Data from The Production and Exchange of Moulded-carved Ceramics and the ‘Maya Collapse’

Carmen Ting

doi:10.5334/joad.ai

Abstract

This dataset comprises the bulk chemical composition and petrographic description of 62 samples of Ahk’utu’ Moulded-carved vases selected from eight archaeological sites across Belize. The bulk chemical compositional data was produced by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), whereas the mineralogical and textural features of the ceramics were highlighted by thin-section petrography. These two types of data are complementary to characterising the compositional variability within and between assemblages; and more importantly, contributing to a better understanding of the craft organisation of finewares in the Maya lowlands during the so-called ‘Classic Maya Collapse’ or the ‘Terminal Classic‘ (ca. AD 800–950).

Highlights

These vases are recognisable for the following features: (1) barrel-shaped vessel form; (2) hollow oven-shaped tripods, each containing a ceramic rattler and a circular perforation; (3) orange-red slip; and (4) gougeincised decoration of iconographic scenes and glyphic texts [3]
The emergence of the Ahk’utu’ vases and other moulded-carved types is often interpreted as the evidence indicating the changes that occurred to the sociopolitical order in the Maya lowlands from the 9th century onwards
In spite of their importance, only limited research has been done on the moulded-carved vases, with the majority of previous research focusing on their iconography

Summary

DATA PAPER

Data from The Production and Exchange of Moulded-carved Ceramics and the ‘Maya Collapse’ This dataset comprises the bulk chemical composition and petrographic description of 62 samples of Ahk’utu’ Moulded-carved vases selected from eight archaeological sites across Belize. Derived from the results of the doctorate research of Carmen Ting [6], the present dataset includes the bulk chemical compositional data and petrographic descriptions of 62 Ahk’utu’ samples from eight sites across Belize (Table 1). These sites are Altun Ha (AH), Pook’s Hill (PH), Baking Pot (BP), Marco Gonzalez (MG), Cahal Pech (CP), Mountain Cow (MT), Zayden Creek (ZC), Sapodillas Rockshelter (SDR) and Actun Lubul Ha (or Waterfall Cave ‘WTC’). (3) Dataset description Object name Ahk’utu’ Vases INAA Data; Ahk’utu’ Vases Petrographic Description

Altun Ha

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