Archaeological Research at Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala

Directions for Further Research

Research at Cotzumalhuapa has reached a critical point. We have broadly reconstructed the distribution of settlements within the Cotzumalhuapa Nuclear Zone, as well as their articulation through the system of causeways and bridges. However, we know very little about the nature of those settlements. Excavations and ceramic analysis from Operation EB4 are but a starting point for the detailed study of the Cotzumalhuapa households. Detailed excavations of households will provide information about demography, social stratification household economy, and other important issues. An important gap in Cotzumalhuapa archaeology is the absence of burials. No researcher has reported a single burial from the area. Is this the result of undocumented practices for the disposal of human remains, or is it simply the result of poor sampling? The fact is that domestic compounds, where burials are likely to be found, have received minimal attention at Cotzumalhuapa.

The surface reconnaissance program has revealed important features such as the obsidian workshops in the El Baúl vicinity, which may provide information on the systems of production and exchange that were germane to Cotzumalhuapa political economy. A study of these workshops must be another priority for future research.

Our understanding of the chronological development of the area has improved significantly. However, there is a need for refinement of the Classic and Postclassic ceramic sequence, which may be achieved through excavations at sensitive contexts such as domestic middens. Investigation of Postclassic sites in the area is especially important for addressing questions on the ethnic and linguistic affiliation of the Classic period population and their relationship with the Postclassic Pipil.

Mapping and text excavations at Palo Verde improved our knowledge of the settlement system that surrounded the Cotzumalhuapa Nuclear Zone. Similar documentation is desirable for other sites in the settlement system, notably Aguná. Further reconnaissance is also necessary to fill important spatial gaps in our knowledge of site distribution in the area. At present, there is a high probability that many sites belonging to the lower levels of the settlement hierarchy remain to be discovered.

Finally, the study of Cotzumalhuapa art begs for detailed publication of the sculptural corpus. The process of photographic documentation and line drawing has advanced steadily, but little has been published so far. Several forthcoming publications will include selected photographs and drawings (e.g. Chinchilla, n.d.), but the systematic publication of the corpus is a major priority. Future activities will address persisting gaps in documentation and emphasize the preparation of drawings and photographs for publication.

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