A New Study of the Gruta de Chac, Yucatán, México

Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)

Eighty potsherds and three clay samples were submitted to the University of Missouri Research Reactor for NAA.  Twenty sherds each of Chac Polychrome, Chac Cave-Chemax Slateware, Chac II-Chemax Slateware, and Dzibiac Redware also from Chac II are now undergoing analysis. The basic idea is to define the chemical composition of these ceramics and clays. Also, we wish to compare the cave ceramics to the cave clays to determine whether these clays are the sources for the pastes and/or slips. In addition, we seek to compare the Chemax Slatewares from the Chac cave and Chac II to establish compositional similarity/difference to address the question of local versus non-local production.

Finally, there were not enough sherds of the Chac Redware recovered for NAA so we decided to submit a sample of Dzibiac Redware (Sotuta complex) from Chac II since it is being found in great quantities an from early contexts. We wish to know if Dzibiac red is compositionally divergent from Puuc pottery, as traditionally assumed, and whether we can determine a Chichén Itzá or Gulf Coast origin for this important ceramic ware. Results of this analysis are expected to be complete in the spring of 1999.

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