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

Offering V
The recovered portion of Offering V is composed of five, complete or partial,
dish-like ceramic vessels identified as Late Classic in origin. The vessels that compose
this offering were found during a pedestrian survey of the river cut bank in Field 7,
located approximately 50 m south of Field 6. Only one of the vessels was found in situ, in
the upper meter of the cut bank, while the others were retrieved along a vertically eroded
gully in the nearly 12 m high bank.
The discovery of Offering V was made in December 2005. This area had been
inspected twice in August 2005, as well as on earlier occasions, and the artifacts would
have been plainly visible from either above or below if they were present at those times.
It is probable that the upper portions of the vertical cut bank that held the offering was
eroded by the run-off from the annual rains that were amplified by the extensive, wind-
driven precipitation that accompanied Hurricane Stan, which passed directly over El
Marquesillo in early October. Four of the recovered pieces had fallen from their original
place of deposition and tumbled down 2 to 5 m.
Vessels 1, 2, and 3 are similar in shape, size, and form; two of the three are shown
in Figure 5.45. Vessel 3 is on the left of the photo and was found in situ; Vessel 2 is on
the right and is pictured after its contents had been removed for analysis. This container
was recovered approximately 3 m below the in situ vessel, and the size and shape of a
negative imprint in the wall immediately below Vessel 3 suggests its original location.
Vessel 4 is unique to the group and is shown in Figure 5.46. The upper photo shows the
interior and ash-like contents, and the lower photo is a view of the inverted exterior
illustrating the short tripod legs and coating of the same ash-like substance. Only a
228