What the "Teuchitlan Tradition" is, and What the "Teuchitlan Tradition" is Not

Summary

Recent full coverage systematic surveys in the Tequila region have produced new and significant data to understand the nature of the well-known Teuchitlán tradition which has been variously described as a state-like society, a segmentary state, and a chiefdom. The evidence presented for these various models remains shaky and speculative. Here, I evaluate and test the current evidence, including the published literature, while providing empirical data from the region. Then, I interpret these data in light of a processual model on the character of this complex society and its political economy.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Connections and Complexity: Shifting Perspectives and Current Research in Western Mesoamerica

Keywords

Spatial Coverage