In the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes: A Ceramic Analysis of the Santa Cristina Site, Chinandega Nicaragua

Nicaragua falls on the edge of what is often referred to as Mesoamerica’s “southern periphery.” Only a small amount of archaeological research has been conducted in Nicaragua, and there has been little of it in the northwestern portion of the country. Because of this, there are no local ceramic typologies or sequences which can make the identification and classification of artifacts difficult.
The proposed research focuses on investigating the ceramic assemblage from the Santa Cristina archaeological site located in the Department of Chinandega, in northwest Nicaragua. The goal of this research will be to create a ceramic typology for the site, taking into consideration ceramic wares, groups, types, and varieties that have already been identified in other parts of Central America and defining taxa that have not been previously identified. Establishing the ceramic typology and defining taxa will help establish cultural affiliations as well as chronological markers.