gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs, archaeology, history, archaeogemology, Pre-Columbian jade; Costa Rica; Maya; exchange; iconography, lapidary

Carved jadeite objects were highly valued as prestige goods and played a vital role within the political economy of all Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations, including the ancient Maya. Despite this importance, we know little about how their production was organized. Recent excavations and surveys in the Middle Motagua Valley have been used to examine the role of domestic craftsmen in the production and distribution of prestige jadeite goods. This study demonstrates that simple typological models are insufficient and may even hinder the description and understanding of the role of domestic craft production within the Pre-Hispanic political economy.