be of interest of the parent tzeltal tzotzil group in the
the lexicosttisfical
lexicostatistical data mcquown region all the hypotheses about the origin of
1959 indicate that the tzeltal and tzotzil
.1959 the group must be considered extremely con-
languages the languages spoken in the cen- je
jec tural not ordy
jectural
burai
bural
chiral are the glottochronological
arc
only axe
ondy glottoebronological
tral highlands today have been separated for or data preliminary but the archeologrical
archeological con-
archaeological
at period of time between 1000 and 1500 years siderations are derived from a few bits and
ecriod
Cchu the nearest relative of the tzeltal tzot ezot fragments of evidence that have been gath-
zil group is separated from the two by about ered from regions that itill till remain essen-
idill
16 to 17 centuries the first basic question tially unknown the speculations are offered
is whether the influx into the chiapas high- only in the hope that they may highlight prob-
lands that occurred during the kan phase lems for further study and indicate the pos-
might represent the arrival of the parent sibilities
sibili historic
ties for historicalai reconstruction that are
stock out of which tzeltal and tzotzil differ- inherent iii in a correlation of aicheological aud
lri
iri
entiated
entia ne
ted the ceramic data indicate that such linguistic data
was most likely the case if one assumes that
differentiation of the tzeltal tzotzil stock did tsak phase
not begin until the parent group had been jn terms of the number of sites occupied
well dispersed over the highlands the begin- the late classic trah phase was one of the
ning of divergence would have taken place major periods in the history of the chiapas
at about the start of the asab tsab phase 1200 to
tsah 1961.34577 A large col-
1961345
highlands adams 1961.3457
19613457 0

1300 years before present in excellent agree- lection of ceramics from thys this phase was re-
glottochroriological data there
ment with the glottochronological covered by excavation at the sites of rancho
is also an apparent parallel between the pat- san nicolas and yerba buena and was su sup-
terns of linguistic and ceramic divergence plemen ted b a brief review of eera
plemented ceramics ob-
cera T
within th the highlands both sets of data sug- tained in excavations at Moxi quli and cerro
moxiquil
moxviquii
quil
gest a relative uniformity of culture patterns pec in the san crist6bal
ecatepec
Ecate
eclatepec cristabal valley
cristobdl
in the region during the classic period fol- after a brief period of lapid ceramic
lowed by increasing divergence that eventu- change at the beginning of the biah tiah phase
tsah
ally resulted in the establishment of two sep- the ceramic tradition of the central high-
arate zones lands settled down to a stable edtih
entity that cov-
entih
it is more difficult to relate ceramic and ered the whole
whoie of the highland region asah tsah
glottocbronological data in the problem of the
glottochronological phase ceramics are best understood for the
ultimate origin of the classic Ppopulation illation of southeastern palt
pal t of the area and the seria-
pait
pai
the chiapas highlands it would bee conven- tion data used in defining the sequence
ieouenc were
ient to attribute the maya influence in the obtained from sites
siten in that sector ceramics
Ilate
nate
ate preclassic ceiamics
ceiamics of the cri
ceramics crl
Gri alva val-
grijalva
aiva from sites in the san cristobal valley make it
ley and perhaps comitia valley
comitin
perbaps the comitan vailey to clear that the western part of the highlands
the
tile presence in that region of the parent stock
tlle participated in a regionally variant tradition
discussion AND SUMMARY
SUNIMARI 83

in which there were different varieties of coveted the lowland maya area
vessels that coveied
sonie of the tpes
some
sonic tapes found in the southeastern
txpes reamie cifford personal com-
from barton ramie
weil as several additional types that
weli
well
sector as welf muni cation and san jos thompson 1939
munication
were not found in the southeast nonetheless sdcrificios richard
on the east to altar de sacrificlos
the bulk of the collections from the two sub- adams personal communication and the
regions were close enough in both type and Usu macinta sites rands personal communi-
usumacmta
usumacinta
vessel form to give the highlands a ceramic catlon on the west during the late classic
cation
u
unity greater than at any subsequent tune
tame
fame period all of the Illate
ate classic ceramic com-
ate
tsab ceramics were not widely distribu-
tsah
asab plexes of central chiapas seem to belong to
ted outside of the chiapas highlands the the margins of the lowland maya sphere of
classic site at tonina Ocosingo vauey
tonini in the ocosingo hauey
vailey
valley influence
remained completely unrelated to the hi high-
gh tsah
asah hase collections from the central
phase
langs
highlangs
highlands
highlands contained more trade pottery of
lands in ceramic inventory collections from hith
High
late classic sites in the comitan
comitia valley show
comitin determinable source than did collections of
a number of general ceramic similarities be- any other phase trade pieces were still ex-
tween that area and the highlands but the tremely rare and confined largely to mortu-
ceramic traditions of the two areas give the ary and cache contexts but they did indicate
impression of traditions which were either di- economic relationships with other parts
verging from a common base or were sub- mesoamenca
of Meso america several poby
mesoamerica chrome vessels
polychrome
pokychrome
poky
ject to sicular
similar influences
sinular found m asah tsah contexts indicate connections
it is possible that the comitan
comitia valley was
comitin between the chiapas highlands and the maya
subject to strong influences from the lowland lowlands and a fragment of a modeled
maya area at the start of and during the carved vessel from rancho san nicolas
nicolis fig
late classic period for dated monuments 6a is very similar to carved ferruginous
6ff
aa
and architectural techniques related to those ware from the peten Z fine orange vessels
of the lowland maya area appeared in the found in tombs at Moni mohi quil
quli were obtained
moniquil
moniquie
moxviquil
region at that time although this influence by trade with the tabasco coastal plain
did not penetrate the highlands to any great smith 1958 and the effigy um found in
extent it might have been responsible for the the ball court cache at yerba buena is similar
cluster of ceramic changes that marked the to examples known from qu en santo in west-
introduction of tsah
asah ceramics ern guatemala E seler 1901
trade pieces of asahtsah ceramics occurred general similarities in vessel form place
only rarely in sites in the depression of the the tsah
asah phase as roughly contemporary with
ghi
Crijalva river MVAF
chi
grijalva NWAF collections the oc- the late classic ceramic complexes of the
ces were most frequent in a restricted
currences
curren lowland maya area the trade pieces that
part of what lowe 195930
we 19593043 43 calls the were encountered in the central highlands
acala subregion it is at this point that the offered a potential means by which to pro-
river passes closest to the highland massif vide a more exact estimate of the relative
and ceramics of grijalva types are known to temporal position of the phase although
have reached into the lower slopes of the many of the trade vessels occurred in dubious
highlands around the town of zapotal ad- stratigraphic situations or if they occurred
ams 1961 fig 1 despite the occasional in tombs or caches were unaccompanied by
trade connections the basic ceramic tradition temporally significant local forms the total
of the central depression during late classic information available for dating the tsah asah
times was quite different from that of the phase was more than was available for any
central highlands although there were some other phase in the sequence
similarities in vessel forms between the two whole or fragmentary vessels datable by
traditions reference to known sequences in the maya
tle vessel forms in which the tsah
ile
the asah cer- lowlands and of undeniably T tsah
asah
sah phase
V
hase con-
amic inventory shows the closest relation
relationships
ships texts in the chiapas hi ghiand s belong
highlands iong to
long
with the ceramics of the grijalva and comi types that occurred during tepeu
depeu 2 and 3 at
un
tan valleys are utility forms such as large uaxactun
uaxactdn but none of the examples seem
storage bowls and jars these forms are part to be as early as tepeu
depeu 1I smith 1955 in
of a very broad tradition of forms for utility addition the tombs at moxviquil
nloxviquil which are
84 NWAF PAPER no IG culbert
CULDKRT CHWAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS
CHIAPAS

estimated to date from the end of the tsah


asah gnk laiva depression central chiapas
Crijalva
the grijalva
phase contained numerous
nutnerous exam
nur examples
ples
plos 4 Z
pies ot seems to have stood apart from the serious
fine orange which dates from the transi- disiuption between the late classic and
disruption
labe classic ana
tional period between the late and postdassic that occurreain
early postejassic reain
occurredin
occurred in many other
958 smith and
early postclassic smith 111958 wiliey has summarized this transition
areas wiiiey
w91ey
gifford nd the asahtsah
sah phase thus probably wiands as follows
in the maya lowlands
10
began at about the time of tepeu
depeu 2 ie one of the most
moitst startling gete
mo
moir yete nent phe-
naut
nant
ieldeiikiut
lernaut
settler
bernaut
ier
AD 700 and continued until the time of nomena of u middle american
amedi
Ameri cAo pre
oan
ameddoao history
prehistory
pne
afine orange about A D
distribution of zfine occurs with the change from classic to
1000 postclassic this is the apparent
appan nt abandon
meit viuf
th vium
ineat of the southern maxa lowlands this
firm maya
fiem mava
yash phase abandonment is notednotee in al
noter 0 the smidl
smidi err
orr
oriihern
ern
smidiern
cormio nial enters where const
ceremonial ruedon and
construction
during the yash phase the general pat- stelae dated cease after about goo 900 AD and
terns of occupation and artifact manufacture from the dtta able the events of the
available
deta av Ul abie
diable tiie
llad become established during the tsah
that had
phase ere pro continued almost all tsah
were
pre
asah
asah phase
cwemonijl
cezernonia center opprar
nuniA
cezernunia tppmr tn he
domestic sites Ce
in the dnmestic ceramio
ccraniio
ceramic
ail
w pmalcled
allcled
ramie and othor
ramio
ramlo other
postclassic
postelassic
p&stclassic
materials datable as foste
Poste lassic are rare IQ in
sites continued to be occupied at least during peta and &r
the peten ar
th belize valloy 19561131956.113
he early part of the yash phase but the ma-
the
jority of them declined and were abandoned wihey ternent
statement
staternent
willevs s sta
willems must
musi be modified some-
before the beginning of the succeeding lum what in the light of more recent data but
phase in the excavation samples the yash still holds truetrve in its most
arve
truo mosi essential aspect
phase was represented in material from the that there was a marem marked disintegration of pre-
sites of san sail gregorio yerba buena and
sali
sall vious culture patterns in the Cej cei itral maya
central
rancho san nicolas Nicol
dds as well as in supplemen-
fis
dis area at the end of the late classic period
crial from moxviquil and cerro eca
nut ernal
tary materialerial eci although the presence of such undeniably
tepee postclassic
postelassic
po&tclassic
early Poste lassie
lassic tolid plumbate
dolid pluxnbate
iassic types as tohil
the discussion of yash ceramics is made flue orange at tikal NVV coe
and X fine co 11962Z
difficidt by the fact that the ceramic complex
difficult and uaxaetin
laxactun smith 1955 indicates that
of this phase had few distinctive characteris- continued occupation occurred at these sites
tics of its own the seriation charts indicate the occupation was of such a marginal
that the ceramic inventory consisted of little character that it has not even been possible to
moie than the persistence and diminution of
moze define local ceramic complexes for tiie the early
tile
elements that had bad been present during the postclassic at palenque rands personal
preceding tsah asah phase the decreasing tsah tsab
asab communication the situation seems to have
types and forms were replaced by increased been similar with ith only a few scattered sherds
shards
production of san gregorio coarse coatse the dom- to indicate fost postclassi
postclasic
postclassic
Post classi activity at the site
inant ceramic ty pe of the yash phase and by
type sedes of sites including altar de sac
at a senes
series
sedies
serdes
the gradual addition of small quantities of rifi cios and DOS pilas along the pasion
rificios paslon river
ceramic types which were to become impor- at the southern edge of the peten petan a different
tant in the following lurn luin phase in anany
inany
many eems to have existed these sites
situation seenii
jeenii
ways the yash phase may be thought of as a show a well developed eariv earlv postclassic
earia Poste iassic cer-
lassic
very slow transition between the ceramic com- amic tradition including large quantities of
plexes of the late classic and late postclassic fine orange and fine oley olev although there
gley
giey
the transitional character of the yash phase are some indications that there was mexican
seems to have held true for the patterns of influence at these sites navarrete personal
occupation and territorial organization as well communication the nature of the transition
196352
adams 1961352 between late lafe classic and early postclassic
jhc
thc continuity between the Tsah and
the has yet to be reported
yash phases in the central highlands of chi- although knowledge of the guatemala
apas is an important conti ast to the situation
contrast
contiast
conbast highlands for thia thl time range
thi
rhi
this
ihla lange is limited the
iange
that occurred throughout much of meso abrupt change in settlement pattern at or
america at this time it can be linked with a
amonica slightly after the end of the late classic
similar continuity between phases reported shook and prosk proskouriajcoff
ouriakoff 19566
1956 suggests a
by lowe 1959 and navarrete 1959 for disruption comparable to that of the peten
discussion SUMMAR
AND SUMMARY 85

in yucatan on the other hand the ceramic were a few trade pieces from the highlands
transi tiLon at least was more similar to thatof
transition that of at copanaguastla even rarer items from the
the chiapas highlands smith and cifford gifford
clfford grijalva in some of the highlands sites and
grijaha
nd 1 emphasize the position of the early some similarities in the vessel forms of the
postclassic ceramic complex in
postciassic m that area as two regions although these connections leave
a slow transition between the late classic little doubt that some commercial contacts
complex and the middle postclassic complex existed between the central highlands and
the fact that the disappearance of the chi
neighboring parts of the grijalva Depes sion
Cri jalva depression
slon
ceramic tradition and tem territorial
itorial organization the trade pieces and similarities involve only
of the classic period in the chiapas high- a tiny fraction of the total
toia ceramic inven-
tota
lands was a gradual process covering several tories the amount of contact indicated by
centuries rather than the abrupt transition ceramics is very low especially in view of the
evident yiaiia so many areas was probably con-
yla
ID fact that copanaguastla was occupied in col-
nected with the extreme isolation of the high onial times and probably before the conquest
lands during the yash phase the external waii by a people who spoke one of the
as well
weil
weli
wall
connections that haa bad marked the tsah
had asah phase languages of the chiapas highlands
were interrupted before the beginning of the some idea of the regional variation within
eaily postclassic and no new connections the central highlands during the yash phase
were established the mexican influences vis- was provided by ceramics of this date from
ible ioin the maya area on the pacific coast of oi moxviquil and cerro ecatepec
the sites of Ecatepec in
guatemala thompson 1948 and yucatan the san cristobal valley As during the asah tsah
morley 1946 never appeared in m the chi- phase the ceramic complex of the western
apas highlands even more surprising was the sector was regionally variant with different
extreme beai city of the fine trade pottery that
scarcity
beas ciby varieties of known types and a few new types
covered large areas of southern Meso america
mesoamerica not encountered in the eastern sector al-
nort
during the early postclassic tohil bohil plumbate though in the western sector as in the east-
which reached almost every part of veso meso ern firm conclusions about the yash phase
america shepard 1948 ims iss represented in
INS are made difficult by the vague separation of
the chiapas highlands by only one dubious the phase from the preceding and following
plombat
plumbat
plumbate sherd from a surface collect ion at
collection
collectton
ton phases the degree of regional variation seems
rancho san nicolas
nicolas a single vessel reported
to have been found at san gregono
tle
ile
to have been increasing the yash phase was
the apex in the western sector of the type
gregorio schu-
mann 1936 a few sherds shards recovered bvby lor- ixtapa fine a type that did not occur in the
enzo personal communication in the exca- east also several new varieties and types
vation of rock shelters in the Teo teopista
teopisca
pisca valley which were to mark the strong regional dif-
and a vessel in the blom collections reported ferentiation of the lum phase began to ap-
to have come from near Teo teopista
teopisca
pisca considering pear in yash phase samples from the san
the bulk of early postclassic ceramics recov- cnst6bal
costobal valley
cnstobal
ered the quantity of plumbate that entered even within the eastern sector there was
the region must have been verv very small indeed a greater degree of subregional variation dur-
X ame
fino orange which had almost as wide a
fme
fine ing the yash phase than had been noted for
18
distribution as plumbate smith 1958 is to-
tally unrepresented in the central highlands
earlier phases deposits at san
sad cregorio
sain gregorio con-
tained large amounts of tzaconeja red a
collections type which did not occur at rancho san nic-
even connections with the neighboring olis and yerba buena and the forms of san
olas
doriner the yash
grijalva valley were rare during
duriner cregorio coarse differed in frequency from
comparatoe data for the gri-
phase better comparati
comparative site to site if one can picture the kan phase
avable for this time period be-
jalva are available as a per od during which the present inhabi-
period
cause of large colle chons obtained from my
collections tants were spreading over the central high-
excavations at the site of copanaguastla in lands and the tsah
asah phase as the period dur-
the central depression near the base of the ing which the total occupation of the area
highland massif the earliest occupation at was achieved by a people who still had a
copanaguastla
copanagiiastia has been tentatively dated as fairly homogeneous culture the yash phase
early postclassic during this time there would seem to mark the acceleration of intra
86 W AY papel
NWAF
IV PAPER no 19 CULBERT CEILVAS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS
CHIAPAS

highlands differentiation of a people who regional variation within the central


had been established in the alea
alca for several hia
him
highlands
ul ilands bad increased to such a degree by
blands had
centuries the time of the lum phase that the original
the isolation of the highlands and the latelum
liun pime sample from the site of la
linn phase
tsah and yash
lack of separation between the asah hermita in the san crist6bal
cristibal valley could
cnstobal
phases make the assignment of any but ar- not be dated by comparison with lum
luin cer-
lurn
bitrary dates to the yash phase an impossi- amics from san cra cre gorio and had to be as-
gregorio
Gra
bility the presence of a tohil bohil plumbate signed a late postclassic date merely by the
vessel at san gregorio
cregorio supports a general elimination of possibilities collections made
early
karly
earla postclassic date the beginning
earlv postdassiv
postclassiu eginning date of later atk the site of cerro gerro ecatepec shoved
Ecate pec showed
ecitepec
6
A D 1000 vas nasas based upon the conclusion somewhat
sornev bat more clealy
hat clewly the temporal position
cleaiiy
that the moxviquil tombs containing Z fine of the luin lum ceramic complex from tile tlle san
the
tiie
orange vessels belonged to the end aud of the
eud cristobal area and demonstrated a few trade
tsah
asah phase k closing date of A D 1250 was connections wi lith the eastern part of the cen-
with
chosen simply because it leaves sufficient time tral highlands the connections were so few
for the ceramic development noted for the however that it seems necessary to formulate
luni phase
luin the data in terms of two ceramic complexes
rather than a single highland unit the cer-
luri phase
lurt
lunt
lum amics from cerro cuchumtou
cuchurrat6n in the northern
although ceramics pertaining to the late part of the chiapas highlands represent a
postclassic lurndurn phase were obtained froin
liim from third cera inic inventory which was by and
ceramic
the sites of san gregorio cetro ceiro ecaecatepec
stepec
ltepec
Ecate pec large a blend of elements from the two bet
cuchurnt6n and la hermita the conclusions
cuchumt6n ter known areas in general lum phase cer-
regarding the development of ceramics in rrom the central highlands could not
amics from
arom
this phase must be regarded with less confi- be dealt with as a single unit as in earlier
dence than those offered for earlier phases phases for knowledge oi of the ceramics gf of a
the basic problem is that lum ceramics are single section within the highlands would no
primarilv from the western sector of
known primarfiv
primarily longer provide even a rough key for the dat-
the
tiie
tile lind and because of strong regional
tlle highlands
High lynd ing of samples from remote parts of the area
diver genee at this time level are difficult to
divergence
gence the lum phase was also marked by the
relate to earlier ceramics from the bastein eastein expansion of highland types into neighbor-
sector ing areas outside of the highlands proper
data to which seriation techniques could the sample from Yirom
roin c11rca03 in the ocosingo
roln chacalxib Oco dingo
ocoringo
ringo
singo
be applied were obtained for the lum phase valley indicates that that area shared com-
only from a few levels dt
L ol san gre-
at the site 01
of pletely in the ceramic tradition of the eastern
gorio and these levels wele welc terminated at a
weic
weie sector of the highlands during the late post-
time only slightly aftel the beginning of the classic even though there had been no con-
the chier
phase fhe
khe chief
chiei characteristic of the ceramic
chief with the highlands during the clas-
nections wuth
complex from thew levels was the abrupt sic phases ceramics of the western complex
ficquency of the type heistan
HI the ficquency
rise in hnistan
huist4n were represented in the ixtapa ixrapa valley par-
hard which was as associated with the extinc- ticul arly at the large site of la tortuga mc-
ticularly
ariy
tion of most of the t&ahtsah phase elements that
asah vicker personal communication since little
had persisted through the lum phase the is known about earlier ceramic complexes in ill
total increment of change was greater than the ixtapa area it is impossible to say whether
that which had occurred at the asah tsah yash the connections with the th highlands repre-
phase bound
boundary
boundarv arv hut
hur less extensive than that
but sent a late intrusion or whether they may
it the kan asah
at tsah bound arv there was evi-
boundary
boundarv have a long history in tho the area
dence from surface collections and from con- ne
nepatterns
the patterns ot of cerA inic distribution in the
cerainic
nections with the western highlands that lum phase can be interpreted in the light of
luin
demonstrated that the ceren nic tradition sug-
ceramic the change in patterns of territorial organiza-
gested by the early lum liam levels at san gre-
liim tion prop oed by adae
proposed adam 1931355291
adams 1961352
19613529
1961.35299 for
1931.355291
gorio continued considerably after the aban- petiot adams suggests that there
this peiiod
petiod diere
diene was a
donment of eliatthlt site probably until the time
tliat trend toward larger moie mole complex and more
of the conquest powerful political units during the lum
discussion AND SUMMARY 87

phase if as is not unlikely there was grow- show ceramic connections with the central
lse
antagouism between these units it might
ing antagonism
have resulted in a fragmentation of culture
highlands
beneral similarities the
terins of more general
in terms generel
eneral
patterns that had previously beeri similar ceramic comple
compie r
complexes of the lum phase stall still
throughout the central highlands the in- seem to have been in considerable isolation
creasing divergence in ceramic inventory from outside influences although this may be
within the area could have been symptomatic partly a result of very incomplete knowledg
knowledgee
knowled
of late postclassic ceramic complexes for afe tfe
of the tendency to fragmentation tae tle
ile
the out-
maya area A few general similarities do
the
ward expansion of lum ceramic types could
be an indication that the growing political seem to connect the lum lurn ceramic tradition
streng
strengthtb of the units of the chiapas highl- with ceramics of the highlands of guatemala
ands made it possible and desirable to at- such features as the general decoration and
tempt expansion into neighboring areas par- vessel shapes of quistin
huistin hard are vaguely
ariy into locations such as the ocosmgo
ticularly 0cosingo like those of late postclassic pottery pro-
valley and the ixtapa valley where there duced at highland guatemala centers such
was a compact valley unit of the type favor- as chinautla and mixco viejo MNAE col-
ed as a center of settlement in the highlands lections it should be noted that these tenu-
themselves ous similarities apply only to ceramics from
connections between the ceramics of the the eastern sector of the highlands and that
central highlands and those of the gnjalva no connections of any sort can be noted for
valley remained remote during the late post- the inelegant ceramics of the western sector
classic period data concerning the valley the possible connection between modem
are conflicting but the area was probably di- amatenango
Amate nango pottery and the dle late postclassic
die
vided into a number of ethnic regions which hdistin hard suggests that the native
type haistan
huistan
seem also to have been regions of ceramic ceramic tradition of the chiapas highlands
ceranue
differentiation tsetle area
the around and to the may have survived the impact of the con-
south of chiapa de corzo was occupied by quest in a similar situation at the site of
the chiapanecs chiapanec ce rannes have
ceramics copanaguastla preconquest ceramic types
bem intensively studied by navarrete per
hem
been continued to be produced without radical
sonai communication and they show no evi- change through at least the first century of
dence of relationship with lum ceramics the the do
polonial
colonial ra also the introduction dur-
lonial era
dolonial
chiapanecs seem never to have penetrated ing the colonial period at copanaguastla of
much further south along the grijalva than pottery that appears to be related to the high-
acala and the region of the central depres- huistin hard and san gregono
land types heistan
huistan
sion lying closest to the central highlands coarse suggests that new trade patterns may
course
was probably occupied by the tzeltal and have brought the area of copanaguastla into
tzotzil calnek nd ceramics from cop contact with a still existing native pottery in-
anaguastla within this part of the grijalva
anaguasda dustry of the central highlands in spite of
extensive excavations in amatenango
arnatenango
Amatenango and
valley showed no closer similarities to those
of the highlands than they had
teopista
pisca however no colonial ceramics from
teopisca
Teo
bad during the the central highlands were recovered in the
yash phase Ilawe
lowe
awe 1959 attributes very few
owe lack of knowledge concerning the colonial
of the sites in the area south of acala and ceramic inventory of the area the date of the
comitia region to the
comitin
southwest of the comitan conquest 1524 has been adopted as the end
Postelassic period none of these sites
late postclassic of the lum phase
references
aua
auais
adams xaff
IS ROBERT M
ADAIS
AUAMS
ADA CULBEBT
CULBERT T PATRICK
1959 report on an Arche ological reconnaissance
in archeological
archaeological n d the ceramics of tikal tikal reports no
in the central highlands of chiapas mex- 30 in preparation
ico in report on the man in nature pro- DIXON KEITH A
ject of the department of anthropology of 1959 ceramics from two preclassic periods at
the university of chicago in the tzeltal chiapa de corzo chi
chiapas mexico papers
tzotzil speaking region of the state of ot of the new world alli olog ical founda-
a ealog
archaeological
chiapa mexico N A mcquown ed de- tion no 5 orinda
of anthropology
part ment ot
partment university of
or DRUCKER PHILLIP
chicago chicago mimeographed 1943 ruc sequences at
ceramic
Cerar tres Za potes vera-
zapotes
zapotek
1961 changing patterns of territorial organiza- cruz mexico bulletin 140 bureau of amer-
tion in the central highlands of chiapas ican ethnology washington
mexico american antiquity vol 26 341- DUTTON B P AND H R HOBBS
360 salt lake city guatemala
1943 excavations at tajumulco
ACHINIER PIERRE monographs of the school for american
1960 the carved human femurs from tomb 1 research no 9 santa fe
chiapa de corzo chiapas mexico papers emholm GORDON
EXHOLM
EKHOLM F
of the new world archaeological founda- 1944 excavations at tampico and panuco in the
tion no 6 orinda Hua steca mexico anthropological papers
huasteca
huastecan
1964 Archeological burials at chiapa de cor-
the archeological
archaeological
of the american museum of natural his-
0on and their furniture papers of the new
tory vol 38 no 5 new york
world archaeological foundation no 16
provo KIDDER ALFRED V JESSE D JENNINGS AND EDWIN
M SHOOK
BERLIN hel rach
hei
helrich
heirich
HEINRICH
rxch
rich 1946 excavations at kaminaljuyu guatemala
1956 late pottery horizons of tabasco mexico publication 561 carnegie institution of
contributions to american anthropology washington washington
and history no 59 publication 606 car-
negie institution of washington washing- kingsbonour
klngsborouchH E K LORD
ton 1831 48 antiquities of mexico london
183148
BLOM FRANS AND OLIVER LA FARCE
FARGF farge LONGYEAR JOHN M 111 ill
ili
lii
lil
III
1926 tribes and temples 2 vols department of 1952 copan ceramics a study of southeastern
middle american research tulane uni- maya pottery publication 597 carnegie
ver sity new orleans
versity institution of washington washington
BRAINERD GEORGE C loyhrop
1958 the archaeological ceramics of yucatan
loth Rop
LoTu
LOTHROP SAMUEL K
1933 atitlan
Atit lan an archaeological study of ancient
anthropological records vol 19 univer- remains on the borders of lake atitlin
Atit lin
sity of california publications berkeley guatemala publication 444 carnegie insti-
burler
rl
u ER
BUCLER
19 MARY tution of washington washington
1935 negras pre-
piedras negra s pottery piedras degras 1936 zacualpa a study of quiche artifacts pub-
tle
liminary papers no 4 the university mu- lication 472 carnegie institution of wash-
li
seum philadelphia ington washington
1940 A pottery sequence from the aita
alta verapaz
vegapaz
Ve rapaz
guatemala in the maya and thew their neigh- LOWE GARETH W
bors new york 1959 Archeological exploration of the upper
archeological
archaeological
cannek EDWARD E
CALNEK grijalva river chiapas mexico papers of
n d md location of the tzeltal
distribution and the new world archaeological foundation
and tzotzil pueblos of the highlands of no 2 orinda
chiapas from the earliest times to the 1962 mound 5 and minor excavations chia chiapaa
present unpublished ms de corzo chiapas mexico papers of xe the
CASO ALI-
ALFONSO
ONSO AND IGNACIO BERNAL
new world arclaeological
archaeological foundation no
1952 arnas de oaxaca institute nacional de
urnas 12 provo
Antrop ologia e historia mexico
antropologia LOWE GARETH
GAHETH W ANDplebre
pieftrz
elebre AGRINIER
COE WILLIAM R 1960 mound 1 chiapa de corzo chiapas mex-
1962 A summary of excavation and research at ico papers of the new world archaeo-
tikal guatemala 1956 61 american an-
195661 logical foundation no 8 provo
ty vol 27 479507
tiqutty
tiquity 479 507 salt lake city MASON J ALDEN
COOK DE LEONARD CARMEN 1960 mound 12 chiapa de corzo chiapas mex-
1954 elvaso de tabasco yan vol 3 96104
96 104 ico papers of the new world archaeologi-
mexico cal foundation no 9 provo

89
go
90 NWAF FAPER no
PAPER 19 CULBEHT
CULBERT CHIAPAS CENTBAL HIGHLANDS CERAMICS
CEAAMICS

aonuma4 A editor
noaman
nonuma
mcquown normam
NORMAN SCHUMANN ji to sonthwnj
yK A JK
man
1959 report on the mari nature
marl immature
ity
its protect oj
of 1936 A recent visit
reg
sonttyni
Sont tyni mexico
soat maya
moya
rlaifa
the department of anthropology of the earch vol 3 no
research
Ree ncr
nor
non a344 29f 3ft5
305i nev
kev
kew
university CQ txntz4
rutial
unive sity of chicago in the Frwtial tsftvu Orneans
ieans
senal
senai
smking
senki ng sewn
smoking region staffe of chiajws
semn of the stoic chia1w sner
sijer
smer
SMEK CBCIIIE
mexico 3 was department of anthropol- 1900 ao
aul attert
abl atzert wegin
wedin merro wid
in memro udd
mid
und guntmki
cunumii
0 chicago cai
ogy university of cal
Cli
chicago
cagn mlinmiia
mila berlin
emlsraphed SELFI-
SELEHR edeard
EDCAU
EDUARD
los origenes daft rtsnciacion dc
y la difermiciam6n de jos

it
1964 cwmigene dift lo
10
ios
los
1901 giter
die ittin
alter aiwedflungen
ittcn w cluxul4d
aiwiedeiungers uon cfuiruit bor-
mayas segun begun so inhere del estudio com- un
lin
para
pa
parativetive de lass lengunas
rativo
parativoilvo mas
maa
masnas
lenguas mayanasyanss
macanasnas in desua
desur shepard arna
anka 0
anko
SHEPARP ANNA
rollolo ut
foi 10
roi
rol ultural
hirai de los
hiral
fural uaynt evon
ibs maynt
lbs iaynf evoix Z vogt
devoix
and alberto ruz L eck err
erk mexico 1948 plumbate
plum
plu
fiu mbate
flu
Flum h1eoamerican trade wame
bate a mconmcrican war
wax
ware
warm
publication 573 carneov
373 camegic lilshlution of
carneol lristitution
syyv4n1 G
MOHJEY SYIAANIS
washington washington
1946 the ancient maya Stan lord
dord
standord
mullleakiev frjlfojco
mlellbrkieu ffj1k1jm K Y CG shoor
SHOOK EDWIN M
ign geoiogia de chiapas imprenta
19557 1144i gmiogia Imprenta del goh
impronta
imprcuta gob
cob
coh 1956 ani arcbaeologicsl
archaeolofrcal lreconnab sance in chia
rticoimaissance
samee
samco
pas mexico publittion
pat
pai piilln
Piil ln
Pub ritam no 1 new
littion nem 1oild
ncm woild
woald
lerno dei
lenio dl ttlyfla gutierrez
del estado tuvtla
a-rchaeological 1I foundation onnan
ouriijitiyn
NAVAMIETE carlon
cablon
CABLOS
CAIALVS
1958
1959 explorations in san agustin chiapas mex- SHOOK
SITOGY elwi 4
eldyn1
EIDIN AND M i1xo 3xnttp1akot r
ann TATIANA phoikovhiakofy
ico paps
papers off 1he
papera fhe
ahe new
the neso archwhgi
neto world archdeolog 136
156 Settles
1956 nent pae
settlement
settlesnent partim
tim
Parterazt utn mc
bartim
eem
teraza
eim mosodmcna
oaxrtcnta and dwthe
cal fonn
fann dation no 3 olinda
foundation
Foan sequence lin in the guatmnatan
guatenialari flighla highlandsads in
nds
1960 aichaeological
aicliaeological exp1irations in the regon
archaeological expllirations repon
redon trebituric
trehittoric settitmem
settlfcinen patternsPatt enns
erns
eins in ia the newnow
o0f the fracesca
fradesca
Frad esca chiapas Meximex
Mciico
mciico
meriex
mexiex
ex papers world G R willey ed viking purul
publications in anthropology no 1A3 new
ot the new world archaeological founda-
of
york
tion no 7 orinda
PHUIIM knip
kurp
NUIP
PHIXIF jame fort
foht
fond SMITH A hema lemait
LEmA
lemaiw
hlma AX iw ANDam ALFBKI V kanka ktnrl
kmnka
gal james A
JAMF AND JAMEC
4614u B R

1951
cawIN
gaffin
gawfin
su v ay
archaeological surveyyy in the lower missis
kw dvatjons at nebab
1951 ex7avations
excavations
tion 594 Cani
lion
fion
rion
tion caniegie
nebaj guiilcmja
egie hyst
egle
caxnegift hist
gualemda publica
jnjftiittoii
histaution
aution of washing-
1940 47 papers of
sippi alluvial valley 194047 ot ton washington
the feti
fedi
Peti hodg museum of american archae-
peabody
hody
body hobert E
smitn ROBERT
SMITH
ology and ethnology vol 25 harvard 3952 potter from chipoc alta Ve
1952 rapiz guate-
verapaz
vegapaz
verapiz
rapaz
university cambridge bala
mala
nmaia
niala cimtrilwtions io ammean
iala contributi&w
baia american anthrr antarr
PHUUPS
PHILLIPS and MES C gyjpord
philil ANU COFFORD
ALIAES
pol ogg and history no 56 pnblicttior
pology
apology aiblicatior
ni d A review of the TaKo
taxonomic noinfncla
ic nnrriencla
nomic 86 ciicgic
596
.596
596 instilutior of washingto
camegie in&tilistioti
camelie Washing
waslungltn
washingtm tm
ture essential to ceramic analysis in wabhillylon
waaluitoa
archaeology unpublished iw 1955 ceramic sequence ie quence at unartim artim guatemala
tfnsartim
Un
kanim
RANM
KANIW ronert
hommr L pttblirawn
publicafion
publication
Publica midjlp ann
flon 20 dvildclie
fion rican reseanji
arin ilean
arix aral
arai
researdi
Rese ardi
anJi
andi
andr
1961 elaboration and Invent
invention
ion ceramic tra-
iou in ceranic tulane
tularie univei
institute eularie untvct
univer olty sit N
sity nv nwv orleans
dit ions american antiquity vol 26 331-
ditions 1958 ne tlle plaw of fine otsnge
llie olange Pppotteryatury in meo
atery
abury mety
me
metity
340 salt lake city ame
americal
aroe vicar
aroerican
arme
amoe rican
nican archae 0109 Avae
ricar archaeology
americar american
sican aiiiitjiiity
rican avuliquihj
ram
RAA ns
RAADS
RA DS
1957
ROBTST 1L
the
this Cera
I AND BABAHA nanus
babrara C RANDS
RANUS
ink position of palenque chiapa
ceramic
vol 9aaa
A 151 151160 160 saiksalk
ik
saih lakelave city

ayne vai 23 140 150 salt


s-
smtthitij roplai
t ilij
SMITH coplai
roeiairr E AND jJAMES tomms C C
agmes ivvow
wroim
froim
rican antiquity vol
american
Arne voi 140150 n d bowlindlowlind map
jawhmd maya
maw
masa potti pottery Ms prepared fog for
lake cit the handbook tyt of uiwdlfidf1s Ameriamerl
american indiara
diara
caw indiana
eun
euw In diana
rig
ricmeison
Ric leison OLVE G ann
meisoN ahr
ahn
AKI
AND ei iivbrni A rixyrson
ahi eimknrru rilkEriON
rixe
RicK
RixY erson
rickerion
rickerson
rsoN
lson
boyirtr E GOMOON i1 vomm
SMITH boyert voct
wilbry
VUCT AM att JAMES
aaa
ana
1937 uaxactun Guacua lemal grop E
guatemah
temam
temah
cuateso&aia 1926-
glttoh
WILLEY

1931 publication 477 camese


carnigie institution
inatitution
inm6tution C giviolly
wanbington washington
washmgton
0 wabbington
of 19k
1900 rhe zhe type variety concept as an a blix blis for
t the ialysli
A ialysLi of maya
laly
analysis mayu potter
mwya Pott erv Ar annemie
american
nerle
nerie
nemic
kaml 1 elric
RUYVERT KARL
KAKL EHK
.1 timom 2102
ehm S THOMPSON
kimom amm TA
asb
AND
210244 A tanana
nana
TATLNA
TAHANA
HANA
antiquity vol 25 310 330340
310340
330 340 salt Tlaiketake
ake city
ihosiotjrlnkoyy
pa0&kotyrlkofpr
pek chiapas mexico publication
bonampak
botlampak
Bonampak
1955 STSPHIAS john
STIFHENS lohn L
lown
JOMN
gog
602 carnegie institution of cf washington 1841 incidents oot oft travel m
of ati centrul america chi-
tti central
cantriil
wishington
wishinpton
wrishington
Wishin eton
pton and yucatan nr
apas arid ncrw york
ner
saiwer WIXJ
SAIWLR
SAMIEAS lam T
WIXJIAM
IAM thour
thourson
TMOATPSO SON 1 EBICeric
ellie S
.1

id san hoy
tiEll Hot
hon Juras
ceramics and settlement pat-
1960 prehistoric ceramics 1939 excavations at sail jiose
ji sc Bri
ase
ose
irose british honduras
konduras
Kon dums
duras
JUMS
m quintana rom
terns in ro
rox mexico contribut- publication 506 306 carnegie institution of
ions to american anthropology and autom htsfry
hutom ashington
washington washington
NV wa
Washing
washi apton
shi nptontan
ton
Publicalion gog
no 60 publicalion
publication ON camcgie
606 clrncoc tylstit
inslitu 1940 latr lat ceramic
ceramie
rainie horizons at bezique beiique vieio
bmique vicio
bicio
tion of washington washington
1
washivgton
washiugton british honduras contrwutwnscontr6utioav to amahca
io american
iggi ceramic straigraphy
1981
1961 stratigraphy
stradgraphy
Strad crkiz chi-
stral graphy at santa cruiz
Strai ctviz aithrifolofyf and heirtory
anthropology topy no 35 publia
hvttory
hottory
hiir tory
hilr
HEir publka
pubuca
apas mexico papers of the NMI nei worm
net
netts
nettl tion 58 carnege carnage
caf nege
cai
carnegie
Car negie institution erf of washing-
ovd
odd

archaeological foundation no 13 provo


arcwological ton Washing
washington toit
toli
references 91

1948 an archaeological becunnaisitance


reannaksance in the wauchofe
WAU
WAUCHOPE
CHOfE ROBERT
cotruirialhua fcuintla guate-
cotzumaihuapaa region kscuintla 1948 excavations at zacualpa guatemala pob
excavation FOB
mala on miori
miorw to
cContrvftitions ricin anthro
americin
american
amb
amerf&m
Ame Att thro
amt
amm cation
caum middie american research insti-
catlon 14 middle
cateon
plofy ana
plofy
pologyand
ploff
plogg hivtory no
ams history
ama 44 publication 3 374
74 tute tulane unive rsity new orleans
nivyrsity
rosity odeans
agle
exie
exle pgle institution of
carnegie ashington
washington washi-
lV
WFAANT C W
ngton WEIANT
tampson
TUMPSON RYMOSU 11 1943 an introduction to the ceramics of tres
Zapotes bulletin 139 bureau of american
zapotes
zapotek amedean
1958 modem yucatecan pottmy kl aking mem
klaking
blaking mern
ethnology washington
Archae
airs of the society for american archaeol
owns ot
archaeot
agy no 15 salt lake city
nagy
anky
willmy gomon
WILLBY
WILLEY gondon
GORDON R
vaili
vaill 4nt ceorge
VAILLANT
VALLI ant
amt GKOFICE C
GEORGE 1956 problems concerning prehistonc seeflement
settlement
senf
lement
Seef
send
dement
1927 the chronological significance of maya patterm in the
patterne
patternb masi lowlands in pre-
thie mava
mavi
ceramics doctoral dissertation harvard storic settlement patterns in the new
historic
Ju hew
university world G B R willey ed viking fund
1930 excavations at zacatencogle
gnu
Zau atenco anthropologgical
anthropological publications in anthropology no 23 new now
papers of the american sweum mweum
museum of natural yoa
york
history v31voi 33121 no I1 new york
vol
1931 excexcavations
E ovations
avations Ticoman anthropulog4
ions att tichman
avat lons ticoman
tioorriiln anthropologifai
al WOCOMMY RTCIIAJW B
WOODBUHY RICHARD aubrey
aubney
aubalby S
AND AVBREY
alex troc
tyum
trok
papers of eke
the american museum of natural
ehe 1953 the ruins of paculeu
zaeuleu
zaculeu guatemala rich-
rick-
history vol 32 no 2 new yoa york mond
publications OF
THE NEW WORLD archaeological foundation

1 publication no 1 1956 out of print


summmyy notes no
2 summm 1 19557 out of print
3 papers nos
no611144 research in chiapas mexico
navar
Nayar
by gareth W lowe and carlos navarrete
Navanpete
rete 3959
1959 400 400
4.00
t400

4 paper no 50 ceramics from two proclassic periods at chiapa de


corzo chiapas mexico by keith A dixon 1959
conzo 200 200
2.00
5 paper no 6 yle
ile
the carved human femurs from tomb 1 chiapa de
corzo chiapas mexico by pierre agrinier
Ag rinier 1960 200
2.00
200

6 paper no 7 archeological
Arche ological explorations in the region of the
archaeological
frag esca chiapas mexico by carlos navarrete 1960
frauesca
fradesca
bradesca
Frad
FraU 200
2.00
200

8 11 excavations at chiapa de corzo chiapas mexico


7 papers nos 811
ky gareth
by careth XV lowe and pierre Ag rinier J alden mason and
agrinier
Freder ir hicks and charles E rozaire 1960
frederic 500
5.00
500

8 paper no 119192 mound 5 and minor excavations chiapa de corzo


chiapas mexico by gareth
careth W lows 1962
V lowe 250
150
2.50
250

9 paper no 13 ceramic stratigraphy at santa cruz chiapas


wilham T sanders 1961
mexico by william goo
900
200 200
100
2.00
10 paper no 14 the santa marta rock shelter 0cozocoatitla
ocozocoanfb
chiapas me dco by richard S macneish and fredrick A
mexico
aco
doo
peterson 1962 iso 150
1.50
13
11 paper no 15 some ceramics from mirador chiapas mexico by
fredrick A peterson ign
1963 300
3.00
300

12 paper no
N0 16 the
archeological
archaeological de corzo
Arche ological burials at chiapa dc conio
furnitae by pierre agrinier
furnitw
mexico and their furniture Agrinier 1964
1961 300
3.00
300

13 papers nos 17 and 18 Arche


archeolngical
archeological
archaeological et santa rosa chiapas
ological research at C
tehuantepcc by agustin delgado 1I1865
and in tho region of tehuantepec 300
3.00
300

14 paper no 19 the ceramic history of the central highlands of


chiapas mexico by T patrick culbert 3300
300
33.00
3.00
3300
300

orders for and correspondence regarding the publications of


the new world Arche ological foundation should be sens
archeological
archaeological sena
sent to
or LIBRARIES
dnmctoir OF
dnuactob
brigham young university
provo utah

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