Baking Pot Codex Restoration Project, Belize

Preliminary Interpretation of the Artifacts

The primary deposit (Artifact R) occupied an area, approximately 30cm × 40cm, on the tomb floor near the head of the interred individual. The initial hypothesis was that the paint fragments constituted the remains of a codex (the term used to describe the form of the ancient Mesoamerican book). This was based on at least one relatively continuous, flat expanse of paint that was fractured but maintained relative orientation. In several areas, there were occurrences of stacked fragments, which suggested that there may have been multiple layers of paint. How this deposit related to the two other small discrete groups of paint flakes – one inside a ceramic vessel near the head of the interred individual (Artifact S), the other near the feet of the individual (Artifact T) – was unclear.

Object Types

Based on Beaubien’s excavation of Artifact R portion B, and Chemello’s technical investigation of disassociated paint flakes (originating from Artifact R, as well as those collected as Artifacts S and T), we offer the following preliminary interpretations.

Assuming a painting approach, in which a particular decorated surface – and possibly an entire decorated object – shares a common type of ground or preparation layer, the major distinctions in ground color, texture, thickness and morphology offer persuasive evidence of more than one painted organic object. Neither the decorative approaches, nor the disposition of paint flakes within the deposit, suggest that the paint flakes represent the remains of a codex, based on the examples known to date.

The decorative approaches, extrapolated on the basis of the few "islands" of paint excavated from Artifact R/B and selected disassociated fragments, include one in which curvilinear blob-like areas of color are scattered on a green background, and another with a finer rendition of colored shapes using fine black lines. When combined with monochrome green surfaces, these decorative schemes are reminiscent of those of painted gourds excavated at the site of Cerén (El Salvador) [Beaubien and Beaudry-Corbett 2002], or of painted wooden furnishings in the tomb of Ruler 12 at Copán (Honduras) [Fash et al. 2001].

In combination with the numerous disassociated fragments, the excavated "islands" would seem to represent still-intact portions of larger paint layers. However, their paint-side-up or -down orientation and distribution in the deposit are not consistent relative to each other, suggesting disruption of the deposit in the past, if not just from the time of discovery. Alternatively they may represent many small or partially decorated objects.

By far comprising the large group of fragments, Artifact R is characterized by the full assortment of paint and ground colors and types. In general, the three different ground colors argue for application on at least three different objects. Textural differences in similarly colored grounds, such as the two cream-colored grounds, may reflect use on an object whose inside and outside surfaces have distinctive characteristics. Gourds are an example, with the fruit shell having a smooth exterior and fibrous interior. Striated patterns seen in at least one of the ground types suggest the use of wood, particularly in combination with organic residues identified as plant gums (as on the red-flecked white ground). The flakes on brown ground may have decorated a highly textured shell, based on their characteristics and the concentration in a thin layer of fragments resembling degraded shell, excavated in that area of the deposit (Portion B). With further analysis, the thin compact dark brown layer may also indicate an organic substrate material.

The second largest group of paint fragments, designated Artifact S, was collected from the interior of a ceramic vessel, situated in the region of Artifact R.  The deposit is only made up of paint flakes with dimpled white ground, a type also documented in Artifact R.  This deposit may represent an object extending from the area of Artifact R across the ceramic vessel, such that portions would subsequently collapse within it.

The smallest group of paint fragments of the three groups, Artifact T, was collected on the tomb floor near the feet of the interred individual. The flakes from Artifact T represent three different ground types and a variety of colors, also found in Artifact R; only flakes with rough cream and red-flecked white ground types are absent. The quantity is small enough that they are more likely to have been displaced from the Artifact R deposit in some kind of tomb disturbance than to be separate objects.

Contributions to Technical Studies of Maya Painting Traditions

Technical information derived from this study about the paint and ground, as well as decorative approaches, adds significantly to available information about ancient Mesoamerican painting traditions. While the palette of colors includes mineral colorants that have had documented use in mural painting, post-fire painting on ceramics, and decoration of now-decayed organic artifacts [e.g. Magaloni et al. 1995; Fletcher 2002; Beaubien and Beaudry-Corbett 2002], the surprising discovery was the use of a little-known copper phosphate, pseudomalachite, as the predominant green on the Baking Pot objects. There are a few published studies of this mineral’s use elsewhere [Scott 2002; Naumova and Pisareva 1990; Newman and Derrick 2002]. However, its use in Mesoamerica has not heretofore been recorded, although another occurrence was identified in analyses of paint flakes from decayed organic artifacts excavated at Santa Rita Corozal, Belize [unpublished analyses carried out in 1990 by Beaubien, SCMRE #5168]. It is possible that pseudomalachite may occur more frequently than is reported. Its visual similarity to the much more common malachite raises the prospect of erroneous identification of green paints based on assumption rather than mineralogical analysis. Alternatively, its identification at Baking Pot may represent localized or specialized use. Either of these scenarios indicates the need for further technical investigation.

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