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STRUCTURE M8-10

We completely excavated Str. M8-10, which measured 17.2 x 4.2 m on the exterior and contained three main rooms and two smaller ones. We call them, from north to south, the north side-room, north room, central room, south room, and south side-room. Distribution analyses of the artifacts suggest a distinct function of each room. Excavations under the room and bench floors during the 1997 season did not reveal any earlier structures.

The central room possessed unique architectural elements, including a large bench with low shelves on two sides and a niche under the bench. The amount of artifacts found in this room was relatively small. Recovered objects included four medium-sized jars that might have contained liquid. Stone mortars and obsidian blade cores reused as pestles were probably employed for pigment preparation, which relates to the work of a scribe. Three complete obsidian blades were found on the northern edge of the bench and in front of it. As discussed later, the excavation of Str. M7-35 recovered four complete obsidian blades and an imitation stingray spine in a comparable location. These complete obsidian blades might have been used for ritual bloodletting. It is likely that this room was where the head of the family lived, conducted administrative work, and/or received visitors. The excavation of subfloor levels during the 1997 season located a burial of an adult male in an extended position in front of the bench. It is probable that this buried man was the head of the family of the previous generation, who might have used the room in a similar manner.

An Overview of Excavations	Shell Plates
Shell Ornament with the Name of the Scribe	Stone Mortars

A larger concentration of scribe's implements was found in the north room. These included three halved conch shells similar to ink pots depicted in the hands of scribes in paintings and sculptures (e.g., Coe 1977: figs. 6, 8, and 12; Fash 1989: figs. 41, 43, 45, and 47), and small rectangular stone mortars for paint preparation (Inomata 1997: fig. 11). A chert object of a concave shape and a chert pestle also appear to have been used for pigment preparation. It is probable that the north room was occupied by a scribe/artist. Besides scribe's implements, this room contained a large quantity of artifacts, such as ceramic vessels, stone celts, other types of lithics, beads made of greenstone, figurines, ceramic flutes, and ornaments skillfully carved from shell and bone. Some shell and bone artifacts were carved with hieroglyphic texts. Houston (personal communication, 1993) has pointed out that hieroglyphs on a shell ornament (Inomata 1995: fig. 8.36) comprised a personal name, titles, the Aguateca emblem glyph, and the its'at (sage) title, which was general used by scribes (Stuart 1987). A finely carved shell ornament depicts the face of a monkey, which might represent the patron deity of scribes (Coe 1977). In addition, the glyphic text on a human skull recovered in this room referred to an accession ceremony attended by the Aguateca ruler (Inomata 1995: fig. 8.41).

Axonometric drawing of Str. M8-10, showing the reconstruction of masonry walls (after Inomata and Stiver 1993: fig. 4.3, courtesy Vanderbilt University Press.