Chipped Stone Artefacts, Source Areas, and Provenance Studies of the Northern Belize Chert-bearing Zone

Abstract

Previous studies of the Northern Belize chert-bearing zone, which was widely exploited by the ancient Maya for the production of chipped stone artefacts, have suggested that chert from different parts of this zone might be chemically distinct. This hypothesis is tested with an expanded data base of neutron activation analyses of raw chert and chalcedony from throughout northern Belize. These data together with data from previous studies indicate that the chert-bearing zone is one chemically homogenous source and that meaningful distinctions cannot be made between different areas of the zone. A more specific lithic source hypothesis is that the black chipped chert and chalcedony artefacts found at coastal Maya sites in Northern Belize may come from a localized source area exhibiting this unique visual characteristic. However, the analysis conclusively demonstrates that these artefacts fall within the range of chemical variation of other chert and chalcedony from Northern Belize. Further, the study yields convincing evidence that the colouration of these black lithic artefacts is caused by a weathering phenomenon and hence is not indicative of a particular source location.