This document discusses Late Postclassic Maya ritual use of sacred caves and miniature masonry shrines in the Yucatan Peninsula. It describes excavations at the El Naranjal archaeological site that uncovered shrine complexes and artifacts associated with cave-related rituals and agricultural fertility rites, including speleothems (cave formations), ceramic censers, shells, beads, and figurines. Specifically, speleothems were found in ritual deposits near shrines, indicating they were part of ceremonies to venerate ancestors and deities associated with caves, water, and rain that ensured agricultural success.

1. NEW ASPECTS IN UNDERSTANDING LATE POSTCLASSIC MAYA RITUAL AND RELIGION:
Sacred Cave Use, Miniature Masonry Shrines, and Associated Ceremonial Paraphernalia
by Karl James Lorenzen, Ph.D.
Correspondence:
Dr. Karl James Lorenzen
40000 Tinderbox Way
Murrieta, CA 92562
Email: karljameslorenzen@hotmail.com
1

2. Summary
Introduction
The focus of this paper is sacred cave use in Late Postclassic Maya religion, and the
interpretation of ritual paraphernalia found commonly in caves and even more so in midden
deposits surrounding above-ground miniature masonry shrines. Therefore, I begin this study
with a brief discussion of these shrines, which have been well-defined in a number of previous
studies (ADD OTHERS; Lorenzen 1995; 1999; 2003, 2005). Miniature masonry shrines, prolific
throughout the Late Postclassic Maya lowlands, and are important in this discussion for the
simple reason that apart from sacred caves and their rare occurrence inside caves, they are the
places where cave-associated rituals were performed above-ground in antiquity. Through an
examination of artifacts and other cultural material directly associated with these sacred areas,
an ethnoarchaeological approach in their interpretation indicates that many, if not the majority,
of the activities carried out at these ritual loci were closely connected to ancestor veneration,
sacred cave use, rain rites, and other agricultural fertility rituals.
Previous to recent studies by the author and others, relatively little was known regarding
the function, role, and significance of diminutive shrines in Late Postclassic Maya society. Early
on, a religious connotation was assigned to these small structures, given the incredible number
of smashed ceramic human-effigy censers (known as Chen Mul Modeled; Robles-Castellanos
1990), found littering shrine floors, doorways, and areas surrounding shrine altars. In addition,
sub-floor shrine and altar caches are frequently encountered during excavation and
reconstruction, many filled with water- and agricultural fertility-related artifacts including marine
shells (conch and sponyllus), worked shell necklaces (Olivella), nude figurines of both sexes
suggesting human fertility, blue and green jade beads and pendants, stingray spines, etc. Quite
interestingly, speleothems (cave stalactites and stalagmites and other cave flow stone) have
recently been identified, both in shrine caches and in associated midden surrounding shrine
2

3. complexes (a combination of miniature shrine(s), stairway, and a series of frontal stone altars),
indicating rituals performed at these shrines were related to water, sacred wet caves, and by
extension agricultural abundance and rain.
Late Postclassic Occupation of El Naranajal
Observations in architectural style, ceramic analysis, and a series of radiocarbon dates
conducted by The Yalahau Regional Human Ecology Project in 1993, directed by Karl Taube
and Scott Fedick, determined that the site of El Naranjal is a Late Preclassic (100 B.C. to A.D.
100) to Early Classic (A.D. 100 to A.D. 300) megalithic civic-ceremonial center that was
abandoned around A.D. 400 (Boucher and Dzul 1996; Fedick and Taube 1995; Lorenzen 1997;
Mathews 1995). The site remained unoccupied for nearly 1,000 years until it was reoccupied
during the latter part of the Late Postclassic (A.D. 1250 to A.D. 1500) and possibly into the Early
Postcontact period (lasting from Spanish contact to approximately the end of first century of
Spanish occupation circa A.D. 1600) (Lorenzen 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005).
Although started in 1993, research by the author focused solely on the Late Postclassic
reoccupation of El Naranjal began in earnest in 1999 under the auspices of Proyecto El
Naranjal. In 1993, miniature masonry shrine complexes were discovered on the summits of 12
of the 23 monumental structures that compose the core of El Naranjal, one on the summit of the
a large structure in the South Group (a cluster of monumental structures approximately a
quarter of a kilometer south of the site center), and a series of three shrine complexes
distributed over five structures that compose a small dependant site called San Cosme, a
satellite center of El Naranjal connected directly to the site by a one-kilometer sakbeh (a raised
and once plastered limestone road) (Taube 1995, Lorenzen 1995, Reid 1995). Shrine
complexes were found to overlay the architectural collapse of these earlier megalithic
structures, which were clearly left in a state of complete ruin when the shrine complexes were
3

4. incorporated – used as basal platform substructures for the addition of new construction during
the Late Postclassic (Lorenzen 1995, 1999).
As a result of the 1999 field season of Proyecto El Naranjal, test excavations were
carried out in midden deposits around the base and summits of Structures 7, 9, 14, and 21
(Lorenzen 2003: Appendix I, 2005). Interestingly, 43 small natural/unworked spelethems were
recovered in midden deposits that were restricted to the fronts of shrine complexes, mostly
concentrated adjacent to basal altars at the bottom of shrine stairways – the significance of
which will be discussed in detail further on (Lorenzen 2003: Appendix I). The majority of
speleothems were found in front of Structure 21, which has been identified as a water shrine
dedicated to the performance of rain- and agricultural-related religious rites during the Late
Postclassic (Lorenzen 2003; 2005). Other ritual paraphernalia recovered in direct context with
these speleothems were large numbers of ceramic sherds from shattered human-effigy censers
typed Chen-Mul Modeled (Robles-Castellanos 1995);1
ceramic sherds from offertory plates,
bowls, and jars; stone beads of jade, serpentine, and travertine; marine shell (Olivella and
Conch – ADD SPECIES NAMES); obsidian blade fragments; chert flakes; and large-diameter
hollow burned bird-bone fragments (see Lorenzen 2003: Appendix I for a complete accounting
of recovered cultural material during the 1999 field season).
The speleothems average 8 to 10 cm in length and 2 to 4 cm in width, snapped off of at
the base, removed from local caves, and given their provenience with the other artifacts
recovered from a ritual context, makes it apparent that speleothems composed a constituent
part of Late Postclassic rites performed before shrine entrances.2
ADD SPELEOTHEM
DOCUMENTED IN SHRINE ON STRUCTURE 2 IN 1993. Intriguing and unknown at the time, a
1
An in-field initial analysis of all ceramic sherds recovered (GIVE NUMBER) revealed that Chen-Mul
Modeled human-effigy censers composed approximately 82% of the total ceramic count (Lorenzen 2003:
Appendix I).
2
Their exclusivity in shrine/altar midden deposits was verfied by their complete absence in areas 2 to 5
meters from shrine complexes – determined by systematic post-hole test pitting. See Lorenzen 2003:
Appendix I for a detailed discussion of excavation methods.
4

5. long (7 cm) tubular bead fashioned from a speleothem, exactly within the range of the 43 natural
speleothems recovered and identified in 1999, was found in a one-meter deep midden deposit
directly associated with the SE corner of Structure 8 located at the very edge of Sascabera Pit 2
during the 1996 field season of The Yalahau Regional Human Ecology Project (Lorenzen 1997).
Add INAH find in 2001 at Structure 14 for further confimation.
• Discuss Dom’s Regional Cave Survey and proof of systematic speleothem
removal from local caves.
• Discuss 2001 field season and find of huge spalled speleothem.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SPELEOTHEMS AND CONNECTION WITH ZUHUY-HA
• Definitions from Cordemex
• Ethno-Historic Information
• Ethnographic Information
LATE POSTCLASSIC RAIN- AND AGRICULTURAL-RITES
• Ch’a Chaak Rite
• Tupp-Kak Rite
• Okot-Batam
• Milpa Burning/Sowing Rites
• Other Related Rites
5

6. DISCUSSION
• Discuss phallic associations of speleothems, the phallic-cult related to rain-rites, and
other water-related ritual aspects.
• Discuss relation of other ritual paraphernalia recovered during excavations to
speleothems and all together in conjunction with the performance of rain rites and other
rites related to agricultural abundance.
• Link all aspects of paper together and demonstrate clear relationships
CONCLUSION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCES
FIGURES
6

7. DISCUSSION
• Discuss phallic associations of speleothems, the phallic-cult related to rain-rites, and
other water-related ritual aspects.
• Discuss relation of other ritual paraphernalia recovered during excavations to
speleothems and all together in conjunction with the performance of rain rites and other
rites related to agricultural abundance.
• Link all aspects of paper together and demonstrate clear relationships
CONCLUSION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCES
FIGURES
6