New research published in the journal Ancient Mesoamerica has revealed the origin of the elusive Maya Blue pigment.
The Maya Blue pigment was found on Late Classic-era pottery discovered within Buenavista del Cayo in Belize. Its singular blue-green color was highly sought after by the Mayan people, but up until now its origin has remained a mystery. This new information recontextualizes ancient trade routes and shows how far the community traveled to obtain objects of value.
Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), the research team, led by the Field Museum and other institutions, analyzed 17 samples of Maya Blue on pottery dating from 680 A.D. to 860 A.D. They were able to identify unique “fingerprints,” or trace-element signatures, which revealed concentrations of yttrium, lanthanum, and vanadium linking the Belize samples to an ancient mine in Sacalum, Yucatan.
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The study is the result of more than a decade of research into Maya Blue’s origins. The pigment, which was first discovered in the 1960s, differs from other clays because it’s made up of an organic-inorganic complex which combines indigo dye from the Indigofera suffruticosa plant with palygorskite clay. This results in an especially stable pigment which is uncommonly resistant to fading and climate decomposition.
The new information challenges previously held views that ancient Maya was restricted and provincial. Researchers note that the presence of such rare and sought after materials in a medium-sized port like Buenavista indicates a far more complex, interconnected trade network than was previously thought to exist. The study also underscores the importance of ritual and religion in driving trade during that era. Scientists hope that, with more research into Maya Blue samples from other archaeological sites, they will be able to document the full scope of Sacalum’s trade network and identify additional pigment sources.
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