Coastal Maya Obsidian Tool Use and Socio-Economy in the Late Postclassic-Early Spanish Colonial Period at San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize

Abstract

Microscopic use-wear analysis of the obsidian artifacts recovered from Late Postclassic-Early Spanish Colonial occupations at the site of San Pedro yields useful information for interpreting Maya socio-economic activities. Obsidian traded into the community was used for a variety of tasks with emphasis placed on subsistence and domestic manufacture associated with marine resources, including intermittent and contingent crafting. Trade in obsidian and marine resources likely provided San Pedro community members access to inland economic networks and enabled the acquisition of resources not found on the caye. Microwear on chert and obsidian tools indicates relative stability in the traditional lives of the San Pedro Maya in the 15th–17th centuries a.d. Although the San Pedranos likely suffered to some degree from coastal raiding and the introduction of epidemic diseases by the Spaniards, their off-shore location provided them some protection from the upheaval experienced by the Maya in mainland communities.

Keywords:

• lithic use-wear
• obsidian
• coastal trade
• Maya
• Late Postclassic-Early Colonial
• Spaniards

Acknowledgments

The work presented here would not have been possible without the generosity and support of Elizabeth Graham and David Pendergast. They granted me access to the artifacts and provided a space for me to work at the Royal Ontario Museum while I finished my dissertation. Both Liz and David helped me in interpreting the complex chronology at San Pedro. I am also indebted to Mima Kapches, Head of what was then the Department of New World Archaeology (now the Department of Anthropology) at the Royal Ontario Museum for permission to work on the collections housed there and Fred Wicks, Head of Earth Sciences, who allowed me to use the microscopic equipment at the ROM. Access to microscopes was also provided by Michael Bisson in the Department of Anthropology at McGill University. Maxine Oland and two anonymous reviewers are thanked for their comments and suggestions that significantly improved the final version of this paper. Assistance with some of the artwork by Brandon Olson is greatly appreciated. Finally, I would like to thank the Institute of Archaeology, NICH, for granting permission to engage in archaeological research in Belize and for permitting export of study materials. Excavations at San Pedro were funded by grants from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM Future Fund Today and ROM Committee for Field Archaeology/Foundation). Excavations at San Pedro and Marco Gonzalez were funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and funding for the obsidian analysis was provided by two Graduate McGill Major Fellowships.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

W. James Stemp

W. James Stemp (Ph.D. 2000, McGill University) is a Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology at Keene State College. His main areas of research include stone tool technology, lithic use-wear analysis, experimental archaeology, the socio-economies of complex societies, ritual use of stone tools, and the ancient Maya.