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Archaeology Division
Volunteered - Oral Presentation Session
Jennifer Meanwell
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Elizabeth Paris (University of Calgary)
Roberto Lopez Bravo (Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas)
This paper presents the results of new petrographic analysis of pottery fragments from the Jovel Valley of highland Chiapas. Previous petrographic results from Early Postclassic period pottery excavated from a large hilltop residence at Moxviquil in 2009, suggested differential production strategies, raw materials, and levels of specialization for various wares. The second phase of the project, begun in 2015, expanded our research at the Moxviquil hilltop residential area, conducted excavations in a nearby funerary cave, and excavated the nearby Late Classic/Early Postclassic period site of CV-38. Additional petrographic samples from these expanded contexts will shed light on how production techniques vary based on chronological shifts and the different resources available across the valley. The new sample also focuses on differences in production techniques between utilitarian ceramic wares and likely local decorated serving wares in Jovel Valley domestic assemblages, including vessel forms, clay sources and preparation, and forming and firing techniques. The distribution of fabrics between Moxviquil and CV-38 is used to evaluate the presence of multiple, contemporaneous production communities within the local area, as well as patterns of cross-valley exchange.