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FAMSI © 2003: Harriet F. Beaubien |
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Textile-Clay Laminates: A special-use material in ancient Mesoamerica
Initial Materials Investigations The examples that introduced this textile-clay laminate material to us were recovered from two archaeological locations, both in the Petexbatún region of the Petén, Guatemala. The first few fragments were found in 1993 in unstratified Classic period ritual deposits in Cueva de los Quetzales, a cave underlying the ceremonial center of Las Pacayas [Brady and Rodas 1995; 1 ] (Figure 1, shown above). The discovery in 1998 of similar material from a storeroom in the palace complex at the nearby site of Aguateca added significantly to the data set [Inomata et al. 1998; 2 ] (Figures 2 and 3, shown below). Thanks to the circumstances of the site’s attack and rapid abandonment in ca. A.D. 800, and to careful recovery and conservation, the Aguateca fragments could be partially reassembled into recognizable objects, and the material studied more thoroughly from a technological standpoint.
The fundamental work on both of these sample sets was carried out under the aegis of the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education [SCMRE]’s archaeological conservation program. This work included technical studies at SCMRE of the Las Pacayas and Aguateca fragments; on-site lifting and laboratory conservation in Guatemala of the Aguateca objects; and replication studies at SCMRE to formulate hypotheses about the technological processes of crafting objects with this material [Beaubien 2001; Beaubien et al. 2002]. Bearing superficial resemblance to ceramic sherds, the fragments were shown from the research to be made of multiple layers of woven textile and clay slip. These were assembled and shaped on a mold or support, allowed to dry, modified and then heat-hardened. This last step produced a rigid ceramic that, with the incineration of the fabric component, was also porous and light-weight. Many factors might explain the material’s archaeological elusiveness thus far, including inherent preservation problems, deceptive appearance, and excavation practices that might not permit its recognition. The few known occurrences, however, also suggest that it might have been highly restricted or specialized in its use, introducing another limitation. That use appears to be for elite ceremony and, based upon the Aguateca evidence, specifically for the fabrication of mask and headdress components. These interpretations have remained largely conjectural because of the extremely small data set from which they have been drawn. Fortunately, several new sample groups have been identified and their preliminary study promises to expand our understanding not only of its use, but also of other key aspects of technology and distribution of this unusual material. |
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![Figure 1. Fragments from Cueva de los Quetzales, Las Pacayas [S]. A perforation is preserved in the left fragment.](images/fig01.jpg "Figure 1. Fragments from Cueva de los Quetzales, Las Pacayas [S]. A perforation is preserved in the left fragment.")
![Figure 2. Face mask found in Str M7-22, Aguateca [A]. A perforation is preserved in the right tip, and the outer surface is colored red.](images/fig02.jpg "Figure 2. Face mask found in Str M7-22, Aguateca [A]. A perforation is preserved in the right tip, and the outer surface is colored red.")
![Figure 3. Selected headdress (?) fragments from Str M7-22, Aguateca [B]. The group on the left includes a large eye and four fangs. Finished edges, a perforation and folds are visible in the group on the right.](images/fig03.jpg "Figure 3. Selected headdress (?) fragments from Str M7-22, Aguateca [B]. The group on the left includes a large eye and four fangs. Finished edges, a perforation and folds are visible in the group on the right.")