A Prehispanic Maya Pit Oven? Microanalysis of Fired Clay Balls from the Puuc Region, Yucatán, Mexico
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Main article, tables, and figures
Date
2013-02
DOI
Authors
Simms, Stephanie R.
Berna, Francesco
Bey, George J., III
Version
OA Version
Citation
Simms, Stephanie R., et al. "A Prehispanic Maya Pit Oven? Microanalysis of Fired Clay Balls from the Puuc Region, Yucatán, Mexico." Journal of Archaeological Science 40(2): 1144–57. 2013.
Abstract
Excavations of a kitchen at Escalera al Cielo in the Puuc Maya region of Yucatán, Mexico
uncovered a concentration of fired clay balls (ca. 3–5 cm in diameter), in addition to other de facto domestic refuse. The kitchen pertains to an intensively excavated elite residential group that was rapidly abandoned sometime near the end of the Terminal Classic period (A.D. 800–950), resulting in floor assemblages that provide an opportunity to explore the types and distribution of daily household activities. The results of experimental replications and a suite of analyses comprising modal analysis, ceramic petrography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and microbotanical residue analysis reveal aspects of clay preparation, firing temperatures, repeated use of the balls, firing conditions, and specific plant food or fuel residues adhering to them. We show that the fired clay balls were manufactured with local, clay-rich soil and employed by the inhabitants of Escalera al Cielo as heating elements; relatively high concentrations of microbotanical residues from edible plants adhering to them support the hypothesis that they were involved in kitchen activities related to food processing.
Description
This is a postprint (author's final draft) version of an article published in Journal of Archaeological Science in 2013. The final version of this article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.10.014 (login may be required). The version made available in OpenBU was supplied by the author.