A Touch of Teotihuacan at Izapa: The Contents of Two Burials From Group F

Abstract

Two burials excavated at Izapa in 1963 have special green obsidian artifacts made at Teotihuacan. We describe the contexts and contents of these burials and consider the significance of their contents in light of Spence's (1996) model of Teotihuacan exchange of obsidian objects. We interpret the Izapa artifacts as gifted objects indicative of the political independence of Izapa in Middle Classic times.

Introducing Izapa

“…During these three centuries, elites at the centers of Los Horcones (Garcia-Des Laurier 2007) and Iglesia Vieja (Kaneko 2011) to the northwest and Montana (Bove and Mendrano Busto 2003) to the southeast forged ties with the center of Teotihuacan. The two burials reported by Clark and Lee (2018) thus require explanation. Was Izapa a pilgrimage site during this era?…”

“…In their contribution, Clark and Lee (2018) turn to the Middle Classic period and consider green obsidian objects found in two burials in Izapa's Mound 125 platform complex (see Figure 2). Of the six Kato-phase ( a.d. 400–500) burials, they describe Burial F-52, interred within an urn that contained 1,158 beads made from pressure-flaked obsidian blade segments from the distinctive green Pachuca source as well as tubular coral beads and a jade pendant.…”

“…Rather than status, the diversity of materials and their arrangement suggest to the authors that the arrangement was a symbolic representation. Clark and Lee (2018) describe these objects made from Pachuca obsidian as evidence of the “light touch” of Teotihuacan at Izapa and the result of emulation of pan-regional norms rather than direct involvement of the distant state. They further postulate that mounds newly discovered north of Group F by the IRSP may represent the population whose elite burials they describe.…”

All that glitters is not pyrite: A geochemical assessment of iron-ore objects used by the Classic Maya

“…In addition to the sites already included from these previous surveys, the consultation of other archaeological reports added a further 18 sites where pyrite mirrors or tesserae have been visually identified: Bejucal (Garrison and Beltrán 2011:303), Bilbao (Mata 2003:833), Calakmul (González 2018:219), Cauinal (Ichon et al 1980:34–36), Chirramos (Ichon and Grignon 1983:86); El Jocote (Ichon and Grignon 1981:29, 67, 93–94), El Paraíso (Shook 1947), El Perú/Waka' (Pérez et al 2015:18), El Zotz (Gillot 2008:127; Piedrasanta 2018:43; Piedrasanta et al 2014:947), Izapa (Clark and Lee 2018:270–275), Machaquila (Ciudad-Ruiz et al 2011:162), Motul de San José (Hart and Gauger 2013:115); San Clemente (Fialko 2013:277), San Juan Las Vegas (Ichon and Grignon 1983:22, 44), Serchil (Roldán 1998:608), Topoxte (Fialko 2000), Uayma (Thomson 1962), and Xultun (Romero 2010:97). Pyrite together with hematite fragments were also reported at the site of Chitomax (Ichon and Grignon 1983:107, 128; Ichon et al 1988:72, 77, 115; and Figure 6).…”

Special Issue Introduction: Recent Research on Izapa Archaeology and Iconography

“…The authorship of this paper deserves comment. Clark states that “ethics of intellectual property dictate” that Lee be considered a posthumous author of the paper (Clark and Lee 2018:265). Clark thus creates a dialog in the paper between himself and Lee, based on interrogation of Lee's excavation records and Clark's own interpretations of the significance of the objects that accompanied the burials.…”