[meteorite-list] Zapotectite- what kinda name is that?

[brian burrer]

In my previous post I referred to the new tektites from Belize as"
Zapotectites".  Geologist Jean Cornec is the one that perhaps should
name them as his unpublished paper and its appearance on a website is
the start of the new strewnfield's recognition.  I noticed the paper
about a month after posting.  When I informed Hal Povenmire of the
posting he quickly published on the subject and referred to them as
Central American tektites.  That is a fine name but we don't refer to
the Central European tektites as such but instead as Moldavite (Czechs
use Vlatavine).  In a much earlier posting I made this year I had
called the new tektites "Mayanites" because the first discoveries in
Guatemala and Belize were all in the greater Mayan influence.  But
"Mayanite" is used as part of a name for something referred to as
"Mayanite Rainbow Quartz".  Perhaps a good common name should refer to
the particular subset of Maya in the tektite region, namely the
Zapotec.  "Zapotectite", or perhaps more correctly "Zapotecite" would
then be a possible moniker for the new discoveries.  I just use it
because it fits for me; time and common usage will be the ultimate
dictator.

Happy hunting,
Brian