An Interpretative Framework and Description of Ritualized Obsidian from Caracol, Belize

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Ceremonial Lithics of Mesoamerica: New Understandings of Technology, Distribution, and Symbolism of Eccentrics and Ritual Caches in the Maya World and Beyond" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Ceremonial life at Caracol, Belize can be assessed through a technological and contextual analysis of ritualized obsidian objects. These items are typically termed "obsidian eccentrics", although "ritualized obsidian" more specifically enables a usable and socially interpretive framework based on archaeological context that relies less on symbolism for interpretation. Analyzing the obsidian contextually emphasizes historically important materials and associated crafting, exchange, and depositional practices. While we describe some obsidian as being ritualized as opposed to being quotidian, our primary purpose here is to describe the morphology, chronology, and spatial extent of ritualized obsidian at Caracol, Belize from the Late Preclassic through Terminal Classic Periods (ca 300 BC – AD 900). Towards this end, we present information on some 35 years of standardized excavation data to demonstrate the patterned ways obsidian was crafted into ritualized forms that were then deployed in important cyclical events that transcended our traditional interpretation based on social stratification and on ancient Maya household wealth or status.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ceremonial Lithics of Mesoamerica: New Understandings of Technology, Distribution, and Symbolism of Eccentrics and Ritual Caches in the Maya World and Beyond   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 23509