<P> Ceramics and furniture were produced in specialized workshops, before being traded for other goods . Often the work produced by a particular artist, or workhouse was heavily sought after by the elite classes of Maya society and therefore artists were usually supported by and primarily catered to the wealthy . Art goods such as jade carvings, paintings, ornate furniture and metal ornaments were also circulated through kingdoms, and local areas amongst the elite classes . This was usually the case because of the strong symbol of power and wealth the fine arts provided . The ceramics produced were mainly plates, vases, and cylindrical drinking vessels . When painted, these pots were usually painted red, with gold and black detailing . </P> <P> Rare stones such as jade and pyrite were also very important to the Maya elite . These stones were relatively hard to acquire, so having such treasures helped them to solidify their positions in the society . Many of the stones were collected in the highlands of the empire in Guatemala, so when long - distance trade developed, the Maya were able to move more of these precious stones to the lowland cities . </P> <P> The Jade route was mainly the Motagua river and a recently discovered land route in the Sierra de las Minas, and then distributed to all the Maya area and beyond, using canoes in the Caribbean routes, as well as the Pasión River route via the land route through Alta Verapaz . A unique and valuable trade item tends to become more valuable as it is traded farther from the source . The incentive is to profit by continuing to trade it until one of three things happens: an owner can't bear to part with it, it reaches a cultural area where it is not valued, or it reaches the bitter end of the trade route . </P> <P> For the jadeite axes found on the island of Antigua, the second and third may have both applied . Antigua was the far eastern edge of the Taino cultural area and of the Caribbean island chain . This finding is significant geologically and archaeologically as it argues for the primacy of Guatemala as the New World source of jadeite jade and refutes an assertion that all exotic gems and minerals in the Eastern Caribbean were sourced from South America, as no jadeite rock is known from there . (See Jade). The Caribbean route is also the most likely Olmec trade route for Jade . </P>

Among the most significant trade items obtained by the olmecs from distant regions was