Decorated metates in prehispanic Lower Central America
Metates are stone objects on which corn and other substancesa re ground with hand-held stones called manos. Metates and manos have formed part of the standard household equipment in the Americas ever since settled life began to develop there in the 2nd millennium B. C. In Lower Central America - and specifically within the area bounded by eastern Honduras in the north and the Panama Canal in the south - prehispanic peoples fashioned some of their metates in a highly individual manner, often with a display of sophisticated and complex imagery both in form and decoration. They were made in this distinctive way over a period of at least 1500 years prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. The aim of this study is to show that, in spite of their diversity, these metates represent an unmistakable cultural trait which is particular only to the isthmian region of Central America. It is proposed that, as such, the decorated metate can serve as a diagnostic marker for essentially Lower Central American cultural traditions in prehispanic times. In earlier studies, many of these elaborately carved objects from Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama have been referred to variously as 'altars', 'thrones', 'ceremonial
Jones, Ursula
Decorated metates in prehispanic Lower Central America. Metates are stone objects on which corn and other substancesa re ground with hand-held stones called manos. Metates and manos have formed part of the standard household equipment in the Americas ever since settled life began to develop there in the 2nd millennium B. C. In Lower Central America - and specifically within the area bounded by eastern Honduras in the north and the Panama Canal in the south - prehispanic peoples fashioned some of their metates in a highly individual manner, often with a display of sophisticated and complex imagery both in form and decoration. They were made in this distinctive way over a period of at least 1500 years prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. The aim of this study is to show that, in spite of their diversity, these metates represent an unmistakable cultural trait which is particular only to the isthmian region of Central America. It is proposed that, as such, the decorated metate can serve as a diagnostic marker for essentially Lower Central American cultural traditions in prehispanic times. In earlier studies, many of these elaborately carved objects from Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama have been referred to variously as 'altars', 'thrones', 'ceremonial
lower central_america stone object corn ground hand held stone call form_part standard household equipment americas ever_since settle life begin_develop lower central_america specifically within_area bound eastern north panama canal south people fashion highly individual manner often display sophisticated complex imagery form_decoration make distinctive way period least prior arrival spaniards aim_study show spite diversity represent cultural_trait particular region central_america propose decorate serve diagnostic marker essentially lower central american cultural_tradition time early study many elaborately object panama refer variously ceremonial