1)
Chu, Vikki, Lior Regev, Steve Weiner, and Elisabetta Boaretto. 2008. Differentiating
Between Anthropogenic Calcite in Plaster, Ash and Natural Calcite Using Infrared
Spectroscopy: Implications in Archaeology. Journal of Archaeological Science. 35, no.
4: 905-911.
This article was very beneficial to my understanding of geochemical analyses.
This particular article talks about how researchers in Europe can use different
methods in order to distinguish a modified carbonate in plaster samples. What this
means is that it is something that I need to keep in mind when I attempt to do
geochemical analysis for myself. My goals in Archaeology are to do geochemical
analyses and sourcing of construction materials, particularly within the Maya
region, this article will help me make my research as accurate as possible.
2)
Brennan, Michael L, Eleanor M King, Leslie C Shaw, Stanley L Walling, and Fred
Valdez. 2013. Preliminary Geochemical Assessment of Limestone Resources and
Stone Use at Maya Sites in the Three Rivers Region, Belize. Journal of Archaeological
Science. 40, no. 8: 3178-3192.
This article is basically about what I want to do. This past summer I got the
chance to work with Dr. Brennan and as such, I got a first hand learning experience
in this kind of research. This particular article of his looks to see if it is even possible
to accurately geochemically source a carbonate rock to its originating source. The
answer to this is kind of. Dr. Brennan found that the sources show a 92%
geochemical similarity within 5 feet of another. What you have to do then is look for
the most common minerals and test how much they resemble a given previously
identified quarry.
3)
Cook, Duncan E, Brigitte Kovacevich, Timothy Beach, and Ronald Bishop. 2006.
Deciphering the Inorganic Chemical Record of Ancient Human Activity Using ICPMS: A Reconnaissance Study of Late Classic Soil Floors at Cancuén, Guatemala.
Journal of Archaeological Science. 33, no. 5: 628-640.
This article is relent to my future studies in that involves the chemical testing
of soil which has developed over former living structures. This study of the
anthropogenic soils helps point to just how the people who lived here lived. Ideally,
as Archaeologists, we would like to find a site that was abandoned moments before
we had shown up. Since we can’t do that, any little thing that we can use to recreat
the moment of abandonment is greatly beneficial. This study provides a way for us
to see just what kind of stuff the aincent Maya in this region were leaving beind on
their floor.
4Muhs, Daniel R, Robert R Kautz, and J.Jefferson MacKinnon. 1985. Soils and the
Location of Cacao Orchards at a Maya Site in Western Belize. Journal of
Archaeological Science. 12, no. 2: 121-137.
This article is about seeing weather or not it is possible to determine if Cacao
was farmed intensively in a specific soil space. This is very important seeing as how
highly the Maya regarded Cacao, learning just who had access to the different
oarcherds shows us exactly who was in control within a region, and possibly where
the most important centers were. This is beneficial to me in that I plan to do
multiple studies involving chemical analsys of sils and carbonate rocks within the
Maya region, and this paper provides a method of doing so.
5)
Kosednar-Legenstein, B., M. Dietzel, A. Leis, and K. Stingl. "Stable Carbon and Oxygen
Isotope Investigation in Historical Lime Mortar and Plaster – Results from Field and
Experimental Study." Applied Geochemistry 23.8 (2008): 2425-437. Print.
This article looked at lime plaster used in Roman and Medivial European
structures. In particular, this study made sure to look at just how the eviornment
can affect the chemical signature of the given carbonate material. Understanding
just how the environment can affect Carbonates once they have been quarried is
really important to me since I want to eventually geochemically source these
deposits. Knowing how to check for environmental alterations will be Important to
insuring I obtain accurate results.
6)
Hayes, Katherine. "Parameters in the Use of PXRF for Archaeological Site
Prospection: A Case Study at the Reaume Fort Site, Central Minnesota." Journal of
Archaeological Science 40.8 (2013): 3193-211. Print.
This article is great for my own persal studies because it outlins the use of
advanced equipment that I would someday like to use myself. This particular piece
of advanced equipment is called an XRF and it can provide the exact chemical
composition of any given sample in that it will tell us how much of any given
element is available in the sample. This particular article will help with uatilising
one in the field, as apposed to taking samples back to the lab for processing later.
7)
Bartlett, M. L., Neff, H. and McAnany, P. A. (2000), Differentiation of clay resources
on a limestone plain: The analysis of clay utilization during the Maya Formative at
K'axob Belize. Geoarchaeology, 15: 95–133. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)15206548(200002)15:2<95::AID-GEA1>3.0.CO;2-1
This article is about the use of geochemistry in sourcing clay deposits within
northern Belize in an attempt to track ideal deposits used by the Ancient Maya. In
this particular article, they go about using EMS methods of chemical identification in
order to obtain a chemical signature on the different clay deposits and later use this
accrued information to see where the clay for the ceramic was coming from, and to
see if any given deposit was favored over any others. In addition to this, the
researchers look to see if there might have been a change in deposit use indicating a
potential shift in resource controls.
8)
Marc A. Abramiuk and William P. Meurer Latin American Antiquity Vol. 17, No. 3
(Sep., 2006), pp. 335-354 Published by: Society for American Archaeology Article
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25063056
This research was conducted on granitic ground stones from the Maya
Mountains in southern Belize. The researchers used a XRF to establish which
granitic formation the selected ground stone came from. This is extremely
important to me because the geochemical sourcing of any Maya stone is exactly
what I want to do later on. Normally I would like to stick with carbonate rocks, but I
am also interested in any anthropogenig rock materal. That being said, there needs
to be different methods used under different circomstances seeing as how not all
rocks are the same. Since each kind of rock is different, how we look at them must
also vary depending on the rocks nature.
9)
Mitchum, Beverly Peard. Lithic Artifacts from Cerros Belize: Production, Consumption,
and Trade. N.p.: n.p., 1994. Print.
This book outlines the different kinds of lithic materials found within the site
of Cerros. It is important to my further studies because in order to study the lithic
and rock use of the Maya, I first need to know what other people have discovered on
the subject. I need to know what things I should be generally looking for and how
the already known usage and contect of the given material could be applied to my
future studies.
10)
Tasks, Agricultural. "Tools: Patterns of Stone Tool Discard near Prehistoric Maya
Residences Bordering Pulltrouser Swamp, Belize." Gardens of Prehistory: The
Archaeology of Settlement Agriculture in Greater Mesoamerica (1992): 184-213.
What this specific article looks for is any pattern for discarding lithic
materials. These patterns could be because of a variety of reasons; such as if a
certain production of a given resource occurred here. This becomes beneficial to my
future studies because it gives me an example to reference when I see similar
debetage resulting from similar discarding practices, hopefully indicating a specific
kind of production.
11)
Ginell, William S., Rakesh Kumar, and Eric Doehne. "Conservation studies on
limestone from the Maya site at Xunantunich, Belize." In MRS Proceedings, vol. 352,
no. 1. Cambridge University Press, 1995.
This article looks as to how the limestone used to construct structurs and
monuments has faired since it was quarried and how different preservation means
are affecting the rate of decay. It also looks for additional ways to increase the
longevity of the given limestone. This is important to me for two reasons. One,
because it looks at how decay has occurred to the rocks that I would someday like to
study. Second, It provides a way for me to look at different ways to preserve the
discoveries that I might make later on in m y career.
12)
Reeder, P., J. E. Brady, and J. Webster. "Geoarchaeological investigations on the
northern Vaca Plateau, Belize." Mexicon 20, no. 2 (1998): 37-41.
The point of this article is to elaborate on the geological methods needed to
successfully identify different strata within a karstic landscape. This article proves
that this is nearly an impossible task and that attempting to accurately identify any
specific stratigraphy should precede cautiously and be wary of the potential
difficulties. This becomes beneficial to me in that it provides guidelines for things I
should not do in geoarcheaology. I’ll use this example to make sure I don’t get over
ambitious with my work.
13)
TIBBITS, Tawny LB. "SOURCING GRANITIC GROUND STONE TOOLS FROM BELIZE
USING PORTABLE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE." In Geological Society of America
Abstracts with Programs, vol. 45, no. 7, p. 0. 2013.
This poster was about the potential use of an XRF in geochemically sourcing
granitic tools to the geologic deposits. The advantage of using an XRF make it so
EMS is not necessary which saves money and also provides a non-destructive way of
sourcing the materials. This is beneficial to my studies in that it helps me
understand the possible ways to do geochemical sourcing. In addition, it helps me
by providing me with additional methods to utilize during my own field experiences.
14)
Reeder, Philip. "Geoarchaeology and Karst: A New Perspective." In Karst
Management, pp. 169-200. Springer Netherlands, 2011.
This article is about the geo-archaeology of karstic landscapes. In outlines
how different researchers need to look at the developing field of Geo-archaeology
and how people form both the geologic world and the archaeological need to work
together to further develop the science. The biggest difficulty in this expanding field
is examining geologic structures and differentiating them from naturally occurring
structures as apposed to the ones that have been modified by humans. This helps
me in that it increases my knowledge of the debates behind the development of the
field in which I would like to specialize.
15)
Abrams, Elliot M., John Parhmovich, Jared A. Butcher, Jr., and Bruce McCord.
"Chemical Composition of Architectural Plaster at the Classic Maya Kingdom of Piedras
Negras, Guatemala." Journal of Archaeological Science 39.5 (2012): 1648-654.
Sciencedirect.com. SciencDirect. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440312000143>.
This article looks at the chemical composition of plaster in the structures found at Piedras
Negras. This chemical analysis was done by an XRF machine. This study helps me
understand what I’m looking at when I do chemical analyses. It gives me an idea for what
the Maya were using for their limestone sources both thought time and on a regional
scale.
16)
Barba, L., J. Blancas, L. R. Manzanilla, A. Ortiz, D. Barca, G. M. Crisci, D. Miriello, and
A. Pecci. "Provenance Of The Limestone Used In Teotihuacan (Mexico): A
Methodological Approach." Archaeometry 51.4 (2009): 525-45. Onlinelibrary.wiley.com.
Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-4754.2008.00430.x/full#ss7>.
This article is about the selection of limestone by the Maya of Teotihuacan. It looks at the
different quarries that were selected and gives potential reasons for why the different
sources were selected. This is useful for me since it gives a list of the different quarries
used thought the site as well as thought the times of occupation of the site. This is good
for my research since it provides an example of change over time in the selection of
limestone and provides me with examples of quarrying methods used by these local
Maya.
17)
Folk, Robert L. Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks. 2nd ed. Austin, TX: Hemphill's, 1968.
Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
<ftp://ftp.itb.ac.id/pub/download/ebooks/Buku.Geologi/Boggs%202009%20
%20Petrology%20of%20Sedimentary%20Rocks.pdf>.
This book provides detailed descriptions on the formation, composition, and makeup of
all sedentary rocks. I particularly would like to use the section on this book for the
Carbonate rocks. By looking at the carbonate section I can better my understanding of the
geologic aspect of Geo-archaeology. By doing this, my results will be come better and
my research methods will become more refined.
18) Kelly, Mary E. A Computerized Model for Mayan Hieroglyphic Analsys Using the
Lintels of Yaxchilan. Thesis. University of Minnesoda, 1986. Ann Arbor: University
Microfilms
International, 1986. Print.
This article is beneficial to my future studies in that it looks at how the environment of
the Yucatan has altered the different Hieroglyphs which are found within the ancient
Maya ruins. All of the information within the article looks as to how the different factors
of preservation have played out in different circumstances thought the different Maya
sites, particularly Yaxchilan . This is beneficial to me as it provides ways of looking at
different kinds of preservation methods and potential ways of doing non invasive
analyses on the different monuments as to not further damage them.
19 )
Riquelme, Francisco, Jesús Alvarado-Ortega, Martha Cuevas-García, José Luis
Ruvalcaba-Sil, and Carlos Linares-López. "Calcareous Fossil Inclusions and Rock-source
of Maya Lime Plaster from the Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque, Mexico." Journal of
Archaeological Science (2011): n. pag. Sciencedirect.com. ScienceDirect. Web. 18 Nov.
2013.
This article looks at possibly identifying different kinds of shells found within
plaster in the ancient Maya site of Palenque. Here the researchers are looking to se if
there is a possibility of sourcing the plaster based on the type fossils potentially found
within the plaster samples. They also look to distinguish if it is possible that modern
shells were added to the deposit in order to chance the chemical composition of the
plaster in order to work for specific effects. I will be able to use this paper since they
decided to analyze the plaster with an XRF in order to establish its chemical signature. I
will also be able to utilize the methods that they used in order to potentially identify the
shelly material that was added to the plaster.
20)
Villaseñor, Isabel, and Clifford A. Price. "Technology and Decay of Magnesian Lime
Plasters: The Sculptures of the Funerary Crypt of Palenque, Mexico." Journal of
Archaeological Science 35.4 (2008): 1030-039. Sciencedirect.com. ScienceDirect.
Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440307001513>.
This Article looks as to how the chemical composition of different lime
plasters can affect the longevity of the given sample, mainly in regard the Mg
composition of the sample. The study found that over time, the man made calcite
recrystallizes and as such makes the structure stronger over time as the crystalline
structure has the chance to grow. This article is beneficial to my studies in that it
provides me with an opportunity to examine why the Maya chose to make their
plasters the way that they did.
21)
Wernecke, Daniel Clark, and Fred Valdez. A Stone Canvas Interpreting Maya Building
Materials and Construction Technology. Thesis. University of Texas at Austin, 2005.
N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/etd/d/2005/wernecked06413/wernecked06413.pdf>.
This article is all about how the Maya looked for desirable Limestone to
quarry and how they went about collecting it. The majority of the paper also talks
about how they used the limestone had how they made plaster form it in addition to
the many different possibly ways that they ended up using these different types of
plasters. This is beneficial to me in that it gives me examples to look at for when I try
to look for quarries around different Maya sites.
22)
Folan, William J. "Mining and Quarrying Techniques of the Lowland Maya in Mining
and Mining Techniques in Ancient Mesoamerica." Anthropology Stony Brook, NY 6,
no. 1-2 (1982): 149-174.
This article is straightforward. It looks at the different quarrying habits of
the Ancient Maya and provides examples of both tools used for quarrying as well as
selection processes. Different practices occurred in different regions, and these
different regions also developed thought time. This article is beneficial to my future
studies in that it provides me with a list of things to look at in regard to quarrying.
23)
King, Eleanor M. King, and Leslie C. Shaw. "A Heterarchical Approach to Site
Variability." Heterarchy, Political Economy, and the Ancient Maya: The Three Rivers
Region of the east-central Yucatan Peninsula, edited by VL Scarborough, F. Valdez, Jr.
and NP Dunning (2003): 64-76.
This article provides me a resource and a look into the ecology of the three
rivers region. This helps to show the proposed diversion of social statues within the
region and points to arias of resource monopolies. By understanding the social
stratification that develops within the local society, we can better understand the
daily life of the people who once lived at this site. This article is important to me in
that it took place where I have spent a lot of time researching, and will probably
spend a lot more time. Expanding my knowledge of the region is better for my
future academic career.
24)
Espinosa, L., M. Ceron, and Y. A. Sulub. "Limestone rocks of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Description of the lithology and physical properties based on the results of
exploration, investigation and laboratory tests." International Journal of Rock
Mechanics and Mining Sciences 35, no. 4 (1998): 410-411.
This article talks about the development of the geology of the Yucatan. In
addition to this, it goes on to explain how the geology is unique, how just because
the region is made up of Limestone, it is not identical to all other kinds of limestone
everywhere. It looks into the geologic past of the region and explains how that
formed the landmass that we see today. This is valuable to my studies in that I am
unable to conduct any geologic studies in the Yucatan if I know nothing about the
already established geologic deposits.
25)
Reeder, Philip, Robert Brinkmann, and Edward Alt. "Karstification on the Northern
Vaca Plateau, Belize." JOURNAL OF CAVES AND KARST STUDIES 58 (1996): 121-130.
This article provides me with the geologic history of Northern Belize. It
explains how the landscape formed as best as the evidence can tell. By reading this
publication, I can have a better understanding of the rocks that I would be looking at
when I do geochemical analyses in northern Belize. It tells me what was going on at
certain time periods in that region, which I can use in dating the age of the rock in
addition to sourcing the deposit from which it came.
26)
Millhauser, John K., Enrique Rodríguez-Alegría, and Michael D. Glascock. "Testing
the accuracy of portable X-ray fluorescence to study Aztec and Colonial obsidian
supply at Xaltocan, Mexico." Journal of Archaeological Science 38, no. 11 (2011):
3141-3152.
This article looks at how the researchers attempted to geochemically source
the obsidian found within the site. The importance of sourcing materials lies in the
need to understand region trading networks in an attempt to understand the
economy of ancient civilizations and thus the balance of power that once resigned
within it. This particular article is beneficial to me in that it gives me a method for
sourcing obsidian. It provides guidelines and methods and justification as to why
this method should be used and not others.
27)
Denham, Timothy. "Environmental archaeology: Interpreting practices-in-thelandscape through geoarchaeology." (2008).
This article looks at the role of Geoarch and how it is necessary if we are to
create the most accurate of pictures of what ancient life was once like. It mainly
explains how the environmental conditions of the people who once lived in the site
must be addressed. In order to do that, wee need to examine how the geology
affected the decisions, lifestyle and culture of the now gone people. This is relevant
to my studies in that it is an argument for why what I want to do is needed.
28)
King Jr, David T., Lucille W. Petruny, and Kevin O. Pope. "Shallow-Marine Facies of
the Orange Walk Group, Miocene-Pliocene, Northern Belize (Central America)."
(2003): 384-397.
This publication provides me with examples of the geology of the region
within Belize where I have worked and where I would like to continue later on. In it,
they go about describing the different kinds of strata visible in an attempt to
understand the geologic history of the region. This becomes beneficial to me in that
it provides me with a map of different kinds of geologic resources made available.
This gives me regional demographics to look at and hopefully apply for when I am
attempting to source construction material.
29)
King Jr, David T., Kevin O. Pope, and Lucille W. Petruny. "Stratigraphy of Belize,
north of the 17th Parallel." (2004).
This research is about physically mapping Belize in a vertical, rather than
horizontal sense. In it, the authors go about describing the order of stratigraphic
succession found within Belize and how it got to look the way it did. This article is
useful to me in that it tells me exactly what kinds of rocks I can expect to find when I
am out doing field work. This will help me by potentially providing me with fewer
suprises and hopefully narrow down the possible places where I would like to
search.
30)
Jones, L. "Lowland Maya pottery." BAR International Series 288 (1986).
This publication gives me a source to look at when examining Maya pottery.
In it, it goes about describing the way in which the Maya made pottery, how they
acquired resources for it, how the shaped it and how they finally produced it. This
article becomes important to me in that it describes to me how the Maya selected
the clay materials to be later used in pottery. Preferred clay sources could
potentially need to be geochemically sourced. This is what interests me, and this
article provides me with place to look for potential sources.