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Chama (Chamá) is a small Late-Classic Maya highland site, situated in the Chixoy River valley of the Alta Verapaz department of Guatemala, some fifty kilometers north-west of San Pedro Carchá. Small-scale excavations were carried out in the early twentieth century by Robert J. Burkitt of the Pennsylvania University Museum. The site belongs to the periphery of the lowland Maya kingdoms. It has been argued that Chama was colonized from the lowlands somewhere at the beginning of the eighth century and then developed its characteristic, but short-lived Classical ceramic style.

Chamá-style cylindrical vases have black-and-white chevron motif bands painted around the rim and base, with a bright white, and strong red-and-black palette, applied to a distinctive yellow to yellow-orange background. Rather than with scenes of courtiers and warriors, they are often decorated with humanized animals, deities, and mythological scenes.

The anthropologist Elin C. Danien produced studies of the Chamà vases in the Penn Museum, which is exceptional for having provenance information for the specimens in its collection.

References

1. Elin Corey Danien, "The Chama polychrome ceramic cylinders" (January 1, 1998). Dissertations available from ProQuest. Paper AAI9829880.
2. Danien, Elin C. (2009). "Painted Metaphors: Politics and Pottery of the Ancient Maya". Penn Museum. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
3. Danien, Elin C. (1998). The Chama Polychrome Ceramic Cylinders in the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Philadelphia: PhD Dissertation (Anthropology), University of Pennsylvania.

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Belize	Actun Tunichil Muknal Altun Ha Baking Pot Barton Creek Cave Cahal Pech Caracol Cerros Chaa Creek Colha Cuello El Pilar KaʼKabish Kʼaxob La Milpa Lamanai Louisville Lower Dover Lubaantun Marco Gonzalez Minanha Nim Li Punit Nohmul Nohoch Cheʼen Pacbitun Pusilha San Estevan Santa Rita Tipu Uxbenka Xnaheb Xunantunich
Guatemala	Aguateca Altar de Sacrificios Arroyo de Piedra Balberta Bejucal Cancuén Cerro Quiac Chama Chitinamit Chocolá Chutixtiox Cotzumalhuapa Dos Pilas El Baúl El Chal El Mirador El Perú El Porvenir El Temblor El Tintal El Zotz Guaytán Holmul Holtun Itzan Iximche Ixkun Ixlu Ixtonton Ixtutz Kaminaljuyu Kinal Kʼatepan La Amelia La Blanca La Corona La Joyanca La Muerta Machaquila Mixco Viejo Montana Motul de San José Naachtun Nakbe Nakum Naranjo Pajaral Piedras Negras Punta de Chimino Quiriguá Qʼumarkaj Río Azul Sacul San Bartolo San Clemente Seibal Takalik Abaj Tamarindito Tayasal Tikal Topoxte Tres Islas Uaxactun Ucanal Wajxaklajun Witzna Xultun Yaxha Zacpeten Zaculeu Zapote Bobal
Honduras	Copán El Puente
Mexico	Acanceh Aguada Fénix Aké Balamku Balankanche Becan Bonampak Calakmul Chacchoben Chactún Chicanná Chinkultic Chichen Itza Chunchucmil Chunhuhub Chunlimón Coba Comalcalco Dzibanche Dzibilchaltun Edzna Ekʼ Balam Hormiguero Izamal Izapa Jaina Joljaʼ Kabah Kiuic Kohunlich Komchen Labna La Mar Mayapan Maní Moral Reforma Muyil Ocomtún Oxkintok Palenque Plan de Ayutla Pomona Punta Sur Río Bec San Gervasio Sayil Tamchen Toniná Tortuguero Tulum Uxmal Uxul Valeriana Xcaret Xelha Xlapak Xpuhil Xtampak Yaxchilan Yaxuná Yula Yoʼokop (for more articles see Category:Maya sites in Mexico)
El Salvador	Cara Sucia Casa Blanca Cihuatán Joya de Cerén San Andrés Tazumal
See also: Pre-Columbian era

15°44′30″N 90°21′59″W / 15.7417°N 90.3663°W / 15.7417; -90.3663

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