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CERROS
A. Chronology
1. renewed construction ca. 50 B.C.
2. Str. 2A-Sub 4-1st
a) small, undecorated pyramid next to dock
b) built as part of final phase of nucleated village
c) radiocarbon date of 58 B.C.
3. final date at site of 25 B.C.
B. Structure 5C
1. first royal temple at Cerros
a) built at water's edge, facing south on site axis
1) west to the left and east to the right when one is facing
the pyramid
2. foundation
a) contained flowers and broken vessels
1) flowers identified on the basis of pollen
3. construction
a) Str. 5C
1) massive tree trunks in sockets on top
a> probably carved and painted
b) lattice of internal walls
4. 5C-2nd
a) temple
1) T-shape
2) temple and stairway built simultaneously
3) steep pyramid with smooth outer walls made of loaf-shaped
blocks
4) well-like holes
a> 3.5 m deep and 1.2 m in diameter
b> estimated that poles rose 6 to 9 m above floor level of
summit temple
c> contained trees of the four directions
d> raising up of trees a sacred event
1> part of the creation of shamanistic space
5) rooms
a> constructed so that king emerged with the path of the sun
b) masks
1) decorated with enormous stucco masks on armature
2) placed so that king appeared in the middle
3) glyphs on masks
a> used for "tagging" objects so they could be identified
4) double-headed serpents representing the sky
5) lower masks
a> snarling jaguars
b> k'in glyphs on cheeks denoting the sun
c> related to Yax-Balam (Xbalanque)
d> wear "Jester God" headdress
6) upper masks
a> bird deity or "Cosmic Monster"
b> linked to Hun-Ahau (Hunahpu)
c> wear three-pronged "crown" in 3-part headdress
7) differences between eastern and western masks
a> "yax" on eastern masks indicates "first"
c) affirmation of kingship
1) king represented the cosmic cycle of the day
2) ahau was part of celestial lineage of ahauob
3) importance of symbolism was evident to the whole community
4) evidence of concentration of social energy
5. Structure 6B
a) 60 m long by 60 m wide
b) plaza was 16 m above the surrounding surface
1) out of view of the populace below
2) allowed for rituals out of view of the populace
c) below this was even larger surface measuring 120 X 125 m
wide
d) could have accomodated large festival crowds
e) social stratification reflected by architecture
1) served to place people in hierarchical order
f) royal jewels buried in cache
1) context
a> headband jades placed face downward in a clay vessel
b> placed around jade pectoral worn on chest
c> covered with layers of mosaic mirrors
d> also included were Spondylus shells
e> large red pottery plate covered offering
f> accompanied by drinking cups and jug
2) interpretation
a> belonged to first king of Cerros, buried by successor to
patron of Str. 5C-2nd
6. Structure 4
a) largest of structures at Cerros
b) faced the rising sun and towered over plaza
c) tomb at the top that was never used
d) Freidel believes king may have died elsewhere
7. Structure 29C
a) complemented eastward-facing tomb of the king
b) additional buildings decorated with masks
1) jaguars and faces on westward-facing acropolis
2) long-beaked creatures on North and South side platforms
8. Complex 50
a) ballcourt near westward-facing acropolis
9. Structure 29B
a) latest building at side
b) gave a date of 25 B.C.
C. Problems at Cerros
1. ahauob failed to continue their lineage
2. no inscriptions to tell us much about specific history
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