Jadeite Sources and Ancient Workshops: Archaeological Reconnaissance in the Upper Río El Tambor, Guatemala

Los Encuentros 1 & 2

At the confluence of the Quebrada El Silencio and the Río El Tambor there are two sites on opposite sites of the Río El Tambor in an area locally known as Los Encuentros (Figure 9, Figures 44 and 45, shown below). The first site encountered, Los Encuentros 1, is situated on the west side of the Río El Tambor river (Figure 45, below). The principal construction is a series of platforms and two mounds directly oriented to a serpentine outcrop at the west side (Figure 46). Both mounds are damaged by looter excavations. Although few ceramic sherds were found on the surface, a large obsidian point was discovered (Figure 47). The point does resemble Classic Maya examples from the Petén, although these tend to be of flint rather than obsidian.

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Click on image to enlarge

Directly across the river to the east, there is Los Encuentros 2, clearly the larger of the two sites (Figure 48, below). However, much of the construction is covered by vegetation. One platform close to the shore is roughly 4 meters high, and is faced with alluvial cobbles. A large looter’s trench cuts through the entire mound. In contrast to Sitio Aguilucho, Carrizal Grande and other sites in the Quebrada El Silencio drainage, there is little evidence of jade debitage and jade working at either of the Los Encuentros sites.

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