Architecture and Urban Transformation in Formative Central Mexico: New Findings from the Tlalancaleca Archaeological Project, Puebla

Summary

Tlalancaleca was one of the largest settlements before the rise of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico and likely provided cultural and historical settings for the creation of Central Mexican urban traditions during later periods. Yet its urbanization process and architectural traditions remain poorly understood. Our research over the last five field seasons indicates that Tlalancaleca was urbanized during the Middle Formative period (ca. 650-500 BC) and experienced large-scale urban transformations during the Late Formative (ca. 500-100 BC) and a subsequent and final urban expansion during the Terminal Formative (ca. 100 BC-AD 200/250). This paper presents preliminary results of excavations, which were carried out at monumental structures at Tlalancaleca. It discusses the construction techniques used for talud-tablero facades (a combination of sloping walls and vertical panels) and the temporal relationship between the introduction of the talud-tablero style and the urban development. Preliminary analysis suggests that the talud-tablero was introduced sometime during the Terminal Formative period and was associated with urban expansion before the abandonment of the site.

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): 16609