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

shown that the initial appearance of this type occurred in the Late Formative period. This
earlier development would explain its presence in the lower portions of Unit N8W3.
To reiterate, a layer of highly disturbed soil was documented between the 0.4 to
1.1 m levels and contained chronologically mixed ceramics. This disturbance also
included a few pieces of obsidian, small pieces of basalt, and some burned clay
(Hernández and Barrera 2002). No chronologically identifiable ceramics or other cultural
materials were recovered in any of the other excavated units. It was also noted that the
disturbance of the soil and mixing of temporal ceramics did not breech Offering I or II,
which were located immediately below the outer eastern edges of this disturbance.
Collectively, these conditions suggest an approximately 2m wide, basin-like hole was
dug at some point during the Late Classic period to a depth of 1.1 m. The hole was then
re-filled with a mixture of the unearthed Formative period materials and Late Classic
period wares. Finally, this digging event was limited to this specific area.
Ceramics from the Test Unit Excavations
In November 2002, Hernández reentered the field and directed the placement and
excavation of seven, 1.5 x 1.5 m test units in Fields 1 and 2 (Figure 5.30). These locations
were selected due to the high density of both Formative and Classic period in situ
ceramics that were present in the upper 2 m of the nearby river cut bank as well as on the
surface. Also, the surface features differed substantially from the Olmec throne complex
over 750 m to the southwest, suggesting a divergent type of activity area. The following
is a description of the chronologically diagnostic ceramic artifacts recovered and their
depositional patterns (Table 5.2).
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