Early Copán Acropolis Program 2000 Field Season

Zooarchaeological Analyses

During a week of concentrated effort in July of 2000, a total of more than 2000 faunal remains recovered from the ECAP excavations were analyzed by an zooarchaeological team in the ECAP/CRIA laboratory. The team was composed of three specialists, Dr. Kitty F. Emery and two of her students, Bevin Stevens and Adriaan Denkers, all from SUNY Potsdam, and was fully supported by FAMSI Grant 99102. There were two primary objectives in the first season of analysis of ECAP’s faunal materials. First, to analyze the full collection of specimens stored in the CRIA recovered from the most important primary deposits excavated by ECAP.  Second, to select diagnostic samples of bones and shells for later analysis in the zooarchaeological laboratory at SUNY Potsdam, New York.

The first objective was accomplished through the analysis of animal remains from the Hunal Tomb, the Margarita Tomb, Offering 92-1 (Ante dedication cache), and Offering 93-16 (Margarita mercury cache). The results of this work are summarized in Table 5.  In addition, the shell specimens from other primary contexts were examined in preparation for future analysis and identifications. And a brief analysis of the types of shell found in all ECAP excavation contexts was undertaken to create an informal type collection to facilitate future non-specialist shell identifications.

With permission secured from the Instituto Hondureño de Antropología e Historia to export study samples, the second objective to select bone and shell specimens for analysis in the zooarchaeological laboratory at SUNY Potsdam in New York was also completed in 2000.  Diagnostic samples from the Hunal and Margarita tombs and two caches were selected and exported to SUNY Potsdam where they are currently under study (see Table 5, above). In addition, all of the animal bones recovered from all contexts in the course of ECAP excavations were selected and taken to Potsdam for analysis of diet and dietary change over time. After an initial study of 310 specimens, all examples of the small "jute" land-snail shells (Pachychilus indiorum) from all ECAP excavation contexts were selected for an osteometrical study to reconstruct changes in the environment and the effect of ancient harvesting processes on snail populations. These will be exported to Potsdam in the fall of 2000 for future completion of these studies.

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