PRE-COLUMBIAN “JADE”: TOWARDS AN IMPROVED IDENTIFICATION OF GREEN-COLORED STONE IN MESOAMERICA

Abstract

The discovery of Pre-Columbian artifacts manufactured from green-colored stone is a noteworthy event within Mesoamerican archaeology, made even more significant as size and aesthetic value of the objects increase. Unfortunately, it is all too common that the color of such artifacts is used as a deciding factor in their identification and categorization. The lumping of green-colored artifacts into one category — that of “jade” or “greenstone” — is often the end of the material identification process, regardless of the fact that there are numerous different green-colored minerals found in different sources throughout Mesoamerica. The justification for merging these very different geological products stems from the fact that they were used in very similar ways throughout Mesoamerica and Lower Central America. However, the advent of portable techniques for elemental analysis has removed some of the difficulty and high costs that have traditionally inconvenienced the identification of green-colored artifacts, and can be used in combination with visual identification studies to improve accuracy of analyses.

Keywords:

• Jade
• Greenstone
• Olmec
• Formative Mesoamerica

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to Paul Healy for reviewing an earlier draft of this manuscript and helping to improve its clarity and content. Assistance also came from Elizabeth Niespolo, who kindly answered many questions about jadeite and identification techniques, and Linda Howie, who encouraged many of my ideas. I also extend thanks to Helen Haines and Gerald Oetelaar for granting image permissions, and to John Short for providing assistance with these images. Finally, two anonymous reviewers provided many useful comments and suggestions. Any errors are my own.

Notes

1 (Barbour 1957; Coe 1967; Foshag and Leslie 1955; Garber 1983; Gendron et al. 2002; Jaime-Riverón 2010; Seitz et al. 2001; Taube 2005).

2 (Bernick 2011; Gendron 1998; Orr 1990; Rochette 2009; Turner 1988; Walters 1982).

3 In place of an extensive bibliographic entry for the conference abstracts the reader is instead referred to the year and session number, from which relevant presentations can be located: 2004 [118], [169]; 2005 [91]; 2006 [3], [86], [238], 2007 [74], 2008 [16], [74], [180]; 2009 [36], [48]; 2010 [54], [139], [147], [156], [229]; 2011 [51], [186], [266]; 2012 [151]; 2013 [36], [147], [204], [252]; 2014 [31], [140], [204], [253], [330].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cara Grace Tremain

Cara G. Tremain (M.A. 2011, Trent University, Ontario, Canada) is a current Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Her research focuses on an exploration of social identity among the ancient Maya through the analysis of clothing and adornment. She is acting Field Director for the Ka'Kabish Archaeology Research Project, Belize.

Correspondence to: Department of Anthropology, The University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada. Email: [email protected]