The mirrors from Chiapa de Corzo

An early example for the Classic pyrite mirrors

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6034293
AutoresEmiliano Gallaga Murrieta (0000-0001-5788-2567, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, autor de correspondencia), Emiliano Ricardo Melgar Tisoc (0000-0002-7300-3224), Lynneth S Lowe (0000-0003-2369-938X, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico), Lynneth Lowe (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico)
Año2024
Volumen35
Número1
Páginas131-148
Fecha de publicación2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAncient Mesoamerica (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0956-5361 • E-ISSN: 1469-1787
EditorialCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0956536121000535
OpenAlexW4386743021
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas25

Smith and Kidder (1951:44) were among the first to highlight pyrite pre-Hispanic mirrors as “marvels of painstaking craftsmanship.” These mirrors present reflective surfaces consisting of 20–50 pyrite tesserae with beveled edges, perfectly cut, and average 2 mm in thickness. The first known examples of mirrors in Mesoamerica were the “Olmec” type—a concave mirror created from a single hematite piece developed during the Middle Preclassic period. Later, in the Classic period, pyrite mosaic mirrors replaced them. Unfortunately, we do not understand the changes from one type to the other. In this work, we present two pyrite mirrors found at the site of Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico, dating around 700–500 b.c. , as possible forerunners of Classic pyrite mirrors. Also, we present traceological analysis of their manufacturing process using experimental archaeology and scanning electron microscopy. Based on these examinations, we identify likely materials and techniques employed in crafting them. We posit that production of these mirrors could have been the result of the development of specialized artisans at distinct workshops, increasing the complexity and labor investment in the lapidary objects as prestige goods

Archaeology · Art · Carving · Mineralogy · Prestige · Pyrite · Archaeological Research and Protection · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis · History · Philosophy · Geology