Possible Functions of a Late Prehistoric Coarseware from the Estuary Zone of Eastern Soconusco

Summary

Recent surveys in the mangrove zone of far-southern Pacific coastal Chiapas, Mexico, identified a coarse pottery, called "sewer-pipe ware," that was initially thought to have been used in sal cocida salt production during historic times. Distributional and excavation data along with functional considerations, however, point to a potentially more interesting hypothesis, namely that "sewer-pipe ware" vessels may be portable kilns or saggars used in the production of Plumbate pottery, a famous and widely traded ware of the Late Classic and Early Postclassic periods. The present paper presents evidence that supports the portable-kiln hypothesis, as well as evidence favoring alternative hypotheses.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage