Archaeometallurgy in Mesoamerica: Current Approaches and New Perspectives

Figures

vii figures 1.1. Mesoamerica culture area, showing West Mexican metalworking zone as well as major archaeological sites discussed in the volume | 3 1.2. Various copper axes from Lamanai, Belize | 5 1.3. S-scroll clothing ornaments from Lamanai, Belize | 6 1.4. Copper bell from Tlacotepec, Toluca Valley, Mexico | 7 1.5. Copper ingot, Chamelecón River Valley, Honduras | 14 1.6. Copper ring, Veracruz, Mexico | 15 1.7. Copper fishhook and miscast bell from Progresso Lagoon, Belize | 16 2.1. The Lienzo de Jicalán | 30 2.2. Map of Michoacán showing the places mentioned in the text and the three mining routes depicted in the Lienzo de Jicalán | 31 2.3. Jicalán el Viejo, or Xiuhquilan, as represented in the Lienzo de Jicalán | 32 2.4. Map of the archaeological site of Jicalán el Viejo, representing architectural remains and slag concentrations | 39 viii Figures 2.5. View of the looted “Tezcatlipoca” pyramid of the old Jicalán, facing south | 40 2.6. Jicalán el Viejo: inside view of the sixteenth-century chapel with carved stones, facing the atrium | 41 2.7. Jicalán el Viejo: partial view of the terraces in the main habitational complex, facing north | 42 2.8. Jicalán el Viejo: one of the few relatively well-conserved terrace walls in the main habitational complex, facing south | 42 2.9. Jicalán el Viejo: a maquette petroglyph with ladder motif in the northwestern habitation terrace | 43 2.10. Jicalán el Viejo: a petroglyph with an anthropomorphic motif in the northwestern habitation terrace | 44 2.11. Jicalán el Viejo: a selection of lithic artifacts associated with milling or grinding | 45 2.12. Jicalán el Viejo: additional lithic artifacts associated with milling or grinding | 45 2.13. Jicalán el Viejo: metate-type stone that was possibly used as a mold | 46 3.1. West Mexico: archaeological sites | 52 3.2. The precious and base metal province of Mexico | 53 3.3. Pre-Hispanic and Colonial mining centers in the Central Balsas Basin | 54 3.4. Medieval mining techniques showing three vertical shafts | 59 3.5. Location of Itziparátzico within the Zirahuén Basin and the state of Michoacán | 61 3.6. Mesoamerican crucible and blowpipes | 62 3.7a. Platy slag fragment from Itziparátzico | 63 3.7b. Lumpy slag fragment from Itziparátzico | 63 3.8. Experimental replicas of Tarascan copper artifacts | 66 4.1. Map of southeast Mesoamerica showing sites mentioned in the text | 79 4.2. Map of El Coyote; the copper-processing area is located in the far southern portion of the site | 80 4.3. Detailed view of the copper-processing area of El Coyote as it was mapped prior to excavation | 82 4.4. Section through Structure 407 illustrating stratigraphic relations among boulders, broken ore-bearing rocks, and detritus from copper working | 83 ix Figures 4.5. Structure 372 showing a cross section through the working platform, in situ furnace, tapping pit, and associated water table to the south | 84 4.6a. Smelting furnace fragment from Structure 373 showing flow patterns evidenced by bubbles trapped in vitrified clay and slag | 85 4.6b. Detail of vitrification and slag in a furnace fragment from Structure 373 | 86 4.7. Plan of the southern pavement, or water table, in Structure 372 | 87 4.8. Section through Structure 373 | 90 4.9. A ground stone pounding implement found on Structure 372’s southern pavement | 95 4.10. Distribution of vessel forms for the sample, divided among the major categories of jars, bowls, plates, and comals | 98 4.11a. Jar frequency and type as found in the copper-producing area of El Coyote | 99 4.11b. Jar frequency and type as found in the Northern Complex area of El Coyote | 100 5.1. Map of the highlands of Guatemala, with places mentioned in the text | 115 5.2. Aerial photograph of the Atalaya Group | 116 5.3. Isometric reconstruction drawing of Structure 2.7 showing three construction stages | 118 5.4. Casting molds found at Structure 2.7 | 120 5.5. Metalworkers, Codex Xolotl | 124 5.6. Copper objects found at Utatlán | 127 6.1. Lamanai, Belize. Locales where copper artifacts have been found at the site | 137 6.2. Three of the six domed copper ornaments recovered with Early Postclassic Period Burial N10-4/28 | 140 6.3...