The Geopolitical Implications of Sub-flow Variation within the Zaragoza-Oyameles Obsidian Source

Summary

Chemical analysis of obsidian is a useful proxy for studying the control of obsidian goods exchange and the presence of pre-Hispanic geopolitical boundaries. Recent studies on obsidian sourcing show that during the Late Postclassic period (A.D. 1250-1519), regional altepemeh imported obsidian from several sources within highland Mesoamerica. Analysis of data suggests that no single political entity fully controlled the distribution of obsidian goods from a particular source, suggesting that perhaps a single obsidian source was geopolitically exploited by several rival altepemeh. In order to examine this issue, we used pXRF analysis to analyze variation in sub-flow chemical signatures of 20 locations within the Zaragoza-Oyameles source area (located in Puebla, Mexico). Results were then compared to chemical signatures of archaeological obsidian artifacts from Late Postclassic sites of the Puebla-Tlaxcala region. Here, we present our preliminary results with special reference to the economic relationship between competing rival political entities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Crafting and Consumption in Prehispanic Mesoamerica: A Diachronic Perspective/La Producción y el Consumo de Artesanías en Mesoamérica durante la Época Prehispánica: Una Perspectiva Diacrónica

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16099