The Cerro Jazmín Archaeological Project 2008-2015: discussing early urbanism and city life in Late and Terminal Formative Mixteca Alta, Mexico

Part of: Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

The Cerro Jazmín Archaeological Project investigated from 2008 to 2015 an early urban center in the Mixteca Alta, a highland region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Researchers involved in the project gather in this bilingual session to discuss their work, which spans from regional studies, to intra-site spatial analyses, archaeological excavation and artifact analysis, physical anthropology, faunal and paleobotanical studies, and chemical analyses on human bone, lithic, and ceramic artifacts. Recent research finds will be presented, providing new information on urban households and their mortuary practices, economic, and ritual activities. The information presented also speak to the specialized function of this Late/Terminal Formative and Postclassic highland city and its regional sociopolitical context and environmental impact. Project results will be discussed in relation to existing case studies on contemporary Late Formative Mesoamerican urban centers. The emerging results contribute to the growing body of knowledge and theoretical discussions on urbanism worldwide.