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

Sitio La Ceiba

The modern community of La Ceiba is situated in the mountains east of Los Encuentros on the opposite side of the Río El Tambor from the Quebrada El Silencio and Río La Puerta drainage (Figure 9). Near the town of La Ceiba, there is a jadeite outcrop containing shades from purple, white to brilliant green (Figure 11, below; and Appendix, Figure 6). However, much of the material is extensively fractured, and there is no evidence that this source was worked in antiquity. Roughly two kilometers south of the modern community, there is the site of Sitio La Ceiba, which is at the confluence of the Quebrada La Ceiba and the Río El Tambor, some 4 kilometers upstream from the aforementioned sites at Los Encuentros. Unfortunately, the site has been heavily damaged recently by farming activity and the construction of dry stone walls. The outlines of several mounds could be observed and it is likely that they were faced with alluvial cobbles similar to the mound at Sitio Los Encuentros 2. The surface sherds appear to mainly Late Classic in date. As in the case of the Los Encuentros sites on the Río El Tambor, there is little evidence of jade working, although a cobble of black jadeite was encountered on the surface.

Click on image to enlarge

Previous Page  |  Table of Contents  |  Next Page

Return to top of page