Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:33:39.204Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Ceramics of Cuello, Belize

A new evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2008

Laura J. Kosakowsky  and
Duncan C. Pring
Laura J. Kosakowsky
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Boston University, 675 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Duncan C. Pring
Affiliation:
John Swire and Sons, 9 Connaught Road, C, Hong Kong
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The site of Cuello in northern Belize provides a long ceramic sequence from the early Middle Preclassic, ca. 1200 b.c., to the Late Preclassic, sometime in the fourth century a.d. Excavations begun at Cuello in 1975 were completed in 1993. The initial controversy concerning the chronological placement of the earliest pottery of the Swasey and Bladen complexes is challenged by examining the 1992 and 1993 excavated material in a “blind analysis,” without benefit of stratigraphic information. The results demonstrate conclusively the stratigraphie priority of Swasey ceramics below Bladen, which in turn lie below pottery of the Middle Preclassic Lopez-Mamom complex. Cuello operated within the homogeneous Mamom ceramic sphere during the Middle Preclassic and within the Chicanel ceramic sphere during the Late Preclassic. The ultimate breakup of the Chicanel sphere resulted in Cuello's adherence to the older ceramic traditions, while other Maya sites had begun the production of polychrome pottery. Cuello represents one of the best-known Middle Preclassic Maya sites yet investigated, and it provides an important perspective on this poorly understood time period in the Maya lowlands.

Type
Articles
Information
Ancient Mesoamerica , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , Spring 1998 , pp. 55 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adams, Richard E.W. 1971 The Ceramics of Altar de Sacrificios. Papers of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 63, No. 1. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Wyllys, Andrews E. 1990 The Early Ceramic History of the Lowland Maya. In Vision and Revision in Maya Studies, edited by Clancy, F. and Harrison, P. D., pp. 1–19. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Andrews, E. Wyllys V, and Hammond, Norman 1990 Redefinition of the Swasey Phase at Cuello, Belize. American Antiquity 55:570–584.Google Scholar
Chase, Arien F., and Chase, Diane Z. 1987 Putting Together the Pieces: Maya Pottery of Central Belize and Central Peten, Guatemala. In Maya Ceramics: Papers from the 1985 Maya Ceramic Conference, edited by Rice, Prudence M. and Sharer, Robert J., pp. 47–72. BAR International Series 345(i). British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Clark, John E., and Blake, Michael 1994 The Power of Prestige: Competitive Generosity and the Emergence of Rank Societies in Lowland Mesoamerica. In Factional Competition and Political Development in the New World, edited by Brumfiel, Elizabeth M. and Fox, John W., pp. 17–30. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, John E., and Gosser, Dennis 1995 Reinventing Mesoamerica's First Pottery. In The Emergence of Pottery, edited by Barnett, W.K. and Hoopes, J.W., pp. 209–221. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Coe, Michael D., and Diehl, Richard A. 1980 In the Land of the Olmec. 2 vols. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Patrick, Culbert T. 1993 The Ceramics of Tikal: Vessels From the Burials, Caches and Problematical Deposits. Tikal Report No. 25, Part A. The University Museum. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Fry, Robert E. 1989 Regional Ceramic Distributional Patterning in Northern Belize: The View from Pulltrowser Swamp. In Prehistoric Maya Economies of Belize, edited by McAnany, Patricia A. and Isaac, Barry L., pp. 91–111. Research in Economic Anthropology, Supplement 4. JAI Press, Greenwich, CT.Google Scholar
Gerhardt, Juliette C. 1988 Preclassic Maya Architecture at Cuello, Belize. BAR International Series 464. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Gifford, James C. 1976 Prehistoric Pottery and the Ceramics of Barton Ramie in the Belize Valley. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 18. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman 1980 Early Maya Ceremonial at Cuello, Belize. Antiquity 54:176–190.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman 1984 Two Roads Diverged: A Brief Comment on “Lowland Maya Archaeology at the Crossroads.” American Antiquity 49:821–826.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman (editor) 1975 Archaeology in Northern Belize: British Museum-Cambridge University Corozal Project 1974–75 Interim Report. Centre of Latin American Studies, Cambridge University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman (editor) 1976 Archaeology in Northern Belize: Cambridge University Corozal Project 1976 Interim Report. Centre of Latin American Studies, Cambridge University, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman (editor) 1978 Cuello Project 1978 Interim Report. Publication No. 1. Archaeological Research Program, Douglass College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman (editor) 1991 Cuello: An Early Maya Community in Belize. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman, Clarke, Amanda, and Donaghey, Sara 1995 The Long Goodbye: Middle Preclassic Maya Archaeology at Cuello, Belize. Latin American Antiquity 6:120–128.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman, Clarke, Amanda, and Belli, Francisco Estrada 1992 Middle Preclassic Maya Buildings and Burials at Cuello, Belize. Antiquity 66: 955–964.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman, Clarke, Amanda, and Robin, Cynthia 1991 Middle Preclassic Buildings and Burials at Cuello, Belize: 1990 Investigations. Latin American Antiquity 2: 353–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hammond, Norman, Donaghey, Sara, Gleason, Colleen, Staneko, Justine C., Tuerenhout, Dirk Van, and Kosakowsky, Laura J. 1987 Excavations at Nohmul, Belize, 1985. Journal of Field Archaeology 14:257–281.Google Scholar
Hammond, Norman, Kosakowsky, Laura J., Pyburn, Anne, Rose, John, Staneko, Justine C., Donaghey, Sara, Horton, Mark, Clark, Catherine, Gleason, Colleen, Muyskens, Deborah, and Addyman, Thomas 1988 The Evolution of an Ancient Maya City: Nohmul. National Geographic Research 4:474–495.Google Scholar
Housley, Rupert M., Hammond, Norman, and Law, Ian A. 1991 AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Preclassic Burials at Cuello, Belize. American Antiquity 56: 514–519.Google Scholar
Kosakowsky, Laura J. 1983 Intra-site Variability of the Formative Ceramics from Cuello, Belize: An Analysis of Form and function. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Arizona. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.Google Scholar
Kosakowsky, Laura J. 1987 Preclassic Maya Pottery at Cuello, Belize. Anthropological Papers of the University of Arizona No. 47. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.Google Scholar
Kosakowsky, Laura J., and Pring, Duncan C. 1991 Ceramic Chronology and Typology. In Cuello: An Early Maya Community in Belize, edited by Hammond, Norman, pp. 60–69. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Kosakowsky, Laura J., and Valdez, Fred Jr., 1982 Rethinking the Northern Belize Formative Ceramic Chronology. Paper presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Minneapolis.Google Scholar
Law, Ian A., Housley, Rupert A., Hammond, Norman, and Hedges, Robert E.M. 1991 Cuello: Resolving the Chronology Through Direct Dating of Conserved and Low-Collagen Bone by AMS. Radiocarbon 33(2): 1–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levi, Laura J. 1993 Prehispanic Residence and Community at San Estevan, Belize. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Arizona. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.Google Scholar
Lowe, Gareth W. 1975 The Early Preclassic Barra Phase ofAltamira, Chiapas: A Review with New Data. Papers No. 38. New World Archaeological Foundation, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.Google Scholar
Lowe, Gareth W. 1978 Eastern Mesoamerica. In Chronologies in New World Archaeology, edited by Taylor, R.E. and Meighan, C.W., pp. 331–393. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
McAnany, Patricia A. 1993 Ancestor Veneration at K'axob, Belize: Excavations and Analysis, 1992. Context 10:3–4. Center for Archaeological Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA.Google Scholar
McAnany, Patricia A. 1994 Living with the Ancestors: Kinship and Kingship in Ancient Maya Society. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Marcus, Joyce 1983 Lowland Maya Archaeology at the Crossroads. American Antiquity 48:454–482.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marcus, Joyce 1984 Reply to Hammond and Andrews. American Antiquity 49:829–833.Google Scholar
Potter, Daniel R., Hester, Thomas R., Black, Stephen L., and Valdez, Fred 1984 Relationships Between Early Preclassic and Early Middle Pre-classic Phases in Northern Belize: A Comment on “Lowland Maya Archaeology at the Crossroads.” American Antiquity 49:628–631.Google Scholar
Pring, Duncan C. 1977 The Preclassic Ceramics of Northern Belize. Ph.D. dissertation. University of London. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.Google Scholar
Pring, Duncan C., and Hammond, Norman 1982 The Stratigraphie Priority of Swasey Ceramics at Cuello, Belize. Cerámica de Cultura Maya 12:43–48. Temple University, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Rice, Prudence M. 1979 Ceramic and Nonceramic Artifacts of Lakes Yaxha-Sacnab, El Peten, Guatemala. Part I. The Ceramics. Cerámica de Cultura Maya 10:1–36. Temple University, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Robertson-Freidel, Robin A. 1980 The Ceramics from Cerros: A Late Preclassic Site in Northern Belize. Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.Google Scholar
Robin, Cynthia 1989 Preclassic Maya Burials at Cuello, Belize. BAR International Series 480. British Archaeological Reports, Oxford.Google Scholar
Sabloff, Jeremy A. 1975 Excavations at Seibal, Department of Peten, Guatemala: Ceramics. Memoirs of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 13, No. 2. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Sharer, Robert J. 1978 Pottery and Conclusions. In The Prehistory of Chalchuapa, El Salvador, vol. 3, edited by Sharer, Robert J., pp. 1–226. The University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Valdez, Fred Jr., 1987 The Ceramics ofColha, Northern Belize. Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University. University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan.Google Scholar
Wilk, Richard R., and Wilhite, Hal 1991 The Community of Cuello: Patterns of Household and Settlement Change. In Cuello: An Early Maya Community in Belize, edited by Hammond, Norman, pp. 118–133. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar