Historical Archaeology in Downtown Mexico City: the Case of "La Casa del Mayorazgo de Nava Chávez"

Summary

The historical center of Mexico City is a canvas of superimposed maps in which we can perceive history through the streets and architectural diversity. In this territory the Mexica Empire was settled as well as the colonial city. Later, this area was essential for the independence conflict and revolution. Nowadays is the political and cultural center of Mexico. The historic heart of the city has been the setting of outstanding incidental discoveries, of great significance for Mexican archaeology. The latest major finding was the monolith of the Earth Goddess, Tlaltecuhtli, discovered on October 2nd, 2016, inside the Mayorazgo of Nava Chávez, premises popularly known as "La Casa de las Ajaracas". Although this site was the scenario of an intensive religious and ritual activity during prehispanic times, it has been continuously occupied for five centuries, since the Conquest. The aim of this paper is to present the history of this place and their inhabitants, as well as the results of the analysis of colonial ceramic materials recovered during the excavations of the seventh field season of the Templo Mayor Project.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15659