Archaeometric study of ancient Maya figurines from the collection of the national museum

Abstract

The paper presents the archaeometric study of a unique collection of ancient Maya figurines from the National Museum – Náprstek Museum collection in Prague, Czech Republic. The aim was to characterize ceramic materials of the figurines by three integral techniques (X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, simultaneous thermal analysis), in order to determine their chemical and mineralogical compositions and to assess possible similarities in the raw materials. The measured data were compared using statistical techniques in order to set up groups of samples according to the diversity in their composition. Further, the surface finishing was evaluated using micro-Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. A great diversity of ceramic bodies was proved. The compositions of figurines show 5 different groups with a varying ratio of main variables SiO2, CaO and Al2O3. The analyses of decorative layers proved that the red pigment, which was used as an aesthetic coating of a jaguar figurine, contains primarily hematite. The other red pigments used to decorate frog and head figurines were of organic origin formed by cochineal dye. The nanostructured well-known artificial blue pigment Maya Blue was identified on the fragment of a bowl and a man figurine. The results document the material diversity of a unique collection of pre-Columbian ceramics.