Chama (Maya site)

Roll-out of a Chama cylindrical vessel: Encounter with a supernatural being

Chama (Chamá) is a small Late-Classic Maya highland site, situated in the Chixoy River valley of the Alta Verapaz department of Guatemala, some fifty kilometers north-west of San Pedro Carchah. Small-scale excavations were carried out in the early twentieth century by Robert J. Burkitt of the Pennsylvania University Museum. The site belongs to the periphery of the lowland Maya kingdoms. It has been argued ^[1] that Chama was colonized from the lowlands somewhere at the beginning of the eighth century and then developed its characteristic, but short-lived Classical ceramic style.

Chamá-style cylindrical vases have black-and-white chevron motif bands painted around the rim and base, with a bright white, and strong red-and-black palette, applied to a distinctive yellow to yellow-orange background. Rather than with scenes of courtiers and warriors, they are often decorated with humanized animals, deities, and mythological scenes.

References

Maya sites
Belize	Actun Tunichil Muknal Altun Ha Baking Pot Barton Creek Cave Cahal Pech Caracol Cerros Chaa Creek Colha Cuello El Pilar Ka'Kabish K'axob La Milpa Lamanai Louisville Lower Dover Lubaantun Marco Gonzalez Nim Li Punit Nohmul Nohoch Che'en Pusilha San Estevan Santa Rita Corozal Tipu Uxbenka Xnaheb Xunantunich
Guatemala	Aguateca Altar de Sacrificios Arroyo de Piedra Balberta Bejucal Cancuén Cerro Quiac Chama Chitinamit Chocolá Chutixtiox Cotzumalhuapa Dos Pilas El Baúl El Chal El Mirador El Perú El Porvenir El Tintal El Zotz Holmul Holtun Itzan Iximche Ixkun Ixlu Ixtonton Ixtutz Kaminaljuyu Kinal K'atepan La Amelia La Blanca La Corona La Joyanca La Muerta Machaquila Mixco Viejo Montana Motul de San José Naachtun Nakbe Nakum Naranjo Pajaral Piedras Negras Punta de Chimino Quiriguá Q'umarkaj Río Azul Sacul San Bartolo Seibal Takalik Abaj Tamarindito Tayasal Tikal Topoxte Tres Islas Uaxactun Ucanal Wajxaklajun Witzna Xultun Yaxha Zacpeten Zaculeu Zapote Bobal
Honduras	Copán El Puente
Mexico	Acanceh Aké Balamku Becan Bonampak Calakmul Chacchoben Chactún Chicanná Chinkultic Chichen Itza Chunchucmil Coba Comalcalco Dzibilchaltun Edzna Ek' Balam Izamal Izapa Jaina Jolja' Kabah Kiuic Kohunlich Komchen Labna La Mar Mayapan Maní Moral Reforma Muyil Oxkintok Palenque Plan de Ayutla (Maya Site) Pomona Punta Sur Río Bec San Gervasio Sayil Toniná Tortuguero Tulum Uxmal Xcaret Xelha Xlapak Xpuhil Yaxchilan Yaxuna Yula Yo'okop
El Salvador	Cara Sucia Casa Blanca Cihuatán Joya de Cerén San Andrés Tazumal
See also: Pre-Columbian era

Coordinates: 15°44′30″N 90°21′59″W / 15.7417°N 90.3663°W / 15.7417; -90.3663