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Technical Study of a set of Metallic Artifacts from the Maya Site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2012

Gabriela Peñuelas Guerrero ,
Ingrid Jiménez Cosme ,
Pilar Tapia López ,
José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil ,
Jesús Arenas ,
Aurore Lemoine ,
Jannen Contreras Vargas ,
Patricia Ruiz Portilla  and
Sonia Rivero Torres
Gabriela Peñuelas Guerrero
Affiliation:
Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, ENCRyM, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH. General Anaya No. 187, Col. San Diego Churubusco México DF 04120, México. e-mail: gapenuelas@gmail.com
Ingrid Jiménez Cosme
Affiliation:
Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, ENCRyM, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH. General Anaya No. 187, Col. San Diego Churubusco México DF 04120, México. e-mail: gapenuelas@gmail.com
Pilar Tapia López
Affiliation:
Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, ENCRyM, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH. General Anaya No. 187, Col. San Diego Churubusco México DF 04120, México. e-mail: gapenuelas@gmail.com
José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM. Apdo. postal 20-364, México DF 01000, México. e-mail: sil@fisica.una.mx.
Jesús Arenas
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM. Apdo. postal 20-364, México DF 01000, México. e-mail: sil@fisica.una.mx.
Aurore Lemoine
Affiliation:
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México UNAM. Apdo. postal 20-364, México DF 01000, México. e-mail: sil@fisica.una.mx.
Jannen Contreras Vargas
Affiliation:
Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, ENCRyM, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH. General Anaya No. 187, Col. San Diego Churubusco México DF 04120, México. e-mail: gapenuelas@gmail.com
Patricia Ruiz Portilla
Affiliation:
Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, ENCRyM, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH. General Anaya No. 187, Col. San Diego Churubusco México DF 04120, México. e-mail: gapenuelas@gmail.com
Sonia Rivero Torres
Affiliation:
Dirección de Estudios Arqueológicos, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). Lic. Verdad No. 3, Centro Histórico, Mexico DF 06060, Mexico.
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Abstract

During the excavations made at a burial of the post-Classic Mayan period (1220-1521 A.D.) in the pyramid number 2 of the pre-Hispanic site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico, a set of four small metallic artifacts depicting reptile’s heads, were recovered. The objects were in poor conservation conditions and were taken to the Metal Conservation Laboratory of the National School of Conservation (ENCRyM- INAH) for suitable cleaning and conservation treatments.

Analyses allowed identifying important technological features such as gilding remains. The analytical techniques included optical microscopy followed by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), and Scanning Electron Microscope-coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (MEB-EDS). For the elemental depth profile a combined Particle X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (PIXE–RBS) analysis was carried out.

The results indicate that the objects are made of a copper alloy, and then gilded probably using electrochemical replacement gilding (thickness has less than 1 μm). This technology has been observed in other metallic objects recovered from the Chichen-Itza Cenote in Yucatan, but it was not available in Mesoamerican areas so far. So, it could imply that these artifacts might have been imported from South American areas.

Keywords

microstructureion beam analysisplating
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1374: Symposium S8 – Cultural Heritage and Archaeological Issues in Materials Science , 2012 , pp. 125 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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