The Carnegie Maya IV: Carnegie Institution of Washington Theoretical Approaches to Problems, 1941-1947

No. 95. Certain Archaeological Specimens from Guatemala II

388 N o t e s o f M i d d l e A m e r i c a n A r c h a e o l o g y a n d E t h n o l o g y Carnegie Institution of Washington Division of Historical Research No. 95 July 6, 1950 Certain Archaeological Specimens from Guatemala II A. V. Kidder Average thickness, disregarding the slightly raised edges of some, 2.5 cm; original diameter of lower right probably about 45 cm of lower left apparently somewhat greater, because of larger central opening. Although numerous, approximately contemporaneous Guatemala highland sites have been examined by Mr. Smith and others, no similar specimens have been found in any of them. Mr. J.E.S. Thompson has called my attention to what are undoubtedly the same sort of objects from Teotihuacan: baked clay models, greatly enlarged, of cross sections of conch shells. Three of these are illustrated by Peñafiel (1900, Pls. 44–46; that in Pl. 46 here shown, much reduced, in Fig. 95.1b). Mr. Thompson tells me that the cross section of the conch was the special attribute of Quetzalcoatl and of his ally Xolotl. White lime plaster adheres to back of the specimen at upper right, as if it might have been mounted on a wall as an architectural ornament. Carved jades (Fig. 95.2a). Said to be from La Nueva, Dept. of Jutiapa. Left: light green; soft unaccented relief, T-shaped nose, necklace in same line with earplugs, faces in profile at upper corners, are traits of Early Classic jade carving (see Smith and Kidder, MS), but small perforations in beads in necklace not previously noted in specimens of that period. Transverse biconical perforation at eye-level; three 1 mm perforations in edge of back, one on either side at earplug-level, one at lower point. Back polished. Width 6.8 cm. Center: light green; edge broken away all around and cursorily reworked. Back polished. Oblique measurement 11 cm, thickness 3– Like specimens from Guatemala recorded in an earlier paper in this series (Note 92), the objects here described are incidental finds, purchases, or gifts and therefore will not be included in reports dealing with Carnegie Institution’s major archaeological undertakings. All are now in the Guatemala National Museum. Figurine arm from Kaminaljuyu (Fig. 95.1a). A surface find, this finely finished whiteware arm from a jointed figurine is doubtless of the Archaic Miraflores Phase. A leg of the same ware and finish , also from Kaminaljuyu (Fig. 92.5e), possesses a similar perforated protuberance designed to fit into a cup in the body of a figurine. In that case it was inferred that each leg was attached separately but the longitudinal grooves on either side of the present specimen’s protuberance might indicate that a string passed through the body to the other arm. No figurine body with cups such as would be necessary to receive arms or legs of this sort has been reported from Kaminaljuyu or, as far as I know, elsewhere. The drawing is natural size, by Antonio Tejeda F. Problematical pottery objects (Fig.95.1c). Collected by A. L. Smith in 1949 at Pantzac, a site near San Andres Sacabaja, Dept. of El Quiche, which, because of presence of Tohil plumbate sherds and absence of recognizable earlier or later pottery, is assignable to first part of Postclassic period. They are heavy star- and ring-shaped objects of gray to light brown, unslipped ware, backs flat and fairly well smoothed. Certain Archaeological Specimens from Guatemala II 389 95.1. Archaeological specimens from Guatemala. 3.5 mm. Right: earplug flare (?), very fine dark green, high polish both sides; four serpent heads facing outward. Diameter 6.3–6.4 cm; thickness 3.5 mm. Polychrome vase (Fig. 95.2b). Collected by A. L. Smith from a looted tomb at the ruins of Tzicuay on Brol Brothers’ Finca San Francisco, near Cotzal, A. V. Kidder 390 Dept. of El Quiche. Decoration in dark red and black on medium gloss orange slip, which also covers interior nearly to bottom. Red rim-band carries over squarish rim, extending 1 cm into interior; 4 mm below interior red is a red encircling line 3 mm wide. Exterior design on either side a deer, the two separated by vertical panels representing three-strand braids. Diameter of orifice 13.2 cm. The piece is of...