Blowpipes and their metalworking applications: New evidence from Mayapán, Yucatán, Mexico

Abstract

This study presents evidence of two tuyères, or blowpipe tips, used in metalworking at the Postclassic period city of Mayapá n. Blowpipe technology has long been hypothesized to be the production technique for introducing oxygen to furnaces during the metal casting process on the basis of ethnohistorical depictions of the process in ancient Mesoamerica. To our knowledge, the tuyères recovered at Mayapá n are the first archaeologically documented tuyères for pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The dimensions, internal perforation, vitrification, and presence of copper prills within the ceramic fabric, suggest that they were used in pyrotechnological production, likely metalworking, and is consistent with previous evidence for small-scale metalworking at Mayapá n. Blowpipe use in metallurgical production is a logical extension of a much longer tradition of blowgun use in hunting, which was likely already present in Mesoamerica by the time metal was introduced to West Mexico from South America. Furthermore, the dimensions of the Mayapá n tuyères are consistent with the internal diameter of ethnohistorically-documented blowguns from Jacaltenango in the southwest Maya region. We conducted replication experiments that suggest that when combined with wooden blowpipes, the Mayapá n tuyères would have been ideal for small-scale, furnacebased metallurgy, of the type identified at Mayapá n from Postclassic period contexts.

Metalworking at Mayapan, Yucatan, Mexico: Discoveries From the R-183 Group

“…In addition to imported metal commodities, evidence suggests that Mayapan also had a robust local metalworking industry (Meanwell et al 2013, 2020; Paris 2008, 2021; Paris and Peraza Lope 2013; Paris et al 2018). Metalworking production debris has previously been found in two locations within Mayapan (Paris 2008).…”

“…Evidence of local metalworking at Mayapan also includes the identification of metallurgical ceramics (Meanwell et al 2013, 2020; Paris et al 2018). A total of 173 metallurgical ceramics have been recovered at Mayapan to date, including metallurgical molds and mold fragments, small pestles, and ceramic tuyères (ceramic blowpipe tips; Meanwell et al 2013, 2020; Paris et al 2018). The ceramic artifacts were first identified by Mayapan project ceramicist Wilberth Cruz Alvarado due to their distinctive dark gray paste and high-fired appearance.…”

“…These goods and technologies circulated through commercial networks, which greatly expanded through Mesoamerica during this period and significantly increased the availability of new commodities, raw materials, and high-skill craft technologies (Smith and Berdan 2003). Four Maya political capitals in southeastern Mesoamerica show evidence of substantial local metalworking activity, including Mayapan (Meanwell et al 2013, 2020; Paris 2008, 2021; Paris and Peraza Lope 2013; Paris et al 2018), Lamanai in Belize (Hosler 1994; Simmons 2005; Simmons and Shugar 2013a, 2013b; Simmons et al 2009), Q'umarkaj (Utatlan) in Guatemala (Weeks 1975, 1977, 1983, 2013), and El Coyote in Honduras (Urban et al 2013). These local production spheres imported finished goods, raw materials, and technical knowledge from established production zones in West Mexico, central Mexico, and/or Central America (Hosler 1994; Paris 2008).…”

“…Mayapan was a center of both local metal consumption, allowing a broad spectrum of residents to obtain metal objects, and also local metallurgical production, including remelting and casting activities. The recovery of metal artifacts, production debris, and metallurgical ceramics from a range of spatially dispersed contexts suggests that metalworking activities were likely practiced in a decentralized manner at a number of different production sites (Meanwell et al 2013, 2020; Paris 2008, 2021; Paris and Peraza Lope 2013; Paris et al 2018).…”

Post-Depositional Alteration of Calcium Carbonate Phases in Archaeological Ceramics: Depletion and Redistribution Effects

“…In essence, investigations of ancient materials, specifically ceramics, have expanded their interests from superficial classifications [2][3][4][5][6] and temporal modeling [7][8][9][10] towards behavior models of human-environment interaction and exchange [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] as well as reconstructions of materials engineering in the past [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]. If archaeologists have learned anything over the past century or so of ceramic studies, it is that archaeological ceramic materials are complex, composite materials often with long life histories, and they must be treated as such in order to ascertain meaningful and culturally valuable information.…”