gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs, archaeology, history, archaeogemology

A report on newly documented blue jadeite sources and ancient working sites in Guatemala’s upper Río El Tambor drainage, south of the Motagua River. Archaeological reconnaissance links natural outcrops with nearby settlements, production debris, and unfinished objects, providing evidence for local extraction and manufacture. The discoveries expand the known jadeite-producing region and identify potential sources of the translucent blue-green material prized by the Olmec. They also offer a basis for investigating the organization of production and exchange in ancient Mesoamerica.