1. Ancient Civilizations of the Americas – Lecture 2 Archaeological Terminology

2. Common Archaeological Terms used in Mesoamerican Archaeology • Material Types – Lithics: lithics are tools made out of stone, they may be produced by either chipping, pecking, or grinding. • Common types of lithic materials used in the making of chipped stone tools: • Obsidian – volcanic glass - very sharp and brittle. Often fashioned into prismatic blades by specialists.

3. Prismatic blades

4. Material types: cont. Basalt - A viscous black or grey lava, rich in iron. Jade – a name applied to the gem form of either amphibole (nephrite) or pyroxene (jadite). Both are silicates containing iron, magnesium, and calcium. Jade was imported into Mesoamerica from the south – Costa Rica. Turquoise – a copper and aluminum phosphate mineral occurring in copper ores. This was imported into Mesoamerica from the north. Serpentine – a magnesium silicate with water. It varies from translucent to opaque and has a greasy or waxy luster. Occurs as a form of marble

5. Material types: cont. Cinnabar – an ore of mercury. The bright red color of this mineral was favored by Mesoamericans, possibly due to its resemblance to blood. Hematite – an iron oxide form of iron, is black in crystalline form. Polished and made into cubes and mirrors. Pyrite – A sulphide iron ore – metallic in appearance and often polished and used in mirrors.

6. From a tomb at La Venta , Mexico

7. Material types: Shells – conch and spondylus Tool types: stone atlatl Mano and metate

8. Tool types: ceramics terra cotta, comal,incensario, incision, resist painting

9. Mesoamerican Archaeological Chronology