Recovery and Conservation of a Classic Maya Shell Mosaic Human Trophy Skull from Xuenkal, Yucatan

Summary

Human trophy skulls have a long history in Mesoamerica. Excavation of Structure 9M-136, an elite household in the center of the ancient Maya center of Xuenkal revealed a trophy skull in situ from funerary context, where it was found placed on the chest of an elite individual within a complex burial deposit. The primary individual was interred with a bifacial flint lance, a carved bone pendant, and the trophy skull resting on his chest. The skull had been extensively modified in preparation for its use as a trophy. The front of the skull had been decorated with over 100 pieces of shell tesserae to create a mask in the form of a human face, and additional shells were used to create dangles that hung down from either side of the skull. This presentation details the context of the find, the process of excavation, analysis of the skull and the shells used to make the mask, and the restoration of the piece.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage