Academia.eduAcademia.edu

Figure 5 – uploaded by Dean E Arnold

See full PDFdownloadDownload figure
Figure 5. Rubidium and manganese log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Labeled solid circles are blue pigment samples from central Petén Late Postclassic contexts (courtesy of Leslie Cecil). Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.

Figure 5 Rubidium and manganese log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Labeled solid circles are blue pigment samples from central Petén Late Postclassic contexts (courtesy of Leslie Cecil). Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.

Related Figures (7)

Figure 1. Map of the Yucatan peninsula and adjacent area showing cities, towns and archaeological sites mentioned in the text. found exclusively in the clay. In sum, the prepara- tion of Maya Blue would not appear to affect sig- nificantly the ability to characterize sources of Maya Blue using the analysis of palygorskite as a surrogate. of Kleber et al. (1967) to create a flow chart for analysis of Maya Blue using those techniques. Con- trary to Littmann’s montmorillonite hypothesis, however, continuing technical work on Maya B affirms the crucial role of palygorskite in the uniq qualities of this unusual pigment and the uniq ue ue ue chemical bonding between palygorskite and indigo (Chianelli et al. 2004; Fois et al. 2003; Hubbard al. 2003; José Yacaméan et al. 1996; Ortega et 2001; Polette et al. 2000; Sanchez del Rio et 2004, 2006). et al. al. — — The late Edwin R. Littmann (1980) challenged previous research and suggested that at least some Maya Blue was a blue montmorillonite. Unfortu- nately, significant problems existed with Littmann’s analyses and interpretations (Arnold 2005b; Roundhill et al. 1989). Although Littmann (1980) knew about the previously published analyses that had already established that Maya Blue was acom- bination of indigo and palygorskite (Cabrera Gar- rido 1969; Kleber et al. 1967), he chose not to take them seriously (Roundhill et al. 1989). Indeed, 13 years earlier, Kleber et al. (1967) identified the components of attapulgite (palygorskite) and indigo in Maya Blue using X-ray diffraction and infrared absorption spectroscopy. A subsequent analyst (Cabrera Garrido 1969) used the techniques Cultural Awareness of Palygorskite Maya Blue is not just an interesting and unusual pigment that was valued and used in the ritual of the ancient Maya. Rather, the modern Yucatec Maya of Ticul and Sacalum (Figure 1) recognize the properties of palygorskite itself (called sak lu’um ‘white earth’) and utilize it for medicinal purposes (Arnold 1967:35, 1971, 2005b). The pot-
Figure 1. Map of the Yucatan peninsula and adjacent area showing cities, towns and archaeological sites mentioned in the text. found exclusively in the clay. In sum, the prepara- tion of Maya Blue would not appear to affect sig- nificantly the ability to characterize sources of Maya Blue using the analysis of palygorskite as a surrogate. of Kleber et al. (1967) to create a flow chart for analysis of Maya Blue using those techniques. Con- trary to Littmann’s montmorillonite hypothesis, however, continuing technical work on Maya B affirms the crucial role of palygorskite in the uniq qualities of this unusual pigment and the uniq ue ue ue chemical bonding between palygorskite and indigo (Chianelli et al. 2004; Fois et al. 2003; Hubbard al. 2003; José Yacaméan et al. 1996; Ortega et 2001; Polette et al. 2000; Sanchez del Rio et 2004, 2006). et al. al. — — The late Edwin R. Littmann (1980) challenged previous research and suggested that at least some Maya Blue was a blue montmorillonite. Unfortu- nately, significant problems existed with Littmann’s analyses and interpretations (Arnold 2005b; Roundhill et al. 1989). Although Littmann (1980) knew about the previously published analyses that had already established that Maya Blue was acom- bination of indigo and palygorskite (Cabrera Gar- rido 1969; Kleber et al. 1967), he chose not to take them seriously (Roundhill et al. 1989). Indeed, 13 years earlier, Kleber et al. (1967) identified the components of attapulgite (palygorskite) and indigo in Maya Blue using X-ray diffraction and infrared absorption spectroscopy. A subsequent analyst (Cabrera Garrido 1969) used the techniques Cultural Awareness of Palygorskite Maya Blue is not just an interesting and unusual pigment that was valued and used in the ritual of the ancient Maya. Rather, the modern Yucatec Maya of Ticul and Sacalum (Figure 1) recognize the properties of palygorskite itself (called sak lu’um ‘white earth’) and utilize it for medicinal purposes (Arnold 1967:35, 1971, 2005b). The pot-
Table 1. List of Samples of Palygorskite (sak lu ‘um) and Palygorskite-Containing Materials Used in this Study. Sample MB31 Was Collected by Dr. Fred Strotbeck Using Arnold’s Informants. 2005b). These beliefs appear to be related, at least partially, to Yo’ Sah Kab’s exclusivity as a source of sak lu’um and sah kab for pottery temper. This uniqueness, in turn, is related to the distinction between sah kab for construction purposes that is ubiquitous in Yucatan, and the linguistically homophonous sah kab temper that was only mined at Yo’ Sah Kab. Both types are called sascab in Spanish, but they are semantically different depend- ing on the context (Arnold 1967, 1971). Both types are mixtures of clay and calcite and dolomite. Sah kab for construction purposes, however, is natural marl consisting of montmorillonite, calcite, and dolomite (Arnold 1967, 1971). Sah kab temper, on the other hand, is a carefully prepared cultural mix- ture of palygorskite, calcite, and dolomite that occa- sionally included some montmorillonite (Arnold 1967, 1971). The presence of sak lu’um (paly- gorskite) in Ticul temper is cultural in that potters and miners deliberately select it for inclusion; it is clearly a semantic and behavioral choice of the pot- ters (Arnold 1967, 1971) and is used for temper- ing all noncooking pottery in Ticul. While this temper was formerly used to make a variety of util- itarian, service, and ritual pottery among the mod- ern Yucatec Maya, almost all of the pottery produced since the 1970s consists of plant pots and tourist ware bound for the resort of Cancun. Because Ticul potters have made little cooking pot- tery since 1965, palygorskite-containing temper has been the dominant temper used in Ticul during the last 40 years.
Table 1. List of Samples of Palygorskite (sak lu ‘um) and Palygorskite-Containing Materials Used in this Study. Sample MB31 Was Collected by Dr. Fred Strotbeck Using Arnold’s Informants. 2005b). These beliefs appear to be related, at least partially, to Yo’ Sah Kab’s exclusivity as a source of sak lu’um and sah kab for pottery temper. This uniqueness, in turn, is related to the distinction between sah kab for construction purposes that is ubiquitous in Yucatan, and the linguistically homophonous sah kab temper that was only mined at Yo’ Sah Kab. Both types are called sascab in Spanish, but they are semantically different depend- ing on the context (Arnold 1967, 1971). Both types are mixtures of clay and calcite and dolomite. Sah kab for construction purposes, however, is natural marl consisting of montmorillonite, calcite, and dolomite (Arnold 1967, 1971). Sah kab temper, on the other hand, is a carefully prepared cultural mix- ture of palygorskite, calcite, and dolomite that occa- sionally included some montmorillonite (Arnold 1967, 1971). The presence of sak lu’um (paly- gorskite) in Ticul temper is cultural in that potters and miners deliberately select it for inclusion; it is clearly a semantic and behavioral choice of the pot- ters (Arnold 1967, 1971) and is used for temper- ing all noncooking pottery in Ticul. While this temper was formerly used to make a variety of util- itarian, service, and ritual pottery among the mod- ern Yucatec Maya, almost all of the pottery produced since the 1970s consists of plant pots and tourist ware bound for the resort of Cancun. Because Ticul potters have made little cooking pot- tery since 1965, palygorskite-containing temper has been the dominant temper used in Ticul during the last 40 years.
fable 2. Comparison between INAA and LA-ICP-MS Dat Based on 29 Palygorskite Samples Analyzed by Both Techniques. Two Samples Were Not Analyzed by Both Techniques. comparing the two techniques. Correlation coeffi- cients for all elements except zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), strontium (Sr), and arsenic (As), are above .5, and most are much higher (Table 1). Zir- conium and hafnium are probably anomalous because they are concentrated in minute zircon grains that were not represented well in the small areas ablated in the LA-ICP-MS analyses. Stron- tium and arsenic were below detection in many of the INAA samples, which accounts for the poor agreement of the INAA and ICP analyses for these elements. For the other elements, it is remarkable that two completely independent analytical tech- niques yield such high correlations.
fable 2. Comparison between INAA and LA-ICP-MS Dat Based on 29 Palygorskite Samples Analyzed by Both Techniques. Two Samples Were Not Analyzed by Both Techniques. comparing the two techniques. Correlation coeffi- cients for all elements except zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), strontium (Sr), and arsenic (As), are above .5, and most are much higher (Table 1). Zir- conium and hafnium are probably anomalous because they are concentrated in minute zircon grains that were not represented well in the small areas ablated in the LA-ICP-MS analyses. Stron- tium and arsenic were below detection in many of the INAA samples, which accounts for the poor agreement of the INAA and ICP analyses for these elements. For the other elements, it is remarkable that two completely independent analytical tech- niques yield such high correlations.
Figure 2. Rubidium and vanadium log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by INAA. Ellipses rep- resent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.
Figure 2. Rubidium and vanadium log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by INAA. Ellipses rep- resent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.
Figure 3. Rubidium and manganese log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.
Figure 3. Rubidium and manganese log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.
REPORTS Figure 4. Rubidium and nickel log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.
REPORTS Figure 4. Rubidium and nickel log concentrations in the palygorskite samples, as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of membership in the groups.
Figure 6. Rubidium and Nickel concentrations in palygorskite samples as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Labeled solid cir- cles are blue pigment samples from central Petén Late Postclassic contexts (courtesy of Leslie Cecil). Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of group membership.
Figure 6. Rubidium and Nickel concentrations in palygorskite samples as determined by LA-ICP-MS. Labeled solid cir- cles are blue pigment samples from central Petén Late Postclassic contexts (courtesy of Leslie Cecil). Ellipses represent 90 percent probability of group membership.
Related topics:
ArchaeologyIconographyArchitectureEthnoarchaeologyMesoamerican ArchaeologySculptureClassic Maya (Archaeology)Ancient Maya KnowledgeMaya ArchaeologyMaya Art
580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
© 2025 Academia. All rights reserved