Shell Bead Production and the Middle Preclassic Maya
Disciplines
Archaeological Anthropology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The ancient Maya are well known as one of the major complex societies in the New World. Within their society, they were known for making many different artisan goods, one of which was the shell bead. It is hypothesized that these beads were not only used for jewelry and personal adornment but also as a form of early currency. The first examples of early shell bead production are found during the Middle Preclassic period (1000-300 BC), these beads are more rudimentary, they lack much sanding, and have rough shapes. As time progressed, they started making these beads all the same size and shape which likely means they had some way to grind all of the shells at the same time to keep them uniform. My research focuses on the shell beads found at Pacbitun, located in west central Belize, where 5,670 beads, 516 chert drills, and large amounts of detritus have been found, indicating that this site likely specialized in creating shell beads. This project uses experimental archaeology to identify the tools and techniques used to create these large quantities of shell beads.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Terry Powis
Shell Bead Production and the Middle Preclassic Maya
The ancient Maya are well known as one of the major complex societies in the New World. Within their society, they were known for making many different artisan goods, one of which was the shell bead. It is hypothesized that these beads were not only used for jewelry and personal adornment but also as a form of early currency. The first examples of early shell bead production are found during the Middle Preclassic period (1000-300 BC), these beads are more rudimentary, they lack much sanding, and have rough shapes. As time progressed, they started making these beads all the same size and shape which likely means they had some way to grind all of the shells at the same time to keep them uniform. My research focuses on the shell beads found at Pacbitun, located in west central Belize, where 5,670 beads, 516 chert drills, and large amounts of detritus have been found, indicating that this site likely specialized in creating shell beads. This project uses experimental archaeology to identify the tools and techniques used to create these large quantities of shell beads.