Abstract

OBANDO, Luis G; JIMENEZ, Socorro  and  KUSSMAUL, Siegfried. Petrographyc studies from mayan ceramics, Late Classic (600-900 a.d.), Chinikiha, Chiapas, Mexico. Rev. Geol. Amér. Central [online]. 2011, n.44, pp.101-118. ISSN 0256-7024.

Chinikiha is a Maya archaeology place from Classic period (250-900 a.D.); it is located in Chiapas and Tabasco States, Mexico. Chinikiha has at least 120 monumental structures, palace type and pyramidal structures. The petrography studies of 21 ceramic samples, shows: a) Siliciclastic pastes (with 45,5- 84,5% matrix, the average is 69,19%) and b) carbonated pastes (with 18-64% matrix, carbonate 79%, the average 30,5%). The carbonated pastes has grain support but the silicoclastic pastes has matrix support. The earliest Mayan-ceramic pastes are carbonates compounds but later, they were changed by siliciclastic compounds. The technologyc changes probably occurred when the Mayan decided to change the carbonated pastas by siliciclastic pastes.The Chinikihá pots, are 80% made using siliciclastic pastes, with mica. The ceramic-fire temperature probably did not reach 950°C, instead the carbonated pastes probably did not 800°C. If the raw material was not imported, probably the rock source coming from Eocene sandstones or lutites rocks or Miocene sandstones or both. Furthermore, the volcanic shards found in the thin sections, possible coming from volcanic soils, for instance, Chichon volcano-tuffs deposits. Some pastes shows the diatoms fossils. The raw source, probably, come from fresh water lakes.

Keywords : Chinikihá; Maya; Late Classic; archaeology; petrography; ceramic; pottery; glass.

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