File:The archaeological use and distribution of Mollusca in the Maya lowlands (1969) (19743555812).jpg

Title: The archaeological use and distribution of Mollusca in the Maya lowlands
Identifier: archaeologicalus00andr (find matches)
Year: 1969 (1960s)
Authors: Andrews, E. Wyllys (Edward Wyllys), 1916-1971
Subjects: Mayas; Mollusks
Publisher: New Orleans
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation

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Discussion 5i
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Fig. 4 — Dzibilchaltun, Str. 38, Cache 1: 16 nested unworked valves of Dinocardium robustum vanhyningi. Asso- ciated with Copo Complex ceramics. and a stingray tail; another contained a pearl. A novel component was stalagmites, which appeared in four caches. At Balankanche in Yucatan we find these connected with rain ritual (Andrews, 1967). At Barton Ramie, only three caches were found, none containing shell of any kind. However at San Jose, 7 structure caches of the 20 found contained unworked shell and/or other marine material. All were of Classic date, mostly S.J. IV. The species found are: Neritina meleagris (24) Neritina virginea (1) Cerithium variabile (1) Columbella mercatoria (2) Terebra (?) cinerea (5) Crassostrea virginica (1) Spondylus princeps (17) Again, there is a tendency to include other products of the sea, including eight pumice fragments, sevr eral corals or bryozoans, a pearl, numerous box- fish spines, and even two manatee bones (T, pp. 184-92 ).2 2Thompson (1931, p. 273, pi. 31) reports a fragment of branch coral from a structure cache at Hatzcap Ceel, B.H., along with unworked, unidentified shells. Of the 64 caches recovered at Uaxactun (A. L. Smith, 1950, p. 92) only five have been recorded as containing identified unworked shells. Four caches of the Tzakol period contained the follow- ing species (RR, p. 199): Crepidula sp. (1) S'trombus pugilis (1) Prunum a. virgineum (54) Ostrea sp. (1) Trachycardium muricatum (2) One Tepeu cache contained 19 valves of Spondylus princeps. A. L. Smith lists a number of other caches as containing unworked shells, but these are not individually identified (op. cit., pp. 103—05). Also present in the caches were coral, pearls, marine worm casts, and stingray spines. Specifics are not yet available on the uniquely rich caches recovered in the Tikal excavations, which are still in progress as this is written. However, Moholy-Nagy's 1963 paper gives valuable prelimi- nary summary of the data through the 1962 season. Unworked shell and marine material is common in earlier caches, later becoming unusual, and finally disappearing from the offerings. They are com- pletely absent in the 22 stela caches dating after

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