The DOI matches its Crossref record; 50 of the 51 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
All that glitters is not pyrite: A geochemical assessment of iron-ore objects used by the Classic Maya
Abstract
Different types of iron ore and pyrite were used to craft a wide variety of reflective artifacts in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, including “mirrors,” pectorals, necklaces, and dental inlays, among others. In the Maya region, most of these have only been visually assessed, without using analytical techniques. Consequently, our understanding of the diversity of raw materials used in artifact production has been limited. This article presents preliminary results from a pilot study aiming to identify the raw materials used in the manufacture of different reflective objects from a small sample of finds from the sites of La Corona and Cancuen, located in Guatemala, through the use of scanning electron microscopy with EDS detectors (SEM-EDS), energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. Although further analyses are needed to confirm the representativeness of the sample, these results indicate the use of hematite and goethite (iron oxides), but not pyrite (iron sulfide). This study also shows how improved knowledge of raw material use can elicit previously unknown patterns of distribution and exchange, and highlight patterns of inter- and intrasite variability in the production, use, and exchange of reflective objects over time in the Maya region throughout the Classic period.
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Cited by
Torné, J. M., Mayo, C., Hernández, D., Zamora, A., Gutiérrez, E., Ceballos, J. A., Jaén, J. A., Denvers, M., & Tísoc, E. R. M. (2024) · Journal of Archaeological Science · doi:10.1016/j.jas.2024.106143 · Cited by 2
Introduction: Recent research on iron-ore mirrors in Mesoamerica and Central America
Ménager, M., González, S. S., & Freidel, D. A. (2023) · Ancient Mesoamerica · doi:10.1017/s0956536121000614 · Cited by 1
Lope, C. P., Masson, M. A., Russell, B. W., Hare, T. S., Alvarado, W. C., Serafin, S., Kú, P. D., & Ojeda, B. C. E. (2025) · Latin American Antiquity · doi:10.1017/laq.2025.1 · Cited by 1
Ancient Mesoamerican Concave Mirrors: A Physical Approach
Salazar-Neumann, E., Calderón, A. D., & Nahmad-Molinari, Y. (2026) · Ancient Mesoamerica · doi:10.1017/s0956536126101059
From Materials to Meanings: Scientific Approaches in Mesoamerican Archaeology
Maldonado, B., Barber, S. B., Halperin, C. T., Paris, E. H., Meanwell, J. L., Sharpe, A. E., Rodríguez‐Alegría, E., de la Mora, F. G. S., & Stuardo, R. L. (2026) · doi:10.52843/cassyni.sgcqz5
Metadata
- Authors
- Barrientos Q., T., Sandoval, A., Iizuka, Y., & Carías P., T.
- Affiliations
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
- Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (GT)
- Academia Sinica (TW)
- Venue
- Ancient Mesoamerica
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2023-09-14
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 81-96
- ISSN
- 0956-5361 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-1787
- OpenAlex
- W4386744552
- Cited by
- 4
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 4.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ancient Mesoamerica (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (21K00987)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Historical Studies in Central America
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Mineralogy and Gemology Studies
- Keywords
- Classic Maya, iron ore, pyrite, hematite, goethite, iron oxide, raw material provenance, inlays, pectoral, La Corona, iron metallurgy
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