Technical Study of a set of Metallic Artifacts from the Maya Site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico
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Technical Study of a set of Metallic Artifacts from the Maya Site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico Gabriela Peñuelas Guerrero1, Ingrid Jiménez Cosme1, Pilar Tapia López1, José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil2, Jesús Arenas2, Aurore Lemoine2, Jannen Contreras Vargas1, Patricia Ruiz Portilla1, Sonia Rivero Torres3. 1 Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, ENCRyM, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH. General Anaya No. 187, Col. San Diego Churubusco México DF 04120, México. e-mail: [email protected] 2 Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM. Apdo. postal 20-364, México DF 01000, México. e-mail: [email protected]. 3 Dirección de Estudios Arqueológicos, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). Lic. Verdad No. 3, Centro Histórico, Mexico DF 06060, Mexico. ABSTRACT During the excavations made at a burial of the post-Classic Mayan period (1220-1521 A.D.) in the pyramid number 2 of the pre-Hispanic site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico, a set of four small metallic artifacts depicting reptile’s heads, were recovered. The objects were in poor conservation conditions and were taken to the Metal Conservation Laboratory of the National School of Conservation (ENCRyM- INAH) for suitable cleaning and conservation treatments. Analyses allowed identifying important technological features such as gilding remains. The analytical techniques included optical microscopy followed by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), and Scanning Electron Microscope-coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (MEBEDS). For the elemental depth profile a combined Particle X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (PIXE–RBS) analysis was carried out. The results indicate that the objects are made of a copper alloy, and then gilded probably using electrochemical replacement gilding (thickness has less than 1 Pm). This technology has been observed in other metallic objects recovered from the Chichen-Itza Cenote in Yucatan, but it was not available in Mesoamerican areas so far. So, it could imply that these artifacts might have been imported from South American areas. INTRODUCTION The set of metallic artifacts was recovered in 2009 at the 12th season of excavations at the Lagartero Project. The items were found associated to several bones in a multiple burial, among 15 skulls were found nevertheless any complete body was recovered. In addition to these artifacts, a complete bell and a textile fragment associated to it were also discovered. The Mayan site of Lagartero is located amongst the Colon Lake, nearby the Lagartero and Grijalva rivers at the border of Mexico and Guatemala in Chiapas (Figure 1). This archaeological site is formed by a series of small islands; at the most important one, called El Limonar, the multiple burial was discovered inside the pyramid number 2, the tallest structure of the site. Although the archaeological investigations are still in course, it is known that this Mayan site was occupied since the pre-Classic until the post-Classic period (1
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