255-2 Geochemical Analysis of Plaza Types of Several Ancient Lowland Maya Sites

See more from this Division: General Discipline Sessions
See more from this Session: Archaeological Geology

Tuesday, 7 October 2008: 1:45 PM
George R. Brown Convention Center, 322AB

Daniel Bair and Richard Terry, Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
Abstract:
Ancient markets are difficult to identify as most utilitarian items and consumables were perishable. Our objective was to use geochemical analyses of extractable phosphorus and metallic residues in soils to distinguish the unique geochemical patterns of market plazas from other types of plazas within the lowland Maya area of Central America. Geochemical techniques in conjunction with locational and archaeological data have provided lines of evidence for ancient Marketplace activities.

See more from this Division: General Discipline Sessions
See more from this Session: Archaeological Geology