5. Ceramics
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5. Ceramics |
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Purpose of ceramic collection and analysis
The most plentiful artifacts at Maya sites are ceramic sherds. They
consist of pieces from a very few reconstructible whole vessels, quite numerous
identifiable but isolated fragments, and a large number of unidentifiable
crumbs. Since ceramics often carry the most abundant and detailed information
about human behavior at sites like Muyil, the principal focus of our analytical
efforts was ceramic analysis. The discussion below describes the type-variety
system, which was the classification scheme used for the Muyil ceramics; the
rationale and process of acquiring sherds in the field; how they were handled,
cleaned, and analyzed; how ceramic complexes were established for Muyil; and
finally, the form in which the detailed information about them is presented in
the appendixes.
As part of the field research at Muyil, sherds were collected to deal
directly with our research questions. Typically, sherds are compared with those
from other sites to highlight cultural contacts. In our situation at Muyil, for
example, we were particularly interested in the extent (relative strength) and
timing of influences from Coba and from Chichen Itza. Therefore, the collection
of sherds to provide the counts and the stratigraphy for Muna Slate (typical of
Coba) and for Dzitas Slate (typical of Chichen Itza) was essential. Sherds are
compared with those from other sites to highlight trade — physical transport
of whole ceramic vessels either for the vessels themselves or for their
contents. At Muyil, for example, we hypothesized (as Robles found at Coba
[1990:259-260]) that ceramics typical of Belize would disappear from the record
in the Classic at the time Muna Slate began to dominate — indicating a loss of
contact with Belize and increasing contact with the peninsula west of Coba.
Sherds provide clues about the use of an area or a structure at a site
(domestic, elite, ceremonial, religious, occupational). At Muyil, for example,
we expected to encounter Chen Mul Modeled censers in ceremonial contexts such as
shrines and temples. This proved to be the case and helps distinguish ceremonial
locations from residential ones. Ceramic types provide a relative dating
mechanism. When types are repeatedly found in certain stratigraphic contexts,
with one consistently occurring stratigraphically higher than another in
excavated material, we may cross-date areas of the site. At Muyil, for example,
Late Preclassic Sierra Red consistently appears in stratigraphic levels below
Late Postclassic Navula Unslipped. Sherds may provide clues to absolute dating
when compared with similar sherds already dated by their association with
material analyzed by radiocarbon dating or other similar techniques. For
example, in several clear contexts, Muyil has Kukula Cream sherds. This type is
placed, by association with radiocarbon dates, within the time span A.D. 950 -
1250 (Balankanche LJ-272, P-1132, LJ-273, P-1133, and Isla Cerritos I-14244,
BA-14082, BA-14083, BA-14084, Canché M. 1992:Table 5 by Robles C., used by
permission). With such information in hand, we may date certain structures to a
particular era (for example, the lower portion of the sacbe system dates
to the Postclassic.) We may also specify when the site was settled and where the
populace was living and working at different periods. Since the type-variety system (see discussion below) is well suited for extracting answers to our research questions, and since the system is well established and widely used by Maya archaeologists, we used it at Muyil. To have done otherwise would have made regional and intersite comparisons difficult if not impossible. We furthermore realized early in our work that most of the Muyil ceramics were similar to those previously identified by other researchers and already placed within the type-variety system. We did not, however, force unidentifiable or questionable sherds into this classification scheme.
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© Copyright 2000-2008 Walter R. T. Witschey Page last updated Wednesday, April 02, 2008 |
