Classic Maya Seaports: Uaymil, North Campeche Coast

Obsidian

A total of 30 obsidian artifacts were recovered during the surface survey and mapping of Uaymil. All these artifacts are prismatic blades (Figure 7, Table 2). Twenty six (or 87%) of the obsidian artifacts were preliminarily assigned to geological sources in México and Guatemala. Using visual criteria, and supported by the analysis carried out on the obsidian objects of various sites in the northern Maya lowlands, we have been able to identify the probable sources of 26 of the 30 artifacts (see also Braswell, 1997; 1999).

The dominant source was Otumba (N=7, 26.9%), followed by El Chayal (N=6, 23.1%), Paredón (N= 6, 23.1%), Pachuca (N=4, 15.4%), Pico de Orizaba (N=2, 7.7%), and Ucareo/Zaragoza (N=1, 3.8%). The majority of the obsidian artifacts are from sources located in the central plateau of México (N=20, 76.9%), whereas the rest belong to the Guatemala highlands (N=6, 23.1%).

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