Demystifying jadeite: an underwater Maya discovery at Ek Way Nal, Belize

Heather McKillop; George Harlow; April Sievert; C. Wayne Smith; Michael C. Wiemann

doi:10.15184/aqy.2019.35

Treesearch

Demystifying jadeite: an underwater Maya discovery at Ek Way Nal, Belize

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Heather McKillop, George Harlow, April Sievert, C. Wayne Smith, Michael C. Wiemann

Year:

2019

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Forest Products Laboratory

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2019.35

Source:

Antiquity. 93(368): 502-518.

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Abstract

Jadeite artefacts at Maya sites are normally associated with ritual and ceremonial loca-tions, with high-quality jadeite reserved for elite objects. The discovery of a jadeite gouge with a wooden handle at a Classic Maya salt-working site submerged by sea-level rise—Ek Way Nal, Belize—is therefore unexpected and provides new information about the utilitarian use of this stone. The extremely high quality of this jadeite tool is particularly surprising, offer-ing new insight into the Classic Maya exchange systems and the role of salt makers such as those based at Ek Way Nal.

Keywords

Belize, classic Maya, jadeite, underwater archeology, use-wear

Citation

McKillop, Heather; Harlow, George; Sievert, April; Smith, C. Wayne; Wiemann, Michael C. 2019. Demystifying jadeite: an underwater Maya discovery at Ek Way Nal, Belize. Antiquity. 93(368): 502-518.