The More Things Change: Similarities and Differences in Pastes from Preclassic and Postclassic Pottery in the Western Petén Lakes

Summary

Investigations in the western Petén lakes area have provided useful collections of pottery excavated from a variety of sites ranging from the Middle Preclassic to the Contact periods. This abundance has enabled intensive study of pottery from both macroscopic and compositional perspectives. This paper compares compositional results from Middle Preclassic and Postclassic pottery samples collected and analyzed by the authors. A comparison of petrographic analysis from thin sections demonstrates similarities between Middle Preclassic angular calcite pastes and pastes from the Postclassic Kulut Modeled type. Chemical analysis of the same sherds produces largely dissimilar results with the exception of two Middle Preclassic sherds from Zacpetén. These similarities and differences raise questions about the longevity of manufacturing techniques such as raw material acquisition areas and paste recipe use. Answering these questions draws on topics such as identity and technological decision-making by inhabitants separated by several thousand years.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Preclassic to Colonial: Current Investigations in the Petén Lakes Region, Guatemala

Keywords

Spatial Coverage