Digging in Churches: Community Archaeology in Xaltocan, Mexico

Summary

Xaltocan has a thriving community and its people have a strong connection to their long history, although this was not always the case. Elizabeth Brumfiel pioneered community archaeology at Xaltocan almost 30 years ago and initiated a long process of collaborative archaeology that continues until this day. As a consequence of the close interaction between archaeologists and the community, the past has become a vehicle for the construction of local and national identity in Xaltocan. We will discuss recent efforts and new understandings that have emerged from our recent archaeological project focused on the town’s 16th-century church, which is in disrepair and at risk of collapse, and look ahead to new possibilities for future community collaboration.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22558