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

Cehpech Horizon (800 - 850 CE)

The ceramic collection that corresponds to the Cehpech Horizon or Terminal Classic, which is traditionally associated with the peak of the cities of the Puuc such as Kabah, Uxmal and Sayil, is smaller than the collection of the previous Horizon, suggesting a shorter period or a less intense occupation of the site at this time. Although the Cehpech complex was dated by Smith (1971) between 800 and 1000 CE, in the case of Chichén Itzá and according to recent data, it would seem that the use of the Cehpech ceramic was limited to a short period of time which we have tentatively dated between 800 and 850 CE (P.J. Schmidt, 1991; Pérez de Heredia, 1997). There has been a major discussion focused on the Cehpech ceramic from Chichén Itzá which in recent years has been at times interpreted as absolutely contemporary to the Sotuta ceramics. According to the ceramic from other contexts at Chichén Itzá, we have argued that Cehpech is a scarce and residual ceramic at Chichén Itzá which evidences a distinct, though very short, occupation of the site (Schmidt, 1991; Pérez de Heredia, 1997). Cehpech would be diagnostic of the transitional period between the Motul and Sotuta complexes at Chichén Itzá, and could tentatively be dated between 800 and 850 CE, after which Sotuta would entirely substitute the earlier Cehpech and Motul ceramics. This would suggest that the Motul, Cehpech and Sotuta complexes would basically be sequential at Chichén Itzá (see the Chronological Chart).

Of the Cenote’s ceramics we have classified, only 552 fragments may be associated with this period of time, representing only 0.77% of the collection. This paucity of the Cehpech ceramics is perfectly consistent with the paucity encountered in other contexts analyzed at Chichén Itzá (P.J. Schmidt, 1991; Pérez de Heredia, 1997). However, in spite of the limited sample, this presents a large variety with 19 different types present. The most common ware is Muna Slate, representing 35% of the collection, followed by the Thin Slate ware, with 13%. This Slate ceramic exhibits traits of form and decoration that associate it with its counterpart at Cobá. The Holactún Cream Group, which probably originated in northern Campeche, forms 7% of the Cehpech collection; the Máquina Brown Group (from Petén), 4%; the Achote group (of the Torro Type, associated with Río Bec), 3%; and the Vista Alegre group (associated with the Eastern Coast), 2%. The Balancán Fine Orange group and the Teabo Red group, represented by only three sherds and one sherd respectively, represent 1% of the sample.

As to the forms, 63.2% of the Cehpech sample consists of pitchers, particularly the ones known as chultuneras, implying that the primary function of the Cenote in this period of time was water supply. A 14.4% includes pots and 10.6% cajetes, while the remainder are mainly vases with only three fragments of censers. The paucity of fine imported wares such as Fine Orange may be interpreted against the ceramic offerings at the Cenote. Cajetes and pots, even though they could imply some ceremonial activity at the edges of the Cenote, were probably not cast there as offerings, and in any case they would imply that the Cenote was used as a dump.

The foreign ceramic connections of the Cehpech Horizon ceramics at Chichén Itzá point to the East Coast and Cobá (Vista Alegre Striated, Muna, and Ticul types), while some Slate ceramics show similarities in color and slip with those of Yaxuná (Boucher, personal communication, 1998).

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