Los Naranjos Archaeological Park is one of the most important human settlement of Honduras related to the south-easternmost border of the Mayan civilization. Most of the lithic tools found at Los Naranjos settlement are sandstones, basalts and quartzites from local outcrops. By contrast, obsidian tools provenance has to be searched from sources which are located within a radius up to 300 km far away. San Luis (40 km to NW), La Esperanza (70 km to SSW) and Güinope (180 km to SE) obsidian sources are located in Honduras whereas the three most exploited Highland Guatemalan obsidian sources, which have been dominating long-distance trade in the Maya area since at least 400 BC (Moholy-Nagy, 2003; Brown et al. 2004) are San Martin Jilotepeque (300 km), El Chayal (220 km), and Ixtepeque (190 km). Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) were performed on obsidian tools from Los Naranjos settlement (Ito et al., 2012): 5 samples from the Jaral period (800-400 BC, Preclassic) and 12 samples from the Edén period (400 BC-500 AD, Preclassic-Early Classic). According to a comparative trace elements study with available INAA data of Honduras and Guatemala outcrops (Asaro et al., 1978; Sheets et al., 1990; Glascock et al., 1990; Aoyama et al., 1999) all the 17 Los Naranjos samples indicate an Ixtepeque provenance. Previous studies Baudez and Becquelin (1973) inferred for three obsidian lithic tools found at Los Naranjos and belonging to the Jaral period, a provenance from San Martin Jilotepeque and La Esperanza. Ixetepeque volcano, located in the eastern Guatemala takes its name from the Aztec word for obsidian. Large quantity of Ixtepeque obsidian flake spalls or small nodules were traded eastward up to the most westerly sectors of Honduras (Copán, ca 120 km) and the settlements of La Entrada region (ca. 170 km), mostly during Classic-Late Classic periods (Aoyama et al. 1999). Ixtepeque overshadowed El Chayal source only during the Postclassic, whereas San Martin Jilotepeque was commonly traded during the Middle Preclassic, declining in use during the Late Preclassic through the Late Classic periods when El Chayal became the dominant source (Nelson, 1985). This is confirmed by the fact the most distant obsidian tools finding of Ixtepeque is reported for Late Classic-Postclassic Periods (Ninderi, Nicaragua more than 450 km far away; Sheets et al., 1990). The present INAA data of Los Naranjos obsidian samples highlight a long distance trade (190 km) for the Ixtepeque obsidians also during the Preclassic and Early Classic periods.

Long-distance obsidian trade during the Preclassic and Early-Classic Periods: evidence from the Los Naranjos settlement (Honduras).

ODDONE, MASSIMO;
2016-01-01

Abstract

Los Naranjos Archaeological Park is one of the most important human settlement of Honduras related to the south-easternmost border of the Mayan civilization. Most of the lithic tools found at Los Naranjos settlement are sandstones, basalts and quartzites from local outcrops. By contrast, obsidian tools provenance has to be searched from sources which are located within a radius up to 300 km far away. San Luis (40 km to NW), La Esperanza (70 km to SSW) and Güinope (180 km to SE) obsidian sources are located in Honduras whereas the three most exploited Highland Guatemalan obsidian sources, which have been dominating long-distance trade in the Maya area since at least 400 BC (Moholy-Nagy, 2003; Brown et al. 2004) are San Martin Jilotepeque (300 km), El Chayal (220 km), and Ixtepeque (190 km). Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) were performed on obsidian tools from Los Naranjos settlement (Ito et al., 2012): 5 samples from the Jaral period (800-400 BC, Preclassic) and 12 samples from the Edén period (400 BC-500 AD, Preclassic-Early Classic). According to a comparative trace elements study with available INAA data of Honduras and Guatemala outcrops (Asaro et al., 1978; Sheets et al., 1990; Glascock et al., 1990; Aoyama et al., 1999) all the 17 Los Naranjos samples indicate an Ixtepeque provenance. Previous studies Baudez and Becquelin (1973) inferred for three obsidian lithic tools found at Los Naranjos and belonging to the Jaral period, a provenance from San Martin Jilotepeque and La Esperanza. Ixetepeque volcano, located in the eastern Guatemala takes its name from the Aztec word for obsidian. Large quantity of Ixtepeque obsidian flake spalls or small nodules were traded eastward up to the most westerly sectors of Honduras (Copán, ca 120 km) and the settlements of La Entrada region (ca. 170 km), mostly during Classic-Late Classic periods (Aoyama et al. 1999). Ixtepeque overshadowed El Chayal source only during the Postclassic, whereas San Martin Jilotepeque was commonly traded during the Middle Preclassic, declining in use during the Late Preclassic through the Late Classic periods when El Chayal became the dominant source (Nelson, 1985). This is confirmed by the fact the most distant obsidian tools finding of Ixtepeque is reported for Late Classic-Postclassic Periods (Ninderi, Nicaragua more than 450 km far away; Sheets et al., 1990). The present INAA data of Los Naranjos obsidian samples highlight a long distance trade (190 km) for the Ixtepeque obsidians also during the Preclassic and Early Classic periods.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/1118082
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