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is undertaken by Cordy-Collins. Edward Dwyer produces a more detailed study of a group of tapestrywoven fabrics from the same period and possibly even the same site of Carhua. It is hoped that Dwyer's suggestions concerning a highland... more
is undertaken by Cordy-Collins. Edward Dwyer produces a more detailed study of a group of tapestrywoven fabrics from the same period and possibly even the same site of Carhua. It is hoped that Dwyer's suggestions concerning a highland textile tradition and highland-coastal trade may be followed up sometime in the future. A chronological assessment of 87 mummy masks assigned to the end of the Early Horizon and attributed to the Ocucaje sector of the lea Valley was made by Dawson who identifies the figure most frequently represented as the Oculate Being. Jane Dwyer, also constructing a chronological stylistic sequence, traces the Oculate Being theme in documented Paracas textiles from the Early Horizon into the Early Intermediate Period. She attempts to unravel the complex visual metaphors of Paracas embroidery, proposing that funerary fabrics were created as symbols of the transformation from life to death and from actual to supernatural. Sawyer examines the iconography of nine painted cloths from Nasca, appending a useful key to the identification of crop plant motifs. In the longest article of the book Ann Rowe presents an in-depth seriation of a garment type from the lea Valley on the basis of design motifs and layout. The two Central Coast papers both discuss textiles from controlled excavations. Harner analyzes 77 textiles from eight Early Intermediate Period sites near Ancon (excavated by Patterson in 1962-1963, with some additions by Lanning), in order to assess the changes and consistencies occurring in the textile record from 50 B.C. to A.D. 550. Garaventa studies a much later sample of 16 textiles from burials at Chincha during the Late Intermediate Period (from the Uhle collection) to establish some of the regularities in weaving from 1430 to 1485. The single paper dealing with North Coast fabrics is Conklin's on Moche textile structures. In his usual ground-breaking fashion, Conklin has compiled a review of 19 documented Moche fabrics and constructs an analytic classification of 5 diagnostic weaving techniques. VanStan reports on a modeled Inca pot depicting two weavers at an unusual upright loom. Also for the Inca period, and with the aid of Spanish sources from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, John Rowe discusses four apparently standardized types of Inca tunics and their cultural significance. The final article of the volume, by Mary Elizabeth King, reviews and updates the prehistoric record of Mesoamerican fabrics, cordage, and basketry, pointing up the predominant contrasts and rare similarities with Andean textiles. In sum, the assemblage of these papers is more than simply a festschrift; it is one of the most substantial contributions to the study of Andean textile technology that the archaeological profession has seen yet. It is also an important addition to South American archaeology in general. It should have a useful place on the bookshelves of archaeologists, textile specialists, art historians, museum curators, and collectors. No better tribute could be made to Junius Bird. Mariana Mesa: Seven Prehistoric Settlements in West-Central New Mexico. CHARLES R. McGIMSEY III. Papers of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 72. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 1980. xx + 298 pp., maps, illus. $25.00 (paper).
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Archaeologists have held a lengthy debate around the question of complex sociopolitical organización in the prehistoric American Southwest. Recent theory, though, urges scholars to “unpack” the properties of complexity. In this paper a... more
Archaeologists have held a lengthy debate around the question of complex sociopolitical organización in the prehistoric American Southwest. Recent theory, though, urges scholars to “unpack” the properties of complexity. In this paper a southwestern regional center is compared with one on the northern Mesoamerican periphery in terms of properties generally associated with sociopolitical complexity: population size, labor investment in monumental construction, extent of road systems, mortuary practices, and symbolism of integrative facilities. Contrary to the conception of Mesoamerican societies as larger and more politically centralized, Chaco Canyon appears to have been organized at a larger scale than La Quemada. Yet it is argued that La Quemada was more hierarchically structured. Correctly evaluating complexity in both nature and degree is not only theoretically significant, but has implications for particular models of long-distance interaction between such large centers.
Research Interests: History, Geography, Archaeology, Prehistory, Population, and 3 moreAmerican antiquity, Hierarchy, and Canyon
... undetermined origin. Some of the charcoal lay in direct association with human skulls and long bones, and may represent skull racks (Hers 1989: 89-93; EA Kelley 1978: 114-117; Nelson, Dar-ling, and Kice 1992: 306). The sampled ...
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Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that... more
Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that tree rings in this region do not reflect annual growth and environmental variability, that an adequate number of samples do not exist, and that tree-ring measurements cannot be useful without modern trees to link prehispanic chronologies. In this article we present data from the sites of La Quemada and Los Pilarillos, located in the Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, to demonstrate that suitable archaeologically derived samples of dendrochronologically useful species do exist, that the samples from these sites are measurable and cross-datable, and that the tree rings can yield precise calendar dates using a method that “wiggle-matches” radiocarbon dates on tree-ring sequences. The work demonstrates the potential of these methods to address chronological, and...
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Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Mesoamerican Archaeology, and 11 moreMesoamerica, Social zooarchaeology, Ritual Zooarchaeology, Mesoamerican Ethnohistory, Mesoamerican Religion, Birds, Mesoamerican codices, Macaws, Human Animal Relations, Estudios Mesoamericanos, and Animal Human Interaction
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Environmental Science, Geochemistry, Stable isotope ecology, and 12 moreStable Isotope Analysis, Environmental Archaeology, Paleoclimatology, Archaeological Science, Mesoamerican Archaeology, Paleoenvironment, Mesoamerica, Northwest Mexico, Epiclassic Mesoamerica, Hohokam Archaeology, CHALCHIHUITES DURANGO ARCHEAOLOGY, and Arid
The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquimé (ca. 1200–1450 AD) lay outside of urban Mesoamerica in arid northern Chihuahua, Mexico, yet the excavated remains of 322 scarlet macaws, tropical parrots whose northernmost habitat is 500km to the... more
The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquimé (ca. 1200–1450 AD) lay outside of urban Mesoamerica in arid northern Chihuahua, Mexico, yet the excavated remains of 322 scarlet macaws, tropical parrots whose northernmost habitat is 500km to the south, suggest that Paquimé had relationships with distant communities. Here, carbon and oxygen stable isotope analysis of 30 macaw bones determines whether the Paquimeños actively
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Anthropology, Political Ecology, Archaeological Science, and 15 moreMesoamerican Archaeology, Southwestern Archaeology, Greater Southwest, Mesoamerica, Archaeological Chemistry, Anthropological Archaeology, Carbon Isotopes, Anthropological, Oxygen Isotopes, Oxygen Isotope, Source, Carbon Isotope, Isotope analysis, North American, and Academic
Northwest Mexico and West Mexico include four to five times as many named cultural areas equivalent to those known in the US Southwest, all with independent yet also connected histories. Together these changing cultures formed the bridge... more
Northwest Mexico and West Mexico include four to five times as many named cultural areas equivalent to those known in the US Southwest, all with independent yet also connected histories. Together these changing cultures formed the bridge that connected the US Southwest with Mesoamerica. We review some aspects of regional diversity and moments of inter-regional relations, beginning with early agriculture and sedentism in the north. We trace the northward spread of rising regional centers and the appearance of some of the tangible elements of connection. This review shows that specialized production was more sparsely distributed than archaeologists once thought. Cultural identities were gained and lost; yet material connections persisted, and with the advances of past decades archaeologists can better characterize their occurrences, if not yet the mechanisms that produced those connections.
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During the Epiclassic period (A.D. 500-900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico.... more
During the Epiclassic period (A.D. 500-900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico. While extensive archaeological research has been conducted at the site, a seriation of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project ceramic assemblage remains to be finalized. Establishing the chronology of La Quemada is essential for two reasons: (1) to ensure the occupational history of La Quemada is accurately integrated into the regional chronology of the northern frontier; and (2) to establish the chronological control necessary for addressing changes in the social interactions in which La Quemada residents engaged. Previous analyses found that red-on-buff and incised-engraved types predominate in most proveniences through the entire occupation of La Quemada; therefore, the type-based analysis will be informed by an attribute analysis focused on seriating design motifs (e.g., frets, steps, zigzags, and life forms). Such an approach may allow us to identify fine-scale variations in the frequency of red-on-buff and incised-engraved ceramics though time, which will enhance our ability to order proveniences based on their assemblage composition.
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During the Epiclassic period (AD 600–900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers, including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico.... more
During the Epiclassic period (AD 600–900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers, including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico. Although extensive archaeological research has been conducted at the site, the refinement of its chronology is essential for two reasons: (1) to establish the chronological control necessary to characterize social processes diachronically and (2) to ensure that the occupational history of La Quemada is accurately integrated into the regional chronology of the northern frontier. A combination of frequency seriation, correspondence analysis, and discriminant function analysis results in the recognition of three occupational phases across the areas excavated by the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project (LQ-MVAP). Our three-phase chronology independently confirms both the intra-context ordering of analytic units and the previously proposed growth trajectory of the site: beginning in the monumental core, expanding into the western flank, and later retracting back into the core. The separation of the LQ-MVAP material record into chronological phases means it is now possible to track changes in the social processes that may have contributed to the formation, maintenance, and decline of La Quemada and other northern frontier polities.
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This article presents an analysis conducted on the collection of ceramic figurines found at the Epiclassic center of La Quemada, Zacatecas, Mexico, during stratigraphic excavations of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project.... more
This article presents an analysis conducted on the collection of ceramic figurines found at the Epiclassic center of La Quemada, Zacatecas, Mexico, during stratigraphic excavations of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project. This corpus (1989-1999) constitutes an essential source of information about this community’s ritual and socio-economic life. The study develops a multi-perspective approach (stratigraphic, technological, and typological) to identify the context of production, use, and discard of these materials. We suggest that these figurines were manufactured by various production units and used during community ritual and performative events before being systematically discarded in middens or reused as construction materials. Keywords: figurines, West Mexico, Epiclassic, manufacturing techniques, ritual. Cette étude présente l’analyse de la collection de figurines en terre cuite provenant des fouilles stratigraphiques menées sur le site épiclassique de La Quemada, état du Zacatecas, Mexique, par le projet La Quemada-Valle de Malpaso (1989-1999). Ce corpus constitue une source d’information importante sur la vie rituelle et socioéconomique de cette communauté. L’approche multi-perspective (stratigraphique, technologique et typologique) de ces artefacts permet d’identifier leur contexte de production, d’utilisation et de destruction. Nous suggérons ainsi que les figurines découvertes à La Quemada ont été fabriquées par plusieurs unités de production, pour être utilisées lors d’évènements rituels et performatifs communautaires, avant d’être systématiquement jetées dans des dépotoirs ou réutilisées comme matériaux de construction. Mots-clés : figurines, Occident du Mexique, Épiclassique, techniques de fabrication, rituel. Este artículo presenta un análisis realizado sobre la colección de figurillas de cerámica procedente del centro epiclásico de La Quemada, Estado de Zacatecas, México, en el marco de las excavaciones estratigráficas del Proyecto Arqueológico La Quemada-Valle de Malpaso (1989-1999). Este corpus de figurillas constituye una fuente de información importante sobre la vida ritual y socioeconómica de esta comunidad. El estudio propone un acercamiento multi-perspectivas (estratigráfico, tecnológico y tipológico) para identificar el contexto de producción, el uso y el proceso de destrucción de estos artefactos. Sugerimos que las figurillas encontradas en La Quemada fueron manufacturadas por varias unidades de producción, y que fueron usadas durante eventos rituales y performativos comunitarios. Por último, fueron desechadas sistemáticamente en basureros o reusadas como material constructivo. Palabras claves: figurillas, Occidente de México, Epiclásico, técnicas de fabricación, ritual.
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ABSTRACT A comparative perspective, drawing from cases in the U.S. Southwest and Northern Mexico, is used to illuminate the iconic Classic Maya “collapse,” and to define the concept of transformative relocation. In some of the cases we... more
ABSTRACT A comparative perspective, drawing from cases in the U.S. Southwest and Northern Mexico, is used to illuminate the iconic Classic Maya “collapse,” and to define the concept of transformative relocation. In some of the cases we discuss—including La Quemada and Classic Mimbres, as well as Maya—the end of a social configuration is not the end of a people. Rather, a broad temporal and regional perspective demonstrates that the dramatic change we see in the archaeological record is best characterized as a transformative relocation in which people relocated themselves and adopted new ways of life. The comparative perspective allows us to identify factors that contribute to this kind of transformation, including a compounding of vulnerabilities and situations of path dependence.
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Anthropology, Transformative Learning, Mesoamerica, and 2 moreMaya and Relocation(Maya and Relocation)
(Maya and Relocation)
Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that... more
Although dendrochronological methods have the potential to provide precise calendar dates, they are virtually absent in Mesoamerican archaeological research. This absence is due to several long-standing, but erroneous, assumptions: that tree rings in this region do not reflect annual growth and environmental variability, that an adequate number of samples do not exist, and that tree-ring measurements cannot be useful without modern trees to link prehispanic chronologies. In this article we present data from the sites of La Quemada and Los Pilarillos, located in the Malpaso Valley, Zacatecas, to demonstrate that suitable archaeologically derived samples of dendrochronologically useful species do exist, that the samples from these sites are measurable and cross-datable, and that the tree rings can yield precise calendar dates using a method that “wiggle-matches” radiocarbon dates on tree-ring sequences. The work demonstrates the potential of these methods to address chronological, and...
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During the Epiclassic period (A.D. 500-900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico.... more
During the Epiclassic period (A.D. 500-900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico. While extensive archaeological research has been conducted at the site, a seriation of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project ceramic assemblage remains to be finalized. Establishing the chronology of La Quemada is essential for two reasons: (1) to ensure the occupational history of La Quemada is accurately integrated into the regional chronology of the northern frontier; and (2) to establish the chronological control necessary for addressing changes in the social interactions in which La Quemada residents engaged. Previous analyses found that red-on-buff and incised-engraved types predominate in most proveniences through the entire occupation of La Quemada; therefore, the type-based analysis will be informed by an attribute analysis focused on seriating design motifs (e.g., frets, steps, zigzags, and life forms). Such an approach may allow us to identify fine-scale variations in the frequency of red-on-buff and incised-engraved ceramics though time, which will enhance our ability to order proveniences based on their assemblage composition.
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Abstract The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquime (1150/1200–1450 CE) in northwestern Chihuahua exhibits extensive evidence of exchange connections with distant communities, including the remains of over 300 scarlet macaws (Ara macao),... more
Abstract The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquime (1150/1200–1450 CE) in northwestern Chihuahua exhibits extensive evidence of exchange connections with distant communities, including the remains of over 300 scarlet macaws (Ara macao), brilliantly plumed birds whose geographic origins lie at least 1000 km southeast in the humid lowlands of Mexico. Archaeological and historic records indicate that these birds were prized for their many cosmological associations, the multi-colored feathers which were widely traded and used in ceremonial attire, and their ability to mimic human speech. We use archaeological and isotopic investigations to infer the diet and geographic origin(s) of Paquime’s scarlet macaw population. We examine 29 scarlet macaw bone samples from Paquime using radiogenic strontium isotope analysis. Our results demonstrate that Paquime’s scarlet macaw population was primarily raised locally, though Paquime’s inhabitants also acquired scarlet macaws from nearby Casas Grandes region settlements in Chihuahua and extra-regional locales that may have been as far away as their endemic homeland in Veracruz in eastern Mexico. Ultimately, our findings indicate that macaw aviculture at Paquime was complex and not congruent with any single previously proposed model.
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Scholars attribute the growth and decline of Classic period (AD 200–900) settlements in the semi-arid northern frontier zone of Mesoamerica to rainfall cycles that controlled the extent of arable land. However, there is little empirical... more
Scholars attribute the growth and decline of Classic period (AD 200–900) settlements in the semi-arid northern frontier zone of Mesoamerica to rainfall cycles that controlled the extent of arable land. However, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. We present phytolith, organic carbon, and magnetic susceptibility analyses of a 4000-yr alluvial record of climate and human land use from the Malpaso Valley, the site of one such Classic frontier community. The earliest farming occupation is detected around 500 BC and appears related to a slight increase of aridity, similar to the level of the modern day valley. By AD 500, the valley's Classic period Mesoamerican settlements were founded under these same dry conditions, which continued into the Postclassic period. This indicates that the La Quemada occupation did not develop during a period of increased rainfall, but rather an arid phase. The most dramatic changes detected in the valley resulted from the erosion a...
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The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquimé (ca. 1200–1450 AD) lay outside of urban Mesoamerica in arid northern Chihuahua, Mexico, yet the excavated remains of 322 scarlet macaws, tropical parrots whose northernmost habitat is 500km to the... more
The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquimé (ca. 1200–1450 AD) lay outside of urban Mesoamerica in arid northern Chihuahua, Mexico, yet the excavated remains of 322 scarlet macaws, tropical parrots whose northernmost habitat is 500km to the south, suggest that Paquimé had relationships with distant communities. Here, carbon and oxygen stable isotope analysis of 30 macaw bones determines whether the Paquimeños actively
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Anthropology, Stable Isotope Analysis, Political Ecology, and 15 moreArchaeological Science, Mesoamerican Archaeology, Southwestern Archaeology, Greater Southwest, Archaeological Chemistry, Anthropological Archaeology, Carbon Isotopes, Anthropological, Oxygen Isotopes, Oxygen Isotope, Source, Carbon Isotope, Isotope analysis, North American, and Academic
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This chapter reviews the evidence for Mesoamerican presence or influence in the U.S. Southwest. Objects, symbols, and practices of apparent Mesoamerican origin, especially in the Hohokam region, include copper bells, macaws, shell... more
This chapter reviews the evidence for Mesoamerican presence or influence in the U.S. Southwest. Objects, symbols, and practices of apparent Mesoamerican origin, especially in the Hohokam region, include copper bells, macaws, shell trumpets, and other similar objects. The explanations that archaeologists have proposed for such presence come down to agricultural displacement, trade, and coercive domination. The review shows that Mesoamerican connections are of several different kinds, suggesting that there may be several different explanations. One explanation that is strongly indicated is the acquisition by local leaders of distant objects and symbols of supernatural power in order certify their ritual competence.
During the Epiclassic period (A.D. 500-900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico.... more
During the Epiclassic period (A.D. 500-900), the northern frontier of Mesoamerica consisted of a regional network of polities focused on large, hilltop centers including the site of La Quemada in the Malpaso Valley of Zacatecas, Mexico. While extensive archaeological research has been conducted at the site, a seriation of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project ceramic assemblage remains to be finalized. Establishing the chronology of La Quemada is essential for two reasons: (1) to ensure the occupational history of La Quemada is accurately integrated into the regional chronology of the northern frontier; and (2) to establish the chronological control necessary for addressing changes in the social interactions in which La Quemada residents engaged. Previous analyses found that red-on-buff and incised-engraved types predominate in most proveniences through the entire occupation of La Quemada; therefore, the type-based analysis will be informed by an attribute analysis fo...
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This article presents an analysis conducted on the collection of ceramic figurines found at the Epiclassic center of La Quemada, Zacatecas, Mexico, during stratigraphic excavations of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project.... more
This article presents an analysis conducted on the collection of ceramic figurines found at the Epiclassic center of La Quemada, Zacatecas, Mexico, during stratigraphic excavations of the La Quemada-Malpaso Valley Archaeological Project. This corpus (1989-1999) constitutes an essential source of information about this community’s ritual and socio-economic life. The study develops a multi-perspective approach (stratigraphic, technological, and typological) to identify the context of production, use, and discard of these materials. We suggest that these figurines were manufactured by various production units and used during community ritual and performative events before being systematically discarded in middens or reused as construction materials.
Keywords: figurines, West Mexico, Epiclassic, manufacturing techniques, ritual.
Cette étude présente l’analyse de la collection de figurines en terre cuite provenant des fouilles stratigraphiques menées sur le site épiclassique de La Quemada, état du Zacatecas, Mexique, par le projet La Quemada-Valle de Malpaso (1989-1999). Ce corpus constitue une source d’information importante sur la vie rituelle et socioéconomique de cette communauté. L’approche multi-perspective (stratigraphique, technologique et typologique) de ces artefacts permet d’identifier leur contexte de production, d’utilisation et de destruction. Nous suggérons ainsi que les figurines découvertes à La Quemada ont été fabriquées par plusieurs unités de production, pour être utilisées lors d’évènements rituels et performatifs communautaires, avant d’être systématiquement jetées dans des dépotoirs ou réutilisées comme matériaux de construction.
Mots-clés : figurines, Occident du Mexique, Épiclassique, techniques de fabrication, rituel.
Este artículo presenta un análisis realizado sobre la colección de figurillas de cerámica procedente del centro epiclásico de La Quemada, Estado de Zacatecas, México, en el marco de las excavaciones estratigráficas del Proyecto Arqueológico La Quemada-Valle de Malpaso (1989-1999). Este corpus de figurillas constituye una fuente de información importante sobre la vida ritual y socioeconómica de esta comunidad. El estudio propone un acercamiento multi-perspectivas (estratigráfico, tecnológico y tipológico) para identificar el contexto de producción, el uso y el proceso de destrucción de estos artefactos. Sugerimos que las figurillas encontradas en La Quemada fueron manufacturadas por varias unidades de producción, y que fueron usadas durante eventos rituales y performativos comunitarios. Por último, fueron desechadas sistemáticamente en basureros o reusadas como material constructivo.
Palabras claves: figurillas, Occidente de México, Epiclásico, técnicas de fabricación, ritual.
Keywords: figurines, West Mexico, Epiclassic, manufacturing techniques, ritual.
Cette étude présente l’analyse de la collection de figurines en terre cuite provenant des fouilles stratigraphiques menées sur le site épiclassique de La Quemada, état du Zacatecas, Mexique, par le projet La Quemada-Valle de Malpaso (1989-1999). Ce corpus constitue une source d’information importante sur la vie rituelle et socioéconomique de cette communauté. L’approche multi-perspective (stratigraphique, technologique et typologique) de ces artefacts permet d’identifier leur contexte de production, d’utilisation et de destruction. Nous suggérons ainsi que les figurines découvertes à La Quemada ont été fabriquées par plusieurs unités de production, pour être utilisées lors d’évènements rituels et performatifs communautaires, avant d’être systématiquement jetées dans des dépotoirs ou réutilisées comme matériaux de construction.
Mots-clés : figurines, Occident du Mexique, Épiclassique, techniques de fabrication, rituel.
Este artículo presenta un análisis realizado sobre la colección de figurillas de cerámica procedente del centro epiclásico de La Quemada, Estado de Zacatecas, México, en el marco de las excavaciones estratigráficas del Proyecto Arqueológico La Quemada-Valle de Malpaso (1989-1999). Este corpus de figurillas constituye una fuente de información importante sobre la vida ritual y socioeconómica de esta comunidad. El estudio propone un acercamiento multi-perspectivas (estratigráfico, tecnológico y tipológico) para identificar el contexto de producción, el uso y el proceso de destrucción de estos artefactos. Sugerimos que las figurillas encontradas en La Quemada fueron manufacturadas por varias unidades de producción, y que fueron usadas durante eventos rituales y performativos comunitarios. Por último, fueron desechadas sistemáticamente en basureros o reusadas como material constructivo.
Palabras claves: figurillas, Occidente de México, Epiclásico, técnicas de fabricación, ritual.
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This study uses faunal abundance data and stable isotope analysis of leporid (cottontail and jackrabbit) bone samples from the northwest Mexican archaeological sites of La Ferreria and La Quemada to infer properties of their past... more
This study uses faunal abundance data and stable isotope analysis of leporid (cottontail and jackrabbit) bone samples from the northwest Mexican archaeological sites of La Ferreria and La Quemada to infer properties of their past environmental landscapes. While the results suggest generally similar environmental conditions through time at La Quemada, the faunal abundance data and stable isotope results suggest that the environment became greener and wetter through time at La Ferreria. Notably, the period of peak population, architectural construction, and greatest trade at La Ferreria coincided with this period of environmental change. We discuss the merit of combining faunal abundance indices with stable isotope variables, as well as the social-environmental implications of the results.
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The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquime (1150/1200–1450 CE) in northwestern Chihuahua exhibits extensive evidence of exchange connections with distant communities, including the remains of over 300 scarlet macaws (Ara macao), brilliantly... more
The pre-Hispanic settlement of Paquime (1150/1200–1450 CE) in northwestern Chihuahua exhibits extensive evidence of exchange connections with distant communities, including the remains of over 300 scarlet macaws (Ara macao), brilliantly plumed birds whose geographic origins lie at least 1000 km southeast in the humid lowlands of Mexico. Archaeological and historic records indicate that these birds were prized for their many cosmological associations, the multi-colored feathers which were widely traded and used in ceremonial attire, and their ability to mimic human speech. We use archaeological and isotopic investigations to infer the diet and geographic origin(s) of Paquime’s scarlet macaw population. We examine 29 scarlet macaw bone samples from Paquime using radiogenic strontium isotope analysis. Our results demonstrate that Paquime’s scarlet macaw population was primarily raised locally, though Paquime’s inhabitants also acquired scarlet macaws from nearby Casas Grandes region settlements in Chihuahua and extra-regional locales that may have been as far away as their endemic homeland in Veracruz in eastern Mexico. Ultimately, our findings indicate that macaw aviculture at Paquime was complex and not congruent with any single previously proposed model.