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

List of Figures

Figure     1.   Map of Central Motagua Valley, including Río Blanco and Río El Tambor tributaries (from Seitz et al. 2001).
Figure     2.   View of Río La Palmilla in foreground and Motagua Valley in distance.
Figure     3.   Lower Río La Palmilla, many of the boulders visible are of jadeite.
Figure     4.   Jadeite boulder, Río La Palmilla, note heavy orange rind on boulder.
Figure     5.   Jadeite recently fractured by fire for extraction by prospectors, Río Hondo region.
Figure     6.   View of Río Blanco valley, small white spot on saddle to far right are recent tailings from jadeite mining at El Ciprés.
Figure     7.   Jadeite bodies exposed from outcrop at El Ciprés.
Figure     8.   View of Central Motagua Valley to the south, with projecting peak of Cerro del Tobón in distance.
Figure     9.   The Quebrada El Silencio region of the upper Río El Tambor region.
Figure   10.   Lower Río El Tambor near Agua Caliente. After Hurricane Mitch, many prospectors began discovering alluvial cobbles of translucent blue jadeite in this area.
Figure   11.   Jadeite outcrop at La Ceiba, the large boulders in the foreground are boulders of greyish jadeite.
Figure   12.   View from Carrizal Grande of Quebrada El Silencio drainage.
Figure   13.   Vein of bluish jadeite in Quebrada El Silencio near Carrizal Grande. Since this photo was taken in 2002, this vein has been removed by local prospectors.
Figure   14.   Ecologite boulder containing garnets from Quebrada El Silencio. Found in the same area as the jadeite bodies, ecologite may have ancient provided garnet as a material for cutting jadeite, as it is a harder stone.
Figure   15.   View of Quebrada Seca in the foreground and Quebrada El Silencio in the distance.
Figure   16.   Jadeite boulder of roughly 300 tons in the Quebrada Seca.
Figure   17.   The Classic period site of Guaytán, Central Motagua Valley.
Figure   18.   Sawn jade cobble with projecting kerb in middle, Guaytán regional museum.
Figure 19a.   Ancient jade anvil from Río Hondo region. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.
Figure 19b.   Ancient jade anvil from Río Hondo region.
Figure   20.   Ancient jadeite reduction area, most of the lithics on the surface are jadeite debitage, Río Hondo region.
Figure 21a.   View of Cerro Chucunhueso from Sitio Aguilucho.
Figure 21b.   View of Cerro Chucunhueso from Sitio Aguilucho. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.
Figure   22.   View of Sitio Aguilucho from south, with Terraces 1, 2 and 3 indicated by arrows.
Figure   23.   Schist outcrop west of Sitio Aguilucho. Many of the schist blocks covering the platforms at Sitio Aguilucho were probably obtained from this nearby source.
Figure   24.   Map of Terrace 1.
Figure   25.   Terrace 2 of Sitio Aguilucho, note recent trench made by looters in Structure 4.
Figure   26.   Map of Terrace 2.
Figure   27.   View of Terrace 4 of Sitio Aguilucho from schist outcrop (see fig. 23).
Figure   28.   Map of Terrace 4.
Figure   29.   View of Terrace 4 in foreground with Quebrada del Mico and Sitio Carrizal Grande in distance.
Figure   30.   Detailed view of Terrace 4 with structures labeled with numeral designations.
Figure   31.   Spherical jadeite hammerstone in situ behind Structure 10 of Terrace 4. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.
Figure   32.   Profile of jadeite hammerstone discovered behind Structure 10.
Figure 33a.   Jade celt preform found in midden area below Terrace 4 of Sitio Aguilucho.
Figure 33b.   Jade celt preform found in midden area below Terrace 4 of Sitio Aguilucho. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.
Figure   34.   Drawing of celt preform (see fig. 33).
Figure   35.   Partially pecked jadeite celt preform from Cerro Chucunhueso.
Figure 36a.   View of jadeite celt blank, Sitio Aguilucho.
Figure 36b.   View of jadeite celt blank, Sitio Aguilucho.
Figure   37.   Jade celt-preform fragment reused as a hammerstone accompanied by an assortment of jade reduction flakes, from midden below Terrace 4.
Figure   38.   Ecologite slab with garnet possibly used as saw for cutting jadeite, Terrace 4 midden.
Figure   39.   Jade reduction debitage, Terrace 4 midden.
Figure   40.   Bifacial reduction flake and partially pecked jade celt fragment, Terrace 4 midden.
Figure   41.   Map of Sitio Chucunhueso.
Figure   42.   Map of Sitio Carrizal Grande.
Figure 43a.   View of possible Middle Formative ceramic sherd found at Sitio Carrizal Grande.
Figure 43b.   View of possible Middle Formative ceramic sherd found at Sitio Carrizal Grande.
Figure   44.   View of the Los Encuentros area from Cerro Gavilán.
Figure   45.   View of the Los Encuentros area featuring the confluence of the Río La Puerta with the larger Río El Tambor.
Figure   46.   Los Encuentros Site 1 with low-lying mounds oriented to serpentine outcrop.
Figure   47.   Bifacial obsidian point found at Los Encuentros Site 1.
Figure   48.   Los Encuentros Site 2.
Figure   49.   Probable sculpture of the old fire god, or Huehueteotl, reportedly from site near modern town of Potrero Carrillo.
Figure   50.   Skull sculpture reportedly from same site near Potrero Carrillo.
Figure 51a.   View of Motagua River near Mixco Viejo. Photo courtesy of National Geographic.
Figure 51b.   View of Motagua River near Mixco Viejo.
Figure   52.   Jadeite boulder from the Upper Motagua area featuring a vein of "imperial", width of boulder ca. 35 cm.

Previous Page  |  Table of Contents  |  Next Page

Return to top of page