Solving the mystery of the Mayan mirrors

[Judi Lynn]

Published: Monday 17 June 2024

Archaeological scientists from the University of Bradford are using trace elemental analysis to solve a centuries-old puzzle of where the ancient Mayan civilization mined material to make its famous fool’s gold mirrors.

The mirrors in question were typically owned by elites right across ancient Mesoamerica and were made using iron oxides and pyrite, a mineral otherwise known as fool’s gold because of its likeness to the precious metal.

Now PhD researcher Andrea Sandoval Molina from the University of Bradford is using trace elemental techniques to work out precisely the area where pyrite, used in mirrors, was mined. She co-authored an article recently published by the journal Ancient Mesoamerica.

The non-invasive technique involves scanning minerals using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence gun to extract a unique ‘chemical fingerprint’ - this can then be matched to a geological region, showing where the mineral was mined.

Andrea, originally from Guatemala, which sits at the heart of the ancient Mayan civilization, said she hopes the technique will shed light on ancient trade routes across ancient Mesoamerica.

More:
https://www.bradford.ac.uk/news/archive/2024/solving-the-mystery-of-the-mayan-mirrors.php

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