This paper presents several examples of compositional research involving archaeological ceramics that are being conducted to further archaeological understanding of social and economic relationships among the ancient Maya of southern Mexico and Central America. In doing so, the discussion illustrates the nature or direction of archaeological interpretation that is being pursued through the specific linkage of chemically based paste compositional data to other types of archaeological information. Specific attention is given to the effects of sampling and the use of multiple level archaeological data sets in one area of the world where compositional data, especially that from instrumental neutron activation, now amounts to several thousand analyses.