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Late classic burial ceramics from Tikal, Guatemala

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Authors Leone, Mark P.

Publisher The University of Arizona.

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LATE CLASSIC BURIAL CERAMICS FROM TIKAL, GUATEM ALA

• by

M ark Po L eon e

A T h e sis Subm itted to the F a cu lty of the

DEPARTM ENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

In P a r tia l F u lfillm en t of the R eq u irem en ts F or the D eg ree of

M ASTER OF ARTS

In the G raduate C o lleg e

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

STATEM ENT BY AUTHOR

T his th e s is has been su b m itted in p a rtia l fu lf illm en t of r eq u irem en ts for an advanced d eg ree at The U n iv ersity of A rizon a and i s d ep o sited in the U n iv ersity L ib ra ry to be m ade a v a ila b le to b o rro w ers under r u le s of the L ib rary .

B r ie f quotations from th is th e s is a r e a llow ab le w ithout sp e c ia l p e r m iss io n , p rov id ed that a ccu ra te acknow ledgm en t of so u rce i s m ad e. R eq u ests for p e r m is s io n for exten d ed quotation from or rep rod u ction of th is m a n u scr ip t in w hole or in part m ay be granted by the head of the m ajor departm ent or the D ean of the G raduate C o lleg e w hen in h is judgm ent the p ro p o sed u se of the m a te r ia l i s in the in te r e s t s of sch o la rsh ip . In a ll other in s ta n c e s , how ever, p e r m is s io n m u st be obtained from the author.

VutkQy

A PPR O V A L BY THESIS DIRECTOR

T his th e s is has been approved on the date show n below :

SIGNED:

T.. P . CULBERT A ss is ta n t P r o fe s so r o f A nthropology

I L fD ate

To m y un cle

Fro Mark-Ao. L eon e, Oo F» M,

PR E FA C E

T his th e s is i s an e ffort to deal in a so c ia l s c ie n t if ic fash ion

w ith a c o lle c t io n of p o ttery . It i s an e ffo r t to d isco v er so m e e lem en ts

of the so c ia l and id e o lo g ic a l s tru c tu re of a so c ie ty . T h ere a re a lso

in fe r e n c e s m ad e h ere about the p r in c ip le s of cu ltu re ch an ge. The

w hole i s p retty m uch an ex p er im en t. I ow e so m e thanks to th o se who

have a llo w ed the ex p er im en t to take p la c e .

D r. .To P . C ulbertj m y th e s is a d v iso r , p rov id ed m e w ith the

raw data w hich m ade the th e s is p o s s ib le . He a lso p rov id ed m e w ith

u n lim ited am ounts of h is t im e . H is to le r a n c e and a v a ila b ility are two

tra its I w ould hope to em u late as a te a c h e r .

Dr.. R aym ond H. T hom pson, m y graduate a d v iso r , and Dr.

. W illiam A . L on gacre a re both to be thanked.for provid ing help and

encou ragem en t w hen th o se two e s s e n t ia ls w ere m o st n eed ed .,

D r. Paul S.. M artin of the C hicago N atural H isto ry M useum

v e r y k indly a llow ed m e the tim e for fin ish in g and r e v is in g the th e s is

at a tim e w hen I w as w orking w ith h is exped ition .

TABLE OF CONTENTS

P age

LIST OF TABLES 0 0 « . 0 . O . O O O O O . 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 v i

. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . , o . . . . . . v i i

ABSTR.AC T . o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o . . . vnx

Chapter1. . INTRODUCTION AND D ESC R IPTIO N . . . . . . . . . 1

D escr ip tio n of the M ortuary V e s s e ls : T heirL ocation T em p ora lly , and by Tomb . . . . . . . 6

2. . COM PARATIVE DATA FROM THE MAYA LOWLANDS . 40

U axactun . o o o . . » . . . . . o . . . o . o 41; C* Opan o O O 0 . 0 O O O O O O O O O O 0 - 0 o o o - 44San iT o s e . . o o o o o o o . . o o o . o © o o © © 47Ho 1m nl o o o o o . 0 , 0 o - o - o o o o o o o o o o 48Z acu leu o o - o o o o o o o o o o o o o o O 0 . 0 5 0

3. • A TYPOLOGY OF TRADITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 59

4. T HE GREAT TR ADIT ION: -. LIT T LE TRADITIONS ANDSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

5. THE GREAT TRADITION A N D ITS TRANSFORMATIONS 95

The G reat T rad ition in the M aya L ow lands © © » © 118Sum m ary: The G reat T rad ition in T im e and P la c e 120

R EFER EN C ES CITED . o . . . . o 123

v

LIST OF TABLES

T able P age

lo D istr ib u tion of L ate C la s s ic B u r ia ls by S ite , by B u ria l,and by V e s s e l F or mo 53

20 S er ia tio n of L ate C la s s ic B u r ia ls at T ikal » = » o o o o 73

3o L ocation of L ate C la s s ic B u r ia ls at T ikal » 0 0 e . . . 86

v i

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

F ig u re F age

1 o D iagram of Traditiouo o © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © 122

v ii

ABSTRAC T

T h ere a re about 70 ex ca v a ted b u ria ls w ith so m e 200 a s so c ia te d

p ottery v e s s e l s from the B ate C la s s ic p er io d (A0 D. 6 0 0 -8 0 0 ) at T ikal,

a la rg e M aya cen ter in Guatem alao The p u rp ose of th is th e s is i s to

p r e se n t a d e scr ip tio n .o f the B ate C la s s ic m ortu ary c e r a m ic s and to

in v e s tig a te the tra d itio n s of b u ria l o ffer in g s as th ese a re exh ib ited in

the c e r a m ic s . To a c co m p lish th is la s t an a n a ly s is w as undertaken of

the function, d istr ib u tion , and cu ltu ra l s ig n ifica n ce of the v e s s e l s and

th e ir co n tex ts .

The d e scr ip t iv e sec tio n i s a s tra ig h t-fo rw a rd lis tin g , and

ca teg o r iz in g of a ll the d a ta .a v a ila b le from f ie ld n o tes pertaining, to

the 70 B ate C la s s ic b u ria ls and in c lu d es v e s s e l form , d es ig n s on the

v e s s e l s , and the lo ca tio n of the b u ria ls in th eir cu ltu ra l co n tex ts .

. A d is c u s s io n and lis t in g of p ertin en t in form ation about b u ria l

c e r a m ic s from s e v e r a l other: M aya s ite s su p p lies co m p a ra tiv e data for

the co n c lu s io n s rea ch ed in the in ter p r e tiv e sec tio n .

The fin a l or in ter p r e tiv e s e c tio n p r e se n ts in form ation on the

p a ttern s, or tra d itio n s , w hich a re se e n in the bu ria l c e r a m ic s . T h ese

tra d itio n s a re e s ta b lish e d by in v estig a tin g the su p p osed fu n ction s of the

v e s s e l s , th eir freq u en cy of o ccu rr e n c e , and the cu ltu ra l co n tex ts in

w hich they a r e found. In feren ces about ch ron ology and cu ltu ra l change

v ii i

ix

are m ade from th ese tra d itio n s or patternso T h ese in turn a re c o m

p ared w ith s im ila r m a te r ia l from other M aya s i t e s 0

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION A N D DESCRIPTION

C ulture i s a system ,, M oreover it i s a sy ste m w h ose p arts

bear co n c re te and d eterm in ab le r e la t io n sh ip s to one an oth er. L e s lie

W hite (I 9 4 9 ).'has su g g e ste d that th e se r e la t io n sh ip s fa ll in to a h ie r a r

c h ica l sch em e the m ajor d iv is io n s of w h ich he has d esig n a ted a s the

econ om ic , so c io lo g ic a l, and id e o lo g ic a l le v e ls of cu ltu re . T his d iv i

s ion o f a ll the phenom ena com ing under the term cu ltu re has been a

v e r y conven ien t d ev ice for th o se a r c h a e o lo g is ts who think that the

rem a in s of s o c ie t ie s m ight be in terp re ted in such a w ay that a broader

v iew of any p a rticu la r cu ltu re h is to r y cou ld be obtained than w as f o r

m e r ly thought p o s s ib le . C u rren tly the m o st outspoken proponent of th is

v iew in A m er ica n a rch a eo lo g y is L ew is B in ford (1962) w h ose w ork is

stim u la tin g and at le a s t m ild ly c o n tr o v e r s ia l.

. The in flu en ce of the id e a s a n d .p e rso n a lit ie s m en tion ed above

i s becom ing m o re and m o re m ark ed in A m erica n a rch a eo lo g y , in tr o

ducing both new m eth ods and new th e o r ie s to the f ie ld . In th is th e s is

none of the new tech n iq u es for w hich th is m ethod of thinking is noted

a re p r a c tic ed . . R ather, what has m o tiv a ted m e h e r e i s the sp ir it, not

the le tte r , of the sch o o l. What th is m ea n s in practice* i s a fe e lin g for

M aya cu ltu re , not a s a group of tr a its , but as a sy ste m w hich is

m a n ife sted m o re or le s s to ta lly in the a rch a eo lo g ica l record s And

m o re , th is v iew m ean s that the a r t ifa c ts o f'that ex tin ct s o c ie ty a re the

r em a in s , not ju st of the econ om y of that cu ltu re , but of i t s so c ia l ord er

and id eo lo g y as welW W ith th is v iew in m ind it at on ce b eco m es c le a r

that the w o r ld of in fe r e n c e s to be drawn from an a r tifa c t c la s s , lik e

w hole pots from b u r ia ls , i s expanded m an y tim e s over w hat a m ore

convention al v iew of cu ltu re w ould p e r m it.

The b u ria ls and the v e s s e l s a s so c ia te d w ith them w hich are.

c o n s id ered in th is paper a ll co m e from T ikal, G uatem ala , T his M aya

c en te r , w h ich ran ks am ong the fo r e m o st of M aya s i t e s , has been the

su bject of ten y e a r s o f ex cavation and r e s to r a tio n by the U n iv ersity

M useum of the U n iv ersity of P en n sy lv a n ia and the G uatem alan g o v ern -

/m en t. The s ite i s in the G uatem alan d epartm en t of E l P eten , in an a r e a

c o v er e d by deep ju ngle and in a c c e s s ib le by road ,X

T ikal i s m o s t w e ll known for i t s L ate C la ssic . (A , D, 600 -900).

r em a in s , w hich a r e m uch m o re com m on than rem a in s of e a r lie r p e r io d s

in the over s ix sq u are m ile s of s ite so far m apped. H ere only the L ate

C la s s ic , the d iv is io n s of w hich a re c a lle d T epeu l and T ep eu 2, i s c o n

s id e re d , - Tepeu. 1 is .n o t g en ero u sly r e p r e se n te d in the data, but th ere

i s enough m a te r ia l for so m e in fe r e n c e , . T epeu 2 i s w e ll rep resen ted ,:

. The m eat of th is e s s a y i s an exp erim en t,: It i s an attem p t to

s e e ju st how far and how soundly in fe r e n c e s can be m ade "from pots to

p eo p le , " E x p lic it ly , w hat w ill few er than 200 w hole b u ria l v e s s e l s te l l

about the c iv iliza tion - w hich p rodu ced them ? Do they r e v e a l any of the

m ech a n ism s w hich govern ed , or w hich a r e seen op erating in Maya

cu ltu re? I th ink they do„

The ex p er im en t r e s t s on a d escr ip tio n of the v e s s e l s , the

f ir s t m ajor sec tio n of the th e s is ; on so m e b a sic o b serv a tio n s and low

le v e l in fe r e n c e s drawn from the d e scr ip t io n s , the seco n d m ajor se c t io n

of the th e s is ; and fin a lly on two h y p o th eses w hich a re the c o re of the

th ird and fin a l part o f the w ork . The f ir s t two sec tio n s a r e va lu ab le

b eca u se of the b a sic and sound in fo rm a tio n they p ro v id e . The la s t

sec tio n i s co n tro lled sp ecu la tio n w hich I hope m ight be s tim u la tin g .

T his chapter conta in s the d e sc r ip t iv e data upon w hich a ll of the

in terp re ta tio n s in the la ter ch ap ters a re abased. T h ere a re 69 L ate

C la ss ic b u r ia ls w hich contain 197 v e s s e l s . The in form ation is

arran ged by b u ria l and the ch ie f em p h a sis i s g iven to a d escr ip tio n of

the a s so c ia te d v e s s e l s .

A num ber of te r m s a re u sed in th is chapter w h ich need to be

defined . The d efin ition s a re in a s c lo s e a c co r d as p o s s ib le w ith th o se

in R ob ert S m ith 's C eram ic Sequence at Uaxactun (1955); o th erw ise th ey

a re d efin ition s co m p o sed e sp e c ia lly for the c er a m ic m a te r ia l at T ik al.

T epeu 1 i s ch aracterized - c h ie fly by the Saxche and S ibal C eram ic

G roups. W ithin th e se , Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e and S ibal Buff P o ly

ch rom e a re the m o st com m on . The b a s ic c o lo r s in v o lv ed in them a re

red , b lack, c rea m , buff, and oran ge. O range and buff a r e the

background c o lo r s on w hich v a r io u s com bin ations of the other c o lo r s

appearo

T epeu l c e r a m ic s a re u su a lly c h a r a c te r iz e d by a pink p a ste

and no under s lip . The p a ste i s so m e tim e s c a lle d Standard or "Saxe he.

The v e s s e l fo rm s c h a r a c te r is t ic of th is p er io d a r e fo rm s H s

13, and 15o F orm 11 i s a b a rre l or k e g -sh a p ed v e s s e L F orm 13 i s a

shallow tr ip od p la te w ith a b a sa l flan ge or r id g e , : And form 15 is a

ro u n d -s id e bowl w ith an u n r e s tr ic te d o r if ic e ,

T epeu 2 fin e w a r es fa ll m a in ly into the P ic. P o ly ch ro m e Group,

The m o st com m on su b d iv is io n s of th is group a re P a lm ar O range P o ly

ch rom e, Z a ca te l C rea m .P o ly ch ro m e,, and.C hantouri B la ck on O range,

The c o lo r s in v o lv ed in th e se ty p es a r e b a s ic a lly the sa m e and occur in

the sa m e com b in ation s a s th o se in T ep eu .1, The p ain ted d es ig n s a re

the ch ie f d istin gu ish in g m ark s betw een T ep eu 1 and 2,

• P a s te in Tepeu. 2 i s buff or tan, but v a r ie s over so m e range

from pink to r ed to y e llo w . Standard buff is the usual term to id en tify

T epeu 2 w a re p a s te .

The v e s s e l fo r m s for th is p e r io d a re fo rm s 10, 12A, 12B, and

14, F orm 10 i s a v e r t ic a l- s id e c y lin d er . Form . 12A is a tr ip od p la te

w ith fla r in g s id e s . F orm 12B is a f la t -b a s e d bowl w ith ou t-cu rv in g

s id e s and fo rm 14 is a f la t -b a se d bowl w ith stra ig h t s id e s . F o rm s 12B

and 14 a re e s s e n t ia l ly the sa m e, ex cep t for the d ifferen ce in cu rvatu re

of the s id e s .

5

P a ste r e fe r s to the c la y m ix tu re o f w hich the pot i s co n stru c ted .

U n d erslip r e fe r s to the co lo r of the f ir s t la y er pain ted on the v e s s e l . It

can often be co m p le te ly co v er e d by other pain ted la y e r s . It o c c a s io n a lly

happens that v e s s e l s , e sp e c ia lly in T ep eu 'l, w ill have no under s lip .

A ll of the above c h a r a c te r is t ic s apply to the fin e w a r es d is c u s s e d

in th is th e s is . T h ere is , h ow ever, another p o ttery tra d itio n at T ikal w hich

i s m o re com m on . T his seco n d tra d itio n i s c o m p r ised of the d o m estic

w a res , w h ich a r e not d is c u s se d h e r e b eca u se they a re a lm o st co m p le te ly

ab sen t from the L ate C la s s ic g ra v es at T ikal.

The c e r a m ic s in c lu d ed h e r e a r e often c a lle d cer e m o n ia l w a r es

due to th eir a s so c ia t io n both w ith g r a v es and w ith the m id dens a s s o c ia te d

w ith the cer e m o n ia l bu ild in gs at M aya s i t e s . T h ese v e s s e l s w ere in

m uch m o re com m on u se than the term c er e m o n ia l w ould im p ly . T heir

rem a in s a re freq u en t in d o m estic m id d en s and ex a m p les of them ini ■

g r a v es often show ev id en ce of p r ior u se .

. D r illin g or punching a h o le in the b ase of a v e s s e l is a r itu a lis t ic

d ev ice for sa c r if ic in g the object, for "k illin g" it . T h is i s a com m on

p r a c tic e w ith m ortu ary v e s s e l s and i s freq u en tly found in g ra v e p o ttery

at T ikal.

S o il con d ition s at T ikal a re such that pain ted c e r a m ic s in

g ra v es fa red v e r y p o o r ly . • S o m etim es the en tire p a in ted su r fa ce of a

v e s s e l has been d estro y ed . M ore often , enough of the su r fa c e i s le ft .

only for id en tifica tio n of the under s lip and som e of the p o ly ch ro m e

6

fea tu re So T his i s the. reason, for the Less than co m p lete d e scr ip tio n s of

m any of the v e sse L sc . "W eathering" i s the term u sed for d escr ib in g th is

erod ed su r fa ce conditiono

D escr ip tio n of the M ortuary V e s s e ls ;T heir L ocation T em p ora lly , and by Tom b

B u ria l 14

T epeu 2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound w hich is in a north and e a s t p o s itio n in a group of sm a ll m ounds; Str= 4 F - I 5 ~ l s t .

2 v e s s e l s : F orm 12B $ heavy buff under s lip , pink p a ste (but not T ep eu1), the b a se c u r v es s lig h tly in w ard and the s id e s a re un usually high .

. F orm 14, heavy buff under s lip , pink p a ste (but not Tepeu. 1)=

B u ria l 1 6

T epeu 2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound w hich is in a north and e a s t p o s itio n in a group o f sm a ll m ounds; S tr. 4F-I5-2nd«,

2 v e s s e l s : F orm 12B, stand ard p a ste , a th ick er b a se than i s usual forth is fo rm .

F orm 12B, stand ard p a ste , tr a c e s of a r e d s lip , shorter than is u su a l fo r th is form ; both of th ese v e s s e l s a r e n o ticea b ly s im ila r »

B u ria l 17

T epeu . 1

lo ca ted in a v e r y sm a ll m ound, one w hich i s the e a s te r n -m o s t building in i t s p articu la r group; S tr0 4F-43o

7

. 1 v e s s e l ; F orm 15s an odd r ed p a s te a p o ss ib ly Saxche; an in c is e dlin e running around the rim . of th e ou tsid e, the s id e s th e m se lv e s cu rv e s lig h tly in w ard at the top0

. B u r ia l 21T epeu 2

lo ca ted w e st of a sm all-h ou sem ou n d w hich i s in a north and e a s t p o s i tion in a group of sm a ll m ounds; w e s t of Str<> 4 F -1 5 - ls to

2 v e s s e l s : F orm 10s buff under s lip , standard paste^

F orm 12B S buff under s lip , standard p a ste , n ea tly k illed inra id -b a se , probab ly by drilling.. T his exam pleis h igher than u su a l for th is form .,

B u r ia l 26T ep eu .2

lo ca ted in a la rg e hous em ound; it i s the w e ste r n m o st building in a la rg egroup; S tr , 4E -31o

I v e s s e l : F orm 12B, m edium buff under slip ; d esign not c le a r excep tfor r im bands., The in ter io r i s red , the lip i s black, th ere a r e tr a c e s of r ed and b lack paint on the ex ter io r w hich m ay be su ffic ien t for c la s s ify in g the v e s s e l as P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e.

B u ria l 28T epeu 2

lo ca ted in the sa m e situ a tion a s B u r ia l 26.

1 v e s s e l : F orm 12 A, buff under s lip , pink p aste; fe e t have beenrem o v ed and in addition th ere i s a k il l hole in the b a se w hich i s o ff -c e n te r .

B u r ia l 30in term ed ia te

lo ca ted in a la rg e housem ound; th is i s the w e ste r n m o st building in a la rg e group; S tr. 4 E -3 1 .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm l l a buff under s lip , stan d ard T epeu 2 p a ste ; tr a c e sof r e d s lip appear on the ex ter io r w h ich m ay in d ica te that the v e s s e l m ay have been m ono- chr om e redo

F orm 12Ag buff under s lip , pink p a ste , p erh ap s a r e d on orange e x ter io r ; the fe e t a re s t i l l attached,,

F orm 12B, buff under s lip , pink p a ste , ra th er c o a rse ; k ille d by d r illin g the b a se .

B u r ia l 31T epeu 2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound, in the m id d le of a group of m ounds;Str o 4F-3o

3 v e s s e l s : . F orm 10, buff under s lip , pink p a ste .

F orm 12A, buff under s lip , pink p aste; v e r y thin, s len d er leg s=

F orm I2B , buff under s lip , pink p aste; a b lack on red in te r io r , and a n ea tly execu ted k il l h o le .

B u r ia l 33Tepeu. 1 (or p o s s ib ly E a r ly C lassic}-

lo ca ted in a quarry, near a housem ound; S tr , 4 F - I ,

I v e s s e l : F orm 15, y e llo w -p in k p a ste , perhaps Tzakol; the w holesu r fa ce i s v e r y badly erod ed ,

. B u r ia l 34T epeu 2

location : sa m e as B u ria l 33,

1 v e s s e l : F orm 12A, aberran t, b lack in te r io r . P o s s ib ly th ere w asr in g -sh a p ed b a se to the v e s s e l .

B u r ia l 38Tepeu 2

rlocation : sa m e as B u r ia l 33,

9

3 v e s s e l s ; F o rm 10s P a lm a r O range P o ly ch ro m es p ink p a ste ; tr a c e sof d esig n in f e d and orange outlined in blacks

F orm 12AS, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, pink p a ste ; outer r im pain ted in r ed and orange, the orange and red a r e sep a ra ted from the orange in ter io r by a b lack line* T h ere are tr a c e s of g ly p h - l ik e . d esig n s on the orange in te r io r . The fe e t a re m iss in g .

F orm 12B, pink p a ste , no under slip ; th ere i s a k il l h o le in the b a se , n ea tly done.


lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound or tem p le , p o ss ib ly the e a ster n m o stbuilding in a sm a ll group; S tr , 4 F - 7,

• 3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, buff under s lip , standard p in k .p a ste ,

. F orm 12B, buff under s lip , c o a r s e tan p aste; h igh s id e s , k ille d by d r illin g . T h ere a re tr a c e s of r e d -

' orange on the in ter io r su r fa ce on ly ,

. s a u c e r - lik e fo rm , r ed d es ig n on the outer w a ll and red s tr ip e probably on r im lip .


lo ca ted in the sa m e situ a tion as B u ria l 39a

I v e s s e l ; F orm 11, T ep eu .2 p aste; th ere are tr a c e s of r e d on buffon the e x te r io r ,

. . B u ria l 42Tepeu, 2

lo ca ted in sa m e situ a tion a s B u ria l 39,

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, buff under s lip , standard p a ste .

F orm 12 A, buff under s lip , stand ard p a s te . The fe e t have not been rem o v ed . T h ere a re tr a c e s of dark red on the upper su r fa ce of the r im .

10

F orm 12B S buff underslip^ stand ard p aste; c en tra l k ill h o le 0 T h ere a re tr a c e s of dark r ed on the en tire inner su r fa c e .


lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound; S tr . 4 F -2 6 .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 12BS buff under slip; v e r y s lig h tly outflarin g s id es;rem n an ts of b lack on r ed decorationa

F orm 14, probably m on och rom e r ed in s id e and out; s lig h tly oblique, narrow groovin g around the e x te r io r .

. F orm 15, buff under s lip , m on och rom e r e d p aste; rounded bottom , rem n an ts of b lack on r ed d ecora tion .


lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound or tem p le which, is the e a ste r n m o st b u ild ing in a group; S tr . 2 G - 5 9 - ls t .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, standard p a ste . The e x ter io r has ob liq u e-flu tedg ro o v es around it .

. F orm 12B, pink p a s te . . The s id e s a r e v e r y s lig h tly outcurved .

F orm 12B, pink p aste; a h igh sid ed form of th is type. . It has been k illed .


lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound or tem p le w hich i s the e a ster n m o st b u ild ing in a group; S tr. 2 G -59-2n d .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, standard paste;rem n ants of r ed -o r a n g e d ecoration .

F orm 12B, buff under s lip , pink paste; a lm o s t no outcu rve to the s id es; r e d and orange a ltern atin g in long, th ick w avy lin e s on the in ter io r and e x te r io r .

, T h ere i s a la r g e , neat k il l h o le .

II

F orm I4 S buff under slip , pin^; p a s te . T h ere i s v e r t ic a l flu ting on the e x te r io r and rem n an ts of orange paint. '


lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound or tem p le w hich i s the e a ste r n m o st building in a group; S tr . 2G -59 .

. I v e s s e l : F orm 10, standard p a ste .


lo ca ted in a m edium s iz e d housem ound w hich i s the e a s te r n m o st b u ild ing in a group; S tr. 2 G -59-2n d .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm I I , S ibal Buff P o lych rom e; b lack bands around theo r if ic e e n c lo se a r ed band, the r e s t of the e x ter io r has u n d istin gu ish ab le b lack on buff d ecoration .

F orm I2 B , S ibal Buff P o lych rom e; in ter io r : r ed andorange a ltern atin g in long, th ick ,. w avy lin es; e x te r io r : b lack and r ed bands a ltern a te at the top; and hollow sq u are w ith a c en tr a l dot d esign e n c o m p a sse s the low er tw o -th ir d s .

F orm I2B , S ibal Buff P o lych rom e; the e x te r io r has la rg e ,a ltern atin g recta n g u la r b lock s of r e d and orange around it . The in ter io r is too w ea th ered for id en tifica tio n . T h ere is a b lack lip band. The s id e s round off to the b ase, a tr a it r a r e in the I2B fo rm .

B u ria l 56Tepeu 2

the lo ca tio n i s the sa m e as that of B u r ia l 54.

I v e s s e l : F orm 10, standard p a ste .

12

B u ria l 58T epeu I

lo ca ted in the sa m e sm a ll hou sem ou nd as B u ria l 54„

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 11, Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip ,Saxche p aste; th er e i s r ed and orange ev id ent on both the in te r io r and e x te r io r , but no d esig n s rem a in d istin gu ishab le,, The m outh is quite w ide for F orm l lo

F orm 13, Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e, S a x ch e .p a ste and no under slip ; the e x te r io r i s r ed to flange; the

’ in ter io r i s r e d and orange in an u n d istin g u ish -ab le d esig n . . The fe e t a re s t i l l attached,,

F orm 15, Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e, Saxche p aste; the e x ter io r has a r e d sq u are and r e d h a lf-m o o n a ltern atin g ,arou n d the surface,. The background i s orangeo T h ere i s a v e r y sm a ll, f la t b ase .

an odd form ; a bowl w ith outcurving lip; no under slip;probably m on och rom e orange or y e llo w „

B u ria l 66Tepeu. 2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll hou sem ou nd w hich i s one of a group of two; that c o n tain ing the b u ria l i s north of the other; S tr„ 3F -2 4 -3 rd „

3 v e s s e l s : (no in form ation on one);

F o rm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip and stand ard p a s te 0 The ex ter io r i s v e r t ic a lly flu ted and w as d eco ra ted w ith som e com b in ation of black, r ed and orange designs,. The in ter io r is orange, w ith a red iip„

F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, stand ard paste;the ex ter io r i s b lack on v e r y b righ t orange. T h ere a re a few rem n an ts of designs,,

B u ria l 68

13

T epeu 2

Located in a sm a ll housem ound w hich i s the north building in a group;Stro 3 F -2 6 ,

3 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, pink p a s te . Theg en era l d esign i s b lack and r ed on c r e a m ,

. T h ere is a lso e x te r io r v e r t ic a l flu tin g .

F orm 12 A, buff under s lip , pink p a ste . The fe e t a r e s t i l l attach ed ,

. F orm 12B, buff under s lip , pink p a ste , ■ An attem p t to d r ill the b a se w as not f in ish ed , . Both 12A and I2B a r e too w ea th ered to id en tify typ e.

B u ria l 70T ep eu 2

lo ca ted in the f i l l o f P la za 3 F - 2 (an. outlying area), ju st w e s t of a sm a llhou sem ou nd or tem p le w hich i s the e a ste r n m o st building in a group;S tr, 5G~7o

4 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, (no inform ation)^

F orm 12B, (th ree v e s s e ls ) ; the th ree a re equal in m o str e sp e c ts ; a ll have heavy buff under s lip , standard p a ste , . One i s k illed .


lo ca ted in a sm a ll housem ound w hich i s in the n o rth ea st sec tio n of agroup; S tr , 5G -7,

4 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, from th e P ic P o ly ch ro m e Group, buff under s lip .The rem a in in g d ecoration i s b lack and red .

F orm 12B, r ed p a ste , s lig h tly ohtcurving s id e s . T here is a k ill h o le in the b a se .

F orm 1 2B, buff under s lip u n certa in , buff p aste; v e ry few fra g m en ts of th e d ecoration le ft . The s id es f la r e out s lig h tly .

14

F orm 12Bg Z acec B lack; the b a se i s rounded out s lig h tly , the w a lls cu rve out m o d era te ly = T h ere a re r a tt le s in the h o llow base* . R em nants of b lack paint a re v is ib le ,,

B u ria l 75T ep eu .2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le w h ich i s s itu a ted on a p la tform . The m oundis in an e a ste r n p o sitio n w ith reg a rd to the other bu ild in gs of the group;S tr. 5G -I I .

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, , P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip , tan.p a s te . Therei a r e .narrow v e r t ic a l g r o o v es around the e x te r io r , and a h or izon ta l one near the lip .i

i T h ere i s a r ed band around the lip and b lackq u a trefo ils w ith hollow c e n te r s around the e x te r io r .

Form . 12A, C hantouri B la ck on O range, p a ste is tan, buff under s lip . T h ere a re b lack bands around the lip and flange; the r e s t includ ing the in ter io r is oran ge. T h ere i s m od erate ou tcu rve to the

. s id e s , and the fe e t a re s t i l l a ttach ed .

F orm 12A, P a lm a r O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a s te . A round the in s id e r im a ltern a te q u a trefo ils and Kan C r o s s e s . The in s id e cen ter i s d eco ra ted w ith the w ide, a ltern atin g r ed and orange w avy lin e s tech n iq ue. The s id e s cu rve out m o d era te ly .The le g s a re m is s in g . T here i s a k il l hole in the b a se c en te r .

F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip . The in ter io r i s in th e w avy, a ltern a tin g red and oran ge lin e techn iq ue. The outsid e b a se i s a lso in th is s ty le . . The o u tsid e w a lls a re d eco ra ted in a black and w hite ch e ck er -b o a rd d es ig n a ll around the v e s s e l . T h ere a r e w hite, red , and black lin e s around .the bottom .

B u ria l 76T ep eu 3 ( ?),

lo ca ted in a sm a ll p a la ce m ound, w hich in it s group is the w e ste r n m o ststru c tu re . . The con text i s in d ica tiv e of T ep eu 3; S tr. 5G -12 .

15

I v e s s e l : F orm 12A, the s id e s a re m u ch h igher than i s u su a l. Thesu rfa ce b lack but b a s ic orange show ing through underneath. The fe e t a r e -sm a ll, squat and rounded; the s id e s cu rve out m o d era te ly .


a d ed icatory burial, in a m edium s iz e tem p le mound, w hich i s on the w e st s id e of the W est P laza; S tr . 5 D -I 1 .

th ree h o r izo n ta l b lack b a n d s--tw o at neck, one at base; two diagonal b lack bands a c r o s s the body; a r e d -o r a n g e background.

r ed lip band; orange background on th e body on w hich row s of b lack qua tr e fo ils appear - -th r ee to a row in th re e h or izo n ta l r o w s. B en eath the lip band a re s ix v e r y S ty lized g lyph ic d e s ig n s .

narrow v e r t ic a l groov in g on the e x te r io r and. h o r izo n ta l lip g r o o v e . The e x te r io r background i s orange, w ith b la ck 'q u a trefo ils su p er im p o sed . T h ere i s a red lip band.

F orm 12A, th ere i s a b lack band on the in s id e r im andth ree Kan C r o ss e s sp a ced eq u id istan tly on the in ter io r s id e s . T h ere i s a s in g le Kan C ro ss in the in s id e c e n te r . The background in ter io r and ex ter io r a re b a s ic a lly r ed -o r a n g e . The fe e t a r e s t i l l a ttach ed .

F orm 12A, on the in ter io r bottom in b lack i s a g lyphic d esig n . . On e ith er side, i s a s in g le , , long bar with, a s e r ie s of hollow dots a rra n g ed along s id e both o f th em . T h ere a re "X" m a rk s through the hollow c e n te r s o f the d ots. . The fe e t a r e m is s in g .

F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P olych rom e; two b lack bandsoccu r around th e lip of th is v e s s e l and two a lso around the b a se . A s e r ie s of h o r izo n ta lly d escen d ing b lack d o ts -- fr o m la r g e a t top to sm a ll at b o tto m --a p p ea rs w ith in v e r t ic a l lin es a s the m ajor m o tif. . T his m o tif i s rep ea ted a dozen tim es around the e x te r io r . The ou tsid e

6 v e s s e l s : F orm 10,

F orm 10,

F orm 10,

16

bottom is r in g ed w ith alternating,, rad ia tin g r ed and orange lineso The in ter io r h as a w ide red Lip band«, The in ter io r bottom r e s e m b le s the e x te r io r bottomo

B u ria l 78T ep eu Z

Located in a m ound of u n certa in nature; S tr0 4 H -I6 0

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 10s probably undecoratedo

F o rm I2A S RLc P o ly ch ro m e Group; buff u n d erslip , redm on och rom e b a se . The in ter io r i s m on och rom e red . . The fe e t a re m is s in g and th er e i s a k ill h o le in the b a se 0 .

F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff under slip ,buff pasteo T h ere a r e rem n an ts of red , orange, and b lack designso The w a lls cu rv e out m o d era te ly . .

F orm I2B , v e r y s im ila r to the above v e s s e l in form and s iz e . T h ere a re no other type data.

B u ria l 80Tepeu 2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le w hich i s on a p latform ; the tem ple, i s the e a s t e r n m o st s tru c tu re in the group ex cep t for the p latform ed ge .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e. T h ere i s a glyphband around the r im 0 The e x te r io r background is black; th ere a re f la t - s id e d c ir c le s of orange w ith b lack dots in th eir c en te rs even ty sp aced in four h orizon ta l row s a ll app earing to be su p e r im p o sed on the background.

F orm 12A, P ic P o ly ch ro m e Group, stand ard p a s te . T here a re two b lack bands on the in te r io r lip and two around the e x te r io r b a se . The two on the ex te r io r have an-orange one: in b etw een . The ex ter io r s id e s have an orange background w ith s ty liz e d g lyph s, b ra ck ets and c r e s c e n ts su p er im p o sed . T h ere a r e a ls o m any lin e s of sm a ll d ots. The ex ter io r b a se

17

has a row of b lack hollow c ir c le s betw een the legs,, . The in te r io r h as an orange background.What i s le ft of the in ter io r su r fa ce d es ig n show s a b lack hum an fig u re dancing in a m onkey co stu m e . The fe e t of the v e s s e l a r e m is s in g and th ere i s a c en tr a l k il l h o le . T h is kind of d esign is r e m in isc e n t of T epeu 1,

F orm 12Bj Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, stan d ard p aste; a b lack r im band, fo llo w e d by a band of eigh t Kan

• (a r o sse s outlined n eg a tiv e ly in b lack w hich appear on the e x te r io r . The low er h a lf of th e bowl a lte r n a te s threb b lack dots in p y ra m id form ation and a b rack et a rran gem en t of b lack c r e s c e n t sh ap es on a crea m background. T his form i s a s lig h tly v a r ia n t one of 12B,

B u ria l 81in term ed ia te

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le w hich is the e a ster n m o st building of the group;4G -9 '

5 v e s s e l s : F orm 10* an unnam ed o r a n g e - in c is e d type. T h ere i s a bandof g lyph s around the r im . T hree f in e ly in c is e d g a r g o y le - lik e w ater b ird s e n c ir c le the e x te r io r ,

- One i s hold ing;a h igh ly s ty liz e d f is h in its long beak.

F orm 13, Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e, pink p a s te . T here a re rem n an ts of a b lack design on the ex ter io r w a lls , the under s lip i s c rea m . T h ere is a d esig n

- band on the in te r io r w a lls ; the in te r io r is red and b lack on orange. T h ere a r e p o s s ib ly the rem a in s of a dancer d es ig n on the in s id e b a se . The fe e t are m is s in g .

F orm 13, S S ib a l Buff P o ly ch ro m e , The in te r io r b ase hasthe rem a in s of a hum an dancing fig u re; it i s badly p r e se r v e d . The cen ter i s surrou nded by a c ir c u la r band of v a r io u s s iz e d and c o lo re d r ec ta n g le s and d ots. The e x te r io r b a se has a n otch ed fla n g e .

F orm 13, (no inform ation)..

18

F orm I4 a C hantouri B lack on O range, buff under s lip , ye llo w p a ste . The in ter io r i s orange w ith a w ide lip band of red . The e x ter io r has rem n an ts of b lack on orange d e s ig n s . The fo rm is ta ll for i t s type.


lo ca tio n unknown, v

. I v e s se l? F orm I I , Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, stan d ard p a ste .T h ere i s a r e d lip band; the e x te r io r background i s b lack and is in te r s p e r s e d w ith f la t -s id e d , crea m c o lo re d c ir c le s ,; T h ese a r e in th ree h orizon ta l row s around the v e s s e l . In sid e each c ir c le i s a co n cen tr ic one of r e d and then one of b lack and fin a lly one of c re a m . The v e s s e l i s sh ort for its type, .

B u ria l 83in term ed ia te (? )

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le , the e a ste r n m o st building in a group; Str, 4G -9°

. 3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, p o ss ib ly a fo r e ig n typ e. The p a ste i s hard and (buff co lo re d . The crea m under s lip se e m s to co v er a ll of the v e s s e l excep t the b a se ou tsid e. T his i s not the thin, chalky cr eam under s lip (typ ica l of T ikal at th is period ), but is harder and b etter p o lish ed . Over th is i s a thin orange s lip w hich a lso c o v e r s the in te r io r . T here probably w as a band of brown over the lip in s id e and out. T h ere i s no sign of d e s ig n s .

F orm 13, Kuleb P o ly ch ro m e Group, The e x te r io r i s c o m p le te ly p la in . The in ter io r has a cream under - s lip , and rem n an ts of r ed and oran ge d e s ig n s ,

. The p a ste i s pink and c o a r s e . The fe e t a re rem o v ed and th ere i s a k ill h o le .

an odd fo rm , b a s ic a lly lik e 12B, It has s tra ig h t s id e s w ith a m o d era te an g le , a s lig h t b a sa l flan ge and a s lig h tly c u r v in g -in b a se . The th ree , sm a ll.

19

hollow fe e t a re rem o v ed , . The e x ter io r is b lack and r e d on orange; the in ter io r i s r ed and oran ge. The lip band in and out i s r ed and i s w ide. The

ie is orange.flange


lo ca ted in a la rg e housem ound, probab ly a p a la ce , w hich i s the so u th ern m o st building in i t s group; S tr , 4 G -I0 ,

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, pink p aste; narrow v e r t ic a l g r o o v es around the e x te r io r w ith a horizonta.! g roove ju st below the m outh, .

F orm 12A, buff p aste; d eco ra tio n co m p le te ly w eath ered .The th ree la rg e , round fe e t a r e s t i l l in tact.

F orm 12B, an unnam ed o r a n g e - in c is e d type; v e r y cru m b lybuff p a s te . E x te r io r w as probab ly pain ted m o n o chrom e; th ere a re double in c is e d lin e s at the lip and b a se and th ere m ay h a v e .b een in c is e d p a n els betw een .

F orm 14, F ic P o ly ch ro m e Group; the in ter io r has r ed and orange fra g m en ts over a heavy buff under s lip . The ex ter io r i s co m p le te ly w ea th ered , . T h ere is a k il l h o le in the b a se .

B u r ia l 87T ep eu .2

lo ca ted on bed rock; in or n ear S tr, 4 H -1 8 ,

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o lych rom e; h eavy cream u n d er■ s lip . The in ter io r is orange w ith a broad red lip band w hich over laps to the o u tsid e . The e x te r io r i s c o v e r e d w ith s ix v e r t ic a l row s of a ltern atin g sq u a res o f b lack and orange in a c h e ck er -b o a rd p a ttern , . T here i s a red band around the e x te r io r b a se .

F orm 12A, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p a ste . The w a lls b o th .in sid e and out a re c o v e r e d w ith a lter - nating b lack and crea m and b lack and red

20

ch e ck er -b o a rd d e s ig n s . The in s id e b a se is p u rp le -re d . The lip is 'r e d . Ther e i s a h eavy crea m underslipo The fe e t a re m is s in g and th ere i s a k il l h o le in the b a se .

F orm 12A, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m es stand ard p a ste , no underslipo The ex ter io r has a r e d lip band and a b lack band around the b a se , . T h ere i s a w ide Orange pan el betw een . The in ter io r i s orange

w ith h ollow , oran ge f i l le d r ed sq u a res on the s id e s . The l e g s a re s t i l l a ttach ed . The v e s s e l i s a sh ort form of th is typ e,

m in ia tu res unnam ed o r a n g e -g r o o v ed typ e. The v e s s e l i s m on och rom e oran ge w ith deep v e r t ic a l g ro o v es up the bulging s id e s . The n eck and mouth a re sm a ll. T his i s one of the v e r y few m in ia tu res in the c o lle c t io n .

B u ria l 88T epeu .2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll to m edium tem p le mound, one of a group of s tru c tu res; Str, 4 H -4 ,

3 v e s s e l s : F o rm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, stand ard p a ste ,buff under s lip . T h ere i s a r ed lip band o v e r lapping in s id e and out. V e r t ic a lly to the b a se on the ou tsid e i s a str ip of b lack and crea m Kan C r o ss e s a ltern atin g w ith a b lack f ie ld contain ing two la rg e orange c ir c le s h o r izo n ta lly or ien ted . The c ir c le s have b lack c e n te r s , . The d esign o ccu rs tw ic e .

F orm 12B, C hantouri B lack on O range, h ea v y buff under s lip . The in ter io r i s a ll orange. T h ere i s a double black lip band and a b lack band at the b a s e - - a l l on the e x te r io r . The ex ter io r i s m ain ly orange; th ere are b lo tch es of b lack rem a in in g on it h ow ever,

. F orm I2B , P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, h eavy buff u n d ercoat, y e llo w p a s te . The in te r io r has dark and

. ligh t r ed a ltern atin g v e r t ic a l bands on the w a lls . T h ere i s a b lack lip and a b lack b a se band. The

21

rem a in d er of the o u tsid e is orange* T here i s a k ill hole in the base*


location : sa m e a s B u r ia l 88*

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10,, , Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste and u n d er-slip* . The in ter io r i s orange w ith a red lip band w hich o v er la p s to the outside* T h ere i s a b lack band around the lip and b ase bn the exterior*The ou tsid e background is orange* A la r g e buff rec ta n g le ou tlin ed in b lack o c cu rs w ith buff and red Kan C r o s s e s afoutid the ex terior* The d esign app ears tw ice* T h ere i s a hollow b ase w ith ra ttles* T h ere are four p er fo ra tio n s in the base*

F orm 12Ba P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff under slip* The in ter io r i s m on och rom e orange w ith a b lack lip band overlap p in g s lig h tly to the outside* The e x ter io r background i s orange w ith la rg e b lack s e x fo ils outlined in r ed su p er im p o sed on it*

. F orm 14, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip ,hard y e llo w p a s te . The in ter io r i s m on och rom e orange w ith a r e d r im band w hich ov er la p s to the exterior* T h ere a re two th in b lack bands on the ou tsid e r im and one at the b a se . The ex ter io r has w ide orange p a n els a ltern atin g w ith thin red b ars a ll around the body*

B u ria l ?0T epeu 2

location : sa m e as B u r ia l 88*

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, heavy buff un d er-slip* The e x te r io r shows, b lack and red on orange rem ain s* T here is a w id e r e d lip band in s id e and out.

F orm 12A, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, h ea v y buff u n d ercoat* The in te r io r i s orange w ith r ed and b lack

22

T epeu 2

location?

3 v e s s e l s

Tepeu 2

location?

1 v e sse l?

g ly p h -lik e d es ig n s on it . . T h ese a re s ty liz ed , so m e being s im p ly b ra ck ets or c r e s c e n t-sh a p e d f ig u r e s . The in ter io r b ase and s id e a r e co v er e d in th is fa sh io n . T h ere a re tr a c e s o f b lack on orange on the e x te r io r . T h ere is a b lack rim band. The fe e t a re rem o v ed .

B u ria l 91

sa m e as B u ria l 88.

F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch rom e, th ick buff under -s lip . The in ter io r i s dark red sm udged . T here i s a r ed r im band extending in s id e and out. The e x te r io r has an orange background w ith b lack q u a trefo ils w h ich have hollow oran ge c e n te r s . T h ere a r e two h o r izo n ta l row s of th e se , each row con ta in in g .fo u r .

F orm I2B , P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e,, m edium buff u n d ercoat, ye llow p a s te . The in ter io r i s m on och rom e oran ge . T h ere i s an ex ter io r r e d rim . band fo llo w ed low er by a thin b lack one. The low er se c t io n i s u n c lea r . T h ere i s a h o le w e ll o ff- cen ter w hich m ay be a k ill h o le .

. F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, m edium buff u n d ercoat, ye llow p a s te . The in ter io r i s m on och rom e oran ge . T h ere i s a r ed rim band w hich c a r r ie s over to the o u tsid e . T here is a b lack band below th is and one around the b a se . . The r e s t is oran ge w ith an o c ca s io n a l b lack, v e r t ic a l bar.

B u ria l 92

sam e a s B u ria l 88.

F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, th ick buff under s lip , ye llo w p a ste . The in ter io r is m onoch rom e red; th is laps over to form a rim band on the e x te r io r . The low er s e c t io n of the e x ter io r h as a red and crea m ch e ck er -b o a rd pattern . T h ere i s a cen tra l k ill h o le . -

23


location ; sa m e a s B u r ia l 88o

2 v e s s e ls : F orm 149 Z a ca te i Cr earn P olychrom e,, h eavy buff u n der-s lip , y e llo w paste,, The in ter io r i s orange w ith a r e d lip band extending to the outside,, B elow th is i s a thin, b lack band. The r e s t of the e x te r io r w as probably m on och rom e orange.The s id e s a re v e r y high for th is fo rm .

F orm 14, heavy buff under s lip , pink p a s te . The in ter io r and ex ter io r a re m on och rom e oran ge w ith a r ed lip band in s id e and out. T h ere a r e tr a c e s of b lack on the e x te r io r . T here i s a cen tra l k il l h o le .

B u ria l 95

in term ed ia te (or p o s s ib ly T zak ol — E a r ly C la s s ic )

lo ca ted in a sm a ll to m edium s iz e tem p le w hich i s one of a group ofs tru c tu res; S tr . 4 H -4 .

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 11, (quite c lo s e to form 10). The in ter io r is s lip p edonly on a broad band below the lip . The e x te r io r i s s lip p ed to the b a se , w hich i s p la in . T h e ,s lip i s b lack ex cep t as it v a r ie s to orange around the b a se .

F orm 12A, th is i s a v a r ia n t of th is form having an unusual v e r t ic a l flan ge around the b a se . The v e s s e l i s m on och rom e orange except for th e ex ter io r b a se . The p a ste i s y e llo w . , The fe e t a r e s t i l l a ttach ed .

an odd form r e m in isc e n t of the T zakol p la te fo rm . T his is a sh allow d ish w ith a ring b a se .

a b a s ic a lly d o m estic fo rm . . It has a la rg e bulbous b ase w ith ' a w ide fla r in g o r if ic e . It i s a ’c o a r s e p la in w are . T h ere is a k il l h o le in the s id e . T he v e s s e l s in th is bu ria l have a cru de and c o a r s e p aste , m o re so than do m o st .

24

B u ria l 96in term ed ia te (p o ss ib ly T ep eu 1)

lo ca ted in a sm a ll to m edium tem p le m ound, one of a group of stru c tu res; Stro 4H —4o

4 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, s im ila r to form 11; i t i s s lig h tly ro u n d -s id ed , . Ithas an odd red p a ste , a p lain in te r io r , an u n slip p ed e x te r io r . T h ere i s a glyph band around the r im and h errin g bone lin e s w ith c ir c le s betw een them - - a ll done in w hite on the un slipped su r fa ce . The

■ v e s s e l is im p o rted .

F orm 13, Saxche C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip . The in ter io r i s orange w ith red bands at and ju st below the r im . The ex ter io r i s r ed . The fe e t a re s t i l l a ttach ed .

F orm 13, The in ter io r of th is v e s s e l has a buff lip , a brow nband below that and i s r ed -o r a n g e over the r e s t of the in te r io r . The ex ter io r i s c o m p le te ly u n slipped . The le g s a re m is s in g , but th ere i s no k ill h o le .

F orm 15, The in ter io r of th is v e s s e l i s orange m on och rom ew ith a brown lip band w hich c a r r ie s over to the o u tsid e . The r e s t of the ex ter io r i s m on och rom e oran ge.

B u ria l 97T ep eu 2 '

location : sa m e as B u r ia l 96 ,

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, P ic P o ly ch ro m e Group, pink p a ste ; the e x ter io rshow s tr a c e s of r e d and b lack . T here is a heavy buff under s lip under the e x te r io r .

F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, stan d ard p a ste ,heavy buff under s lip , . The r im f la r e s m ore than i s u su a l for th is typ e. The in te r io r is orange w ith a w ide r ed r im band overlap p in g to form a w ide band on the ou tsid e . The r e s t of the e x te r io r has a s e r ie s of c r o s se d , double b lack lin es fo r m ing a d iam on d -lik e d esign , . In the cen ter of thes.e diam onds a re hollow orange c ir c le s . The v e s s e l is k illed , 1 '

25

F orm I2 B S P a lm ar O range P olychrom e,' stand ard p a ste , buff underslipo The in ter io r i s co m p le te ly orange* T h ere i s a r ed rim band overlap p in g both sides* On the e x ter io r below that a re two narrow brown bands* The r e s t i s m on och rom e orange*


location : sa m e a s B u r ia l 96*

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, stand ard p a ste ,buff under slip* The in ter io r i s unslipped*T h ere i s a r e d lip band w hich c a r r ie s to the ou tside* The e x te r io r i s orange w ith tr a c e s of r e d and brown* The s id e s a re s lig h tly o u t-cu rv ed .

. F orm 12B, PLc. P o ly ch ro m e Group, orange p a ste , buff under slip*

F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p aste ,heavy buff under slip* The in ter io r i s m on och ro m e red; the e x te r io r r im is red* The o u ts id e w as red and b lack on orange* T h ere i s a cen tra l k il l hole*


location : sa m e a s B u ria l 96 .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p a ste , buffunder slip* T h ere i s an uns lip ped in ter io r w ith a r e d lip band w hich c a r r ie s to the outside* T h ere a re rem n a n ts of brown and orange in an un clear a ltern a tin g pattern on the exterior* T h ere is a c en tr a l k il l hole*

F orm I2B , Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p a ste , buff under slip* The b a se is m o d era te ly in -cu rv e d . The in ter io r i s orange w ith a red r im band below a brow n lip band. The brow n c a r r ie s to the e x te r io r , and i s fo llo w ed by a red , a brown, a w ide oran ge, a thin brown and a fin a l b asa l orange band*

26

F orm 14, . P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, m edium buff under - s lip , y e llo w p a s te . The s id es cu rv e in s lig h tly at the m outh. T h is v e s s e l is m u ch lik e the one d e scr ib e d ju st above; the in te r io r i s id e n tic a l, and the e x te r io r i s a lso , ex cep t for som e c r e s c e n t sh ap es in brown; on the w ide oran ge band. T h ere i s a h o le in the jo in t of the s id e and b a se .

B u ria l 101T epeu I


1 v e s s e l : F orm 15, an odd orange p a s te . The v e s s e l i s co m p le te lym on och rom e. N ea r ly stra ig h t s id e s round at the b a se . The e x te r io r has gouged in c is e d glyphs a ll of w hich a re the sa m e and qu ite com p lex .The v e s s e l i s m on och rom e orange, and i s probably im p orted .


con text u n certa in ,

. 1 v e s s e l : F orm I2B , M e .P o ly ch ro m e Group, y e llow p a ste , heavy buffu n d erslip . The in ter io r i s m on och rom e red w ith a b lack lip band w hich laps over to the ou tsid e r im , . R ed i s the e x te r io r background with b lack

' c r e s c e n t shaped b ra ck ets e n c lo s in g a s e r ie s ofb lack dots.


location : sa m e as B u r ia l 96,;

I v e s s e l : F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p a ste , buffunder s lip . The in ter io r w as m on och rom e r ed or orange; the ex te r io r , r ed and purp le on c r e a m . The v e s s e l i s ta ll for th is fo rm .

27


location ; sa m e a s B u ria l 96=

1 v e s s e l ; F orm 14, . Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p a ste ,h eavy buff under s lip . The in ter io r has v e r t ic a l a ltern atin g r ed and oran ge w avy lin e s over the su r fa c e . The lip i s b lack, and th er e a re four each of th ick a ltern atin g b lack and crea m lin e s . T h ese a re h o r izo n ta l and m ay be p art of a panel or m ay contin ue about the en tire e x te r io r .


location ; sa m e a s B u ria l 96.

4 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, C hantouri B la ck on O range, y e llo w p aste , m ediu mbuff under s lip . The in ter io r i s orange w ith a red lip band w hich contin ues to the e x te r io r .The rem ain d er of the ex ter io r i s to ta lly b lack .

F orm 12 A ,. P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, y e llo w p a ste , heavy buff under s lip . The w hole v e s s e l is co v er e d in the w ide a ltern atin g r e d and orange w avy band tech n iq u e. It has a w id e ly ou t-cu rv in g lip , and th ree sm a ll, so lid fe e t .

F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e. The in ter io r of th is v e s s e l i s d eco ra ted w ith the w ide a ltern atin g r e d and orange w avy band techniq ue. The ex ter io r has c r o s s e d bands running at r ig h t a n g les to each other form in g a d iam on d -sh ap ed p attern . The bands are crea m w ith black dots running through them in p a r a lle l l in e s . The d iam onds have b lack backgrounds w ith som ew hat sq u a r ish se x fo ils of crea m in the m id d le . T h ere i s a cen tra l k ill h o le .

. F orm 12B, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff undercoat. The in ter io r i s orange w ith a w ide r e d r im band w hich extends to the o u tsid e as w e ll. The m ain e x te r io r band of d eco ra tio n contain s a b la ck -ou tlin ed , crea m c o lo re d G reek fr e t . T his a ltern a te s w ith orange sq u ig g le s .

28


un certa in con text.

1 v e s s e l ; F orm I2B , P a lm ar O range Polychrom e^ m on och rom e r edp a ste , .heavy buff under s lip . The. in ter io r is m on och rom e oran ge. The lip i s b lack and the m a jo rity of the e x ter io r is orange ex cep t for b a sa l bands of r ed and r ed and orange sa w -too th d esign s,.

. B u ria l 116Tepeu. 2

lo ca ted in T em ple I ded icatory; S tr, 5 D -I . The bu ria l i s ac tu a llya s so c ia te d w ith the tem p le under and e a r lie r than T em p le L

18 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, The e x ter io r of th is v e s s e l has a v e r t ic a l bandof g lyphs a ltern atin g w ith a la r g e , com p lex , rectan gu lar d esign , p erh ap s glyphic, in nature.T his com b in ation ap p ears tw ice on the v e s s e l su r fa ce , and m ay be in c is e d ra th er than pain ted .

F orm 10, T h is i s probably the m o st rem a rk a b le d eco ra ted v e s s e l in the c o lle c t io n . The sc e n e i s the ty p ica l, and in fa c t a lrnost in v a r ia b le one for th is v e s s e l form ; it i s one of a sea ted d ign itary being p r e sen ted w ith o ffer in g s; th ere a r e u su a lly groups of p eo p le in a tten d an ce. This v e s s e l p o s s e s s e s that sce n e but to i t s b e s t d eve lop ed extent. The plum ed and o th erw ise ty p ica lly garb ed Maya fu n ction ary i s s ea ted c r o s s - le g g e d on a dias and i s being p r e se n te d w ith a p la tter of so lid su b sta n ce o ffer in g s by one attendant and w ith a sh ea f of fe a th er s by a secon d . Both the attendants a re h igh ly d ecora ted w ith orn am en ts. The two a re on the d ias a scen d in g to the se a te d fig u re . T h ere a re , in the r e s t of the scen e , two groups of th re e and four p eop le r e s p e c t iv e ly . One grp up of th ree i s on i t s k n ees; th ese a r e quite w e ll robed but seem to be le s s im p ortant than the secon d group, that of fo u r . This la s t group contain s four in d iv id u a lly d is tin c t p e r so n s , one of whom is ob v iou sly sp ok esm an . He i s e la b o ra te ly garb ed

29

and is the only p erso n w hose body i s standing fu ll fa c e excep t for the p erso n on the d ia s0 A ll other heads a re in p r o file . The th ree p erso n s behind the sp ok esm an a re d r e s s e d fin e ly and a r e p ortra y ed as in d iv id u a ls , . T here a r e glyph bands con n ected w ith the m an on the d ia s , the p r e se n te r s , and the lead er of the p resen tin g group and two of h is su b o rd in a tes. G lyphs appear in th ree h o r izo n ta l row s on the d ias b a se ,

. It i s m y g u e ss that the sc e n e h e r e i s akin to an a m b a ssa d o r ia l r ecep tio n , . R e p r esen ta tiv e s from so m e in stitu tio n e ith er from w ith in or ou tsid e the im m ed ia te s o c ie ty a re p resen tin g goods to a p erso n a g e m o re pow erfu l than th e m se lv e s . The r e p r e se n ta t iv e s a re o b v iou sly of high rank, ju d ging both from th e ir co stu m e s and from the in d iv id u a lity w ith w hich each i s p o rtrayed .

F orm 10, T his v e s s e l p r e se n ts a s im p lif ie d v e r s io n of the sea ted d ign itary - - suppliant m o tif. , The sam e sce n e i s r ep ea ted tw ice only the glyph bands being d ifferen t from scen e to s c e n e . The e la b o ra te ly b edecked sea ted f ig u r e .is g estu r in g to a k n ee lin g , ob v iou sly su b serv ia n t ind iv idu al. The sc e n e s a r e sep a ra ted by v e r t ic a l p an els of odd, n on -g lyph ic d e s ig n s , A glyph band c ir c le s the v e s s e l r im .

F orm 10, T h ere i s only a sea ted d ign itary in th is v e s s e l ' s p a n e ls , . . In one the ind iv idu al i s qu ite corp u len t and is sea ted b e fo re a cy lin d er v e s s e l . T here a re glyphs about h is head. The seco n d scen e e ith er contains a d ifferen t ind iv idu al or the fo r m e r in a v e r y m uch d ieted s ta te . T hey a re probably

r not the sam e in d iv id u al, A s tr a n g e ly shaped c o n ta in er w ith fr u it p iled high s it s b e fo re him .

. G lyphs appear ^around h is head. . Bands of s ty liz e d glyphs sep a ra te the sc e n e s and" a ls o appear under the bench the p e r so n i s sea ted on. A glyph band c ir c le s the v e s s e l r im ,

. F orm 10, The sc e n e s h e r e , too, contain on ly one fig u re sea ted on a w ick er bench w hich i s c o v ered w ith jaguar sk in s . He w ea rs an e la b o ra te fea th er h e a d d re ss . B oth sc e n e s a re id e n tic a l and a r e

30

F o rm

F orm

F orm

F orm

F orm

sep a ra ted by v e r t ic a l co lum ns of sq u a r ish q u a trefo il s . T h ere i s a glyph band around the r im of the v e s s e l ,

I 0 $ T h ere a re two p a n els on th is v e s s e l , both c o n tain a sea ted in d iv idu al, not the sa m e one in both c a s e s h o w ev er , . They a re g iv in g o r d e rs , ad v ice , fa v o rs (? ), to a seco n d p e r so n . In one sce n e the seco n d p erso n is k n eeling; in the other the seco n d in d iv idu al i s standing. F an cy q u a trefo i ls f i l l the sep aratin g b ars betw een s c e n e s , A glyph band surrou nds the r im , .

10, H ere a se a te d in d iv idu al in fan cy h ea d d ress i s sea ted on a backed p latform w ith a cy lin d er v e s s e l in fron t of h im ,, It i s ap p rop ria te for drinking or eatin g .a lth ou gh th ere i s no in d ica tion of it s con ten ts. It s e e m s m o re su ited as a d r in k ing v e s s e l . B en eath the p latform in one. of the two n ea r ly id e n tic a l s c e n e s i s a v e s s e l w hich i s in the d o m estic s e r ie s - -g lo b u la r body, narrow , flaring n e c k - -a liqu id holder se a te d on a supp ort. In the seco n d sc e n e the v e s s e l under the bench i s a tr ip od p la te o f standard d im en sio n s holding fru it. The s c e n e s a re sep a ra ted from each other by a v e r t ic a l p an el, . One pan el con ta in s a w oven m at d esign , the other sq u a r ish q u a tre fo ils .Glyphs in a band run around the r im ,

10, The two p a n els on th is v e s s e l a r e n ea r ly id e n t ic a l.T h ere i s a se a te d fig u re on a jaguar sk in c o v e r e d ' bench. He w e a r s a v e r y e la b o ra te head p ie c e and is lean in g fo rw a rd g estu r in g w ith h is ou ts tr e tc h e d le ft hand. The sa m e p e r so n m ay be p ic tu red in both s c e n e s , A co lu m n of s ty liz e d glyphs sep a ra te s one sid e of th e two p an els and a colum n of q u a trefo ils sep a ra te s the o ther, A glyph ic band surrou n d s the r im ,

10, (no d e scr ip t iv e in form ation a v a ila b le ) ,

10, T h ere a re two v e r y s im ila r p a n els each co n ta in -' in g .a sea ted fig u re on the tra d itio n a l bench.

He, it is probably the sam e p e r so n in both s c e n e s , i s hold ing a fea th ered w and. He is

31

w earin g a fan cy h ea d d ress and i s g estu r in g w ith r igh t hand. . S m all p a n els contain ing halved sq u a r ish q u atrefo iIs sep a ra te the tw o ch ie f s c e n e s . G lyphs parade in a band about the r im .

F orm 10s The two s c e n e s on th is v e s s e l a re e s s e n t ia lly s im ila r w ith a sea ted ind iv idual confronting a k n eelin g one. The glyph bands change betw een the s c e n e s , but the in d iv id u a ls and the settin g do not. The sea ted fig u re has the le a s t f ie r c e , in fa c t probably the k in d est, fa c e that I have see n in M aya a r t. - A glyph band o c cu rs about the r im .

F orm 10, The c h ie f s ce n e on th is v e s s e l contain s a m ask ed , sea ted fig u re w ith an e lab ora te h ea d d ress; a standing fig u re who holds the garmiemtmr fe tter of a sm a ll, d w arfish p erso n who i s ob viou sly in su b jection . The sc e n e i s quite an im ated and the. m id d le p erso n , probably a p r iso n e r , i s in e v i dent d isc o m fo r t. One glyph p a ir e d w ith a seco n d a lte r n a te s around the r im .

F orm 12A, A ty p ica l tr ip od p la te w ith the fe e t s t i l l a ttach ed .(No other d e sc r ip t iv e in form ation i s a v a ila b le . )

F orm 12A , T his i s an ab erra n t tr ipod p la te w ith a poureron one s id e and sm a ll cu p -lik e se c t io n op p osite . T his cou ld be a d ipper. The round, k n ob -lik e le g s a re s t i l l in p la c e , i On th e ,in te r io r b ase , th ere i s a black, g ly p h -lik e d es ig n contain ing a sec tio n ed , d o t-f ille d cartou ch e . T h ere i s a secon d , m a in ly b lack, sm a lle r cartou ch e w ith p yram id ed b la ck dots on e ith er s id e . A k ill h o le i s in cen ter b a se .

F orm 12A, The le g s a re s t i l l a ttached to th is p la te . Nod escr ip tio n i s a v a ila b le for the e x te r io r . ..The

in ter io r s id e s and b ase are lin ed w ith p an els having the p rec ip ita tin g ra in c lo u d pattern , i. e . a la rg e b lack oval w ith a d escen d in g s e r ie s of b lack d ots. T h ere i s a b lack r im and a b lack band at the ju n ctu re of the s id e s and b ase . The . b a se cen ter con ta in s a b lack outlined , s ty liz e d glyph pattern .

32

F orm 12Ag T his tr ip od p la te con ta in s e s s e n t ia l ly the sa m e d esig n s as the p reced in g one ex cep t for the cen ter b a se w hich fcontains a b la ck -o u tlin ed

. M a ltese C r o ss , The e x ter io r s id e s a re in thew ide a ltern atin g r ed and orange Wavy lin e p attern . The fe e t a re s t i l l a ttach ed .

F orm 1233,, The in ter io r and e x ter io r s id e s h ave th ree s ty liz e d m a sk s in s id e and out. T h ese a re crearn, ou tlin ed in b lack and alternate, around the v e s s e l w ith . b lack and crea m h a tch in gs. The in ter io r b a se has a s in g le m a sk w ith surrounding h atch in gs.The w hole ap p ears quite T z a k o l- lik e , The m a sk s cou ld be r e p r e se n ta tiv e s of a s ty liz e d jaguar or T la lo ck fig u re .

F orm 14, The in form ation i s in co m p lete on th is v e s s e l , A band of p a n els w ith the p rec ip ita tin g ra in cloud m o tif appear s around e ith er the in ter io r or e x te r io r w a lls . T h ere a re tr a c e s of r ed on the in ter io r b a se .



2 v e s s e l s : F orm 11, T h is i s b a s ic a lly Saxche in d ecoration , but thew hole is too badly w eath ered for cer ta in id e n t if ica tion , . T his v e s s e l i s sh o rter than m o st in th is fo rm .

F orm 13A, T h is i s b a s ic a lly a Saxche p o ly ch ro m e, but i sv e r y badly w ea th ered . The fe e t a re s t i l l a ttach ed .


lo ca ted in a fa ir ly la rg e tem p le w h ich i s the e a ster n m o st building in i t s group; S tr , 7 F -3 0 ,

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 11, T his i s m on och rom e orange w ith buff p a ste andno under s lip . The ou tsid e i s sm u d ged and is . a lm o st b lack in s id e . The shape i s c lo s e to fo rm 10 ,

33

F o r m 213 P erh ap s Saxche O range Polychrom e^ buffp a ste . The in ter io r i s orange w ith som e black . The ex ter io r h as a b lack rfm and a b lack band below the r im . . The r e s t is ora n g e . . S ty lized glyphs occur in groups of th ree in one of the bands.

F orm 12B, T his i s a la r g e / p la in v e s s e l w ith an odd fa ir ly c o a r se p a s te . No other in form ation a v a ila b le .


u n certa in context; S tr . 3H -3 .

. I v e s s e l : F orm 11, . S ibal Buff P o ly ch ro m e , y e llo w p a s te . . Thisv e s s e l has a squat, con cave b a se , a m on och rom e orange in te r io r , and a b lack lip . B elow the lip i s a r ed band, two narrow b lack lin e s and a su b seq uent orange band. A band of r e d and b lack f ig u r e s ap p ears next on a buff background. R ed and buff bands rea ch the b a se .


lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le , the e a ste r n m o st building in a group; Str.. 6C -41 .

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 10, C hantouri B lack on O range, buff under s lip andp a ste . The e x te r io r has oblique flu ted grooving w ith double h o r izo n ta l g ro o v es around the r im and b a se . T h ere i s b lack on orange d ecoration in add ition on the ou tsid e.

F orm T2B, P a lm a r O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste and u n d er - s lip . The in ter io r m ay have b een red . T h ere i s a r e d Lip band both in s id e and out. The ex ter io r has f la t -s id e d , r ed c ir c le s on a b lack background.

F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, c o a r s e pink p a ste , buff under s lip . The in ter io r i s m on och rom e oran ge. A r e d lip band extends to the ou tsid e.The e x ter io r d ecora tion i s gone.

34


location ; sa m e as B u r ia l 135„

3 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, The p a ste and under s lip a re buff. The in ter io rhas a b lack lip band w hich c a r r ie s over to the ou tsid e . V e r tic a l grooving pa in ted orange c o v e r s .m ost of the e x ter io r body. T h ere i s a seco n d b lack band below the lip .

F orm I2B , Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip only on the ou tsid e . The lip band extending in s id e and out i s r ed . The in s id e i s m on och rom e oran ge. The e x te r io r body i s c o v er e d w ith a b lack and crea m c h e ck er -b o a rd d es ig n .

F orm 14, T his v e s s e l i s a lm o s t the equal of the one ju st ab ove. It i s Z a ca te l b a s ic a lly w ith buff under - s lip , and buff p a s te . T h ere i s a r ed lip band in s id e and out. . G roups of r ed and orange sq u a res ou tlin ed in b lack a ltern a te w ith crea m sq u a res in a c h e ck er -b o a rd p a ttern .

B u ria l 139Tepeu 2

location ; sa m e as B u ria l 135.

. 6 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste andheavy buff under s lip . The in te r io r i s orange; th ere i s a r e d lip band extending over both s id e s . . The e x te r io r body i s grooved , pain ted orange and has a h or izon ta l row of b lack q u a trefo i ls w ith hollow c e n te r s around the su rfa ce .

s F orm 12A, P a lm a r O range P o ly ch ro m e, stand ard buffp a ste and buff under s lip . The in ter io r is red on orange w ith a larg^e g ly p h -lik e co m p lex in the cen ter b a se . The e x ter io r i s orange w ith a b lack band about the b a se .

F orm 12B, The p a ste i s pink. The ex ter io r has b la ck - painted, oblique groov in g .

35

F orm 12Bj. Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, p ink p a ste , buff underslipo The in ter io r w a lls a r e orange and black; the in s id e b a se i s m on och rom e red . The e x te r io r w a lls a re so m e u n certa in com bin ation of red , b lack, c rea m , and r o s e ,

. F orm 12B, U cum acinta P lain; th ere is an o ff -ce n ter k il l h o le ,

. F orm 12B, ' U cum acinta P lain; th is v e s s e l is sm a ll for i t s typ e.


lo ca ted in a fa ir ly la rg e tem p le , the e a ste r n m o st s tru c tu re of it s group,

4 v e s s e l s : (no in form ation on one)

Z a cec B lack , The ex ter io r of th is v e s s e l is ap p aren tly a ll black; th ere i s no under s lip .The form of th is v e s s e l i s v e r y c lo s e to form 11, the b a rre l shape,

Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e, T here is a. b lack e x te r io r lip band below w hich i s a band of g lyph s w hich are b lack on orange backgroun ds,. The rem a in d er of the ou tsid e i s oran ge,

S ibal Buff P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a s te , A b lack lip band extends to both, s id e s . The m ain bands of d esign a re s e r ie s of p a r a lle l ob lique and v e r t ic a l lin e s e n c lo se d in brackets, and f r e t s . T h ese a re a ll in red , b lack ,, and w hite.

B u ria l 141 T epeu .2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le w hich i s the e a ster n m o st s tru c tu re o f its group; S tr, 3G -20 ,

1 v e s s e l : F orm 12B, W eathered to the point w h ere on ly the buff p a steand under s lip a r e id en tifia b le .

F orm 10,

F orm 11,

F orm 11,

36 n.B u ria l 142

in term ed iate

location : sa m e as B u ria l 1410


F orm 12A9. W eathering p e r m its id en tifica tio n of only a buff under s lip and pink paste<, Ther e i s a cen ter k il l h ole w hich w as d r ille d only from the in s id e of the p la te .

F orm 15, pink p a ste , buff under slip; no other inform ation..

B u r ia l 147T ep eu 2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le , the e a ste r n m o st s tru c tu re of i t s group;S tr0 6B~9° '

2 v e s s e l s : F o rm 12A, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e 0 T his tr ipod p latei s d eco ra ted in a s ty le s im ila r to T epeu.I„ The in ter io r b a se show s a lone dancer in a m anner v e r y s im ila r to th o se c la s s ic ex a m p les from T epeu 1 at U axactun (Ro E, Sm ith 1955: v o l.2, f ig . 73). The in te r io r w a lls conta in a s e r ie s of p a n els w ith s ty liz e d glyphs and m ed a llio n s . The fe e t a re s t i l l a ttach ed .

a form w hich i s s im ila r to both I2B and 14. It i s P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste and m edium buff under s lip . The in ter io r h as a s e r ie s of in te r se c tin g r ed b ars in an u n clear pattern .

. On the ex ter io r appear alternating^ and lock ing orange and b lack G reek k e y s . T h is w ide band co v er in g m o st of the body i s d efin ed at top and bottom by a b lack band.


location : sam e a s B u ria l 147.

3 v e s s e l s : F orm 11, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, standard p aste ,buff under s lip . The in ter io r of the exam ple i s

37

plairio T h ere a r e c o n se e u tiv e ly orange^ red , and b lack bands from the r im down to a band of r e d on orange d es ig n s w h ic h .f ills the rem a in d er of the su r fa ce .

F orm 12A, T his exam p le i s v e r y w eath ered . It has. a buffp a ste and buff u n d erslip . The fe e t a r e rem o v ed .

F orm 12B, Only the buff p a ste and under s lip a re id en tifia b le on th is badly w ea th ered v e s s e l .


lo ca ted in a fa ir ly la r g e tem p le , w hich i s the e a ste r n m o st stru ctu re ofit s group; S tr . 7 F -3 0 .


F orm 10, Z a ca te l O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste and under - s lip . The s id e s round to the b a se . T h ere i s a co n ica l cover w hich i s v e r y r a r e in th is tim e p er io d . The in ter io r is orange ex cep t for a narrow , b lack lip band. The e x te r io r i s d iv id ed into th ree h or izo n ta l s e c tio n s , the top and bottom a re the sa m e and c o n s is t of a s e r ie s of v e r t ic a l red b ars betw een bands. The m id d le sec tio n con ta in s g lyph ic head s and n u m era ls , and they a re b lack on an orange background. The co v er con ta in s two co n cen tr ic c ir c le s of sq u ares and r e c ta n g le s . The p attern is ou tlin ed in black, on a w hite ground.

F orm 11, Saxe he O range P o ly ch ro m e. T h is i s a shortexam p le of th is fo r m . . The upper h a lf of the in ter io r i s oran ge , below it i s p la in . P an els of narrow orange, c rea m , and b lack h orizon ta l lin e s co v er the ex ter io r su r fa ce excep t w here, in terru p ted once on each s id e by b lack and orange q u a tre fo ils .

F orm 13, Saxche O range P o ly ch ro m e, pink p a s te . On the in ter io r b a se a r e four se ts of two glyphs each .

. ZEach is d is tin ct and does not se e m to be s ty liz e d . T hey a re pa in ted in b lack.

38


lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le , one w hich is the e a ster n m o st s tru ctu re of it sgroup; Stro 3C-15<,

3 v e s s e l s ; F orm 12A , P ic P o ly ch ro m e Group, pink p a ste , buff under -s lip . The in ter io r i s w ea th ered beyond id e n t if i- cation . The e x te r io r is m on och rom e red . The fe e t a r e rem o v ed . . T h ere i s a k il l h o le .

. F orm 12B,. Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e. The in ter io r m ay have been b lack and r ed . A round the ex ter io r

. su r fa ce appear p an els w ith b lack dots and c r e s c e n ts a ltern a tin g w ith b lack b ars arran ged in the form of a M a ltese C r o ss .

. F orm 12B, P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a s te . The lip i s black, the res t, of the e x te r io r red .

. . B u ria l 155T ep eu 2

location ; sa m e as B u r ia l 154.

3 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, The only m a ter ia l rem ain in g i s the buff p a ste ,buff under s lip on the e x ter io r and the un slipped in te r io r .

F orm 12A , P a lm ar O range P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste andunder s lip . The ex ter io r has b la ck lip and b a se bands. B etw een i s a row of four s ty liz e d fa c e s of m a sk s . T h ese a re outlined in b lack . B etw een th ese a re oran ge p a n e ls . The fa c e s a re sq u a r ish , and the fe a tu r e s r e p r e se n te d by d o ts . The e x te r io r su r fa ce i s m on och rom e red . . The fe e t are s t i l l in p la c e .

F orm I2B ,. Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff p a ste and unclerslip . The in ter io r s e e m s to have been

■ [ ' m on och rom e r ed . The ex ter io r d ecoration i sgone.

39


location ; sa m e as B u ria l 154.

3 v e s s e l s ; : F orm 10.

F orm 10.

Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, pink p a ste , buff under s lip . The r e d lip band exten d s to both in ter io r and e x te r io r . The e x te r io r low er tw o -th ird s has a red , b lack , and cream ch eck er board d esig n . The background and half the sq u a res a re cream ; the red and b la ck a ltern a te in oblique r o w s.

Y uhactal B lack on: R ed, buff p a s te and under s lip . The e x ter io r has a r e d lip and b a se bands.L arge p o rtion s of the e x ter io r a r e orange; so m e of the in ter io r i s red .

B u ria l 157T ep eu .2

lo ca ted in a sm a ll tem p le , w hich i s the e a ster n m o st s tru c tu re of its group; S tr . 6 B -9 .

3 v e s s e l s ; F orm 10, T h is form h as buff p a s te . The e x te r io r isob liq u ely flu ted , and app aren tly the ex ter io r i s buff c o lo re d . T h is exam p le is ta ll for its typ e.

F orm 12A, P a lm a r • O range P o ly ch ro m e. On the in ter io r b a se i s a co m p lex d esign w ith a c en tr a l fa ce m ask surrou nded by s c r o lls and cu rvin g l in e s .It w ould seem to have been ou tlined in black.

- . B ed b ars occur on the e x te r io r , th eir natureis u n clea r . The fe e t a re m is s in g .

F orm 14, Z a ca te l C ream P o ly ch ro m e, buff under s lip .The in ter io r is orange w ith a crea m band ju st below the dark red lip band. The la tter c a r r ie s to the e x te r io r , i s fo llow ed by a r o s e and then by an orange band. B elow th ere i s a panel of d esig n s too w ea th ered for id en tifica tio n .

CHAPTER 2

COM PARATIVE DATA FROM THE MAYA LOWLANDS

F or p u rp o ses of eo m p a r iso n w ith in the M aya .area th ere fo llo w s .

a su m m ary of p ertin en t m ortu ary c e r a m ic m a ter ia ls , from so m e s ite s

/ z zother than T ikah . R ep o rts on Uaxactuns. Copan,. San J o se , H olm ul, and

Z acu leu have been in v e s tig a te d for the ap p earan ce of data w hich w ill

support the th e s is p r e se n ted in the in ter p r e tiv e se c t io n of th is work*

Id ea lly , th is se c t io n should show how the p a ttern s d is c u s se d in the

in ter p r e tiv e sec tio n a r e sp rea d throughout the M aya a r e a . A lack of

tim e and data com b in es to p rev en t a r e a lly ex h au stive exp loration , h o w

ev er , and the rea d er m u st be s a t is f ie d w ith .a sam p lin g of m a te r ia l fro m

so m e s ite So

A rra n g em en t of m a te r ia l i s a prob lem in th is sec tio n s in ce an

attem pt i s m ade to p r e se n t ev id en ce from other M aya s i t e s in te r m s of

a fra m ew o rk set, up sp e c if ic a lly for T ikah The d e sc r ip t iv e sec tio n

w hich p r e c e d e s th is one u sed a c la s s if ic a t io n of type, v e s s e l form , and

tem p ora l p er io d d er iv ed from T ikal cera m icso F or co n v en ien ce and

for un iform ity the sa m e c la s s if ic a t io n i s u sed h e r e . T h ere fo re it has

been n e c e s s a r y to adapt, and p o ss ib ly do in ju stice to , m a te r ia ls from

so m e of the s i t e s . The T za k o l-T ep eu seq u en ce has not b een im p o sed

on a ll the data, but the d esign ation L ate C la s s ic has in a ll c a s e s been

40

41

used, even though a ll authors m ay not u se it in th eir r e p o r ts . The

p la c e in the seq u en ce and m y in sp e c tio n of the v e s s e l s i l lu s tr a te d in

the r ep o r ts a re the ch ie f c r ite r ia for p lac in g a lo ca l p h a se w ith in the

L ate C la s s ic ,

. F rom a g iven num ber of b u ria ls at a s ite (1) the a v era g e

num ber of v e s s e l s per b u ria l i s lis ted ; (2) w h ere p o s s ib le , the ratio, of

so lid to liq u id co n ta in ers is obtained; and fin a lly (3) the r e la t iv e am ount

and v a r ie ty of d ecora tion on the m ortu ary c e r a m ic s is d isc u sse d . P r o

v e n ie n c e of the b u ria ls i s m en tion ed as the in fo rm a tio n .a v a ila b le p e r m its .

The g rave v s , tom b (or housem ound v s , tem p le -p yram id ) > dichotom y is

l is te d if the in form ation is .a v a ila b le , . T h ese f ir s t th ree p oin ts are

in v e s tig a te d s p e c if ic a lly b eca u se the h yp o th eses d is c u s se d in the next

h alf of th is th e s is b ecom e m o re v a lid a s th ey a r e su p p orted by co m p a ra

tiv e data, although of c o u r se they a r e not in va lid a ted by the lack of

support ou tsid e of T ik al,

' /Uaxactun

F or U axactun no-adaptation of the term in o lo g y for tem p ora l,

type, and form c la s s if ic a t io n i s n e c e s s a r y . The d iv is io n of p eriod s

p r esen ted h e r e for T ikal in fa c t c o m e s from U axactun, ■ A ll the m a ter ia l

u sed h ere co m e s from R ob ert S m ith 's C eram ic Sequence at Uaxactun. i

(1955), In the m o st g en era l te r m s a ll the p attern s n o ticea b le for T ikal

/b u ria l c e r a m ic s can be found at U axactun, The L ate C la s s ic at th is

42

m o d era te ly s iz e d M aya cen ter i s d iv ided into T ep en 1, 2S and 3; for

each p er io d th ere a re nine b u r ia ls . The a v era g e num ber of v e s s e ls in

any p a rticu la r bu ria l in any of the th ree p h a ses i s about tw o. The m a x i

mum and. m in im um n u m b ers a re four and one.

F or a ll s ite s other than T ikal the k illin g of v e s s e l s s e e m s to

be quite r a r e . The o c cu rr e n c e i s e ith er not rep orted , an even tu a lity .

u n lik ely to occu r w hen so m any so u r c e s a re used , or T ikal a lone is ab le

to c la im that p r a c tic e as a p art of it s c e r e m o n ia ls . S in ce the p r a c tic e

of k illin g w ill be u sed to a id .in d istin gu ish in g betw een co n ta in ers

d esig n ed for liq u id s a s op p osed to th o se for so lid s at T ikal, the lack of

that tr a it in other M aya c e n te r s i s som eth in g of a h in drance in drawing

th is u se fu l but e lu s iv e d ichotom y. In the c a se of U axactun,. a s for a ll

the other s ite s w hich a re used , th o se fo rm s approaching or equaling

fo rm s 10 and I I , the cy lin d er and b a r r e l-sh a p e d v e s s e l s r e sp e c t iv e ly ,

a re c a lle d liq u id h o ld er s . T h ere fo re on the b a s is of fo r m , the ra tio of

liquid to so lid h o ld ers in the g r a v es in T epeu l at U axactun i s one to

th ree . In T epeu .2 the ra tio i s one to tw o.

In T ep eu I and 2 at U axactun m o st of the v e s s e l fo rm s f it

r ea d ily in to the c a te g o r ie s e s ta b lish e d for T ikal, but for th is th e s is the

fo rm s of T e p e u .3 a re not c a te g o r iz e d and a re s im p ly n oted as being in

the d o m estic , not the c er e m o n ia l fin e w a re trad ition . That i s , they a re

the com m on cooking w a re . T epeu-3 at Uaxactun i s c h a r a c te r iz e d in the

m ortu ary c er a m ic trad ition by an a lm o st co m p lete r ep la ce m e n t of fin e

43

w are by u n d ecorated d o m estic w a r e s . What fin e w are p e r s is t s i s u su

a lly im p o rted and in c is e d ra th er than p ain ted .

P a in ted d es ig n s ty le holds con stan t for both c e n te r s through the

T epeu seq u en ce . M ost of the fin e w a r es a re pain ted w ith v a r io u s a b s tr a c t

and g e o m e tr ic a l f ig u r e s . A few have only the b a sic m on och rom e under -

coats but m o st have any com bin ation of a v a s t ca ta logu e of .design e l e

m en ts and tech n iq ues im p o sed on top of th is m on och rom e in a fa ir ly

p red ic ta b le .ra n g e and com b in ation of c o lo r s . Many of the e lem en ts p e r

s is t or develop through tim e both w ith in the in - s i t e trad ition , and a lso d ■ ' : '

throughout the w hole geograp h ic reg io n in v e stig a te d . . B e s id e s th ese

rather p r o sa ic ex a m p les of M aya cra ft th ere a r e d is tin c t iv e n a tu ra list ic

sc e n e s w hich appear on the in ter io r of so m e tr ip od p la te s and an the

ex ter io r of so m e cy lin d er v a s e s . The c er e m o n ia l or r itu a lis t ic s c e n e s

r eco rd ed on th ese c e r a m ic s can, although they do not at T ikal and only

o c ca s io n a lly do at Uaxactun, r ea c h h e igh ts of a r t is t ic e x c e lle n c e even

w hen c o n s id e re d w ith in pur own sch em e of a e s th e t ic s . V ir tu a lly a ll

m ortu ary c e r a m ic s in T ep eu 1 and 2 fa ll w ith in the ran ge of d eco ra ted

fin e w are tra d ition . The m o st f in e ly pa in ted c e r a m ic s a r e u su a lly found

in the r ic h e s t tom b s. T heir p r e se n c e is an in d ication of the p r e s t ig e

/and w ea lth of the entom bed ind iv idu al. In T ep eu .3 at U axactun painting

d isa p p ea rs and along w ith it go m o st of the v e s s e l s a s so c ia te d w ith the

fin e w are trad ition .

44

The lo ca tio n of b u ria ls at U axactun v a r ie s betw een housem ound

lo ca tio n s for ha lf of the T epeu 1 and 2 g r a v es and lo ca tio n s in p yram id

tom bs for th e other haifo The hou sem ou nd b u ria ls a v era g e one v e s s e l

le s s than the p y ram id g ra v es in both T epeu . 1 and 2o A ll the T epeu 3

b u ria ls w ere found in lo ca tio n s in c e r e m o n ia l stru ctu res,, T h ese b u r ia ls

a re u su a lly c i s t s , not to m b s0

That T ep eu 3 b u ria ls a r e found only in the h ea rt of the cen ter

and in c is t s in the cer e m o n ia l bu ild in gs is taken to in d ica te that during

th is p e r io d of d ec lin e am ong the M aya the dwindling population m oved to

the cen ter of the s i t e s and liv e d and b u ried in the m o st prom in en t b u ild

ings,, T epeu 3 r e fu se i s m o st com m on ly found in the c en tr a l a r ea s of

T ikal and U axactun, but even h ere i t i s not p len tifu l (C ulbert, p erso n a l

com m unication)*

/Copan

. I '/ /

Uaxactun i s II m ile s north of T ikah. Copan is about 200 m ile s

to the south and e a st of TikaL W hile U axactun i s co n s id era b ly sm a lle r

than T ikal and probab ly su b sid ia ry to it for m o st of i t s h is to r y . Copan

co m p etes e a s i ly w ith T ikal as one of the fo r e m o st known and ex ca v a ted

M aya c e n te r s , John L ongyear in h is Copan C era m ics (195.2) p r e se n ts

the b u ria l data from that s ite w h ich .a re u sed h e r e , L ongyear u se s the

term F u ll C la s s ic to r e fe r to what a r e c a lle d h ere T ep eu 1 and .2, P e r

haps he even in c lu d es so m e la te T zak ol, . It i s in any e a s e im p o ss ib le

45

to break the b u ria ls into T epeu i and 2 ca teg o ries ,, . T h ere a re 35 b u ria ls

w ith 93 v e s s e l s in a s so c ia t io n p la ced in the F u ll C lassic ,, The b u ria ls

a re d iv ided by L ongyear into g r a v e s , w hich a r e s im p le b u ria ls; and

tom bs, w hich a re e la b o ra te in term en ts in ch am b ers in stru ctu res,. The.

a v era g e num ber of v e s s e l s per g ra v e i s two; for tom bs 3o 5.

. E stim a tin g the u tilita r ia n fu nction o f v e s s e l s is m uch m ore

d ifficu lt f o r • Copan than for T ikal or Uaxactuno Many of the form s

p r e se n t at T ikal and. Uaxactun a re a lso found at Copan, but th ere a re

s o m e new fo r m s w hich i t i s d ifficu lt to ca tegorize ,, V e s s e l s a re

c la s s if ie d fu n ction a lly on ackn ow led ged ly in se c u r e ground s, L eD by s iz e

and sh ape0 M iniature v e s s e l s , v e s s e l s w ith r e s tr ic te d , narrow o r if ic e s

and what L ongyear ca.lls cu p s, sm a ll cy lin d er v a s e s in our term in o lo g y ,

a re a ll c a lle d liq u id hold ers» With th is a rran gem en t a fa ir ly constan t

one to two ra tio of liq u id to so lid co n ta in ers is d isc o v e r e d for the F u ll

C la s s ic , Doubts about the actu a l o c cu rr e n c e of such a ra tio in in d iv idu al

ib u ria ls have up to th is poin t been u n ju stified for T ikal and Uaxactuno

When fo r m s 10 or 11, the liq u id co n ta in ers , occu r, such a ,ra tio or one quite

c lo s e to it u su a lly e x is t s at th o se s i t e s . S ta tis t ic s have not been ly in g

up to th is t im e . The o c cu rr e n c e of th is pattern of r a tio s in sp e c if ic

/b u ria ls at Copan i s not outstanding. T h is m ay be one of the w eaker,

/ >le s s m ean in gfu l m ortu ary tra d itio n s at Copan, or Copan m ay be on the

p er ip h ery of the a rea c h a r a c te r iz e d by th is tra it.

46

D ecora tion s on Copan c e r a m ic s a r e im p ressiv e ,, Of a ll the

/s i t e s m en tion ed h ere Copan undoubtedly has produ ced the f in e s t c o l le c

tion of pa in ted c e r a m ic s . The quality as w e ll a s quantity of the p a in t

in gs e x ce e d s that of T ikal, the s ite w ith the only r e a l co m p e tito r s .

Through both a r ch a eo lo g ica l p r e se r v a tio n and through s im p le tech n ica l

/su p er io r ity Copan has y ie ld e d a c o lle c t io n of d ecora ted w a re w hich,

w h ile it fo llo w s a p attern of m ortu ary d istr ib u tion s im ila r to' T ikal, does

so in the m anner of a w ea lth ier and m o re a r t is t ic a lly cap ab le cen te r . .

The b a sic c o lle c t io n of d esig n e lem en ts w hich a r e cu rren t a t T ikal and

/ ZU axactun a re a lso p r e se n t at Cop an. T ech n iq u es lik e in c is in g , and a

technique of w ide a ltern atin g r e d and orange w avy bands, a ls o appear

at Copan, and in the usual tim e p e r io d s . That i s , in c is in g i s in freq u en t

in the L ate C la s s ic but b eco m es the dom inant d eco ra tiv e technique at

the end of the L ate C la s s ic and e a r ly P o s t - c la s s ic . The w ide, a ltern atin g

red and orange w avy bands techniq ue i s com m on through the p h a ses of

the L ate C la s s ic .

A s id e from the a lm o st p red ic ta b le s to r e of d e s ig n e lem en ts

com m on to the reg io n d e lim ited so fa r , the m o st notew orthy a r t is t ic'• 7

Zo ccu rren ce at Copan i s the s c e n e s d ep ic ted on the s id e s of the cy lin d er

v a s e s . The sa m e so r ts of r itu a lly c la d in d iv id u als occu r as on T ikal

/and Uaxactun c y lin d ers but in action w hich v a r ie s from dancing to hand

cra ftin g to m arch in g in fo rm a l p r o c e s s io n s . M ost cannot be in terp re ted

47

a s being b iograp h ica l to the ind iv idu al w ith whom they w e r e in ter r ed as

i s p o s s ib ly the c a se at T ikah .

/Of the 35 b u ria ls u se d h ere from Copan, 17 co m e from tom bs

(using L o n g y ea rrs defin ition of that term ) and 1 8 com e from g r a v es .

a. M ost of both com e from two sp e c if ic bu ria l a r e a s at Copan and som e

of the tom bs co m e from in term en ts in cer e m o n ia l s tr u c tu r e s .

• San J o se

9San J o se , B r it ish H onduras, i s a sm a ll, m in or, and rather

poor M aya cen ter about 60 m ile s due e a s t of T ikal. It w as excavated

by J. E r ic T hom pson and h is pu b lica tion (1939) is the so u r ce o f the

in form ation u sed h e r e . San J o s e 's h is to r y has been d iv ided into p h a ses

I through V. P h a se s HI and IV se e m , on in sp ec tio n of th e photographs,

to be B ate C la ss ic ; that i s , con tem p oran eou s w ith T ep eu I and 2, w h ile

p h ase V s e e m s to be e ith er B ate C la s s ic or e a r ly P o s t - c la s s ic . It

c lo s e ly r e s e m b le s T epeu 3. T h ere a r e 23 b u ria ls u sed h e r e from the

,San J o se p h a ses HI and IV w ith 41 v e s s e l s in a s so c ia tio n w ith th em .

- A ll the g ra v es w ere in a r t if ic ia l f i l l w ith v e r y lit t le d ifferen ce in c o n

ten ts am ong them . The a v era g e num ber of v e s s e l s p er b u ria l i s s lig h tly

le s s than tw o. The actu a l ran ge of v e s s e l s i s betw een one and fou r .

A ra tio of so lid to liqu id h o ld ers i s im p o ss ib le to a r r iv e at for

/v San J o se , due both to the in freq u en cy w ith w hich the cy lin d er form

o ccu rs and a lso to the ap p earan ce of a new so u p -d ish lik e fo rm , a form

48

for w hich th ere i s no ca teg o ry in our c la s s if ic a to r y schem e,, A d e s ig n a

tion of function for the v e s s e l s i s hard ly p o s s ib le w ithout con stru ctin g a

new s e t of eva lu ation c r ite r ia . I t .is s a fe s t , then, to sa y that w ith in the

fra m ew o rk s e t up for judging v e s s e l function , the p attern of ra tio

betw een fu n ction s does not e x is t at San J o se excep t in the m o st

atten uated fo rm . To p rove the la s t point, th ere a re f iv e b u ria ls w ith

c y lin d er s in them ; th ese g e n e ra lly show a one to one ra tio w ith so lid

h o ld ers w ith in the sa m e g ra v e . S o lid h o ld ers a re g e n e ra lly any other

so r t of in clu d ed v e s s e l .

D ecoration i s a lm o st a m e a n in g le ss term w hen the c e r a m ic s ,

from San J o se a re d is c u s se d . They a r e a ll rath er w retch ed . P ainting

i s a lm o st n o n -ex isten t; it i s a lm o st as though the cen ter w e re too poor

to support a group, of s p e c ia l is t s for that p u rp o se . In c isin g i s alw ays

p rev a len t at San J o se . It i s m o s t w e ll d eveloped in the la s t p h ase , V,

0the P o s t - c la s s ic , the p e r io d w hen in c is in g b eco m es com m on at Uaxactun

and T ikal a lso . , B e fo re p er io d V in c is in g v a r ie s from glyphs and

u n com p lica ted d es ig n s to s im p le s tr ia t io n s - - v e r t ic a l and h orizon ta l,

punchings and s im ila r pokings at the s t i l l p lia b le c la y .

H olm ul

H olm ul i s n o rth ea st of T ik al and i s about as far from T ikal as

/i s U axactun. The s ite i s fam ou s for i t s e a r ly p er io d s and i s not at a ll

rem a rk a b le for la ter h o r iz o n s . Our m a te r ia ls com e from the M erw in,

49

V a illa n t (1932}/rep o rt of the s ite . T h ree of the H olm ul p h a ses a re

in te r e s t in g h e r e , H olm ul HI, IV, and V , H olm ul IH equates as far a s

can be seen w ith T zakol 3 and T ep eu .I; H olm ul IV a lso fa l ls into that

c la s s , H olm ul V s e e m s to be fu lly L ate C la s s ic and can be equated

w ith T epeu 2, , B u r ia ls a re lis te d by sk eleton ; a ll th o se u sed h ere w ere

found in a s so c ia t io n w ith ro o m s of s tr u c tu r e s . T h is i s th e location for

a lm o st a l l b u ria ls un earth ed at the s i t e . F or a ll p er io d s at H olm ul

th ere w ere 25 sk e le to n s r ec o v e re d , 11 of w hich had p o ttery in a s s o c ia

tion w ith th em . T h ere a re s ix sk e le to n s w ith a s so c ia te d v e s s e l s w hich

m ight be u se fu l h ere , but only two a r e c er ta in ly Tepeu; the r e s t have

so m e d istin ct T zak ol fe a tu r e s ,

: E lim in a tin g one of the sk e le to n s and context a s being too

T za k o l-lik e for co n sid era tio n , th e r e .is a to ta l of 20 v e s s e l s for fiv e

b u r ia ls , m aking an a v era g e of four v e s s e l s a b u ria l. The ran ge i s fro m

two to s ix v e s s e l s per b u ria l. The keg and b a rre l sh ap es occur in four

of the in term en ts and a ra tio of one to two in liquid to so lid h o ld ers

r e s u lt s .

D eco ra tio n s on c e r a m ic s a t H olm ul as a ru le a r e quite fin e .

T hey a re v e r y unlike the m e d io c r e , sca n tily d ecora ted ex a m p les from

£San J o se , The d esig n e lem en ts exh ib it the. sam e g en era l range seen at

a ll the s i t e s so far in v estig a ted . T h ere se e m s to be a d is tin ct unity on

th is su b ject w ith in at le a s t that p art of the Lowland a r e a in v estig a ted

h e r e , • Som e of the cy lin d er v a s e s a r e e x c e lle n tly done; they can e a s i ly

50

✓m atch th o se from Copan in quality of d es ig n execu tion and can outm atch

the g en era l run at TikaL

S ta tis t ic a lly , H olm ul d e se r v e s l it t le m o re than an in te r e s te d

glaneeo The body of data i s r e a lly too sm a ll to a llow ta lk o f substan tia t

in g tren d s or p a ttern s. The s ite i s undeniably in the m a in strea m of.

M aya b u ria l tra d itio n s , at le a s t a s th ey a r e d is c u s se d h e r e . G enera l

v e s s e l form and d ecora tion a r e e a s i ly id en tified and p la ced in C la s s ic

p er io d s and the p h a ses w ith in th o se . . But sp e c if ic f ig u r e s for a v e ra g e s

and ra tio s of o c c u r r e n c e s should be v ie w ed a s d em on stra tin g lit t le ,

s in c e what th ey a r e b a sed on i s too l it t le and too unique.

Z acu leu

The la s t s ite d is c u s se d h ere for com p arative p u rp o ses is

Z acu leu . T his s ite i s in the G uatem alan H ighlands and co u ld th er e fo re

be ex p ected to offer so m e te s t of the s iz e of the a rea c o v er e d by the

tr a its being in v e s tig a te d . Inform ation u sed h ere c o m e s from the rep o rt

by W oodbury and T rik (1953). An in co m p le te sam plin g of the b u ria ls i s

taken h ere s in c e once the in v estig a tio n of the b u ria ls w as begun it w as

quick ly found that the data d iv erg ed w id e ly enough from T ik al so that

handling i t w ith c la s s if ic a t io n s se t up fo r T ikal becam 'S"unsatisfactory.

A num ber of v e s s e l s have fo rm s not en cou n tered in L ow land s ite s , and

th o se w hich looked fa m ilia r often had to be sq u eezed , and not v e r y

com fortab ly , in to the a lrea d y e x is t in g c a te g o r ie s .

51

T h ere fo re a ll that can be n oted w ith sa fe ty i s an a v era g e forC ' - 'the num ber of v e s s e l s p er b u ria ls and so m e g en era l co m m en ts on

d ecoration . A ch ro n o lo g ica l c o r r e la t io n betw een the Z a cu leu p h a ses , A tzan ,

Chinaq, Qankya.k, and Zinabahul, and the g en era l L ow land seq u en ce has

b een .a t b est d ifficu lt and i s , a t the k in d est, rough. A tzan , from in s p e c t

ing the v e s s e l s a s s o c ia te d w ith b u ria ls from that p h ase , s e e m s to span the

end of the E a r ly C la s s ic and the beginning of the L ate C la s s ic . It m ay

la p se fa r th er into the L ate C la s s ic , but h ere the Chinaq p h ase se e m s to

f it m o st com fortab ly , although not rem a rk a b ly w e ll. The A tzan p h ase a t

Z acu leu y ie ld ed 33 b u r ia ls , 21 of them having so m e so r t of p o ttery in

a sso c ia tio n . The Chinaq p h ase y ie ld e d 36 b u ria ls of w h ich 19 had

a s so c ia te d c e r a m ic s . T h ere i s a s e le c t io n of 21 b u ria ls u sed h ere .

T w elve co m e from th e A tzan p h ase , e igh t from the Chinaq. . E igh ty-tw o

v e s s e l s a re in a s so c ia tio n . The a v era g e for both p h a ses added togeth er

i s fo u r. H ow ever, A tzan taken a lop e a v e ra g e s a lit t le over four, w h ile

Chinaq a lone a v e ra g e s about th re e . The sam p le e lim in a te s bu ria ls

w ithout c e r a m ic s , but o th erw ise fa ir ly r e p r e se n ts the b u ria ls from the

two p h a se s . No attem p t at d eterm in in g a ra tio b ased on fu nction w ill be

m ade.

D ecoration s e e m s s c a r c e a t Z a ca leu . The v e s s e l s a re w e ll

fin ish ed , but a r e only r a r e ly p o ly ch ro m ed .

Many of the b u r ia ls , u su a lly the r ic h e r , a r e lo c a te d in c e r e

m on ia l s tr u c tu r e s , e sp e c ia lly in cer e m o n ia l p o s it io n s , that i s , in the

cen ter lin e of a structure* O th erw ise th ere se e m s to be no plan to the

distr ib u tion of the b u ria ls w ith in the stru ctu res* S in ce th e a r c h a e o lo g i

ca l in v e stig a tio n s at Z acu leu co n cen tra ted c h ie fly on s tr u c tu r es and

a s so c ia te d p la z a s , th ese a re the lo ca tio n s of the v a s t m a jo r ity of the

b u ria ls found*

In addition to the s i t e s d is c u s se d above a num ber of o th ers

w e re in vestigated ^ T h ese w ere , for one r e a so n or another, found

unusable. Often th e c o lle c t io n of b u ria ls w as too sm a ll to w arrant

rep ortin g here* T his i s the c a se w ith P ied ra s N eg ra s (C oe 1959)*and

Nebaj (Sm ith and Kidder 1951)* M ore freq uen tly , h ow ever, th ere w as

in su ffic ie n t in form ation con cern in g the b u ria ls and th eir con texts for

u se here* - B arton R a m ie and M ountain Cow (W illey et al* 1964), Baking

Pot (O* R ick e ts on 1931),. and C erro de L as M esas (D rucker 1943) fa ll

into th is category* K am inaljuyu (Shook and Kidder 1952) has su ffic ien t

m a ter ia l, but d iv e r g es too w id e ly on too m any poin ts to be considered*

T here i s a la r g e group of v e s s e l fo r m s d ifferen t from th o se in the L ow

lands, and the s ty le of c er a m ic pain ting d iv erg es m a rk ed ly from a n y

thing for th is p er io d in the Lowlands*

I h y p o th es ize oh the b a s is of the sp read of tr a its shown above

in th is s ec tio n that the s im ila r occu rrences in d icate the sp rea d of a

c o n s is te n t s e t of id e a s regard in g M aya m ortu ary custom s* T h ese , of

c o u r se , r e f le c t an a sp e c t of M aya r e lig io n and th er e fo re can be sa id to

in d ica te the geograp h ic extent of the id e o lo g ic a l fo r c e behind M aya cu ltur

Table 1

D istr ib ution of L ate C la ss ic B u r ia ls by S ite , B uria l Num ber, V e s s e l F orm

B u ria lNo.

No. of v e s s e l s

F o rm sP h ase10 11 12A 12B 13 14 15

Uaxactun

A -2 1 1 T epeu 1A -3 4 1 1 1 1 i i

A -4 3 2 i i

A -1 0 3 2 1 i i

A -21 1 (foreign ) i i

A -2 3 4 1 3 i i

HM -2 3 1 1 1 i i i i

HM -3 3 1 1 1 i i

HM -8 2 1 1 i i

Total 24

A -3 8 3 1 Tepeu 2A -4 2 1 (d o m estic ) i i

A -4 0 4 1 1 2 i i

A -4 8 2 1 1 i i

HM-1 2 1 1 i i

HM -6 2 1 1 i i

H M -11 2 1 1 i i

H M -12 2 1 1 i i

HM-1 3 1 1 i i

Total 19

u>

621162131111321212

Table 1 - - Continued

odd odd odd__________________F o rm s________________ liquid so lid undeter -10 11 12A 12D 13 14 15 h o ld ers h o ld ers m in ed P h ase

Copan

F u ll C la ss ic

1 1 1 3 4 1 F u ll C la ss ic2 1 1 "

Table 1 - -Continued

B u ria l No, of No. v e s s e l s 10 II I2A 12B 13 14 15

(to m b s--co n tin u ed ) C opan- -continued

4 2 211 10 61-35 41-3 8 I 12 -3 8 1 13 -3 8 2 21-39 3 11-41 2 11-42 213-42 3 1 215-42 3 218 -42 227-42 2 1 11-46 3 1

Total 59

pdd odd oddliquid so lid u n d eter- h o ld ers h o ld ers m ined P h ase

F u ll C la ss ic

mUl

2112213111214121113412

41


F o rm s odd10 11 12 A 12B 13 14 15 fo rm s P h ase

San JoseSan Jose IV

1

San Jose III

ino


SkeletonNo. of v e s s e l s 10 11 12 A

F o rm s 12B 13 14 15

oddfo rm s P h ase

Holm ul

1 (not used) 19 4 1 14 Holm ul III6 6 1 2 1 2 it10 2 2 ii22 4 4 H olm ul IV1 -F 5 2 1 2 i i

1-X 3 1 3 itT otal 20(without Sk eleton 1)

Ui-si


B uria lNo.

No. of v e s s e l s 10 11 12 A

F o rm s 12B 13 14 15

oddfo rm s P h ase

Z aculeu

1-37 6 2 2 2 A tzan1 -4 12 5 3 4 i i

1-5 2 1 1 i t

1-11 8 4 2 2 i i

1-12 11 1 6 2 2 111-15 1 1 Chinaq1-16 1 1 Atzan1-18 5 3 1 1 111-19 5 5 i i

1-22 1 1 i i

1-23 9 3 5 1 i i

1-2 4 2 1 1 i t

1-25 2 1 1 i i

1-2 8 1 1 Chinaq6-1 7 2 2 i i

6-19 1 1 i t

6-11 1 1 116 -1 3 3 1 1 i t

9 -2 6 3 1 2 119 -4 5 2 1 2 i t

Total 83

tnoo

)

CHAPTER 3

A TYPOLOGY OF TRADITIONS

A la rg e p art of th is th e s is i s d e scr ip tiv e ; it fu lf i l ls a task w hich

n eeded to be done0 - And of c o u r se th is i s by nature unexciting; in a w ord

it i s dull, e sp e c ia lly to the n o n -p r o fe ss io n a h H ow ever, w ith the

m a te r ia l at hand it i s p o s s ib le to co n stru c t a num ber of h y p o th eses

about so m e of the m o re g en era l a sp e c ts of M aya c iv iliz a t io n at T ikal

as th o se a re r e f le c te d in the bu ria l c e r a m ic s from that c e n te r . In th is

sec tio n , fra m ed under th e s c ie n t if ic a lly sa fe p ro ced u re of in feren ce ,

can be p r e se n ted so m e thoughts on the nature of M aya cu ltu re h is to ry

for the L ate C la s s ic at T ikal. . T his w ill s e r v e a s a fra m ew o rk for p r e

sen ting so m e of the id e a s w hich have been in v e s tig a te d in the cour se of

th is th e s is . . To c la im to d isco v er the nature of M aya cu ltu re i s a p r e

sum ption w hich w ill not be m ade h e r e , e sp e c ia lly in v iew of the fa c t

that a ll th ere is to deal w ith in th is e s s a y a re som e s p e c ia l iz e d c e r a m ic s .

But on the other hand, the b a sic a ssu m p tio n w ill be m ade that th ese

c e r a m ic s can and do r e f le c t so m e of th e e lem en ts and so m e of the

p r o c e s s e s of M aya cu ltu re h is to r y . T his a ssu m p tion i s not p resu m p

tuous. W ithout it a rch a eo lo g y can be l i t t le m o re than em a c ia ted h is to r y .

What can be presu m p tu ou s, h ow ever, i s the extent to w h ich that p e o p le 's

h is to r y is r ec o n str u c te d . . In other w o rd s, how far can in feren ce be

59

60

p u sh ed ? No sw eep in g p ic tu re of a p e o p le 's h is to r y can be put forth

h e r e . T h ere a re ra th er a num ber of tren d s or p a ttern s in that h is to r y

w hich can be red u ced to a few g e n e ra liza tio n s about M aya cu ltu re in

the v ic in ity of T ikal, and perh ap s for a w ider a rea .

The L ate C la s s ic i s the fin a l and c lim a c tic p e r io d of e x c e lle n c e

for the M aya of the Peten® . In that p er io d w e can s e e the apogee of a ll

th o se e lem en ts of cu ltu re w hich-w e con n ect w ith the p h ra se M aya c iv i l iz a -

. tiono T h is i s the p er io d w hich not only p rod u ces Sunday supplem ent

s to r ie s but w hich a ls o su sta in s Mciyaph.ile s in th eir co n v ic tio n th a t.a ll

good in the New W orld r e s u lt s from th e se in te lle c tu a ls in the L ow lands,

T his i s the p er io d w ithout w hich the M aya w ould not be loved , w ould not

be c a lle d a m y s te r io u s , lo s t c iv iliz a tio n , and w ithout w hich the Maya

probably w ould not be so d ilig en tly r e se a r c h e d , . N e v e r th e le s s , M orley

i s not w ritin g th is e s s a y and the grandeur of the M aya w ill not app ear.

It w ill not appear not b eca u se I want to avo id it, but b eca u se I haye

neith er the m a te r ia ls nor the background w hich w ould a llow that grandeur

to take shap e. The rea d er shou ld be put on v e r y firm n o tice that not

only do I think the M aya w ere an ex cep tio n a l folk , but that th eir cu ltu re

en co m p a ssed a se t of p r o c e s s e s w hich a re found only w hen cer ta in

co m p a ra tiv e ly high le v e ls of cu ltu ra l a ch iev em en t h ave been rea ch ed ,

M aya cu ltu re in the L ate C la s s ic at T ikal and v ic in ity is d iv ided

into th ree p h a ses , T ep eu .I , 2, and 3, T h ese a re dated from A , D, .600

to A , D, 900 or 1000, F or that tim e p e r io d it i s m y in te r e s t to

p o stu la te a f ir m ly b a sed and long e sta b lish e d on -goin g tra d itio n am ong

the Mayao T h is tra d itio n can be c a lle d d irec t or e lab ora tin g (T hom pson

1956), but h ere it w ill be c a lle d a G reat T rad ition , one w hich so p e r m e

a te s a cu ltu re that it i s not only lo n g -liv e d , but i s m a n ife sted in a ll

r a m ifica tio n s of the cu ltu re it c h a r a c te r iz e s . It i s the p r e se n c e of th is

hom ogen eou s a ttitud e, or p erh ap s even ph ilosophy, tow ard cu ltu ra l life

w hich p e r m its us to id en tify the b e a r e r s through tim e and through th eir

co h eren t approach to cu ltu ra l p ro b lem s over a w ide geograp h ic a rea .

N atu ra lly the fo rm u la tio n of such a trad ition a llo w s for a su itab le p r e

sen ta tion of the r e g u la r it ie s that ex ist' in M aya cu ltu re for the p er io d

under d isc u ss io n .

. F or th is paper the fra m ew o rk for the p o stu la ted G reat T ra d i

tion c o n s is t s of two p a r ts and i s w h olly en co m p a ssed w ith in a secon d

fram ew ork , that of t im e . Only b eca u se th is p resen ta tio n n eed s a th e o r e t

ic a l b a se to m ake con tact w ith an th rop o log ica l r e a lity i s the con cep t of

the G reat T rad ition u sed . It r e a lly m ean s M aya high c iv iliz a tio n . It

i s a w hole group of what w ill soon be c a lle d m inor tra d ition s; what

R ed fie ld has c a lle d l it t le tra d itio n s, fo lk trad ition s (R ed fie ld 1963; 4 1 -2 ) .

But m o re than th ese it i s the com m on bond or them e w h ich g iv e s c o n

s is te n c y and a c ts a s cem en t to a ll of the le s s e r m em b ers of the w hole

cu ltu re of w hich the G reat T rad ition i s the id e o lo g ic a l u n ifier . . A G reat

T rad ition i s a su b ject r e a lly over and above th is th e s is ; i t s only u se h e r e

is to a llo w both the rea d er and w r ite r to u se it a s a too l, a v e h ic le w ith

62

w hich to p la ce one of i t s p o stu la ted m a n i£esta tion sg one of i t s seg m en ts ,

the m ortu ary trad ition , in to p roper p la c e . T h is m ortu ary trad ition is

the seco n d part of the fra m ew o rk m en tion ed in the f ir s t sen ten ce of th is

paragraph . The m ortu ary trad ition for the L ate C la s s ic i s not only a

few lit t le or fo lk trad ition s com b in ed in a c er ta in way; it i s , and th is i s

what m a k es it part of the G reat T rad ition , one of the m a n ifesta tio n s , so

i t w ill be c la im ed , of the dom inant p h ilosop h y and outlook w hich c h a r a c

te r iz e s the c o r e o f M aya high c iv iliz a tio n . What that c o r e i s i s not

im p ortan t h e r e , . for th is i s not an e s s a y on M aya w o r ld v iew . A ll it i s

n e c e s s a r y to s e e i s that b e s id e s contain ing m any lit t le e lem en ts of

l e s s e r tra d itio n s , e s s e n t ia l ly fo lk c u sto m s, a m ortu ary trad ition in a

c iv iliz a t io n ought to and, I c la im , does show ev id en ce of the driving

ph ilosop h y of that c iv iliz a tio n . The driv in g ph ilosop hy i s the G reat

T rad ition .

The seco n d fra m ew o rk m en tion ed above, that of tim e, g iv e s

tem p o ra l depth to the tra d itio n s ta lk ed about. . The tem p o ra l d im en sion

h ere i s c a lle d T epeu . The T rad ition probably r e a lly e n c o m p a sse s the

w hole C la s s ic era , but only the L ate C la s s ic , T ep eu 1, 2, and 3 can be

c o n s id e re d h e r e . T epeu i s a group of tra its ; it is chronology; it i s

a lm o st not cu ltu re . It only r e p r e se n ts the tim e sp ace in w hich a so c ie ty

c h a r a c te r iz e d by a group of tra d itio n s liv e d . T epeu h ere i s a w ord w hich

m ean s no m o re than tim e and a few of the c h a ra cter iz in g tr a its of so m e

tim e se g m e n ts . The tr a its a r e p ick ed a r b itr a r ily by a rch a eo lo g y , and it

63.

is a lm o s t an a cc id en t that th ey have any con n ection w ith culture,, _ C e r

ta in ly they do not r e p r e se n t any c o n s is te n t attitude to that phenom enon

on the p art of a r c h a e o lo g is ts .

. "An e laboratin g trad ition is c h a r a c te r iz e d by an in c r ea s in g

co m p lex ity r esu lt in g from the addition of tr a its or a ttr ib u tes w hich a re

in teg ra ted in a s in g le lin e of d evelop m en t. Not only quantity and v a r ie ty

of tr a its a re in vo lved , but a lso th eir o rg a n iza tion and em b ellish m en t"

(T hom pson 1956; 44)1 F or the M aya of the L ate C la s s ic , and in fa c t for

the w hole of the C la s s ic , the term e lab oratin g tra d itio n w ill connote, i f

w e change the term to rea d G reat T rad ition , a h o lis t ic or a ll-e n c o m p a ss in g

approach to the m ajor p ro b lem s of e x is t e n c e . . In other w ord s, a G reat

T rad ition i s one in w hich a cu ltu re 's v a r io u s le v e ls (the W hitian h iera rch y :

eco n o m ic , so c ia l, and id e o lo g ic a l) a r e h arm on iou sly ad ju sted to one

another so that in an sw er to a g iven eco n o m ic b a se th ere i s a c o r r e sp o n d

ing supporting s o c ia l sy s te m . M ore than that h ow ever, and m aking, a.

G reat T rad ition and c iv iliz a t io n d ifferen t from any in ter n a lly c o n s is ten t

cu ltu re at a low er le v e l of organ ization , i t has an id e o -r e lig io u s or

p o lit ic a l fo r c e w hich i s pow erfu l enough to im p o se c o n s is te n c y in a c u l

ture over a la rg e a rea and w hich a ffec ts a cu ltu re enough so .th a t v a r io u s

secon d ary in stitu tio n s a re founded;, so m e of th ese a re stro n g ly r e m in is

cen t of so m e of C h ild e ’s c r ite r ia for c iv iliz a tio n (C hilde 1950: 53 ff. ).:

A G reat. T rad ition cannot be found and w ill not e x is t w ithout an

e sta b lish e d e lite w h ich both d efin es and e n fo rces the c r y s ta ll iz e d code

of the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cuLture0 A G reat T rad ition can e x is t only

in so fa r a s th ere i s a m ean s w h ereb y the id e o lo g ic a l fra g m en t of a c u l

tu re i s in s titu tio n a liz ed and g iven pow er of d irec tio n ov er the other

le v e ls of cu ltu re , even to the point w h ere it can at le a s t m o m en ta rily

ca u se the fo s s i l iz a t io n of the econ om y and s o c ia l o rg a n iza tion of a c u l

ture,, W ith in stitu tio n a liza tio n , the id e o lo g ic a l e lite w ill, in it s e la b o r a

tion of pow er, found the su g g e ste d seco n d a ry in s titu tio n s . T h ese a re of: ■ :

co u r se m o st lik e ly to be o r ien ted to r e lig io n , and w ill be potent enough

so that defin ed r e lig io u s r ite s and ob liga tion s stem m in g from them w ill

a ffec t a la rg e p art of the to ta l culture,, In short, then, a G reat T rad ition

r e s u lt s w hen the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re i s im p ortan t enough to

spawn and to d ir e c t the shape of seco n d a ry in stitu tio n s such as a defin ed

a rt s ty le , the u se of ex a ct and p r e d ic tiv e s c ie n c e s (a stron om y and

m a th em a tics^ m onum ental r e lig io u s e d if ic e s , and a reco g n iza b le

m ortu ary tr a d it io n .. A G reat T rad ition m ay take the b a se s or k ern e ls

of th ese seco n d a ry in stitu tio n s from fo lk cu sto m s, or l it t le tra d ition s,

but it so u se s them to produce a u se , ra tio n a le , and a r ticu la tio n for

each of them in te r m s of the la r g er T rad ition , that th ey c e a s e to be

fo lk cu sto m s and b ecom e in ste a d m a n ife sta tio n s of the dom inating fo r c e

in a so c ie ty . A rt, a r ch ite c tu r e , s c ie n c e , and m ortu ary p r a c tic e s a ll

have r o o ts in p easan t p r a c t ic e s of a cu ltu re , and th ey a r e a ll tra n sfo rm ed ,

in a s e n se founded as seco n d a ry institutions^ when ab sorb ed , in teg ra ted ,

and e la b orated by a cu ltu re evo lv in g in to a c iv iliz a tio n .

65

A c le a r ly c la s s stru ctu red s o c ie ty in it ia lly w ith a p r ie sth o o d

i s a natural adjunct of a G reat Tradition,, . In the c o u r se of defining i t

s e l f a G reat T rad ition w ould often r a is e the lo c a l a g r icu ltu ra l pantheon

of gods to a h iera rch y of sp e c if ic d e it ie s w h ose r ite s and ob ligation s itV

w ould be the p r ie s t s ' duty to both m in is te r and interpret,. The p r ie s t

hood i s the encoder and en fo rcer of the id eo lo g y of a G reat T rad ition ,

at le a s t in it s in it ia l stages,,

A G reat T rad ition and c iv iliz a t io n can be equated . The fo rm er

term has been u sed to em p h a size the dom inance of the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l

of cu ltu re over the other le v e ls of cu ltu re in th is d evelop m en ta l s ta g e ,

A g rea t T rad ition i s d ifferen t from the other c r ite r ia for c iv iliz a tio n in

that it i s the ra tio n a le , the r a iso n d 'e tr e , w hich the cu ltu re , a c iv i l iz a

tion, has encod ed for i t s e l f and has in stitu ted a body of m en to p r e se r v e

and en fo rce . Insofar as p h ilo so p h ies a re e x p r e s se d in the a r tifa c ts o f

c iv iliz a tio n , then the a r tifa c ts should d em o n stra te the e ffe c t of th is c o n

s is te n t v iew p oin t,

. When noted c r o s s -c u ltu r a lly th e app earan ce of G reat T rad ition s

can be co n n ected w ith that era Ju lian .S tew ard has c a lle d the E ra of

R eg ion a l D evelop m en t a n d .F lo r e sc e n c e (1949).» B e s id e s the fa c t that

th ese e la b o ra ted tra d itio n s w hich w itn ess the ap p earance of a v ir i le

id e o lo g ic a l fa c to r occu r as rec o g n iz a b le , and n e c e s s a r i ly a s p red ic ta b le

le v e ls in the cu ltu re h is to r ie s of s e v e r a l n u clear a r e a s , it i s equ ally

v a lid that each T rad ition has i t s own uniquely id en tify in g tr a its . T his

i s not to be an e s s a y in c r o s s -c u ltu r a l r e g u la r it ie s ; such an e s s a y

w ould be d ifficu lt to produ ce w ithout co m p a ra tiv e data. . But in so far a s

the d evelop m en t of a m ajor evo lu tion ary p e r io d is the fra m ew o rk for

our c o n s id era tio n of a group of data, it s e e m s only rea so n a b le that so m e

of the a lrea d y defin ed c h a r a c te r is t ic s of that era be used,, It a p p ea rs9

in other w ord s, that the B ate C la s s ic at T ikal and v ic in ity fa lls n eatly

into an a lrea d y e s ta b lish e d ca teg o ry in the sch em e for the form u lation

of the d evelopm ent of e a r ly cu ltu res = T h ese lo c a l f lo w er in g s found and

m atu re w hat i s d esig n a ted a G reat T rad ition .

F or the C la s s ic M aya the G reat T ra d itio n can be illu s tr a te d in

m any m o re w a y s . than can be shown h e r e 0 And fu rth erm o re to a llow for

the d evelopm ent of the. su b ject m atter c o v e r e d in th is th e s is the i l lu s t r a

tion s of not only the contin uity , but a lso of the d irectin g in flu en ce of the

id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re m u st be lim ite d to the m o rtu a ry traditiono

The d e sc r ip t iv e data a re going to be u sed to show two th ings: the fa c t

that th ere a r e e lem en ts of M aya fo lk c u sto m s, of m in or tra d itio n s , to

be see n in the B ate C la s s ic b u ria l p r a c t ic e s , and that th e se a re en co m p a ss

and surrou n ded by, i f in fa c t not in teg ra ted into, the m o rtu a ry trad ition

as a w hole . The seco n d point is that w h ile th ese p r a c t ic e s are found

w ith in the m ortu ary trad ition , that trad ition , s in ce it i s c la im ed to r e p r e

sen t one of the m a n ife sta tio n s of the G reat T radition , con ta in s ev id en ce to

d em on strate that it i s m o re than a c o lle c t io n of fo lk p r a c t ic e s , . It i s a

un ified attitude w hich i s the r e su lt of an encoded s e t of id e o lo g ic a l

67

concep t So The id ea of the w hole th e s is i s that th e se two poin ts can be

su b stan tia ted arch a eo lo g ica lly o T here a r e so m e in ter e st in g data w hich

can be p u lled fro m the p reced in g se c t io n of th is th e s is w h ich fiteinto the

concep t o f m inor tra d itio n s and th ere a r e so m e w hich w ill, support the

concep t of a G reat T rad itiom

, M ore in ter e st in g , h ow ever, a r e the data w hich can be u sed to

su g g e st the nature of the tr a n s it io n s betw een the v a r io u s p h a ses in the

L ate C la s s ic at TikaL In other w o rd s, what a re the dyn am ics of the

G reat T rad ition ? The two tr a n s it io n s , one from T ep eu I to 2 and one

from T ep eu 2 to 3, a r e cap ab le of dem on stratin g the nature of the T r a d i

tions. The a ction of the e lem en ts of cu ltu re see n in the p r o c e s s e s of

change w ill p la ce them so lid ly as fo lk c u sto m s, or a s p a rts of a G reat

T radition , that i s , belonging s p e c if ic a l ly to som e seco n d a ry institution»

T h ese tr a n s itio n s a lso o ffer a fa sc in a tin g chance to sp ecu la te on the

nature of the p er io d s w ith in the L ate C la s s ic and the nature of the ch an ges

from one p er io d to an oth er. They p ro v id e an opportunity to in v e stig a te

the m oving fa c to r s behind the changes in the Late C la s s ic g rea t and

m inor tra d itio n s a s th e se ch an ges a re exh ib ited in the m ortu a ry c e r a m ic

p ra ctices?

u

CHAPTER 4

THE GREAT TRADITION: LITTLE TRADITIONS

A ND SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

A G reat T rad ition i s the W eltanschauung of a c iv iliza tion o

L ittle tra d itio n s a re fo lk c u s to m so . T h ese show v a r io u s d eg rees of

in teg ra tio n into a c iv iliza tion o Secondary in stitu tio n s a r e groups of

s p e c ia l is t s , c ra ftsm en to a s tr o n o m e rs to s c r ib e s , the r e s u lt of a f in e ly

develop ed d iv is io n of la b o r« T h ese a re m en operating a sp e c ia l sy ste m

w ith defined g o a ls and a se t group of m ea n s for obtaining th ese g o a ls .

P o tte r s and p a in ters u se a se t of fo rm s and sym b o ls w hich hold s m e a n

ing, sa c r e d or profan e, in the cu lture; a s tr o n o m e rs co n stru c t a ca len d ar

in a h igh ly t im e -o r ie n te d so c ie ty ; s c r ib e s perpetu ate a r e c o r d and m a in

tain the co d es w hich a re the id eo lo g y . T h ere a re m any d iv e r se groups

lik e th ese in a c iv iliz a tio n .a n d each ow es it s e x is te n c e to a cen tra l

id eo lo g y and that id e o lo g y 's e ffo r ts .to m ain ta in i t s e l f . B e s id e s

sp e c ia l iz e d groups of m en seco n d a ry in stitu tio n s a re d efin ed se ts of

id e a s , sp e c if ic p r a c t ic e s w h ich stem d ir e c tly from the driv in g fo r c e in

a cu ltu re , the G reat T rad ition , A s b e fo re , seco n d a ry in stitu tio n s a r e

art and a r ch ite c tu r a l s ty le s , r e lig io u s r itu a ls , bu ria l c u s to m s . T h ese

sp e c if ic id e a s a re often coupled w ith th e m en who p r a c t ic e them , a s ,

for exam p le , in a r t. B u ria l cu sto m s in a c iv iliz a tio n a r e probably .

68

69

d efin ed by p r ie s t s and m ay or m ay not be p r e s id ed .o v er by them , but

w ithout a m otivatin g body, the cu sto m s w ill not rem a in e ith er com p lex

or con sisten to T his i s e sp e c ia lly tru e i f the cu sto m s a re e so te r ic or

a re u sed in th e m se lv e s a s a ra tio n a le for the e x is te n c e of a group of

r itu a l fu n c tio n a r ie s . In sh ort, seco n d a ry in stitu tio n s a r e c lo s e ly

dependent on the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of culture,,

. A num ber of fea tu res of C la s s ic M aya cu ltu re a r e e s ta b l ish e d in the E a r ly C la s s ic P e r io d and a re m ain ta ined through the L ate C la s s i c « . The scu lp tu rin g of s te la e w ith e la b o ra te ly adorned p r ie s t s and d ig n ita r ie s , the in sc r ib in g of s id e s and backs of th ese ston e m onum ents w ith In itia l S e r ie s d a tes and h iero g ly p h ic te x ts in a p resu m a b ly co m m em o ra tiv e fash ion , and th eir e r e c tio n w ith a s s o c ia te d a ltar ston es at the foot of p yram id s ta ir s i s one such tradition., Tomb or cry p t b u ria ls in the c er e m o n ia l c e n te r s is an oth er. „ = „ C erem o n ia l ca ch es or sp e c ia l o ffer in g s u n a sso c ia te d w ith b u ria ls a re another E a r ly C la s s ic tr a it w hich con tin u es throughout the C la s s ic a l p er io d ("Willey 1964a; 152).

I w ould lik e to add to th is ca ta logu e of con tin u ities the m ortu ary tr a d i

tion in the s e n se that th is tra d itio n i s d e lim ited s o le ly in term s of

fu n era ry c e r a m ic s for p r e se n t p u rp o se s .

W ith the s ta tem en t above in m ind it w ill be u se fu l now to try

to c h a r a c te r iz e the c e r a m ic s for the v a r io u s p er io d s l is te d under the

nam e T epeu . . In the n ex t dozen or so p a g es w ill be found so m e o b se r v a

tion s, so m e low le v e l in fe r e n c e s la r g e ly b a sed on n u m erica l a v e ra g e s

and som e sta tem en ts about w hether or not I th ink a p a r ticu la r tra it in

the c er a m ic data i s m o r e lik e ly a fo lk cu stom or i s the r e s u lt of a

group of r itu a l fu n ctio n a r ies im p osin g the req u irem en ts of an id eo lo g y .

70

H ere I am in te r e s te d in d isco v er in g any m a n ife sta tio n s of the G reat

Traditiono O perating w ith the data a v a ila b le from th is th e s is I can c ite

a num ber of tr a its w hich g iv e a v iew of the bu ria l c e r a m ic s for the T ep eu

seq u en ce . T h ese tr a its a r e , in fa c t, a com bin ation of d es ig n e lem en ts

and tech n ica l data, su ch as p a ste , s lip , and a p r esen ta tio n of som e

n u m erica l p a ttern s w hich a r e ev ident and p o ss ib ly m ean in gfu l cu ltu ra lly .

In sum , th ey ought to d em o n stra te the hom ogen eou s nature of at le a s t

the f ir s t tw o -th ird s of the L ate G la s s ic .- W ithin each p er io d of the T ep eu

seq u en ce the nature of the trad ition w ill be defined, for exam p le , d irec t ,

e lab oratin g , red ucin g (T hom pson 1956)..

The in form ation g iven in the r e s t of th is sec tio n c o m es m a in ly

from two so u r c e s . P hotographs of a ll the draw ings of th e p ertin en t

v e s s e l s from T ikal w e re u sed a s a p r im a ry so u rce of o r ig in a l data, a s

w e ll a s the f ie ld n o tes a s so c ia te d w ith them . To a m p lify and support

/th ese R ob ert S m ith 's C eram ic Sequence at Uaxactun (1955) w as e x te n s iv e ly

u sed .

T e p e u .I in it ia te s the L ate C la s s ic p er io d . It i s r e p re sen ted in

our c o lle c t io n by nine b u r ia ls , and by 19 v e s s e l s a s s o c ia te d w ith th o se

b u r ia ls . T h ere a re a num ber of other b u r ia ls , 15 in fa c t, w hich contain

T epeu I m a te r ia ls . T h ese a re , h ow ever, m ix ed w ith T ep eu .2 p er io d

c e r a m ic s and a re not in clu d ed in th is s ec tio n . The g r a v e s w hich contain

a m ix tu re from both p er io d s a re c a lle d in ter m e d ia te s , but a sep a ra te

sec tio n lik e T epeu 1 or 2 i s not c r e a te d for them s in c e th ey seem to have

71

no o r ig in a l ch a ra cter is tic s^ but ra th er com b in e only d es ig n s and sh ap es

from the p reced in g T ep eu .l and the su cceed in g Tepeu. 2 (C ulbert 1961:

36)o T epeu .1 b a sic c e r a m ic ty p es a re the Sibal Buff and Saxche O range

p o ly c h r o m e s„ T h ese a r e the two c h ie f c a te g o r ie s into w h ich m o st of

the T ep eu fin e w a res falL; Only the fin e w a r e s a r e dea lt w ith h ere

b eca u se in c lu s io n of d o m estic w a res in b u ria ls is so infrequento

B ec a u se only fin e w a res w e re u sed in m ortu ary p r a c tic e , and

d o m estic w a r es w e re so ob v iou sly exclu ded , th is i s e a s i ly seen a s one

of the m o re r ea d ily n o ticed of p a ttern s v is ib le in the data* I b e liev e

th is p attern em an ates from the in flu en ce of the G reat T rad ition- . It i s

so p red ic ta b le from b u ria l to buria l, and p red ic ta b le through the c o m

p le te ran ge of the so c ia l s c a le , r ic h e s t to low er c la s s , that in a so c ie ty

w hich w as so m a n ife s t ly in eg a lita r ia n , it i s hard to e sc a p e .th e c o n c lu

sion that so m e pow erfu l fa c to r w as en forc in g th is u n iform ity- I think

that factor w as r e lig io u s dictum -

The v e s s e l fo r m s c h a r a c te r is t ic of Tepeu. I a r e a b a r r e l-o r -

k e g -sh a p ed v e s s e l (form 1 1 a b a sa l fla n g ed tripod p la te w ith rounded

fe e t (form 13); and a ro u n d -s id e bowl w ith an u n r e s tr ic te d o r if ic e , the

d iam eter of w hich i s g r ea ter than the h e igh t (form 15)- T h ese a r e the

standard fo rm s w hich w ithout m uch v a r ia tio n can be u sed , when found

in an a r ch a eo lo g ica l con text, to id en tify th is sp e c if ic p er iod - The fo r m s

of c o u r se m u st be m atch ed w ith the c e r a m ic ty p es , S ibal and Saxche,

w hich a lso c h a r a c te r iz e d the p er io d , for c er ta in id en tifica tio n -

72

In te r m s of th ese sh ap es the T e p e u l p er io d can further be

c h a r a c te r iz e d at T ikal by the fa c t that g ra v es contain an a v era g e of two

v e s s e l s a p iece , the d ev ia tion s fa llin g b etw een one and fo u r . F or the

p er io d a s a w hole th ere a r e about equal nu m bers of fo r m s I I , 13, and

15; that i s the b a r r e l shape, the p la te , and the bowL

It i s s ig n ifica n t that w hen form I I , the b a rre l, ap p ears in a

bu ria l th ere is u su a lly a t le a s t one other v e s s e L S o m etim es th ere a r e

two o th ers , and th ese a re u su a lly the p la te or the bow l, fo r m s 13 and 15o

S o m etim es both occu r w ith the barreL A ls o of in te r e s t i s the fact that

w h ile form II i s a lm o st n ever k illed , form 13 freq u en tly i s 0 A s an

explanation for th ese two fa c ts I w ould su g g e st the h y p o th es is that the

b a rre l, form 11, i s fu n ction a lly in ten ded a s a liq u id co n ta in er ,

sp e c if ic a lly a drinking v e s s e h The other two fo r m s , I think, "are c o n

ta in er s for so lid s and w ere probably u sed as d ish e s , A drinking v e s s e l

w ith a h o le in it is quite u s e le s s , hot so eating w a re ,

. On the b a s is , then, of su p p osed function and a som ew h at c o n

stant ra tio of app earan ce, the su g g estio n i s m ade that p erh ap s th is

pattern r e f le c t s a sp e c if ic M aya p r a c tic e , probably co n n ected w ith

r e lig io u s ob liga tion s to the dead, . T his m ay be a sa c r e d m e a l for the

dead. P o s s ib ly it w as one eaten by the liv in g in co m m em oration for

the dead at a fu n era l, V ogt (1964) m a k es a point of M aya c er e m o n ia l

eatin g .an d the s t r e s s of equal sh aring in cer e m o n ia l m e a ls , . M ight not

the an cien t M aya have e ith er p rov id ed the dead w ith a r itu a lly p r e sc r ib e d

73

Table 2

S er ia tio n of L ate C la s s ic B u r ia ls at T ikal

B u ria l V e s s e l F ormP h ase No. 11 13 15 10 12A 12B 14

Key: SxO P = Saxche O range P o lych rom e; SbB P Z C P = Z a ca te l C ream P olych rom e; P O P = chrom e; C B /O = C hantouri; X = p r e se n c e , when m o re than one untyped v e s s e l o ccu rs num ber o ccu rr in g is shown.

T epeu 1 17 X " 33 X " 40 X" 58 SxO P SxOP SxO P " 101 X " 130 SxO P SxO P " 134 SbB P

= Sibal Buff Polychrom e: P alm ar O range P o ly - but no type designation; in a form ca teg o ry , the

in term ed ia te 30 X X Xn 45 X X Xii 54 SbB P

SxO Pii 81 X C B /Oii 82 Z C Pii 83 X X X11 96 SxO P X X

X11 132 2 X11 140 SxO P X

SbB Pii 142 X Xii 149 P O P X Xn 150 SxO P SxO P ZC P

T epeu 2 14 X Xit 21 X Xi i 26 Xn 28 Xi i 31 X X X11 34 Xit 38 PO P PO P X11 39 X X

74

Table 2 - -C ontinued

B u ria l V e s s e l F ormP h ase__________ No. 11 13 15 10 12A 12B 14

T epeu 2 42 X X X50 PO P X X56 X66 P O P PO P68 Z C P X X70 X 371 X C B /O 3

P O P75 P O P ZC P77 3 2 178 1 1 PO P

X80 P O P X ZC P86 X X X X87 P O P 2 288 P O P89 Z C P PO P PO P90 P O P PO P X91 PO P PO P

(2)92 ZCP93 2 297 X99 PO P PO P

X100 P O P PO P102 X103 ZCP104 Z C P105 C B /O P O P ZCP

(2)l'L3 PO P116 12 4 X X133 ZC P135 C B /O PO P

(2)137 X Z C P X139 PO P P O P 4141 X

75

T able 2 --C on tin u ed

B u ria l ______________________ Y e s s e l F orm _______________P h a se No. 11 13 15 10 12A 12B 14

Tepeu 2 147 PO P PO PX

u 154 Xii 155 X PO P ZCPit 156 Z C P

XZC P

11 157 PO P ZCP11 16 211 53 X

Tepeu 3 76 X

76

m ea l, or p o ss ib ly have sh a red in a d ed ica tory one th e m se lv e s ? D oes

it seem p o s s ib le that the liv in g r e la t iv e s sh a red a fin a l d ed icatory m ea l

for the dead and then r itu a lly d estro y ed or sa c r if ic e d the p r e sc r ib e d

v e s s e l s ? The explanation i s not so lid and the M aya p r a c t ic e not c le a r ly

understood,, but the p r a c tic e i t s e lf , w hatever it s ex a ct nature, is going

to be c a lle d one o f the e lem en ts of the m ortu ary trad ition , that is ,

som eth in g w hich ow es it s e x is te n c e and m eaning to the un derstan dings

and dem ands in h eren t in fo rm a l r e lig io n . T his p r a c tic e i s th ere fo re

p art of the G reat T rad ition , The sa m e h y p oth esis w ill be broadened

and stren gth en ed w hen th e'ap p rop ria te fo rm s in T ep eu .2 a re co n s id ered .

The ap p earan ce of l ife fo r m s on p o ttery se e m s r a r e in both

T epeu 1 and T ep eu .2 , L ife fo r m s a r e m o re m ark ed and frequent in .

T ep eu .l than in T zak ol w h ere the painting of life fo rm s i s in itia ted .

The T zakol life fo r m s a re u su a lly fa n ta st ic c r e a tu r e s w h ich a re p o r tra y ed

in c u rv ilin ea r fa sh io n around the ou tsid e w a ll of a fla n g ed p la te . The

quality of d esign , although not the l ife fo rm s th e m se lv e s , ca rr y over

into Tepeu. 1, T here a re o c ca s io n a l w avy, s tr e tc h e d -o u t c r e a tu r e s in

T epeu 1, but the id e a app ears to be changed to kinked, s a u sa g e - lik e

e lem en ts w hich appear in the sam e or analogous lo c a tio n s on the p o ttery .

In T ep eu .2 w h ere g e o m e tr ic fp rm s p red om in ate , l ife fo r m s do not see m

l e s s freq u en t than in T epeu 1. T epeu 1 hum an f ig u r e s , u su a lly d an cers

or other c er e m o n ia l p e r so n s , appear on the fla t in ter io r su rfa ce of the

tr ip od p la te s . T h ese s c e n e s can conta in one fig u re , m an y tim e s a

77

dancer^ or le s s freq u en tly p o rtray r itu a l s c e n e s w ith s e v e r a l peop le

in vo lved . T his s ty le of painting i s r e s tr ic te d p retty m uch to T epeu I ,

The only p a r a lle l to th e se sc e n e s in T ep eu .2 is found in the superbly

d ecora ted ex a m p les o f form 10, the c y lin d r ic a l v a s e . T h e se la tter ,

although perhap s m ade in d ig en o u sly at T ikal, m e r e ly p a r tic ip a te in a

tra d itio n .in itia ted and brought to flo w er e lse w h e r e . W hile th ere i s l it t le

i f any d irect ev id en ce for it in the sp e c if ic data from T ikal, it is n e v e r

th e le s s rea so n a b ly sa fe to say , judging from o c c u r r e n c e s at Uaxactun,

that other life fo r m s , lik e co ck ro a ch es and s im ila r w ater - lov in g in s e c t s

and b ird s, m ake o c ca s io n a l a p p earan ces on T ep eu .1 p o ttery , . The in s e c t

fo rm s appear w ith m o re freq u en cy in T ep eu 2, h ow ever. P erh ap s the

s a fe s t g e n e ra liza tio n to be m ade about life fo rm s and th e ir o ccu rren ce

/at T ikal and Uaxactun for the T ep eu 1 p e r io d is that th ey a r e r a r e . The

m o st outstanding ex a m p les a re the p la te sc e n e s ; the other ex a m p les , the

in s e c t s , e t c , , a re few and rath er ab stra ct; th ey a r e not a m ajor m o tiv e ,

. L ife fo r m s , e sp e c ia lly the dep iction of p eop le , a r e a lw ays done

in .a c o n s is te n t s ty le , w ith .a see m in g ly p r e sc r ib e d se t of conventions and

tech n iq u es, M aya a rt on th is point i s a s unique and a s u n ified as E gyptian

or B yzantine art: so r e s tr ic te d in su b ject and execu tion that as a r e s u lt •

it i s in sta n tly rec o g n iz a b le . T h is a r t s ty le , a seco n d a ry in stitu tion , i s

a d irect m a n ife sta tio n of a G reat T rad ition ,

. F ew of the v e s s e l s from T ep eu .1 b u ria ls w e re k il le d r itu a lly

by d r illin g or punching a h o le in the b a se . This i s not s ta r tlin g

78

co n sid er in g the sam p le size* The tr ip od p la te s have th eir le g s knocked

off. T h is .is another so r t of k illin g , but even th is i s r a r e in Tepeu l .

T h ere a r e , for T epeu l , f iv e b a r r e l-sh a p e d ja r s . T h ese a r e r a r e ly if

ever k illed . T h ere a re s ix tr ip od p la te s . . Som e of th ese have their

fe e t m is s in g . T his i s the m o st freq u en tly k il le d fo rm . T h ere a re four

s tr a ig h t-s id e d bow lsj none of w hich is k illed .

K illing v e s s e l s i s probably a v e r y o ld p r a c tic e am ong the M aya»

I do not know w h ere it i s in itia ted in M aya h isto ry , but it cou ld e a s ily

be a fo lk custom p r a c tic e d long b efore the M aya have any r igh t to be

c a lle d a c iv iliz a t io n . . In.any c a se in the L ate C la s s ic and sp e c if ic a lly

in T ep eu l , it i s c lo s e ly con n ected w ith m ortu ary r itu a l. As. a g u e ss

and as l it t le m o re , I w ould su g g e st that it i s one of th o se e lem en ts of

p easan t cu ltu re w hich M aya high c iv iliz a t io n took over and in teg ra ted

into a fo r m a liz e d r e lig io u s p r a c tic e p o ss ib ly changing it s m eaning, and

c er ta in ly m aking i t s m eanin g ex p lic it . Judging by it s g r ea ter and m o ret 1

c o n s is te n t app earan ce in T ep eu .2 it i s a cu stom w hich i s becom ing

b etter or m o re in c r e a s in g ly in teg ra ted in to the r e lig io u s ra tio n a le

backing M aya cu ltu re . It i s a part of the G reat T rad ition .

The num ber of v e s s e l s for T ep eu b u ria ls v a r ie s betw een one

and fou r, the a v era g e being tw o. The m a jo r ity of the n ine b u ria ls from

th is tim e p er io d co m e from e ith er hou sem ou nd lo ca tio n s or from the

sm a lle r m ortu ary te m p le -p y r a m id s w hich a r e often a s s o c ia te d w ith

sm a ll c lu s te r s of h ou sem ou n d s. T h ese groups, u su a lly arran ged

around a quadrangular p la za w ith the te m p le -p y r a m id on the ea st,

pepper the, lan d scap e o u tsid e of the l im its o f the cen tra l c erem o n ia l

co m p lex itse lfo The c o n s is te n c y in loca tion , in what a re e s s e n t ia lly

low er or m id d le c la s s co n tex ts and the fa ir c o n s is te n c y in v e s s e l num ber

per bu ria l, cou ld be com bin ed to in fer , i f the sam p le for T ep eu .l w ere

la r g er , so m e p oin ts on the s o c ia l ord er for T ep eu .l at T ikaL - A s it is ,

a ll that it is p ertin en t to say now is that the data h ere from m id dle or

low er c la s s un its a re m o re or le s s c o n s is te n t w ith in th e m se lv e s , a llo w

ing only the ob serv a tio n that the sm a ll te m p le -p y r a m id b u ria ls are

r ich er than the housem ound burialso

The m ortu ary c e r a m ic tra d itio n of T epeu I w ill be ca lle d an

elaboratin g trad ition . T his i s done in te r m s of the 1955 c la s s if ic a t io n

of a r ch a eo lo g ica l tra d itio n s . . "An E lab ora tin g T rad ition i s c h a r a c te r iz e d

by an in c r e a s in g co m p lex ity r e su lt in g from the addition of tr a its or

attr ib u tes w hich a r e in teg ra ted in a s in g le lin e of developm ent",

(T hom pson 1956;.44),d T ep eu .l w ith in it s e lf , , s in ce it fa l ls w ith in about

a hundred year p eriod , show s v e r y l it t le d isc er n ib le change when the

data at hand a re exam in ed . T his m ay r e f le c t the d e fec ts in the sm a ll

am ount of m a te r ia l a v a ila b le for exam ination , but in a ll p rob ab ility the

la ck of change i s due to the sm a ll am ount of tim e c o v er e d by the tr a d i

tion . , R e c a ll, too, that th is i s an e s s e n t ia l ly c o n ser v a tiv e cu ltu re , in

w hich s ig n ifica n t change i s m e a su r ed in la r g e am ounts o f t im e .

80

A m o re notew orthy change is , h ow ever, not w ith in T epeu I,

w hich cou ld not be c o n s id e re d a h om ogen eou s unit i f i t d isp la y ed g rea t

change w ith in i t s e l f . It i s , ra th er on e ith er s id e of T ep eu 1 that change

i s to be seen , the nature of w hich a llo w s T ep eu 1 to be c a lle d an e la b o r a t

ing trad ition seg m en t. , C erta in ly the ch an ges in c e r a m ic d ecoration

from the foreg o in g E a r ly C la s s ic T zakol p er io d a re s ig n ifica n t and a r e

tow ard g rea ter co m p lex ity and so p h is tica tio n am ong the T ikal Maya.

That th e tren d contin u es in the sa m e d irectio n in T ep eu .2 w ill soon be

seen . T his segm en t of tim e , T epeu .1, w itn e s se s e lab oratin g tra d itio n s

in the d ecora tion of f in e w are m ortu ary c e r a m ic s . The elab oration of

th o se e lem en ts a s se r te d ly con n ected w ith the G reat T rad ition i s seen

w hen T ep eu I i s com p ared w ith both the p reced in g T zak ol and the

su cceed in g T epeu 2. . In other w ords th ere i s not only a G reat T rad ition ,

but it i s a h ea lth y and grow ing one. It i s e laboratin g , dynam ic, m aking

i t s e l f fe lt m o re and m o re fo r c e fu lly throughout the cu ltu re in the p er iod ,

say , from A . D. 500 to 700. It i s v ir i le , dom inating and im p osin g i t s

own ord er on M aya s o c ie ty .

Tepeu. 2 i s m uch m o re g e n e ro u sly r e p r e se n te d in th is sam p le

than e ith er T ep eu .I or T ep eu :3. T h ere a r e 49 b u ria ls and 119 a s so c ia te d

v e s s e l s . The b a s ic d es ig n typ es a re P a lm ar O range and Z a ca te l Crearn

p o ly c h r o m e s . The v e s s e l fo rm s c h a r a c ter iz in g th is p e r io d a re a/

v e r t ic a l- s id e cy lin d er (form 10); a tr ip o d p la te w ith f la r in g s id e s and

c y lin d r ic a l fe e t (form I2A); a f la t -b a s e d bowl w ith ou t-cu rv in g s id e s

81

(form 12B); and a f la t -b a s e d bowl w ith s tra ig h t s id e s (form 14)6/ . -

A n exam in ation of the T ep eu 2 m o rtu a ry c e r a m ic data r e v e a ls

a num ber of in ter e st in g factSo The a v era g e num ber of v e s s e l s per b u ria l

i s th ree . T his i s op p osed to an a v e ra g e of two in T epeu , 1. T here a re

tw ice a s m any 12B fo r m s ( f la t-b a se d bow ls w ith outcurving s id e s ) ,a s

any oth er, and th ere i s an a lm o st n e g lig ib le num ber of 14 (f la t-b a se d

bow ls w ith stra ig h t s i d e s ) . . If fo rm s 12A, 12B, and 14 a r e added togeth er

and c a lle d fu n ction a lly s im ila r , i . e„ , so lid food co n ta in ers , a s opp osed

to form 10, a liq u id con ta in er , then the ra tio betw een the fo rm er and

the la tter i s th ree to one. T his i s a ra tio w hich m ain ta in s the p r e v a len ce

of so lid , fo o d -o ffer in g co n ta in ers in the b u r ia ls .

. It i s in ter e st in g in th is con tex t to note that the tr ip od p late

(form 12 A );ra re ly o ccu rs a lon e in b u ria l c o n tex ts . The form o ccu rs .

21 t im e s in 20 b u r ia ls . Its ty p o lo g ica l a n cesto r i s form 13, the tr ip od

p la te of T ep eu .I . T his p la te would, seem to be r ep la ce d fu n ction a lly by

fo r m s 12B and 14, f la t -b a s e d b ow ls. That i s , the p la te and bow ls look

as though th ey cou ld s e r v e the sa m e p u rp o se . . T hey a r e rou gh ly the

sa m e s iz e and shape, and m igh t even hold s im ila r am ounts of like kinds

of food. . But, in fact, the tr ip od e ith er had a u tilita r ia n fu nctional p u rp ose

d ifferen t from the bow ls or it had a sp e c if ic r itu a l u se . It cou ld have

been the only a ccep ta b le or, p ra c tica b le form in a g iv en c er e m o n ia l s itu a

tion . T his i s a g u e ss but i t does exp la in the c a r r y -o v e r in to T ep eu .2

of the p la te form , a form w hich look s to m e a s though it cou ld have been

82

r e p la c e d in T epeu 2 by a s e t of new, fu n ctio n a lly equal v e s s e l s (1 2B

andl4).o

The p la te w as u su a lly k illed , r itu a lly sa c r if ic e d , by knocking

off the leg So T his a c t w as done b efo re the v e s s e l w as p la ced in the

tom b for no le g s w e re found in the to m b s. It is p o s s ib le that the act

of sm ash in g the le g s had sp e c if ic s ig n ifica n ce in the m o rtu a ry tr a d i

tion w hich o b v iou sly only a leg g ed v e s s e l cou ld fu lf ill . If for so m e

r ea so n th is act w ent out of fa sh io n in m o rtu a ry cu sto m s or d ied out

slow ly , or:w as m ain ta in ed only by so m e p a rticu lar group or c la s s for

th eir c e r e m o n ie s , then th is m igh t exp la in the r e la t iv e in freq u en cy of

o ccu rren ce and at the sa m e tim e exp la in the fa c t that it o ccu rs at a ll.

A ctu a lly , the va.st m a jo r ity of tr ip od p la te fo r m s from both

T epeu 2 and the p reced in g in term ed ia te s ta g e a r e found in the com m on

hou sem ou nd b u r ia ls . H ere it i s in te r e s t in g to point out that data.from

T ikal housem ounds and m id dens (unpublished data in, the hands of T, P ,

C ulbert) show that tr ip od p la te sh erd s a r e m ark ed ly com m on h ere ,

a lm o st m o re so than w ith any other fin e w are fo rm . T his of co u r se

m ean s that th is form had not been r e p la c e d fu n ction a lly by the f la t -

b ased bow ls s in c e it i s so com m on in d o m estic s itu a tio n s . But its

continued u se in the le s s im p ortan t b u r ia ls , th ose b u r ia ls w hich a re

taken to be r e p r e se n ta tiv e of th e lo w er , e ith er seco n d a ry s p e c ia l is t or

p easan t, c la s s does in d ica te that th is c la s s ch o se , through its c o n s e r v a

t ism , or by r ea so n of th e rea d y a v a ila b ility of the tr ip od p la te , to

83

m ain ta in the cu stom of in terr in g th is so r t of v e s s e l w ith the deado. The

w ea lth ier or ru lin g group at T ikal in T ep eu 2 did not a vo id the use of

the p la te9 but show ed rath er a c lea r p r e fe r e n c e for the c y lin d r ic a l v a s e Q

T his la s t form is far and aw ay the m o st popular and s ig n ifica n t in

w ealth y burialso That the cy lin d er v a s e w as l e s s a v a ila b le to the

populace as a w hole i s in d ica ted by it s co m p arative in freq u en cy in

housem ound m idden rem ainso

The c a u se s for what see m s to be d ifferen tia l u se of both the

tr ip od p late and the cy lin d er v a se a r e unci ear o T h ere i s no doubt about/

the d istr ib u tion of the cylindero Too, I think, although I am not su re ,

that th ere i s a co n cen tra tion of the tr ip od p la tes in low er and m id d le

c la s s bu ria l So T his form is to be a s s o c ia te d w ith th ese groups and not

to be thought of a s id en tify in g the h ig h est c la s s .

Insofar a s th is d ifferen tia l d istr ib u tion is in d ica tiv e of c la s s

stru ctu re at T ikal in L ate C la s s ic t im e s , and s in c e the e x is te n c e of

so c ia l c la s s e s i s a natural b y -p rod u ct of c iv iliz a tio n , it can be a s s e r te d

that h e r e is another in d ica tio n of the G reat T rad ition . T his is so b e c a u sev-

so c ia l c la s s e s n eed a ra tio n a le to exp la in the d istin ctio n s betw een one

another, and provid ing c o n s is te n t and potent ra tio n a les i s the b u sin ess

of the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re: in stitu tio n a liz ed r a tio n a le s is another

p h ra se for the G reat T rad ition .

The s p e c if ie s of the d evelop m ent of M aya c e r a m ic d ecoration

in T ep eu .2 a re help fu l in evaluating the grow th of the G reat T rad ition .

84

T ep eu .2 i s m ark ed by a num ber of often recu rr in g d esign e lem en ts*

T h ese a re c le a r ly p re fa ced both in T ep eu 1 and T zakol 3* T here i s s

in fact, an un m istak ab le develop m en ta l continuum in a num ber of

m o tifs w hich, in one form or another, a re seen through the w hole of

the L ate C la s s ic a fter they w ere in it ia te d in the E a r ly C la ssic*

V ariou s fo r m s of the G reek .k ey d esig n and other so r ts of f r e t s , th ree

or four ty p es of Kan C r o s s e s - - fo r m e d by b locking the in ter io r c o rn er s

of a sq u are - -q u a tr e fo ils , s e x fo ils , linked p yram id s on m ou ld in gs,

groups of co n cen tr ic c ir c le s , and groups of b ars and dots a r e a ll fa ir ly

common* T h ese u su a lly take a form e a s i ly p la ced in T ep eu 2 and can

be d istin g u ish ed from th eir p r e d e c e s s o r s and s u c c e s s o r s by m inor but

v is ib le d iffe re n c e s in form or application*

G rooving i s not im p ortan t in T ep eu 2 ex cep t for v e r t ic a l and

diagonal flu ting on m any of the c y lin d r ic a l vases* G lyphs, too, a re

r a re and m uch m o re co n v en tio n a lized in th is period* T hey are m ore

g e o m e tr ic a l in form , and th is tren d to the g eo m e tr ica l, in fact, c h a r

a c te r iz e s T epeu 2* T h ere a re m o re g e o m e tr ic p attern s per se , and

th o se n o n -g e o m e tr ic a l p a ttern s w hich h ave p r e d e c e s s o r s now appear

in m o re s ty liz e d and co n v en tio n a lized form *

T h ere a r e so m e life fo r m s , m any of w hich border on being

s ty liz e d to the point of abstraction* T h ese a re m o stly w a te r -lo v in g

in sects* The hum an life fo rm s no lon ger appear on the tr ip od p late

w ith any freq u en cy , but th ere a re v a r io u s c er e m o n ia l s c e n e s on cy lin d er

85

vases® T h ese a re e la b o ra te and conta in fa ir ly s tereo ty p ed sce n e s of a

sea ted d ign itary and one or m ore subord in ate persons® The la tter , in

ob viou sly d e feren tia l p o s it io n s , a re v a r io u s ly o fferin g goods to the

im p ortant in d iv idu al, lis ten in g to him , or p r o s tr a te in fron t of him in

su b jection o f one so r t or another® The sc e n e s a re c le a r ly n a rra tiv e in

nature and m ean to com m u n ica te so m e sp e c if ic even t or id ea to the

beholder® M ost have glyph bands a ttach ed to the s c e n e s w hich perhaps

in d ica te that an attem p t i s being m ade to com m u n ica te the le sso n :o r

id ea illustrated® The p ain tin gs a re in no w ay a r t is t ic a ch iev em en ts

w ith in our own sy ste m of ju d g in g .a esth e tic f in e n e s s , but do have a

p lea sa n t enough charm about them® T hey a re la r g e ly un clu ttered , a

quality lack in g in a r t of la ter p er io d s in M eso a m er ica w hen th ere s e e m s

to develop an urge to co ver ev er y bit of space® T h ese p a in tin gs a re one

of the p r in c ip a l m a n ifesta tio n s of the G reat Tradition®

The la s t th re e p aragrap h s have d is c u s se d th o se develop m en ts

in the M aya art s ty le w hich a r e new to Tepeu.2® The dozen or so fa c ts

m en tion ed in th ese th ree p aragrap h s m u st not be se e n a s d ivorced from

the fra m ew o rk in w hich they p ro p er ly b elong, that unique form o f

a e sth e tic e x p r e ss io n w hich i s M aya art® E v ery one of th e se "new"

ite m s i s c le a r ly r e la te d in gen etic r o o ts and fe e lin g to everyth in g w hich

has gone b efore in both the E a r ly and E ate Classic® , T hey should be thought

of a s in n ovation s, new com b in ation s of o ld id e a s , a ll taking p la ce w ith in

an e s ta b lish e d fram ew ork , the G reat Tradition®

86

Table 3

L ocation of Late C la s s ic B u r ia ls at Tikal

B u ria l No. No. of V e s s e ls B u r ia l No. No. of V e s s e ls

S m all hou sem ounds, q u a rr ie s , and s im ila r "low er c la s s " loca tion s:

14 2 45 316 2 66 317 1 68 321 2 near housem ound 71 431 3 87 4 near housem ound33 1 in quarry 130 234 1 in quarry 134 138 3 in quarry 2. 3 a v era g e

rg e housem ounds:

26 1 86 4 sm a ll pa lace28 1 76 1 sm a ll p a lace30 3 2. 0 a v era g e

Sm all fa m ily te m p le -p y r a m id s , lo ca ted as the e a ster n s tru c tu re of agroup:

39 3 92 140 1 93 242 3 96 445 3 97 349 3 99 350 3 100 353 1 101 154 3 103 156 1 104 158 4 105 475 4 135 380 3 137 381 5 139 683 3 141 188 3 142 389 3 147 290 3 149 391 3 154 3

87

Table 3 --C on tin u ed

B u ria l No. No. of V e s s e ls

155 3156 3157 3

2. 7 a v era g e

L arge fa m ily tem p le -p y ra m id , lo ca ted as the e a ster n s tru ctu re of agroup:

77 6132 3140 4150 4

4 . 2 a v erage

D ed icatory burial. T em p le I:

116 18

88

K illing of the v e s s e l s of th is p er io d e la b o ra tes the pattern se e n

in T ep eu .lo The m a jo r ity of k il le d v e s s e l s a r e f la t -b a s e d bow ls; so m e

tr ip od p la tes a r e , h o w ev er, inclu ded , th eir le g s being knocked off or

th eir b a se s d r illed . T h ere a re no k il le d c y lin d er s , a fa c t I w ould lik e

to s e e p a r a lle lin g a s im ila r fea tu re of b a r r e ls (form I I ) c h a r a c te r is t ic

of T epeu I , T his la s t o b serv a tio n can be u sed to support the h y p oth esis

that the b a r r e l and cy lin d er fo r m s h e ld liq u id s a s op p osed to other fo r m s

w hich h e ld s o lid s . The s im p le co n c lu s io n , upheld m o re by O ccam 8s

R azor than by anything e ls e i s that co n ta in ers m eant to hold liquids

w ould be v a lu e le s s in c er e m o n ia l or other con tex ts if th ey had h o les

punched or d r ille d in them .

F u rth erm o re , w e have two illu s tr a t io n s d em on stratin g so m e of

th ese v e s s e l s in u se . T h ese c o n s is t of pa in tin gs of v e s s e l s in sce n e s

on the s id e s of cy lin d er ja r s , . T h ere a re two d ifferen t ex a m p les of the

tr ip od p la te form and f la t -b a s e d bowl holding, s o lid s . T h ese a re both

on v e s s e l s in B u r ia l 116, In one, the food i s c le a r ly fru it of so m e so r t

h eld in a ty p ica l tr ip od p la te . A nd in the other, so m e kind of so lid

o ffer in g s a re being g iven to a sea ted o ff ic ia l . The la s t v e s s e l is

aberran t, but i s w ith in the f la t -b a se d bowl trad ition . T h ere are two

ex a m p les of form 10 in u se . T h ese a g a in .a re on v e s s e l s in B uria l 116,

They look lik e drinking cups, and a r e r e s t in g in front of a sea ted

o ff ic ia l. What th ey hold i s im p o ss ib le to d eterm in e , but th ey appear to

be le s s su ited for eating than for drinking.

89

The c la r ity w ith w hich th is fu n ction a l d ichotom y betw een liq u id

and so lid co n ta in ers holds up in Tepeu, 2. b u ria ls i s enough to v a lid a te

the fa c t that a sp e c if ic ra tio betw een the two e x is t s . T h ere a re about

50 g ra v es for T ep eu 2. T h irty contain the cy lin d er jar (form 10).

T w en ty -sev en of the 30 a lso contain a f la t -b a s e d bowl (form 12B or 14).

T h erefo re th r e e -f if th s o f a ll T epeu 2 b u ria ls d em on stra te a t le a s t a one

to one ra tio betw een the fu n ction a lly d ifferen t v e s s e l s . F u rth erm o re ,

th is ra tio i s sp rea d throughout the ran ge o f s o c ia l s tru c tu re inclu ded by

the b u ria ls w e have h e r e for study. I w ould a s s e r t that th ere i s a good

r itu a l r e a so n for th is o c cu rr e n c e . It i s a stan d ard ized p r a c tic e and I

su sp e c t the exp lanation does not lie in the fo lk h ab its of a so c ie ty , but

rath er in a body of fu n ctio n a r ie s who have a pow erfu l s a y - s o in fu n era l

m a tte r s . . In sh ort, and as a s s e r te d b efore , h ere i s an in stitu tio n a liz ed

p h ilosop hy seen in the a r tifa c ts of a dead so c ie ty .

• Standard p a ste for T ep eu 2 i s buff or tan, but th is v a r ie s over

so m e ra n g e .fro m pink to r ed to y e llo w . The range of co lo r m ay be due

to fir in g tech n iq u es (p erso n a l com m u n ication w ith P au la K ro tser ). The

under s lip i s u n iform ly buff or c re a m . T his under s lip i s one of the c h ie f

m ean s of d istin gu ish in g p ie c e s of T ep eu 2 from T epeu 1 in the p r o c e s s

of sortin g sh erd s or v e s s e l s .

P ro v en ien ce for the T epeu 2 b u ria ls i s quite v a r ie d . L ocation s

extend from hou sem ou nds to the sm a ll, su p p osed ly lin ea g e or ien ted

tem p le-m o u n d s, to the le s s e r ru ra l p a la c e s . T h ere a re the m a ss iv e

90

and r ich tom bs lik e B u ria l I l 6 a but th ese a re , as w ould be expected*

rare„ M any of the b u ria ls w ere lo ca ted in the sm a ll tem p le-m o u n d s

w hich a re found on the e a s t s id e of m any of the p la za s about w hich a r e

grouped from two to f iv e hou sem ou nds (C oe and H aviland 1964: 15)o

T here w as a co n c er te d e ffort at T ikal in excavatin g th ese sm a ll te m p le -

p yram id s to ex p lo re the b u ria l p attern in them (p erso n a l com m u n ication

w ith To Po: Culbert)p G eneral in form ation on th ese ap p ears in the c o n

cluding sec tio n of the th esiso

A ll of th ese c h a r a cter iz in g fa c ts s e r v e to i l lu s tr a te that, in

te r m s of i t s e lf , Tepeu.Z i s a s lig h tly e lab oratin g trad ition , show ing

v e r y l it t le change in the c o u r se of i t s developm ent. S in ce th ere i s no

ch ro n o lo g ica l con tro l w ith in T epeu 2, th is sta tem en t i s at b est an un safe

one. W hatever the ch an ges a re through tim e w ith in th e trad ition for

T ep eu 2 th ey a r e m inor? m in or in so fa r a s th ey fa il to su g g e st a change

w ith in the trad ition w hich cou ld be se e n on fa ir ly c lo s e , although not

exh au stive in sp ec tio n ,

. In te r m s of the L ate C la s s ic a s a w hole, T ep eu 2 i s part of a

s in g le e lab oratin g cu ltu ra l trad ition . It i s the apex of M aya high cu ltu re

at T ikal and i s the m o st rem a rk a b le and la s t p er io d of M aya cu ltu ra l

f lo r e s c e n c e . C erta in ly it con ta in s a ll of the tra d ition s see n in T epeu

I and it s e e s , too, the fu ll fo r c e of the G reat T rad ition m a n ifestin g

i t s e l f in the m ortu ary trad ition .

91

T epeu 3 m u st be p a s s e d by w ith only su p e r fic ia l com m ent*

D epending on the a r c h a eo lo g is t , T ep eu 3 i s e ith er v e r y L ate C la ss ic

or e a r ly P o s t -c la s s ic * ' It i s only the b a r e st shadow o f M aya high c u l-

✓ .

tu re in the Peten* R em a in s a s s ig n e d to th is p er io d a re not only few;

they a r e on ly a dim r e f le c t io n of the im m ed ia te ly p reced in g flow er of

L ate C la s s ic culture* T h ere i s a con tin u ity in T epeu 3 w hich con n ects

i t to the L ate C la s s ic a cco m p lish m en ts and th er e fo re a llo w s so m e to

c a ll it a su b d iv is io n of that period* . O th ers r ec o g n iz e it a s belonging

tem p o ra lly to the P o s t - c la s s ic * A t T ikal, T epeu 3 ex h ib its a continuity

in v e s s e l fo r m s a s w e ll a s in 1 a v e r y few d esig n e lem en ts from the

p er io d s preceding* T h ere a re , h ow ever, m ajor ch an ges in th is period*

T h ese changes a re of a so r t that one su sp e c ts m ay r e f le c t m ajor

o c cu rr e n c es in so m e far m o re b a sic a r e a of the cu ltu re , lik e the

econom y, ra th er than ch an ges w hich a r e lim ite d to m ortu a ry cu sto m s■ - $

alone* In sh ort, and to be d evelop ed la te r , it w ill be p o stu la ted that

m ajor chan ges in the econ om y, the s o c ia l s tru c tu re , or both a re

r e f le c te d in the fu n erary trad ition of T ep eu 3*

T h ere a r e few T epeu 3 b u ria ls from Tikal* T h ere fo re , the

c h a r a c ter iz a tio n g iven h e r e depends on in form ation from c e r a m ic s in

other bu ria l co n tex ts , and from S m ith 's U axactun data* The era i s

c h a r a c te r iz e d by an a lm o st co m p le te la ck of pain ted d eco ra tio n on the

s o -c a l le d fin e w a r e s . T h ese , for our p u rp o ses , a re w hat w e a re

en titled to supp ose w ould have been that c la s s of v e s s e l s from w hich

92

the m ortu ary v e s s e l s w ould have been s e le c te d had the p r a c t ic e s of

T epeu 3 been fu lly w ith in the tra d itio n s of the p reced in g two periods*

What d eco ra tio n s th ere a r e , in the form of bands, e tc* , a re unquestioned

h o ld o v ers from T ep eu 2* T h ere i s no doubt about the contin u ity b etw een

th ese phases* F rom the b u ria l in form ation w e do have from the p er io d

th ere i s ev id en ce not only of a le s s e n e d u se of d ecora tion and fin e w are

v e s s e l s , but of the p red om in an ce of m on och rom e and p la in w a res in the

burials* . By and la r g e the num ber of v e s s e l s per b u ria l s e e m s not to

change, at le a s t on the ev id en ce from Uaxactun* When fin e w a res do ■

appear th ey a re often, of fo re ig n m anufacture; m o st a r e in c is e d and,

w hen pain ted , a ll the d eco ra tio n s a re s im p le and sm all*

. It n eed s to be o b se rv e d that th o se r e p r e se n ta t iv e s of T epeu 3,

fin e w a res that w e do have a c c e s s to, a lthough e ith er to ta lly lack ing

d ecoration or having but a m in im a l am ount, do n e v e r th e le s s re ta in

th eir qu ality of m anufacture* . It w ould seem that w h atever change

a ffec ted the d ecora tion of the v e s s e l s , the sam e change w a s not o p e r

a tiv e in e ith er the m eth od or s ty le of p o ttery making* In other w ord s,

the b a s ic potting trad ition did not change ra d ica lly , but the trad ition of

d ecoration did*

P robab ly th ere i s not enough m a te r ia l to sa fe ly c a te g o r iz e the

nature of the c e r a m ic trad ition for T ep eu 3* The lik e lih o o d is that i t

i s a reducing tradition* . It " is c h a r a c te r iz e d by s im p lif ic a tio n through

lo s s of tr a its , and perh ap s in te r m s of a l e s s co m p lex organ ization "

93

(T hom pson 1956: 44}.i T h ere is , h ow ever, no doubt that the change

from T epeu 2 to 3 i s a red ucin g trad ition , and the red u ction i s a sharp

one0 What i s m o re , th ere i s Little ev id en ce for a g en tle tra n sitio n to

T epeu 3, although again, to u se the stand ard a r ch a eo lo g ica l caveat,

th is m ay be due to a r c h a e o lo g ic a l o v e rs ig h t or in su ffic ie n t digging*

T h ere i s no ev id en ce for a sm ooth transition* How abrupt the tr a n s i

tion w as, h ow ever, it i s not r e a lly p o s s ib le to say* • A t one and the sa m e

t im e .it i s n e c e s s a r y to sa y that th e .tra n sit io n betw een T ep eu 2 and 3 w as

sharp, and i t i s ju st as n e c e s s a r y to avo id the o ld sh ad es of ca tastrop h e

and m onum ental upheaval a s exp lan ation s for the d ec lin e of the Maya*

T h ese la s t sp e c to r s have p lagu ed M aya s tu d ies long enough* But

w hether fa s t o f slow , and it m ay have been fa ir ly rapid , a m ajor change

occurred* In fa c t, the G reat T rad ition died*

T epeu 3 i s a fa sc in a tin g p er io d b eca u se w e can a ssu m e that the

G reat T rad ition had e ith er c e a s e d or w as cea s in g to e x e r t any ap p rec ia b le

in flu en ce in th is period* T h ere fo re th o se p r a c t ic e s w h ich a r e found h e r e

can be c a lle d e ith er rem n an ts of the G reat T rad ition or fo lk cu stom s

r e a s s e r te d from so m e cu ltu ra l base* S in ce the e lite w as gone e v e r y

thing e s o te r ic or p o o r ly in teg ra ted into the c iv iliz a tio n shou ld have

co lla p sed , or rem a in ed , i f at a ll, a s a shadow of i t s fo r m e r self*

Not only the c er a m ic a r ts but a fin e con tro l of them r em a in s

in T epeu 3. P la in and m on och rom e v e s s e l s pred om in ate in T epeu 3

rem ains* The fin e w a r e s a re s ig n ifica n tly d im in ish ed in quantity, but

94

not in quality,, T his r e f le c t s e ith er a ho ld over of s p e c ia l is t s , or it

m ean s that potting w as f ir m ly b ased in p ea sa n t tra d itio n s . The la tter

i s the m o re lik e ly explanation s in c e T epeu 3 probably r e p r e se n ts s e v e r a l

g en era tio n s . P otting is a n e c e s s ity of l i f e . It does not go out of s ty le .

M oreover, the continued u se of fin e w a res in d ica te s that th e se had a

fu nctional p u rp ose other than the cerem o n ia l.! . In Tepeu. 3, h ow ever,

th ey a r e u n decorated , and I think that m a k es a ll the d ifferen ce .

. C era m ic painting d isa p p ea rs a lm o st c o m p le te ly in T ep eu .3.

In ferred from th is i s that (l).,:the two c r a fts , potting and decoration ,

w ere practiced ..by two d ifferen t groups during the peak of M aya d ev e lo p

m ent and (2), c e r a m ic painting w as e ith er too ex p en siv e or too in e s s e n t ia l

to p r e se r v e w hen the cu ltu re had to m ake the profound read ju stm en t se e n

in the change betw een T ep eu .2 and 3.

P o ttery , about ha lf of it ip la in or m on och rom e w a r e s , is s t i l l

in clu d ed in the g r a v es o f T ep eu 3. T his i s b est docum ented in the n ine

f ■■

T epeu 3 g r a v es at U axactun. It i s d ep o sited in rough ly the sa m e quantity

a s it w as e a r lie r . The. in c lu s io n of p o ttery in g r a v es i s not c la im ed as

anything other than a fo lk cu sto m . A m o r e or le s s stand ard am ount of

p ottery in a grave i s probably a lso a p ea sa n t habit, although it is a habit

w hich cou ld have been in teg ra ted in to th e p attern s of c iv iliz a t io n w h ile

th o se p a ttern s e x is te d .

CHAPTER 5

THE GREAT TRADITION A N D ITS TRANSFORMATIONS

In the forego in g .p ages, th ere has been p r e se n ted a sum m ation

of so m e of the p a ttern s of a rra n g em en t for the data con n ected w ith th is

th esiso The tra d itio n s w ith in the D ate C la s s ic a t T ikal have been ou t

lined; a v iew of the sp e c if ic s i s now at hand, - C all that w hich has gone

b efore h is to r y . It w ould be u sefu l i f w hat fo llo w s can be c a lle d

anthropology, or at le a s t an a n th rop o log ica l approach to a rch a eo lo g ica l

data.

A t the beginning of th is e s s a y a G reat T rad ition w as p o stu la ted

a s a m ean s of g iv in g co h e re n c e to both the data c o n s id e r e d and to the

L ate C la s s ic at T ikal a s a w h ole . . In ord er to exp lo it that id ea and in

order to d em o n stra te its v a lid ity , a num ber of h y p o th eses a re to be

p r e se n ted h e r e . . In the c o u r se of in v estig a tin g them and p resen tin g

ev id en ce in th eir support, it i s hoped that it w ill be d em on stra ted that,

d esp ite v a r io u s fa c ts and tren d s to the con trary , not only i s the Late

C la ss ic a h om ogen eou s and on -go in g trad ition , but that i t i s a trad ition

in la rg e p art d ic ta ted by the id e o lo g ic a l fo r c e supporting M aya cu ltu re .

That i s to say , I hope to m ake c lea r that in th is p r e h is to r ic so c ie ty the

id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re w as potent enough to m ain ta in , am ong other

th in gs, a m ortu ary tra d itio n for s e v e r a l hundred y e a r s . M oreover,

95

96

s in c e th is trad ition of fu n era ry p r a c t ic e s i s what is d ea lt w ith and is

the so u rce frotn w hich in fe r e n c e s a r e m ad e to the id e o lo g ic a l b a se of

the cu ltu re , I hope to in d ica te the nature of the changes a t w ork in that

id e o lo g ic a l le v e l o f s o c ie ty a s they can be se e n r e f le c te d in the m o rtu a ry

trad ition . That ch an ges of th is so r t can be m a n ife sted in a m ortu ary

trad ition i s hardly a point in question; ra th er , the qu estion i s how to

d isco v er the m a n ife sta tio n s .

A n exam in ation of the tr a n s it io n s betw een the p h a ses of the

L ate C la s s ic i s the m o s t con ven ien t and ap p rop riate w ay to d isco v er

both the nature of the ch an ges th e m se lv e s and the d e g r e e s of d iffe re n c e s

betw een one p h ase and a n o th er . T ep eu .l and 2 a re d efin ed p r im a r ily

s ty l is t ic a lly . T hey can be thought of a s cu ltu re p e r io d s , but th is c o n

cep t w ill do in ju s tic e to the c lo s e d eg ree o f r e la t io n b etw een the two.

On the .b asis of s ty le , and in th is e s s a y , on th e b a s is of m ortu ary

c er a m ic s ty le , the two p er io d s a re two d istinct, se c t io n s on a s in g le

d evelop in g continuum . . W hile T ep eu .l and T ep eu .2 if v ie w ed sep a ra te ly

from one another w ould appear to be only su p e r fic ia lly r e la ted , th ey

can be shown on.the b a s is of ser ia tio n , backed by stra tigrap h y , to be

r e la te d to such a d eg ree that it i s ju stif ie d to say that one grew out of

the other to su ch an exten t that the only explanation for su ch continuity

i s in d ig en o u sly govern ed change. • And m o re , it i s quite probable that

in th is tra n sitio n the id e o lo g ic a l, h e r e of c o u r se i s m ean t the r e lig io u s ,

s tru ctu re of a so c ie ty w as s c a r c e ly a ffec te d by the ch a n g es . It i s even

probable that th e se changes w ere in trod u ced by the ru lin g h iera rch y , at

the v e r y le a s t th ey w ere san ction ed by ito The change m ark ed by the

d iffe re n c e s in T ep eu .I w a r es com p ared to T ep eu 2 w a res i s m ore than

one a r t if ic ia lly and a r b itr a r ily c re a te d by and for the co n ven ien ce of

a rch a eo lo g ists ,. It i s , h ow ever, our e ffo r t h ere to d em on stra te that

the change w as la r g e ly unplanned, w as hot fo rced , and w as not go v ern ed

by fo r c e s ou tsid e the cu ltu re .

H ere, in the change from T ep eu .I to T ep eu .2 i s the cu ltu re

p r o c e s s of m ain ten an ce of s ta b ility through change. . C hange m ay be

co n sc io u s or u n co n sc io u s, but r e g a r d le s s of that, th is change is

il lu s tr a t iv e of the p r in c ip le that to p r e s e r v e an ord er, a c er ta in d eg ree

of change i s in ev ita b le . I th ink w hat w e s e e happening in th is point of

the L ate C la s s ic i s a cu ltu re engaged in a llow in g the m od icu m s of change

w hich a re the e s s e n c e of in su r in g s ta b ility or at le a s t the facad e of

sta b ility .

To te s t the above sta tem en ts the fo llow in g h y p o th esis is p r o

posed: A t T ikal the tra n s itio n in the L ate C la s s ic from T epeu 1 to

T epeu 2 w as a p ie c e m e a l, la r g e ly u n d irected , sm ooth and n o n -v io len t

one: one w hich , i f in itia ted ou tsid e the cu ltu re , w as im p lem en ted by

fo r c e s w ith in the cu ltu re . A nd if the tra n s itio n w as not in d igen ou sly

in sp ired , then it w as im p o sed on T ikal w ith a m in im um of fo r c e or

co erc io n .

98

In te r m s of the G reat T rad ition the h y p o th esis s ta te s that the

ch an ges p o stu la ted o ccu rred w ith in the fra m ew o rk of the ra tio n a le for. i

M aya cu ltu re . The changes a re not big, a re not d isru p tiv e , probably

do not d istu rb T rad ition and in fa c t m ay b o lster it . The changes a re

ch a n g es .in fash ion ; they a re neith er profound nor d isru p tiv e .

The nature of the tra n sitio n p o stu la ted in the la s t paragraph

ought to help d em o n stra te the ch an ges going on w ith in the G reat T ra d i

tion , - S p ec ifica lly , of c o u r se , the ch an ges in m ortu ary c e r a m ic c u s to m s ,

as th ey r e f le c t e ither the l it t le or th e G reat T rad ition s, w ill g ive better

understanding to th e dyn am ics of change in M aya cu ltu re . The concep t

of a G reat T rad ition and it s con com itan t c o r o lla r ie s has h elp ed up to

now to s tru c tu re the p a ttern s that w e re p r e se n t in the b u ria l data. The

concep t w as e s s e n t ia l ly s ta tic h ow ever, a fra m ew o rk in to w hich fa c ts or

even ts w ere p la ced , . In th is m o re in ter p r e tiv e sec tio n the con cep t of a

G reat T rad ition should b ecom e dynam ic and should i l lu s tr a te it s 'core of

continuity through tim e and a lso it s ch an ges through t im e .

To begin, it i s known from other so u r ce s than the .m a ter ia l in

th is study that T epeu I i s p r io r to Tepeu. 2 and that both th ese are

defined , at le a s t c e r a m ic a lly , on the b a s is o f v e s s e l form and d esign .

That th ese c r ite r ia a r e in d ica to rs of tem p o ra l change i s adequ ately and

ind ep endently d em on stra ted by stra tig ra p h y . A s sa id e a r lie r , a ll of

the v e s s e l s c o n s id e re d h ere a re taken from b u r ia ls , th ereb y a llow in g a

rea so n a b le d eg ree of contempcasaneity to be a s s ig n e d to th o se in any

99

p a rticu la r g ra v e . . A llow an ce , of c o u r se , m u st be m ade for h e ir loom

p ie c e s w hich cou ld fa ls e ly w eight the sa m p le , but in fa c t th ey have

p roved to be no tro u b le . • A su p e r fic ia l exam ination of the m ortu ary

v e s s e l s w ill show that th er e is an un q u estion ed d iv isio n betw een T epeu

.1 and T epeu 2. The v a s t m a jo r ity a r e what can be c a lle d "pure" T epeu

.1 or T ep eu 2. That i s th ey a re of unm ixed sty le and v e s s e l form (se e

ser ia tio n chart).<s

H ow ever, th ere a re a num ber of b u ria ls w hich see m to be

in term ed ia te betw een the two d iv is io n s . T h ese b u ria ls conta in a co m b in a

tion of v e s s e l s from both d iv is io n s of the L ate C la s s ic , a n d /o r contain

fo rm s from one p e r io d w hich have d esig n s ty le s from the o th er . It i s

oh the b a s is of th ese in term ed ia te o c c u r r e n c e s that the tr a n s itio n spoken

of e a r lie r i s b ased .

P r io r to the in v e stig a tio n s on w hich thiss th e s is i s based , the

in term ed ia te o c c u r r e n c e s m en tion ed in the la s t p aragrap h w e r e p oorly

understood . They had been c o n s id e re d as a group (C ulbert 1961: 39)

but not c le a r ly defined . T hey of c o u r se form a c lea r link betw een two

p er io d s h ith erto w e ll defin ed and u n d erstood to be p a rts of one another

in so m e fash ion , but how they ap p eared in a rch a eo lo g ica l con texts w as

u n clea r . . It i s the o r ig in a l contribu tion of th is th e s is to poin t out the

p la ce th is group o ccu p ies in the a r c h a eo lo g ica l situation , the nature of

the e lem en ts of w hich the in term ed ia cy i s co n stru cted , and the nature

of the tr a n s itio n it r e p r e s e n ts . The h y p o th esis sta ted a sh ort w h ile ago

100

can be v iew ed a s a m ea n s of p resen tin g th ese data and a ls o as a m ean s

of u tiliz in g that in form ation in so m e other than a p u re ly d e scr ip tiv e w ay.

T h is in term ed ia te group c o n s is t s of 15 b u r ia ls . T h ere a re in

the c o lle c t io n r e p r e se n te d in th is th e s is nine Tepeu 1 b u ria ls and 49

T epeu 2 b u r ia ls ,: The sm a ll num ber of T epeu 1 b u ria ls i s due to so m e

com bination of a r ch a eo lo g ica l change and to the e v e r -c o n str u c tin g , e v e r -

rem o d e lin g M aya, B efo re it o ccu rs to the rea d er to su g g e s t that what h e

s e e s h ere i s r e a lly th ree d istin ct groups or p o ss ib ly only one long p e r io d

w ith m inor flu ctu a tio n s, i , e„ the L ate C la s s ic , it i s incum bent on m e to

d isc u s s th e se p o s s ib i l i t ie s . T h e-lik e lih o o d of the e x is te n c e of th ree

cu ltu ra lly d is tin ct groups i s due to the fra gm en tary nature of the data

and to the fa c t that w e ar e looking, at only a sm a ll fra g m en t of the to ta l

c u ltu r e -p ic tu r e , A g r o s s counting of a l l T epeu 1 sh erd s from a ll c o n

tex ts w ould produ ce an .am ount su ffic ie n t to con v in ce the rea d er that the

p er io d i s le g it im a te in te r m s of i t s e l f and sep a ra te from T epeu 2,

W ere th is g r o ss p ro ced u re u sed to fin d so m e in d ica tion of in term ed ia te

v e s s e l s , the r e s u lt s w ould probably be ju st a s con vin cin g that an in t e r

m ed ia te s ta g e w ould be s im p ly that - -a co m p a ra tiv e ly sh o rt p er iod e v i

denced by a sm a lle r am ount of sh erd s having fo rm s from one p er io d

and d es ig n s from anoth er, . It i s of im p o rta n ce a lso that in the in te r

m ed ia te p er io d th ere i s nothing or ig in a l; not one tra it that does not

appear in e ith er T ep eu 1 or T ep eu 2, The in term ed ia te i s m e r e ly a

com bin ation . The fa c t that th e .in term ed ia te o c cu rr e n c es have been

101

noted b efore in p r o c e s s in g the T ikal data, but not defin ed in their

a rch a eo lo g ica l con text ad eq u ately d em o n stra tes both the e lu s iv e nature

and sm a ll quantity of th is tra n s itio n a l m a te r ia l. To co v er the secon d

p o ss ib ility , that of T ep eu being one long cu ltu re p er iod , i t i s rea d ily

adm itted that T epeu i s one hom ogen eou s cu ltu re p eriod , but it i s of

such a nature and such duration that th e ch an ges in it a re g rea t enough

so that even M a yan ists , fu lly aw are of the c o n se r v a t iv e n e s s of the c u l-

tu re ,. have c re a te d a fu lly v a lid d iv is io n , one that i s d istin g u ish a b le

throughout the cu ltu re .

The a r c h a eo lo g ica l a rra n g em en t of th e se in term ed ia te

o c cu rr e n c es of form and s ty le c h a r a c te r iz e the tra n s itio n . F ollow in g

from the data p r e se n ted on the e x is te n c e of an in term ed ia te group and

on the nature of i t s in term ed ia cy , th ere a r e s e v e r a l po in ts to be m ade

w hich se r v e as a lo g ic a l b a se on w hich to build. T h ese a re : th ere i s

m uch m o re lik e ly to be a c lea n b reak in c e r a m ic trad ition , w ith v e r y

few in s ta n ce s of a p rev io u s trad ition accom m od atin g i t s e l f to a la ter

one, if the. change in tra d itio n s i s a v io le n t one r ig id ly en fo rced by

som e e lem en t w ith in or ou tsid e the cu ltu re . A s a- lo g ic a l ex ten sio n of

th is,, then, i t i s far m o re p la u sib le , in the ligh t of no ev id en ce for a

rapid, fo r c e d change at T ikal, to p o stu la te a m ore sm ooth , n o n -v io len t,

and in d ig en o u sly en fo rced sw itch in the cu ltu re betw een two p er io d s

w hich bear a rem a rk a b le contin u ity in te r m s of s ty le and v e s s e l fo rm .

It s e e m s to be tru e that bu ria l p r a c t ic e s a re not so o u tra g eo u sly

c o n ser v a tiv e a s h as m any tim e s been a s s e r te d (K roeber 1927), but

they a r e probably c o n se r v a tiv e enough for it to be a s s e r te d that if a

tra n sitio n w ere a c lea n b reak in cu ltu ra l tra d itio n s , then b u ria ls c o n

tain ing e lem en ts from both cu ltu res w ould be r a re or n on -ex isten to

The e lem en t of c o n ser v a tism in b u ria l p r a c t ic e s w ould tend to in su re

that tra d itio n s be. unm ixed, if th e ..tra d itio n s w ere in m u tua lly e x c lu s iv e

or in su b serv ien t-d o m in a n t p o s it io n s . And of c o u r se it i s b eca u se of the

c o n s is te n t and s ty lis t ic a lly .c o h e r e n t n a tu re .o f the continuum that w e

su g g est the change is in d ig en o u sly im p lem en ted . It i s not that sp e c if ic

id ea s cannot have en tered from ou tsid e the cu ltu re in the tra n sitio n ,

but th eir fu sion in to the cu ltu re w as a cco m p lish ed in te r m s of the

a lrea d y dom inant trad ition .

The above a re the in fe r e n c e s w hich the data at hand contain

w hich tend to support the h y p oth esis sta ted e a r lie r . T h ere i s unquestion

ably a contin u ity , then, betw een the L ate C la s s ic p h a se s and probably it

i s due to fa c to r s in h eren t in the c u ltu re . I f e e l that the ch an ges a re of

su ch a type, m a in ly in the tech n iq u es of handling p o ttery form and

d esign , that th ey in d ica te inn ovation at a fa ir ly low le v e l of cu ltu re .

Innovation m ea n s e s s e n t ia lly the reco m b in a tio n of old e lem en ts or id e a s

into new p a ttern s. • And low le v e l of cu ltu re m ean s that the inn ovation s

w e re n e ith er m any nor im p ortan t enough to c a u se any change in the s e t

arran gem en t, the a r ticu la tio n b etw een the v a r io u s le v e ls of cu ltu re .

103

T hey w e re too sm a ll to ca u se d isru p tion and w ere e a s i ly in teg ra ted in to

the cu ltu re .

Now that the nature of a tr a n s it io n i s a s se r te d ly dem on strated ,

what i s the p la ce of a G reat T rad ition in the L ate C la s s ic ? I w ould m a in

tain that th ere a re th ree fa c to r s w hich d em on stra te th e id e o lo g ic a l fo r c e

upholding the c o h eren ce in the cu ltu re . Two m ay be in doubtful u se h e r e

and m igh t be l it t le tra d itio n s , fo lk c u s to m s , A th ird i s not; it i s a d ir e c t

r e f le c t io n of the G reat T rad ition , The f ir s t i s the r e la t iv e ly con stan t

a v era g e num ber of v e s s e l s per b u ria l in T ep eu 1 and 2, The secon d is

that in both p er io d s the ra tio b etw een h o ld ers of liq u id s and h o ld ers of

so lid s rem a in s con stan t. T h ese two o c c u r r e n c e s , it i s supposed , a r e

due to cer e m o n ia l s tr ic tu r e in the cu ltu re , I adm it, h o w ev er , that at

le a s t the f ir s t point cou ld be due as m uch to a fo lk cu lt a s due to an

o rg a n ized r e lig io n , " .

Two is the a v e ra g e num ber of v e s s e l s for T epeu I b u ria ls and

th ree i s the a v era g e num ber for T ep eu .2, The v a r ia tio n s for both

p er io d s a re u su a lly not m o re than two v e s s e l s m o re or le s s than the

a v era g e . The m o re or le s s con stan t num ber of v e s s e l s r e f le c t s e ith er

a con stan t fa c to r lik e the s iz e of an a v era g e tom b or the c o s t of outfitting

an a v era g e g ra v e , or it r e f le c t s the r eq u irem en ts n eed ed to in su re p rop er

fu lfillm en t of so m e r itu a l end. T his a v era g e num ber in te r e s t in g ly enough

c a r r ie s through to Tepeu. 3, a fter th ere had been a m ajor d ec lin e in M aya

c iv iliz a tio n , and after pa in ted d ecora tion had d isa p p ea red . T his m ay

. 1 0 4

m ean that a se t num ber of co n ta in ers in a grave w as a m o r e e lem en ta l

seg m en t of the r e lig io u s trad ition , in other w ords a fo lk custom ,, T h is

trad ition cou ld be m ain ta in ed m o re e a s i ly s in c e it w as b a sed in the

p o tte r 's cra ft, e s s e n t ia lly a fo lk cra ft,, and cou ld be d iv o rced from

d ecoration and it s s p e c ia l is t s . It th er e fo re endured w h ere the a r t is t

d isap p eared w hen h is m o re tenuous econ om ic or s o c ia l b a se c o lla p sed ,

. 3f the v e s s e l fo r m s a r e looked at fu n ction a lly as co n ta in ers of

liq u id s or so lid food, it i s obvious through the f ir s t two p h a ses of the

T ep eu .seq u en ce , and p o ss ib ly through the th ird , that b u ria l o ffer in gs

dem anded, on the a v era g e , both so r ts of co n ta in ers in a one to one or

one to two ra tio . In c a se of the la tter ra tio the so lid food co n ta in ers

p red om in ated . In other w ord s, a good T epeu bu ria l, from any p eriod ,

had a s so c ia te d w ith it so lid and liq u id o ffer in g s in .a p red ic ta b le ra tio

and in v e s s e l s ap p rop riate to hold ing th em . T his ex am p le supports m y

o r ig in a l h y p o th esis by show ing the c o n se r v a tiv e and con stan t nature of

the m ortu ary trad ition , a trad ition w hich w as p r a c tic ed under one o n

going r itu a l sch em e .

The th ird fa c to r , and that p art of the m ortu ary trad ition w hich

i s t ie d d ir e c tly to the in flu en ce of the G reat T rad ition , i s the painted

d ecoration on c e r a m ic s . T his s ty le i s a s d istin ct and d e fin itiv e a part

of M aya cu ltu re a s i s the a r ch ite c tu r a l or scu lp tu ra l s ty le . It is a ls o

a s c le a r ly a seco n d a ry in stitu tio n as a r e th e se . That i s , i t i s a d irec t

m a n ifesta tio n of the c u ltu r e 's id eo lo g y , . F ir s t to be c o n s id e re d a re the

105

sce n e pain tin gs on cy lin d er v a s e s . T h is i s a n ew 'trad ition in T epeu 2S

w hich m ay have been a ccep ted p e a c e fu lly and p r o g r e s s iv e ly into the

cu ltu re from the o u tsid e , How .it w as in trod u ced i s another q u estion .

W hether a new sch o o l b eca m e dom inant am ong the e lite , w hether th is

new group ca m e from ou tsid e the cu ltu re or ju st the new id ea of the

pain ted cy lin d er is . u n answ erab le now. It i s a new and d is tin c t trad ition

and it d oes e c lip s e the o ld er o n e .o f s c e n e painting on p la te s . The c o n

tinuity in the r e s t of the cu ltu re i s s e c u r e and th er e fo re w e a re red u ced

..to reco g n iz in g that e ith er a new e lite co rp s u sin g th is e so te r ic sp e c ia lty

cam e to pow er p ea ce fu lly from the o u tsid e or that a new s e t of id ea s

cam e in and w as u t iliz ed by the a lrea d y e sta b lish e d e l it e . If e ith er o f

th ese la s t two a lte r n a tiv e s i s so, h ow ever, m y h y p o th es is can rea d

" p ie c e m e a l and undirected" only in the s e n se that the one m ajor d ir e c ted

change w e can be a lm o st su re about, the in trod u ction of the painted

cy lin d er , w as a potent enough in flu en ce to be fe lt am ong a ll the m em b ers

of the so c ie ty and w as adopted in a v e r y broad w ay. H ere, in other

w ord s, i s a c o n sc io u s change at one le v e l of s o c ie ty fe lt le s s c o n sc io u s ly

in a ll o th er s . An in itia ted change sp rea d throughout a cu ltu re by the

p r o c e s s of p eop le k eep in g up w ith the cu ltu ra l t im e s .

The p r e se n c e o f pa in ted fan cy w a res includ ing v e s s e l s w ith

human a c tiv ity d ep icted on them is taken to il lu s tr a te that the r e lig io u s

sy stem h ea v ily in flu en ced the a sp e c t of cu ltu re producing and using th e se

v e s s e l s . T h ese h igh ly d eco ra ted w a r es appear in both p e r io d s . An

106

a ssu m p tio n that a r t is t s a re dom inant over p o tters and hold dom inant

s o c ia l p o s it io n s and a r e th er e fo re e ith er c lo s e r to or a re a part of the

p r ie s t ly c a s te w hich i s being c a lle d the body m aintain ing, and defining

the G reat T rad ition i s a d ifficu lt one to prove,. T h ere i s how ever an

a d m irab le and con vin cin g attem p t at p roof by T eren ce G rieder. (1964:

4 4 2 -8 ) .in 'w h ich he a n a ly zes C la s s ic v a s e painting s ty le and con nects

the a r t is ts c lo s e ly w ith the th eo cra tic c la s s . He su g g e s ts that sp ace

and form a re handled in such a w ay and a r e in such harm on y w ith M aya

r e lig io u s co n cep ts of tim e and sp a ce that the a r t is ts e ith er had to be

in c lo s e con tact w ith the r e lig io u s h ie r a rc h y or w ere a p art of the h ie r

arch y i t s e l f . The s c e n e s G ried er sp eak s of appear on the tr ip od p la te

in T epeu 1, and on the v e r t ic a l- s id e cy lin d er in T epeu 2. The num ber

of g r a v es contain ing th ese fo r m s i s g rea t, th r e e -q u a r te r s of the to ta l

in T epeu 2, but the num ber contain ing th e se fo rm s d eco ra ted in th is

high ly co m p lex fa sh io n i s r e la t iv e ly s m a ll. Only the m o s t im p ortant

tom b s, th o se of in d iv id u a ls su p p osed to have h e ld pow er in the Maya

c e n te r s , contain th e se sp e c im e n s . It i s r e a lly not en ligh ten ing to •

d em on stra te that in .fa c t that G reat T rad ition is m a n ife sted .in the g r a v es

of r u le r s . . T hey, a fter a ll, a re c r e a tu r e s of the T rad ition .

B eca u se of the r a r ity of the c y lin d er s w ith s c e n e s of human

a c tiv ity p a in ted on them , I have not been c o m p le te ly ab le to dem on strate

an im p act em anating from the dom inant e lite , the in stitu tio n a liz ed

id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re , on the w h o le m ortu ary c e r a m ic trad ition .

107

However,, I w ould go one step further to tr y to p ro v e m y c a se for

a m ortu a ry trad ition being one of th e r e s u lt s of the fo r c e of the id e o lo g i

ca l le v e l of cu ltu re w hen that le v e l g o v ern s a so c ie ty «

It i s a s s e r te d that the w hole tra d itio n of c e r a m ic painting is

d irec ted by and em an ates from that govern in g e lite . That i s s the h ie r

arch y i s r e sp o n s ib le for the m a jority , i f not a ll of the pain ted d e c o ra

tio n s w hich appear on T epeu c e r a m ic s : r e sp o n s ib le in the se n se that

the d es ig n s probably r e p r e se n t, in the form of sy m b o ls , e t c . , m any of

the id ea s in fo rm a l M aya r e lig io n . What the a s se r t io n b o ils down to i s

th is: freq u en tly o ccu rr in g d es ig n s lik e Kan C r o ss e s , the s o -c a l le d

" d ress sh irt" d esig n (a p rec ip ita tin g ra in c lou d is another c h a r a c te r i

zation), the yoke, the sa u sa g e -sh a p e d b a rs , the v a r io u s c r o s s e s and

fr e ts , s c r o l ls , e t c . , a ll probab ly had cu ltu ra l m eanin g and w ere ,

fu rth erm o re , probably con n ected w ith the re lig io n . It d oes not seem

lik e ly that a r e l ig io n -o r ie n te d .s o c ie ty w ould a llow such a r ic h so u rce

■of sy m b o lic m eaning to go u n u tilized .

P ertin en t to the la s t paragraph a r e so m e th ings B ra in erd has

to say.;

M aya graph ic art, lik e m o st of the g rea t art s ty le s o f the w orld, is c h a r a c te r iz e d by an o v e r -a ll unity, e a s ily d efin ab le by the reco g n itio n of a group of con ven tion s and fo r m a lit ie s , w ays of r ep re sen tin g o b jec ts , of draw ing d e s ig n s , to w hich i t s products w ere r e s tr ic te d .

The sy m b o lic m ean in gs of M aya art, although th ey ob viou sly bore strong em otion a l app eal to the an cien t M aya, a r e in g rea t part p erm an en tly lo s t . A r e lig io u s a r t i s im p o ss ib le to grasp

108

w ithout a thorough grounding in the relig ion ,, «. „ » The p e r - v a s iv e , m old ing e ffe c ts of the r e lig io n of the M aya h as been w e ll put by Spinden:

o e. o r e lig io n , as a com m unal e lem en t in the l ife of the nation turns the atten tion of a l l a r t is t s to a com m on p u rp ose . Through th is fo cu sin g of the attention , r e lig io n lea d s in ev ita b ly to an in ten s iv e rath er than a d iffu se develop m en t of a r t. , But once th is in te n s iv e d evelopm ent has exhau sted the p o s s ib i l i t ie s of the e sta b lish e d id e a s then r e lig io n th row s it s pow erfu l in flu en ce a g a in st fu rther d iso rg a n iz in g change. Thus r e lig io n en r ich es art and m a k es it p erm an en t (B ra in erd 1954 : 56 - 7),6

In te r m s of what both B ra in erd and Spinden say , it s e e m s

w ithin the rea lm of p o s s ib il ity that not only a ll the a r t is t s but a ll th eir

su bject m atter as w e ll w as govern ed in one w ay or another, d irec tly or

l e s s ob v iou sly , by the r e lig io n of th eir so c ie ty , a r e lig io n g o vern ed and

en fo rced by an a c tiv e , dom inant e lite . E ven .ad m ittin g a d iv is io n am ong

the s p e c ia l is t s betw een th o se who did the sc e n e s on the c y lin d e r s , the

true a r t is t s , and th o se who turned out the d e s ig n s - - th e m o re popular,

. g e o m e tr ic stuff, the cra ftsm en or the h a c k s - - i t i s s t i l l qu ite p o ss ib le

to s e e that the w hole ran ge of painting s p e c ia l is t s w as d ir e c tly dependent

for d irectio n and support on the govern in g group.; T his i s even e a s ie r to

se e when one ex a m in es the p rec ip ito u s drop of a ll a r t is t ic a c tiv ity at

that p er io d w hen w e a re quite su re th is ru lin g e lite f e l l .

- C on clu sion s for the p r e se n t a r e that th ere i s good, but not

c o n c lu s iv e ev id en ce o f the m a n ife sta tio n of the G reat T rad ition in L ate

C la s s ic fu n era l c u s to m s . M ost b u ria l c e r a m ic s a r e p a in ted and m o st

th er e fo re a re con n ected w ith the r e lig io n s con cep ts of the so c ie ty .

H ow ever, th ese c e r a m ic typ es and d es ig n s a re not lim ite d at a ll to

g r a v e s . T hey w e re ev id en tly u sed w id e ly throughout the w hole cu ltu re .

B efo re the rea d er sa y s that the pain ted v e s s e l s appear in b u ria ls by

default a s m uch a s by plan, le t m e con clu d e that s in c e none of the

unpainted d o m estic w are of the L ate C la s s ic ap p ears in the b u ria ls of

that p er io d , ob v iou sly a c h o ice had been m ade by the so c ie ty to inclu d e

w a res d eco ra ted w ith r e lig io u s ly m ean in gfu l d esig n s in the g r a v e s . To

th is extent, at le a s t , the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re w as m a n ifestin g

i t s e l f in the m ortu ary trad ition : that tra d itio n being one of the seco n d a ry

in stitu tio n s a G reat T rad ition m ay e s ta b lish when it i s i t s e l f the

in stitu tio n a liza tio n of the id e o lo g ic a l le v e l of cu ltu re ,

■ P ro v en ien ce for the b u ria ls of the L ate C la s s ic and the s o c ia l

im p lica tio n s drawn from them can only be su m m a r ized h e r e s in ce

b a s ic a lly a ll the data in th is th e s is t e l l us i s that th ere i s a w ide v a r ie ty

of lo ca tio n s in w hich b u ria ls m ay be ex p ected and that w ith in the b u ria ls

th e m se lv e s the num ber of v e s s e l s can ran ge anyw here from one to h a lf

a dozen. M ost c lu s te r at the low er end of the s c a le , around th ree or

four v e s s e l s a b u ria l. The p o o r e st b u ria ls a re lik e ly to be found in

odd lo ca tio n s lik e chultunes or under p la za f lo o r s . The b u ria ls in the.

sm a ll te m p le -p y r a m id s , the " fam ily te m p le s , w e re a lw a y s stand ard ized ,

the body extended, head to the north, w ith p o ttery v e s s e l s of r ea so n a b le

quality p la ced in the s p e c ia lly co n stru c ted g ra v e . G en era lly , the m o re

110

e lab ora te the tem ple,, the b etter quality of g ra v e O fferings" (C oe and

H aviland 19.64° 29}<s The m o st im p ortan t fa c to r s h ere a re the s tr ic tu r e s

of M aya r e lig io n , both fo lk and .form al, on the m anner of d isp osin g the

dead, . It is th e s e s tr ic tu r e s w hich have produ ced the p a ttern s shown in

the p reced in g sec tio n of th is th e s is .

The other b u ria ls v a r ie d in te r m s of loca tion , orien ta tion , and positioiic G raves m igh t or m ight not be s p e c ia l ly co n structed,, P o ttery v e s s e l s m igh t or m igh t not be included , and w hen they w e re , th eir num ber v a r ie d from one to fou r, and w e re p la ced anyw here w ith r e la t io n to the body. The lack of any c o r r e la tio n betw een th ese v a r ia b le s su g g e sts that the bu ria l a cco rd ed any one in d iv idu al v e r y probably w as d eterm in ed by th ree fa c to r s: h is im p o rta n ce, the whim of the su rv iv in g r e la t iv e s , and th eir m ean s to prov id e a good b u ria l (C oe and H aviland 1964: 29).®

A lso , " A sso c ia ted w ith a ll p resu m ed h ou se groups w e re b u ria ls far

le s s e la b o ra te than th o se found in the im p ortan tly lo ca ted g r a v es or

’tom bs* of the G reat P laza-N orth : A c r o p o lis a r ea . . The p o ttery v e s s e l s

found in th e se g ra v es often show ev id en ce of p r ior use" (H aviland

.1965: 17)<s

Coe and H aviland o b se rv e that,

o . . for the g rea ter part of the population, a so c ia l continuum s e e m s in d icated , w ith co n s id e ra b le range betw een th e r ic h and the p oor . W ithin th is continuum , the lack of ev id en ce of c le a r ly defin ed c a s te s su g g e sts co n s id e ra b le m o b ility . T his so c ia l situ a tion i s w hat w e m igh t ex p ect in a la rg e population including econ om ic s p e c ia l is t s of one so r t or another. It i s s im ila r to the s itu ation in p r e se n t-d a y Indian s o c ie ty in M eso a m e r ica , w ith i t s lack of fo r m a lly r e c o g n iz e d d ifferen tia l p r e s t ig e b ased on w ealth , pow er, and p erso n a l a ch iev em en t (Coe and H aviland 1964: 29 )v

>•'

C erta in ly a condition in d ica tiv e of s o c ia l m o b ility i s show n in the

I l l

adjoining ta b le for L ocation of L ate C la s s ic B u r ia ls . The a v era g e

num ber of v e s s e l s from the sm a ll housem ound burials, and from the

sm a ll tem p le -p y ra m id b u ria ls i s rou gh ly equ iva len t, i f num ber of

v e s s e l s can be taken a s an in d ica tor of s o c ia l rank, then the d ifferen ce

betw een what a r e two c le a r ly d istin ct s o c ia l groups i s quite sm a ll.

S m all housem ound b u ria ls a re taken to be "low er c la s s " g r a v e s . S m all

tem p le-p y ra m id sh u r ia ls probab ly r e p r e se n t c h ie f m e m b er s of lin e a g e s .

That th ese two typ es a re not often g r ea t ly d ifferen t from one another

m ay in d ica te e ith er the d em o cra tiz in g in flu en ce of so m e r e lig io u s

p ro v is io n , or that in fa c t th ere w as not a g rea t am ount of s o c ia l d ista n ce

betw een c la s s e s .

Som e app arently d o m estic groups in clu d ed th eir own sm a ll tem p le or sh r in e . T h ese a re .id en tified by th eir lo ca tio n on the e a s t s id e of a p laza , th eir sq u are shape, and the p r e se n c e of one or m o re b u ria ls p la ced ju st p r io r to new co n stru c tio n . In c o n tra st to th o se beneath h o u ses , th ese 'd ed ica tory ' b u ria ls a r e a lw ays lo ca ted on the a x is in a sp e c ia l ly co n stru c ted g rave w ith body extended, head to the north , and p o ttery v e s s e l s of rea so n a b le quality in clu d ed . The g en era l a rra n g em en t of h o u ses and a s s o c ia te d bu ild ings around a le v e l cou rt su g g ests an analogy w ith m od ern M aya p r a c t ic e , w h ere s im ila r units a r e occu p ied by m u ltip le fa m ilie s in w hich m a r r ie d co u p les of two or m o re g en era tio n s a re r e la te d through the m a le lin e .

. G en era lly , one s tru c tu re in ea ch group stands apart from the o th ers in te r m s of s iz e , a s w e ll a s quality of co n tem p orary p o ttery and a r tifa c ts strew n on liv in g su r fa c e s . . In th o se groups w ithout sp e c ia l fa m ily te m p le s , the g rea ter num ber of b u ria ls, and in v a r ia b ly the r ich er b u r ia ls , w e r e in or near th is h ou se.Such h o u ses p erh ap s h ou sed the sen io r fa m ily of the group (H aviland 1965; 18).

T h ese fa m ily te m p le -p y r a m id s , u su a lly lo ca ted as the e a ster n

stru ctu re of a group, a re r e p r e se n te d by 39 b u ria ls in th is study. It i s

112

p ostu la ted that the b u ria ls they contain a r e th o se o f lin ea g e heads or at

le a s t of p e r so n s of co n seq u en ce in the extended fa m ily liv in g in the

a s so c ia te d d o m estic unitso F u ll- t im e s p e c ia l is t s seem to have m ade

up a la rg e fra c tio n of the population of TikaL and ,fit s e e m s m o st lik e ly

that the g rea ter part of the population o f .T ikal w as in v o lv ed in econ om ic

p u rsu its other than fa r m in g 11 (H aviland 1965: 22)o . It m ay be that th ese

s p e c ia l is t s a re the ch ie f can d id ates for the occupants of th e se com m on ly

occu rr in g d o m estic settlem en tso

T his s p e c ia l is t group w ould be that m o st d ir e c t ly depen dent 9

a s id e from the th eo cra ts th em selves^ on the ex istin g s o c ia l stru ctu re

at L ate C la s s ic Tikalo T hey con trib u ted m o st h ea v ily to the econ om y

and undoubtedly w ere the group m o st qu ick ly a ffec ted by any flu ctuation

in the hea lth of the econ om y0 T his group liv e d d ir e c tly off the id e o lo g i

ca l e l i t e 9 its r itu a l dem ands, its buying pow er, and its o v e r -a ll

com m and on the econ om y and so c ia l structure* T h ere fo re th is is the

group m o st r e sp o n s iv e to the G reat T rad ition , a s id e from the elite*

Its liv in g is m ade off the G reat T rad ition and when that T rad ition fa ils

the group of s p e c ia l is t s d isappears* A nd w ith it g o es it cra ft know ledge

and a ll of th o se m a ter ia l goods it co n su m ed as an in stitu tio n of

c iv iliza tion * x-

- S p ecu lation s on the T e p e u .i-T e p e u .2 tra n s itio n have y ie ld ed

som e know ledge about it s probab le nature* C au ses for the tra n sitio n

are v e r y d ifficu lt to exp la in excep t in so fa r as the obvious can be stated*

113

P erh ap s the tra n s itio n i s the accu m u lation of m any sm a ll u n con sciou s

changes in style,. This i s the usual exp lanation w hich r e a lly sa y s v e r y

littleo It a llo w s , h ow ever, for the continued sw ay of the G reat T rad i-

tiono Gf c o u r se it i s e a sy enough to sa y that so m e so r t of a s s im ila t io n

of an id ea i s taking p la ce in the tra n sitio n , or that d iffusion or in n ova

tion in itia ted the app earan ce of the change,, This i s aga in ob viou s.

R em em b er, of c o u r se , that a b so lu te n u m bers of v e s s e l s in g ra v es

in c r e a s e in th is period; p erh ap s the econ om y w as grow ing w ea lth ier .

F u rth erm o re , fan cy sce n e painting on v e s s e l s e ith er con tin u es unabated

or in c r e a s e s in T ep eu .2 w hich show s the un d im in ished pow er of both the

econom y, w hich had to support the a r t is a n -e x p e r ts , and the r itu a l c a s te

who p resu m a b ly sp o n so red and u t iliz ed and defin ed the u sa g e for the

high ly d eco ra ted v e s s e l s . T epeu 2 m ay rep resen t, the ap ex of p r ie s t ly

pow er at T ikal, the ap ex of the G reat T rad ition .

The other ch an ges o ccu rr in g for the f ir s t t im e in T epeu 2 a re

a new s lip , so m e new d esig n e lem en ts , and a new kind of v e s s e l leg .

The ch an ges show no departure from the ran ge of p o s s ib le technique, at

le a s t a s far as can be see n . T h ere fo re w hat a re the p r o c e s s e s in v o lv ed

in change from p er io d to p er iod , from T epeu . 1 to T epeu 2? F or the

changes in p o ttery , the p r o c e s s i s probably the fu sion of new id ea s in to

a b a sic trad ition , the so r t of in ev ita b le change that r e s u lt s when a lo t

of p eop le a re w orking co n sta n tly w ith a p la s t ic m a te r ia l in a trad ition

w hich a llo w s a c er ta in freed om in s ty l is t ic and fo rm a l innovation . A ll

114

of th is of c o u r se m ay be a llo w ed on the b a s is of a w e ll ex p lo ited and

sound econ om ic b a se . The cu ltu re w as ob v iou sly w ealth y , probably

m ore so in T ep eu 2 than T ep eu .Ia and the p ro lifera tio n o f a lrea d y

e sta b lish e d p a ttern s w ith in an on -go in g Gr eat T radition , one d irected

by a r e lig io u s e lite , is p re tty m uch ev id en ced by the data c o v ered ,

E a r lie r a h yp o th esis w as p ro p o sed to c h a r a c te r iz e the tr a n s i

tion betw een T ep eu 1 and T ep eu 2, The tra n sitio n w as c a lle d p ie c e m e a l,

sm ooth, n o n -v io len t, and probab ly in d ig en o u sly govern ed . Now, a fter

d isc u ss io n , what i s th e sta tu s of the h y p o th es is? Can it be m ade a

th eory? R robably not, i t has. not been d isp roved , but it s d em on stration

i s only p a r tia l. But in ste a d of changing, it,, a change the n eed for w hich

is not d em on strated , i t should be v iew ed a s an in ad eq u ately te s te d

explanation . One ca teg o ry of c e r a m ic s a s a s in g le , ind iv idu al in d icator

of change i s in su ffic ie n t for adequate te s tin g . But in so fa r a s the data at

hand support the h y p o th es is , and I b e lie v e they do, the h y p o th esis w ill,

w ith few r e se r v a t io n s , exp la in the actu a l cond ition in v o lv ed in the t r a n s i

tion under co n sid era tio n .a n d w ill help c h a r a c te r iz e the G reat T rad ition

dom inating that tra n sitio n .

The change from T epeu 2 to T ep eu 3 at T ikal and Uaxactun i s

c h a r a c te r iz e d in the m ortu ary v e s s e l s by a m arked sw itch from d eco ra ted

c er e m o n ia l v e s s e l s to p la in m ortu ary v e s s e l s w ith no d eco ra tio n s .

M any of the m ortu ary v e s s e l s even fa ll w ith in the ran ge of the u n d ecorated /

d o m estic w a r e s , som eth in g not o ccu rr in g b efore T ep eu 3, The

115

rem a rk a b le d isap p earan ce of d ecora tion and the m ark ed p ercen ta g e of .

d o m estic w a res in the b u ria ls i s a change of g rea ter d im en sio n s than

that o p era tiv e betw een T ep eu .l and 2, w hich probably in d ica te s that

eith er a d ifferen t p r o c e s s i s w orking or that the sam e p r o c e s s in v o lv ed

in the change from T ep em l to 2 i s h ere m uch intensified^: A sid e from

th e se changes i t i s w orth noting that v e s s e l fo rm s w ith in the fin e w are

trad ition rem a in con stan t in T ep eu 3 (RoEo, Sm ith 1955? 92-3)o . In th is

p er io d the quality of the p o ttery i s not g r ea t ly affected, by the d isa p p ea r

an ce of painting; in fa c t i t i s quite p o s s ib le that the qu ality has im p roved .

C erta in ly the fo r m s seem to be no le s s w e ll m ade.

To exp la in th e se few fa c ts the fo llow in g h y p o th esis i s p roposed:

The tra n s itio n from T ep eu .2 to T ep eu 3 at T ikal w itn e s s e s e ith er the

d isap p earan ce or the s e v e r e r e s tr ic t io n of the id e o lo g ic a l h iera rch y ,

that group w hich en fo r c es the G reat T rad ition .' A lso , the tra n sitio n

m ark s the c lo s e of the G reat T rad ition a s an a c tiv e fo r c e at T ikal.

G ried er com m en ts that,

w ith the v io la tio n of the p o ttery su r fa ce by r ep re sen ta tio n s of the th ird d im en sion , the p a in ters em an cip ated th e m se lv e s and gaip ed a r t is t ic dom inance over the p o tte r s . We m igh t g u ess that the a r t is t ic dom inance of the p a in ters r e f le c t s a dom inant s o c ia l p o s itio n , the p a in ters being p art of the p r ie s t ly h ie r arch y or. c lo s e ly a s so c ia te d w ith it .. V a se painting by the th eo cra fs w ould a lso account for the sh arin g of a r t is t ic , g e o m e tr ic , and p h ilo so p h ic id e a s , the sam e few ind iv id u a ls being a c tiv e in a ll b ran ch es of thought (G rieder 1964: 448).'

T here i s no doubt that th is trad ition f e l l at the end of T ep eu .2, or

rath er it s f a l l saw the end of the e ra . The ca u se of the fa ll i s the

116

ca u se of the fa ll of the C la s s ic L ow lan d M aya c iv iliz a tio n o : That p a r t ic u

lar r id d le cannot be so lv ed h e r e ,

. G ried er again sa y s , ."with the c o lla p se of h igh cu ltu re in the

cen tra l low land s, r ep resen ta tio n a l pain tin g d isap p eared . Unlike the

p o tte r 's a r ts it had not p en etra ted the fo lk cu ltu re , but d isap p eared

w ith the other a tta in m en ts of the th eo cra tic c la s s w hich w e c a ll C la s s ic

Culture" (G rieder 1964: 448)o It i s e a sy enough to g u e ss that the

econ om ic p r e s s u r e s of an u n se ttled or d eclin in g econ om y a r e behind .

the d isap p earan ce of fan cy cer e m o n ia l w a res in T epeu 3„ W ith the

in c r ea s in g p o verty of a cu ltu re the s p e c ia l is t s painting th e se e x ce lle n t

c e r a m ic s w ould have been am ong the f ir s t to d isappear from the h ie r

a r ch ica l accu m u lation of sp ec ia lists .j c e r e m o n ia lis ts , e t c . , who fed off

an econ om ic b ase h ith erto providing, a gen ero u s su rp lu s. A ll th is i s

e sp e c ia lly tru e if the d ecora tion on the v e s s e l had m ean in g only of an

e so te r ic nature, m eaning w hich cou ld be looked on as m e r e ly an

a c cr e tio n to the b a s ic p r a c t ic e s of the r e lig io n w hich w e re grounded in

con cep ts con n ected w ith a g r icu ltu re and sea so n a l p red ic tio n , the fo lk

tra d itio n s . T h ese co n cep ts and the p r a c t ic e s con n ected w ith them

ap p lied to econ om ic w e ll-b e in g , not to e s o te r ic c a le n d r ic s and the

bu rd en som e w orsh ip of w hat m igh t h ave see m e d an in e ffe c t iv e pantheon

in the ligh t of eco n o m ic tro u b les . T his i s only a sp ecu la tio n , but it is

backed up by the contin u ity of b a sic v e s s e l fo r m s, by the a v era g e num ber

of v e s s e l s per bu ria l w hich r em a in s con stan t, and, p erh ap s even m ore

117

stra n g e ly , by the ra tio of so lid and liq u id h o ld ers w h ich holds so m e

d eg ree of constancy,, T h ese th ree fe a tu r e s a r e perh ap s b etter grounded

in M aya cu ltu re and th er e fo re su rv iv ed the c o lla p se of the h iera rch y

w hich en forced other fe a tu re s of the m ortu ary a sse m b la g e .

On the la tter poin t of the ra tio of drinking or liq u id h o ld ers to

so lid food or o ffer in g h o ld ers E von V ogt m ak es a p ertin en t pointo

. The M aya have a h igh ly d evelop ed s e t of r u le s of etiq u ette in re la tio n to eating and drinking. T h ese r u le s in v o lv e c h a r a c te r is t ic b o w in g-an d -releasin gg g ree tin g , and to a stin g p ro ced u res that r ig id ly p r e sc r ib e proper behavior in r itu a l eatin g s itu ation s and e x p r e s s both rank order am ong p a rtic ip a n ts a s w e ll a s equal sharing of the food and drink. In other w ords, a lthough the order

■ of serv in g and eating: and drinking fo llo w s the rank ord er of the p a rtic ip a n ts , a ll of the p a rtic ip a n ts in a r itu a l s itu a tion end up r e c e iv in g an equal sh a re . T his p attern i s noted in m o s t co n tem p o ra ry M aya co m m u n itie s . . = . It i s , of c o u r se , d ifficu lt to m ake in fe r e n c e s about th is p attern for e a r lie r tim e le v e ls , but I su sp e c t it i s an o ld and im p ortan t fea tu re of M aya life (V ogt 1964: 387j i:

If in fa c t th is tr a n s it io n i s a q u estion of land exh au stion and

over -ex p lo ita tio n by too la rg e a population coupled w ith a su p p osed

d ec lin e in the e ffe c t iv e n e s s of a c e r e m o n ia l h iera rch y , then I im ag in e

w e have d is c o v e r e d - -r e f le c te d in bu ria l c e r a m ic s - - a w e ll known precMs:s>

at w ork, one w hich can be c a lle d id e o lo g ic a l adaptation, r itu a lis t ic

r e tr e a t , or broadly, econ om ic s tim u li resh ap in g the r e lig io u s s tru c tu re .

The G reat T rad ition i s e ith er dead or dying at T ikah The id e o lo g ic a l

fo r c e behind the cu ltu re no longer show s through w ith any c la r ity .

• What w e seem to co m e a c r o s s now i s fo lk re lig io n , the l it t le tra d itio n s .

The G reat T rad ition in the M aya L ow lands

A n earlier , se c t io n p r e se n ted pertiB.ent in form ation .from other

s ite s in the Maya. Low lands and neighb oring a r e a s 0 The id ea s d eveloped

in th is th e s is a s a w hole have v a lid ity in te r m s of T ikal an d .im m ed ia te

vicinityo The co m p a ra tiv e sec tio n i s to show the sp a tia l exten t of so m e

of th o se id ea So . T h is su rv ey can, of c o u r se , do lit t le m o re than hint

that th ere did e x is t at p la ces , lik e U axactun ,, Copan, and H olm ul a nu m

ber of the p attern s found at TikaL

. A t Uaxactuns a sm alL er3 s is t e r cen ter to T ikal I I m ile s aw ay

from it, the sa m e d iv is io n s of the L ate C la s s ic a re o b serv ed , being

defined on the sa m e b a se s , g en era lly ,, a s th o se at T ikah A t Uaxactun

th ere a re nine b u ria ls each w ith .v e s s e ls from both T ep eu l and Tepeu.Zo

In th ese 18 b u ria ls w ith a to ta l of 42 v e s s e l s in .a s so c ia t io n , the sam e

m ix tu re of fo r m s from the two p er io d s in one b u ria l i s p r esen t, and a lso

seen i s the com b in ation of form from one p er io d and d es ig n from another

. son the sa m e v esse l,,; F u rth er , th ere i s at U axactun a w hole s e t of in t e r

m ed ia te form s 0 Many of th ese a re c lea r p r e c u r so r s of fo rm s la ter

c h a r a c te r is t ic of Tepeu-,2 w h ich a re found in T epeu l , The sam e a v era g e

num ber of v e s s e l s per b u r ia l,is p r e se n t at Uaxactun, a lt h o u g h .in tere st

in g ly enough the a v e ra g e s a r e r e v e r se d , T ep eu .I a v e r a g e s th ree and

xT ep eu .2 , tw oe • On the h y p o th esized fu nctiona l d iv is io n U axactun g iv e s

support in that both T ep eu .I and 2 show a two to one and one to one

ra tio r e s p e c t iv e ly in so lid to liq u id h o ld er So N otice that at T ikal T ep eu I

119

had the one to one ra tio , and T ep eu 2 the two to one r a t io 0 Uaxactun

a lso had a la rg er num ber of v e s s e l s per b u ria l in T ep eu I than in T epeu

,20 ■ A t Uaxactun the m o st sk illfu l painting on c e r a m ic s o ccu rs in T epeu

. lo - C ould it be that U axactun r ea ch ed i t s f lo r e sc e n c e b efore T ikal as

th ese fa c ts m igh t in d ica te , or did it s im p ly d ec lin e so o n e r ? Or a re

th ere enough data for le g it im a te co n c lu s io n ?

N one of the other c e n te r s c o rro b o ra te s the T ikal data as w e ll

/as Uaxactun d oes, but none a r e a s c lo s e geographicallyo' Z acu leu , in

the H ighlands, d iv erg es m o st, but it is in -a d ifferen t cu ltu ra l zone and

cou ld be ex p ected to0 San J o se d iv e r g e s b eca u se it is such a sm a ll and

y»poor center,. Copan i s m o st heartening,, It i s 200 m ile s aw ay from T ik al

and supports the T ikal p a ttern s in a v era g e num ber of v e s s e l s per b u ria l,

in the fu n ction al ra tio of v e s s e l s and m o re than supports T ikal in the

c er a m ic dec or ation a cc om p lish m en ts„

No one r e a lly doubts the u n ity .o f the Low land M aya a rea on

a r t is t ic grou n d s„ I w ould p re fer to s t r e s s the s im ila r it ie s found in th is

too b r ie f su rv ey of Low land c e n te r s 0 . In te r m s of a G reat T radition , a

dom inant, but not n e c e s s a r i ly p o lit ic a lly un ified id e o lo g ic a l fo r c e , the

/w hole of the P eten , and probably the w h ole M aya reg io n , i s a c o n s is te n t

unit exem p lify in g that unity in m a te r ia l r e s u lt s w hich i s a function of a

s in g le id e o -r e lig io u s sy stem : one g eo g ra p h ica lly p e r v a s iv e G reat T ra d i

tion . T his i s a cond ition not at a ll un like that of the p o lit ic a lly in d ep en d

ent but r e lig io u s ly s im ila r G reek c i ty - s ta te s , or th o se p o lit ic a lly

120/ .

fragm en ted , but id e o lo g ic a lly id en tica l c i ty - s ta te s w hich populated Ita ly

during her R e n a issa n c e .

Sum m ary: . The G reat T rad ition in T im e and P la c e

A G reat T rad ition con ta in s a c o r e of tr a its w hich a re seen

a r c h a eo lo g ica lly a s the rem n an ts of w hat have been c a lle d the seco n d a ry

in s titu tio n so . T h ese a re th o se a sp e c ts of a c iv iliz a tio n w hich a G reat

T rad ition foundso Som e of th ese m a n ife sta tio n s of a G reat T rad ition

a re a u n ified .a rt s ty le , a .r ec o g n iz a b le a r ch ite c tu r a l s ty le , the u se of

ex a ct and p r e d ic tiv e s c ie n c e s (Vo Ge , C hilde 1950: 3 f fo ); and I have

added the u se of a c o n s is te n t m ortu ary traditione

T h ese tr a its a r e to be found togeth er in th e JLate C la s s ic at

Tikalo . T h ere i s v e r y lit t le q u estion th at th ey can be found in the E a r ly

C la s s ic at that sa m e cen ter , although probab ly in d ifferen t form,, . How

far b efore th e C la s s ic th ey extend i s not p o s s ib le to sa y h ere , but no

doubt, a ll have th eir r o o ts , in so fa r a s th o se ro o ts a re fo lk cu sto m s,

l it t le tra d itio n s , in th is periodo How far beyond T ikal th is pattern

extends i s again not a sa fe ly a n sw ered question,, But in te r m s of the

f / /C entral R eg ion , the P eten , as exh ib ited at Uaxactun, San J o se , and

H olm ul, and ou tsid e of th is r eg io n at Copan and Z acu leu , th ere is a

pattern , and m y a ssu m p tio n is that the pattern i s c a u sed by the G reat

T ra d itio n .m a n ifestin g i t s e l f at a ll of th e se .

121

To il lu s tr a te th is and to p la c e the sp e c if ic top ic co n s id ered

h ere , the m ortu ary trad ition , into p e r sp e c t iv e the fo llow in g chart is

presented * The h or izo n ta l a x is w ill be the P eten , although it cou ld

probably co ver a m uch la rg er region* The outer b ou n d aries of the

outline r e p r e se n t a ll th o se tr a its co n n ected w ith ,M aya h igh c iv i l iz a

tion, inclu d ing of c o u r se the m o rtu a ry tradition* The P r e - c la s s ic and

E a rly C la s s ic a r e drawn h ere ten ta tiv e ly b eca u se th ey have not been

r e s e a r c h e d w ith an ey e to the data w hich a re u sed to c h a r a c te r iz e the

L ate C lassic* It i s a ssu m ed , though, that the P r e - c la s s ic and E a r ly

C la ss ic s e e e s ta b lish e d in the P eten the r o o ts of M aya c iv iliza tion *

The L ate C la s s ic c er ta in ly grow s in te r m s of in tern a l co m p lex ity and

probably in te r m s of geograp h ic spread^ th ere fo re that part of the ou t

lin e too has to be unclear* A lso the sp rea d and extent of the d ec lin e in

T epeu 3 and the P o s t - c la s s ic i s only p o o r ly un derstood , m aking that

p ortion of the s ilh o u ette vague* T h ere i s no qu estion about the g en era l

outline; i t i s one of a p ro lifera tin g , e lab oratin g tradition* At what poin t

it e m e r g e s a s a G reat T rad ition i s u n certa in , although I have a r b itr a r ily

ch o sen the s ta r t of the E a r ly C la ssic* But it i s , h ow ever, quite c le a r

when that T rad ition i s dead*

P o s t - c la s s ic 1200fo lk trad ition s

900

600C la ss ic The G reat T radition

300

A . D,B. C fo lk trad ition s

300

600P r e - c la s s ic the m ortu ary

trad ition900

1200

1500

The P eten and the extent of Maya cu ltu re w ithin it

F ig u re 1

D iagram of T rad ition s

122

X

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