Mano and Metate Manufacturing Techniques of the Maya: An Ethnoarchaeological Approach to Understanding Standardization and Measurements

Authors

Michael T. Searcy, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow

Keywords

maize, metates, Mayan, Guatemala

Abstract

Prehistorically, maize was the bulk of the Mayan diet, which made grinding stones an indispensable tool. Basalt quarries located in Highland Guatemala are still exploited by metateros who produce manos and metates today. This paper reports the recent research among metateros of two quarries in Guatemala and how they can be use to build new analogies that aid in the interpretation of prehistoric production economies of metates. It specifically investigates how systems of measurement are linked to standardization.

Original Publication Citation

Searcy, Michael T. 2007 Mano and Metate Manufacturing Techniques of the Maya: An Ethnoarchaeological Approach to Understanding Standardization and Measurements. Paper presented at the Society for American Archaeology 72nd Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Searcy, Michael T., "Mano and Metate Manufacturing Techniques of the Maya: An Ethnoarchaeological Approach to Understanding Standardization and Measurements" (2007). Faculty Publications. 6707.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/6707

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2007

Publisher

Society for American Archaeology

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Anthropology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Graduate Student

Copyright Use Information

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