La Influencia Del Color Olmeca

Society for American Archaeology
THE COLOR OF INFLUENCE: A PROVENANCE STUDY OF HEMATITE-BASED PAINTS ON

EARLY OLMEC CARVED POTTERY
Author(s): Clarus J. Backes, Jr., David Cheetham and Hector Neff
Source: Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 23, No. 1 (March 2012), pp. 70-92
Published by: Society for American Archaeology
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THE COLOR OF INFLUENCE: A PROVENANCE STUDY OF
HEMATITE-BASED PAINTS ON EARLY OLMEC CARVED POTTERY
Claras J. Backes, Jr., David Cheetham, and Hector Neff
Recent research and debates regarding the origin and spread of Olmec iconography during the Early Forma
tered on provenance and stylistic analyses of carved and incised pottery. Studies by instrumental neutron acti
sis (INAA) have indicated that Gulf Coast-style carved-incised pots were exported extensively from the are
Olmec capital, San Lorenzo , to several other regions of Me soame rica. More recently, excavations at the Pacifi
of Cantn Corralito have shown that carved-incised pottery and other Olmec-style artifacts dominate strata co
with Early Olmec, suggesting the site may represent a settlement enclave of Gulf Olmec peoples. In this study
additional evidence of exchange between the Gulf Olmec and the Pacific Coast region by using laser ablation ti
inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-TOF-ICP-MS) to characterize hematite -based paints o
pottery from Cantn Corralito, and to compare these paints to raw hematite recovered from Cantn Corr
Lorenzo. When examined in combination with sherd provenance data, the LA-TOF-ICP-MS data demonstrat
vessels were decorated in the San Lorenzo region before being exported to the Pacific Coast, and that Gulf Coa
was exported to Cantn Corralito, where it was used to enhance Olmec-style symbolism on locally produce
Recientes investigaciones y debates sobre el origen y la extensin de la iconografa olmeca durante el Forma
se han centrado en los anlisis estilsticos y de procedencia de la cermica tallada y cincelada. Estudios utili
de activacin de neutrones (INAA) han indicado que vasijas talladas-cinceladas en el estilo de la Costa del Golfo f
tadas extensivamente desde el rea de la primera capital olmeca de San Lorenzo a otras regiones de Mesoam
mente, excavaciones en el sitio de Cantn Corralito, ubicado en la costa del Pacfico, han mostrado qu
tallada-cincelada y otros artefactos de estilo olmeca dominan los estratos contemporneos con o olmeca tem
sugiere que el sitio puede representar un posible asentamiento de una poblacin olmeca del Golfo. En este estudi
mos evidencia adicional acerca del intercambio entre los olmecas del Golfo y la regin de la costa del Pacfico, u
troscopia de masas acoplada inductivamente con ablacin laser de tiempo de vuelo (Laser Ablation Time-Of -Flig
Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry - LA-TOF-ICP-MS ), para caracterizar colorantes a base de hematita en
estilo olmeca de Cantn Corralito, y para comparar estos colorantes con hematita sin procesar recuperada d
rralito y San Lorenzo. Cuando los datos de LA-TOF-ICP-MS son examinados junto con informacin de pro
fragmentos, demuestran que las vasijas olmecas fueron decoradas en la regin de San Lorenzo antes de ser e
costa del Pacfico, y que la hematita de la costa del Golfo fue exportada a Cantn Corralito, donde se us p
simbolismo de estilo olmeca en los recipientes localmente producidos.
pottery was unidirectional. Their data showed that

analysis of Early Olmec pottery rekindled carved and incised pots were exported from the
Blomster, old analysisolddebates
debates Neff, of Early
regarding regarding
Formative periodand Olmec Glascock's Formative pottery (2005) rekindled period recent region of the first Olmec capital, San Lorenzo, to
interregional interaction in Mesoamerica. Using numerous areas outside the Gulf Olmec heartland,
instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to yet they saw no evidence of corresponding import
compare raw clay sources to the paste constituents of pottery from those areas into the San Lorenzo
of archaeological ceramics from across Mesoamer- region. Their findings were challenged by Stoltman
ica, they found evidence that trade in Olmec-style et al. (2005) on the basis of flawed sample selec-
Clarus J. Backes, Jr. Sapphos Environmental, Inc., 430 N. Halstead Street, Pasadena, CA 91 107 (cbackes@sapphosen-
vironmental.com)
David Cheetham Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution & Social Change, P.O. Box 872402, Tempe, AZ
85287-2402 (dcheeth@asu.edu)
Hector Neff California State University-Long Beach, Department of Anthropology, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach,
CA 90840-000 1 (hneff @ csulb.edu)
Latin American Antiquity 23(1), 2012, pp. 70-92

Copyright 2012 by the Society for American Archaeology
70
THE COLOR OF INFLUENCE 71
tion and statistical

frommethods, and INAA
San Lorenzo contexts). Furthermore, the deba
ensued in this journal and elsewhere
analysis of the clay pastes comprising these ceram- focu
much on the degree to
ics showed thatwhich the
many of these vessels Olmec
had their ori- inf
cultural development
gins in the throughout the Meso
San Lorenzo area. These findings have
can led Cheetham (2010b) to conclude that Canton and th
region as it did on the methods
ceramic provenance investigation
Corralito (Flannery
functioned as an Olmec colony, perhaps
2005; Neff, Blomster, Glascock, Bishop,
facilitating trade between the Olmec heartland and B
man, Coe, Cowgill, Cyphers,
the Pacific Coast. Diehl, Ho
Joyce, Lipo, and Winter 2006;
In this paper we describe our effortsNeff,
to chemi- Blom
Glascock, Bishop, cally
Blackman, Coe, Cowgill,
characterize hematite, the mineral form of iron
Houston, Joyce, Lipo,
oxide (Fe203), inStark,
order to provide and Winter
additional evi-
Sharer et al. 2006).
dence of exchange between the Gulf Olmec and the
Blomster et al.'s Pacific
(2005) claims
Coast region and to examineare controv
the role that
because they have hematite
direct played inimplications
the spread of Olmec-style for o
debates regarding iconography
the importance of
during the Early Formative. Indeed, a the O
the development of complex society
link clearly exists between hematite and early in Meso
ica. The symbolism present
Olmec on
symbolism, although these
that link is currentlypots ar
represents the first widespread artistic
poorly understood. During their excavations at San st
ideology known Lorenzo,
for Coe Mesoamerica,
and Diehl (1980:166) noted that even
appearing on ceramics, portable
sherds showing Olmec-style art objec
carved and incised
motifs often had hematite rubbedthe
monumental art throughout into their region
excised (D
and Cyphers 2006:33). Blomster et al.
areas after firing, and many of the San Lorenzo-style (2005
incised and carved
contend that "because thisceramics recovered from Can-
iconography ha
linked ton Corralito retain traces of their of
with the dissemination hematite-based
the social,
cal, and religious paint
institutions of the Olme
(Cheetham 20 1 0a). Fragments of raw hematite
lyzing its origin and spread is central to have also been recovered from archaeological con-
understanding the development of complex soci- texts in both Canton Corralito and San Lorenzo. This
ety in Mesoamerica." But while questioning the study uses laser ablation time-of-flight inductively
INAA study, Flannery et al. (2005) maintained that coupled plasma mass spectrometry (TOF-LA-ICP-
no such link has ever been demonstrated, and MS) analysis in combination with recently acquired
argued that the motifs seen in Olmec carved and INAA data to determine whether hematite was (1)
incised pottery were so widespread during the early applied to Gulf Coast vessels before export to Can-
Formative that it is impossible to trace their origin ton Corralito, (2) imported to Canton Corralito in
to a single ethnic group or to associate them with raw form and applied to locally produced vessels,
a specific set of institutions. or (3) quarried in the Canton Corralito region and
Another, more recent study has uncovered addi- applied to either imported or locally produced
tional evidence related to the export of Olmec-style vessels - in short, how hematite was used on
pottery and its associated iconography from the Olmec-style ceramics, and how the origins of
San Lorenzo area. During his excavations of Can- hematite vary among local and imported pottery
ton Corralito, an Early Formative (c. 1600-1000 found in this Pacific Coast site.
B.C.1) site near the Pacific coast in the Soconusco The appearance of chemically identical raw pig-
region of Chiapas, Cheetham found that strata con- ments in both San Lorenzo and Canton Corralito
temporary with Early Olmec were dominated by could be taken as evidence of Gulf Olmec trade,
Gulf Coast-style carved and incised pottery, clay although it would require a correlation between a
figurines, and other Olmec-style artifacts, and that geologic hematite sample and a pigment recovered
these ceramics are stylistically and technically from an archaeological context to determine the
equivalent to ceramics recovered from contempo- place of origin or direction of transport. Several
raneous San Lorenzo (Cheetham 2006a, 2009, hematite outcrops that may have been exploited
2010a, 2010b; see also DiCastro and Cyphers prehistorically occur in the Gulf Coast region (Coe
[2009] for a discussion of common ceramic motifs and Diehl 1980: 16; Ortiz and Rodriguez 2000), but
72 L ATI N AMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol. 23, No. 1 , 201 2
common
so far no sources showing component
evidence ofofprehistoric
soils and sediments,
use have been documented in southeastern coastal hematite often occurs on the landscape in discrete
outcrops, or sources. As with obsidian and other
Chiapas. This suggests that pigments found in Can-
ton Corralito, whether raw or used as the main
raw materials, hematite from specific sources may
ingredient in paints that decorate Olmec-style pot-
have been regularly utilized and traded. In addition,
tery, may have originated in the San Lorenzo area.
paints containing hematite as their main ingredient
are known to have been prepared and applied
This notion will be supported if the hematites on
according to specific recipes (Clottes 1993; Fiore
Olmec-style Canton Corralito pottery are found to
et al. 2008; Goodall et al. 2009; Grden 1996).
match raw pigments from the San Lorenzo region.
Given these assumptions, chemical characteriza-
However, if some or all of the paint on the Olmec-
style pottery shows compositional similarity withtion of hematite-based paints has the potential to
provide important indications of trade, cultural
raw pigment found at Canton Corralito, and this
pigment is distinct from raw pigments from San
transmission of technology, and other types of inter-
regional interaction.
Lorenzo, then the nature of the pottery trade may
be more complex than previously thought: Olmec- The Gulf Olmec made extensive use of
hematite-based paint to decorate their ceramics,
style vessels, including those manufactured at Can-
ton Corralito and those exported to Canton
architecture, and portable art objects (DiCastro
and Cyphers 2099:33; Pool 2007:103), and it is
Corralito from the Gulf Coast, may have been dec-
orated with hematite derived from sources outside likely that the majority of carved and incised ves-
the San Lorenzo area. sels produced during the San Lorenzo phase had
hematite rubbed into their carved areas after fir-
Hematite ing (Cheetham 2006b; Coe and Diehl 1980:166;

DiCastro and Cyphers 2009:33). Because hematite
is common in the Cenozoic sediments and salt
Hematite is rarely found in a pure form archaeo-
logically. The pigment generally found in archae-
domes of the Gulf Coast region (Martnez-Hernn-
ological contexts and used prehistorically asdez
a et al. 2005), we believe it is reasonable to
assume
coloring agent is red ocher, which consists of that most, if not all, of the hematite used
hematite mixed with other minerals. Because nat- by the Gulf Olmec was locally mined. Coe and
urally occurring iron oxide pigments are found in Diehl (1980:16) describe several prehistorically
a wide variety of geologic settings, typical Fe203exploited hematite sources in the San Lorenzo
content of ocher can range from approximately 20area, including red beds and outcrops near Alma-
percent to 85 percent, depending on the sourcegres northwest of San Lorenzo, at El Palotal to the
(Fuller 1988:Table 1). The remaining portion of southwest of Almagres, at San Antonio, located
ocher is made up of silicates and clays that act asbetween Almagres and the Rio Tatagapa, and on
diluents to the hematite, as well as minor and tracethe Cerro Colorado and the Cerro de la Encantada,
elements which may give the hematite a charac-both southwest of San Lorenzo. The iron content
teristic chemical pattern. Despite the tendency forof hematite, limonite, and speculante from these
this widely variable range of accompanying min-sources averages about 30 percent, and in some
erals to introduce "noise" that may obscure its com-cases
is as high as 50 percent (Coe and Diehl
positional profile, hematite is well suited for1980:16).
provenance analysis. Recent studies (e.g., Erland- Hematite was also readily available from out-
son et al. 1999; Popelka-Filcoff et al. 2007) demon- crops atop the El Manat hill, located in the Coatza-
strate that the composition of raw hematite showscoalcos River Basin approximately 10 km east of
the kind of variation described by Weigand et al.'sSan Lorenzo. The site of El Manat consists of a
(1977:24) "Provenience Postulate," which states small hill rising from the swampy terrain, with a
the identification of a mineral source location is natural spring at its base where recent excavations
provide evidence of extensive Early Olmec era rit-
possible if "there exist differences in chemical com-
position between different natural sources that
ual: artifacts recovered from the mud deposits at El
Manat include ceramics, jade axes, beads, rubber
exceed, in some recognizable way, the differences
observed within a given source." Although it isballs,
a anthropomorphic wood busts, and burials
Backes et al.] THE COLOR OF INFLUENCE 73
(Ortiz and Rodrguez 2000).

cation Ortiz
that and
either Rodrgu
the pigmen
(1999:250) describe El Manat
selves were asimported.
a source of re
Alth
analyzed incommunities.
pigment for the surrounding the present stud
Th
believe that the El Manat hematite
non-specular symboliz
variety of he
blood it was asresource
and was an important scarce as the
for spec
local
regional exchange. Pacific Coast during the Ea
came
In contrast, there are no to the region
known through
prehistorically
exploited sources of hematite in the coastal pl
of the Soconusco region, although
In Situ Paint Characterization hematite i
known to occur in Chiapas. Red beds corr
While several recent
sponding to the Todos Santosstudies have succeeded
Formationin a
chemically characterizing
exposed in a long, narrow band raw or geological
bordering th
northeastern edge hematites
of the Chiapas
(e.g., Erlandson massif
et al. 1999; Iriarte et al. (Me
ses-Rocha 2001:192), but these
2009; Popelka-Filcoff deposits
et al. 2007; Popelka-Filcoff ar
located in the highlands
et al. 2008), in approximately
situ provenance analysis of hematite250 k
north of Cantn Corralito.
on ceramics and other Additionally,
artifacts poses a unique set a 19
report published by the Foremost
of challenges. Geological Institute
of these is the need to dis-
Mexico (Salinas 1923:215) briefly
tinguish the compositional refers
patterns to a h
associated with
torical hematite mine located
the hematite under studyin
from the Acacoyah
those of surround-
municipality of Chiapas, approximately
ing materials, whether they were introduced natu- 60 km
northwest of Cantonrally or added during the
Corralito. paint manufacturing
However, the rep
process.
does not provide any As mentioned above, iron
information oxide in geo-
about the m
other than its name, Mina
logic settings El always
is almost Porvenir,
diluted to some so it
unclear whether hematite outcropped
degree by clays or in
other surrounding minerals. that
Fur- a
or was thermore, prehistoric
reached through excavation.paints designed to provide
Beaudry (1989) reviewed
permanent decoration ofsite reports
fired pottery, stone, bone, and
ceramic collections to and
wood, investigate the
other materials were often use
composed of of sp
ular hematite pigment
a number along
of componentsthe Pacific
in addition to the pigmentCoast
Chiapas and itself. These
Guatemala from could include
the a binder,
Earlyconsisting of
Format
through clay or an organic material
the Late Postclassic. such as vegetable
Specular oil,
hematite
rarely seen on Pacific
animal Coast
fat, blood, or vessels
egg yolk, which until the M
acted as a fix-
dle and Late Classicative
periods, when
to hold the color to it appears
the painted surface; and a
several different vehicle, either
types of water or another fluid element
ceramics in the
(e.g., Patu
and Tiquisate) that paint that
were allowed it todistributed
widely be handled and applied eas-
throug
ily (Chalmin et al.
out the region (Beaudry 2003; Clottes 1993; Grden
1989:206). Althou
Beaudry describes occurrences
1996). It is almost certain that these of
kinds ofspecula
addi-
hematite tives are components
paint on Early Formative of the paints analyzed
Barra in thisand O
phase pottery fromstudy. During exploratory
Pacific Coastal analyses involving
Chiapas, the Cl
and Cheetham (2005) argued
application that
of raw hematite these
to ceramic vessel
test tiles, we
were actually found that
decorated withhematite
aalone
thinadheresslip
poorly to
offiredleviga
red clay; although the
clay, and clay probably
must be combined received
with a binder and vehi-
color through an cle ifoxide
iron is to remaincomponent,
in place for any period ofthey
time. det
mined that the slip Thereforemade
was any study, including
specular this one, that
by seeks
the ad
tion of mica prior to tofiring.
use patterning of major, minor, and or
Whether trace element
not specu
hematite was concentrations to discriminate
used during the Barra, hematite sourcesLocona, a
Ocs phases, Beaudry is correct
must consider in her
the presence of surrounding argume
miner-
als not associated
that the alluvial nature of the with the Pacific
iron oxide as well coastal
as pla
made the natural occurrence of paint
materials introduced during specular
preparation. hema
unlikely, and therefore Chemical
the analysis of paint on potsherds,of
appearance par- this p
ment on any ceramics ticularly
found those excavated
in the from acidic
region soils, is also
is an in
74 LATIN AMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol. 23, No. 1, 2012
made difficult by the fact that

Mazatn area, alongpaint may
with formal have
ceremonial archi-
tecture (Pool
weathered to the point where it2007:186).
remains During only
this period
aslocal
a
thin film on the surface populations
of the appearsherd,to haveor as organized
become minute into
amounts trapped in cracks or depressions
an interlocked in
network of simple a ves-
chiefdoms, each
sel's surface. This is often based
the incase with
a central villagesherds
holding at that
least one elite
have been painted after residence
firing, on an elevatedas
such platform.
the The largest of
carved
and incised sherds recovered from both San these villages appears to have been Paso de la
Lorenzo and Canton Corralito. Paints that haveAmada, which contained an 80-meter long ball-
court, the earliest known in Mesoamerica (Clark
been applied after firing are generally more chal-
lenging to analyze than paints applied prior to and
fir- Pye 2000:23 1 ; Hill et al. 1998). The Ocs phase
(1350-1250 B.C.) saw the refinement of a two-
ing. Heat bonds the paint firmly to the vessel's
surface, and may cause hardening through sinter-
tiered settlement hierarchy as populations contin-
ued to aggregate into large villages (Blake et al.
ing if the hematite is mixed with clay, but post-fire
1995:173; Clark and Pye 2000:232).
paints are held to the ceramic only by the binder
and therefore tend to be relatively friable and proneThe Cherla phase (1250 - 1 150 B.C.) marks the
to deterioration. This is especially evident in beginning
San of Gulf Olmec influence in the Mazatn
Lorenzo phase ceramics, which are often so eroded
region. Probably not coincidentally, changes in arti-
fact distribution and architecture at Paso de la
that even the slightest trace of paint is absent. For-
Amada provide evidence of increasing economic
tunately the pottery at Canton Corralito has fared
somewhat better in the less-acidic soil of the Pacific
inequality triggered by "a new ideological synthe-
Coast, and several specimens were recovered thatsis [that] effectively legitimized economic control
by an emergent elite class" (Lesure and Blake
retained enough paint for analysis. Nevertheless,
2002:20). Clear evidence of significant trade con-
the surficial and often fugitive nature of post-fire
paints precludes the use of bulk characterization
tacts between the Gulf Coast and Mazatn regions
techniques such as INAA (instrumental neutron can be seen: imports from the Gulf Coast include
fine-paste
activation analysis), and necessitates the use of a ceramic vessels and clay figurines
microprobe technique, such as energy-dispersive(Cheetham 2010b), while exotic goods from
Guatemala, including obsidian from the highlands
and wavelength-dispersive spectrometers on a scan-
ning electron microscope, or mass spectrometry and jade from the Motagua Valley, apparently
passed through Mazatn on the way back to the
coupled with laser sampling, for analysis of paint
independent of the underlying ceramic. Gulf. Clark and Pye (2000:234) hypothesize that
Mazatn began to export cacao during this period,
and cacao residues have been detected on slightly
Archaeological Background
earlier vessels from both El Manat and Paso de la
Amada (Powis et al. 2008). The Mokaya made
The Mazatn region is a mosaic of forests, swamps,
and coastal vegetation located along the Pacific
copies of black-and-white Olmec style pottery
coast of Chiapas, approximately 300 miles south
locally, but with the imports generally distinguish-
of the Olmec heartland (Figure 1). Throughout able
the by their relatively thin wall thickness and finer,
Initial Early Formative period the Mazatn zoneash-tempered paste. Chemical analysis indicates
was inhabited by the "Mokaya" a group, like that
the significant quantities of these pots were
imported from San Lorenzo during the Cherla
Olmecs, that is thought to have spoken an ances-
tral Mixe-Zoquean language (Campbell and Kauf- phase (see Cheetham 2010b).
man 1976; Clark and Blake 1989; Pool 2007: 183). The Cuadros phase corresponds with the peak
The Mokaya created some of Mesoamerica's ear- of Early Olmec influence on the Pacific Coast, and
is visible in the archaeological record as "a nearly
liest ceramics, which appear during the Barra phase
(1600-1425 B.C.) and are notable for their highfull conversion of local artifacts to Olmec norms"
quality of manufacture and elaborate decoration(Clark and Pye 2000:234). The Cuadros phase saw
the abandonment of Paso de la Amada and other
(Blake et al. 1995:167). During the subsequent
Locona phase (1425-1350 B.C.) the earliest rank
key villages, and Clark (2007:21) has suggested
society known in Mesoamerica appeared in the that during this period independent chiefdoms in
Figure 1. Map of the Mazatan region of Pacific Coastal
theregion integratedpopulation
under of perhaps a 750-1,000
newpersons. center, Can
Corralito. Located along
Cheetham has the
found thatCoatn River
a marked increase in Early in t
Mazatan zone, Canton Corralito
Olmec-style artifacts occurred was
during thisinitially
period. oc
pied during the Late Archaic
His excavations period
in 2004 yielded over 5,000 (ca.
Olmec- 2300-1
style items, including
B.C.). At its peak during the vessels, figurines, roller
Cuadros phase, C
ton Corralito was at least 25 ha in size and had a stamps, ceramic spatulas/spoons, and objects of
Figure 2. Examples of Calzadas Carved pottery recovered from

DCC238; (d) DCC256; (e) DCC332.
personal adornment such as earspools (Cheetham Ceramic I^pes

2010a). The ceramic assemblage includes common
utilitarian pottery as well as decorated types con-
Calzadas Carved (Figure 2) and Limn Incised
(Figure 3) are the ceramic marker types defined by
sidered diagnostic of the San Lorenzo phase
(1 150-900 B.C.) at San Lorenzo; in all, over 1,000Coe and Diehl (1980) for the San Lorenzo phase,
Calzadas Carved sherds and over 3,700 Limn which corresponds to the period of greatest cultural
Incised sherds were found. Over 1,250 figurine elaboration at San Lorenzo. These types are also
fragments were also recovered, the majority of prevalent in Cuadros phase contexts at Canton Cor-
ralito, where Cheetham (Cheetham 2010a) has
which are nearly identical to Olmec examples from
found them to be indistinguishable from their San
the Gulf Coast (Cheetham 2009). The strong sim-
Lorenzo counterparts in terms of form, technical
ilarities between Olmec-style pottery from Canton
Corralito and San Lorenzo, along with the clear style of manufacture (i.e., metric parameters such
as wall thickness, rim diameter, vessel height, and
transition from indigenous Mokaya assemblages to
Olmec assemblages, have led Cheetham to suggest
so on), and decoration. Both types are composed
largely of bolstered or direct rim serving vessels
that Canton Corralito was colonized by the Gulf
Olmec during the Cuadros phase (Cheetham 2006a,
that were slipped in black, white, or black-and-
2010a, 2010b). white, although some are unslipped. All have exte-
rior designs that were carved before firing, when
Figure 3. Examples of Limn Incised pottery recover

(d) DCC073; (e) DCC089.
the clay was in the leather-hard stage of drying. weakly slipped in red, and were incised through the
These carved and incised design elements, which slip or sometimes decorated with false rocker
include a number of distinctive abstract motifs that stamping before firing. La Mina White vessels were
may represent supernatural creatures or parts of made of orange to tan paste and were thinly slipped
creatures, are hallmarks of Early Olmec iconogra- in white, and were otherwise generally undeco-
phy - Coe and Diehl ( 1 980: 1 59) describe Calzadas rated. La Mina White "paint dishes" often con-
Carved as "100 percent Olmec, in the sense that it tained traces of hematite in their interiors, and may
has been decorated with motifs and in a style long have been used to hold paint (Coe and Diehl 1980).
identified as Olmec." Although the surfaces of Recent INAA analysis of clays from San
carved and incised vessels recovered from San Lorenzo-style carved and incised vessels, figurines,
and other ceramics recovered from Canton Co-
Lorenzo were particularly eroded (Coe and Diehl
1980:162), it is apparent that the majority ofrralito
ves- has demonstrated that many of these artifacts
sels of this type from both coasts had hematite
originated in the Gulf Coast area, thus bolstering
rubbed into their excised areas. both Cheetham's (2006a, 2009, 2010a, 2010b; see
Other Early Olmec ceramic types recovered also Pool 2007:192) hypothesis of Gulf Olmec
from Canton Corralito and analyzed during the pre-colonialism and Blomster et al.'s (2005) assertions
sent study include Tatagapa Red and La Minaof one-way trade of ceramics out of San Lorenzo
White. Tatagapa Red vessels have an exterior(Neff and Glascock 2007). For Cheetham's (20 1 0b)
study, the ceramic pastes ing

ofhis 565
2004 field season (Table
Cherla and 1). These sherds,
Cuadros
phase ceramic fragments, which
all from include
vessels, utensils, the
figurines, sherds
or other ceramic
objects manufactured
decorated with the paint that we describe in a Gulf Olmec technolog-
here, were
chemically characterized ical
and stylecompared
or decorated with to
Olmec iconography,
the over
were chosenand
1,100 Early Formative sherds for TOF-LA-ICP-MS
raw clay analysis
sam-
because
ples previously analyzed in they contained visiblewith
conjunction traces of red paint
Blom-
ster et al.'s (2005) study. While
on their exteriors. the pastes
In some cases the paint of
formed 79
percent of the Canton Corralito specimens
a thick, intact coating on the surface of the were
artifact.
unambiguously assignedHowever,
to compositional
on most of the sherds the paintgroups
had almost
that had been previously completely
defined weathered byaway, and was visible
INAA only
analy-
in pores
ses of raw clays from the and depressions
Mazatn andof theGulf
sherd's surface
Coast
when examined
regions, almost 10 percent showed with a lOx hand lens.
membership in
the Gulf Coast-derived San
MostLorenzo Gray
of the paints analyzed and
for this studySan
were
on Cuadros
Lorenzo White paste groups. Lessphase than
carved-incised
two bolstered or direct
percent
of the Canton Corralito rim
assemblage
serving vessels, including
was34assigned
Calzadas Carved
and 27 Limn
to an additional compositional Incised specimens.
group, Paste Other Cuadros
Group
1, which had not been recognized
phase paints include 1in
1 on the previous
zone-decorated Tatagapa
INAA analysis. The originRed, one onof Paste
fine-paste La MinaGroup
White, one on1 a
remains a point of contention, even
ceramic spatula handle, among
and one the
on a figurine frag-
authors of this article. Neff and
ment. Cherla Glascock
phase paint (2007)
samples include one from
note that this group shows some
a gray-black fine pastecompositional
sherd, four from direct rim
vessels, and twofrom
similarity to ceramics recovered from earspool
El fragments.
Cerrito, a
INAA analysis
site located in the Acapetahua Estuary had previously
zonebeen performed
approx-
on the ceramic
imately 25 km from Canton paste of all of
Corralito, the artifacts
and suggest whose
it may be composed of imports
paint was analyzed
from in this neighboring
study. Of the 82 painted
areas to the northwest of Mazatn.
sherds, However,
68 were unambiguously assigned to a
com-
positional
recent ptrographie analysis of groups, including
several 60 to Lorenzo
San the Mazatn
group, seven
and Canton Corralito sherds that to the San Lorenzo Gray
included group, and
a Group
1 specimen showed thatone to Paste Group
while Group1. Thirteen
1 is specimens
miner-were
unassigned,
alogically distinct, it shares but of these
specific 1 1 were likelywith
minerals derived
from Mazatn
the San Lorenzo paste groups, and and two were likely derived
Cheetham etfrom
al.
San Lorenzo.
(2009) believe it may originate INAA data
from were Gulf
the unavailable for
Coast.
one percent
Finally, approximately 10 specimen. (n = 57) of the
Twenty-two
Canton Corralito specimens were raw pigment samples
labeled were also
as "unas-
analyzed
signed" but are considered likely by members
TOF-LA-ICP-MSof
(Table 2). Eight
either
Mazatn or San Lorenzo.specimens
Generally were found these
by Cheethamsamples
during exca-
vations at Canton
showed strong compositional Corralito: three to
similarity fromone
Cherla of
phase contexts outside
the two groups, yet fell slightly and five fromthe Cuadros phase con-
proba-
bility cutoff necessary texts.
for Thirteen 13 pigment specimens
unambiguous are from
group
San Lorenzo;
membership. In some cases, these were were
ceramics excavatedunas-
by Coe and
signed because they showed high
Diehl in the probabilities
1960s and of
are currently curated at the
membership in both the Peabody Museum of Natural
San Lorenzo Gray History,
andYaleSan Uni-
versity. The
Lorenzo White compositional San Lorenzo
groups. raw pigments
Despite include
their
onespecimens
unassigned status, these Ojochi phase (1500-1350
areB.C.), two Chicha-
clearly
derived from the San Lorenzo area.
rras phase (1250-1 150 B.C.), and 10 San Lorenzo
phase (1150-900 B.C.). The raw pigments from
both Canton Corralito and San Lorenzo had been
Painted Sherd and Raw Pigment Samples
found in a variety of forms: as powder or chunks
David Cheetham recovered the 82 painted sherdsin soil, as loose fragments, or adhering to the bot-
analyzed for this study from Canton Corralito dur-tom of vessels. Two specimens, one from Canton
Table 1. Painted Ceramic Samples Analyzed b
ID
DCC004 Cuadros Spatula handle Mazatn

DCC007 Cuadros Limn Incised Mazatn
DCC022 Cuadros Limn Incised San Lorenzo Gray
DCC024 Cuadros Limn Incised Unassigned, likely Mazatn
DCC07 1 Cuadros Limn Incised Mazatn
DCC099 Cuadros Limn Incised Unassigned, likely San Lorenzo
DCC 100 Cuadros Limn Incised Mazatn
DCC 114 Cuadros Limn Incised Unassigned, likely Mazatn
DCC 1 35 Cuadros Limn Incised Mazatn
DCC 198 Cuadros Limn Incised San Lorenzo Gray
DCC209 Cuadros Calzadas Carved Mazatn
DCC220 Cuadros Calzadas Carved Unassigned, likely Mazatn
DCC240 Cuadros Calzadas Carved San Lorenzo Gray
DCC398
Table 1 (continued). Painted Ceramic Samples Analyzed by L
ID

DCC420 Cuadros Calzadas Carved Unassigned, likely San Lorenzo
DCC427 Cherla Direct rim jar Mazatn
DCC441 Cherla Direct rim modeled vessel Mazatn
DCC444 Cherla Direct rim vessel Mazatn
DCC446 Cherla Direct rim vessel Mazatn
DCC455 Cuadros Figurine Mazatn
DCC523 Cherla Gray-black fine paste San Lorenzo Gray
DCC525 Cuadros La Mina White Group 1
DCC529 Cuadros Tatagapa Red Mazatn
DCC531 Cuadros Tatagapa Red Missing data
DCC54 1 Cuadros Tatagapa Red Mazatn
DCC555 Cherla Earspool Unassigned, likely Mazatn
DCC559 Cherla Earspool Unassigned, likely Mazatn
DCP13 Cuadros Limn Incised Mazatn
PCP 14
Table 2. Raw
Corralito
by LA-TOF
(DCP19),
pressed i
ID
DCP01 Cantn Corralito Cuadros

hematite
DCP02 Cantn Corralito Cherla outcrop at
DCP03 Cantn Corralito Cuadros ciano Ort
DCP04 Cantn Corralito Cuadros history o
DCP05 Cantn Corralito Cherla
raw hema
mative pe
DCP08 Cantn Corralito Cherla
DCP19 San Lorenzo Chicharras
Analyt
DCP21 San Lorenzo Chicharras
DCP22 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo
The 82 pai
ples were
DCP27 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo Time of F
DCP29 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo laser ablat
DCP30 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo Research
DCP3 1 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo
(IIRMES)
Beach. Th
DCP34 San Lorenzo Ojochi ter used in
DCP35 San Lorenzo San Lorenzo analyzing
DCP36 with mic
ICP-MS co
a periodtime, and We analyzed

ofthus the require
painted ceramic and a rawrelativel
lengthy and ablation
data
hematite samples acquisition period, TO
for a total of 44 major and minor
elements. and
instruments accelerate Five certified and/or characterizedentire
separate refer- grou
of ions (an ion ence materials
"packet") by (SRM 610,different
the SRM 612, SRM 614, times io
of different masses Glass Buttes obsidian
require toand Ohio Red clay)
reach the weredetecto
This allows accurate results to be obtained from a ablated during the same runs and under the same
minimal amount of sample material; the GBC Opti-
conditions as those applied to the painted sherds and
mass used in this study collects 30,000 readings ofpigment samples. We then calibrated the raw count
the entire mass spectrum per second with greaterdata from pigments to those of the five standards
than 1-amu resolution. Detection limits are in the using the approach suggested by Gratuze (1999;
sub-ppm range for most analytes. Gratuze et al. 2001). This method involves stan-
Preparation of the painted ceramic and raw dardizing blank-subtracted raw counts of each ele-
hematite samples, which were typically betweenment to the counts of a single element, in this case
.3 cm and 1 cm in diameter, consisted only of aluminum, which functions as an internal standard.
mounting them to glass microscope slides withFollowing calibration we calculated individual ele-
museum wax. To avoid removing the tracement concentrations, which yielded parts-per-mil-
amounts of paint, the sherds were not cleanedlion (ppm) data for all 44 elements measured.
before analysis. Instead, pre-ablation consisting
of an initial, low-power pass of the laser across the Quantitative Methods
sample removed surface contamination before data
were collected. Prior to the identification of compositional sub-
Paint on the majority of the ceramic samples wasgroups it was necessary to address the possibility
clearly visible only under the high-magnification that minerals other than the hematite under study
video camera of the laser ablation system, so abla-had inadvertently been analyzed by the LA-ICP-
tion required programming the laser to steer
MS. The initial step involved an exploratory analy-
through pigmented areas and between areas ofsis of the data to determine which elements
exposed ceramic matrix. Isolating trace amounts of appeared to be associated with iron - we assumed
paint from the underlying ceramic was also made that these were related to the origin of the iron
easier by acquiring data in time-resolved mode, so oxide under study, and therefore part of the
that data were collected continually as the laser hematite's chemical signature (Popelka-Filcoff et
al. 2007). Likewise, we assumed that elements not
scanned over a series of samples and reference stan-
associated with iron were related to diluents to the
dards, and the raw count data peaks corresponding
to the times when the laser was ablating the areasiron oxide, such as minerals that were naturally
mixed with hematite in geologic contexts or clays
of highest paint density were manually extracted
used as pigment binders. A preliminary principal
from the resulting data set. Five replicate analyses,
or five distinct ablation runs on separate but adja-components analysis and a two-tailed Pearson's
correlation test applied to the ppm data for all 44
cent areas of paint, were performed on each sam-
measured elements showed that ten elements,
ple, and the signal intensities resulting from the five
including Na, Al, Si, K, Ca, Zn, Rb, Nb, Cs, and
replicates were averaged for each specimen. We
found that this process of individually inspecting
Ba, occurred in varying concentrations from sam-
and extracting peaks from the data set provided ple
a to sample but were all negatively correlated
measure of quality control over the laser ablation with iron within the 95 percent confidence inter-
process - in some cases one or more replicates in val. Because these 10 elements were assumed not
a five-replicate run resulted in clearly anomalous to be components of the hematite's chemical sig-
natures, they were not used during subsequent data
data, which could usually be seen as a low iron sig-
nal accompanied by high silicon and aluminumanalyses. Iron and the remaining 33 elements were
signals. This was an indication that the laser had considered potential contributors to the chemical
ablated through the pigment to the underlying signatures that are related to the geological origins
ceramic, so these replicates were excluded fromof the various iron oxides, and therefore were used
raw count averages. to determine possible source-related subgroups.
ments were made,

The second measure designed the groupings were evaluated
to distinguish theby
canonical discriminant
hematite's chemical signatures from analysis"noise" (CDA) and Maha-
intro-
lanobis distance calculations.
duced by clays and other minerals involved per- CDA determines a
series of functions
forming subsequent statistical analysesthat bestusing
separate members
ratios of
predefinedto
of the remaining 33 elements groups in multivariate
iron, rather space.than
In much
the same way as PCA,
by using ppm data as is customary inCDA functions
many are exam-
prove-
nance investigations. Standardizing ppm
ined in pairs on scatterplots, concen-
and subgroups appear
trations to iron addresses as
thecloudswide variation
of high point in iron
density. In addition to allow-
ing group
levels among raw hematite memberships
and paint to by
be evaluated,
treatingCDA can
iron concentration as a project
dilution
unassignedfactor,
specimens intothereby
the canonical
allowing more accurate discriminant
comparisons of
space in order to concen-
examine their rela-
trations of the minor and tionship
trace to elements that make
hypothesized subgroups. Mahalanobis
distance calculations
up the hematite's signature (Popelka-Filcoff were used to test the mem-
et al.
2007; Popelka-Filcoff et bership of subgroups
al. 2008). on a case-by-case
Finally, all Fe-basis.
Mahalanobis
ratio data were transformed to distance
log- is a10
multivariate
ratio generaliza-
data.
This not only minimizes tion
the of standardized
effect of univariate distance, which
widely-dif-
incorporates information
fering elemental concentrations, but can on group variance-covari-
also aid in
ance structure to that
correcting skewed distributions assign group
canmembership
result of indi-
if
detection limits of an analytical technique
vidual samples. For this study, which hadhave
a small
abbreviated the lower portion of an element's
sample size and correspondingly small group sizes,
PCA and/or CDA
observed concentration range (Neff 2002).scores were used as variables
when performing Mahalanobis calculations on
Subgroup Identification and Evaluation
hypothesized subgroups. Reducing dimensionality
Because this study seeks to provide
in this way increases evidence
the specimen-to- of
variate ratio,
thus enhancing reliability
hematite sources and exchange independent of the of the Mahalanobis-dis-
movement of ceramics andtance calculations.
other artifacts, non-
compositional data such as archaeological context
or stylistic attributes were not used
Results as sources of
information for developing initial hypotheses
about source-related subgroups. Instead,
Fe-ratio data were we
generated for the relied
82 samples of
solely on compositional hematite on Canton Corralito ceramics and 22 tech-
pattern-recognition raw
hematite samples from
niques as a starting point for grouping samples. Canton Corralito and San
Lorenzo. Principal
Principal components analysis (PCcomponents
A) is a were then calcu-
pattern-
lated from
recognition technique that usesthe variance-covariance
a series of matrix of the
mathe-
log-transformed Fe-ratio
matical operations on the data matrix to compress data; the first six princi-
multivariate data into a smaller number of vari- pal components were found to account for approx-
ables, or principal components, which can then beimately 80 percent of the cumulative variance in the
examined readily as bivariate plots. The PCA datadata set (Table 3). Figure 4, a biplot of the first and
presented below were derived from the variance- second principal components, shows that raw pig-
covariance matrix of the Fe-ratio dataset, and ments clearly differentiate from paints on pottery
include the results of simultaneous RQ-mode fac-along the first principal component, with raw pig-
tor analysis. This method gives factor scores forments generally having lower scores than painted
the variables in addition to principal component sherds; in addition, the original variables (elemen-
scores for the cases, so when plotted along with tal Fe-ratios) all have consistently positive loadings
the PCA scores these factor scores graphically on that component (Table 4). This suggests that the
illustrate the relative importance of the various ele-discarding of elements negatively correlated to iron
ments to the overall compositional structure in the was not sufficient to completely correct the effects
data (Neff 1994). of dilution of the hematite - additional variation
Once the samples were projected into the prin- related to dilution is found in the first principal com-
cipal components space and tentative group assign- ponent, with higher scores resulting from an over-
Table 3. Eigenvalues and Percentage of Variance E
PC
1 4.2633 55.0753 55.0753

2 .6443 8.3235 63.3987
3 .4648 6.0041 69.4028
4 .2953 3.8154 73.2182
5 .2721 3.5151 76.7333
6 .2452 3.1683 79.9016
7 .2028 2.6204 82.5220
8 .1861 2.4047 84.9267
9 .1451 1.8740 86.8007
10 .1292 1.6688 88.4695
11 .1265 1.6345 90.1040
12 .0954 1.2322 91.3362
13 .0822 1.0625 92.3987
14 .0763 .9853 93.3840
15
all The
inc
int
iron. B
the
amoun
com
variat
hemat
larg
identif
thr
Figure
10-logg
represe
Table 4. Scaled Factor Loading Matrix for First Six Princi
Variable
Mg .3715 .0926 .0962 -.0785 .1619 -.0191

Sc .3534 .0812 .0771 .0434 .0892 -.0437
Ti .3083 -.1797 .3592 -.0042 .1311 -.0216
V .2753 .2086 .0388 .0606 -.0019 -.0646
Cr .3052 .0899 .0971 -.0665 .0125 -.0597
Mn .3681 .4456 -.1779 -.0068 .1087 -.2078
Ni .1733 .0492 .0391 -.1134 -.0515 -.0311
Cu .1895 -.0017 .1947 -.2501 -.1855 -.0550
As .2332 .2622 -.0765 .0769 -.0405 .0752
Sr .3274 .0164 -.0383 -.1450 .1265 .0710
Y .3992 -.1199 -.0698 .0479 -.0903 -.0325
Zr .3904 -.0617 .1436 .0608 .0437 -.0488
Sn .2821 .0783 .0950 -.2479 -.1070 .0736
Sb .2859 .2988 .1395 .1712 -.1544 .2879
La .3736 -.1240 -.0941 -.0541 .0162 .0968
Ce .3671 .0387 -.2007 -.1333 .1012 .0851
Pr .3868 -.0850 -.1213 -.0686 .0414 .0982
Nd .3888 -.0975 -.1279 -.0323 .0382 .1260
Sm .4110 -.0915 -.0821 -.0104 .0023 .0244
Eu .4279 -.0559 -.0575 -.0460 -.0135 -.0155
Gd .4493 -.0495 -.0850 .0042 -.0365 .0498
Tb .4722 -.0559 .0126 .0679 .0282 .0080
Dy .4197 -.0847 -.0760 .0613 -.0962 -.1186
Ho .3957 -.1114 -.0582 .0714 -.0694 -.0378
Er .3951 -.1375 -.0315 .0581 -.1038 -.0318
Tm .3362 -.0541 -.0189 .0687 -.1819 -.1139
Yb .3702 -.1052 -.0418 .0953 .0793 .0336
Lu .4592 -.0053 -.1004 -.0289 -.1015 -.0839
Hf .4129 -.0553 .1673 .0920 .0461 -.0205
Ta .3584 -.0019 .0793 .0775 .0764 .0002
Pb .2646 .2125 .1090 .0074 -.0318 .0342
Th .3849 -.0479 .0636 .0505 .0768 .0154
U
to
inated th
f
ingo
scores t
6) most
shows
The
vanadium
spec
creating
sam
while el
particu
Lore
from El Manat.
neodym
Group 2 has only four members: three painted
Group 5
of sherds
Grouand one raw pigment. The sherds, all
TheCuadros phase, includemem
one Limn Incised, one
areCalzadas Carved,
sum and one Tatagapa Red. INAA
has shown membership in the Mazatninc
bers, paste group
ments.
for two of the sherds; the third sherd's paste is unas-
andsigned but may also link incto a Mazatn source. The
andraw pigment was recoveredthr from a Cherla phase
context at Canton Corralito. Thisshe
total pigment was
Mazatn
found mixed in soil, and is notable because it is gray
Figure 5. Variance-covariance matrix bivariate plot of

ratio data from 33 elements. Crosses are unassigned sp
group membership.
in color and has veryand

lowthe other
iron members
content, of
suggesti
that the iron oxide was heavily
tightly diluted with
in multivariate cl
spac
Despite this dilution, Group 3 iscomponents
principal the largest ana
sub
sis using Fe-ratio data show
bers, that the
including 33raw pigm
painted s
Table 5. Summary of TOF-LA-ICP-MS Pigment Clas

and Raw Pigment Provenience.
LA-TOF-ICP-MS Pigment Gro
Painted Sher
Mazatn 10 2 25 11 13
Gulf Coast 2 2 2 1
Likely Mazatn 3 13 3
Likely Gulf Coast 2
Group 1 1
Missing INAA Data 1
Raw Pigments by Provenience

Cantn Corralito 12 1 4
San Lorenzo 8 3 1 1
El Manat 1
Total
86 LATI N AMERICAN ANTIQUITY [Vol. 23, No. 1 , 201 2
Figure 6. Variance-covariance matrix biplot of principal components

base-10-logged Fe-ratio data from 33 elements. Ellipses represent 90 pe
The radial lines represent the relative contributions of individual elem
13 Calzadas
ments. The sherds come from Carved,
a variety three Limn I
of ceramic
types: 1 1 Limn Incised,La MinaCalzadas
nine White. Of the 17 total sherds
Carved,
four Tatagapa Red, four Cherla
assignedphase vessels,
by INAA one Mazatn pa
to the
gray-black fine paste, one
haveblack
beenpaste, one to
assigned bol-
the San Lore
stered rim dish, one spatula
group,
handle,
and one
and has
one been
fig- assigned
urine. With the exception1 of a single
. The unassigned
remaining three sherds are
outlier, the four Cherla vessels
INAA, included
but arein this likely
most sub- derived f
clay
group comprise all of Cherla source.
phase One raw
painted pigment was r
ceram-
ics analyzed in this study. INAA
a Cuadros paste
phase groupat Canton C
context
the other
assignments for the 33 ceramic is a include
artifacts Chicharras
25 phase sa
to the Mazatn group andLorenzo.
two to the San5,
Group Lorenzo
with four membe
Gray group. Five specimens
fromwere
the unassigned by
other compositional grou
INAA, although three showcomposed
possibleentirely of Cuadros an
membership
raw
in the Mazatn paste group pigment
and two showsamples from Canto
possible
painted
membership in the San Lorenzo sherds
Gray aregroup.
paste included in Gro
Theone
INAA data are unavailable for five hypothesized
sherd. Group 3 composit
raw pigment samples include
weretwo recovered
evaluated from
through CDA using l
Fe-ratio data of allphase
Canton Corralito (one Cuadros 33 elements as variables.
and oneThe
Cherla phase) and three from San Lorenzo.
resulting bivariate plot of the first two functions
Group 4 has 19 members, showsincluding
that there is clear17 painted
separation of subgroups at
sherds and two raw pigments.
the 90 percent
The confidence
sherds level (Figure
include 7). Exam-
Figure 7. Bivariate plot of canonical discriminant fun

represent 90 percent confidence interval for group m
ination of discriminant function coefficients indi-

have been assigned to one of those larger groups.
cated that Fe-ratios of Pr, Nd, Sb, Y, As, and Mn These calculations showed less than one percent
contributed most to group separation. probability that any members of Group 2 and
Finally, we conducted a posterior classifica- Group 5 should have been assigned membership
tion of Groups 1,3, and 4 using Mahalanobis dis- in Groups 1, 3, or 4.
tances calculated with canonical discriminant Fifteen of the samples analyzed, including 14
functions 1 through 4 as variables. This analysispainted sherds and one raw pigment from San
confirmed membership for specimens assigned Lorenzo, were left unassigned. Eleven of these are
to these three subgroups - all specimensspecimens were that fail to show a significant probabil-
found to exceed the one percent probabilityity cut-
of group membership in Groups 1, 3, or 4, and
off for group membership, and many showed fail to fall within the 90 percent confidence level
probabilities in excess of 10 percent. One painted
for Group 2 or Group 5 on PC A or CDA bivariate
sherd (DCC250) showed a high probability of Mahalanobis distance calculation for unas-
plots.
membership in both Group 3 and Group 4;signed this specimens suggested group memberships
specimen was maintained as a member of Group (probabilities >1 percent) for four painted sherds
(DCC007, DCC257, DCC419, and DCC421) and
4 because it clusters with that subgroup in bivari-
one raw pigment specimen (DCP29, recovered
ate plots. The small sizes of Group 2 and Group
5 precluded their analysis through Mahalanobis
from San Lorenzo). However, these were left unas-
distance calculation, but the members of these
signed because they broadened the groups to which
groups were projected against the Groups they
1,3, might be assigned, thus attenuating the over-
all discrimination.
and 4 to rule out the possibility that they should
Discussion arte et al. 2009; Popelka-Filcoff et al. 2007;

Popelka-Filcoff et al. 2008), these findings strongly
TOF-LA-ICP-MS analysis of the paint on ceram-
suggest that El Manat was the source of the
ics and raw pigments resulted in the identification
hematite in the Group 1 paints and pigments. Evi-
of five compositional groups. Three of these groups
dence for pigment exchange independent of
include sherds that are proven through INAA to
ceramic exchange is bolstered by Group 1 's INAA
have been manufactured in the Gulf Coast and in
paste data, which show that of the 15 sherds
Mazatn; of these, one group (Group 1) includes included in the group, 10 are made of paste derived
raw pigments that were recovered from the San from Mazatn sources, three are likely Mazatn
Lorenzo region, while the other two (Groups 3 and
paste, and two show unambiguous membership in
4) include chemically identical raw pigments the San Lorenzo Gray compositional group. In
recovered from both San Lorenzo and Canton Cor-
short, a comparison of TOF-LA-ICP-MS data with
ralito. Given that several prehistorically exploitedINAA data shows that at least two-thirds of the
hematite sources have been noted in the San
ceramics that comprise Group 1 were manufac-
Lorenzo area, but none are known in the vicinity
tured in the Mazatn region, yet were decorated
of Canton Corralito, we believe these three com-
with hematite that originated in the Gulf Coast
positional groups can best be explained as region,
evi- and was likely from the El Manat source.
dence of export: Olmec vessels were being
The remaining Group 1 ceramics were manufac-
decorated as well as manufactured in San Lorenzo
tured (and probably decorated) at San Lorenzo
for export to the Pacific Coast, and Gulf Coast
before being exported to the Mazatn region.
hematite was exported to Canton Corralito, where
Group 3, the largest group, shows the most evi-
it was used to decorate locally produced Olmec-
dence of consistency in hematite use over time.
style vessels. The remaining two compositionalGroup 3 is the only group containing painted
groups (Groups 2 and 5) are composed of sherds from both the Cherla and Cuadros phases
hematites that were recovered from Canton Cor-
at Canton Corralito - in fact, all of the Cherla phase
ralito or found in paints on ceramics manufactured
painted ceramics analyzed in this study, with the
in the vicinity of that site. These may represent pre-
exception of one unassigned outlier, are in this
historically exploited hematite sources in Maza-
group. INAA data for the clay paste of the 33
tn that have remained unknown to archaeologists,
sherds in Group 3 show that 25 are assigned to the
or they may represent two varieties of hematite that
Mazatn compositional group, three are likely
were imported to Canton Corralito and applied to
Mazatn, two show membership in the San
locally manufactured pots.
Lorenzo Gray group, and two are likely San
Group 1, with 24 members, shows the mostLorenzo Gray members. INAA data are missing
compelling evidence of pigment export from the
for one sherd. The definite or likely San Lorenzo
Gulf Coast to the Soconusco region: in this group,
Gray members were all recovered from Cuadros
15 sherds excavated from Cantn Corralito have
phase contexts, with one exception: a gray-black,
paint showing compositional similarity to eight raw
fine paste Cherla sherd that is unambiguously a
hematite samples, all which were recovered from
member of the San Lorenzo Gray paste group.
San Lorenzo. None of the raw pigments in thisFurther evidence for long-term use of this partic-
group were excavated from Canton Corralito.
ular hematite can be seen in the Group 3 raw pig-
Group 1 also includes the modern raw hematite ments from San Lorenzo, which were found in
specimen from El Manat, the spring in the San
contexts spanning up to 600 years, from the onset
Lorenzo region that was used ritually by the Gulf
of the Ojochi phase at 1500 B.C. to the close of
Olmec and is known ethnographically as a sourcethe San Lorenzo phase at 900 B.C. Groups 1, 4,
of regionally traded hematite (Ortiz and Rodrguez
and 5 also have raw pigments that span multiple
1999, 2000). If compositional heterogeneity among
phases, but the painted sherds in these groups are
Gulf Coast hematite outcrops is assumed (a rea-
all restricted to Cuadros phase.
sonable assumption considering the findings of Group 4 also appears to show evidence of pig-
researchers who have examined hematite variabil-
ment exchange, but is more temporally restricted.
ity in other regions; see Erlandson et al. 1999; Iri-
This group includes 17 painted sherds, all recov-
ered from Cuadros being

phase exported contexts.
from these areas to SanINAA
Lorenzo data
these sherds show that 1This
region. 1 would
are members
seem of
to suggest that symbolic the Ma
tn paste group, expressions
two areoriginating
San in the Gulf Coast enjoyed
Lorenzo Gray pas
and one is Group 1more paste.
value than locally
The produced
threecopies of the
remainin
sherds same symbolism. of the Mazatn gro
are likely members
It should also be noted In addition
that to providing
the evidence
two that compo- pigmen
raw
showing membership sitionally
in identical
Group pigments were
A used
- by oneEarly recover
from Cuadros phase Formative
Cantn groups onCorralito
both coasts, the resultsand
of this one fro
TOF-LA-ICP-MS
Chicharras phase San Lorenzo analysis-suggest
were that theboth fou
as small, prepared hematite
block-shaped pieces.
itself may have added to the symbolic and Admi
economic
tedly the sample size of value of Olmec iconography,
these prepared particu- blocks
larly in
very small, but they copies of Olmec-style
may constitute pots produced out-
evidence
trade or of some side of San Lorenzo. Hematite
uniformity and Olmec motifs
in hematite process
practices between theclearly
two wentregions.
hand-in-hand, because
At thethe
carved and
very lea
Group 4 consists ofincised
paintselements that
onformed these motifs were
ceramics that we
manufactured on both coasts,
almost always as well
filled with hematite. as
In addition, at raw p
ments that were recovered from
least one prehistorically sites
exploited onsource
hematite both coas
In contrast, the on the
raw Gulf Coast, El Manat,
pigments is known to
that arehave been
member
of Groups were 2
the site ofall andrecovered
extensive 5 from
ritual activity in the past. There- Cant
fore, the appearance
Corralito. Group 2 consists of of the
one same hematite
raw on hemati
sample recovered from
Olmec-style a Cherla
vessels phase
produced at Canton Corralitocontex
together with three may indicate that thephase
Cuadros pigment was sherds
more than sim- that h
been determined byplyINAA to
a coloring agent behave
- it may definite
served the func- or lik
tion of adding religious
members of the Mazatn and symbolic value to
compositional group
Group 5 is composedlocally
entirely
produced emulationsof of Gulf
raw Coast wares.
Canton C
Di Castro
rralito pigments, and and Cyphers (2009:33)
includes no likewise suggest
painted sher
from Canton Corralito or
a sacred role forraw
the use of pigments
red pigment on ceram- from
Lorenzo. Groups 2 ics at San5
and Lorenzo.
may therefore repres
two compositionally The relationship between
distinct TOF-LA-ICP-MSthat
hematites w
brought Canton pigment
to Corralitogroups and INAA paste groupselsewhere
from described a
in this study supports the pots.
applied to locally manufactured notion that, Clearly,
at least in th
is also a possibility that some cases,
oneGulf Coast
or pigment
both accompanied
of these Gulf gro
point to a local Pacific Coast
Coast iconography. hematite
Three of the five compositional sour
although no such source groups established
is known by this analysis
atinclude chem-
present.
ically identical raw pigments recovered from both
Conclusions San Lorenzo and Canton Corralito, and include a
large percentage of sherds that are proven through
By contending that "the regions outside theINAA
Gulfto have been manufactured in Mazatn. Most
Coast appear to be primarily consumers and notable
emu- is Group 1, which includes both Mazatn
lators rather than exporters and innovators andofSan Lorenzo sherds holding paint that is com-
Olmec-style motifs," Blomster et al. (2005:1071)
positionally identical to nine raw hematite samples
argue that those regions placed as much value fromonSan Lorenzo and a geologic specimen from
El Manat.
the symbolism carried by the vessels as they did on We believe that the presence of identi-
the vessels themselves. Their 2005 study and a
cal raw pigments on both coasts, combined with
recent INAA analysis of ceramics from Canton the knowledge that several prehistorically exploited
Corralito (Cheetham 2010a, 2010b) have shown hematite sources such as El Manat exist in the San
that a large number of Olmec-style vessels Lorenzo
were area, strongly suggest two scenarios: that
some Olmec vessels were being manufactured and
produced in sites outside of the Gulf Coast, includ-
ing at Cantn Corralito, but no INAA evidence
decorated in San Lorenzo for export to the Pacific
exists to show that carved and incised vessels were
Coast, and that Gulf Coast hematite was exported
to Cantn Corralito, where

Campbell,it was
Lyle, used
and Terrence to enhance
Kaufman
1 976 A Linguistic Look at the Olmecs. American Antiquity
Olmec-style symbolism on locally produced ves-
41:80-89.
sels. But Early Formative pigment
Chalmin, use
Emilie, Michel Menu, may be
and Colette more
Vignaud
2003 Analysis
complex than these scenarios of Rock Art Painting
suggest - the and Technology
other of
Palaeolithic Painters. Measurement Science and Technol-
two compositional groups include
ogy 14:1590-1597. raw pigment and
painted sherds recovered from
Cheetham, David Canton Corralito
that cannot be correlated 2005
withRecent Investigations
any hematite at Cantn Corralito: A Possible
found
Olmec Enclave on the Pacific Coast of Chiapas, Mexico.
at San Lorenzo. Our data are currently too limited
Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Soci-
to determine with certainty
ety for whether
American Archaeology,these groups
Salt Lake City, Utah.
2006a The Americas'
represent Gulf Coast hematite First Colony? a
sources, Archaeology
currently 59:42-46.
2006b Style as Cultural Imperative (II): Early Olmec Pot-
unknown Pacific Coast source, or a source located
tery from Cantn Corralito and San Lorenzo. Paper pre-
somewhere else in Mesoamerica. Further
sented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the explo-
Society for
American
ration of these connections willArchaeology, San Juan, Puerto
require a Rico.
system-
2009 Early
atic characterization of raw Olmec Figurinessources
hematite from Two Regions:
in Style
andas
Cultural Imperative. In Mesoamerican Figurines: Small-
out of the Gulf Coast region, including
Scale Indices of Large-Scale Sociala search
Phenomena, for
edited by
Christina
sources that may have been T. Halperin, Katherine directly
exploited A. Faust, Rhonda Taube
by
and Aurore Giguet, pp. 149-179. University Press of
the inhabitants of Canton Corralito.
Florida, Gainesville.
2010a Cultural Imperatives in Clay: Early Olmec Carved
Acknowledgments. We are indebted
Pottery fromto Michael
San Lorenzo Coe
and Canton and
Corralito. the
Ancient
staff at the Peabody MuseumMesoamerica,
of Natural in press. History at Yale
University for providing the20San Lorenzo
1 0b America' samples
s First Colony analyzed
: Olmec Materiality and Eth-
for this project, and to Ponciano nicity at Cantonfor
Ortiz Corralito, Chiapas, Mexico. Unpublished
providing the raw
hematite from El Manat. Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Ph.D. dissertation, School of Human Evolution and Social
Antropologa e Historia graciously allowed the exportation Change, Arizona State University, Tempe.
Cheetham, David, Susana E. Gonzales, Richard J. Behl, Michael
of Cantn Corralito samples to the United States for analy-
D. Coe, Richard A. Diehl, and Hector Neff
sis. The research presented here is part of the Cantn
2009 Ptrographie Analyses of Early Formative Olmec
Corralito Project directed by David Cheetham. The TOF- Carved Pottery. Mexicon 31:69-72.
LA-ICP-MS analysis was conducted at the InstituteClark,
for John E.
Integrated Research in Materials, Environments and Society
2007 Mesoamerica's First State. In The Political Economy
(IIRMES) at California State University, Long Beach; thisof Ancient Mesoamerica: Transformations During the For-
analysis was supported in part by NSF grant BCS-0604712,mative and Classic Periods, edited by Vernon L. Scarbor-
and the purchase of the TOF-LA-ICP-MS was funded by ough and John E. Clark, pp. 1 1-46. University of New
NSF grant BCS-0321361. David Ardila generously trans-Mexico Press, Albuquerque.
Clark, John E., and Michael Blake
lated the abstract into Spanish. Finally, we are grateful to
1 989 El origen de la civilizacin en Mesoamrica: los olme-
David Grove, Christopher Pool, and three anonymous
cas y mokaya del Soconusco de Chiapas, Mxico. In El
reviewers for their valuable comments on an earlier draft of
Preclsico o Formativo: avances y perspectivas, edited by
this paper. Any errors or omissions in this article are ours M. Carmona Macias, pp. 385^4-03. Museo Nacional de
alone.
Antropologa, Mexico City.
Clark, John E., and David Cheetham
2005 Cermica del Formativo de Chiapas. In La produc-
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H. Burton, Gary
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the uncalibrated
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La Influencia Del Color Olmeca

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La Influencia Del Color Olmeca

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Society for American Archaeology

THE COLOR OF INFLUENCE: A PROVENANCE STUDY OF HEMATITE-BASED PAINTS ON

Claras J. Backes, Jr., David Cheetham, and Hector Neff

pottery was unidirectional. Their data showed that

Latin American Antiquity 23(1), 2012, pp. 70-92

tion and statistical

Hematite ing (Cheetham 2006b; Coe and Diehl 1980:166;

(Ortiz and Rodrguez 2000).

made difficult by the fact that

Figure 1. Map of the Mazatan region of Pacific Coastal

Figure 2. Examples of Calzadas Carved pottery recovered from

personal adornment such as earspools (Cheetham Ceramic I^pes

Figure 3. Examples of Limn Incised pottery recover

study, the ceramic pastes ing

Table 1. Painted Ceramic Samples Analyzed b

DCC004 Cuadros Spatula handle Mazatn

Table 1 (continued). Painted Ceramic Samples Analyzed by L

DCC419 Cuadros Calzadas Carved Mazatn

DCP01 Cantn Corralito Cuadros

a periodtime, and We analyzed

ments were made,

Table 3. Eigenvalues and Percentage of Variance E

1 4.2633 55.0753 55.0753

Table 4. Scaled Factor Loading Matrix for First Six Princi

Mg .3715 .0926 .0962 -.0785 .1619 -.0191

Figure 5. Variance-covariance matrix bivariate plot of

in color and has veryand

Table 5. Summary of TOF-LA-ICP-MS Pigment Clas

LA-TOF-ICP-MS Pigment Gro

Raw Pigments by Provenience

Figure 6. Variance-covariance matrix biplot of principal components

Figure 7. Bivariate plot of canonical discriminant fun

ination of discriminant function coefficients indi-

Discussion arte et al. 2009; Popelka-Filcoff et al. 2007;

ered from Cuadros being

to Cantn Corralito, where

Erlandson, Jon M., J. Neff, Hector

Sharer, Robert J., Andrew K. Balkansky, James Note

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