An Unexplored Realm in the Heartland of the Southern Gulf ... - Famsi

Formative to Protoclassic ceramics (420.1 and 81.4) were recovered from ceramic
specimen location 1. Level IIA is an area of highly mixed sand and silt that is void of
cultural material and is possibly intrusive into Level III. Level III is a highly mixed
composite of reddish-yellow, semi-compacted, sandy and silty loam, and contained Early
(31.2) and Late (11.4a) Formative ceramics in the area directly below Level IIA.
Level IV is a mixture of reddish colored, semi-compacted sand and ash or ash-like
substance. Offering III was located in this level, and the small sand wedge directly above
it is an indication of intrusion. The angle and degree of erosion to the river cut bank at
this point have masked the remainder of the intrusive pit above the offering. In the profile
drawing, the thick, red sand line above the offering appears unbroken when, in fact, it is
actually behind the offering. There is another similar red sand lens lining the bottom of
the level. Ceramic specimen location 3 contains a mix of Early (71.7) and Late (11.4a)
pieces possibly the result of the disturbance caused during the deposition of Offering III.
The intrusion of Offering IV passed completely through Level IV and was placed
midway into Level V. Ceramic specimen 5 is Early Formative (31.2) and appears to have
been relocated during the intrusion of the offering. The quantity of ash-like material
mixed with sand is much higher here than in previous levels. A third line of highly
compacted red sand underlies this level as well. These three lines are wider than the ones
observed in Level II and may represent floors similar to the sand floors documented at
San Lorenzo (Vega 1998). Levels Va and Vb contain less ash and sand, and dispersed
gravel is mixed into this aggregate. This area appears to be a deposit at the bottom of
Level V. On the opposite side of the profile, Early Formative Calzadas Carved and
Limon Incised (11.4) were recovered in ceramic specimen location 6.
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