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, Motagua River

The middle basin of the Motagua River has been subject to various studies by a number of national as well as international investigators since the 1930s. From these studies a total of 91 Prehispanic settlements have been reported, of which 10 political entities have been defined that seemingly controlled jade production, distribution, and trade from the Preclassic to Late Classic periods. In this work, I will describe each of these political entities: their settlement patterns, utilization of natural resources, principal site characteristics, territories, control over trade in the region, and the role that jade played for the benefit of these ruling polities.