A Maya lapidary tradition found outside the Mayan Area

Abstract

Outside the Maya region and across Mesoamerica, archaeologists have discovered a variety of greenstone objects that due to their glossy appearance are commonly considered as jadeitite and given their particular aesthetic iconography were very likely crafted by the Maya. Unfortunately, a detailed analysis of these objects that would confirm such assumptions is scarce. In this paper, we present the technological analysis of 243 Maya lapidary style items from different sites such as Teotihuacan, Monte Albán, Teteles, Tula, Tamtoc, and Tenochtitlan. Based on the technological analysis focused on the identification of their manufacturing traces, these objects showed similar signatures to the ones identified on ancient Maya jewels, notably on jadeitite pieces from the Maya Lowlands. Based on these results, we could infer that these highly valued exotic greenstones, found in pre-Hispanic burials and offerings located at sites outside of the Maya area, were long-distance wealth goods and sacred/prestige items belonging to the elite.