The Role of Altica in Exchange and Interactions during the Early Middle Formative in Central Mexico

Summary

Interaction was important early in the development of complex societies during the Formative period in Mesoamerica. Despite its small size, Altica was integrated into Early-Middle Formative exchange networks as it obtained some ceramics, obsidian blades, and ornaments of exotic stone and exported Otumba obsidian that began to circulate widely at this this time. There likely were other early villages within proximity to the Otumba source engaged in procuring obsidian for trade to other sites, but Altica is the only one so far identified. We discuss our multi-technique approach to composition analysis of Formative ceramics and obsidian. To place Alitca in a regional context, a goal of the project is to develop a compositional data base, not just for Altica, but for the Basin of Mexico and for Central Mexico more generally. This represents one of the largest compositional studies for the Formative period in Mesoamerica. Our goal is to develop a foundation for subsequent researchers to build on.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Altica: The Millennium before Teotihuacan   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 12156