Image - Cacao Pod Vessel - K6706 © Justin Kerr FAMSI © 2003:
Karla L. Davis-Salazar
 

A Study of Early Classic Maya Ritual at Copán, Honduras

Table 1.  Pigments
# Section Level Munsell Color Mineral 1 ,  2  Notes 3 
1 A1 M1 10YR 6/8 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow quartz + jarosite (possibly feldspar) yellow pigment: translucent material occasionally containing large elongated crystals. The material contains some red crystals (cinnabar) as well as black-green grains. It also contains large amount of white and transparent grains.
2 A1 M2 10R 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar + quartz + jarosite (same as sample 1).
3 A1 M3 10R 4/8 red Color: red cinnabar >>> jarosite sample is basically composed of red (cinnabar) but contains also some yellow pigment and white material; the red is sometimes altered in surface (blackening) but large red crystals are almost intact.
4 A1 M4 5YR 5/6 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >>> (quartz + calcite) > jarosite Brown: composed of red, yellow, white, and black. It contains transparent accicular crystals as well as fibers. The latter are coated with pigments. Very fine fibers are also observed in the pigment mix.
5 A2 M1 5YR 5/8 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >>> jarosite + quartz yellow pigment: almost pure and fine; mix of pigments: yellow, red, white, etc: red is cinnabar; yellow has rod-shaped crystals.
6 A2 M2 10R 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >>> quartz > jarosite (possibly feldspar & goethite) a mix of several pigments. Some granules are composed of single pigment (yellow or red), some others are composed of 2 or more pigments (red + white), yellow + white, etc.
7 A2 M3 5YR 5/8 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >>> goethite + quartz > jarosite This is a mix of pigments. Some grains are large-layered grains: red -> yellow -> white. Porous yellow grain (granule) contains rod-like crystals. At interface between red and yellow layers, there are round and shiny black grains.
8 A3 M2 10R 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >>> jarosite + quartz composed of light color granules (red + white + yellow or white and red and yellow) in the dark granules: red is dominant.
9 A3 M4 10YR 6/8 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow quartz >> jarosite + calcite + cinnabar pigment is predominantly yellow with very little of red, black and white colors.
10 A4 M1 10YR 7/8 yellow Color: yellow quartz >> plagioclase > jarosite + goethite light grains = mix of white and yellow; yellow is pure pigment. But some greyish granules have red, yellow, white, and some black or brown.
11 A4 M2 10R 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >>> quartz + jarosite (goethite?? metacinnabar??) light grains: mix of white and yellow and red. Yellow: inhomogeneous yellow and white and red. Grey-reddish: red with some yellow and white.
12 A4 M3 10YR 7/4 very pale brown Color: very pale brown jarosite + cinnabar >> goethite + quartz > calcite + clay granules of color: (1) light: mix of white with red and yellow; (2) orange: a mix of very fine pigments (yellow and red) very little cinnabar; (3) yellow: light yellow and porous with some white and red.
13 A4 M4 5YR 4/6 yellowish red Color: yellowish red quartz + cinnabar + hematite + clay (montmorillanite) + jarosite a fine homogeneous mix of red and yellow.
14 A5 M1 10YR 6/8 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow quartz >> goethite > jarosite > clay (Mo) yellow: homogeneous and fine with very little of red, black and white. white light: white pigment with yellow. light grey: white and red and yellow.
15 A5 M2 10R 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >> quartz + goethite + jarosite orange: mixtures of red and yellow. Dark grey: red and yellow and white and dark brown (black). The black may be due to blackening of cinnabar. Light yellow: white and yellow and red.
16 A5 M3 5YR 5/6 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >> quartz + calcite + jarosite + goethite light color: mix of white, yellow and red. Yellow: fine and homogenous yellow with some red. Dark greyish red: mix of red, yellow and black.
17 A6 M1 10R 4/4 weak red Color: weak red cinnabar (+ trace of quartz & jarosite) orange: red and yellow (and black). Dark red: blackened red (HgS).
17 A6 M1       calcite grey (fine and coarse): mix of clay and charcoal.
18 A6 M2 2.5YR 6/8 light red Color: light red cinnabar >> quartz > calcite > jarosite light color: white and yellow. Yellow: fine yellow pigment (little red). Orange: inhomogeneous (red and yellow and black).
19 A6 M3 5YR 5/6 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >> goethite + jarosite + quartz + calcite white: homogeneous and pure white. Red: homogenous red.
20 A7 M1 10YR 7/8 yellow Color: yellow quartz >> Pl + KF + Go + Mo yellow contains some red, black, and transparent grains. Light yellow: mix of white and yellow.
21 A7 M2 10YR 7/6 yellow Color: yellow quartz >> Pl + Mo + Ja + He + Ci orange: mix of yellow and red. Yellow: contains some red and white and acicular XHg. Grey.
22 A7 M3 2.5YR 5/8 red Color: red quartz + jarosite + Mo + He red pigment is fine, homogeneous and contains some yellow and white.
23 A7 M4 5YR 5/8 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >> quartz + jarosite + calcite yellow is inhomogeneous and contains some impurities (fibers, black, transparent).
24 A8 M1 10YR 6/8 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow quartz + Pl + Fk + Ca + Mo + Ja + Ci yellowish brown.
25 A8 M2 5YR 5/4 reddish brown Color: reddish brown cinnabar >> jarosite + quartz dark grey granules are mixtures of red and charcoals and white and some yellow. Black granules are red in core with broken.
26 A8 M3 7.5YR 6/8 reddish yellow Color: reddish yellow quartz >> pl + Ca + Ci + Mo + Go yellow pigment is fine, homogeneous and contains some transparent (glassy) crystals. White contains some yellow as well as some acicular and rod-shaped XHg. Red: fine, homogenous and contains some yellow and transparent grains and acicular XHg.
27 A8 M4 7.5YR 5/8 strong brown Color: strong brown cinnabar + goethite + jarosite + quartz + montmorillonite contains blackened red and fibers and charcoal mix of white, yellow and red pigments.
28 A9 M1 10YR 6/6 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow quartz >> Ca + Ci + Pl + Go + Ja + Mo brown is a mix of yellow and red. Large greenish white.
29 A9 M2 10R 4/4 weak red Color: weak red cinnabar with traces of: Qz, Ja & Go (aluminum) contains blackened HgS and red and yellow and white. Gave dark red color after grinding.
30 A9 M3 10R 6/8 light red Color: light red cinnabar with traces of: Qz, Ja & aluminum goethite light cream color that contains large red granules; red in color. White: homogeneous and fine. Red: very fine and homogeneous; gave nice vermilion color after grinding.
31a A9 M4 7.5YR 5/6 strong brown Color: strong brown cinnabar >> jarosite + goethite + Mo + Qz + Ca fine brown powder gave yellowish brown color. Dark yellow contains large granules of red color (blackened HgS) that contain yellow, red and black.
31b A9 M4       calcite >> Qz + Mo + traces of Pl & KF Beige (cream-pink) white of very fine grains that contain some brown translucent crystals.
32a A10 M1 7.5YR 6/8 reddish yellow Color: reddish yellow quartz >> Ca + Pl + Mo + Ci + He(?) brown yellow: mix of yellow and ?
32c A10 M1       quartz >> Ca + Pl + KF + Mo + Il + He(?) large rusty grains.
32d A10 M1       calcite with traces of quartz white/pinkish.
33 A10 M2 7.5YR 6/8 reddish yellow Color: reddish yellow quartz >> Ca + Ci + Mo + Go + Pl + KF + Ja same as 32.
34 A10 M3 2.5YR 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >> Pl + Qz + Ja contains red and blackened red; yellow (pure and rod-shape); white. Pure light grey gave dark red color.
35 A10 M4 7.5YR 5/6 strong brown Color: strong brown cinnabar >> Pl + Ca + Qz + Mo + Ja + He same as 32.
36 A10 M5 7.5YR 5/8 strong brown Color: strong brown cinnabar >> qz + Ja + Mo + He(?) + Ca + Go(?) same as 32.
37 A11 M1 10YR 6/8 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow quartz >> Pl + Ci + Ja + Mo + (He + Go)? yellow color contains some red, black and white. Rod shaped yellow crystals are present.
38 A11 M2 2.5YR 6/6 light red Color: light red cinnabar >> Qz + Go(?) + Ja contains red, yellow, dark yellow and grey. Red is mainly HgS but with some yellow and white. Yellow contains some red. Dark yellow is almost pure yellow. Grey contains red (and blackened red), black, yellow and transparent.
39 A11 M3 7.5YR 6/8 reddish yellow Color: reddish yellow Go + Qz + Mo contains yellow, light yellow, pink and brown grains. Red pigment is present in trace quantity in the yellow. Red is present in the pink with white and yellow. Brown grain gave yellow.
40 A11 M4 10YR 6/8 brownish yellow Color: brownish yellow Qz + Go + Pl + Mo same as 39.
41 A11 M5 2.5YR 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >> Ja + Mo + Qz + He contains mainly orange (mix of red and yellow fine pigments) and some dark grey. Large red grain gave vermilion (very fine pigment).
42 A12 M1 10YR 7/8 yellow Color: yellow quartz > Go + Pl + Mo + Ja contains mainly pure yellow pigment but some grains have some red.
43 A12 M2 2.5YR 5/6 red Color: red cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Go(?) + metacinnabar(?) contains mainly greyish pink large chunks that has red, black, white, yellow and some large fragment of transparent material. Some of the latter has zonation with the outer part porous. Brown-orange is composed of red and yellow with some black. Whitish grey large grains show red color when broken.
44 A12 M3 10R 6/8 light red Color: light red cinnabar >> Go(?) > Qz + Ja same as 43.
45 A12 M4 5YR 5/8 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >> Pl + Go + Qz + Ja mainly contains yellow with minor quantities of red, white, and black (charcoal). The yellow is coarse and translucent with some elongated grains crystals.
46 CN M1 10YR 5/6 yellowish brown Color: yellowish brown cinnabar > Qz + Ja + Go + Mo pure yellow, trace of red and black.
47 CN M2 5YR 6/4 light reddish brown Color: light reddish brown cinnabar > Qz > Ja + Mo + Ca Dark grey grains contain red, black, yellow and white. Orange chunks are mix of red and yellow. White chunks contain fine and porous material as well as undecomposed transparent grains. The white has yellow, red and black.
47 CN M2 2.5YR 4/4 reddish brown Color: reddish brown cinnabar > Qz > Ja > He + Mo + Ca  
47 CN M2       cinnabar > Ja + Qz  
48 CN M4 2.5YR 5/8 red Color: red jarosite + hematite + Qz + Mo mainly contains orange, but also some white (porous with residual transparent) very soft and fine material.
49 CS M1 10R 3/2 dusky red Color: dusky red cinnabar >>> Ja + Qz + Mo + Go (? aluminian) contains a lot of black (charcoal), red (and blackened red), yellow and transparent. Large red grain gave red color.
50 CS M2 2.5YR 5/6 red Color: red cinnabar >> Ja + He (disordered) + Qz contains yellow, black, white, and some red. Fine grey gave dark red color when ground.
51 CS M3 2.5YR 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >> Ja + He + Qz + Mo contains orange, white, and black chunks.
52 CS M4 7.5YR 5/6 strong brown Color: strong brown cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Mo + Go (?) + He (?) contains chunks of orange, yellow, white and brown/grey. Orange is a fine mixture of yellow and red. Yellow is very fine with some red in it and black.
53 CE M1 10YR 7/8 yellow Color: yellow jarosite + Qz + Go + Mo + Il a second quality yellow (brown) is mixed with white and contains some brown grains.
54 CE M2 2.5YR 5/6 red Color: red cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Go + Mo contains white, orange chunks. Fine fraction contains all colors. White is a mix of fine transparent, yellow, and brown. Orange is mix of yellow and red. Fine and xl grains gave brownish orange.
55 CE M3 10R 6/8 light red Color: light red cinnabar >> Go(?) + Qz + Ja same as 54. Large grains of grey gave red.
56 CO M1 7.5YR 6/8 reddish yellow Color: reddish yellow cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Mo has yellow and white chunks. Fine fraction contains translucent yellow grains some red and black (charcoal). Fine yellow gave dark yellow color.
57 CO M2 10R 5/8 red Color: red cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + Go(?) fine fraction contains red and yellow plus some black and transparent (porous and undecomposed). Fine grey gave red when ground.
58 CO M3 5YR 5/8 yellowish red Color: yellowish red cinnabar >> Qz + Ja + Go + Mo fine fraction contains: orange, red, yellow, white and black. Orange is a mix of red, yellow and white. White chunks is a mix of white, yellow and brown. Fine brown gave brownish red.
59 CO M4 2.5YR 6/8 light red Color: light red cinnabar >> Ja + Qz + He + Mo Orange chunk is a mix of red, yellow and white and brown. Fine fraction contains all sorts of grains (but major colors are red and black). White chunk composed of fine white, yellow and brown. Large red grains gave orange.
Endnotes:
1.  The major component of the sample is in bold. The symbols >, >>, and >>> are semi-quantitative measures of a particular phase, such that a phase before >>> is the major component of a sample (>60%); before >>, a minor component (10-20%); before >, an accessory component (5-10%), and after >, a trace (<5%).
2.  Ja = jarosite, Ci = cinnabar, Qz = quartz, Go = goethite, Mo = montmorillonite, He = hematite, Pl = plagioclase, Ca = calcite.
3.  Notes are based on observations made during preparation for XRD by Dr. Hamdallah Béarat.

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