Chen K’u: The Ceramic of the Sacred Cenote at Chichén Itzá
Study of the Ceramic Fragments of the Explorations Conducted in the 60’s

Ecab (Mamom) Horizon 700 - 350 BCE ² 

Two types, Juventud Red and Muxanal Red, correspond to the Ecab Horizon. Even though there are three fragments in total, they evidence the occupation of the Chichén Itzá area since as far back in time as the Middle Preclassic. Ceramic from this Horizon has been previously reported at Chichén Itzá by Lincoln (1986), and more recent examples have been obtained in the building of the Ossuary and the Initial Series Group. The forms represented include cajetes and bowls, and I believe that their presence in the Cenote is accidental, or either that they were cast into it as garbage. Anyway, even though this ceramic does not evidence any utilization of the Cenote as a water source or as a place for ritual offerings in this period, we cannot overlook the fact that the explorations conducted in the 60’s were interrupted before the deeper layers were tested, and therefore, maybe the more ancient horizons are under-represented.

Endnote

2. In Northern Yucatán, the Preclassic period is still far from being well defined, and the evidence in Chichén Itzá and its surrounding areas is still too limited to allow for any date refinement. Smith (1971) defined a very general Tihosuco period that extended from the year 800 BCE to 100 CE.  Subsequent works, such as those conducted in Dzibilchaltún, have divided this broad time frame into shorter periods. Here, following the advice of archaeologist Sylviane Boucher, we have decided to modify the dates provided by Smith, placing the Ecab Complex as the first part of the Late Preclassic, and leaving Tihosuco as an expression of the latest facet of the Formative. However, this arrangement is entirely provisional and subject to possible changes in the future, when the ceramic samples of this period will hopefully be more adequate.

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