Postclassic Petén Maya Bow-and-Arrow Use as Revealed by Immunological Analysis

Summary

The bow-and-arrow has long been recognized as a key component of weaponry in the Postclassic and Contact period (A.D. 1400–1697) Maya Lowlands. Although fragmentary accounts from Spanish sources exist to complement the archaeological record, no current research has reconstructed use patterns of the bow-and-arrow from artifact data. This paper provides the first immunologically-based study of protein residues on small projectile points in the Maya region. A large sample of 108 small points from the central Petén lakes region was submitted for cross-over immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) analysis, resulting in 25 positive matches to available antisera. Immunological positives for human, local fauna, and introduced fauna were identified by this study, indicating a wide range of use activities for the bow-and-arrow that include subsistence, ritual, and possibly defense.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Current Investigations in the Petén Lakes Region, Guatemala

Keywords

Spatial Coverage