Deposition in Death and Domestic Contexts at Cerro de Trincheras, Sonora Mexico

Summary

How sherds ultimately enter the archaeological record reflect the roles and beliefs regarding the discard, reuse and repurposing of pottery across the Southwest US and Northwest Mexico. This paper examines the deposition of whole vessels and ceramic sherds from Cerro de Trincheras, Sonora, Mexico. It compares two contexts: the debris of domestic spaces, and the careful internment of vessels as part of mortuary ritual. The ceramic deposition practices of Trinchereños (Trincheras Tradition peoples) reveal the life history of the pots themselves. Despite the ubiquity of pottery by 1300 AD, Trinchereños treated their vessels with great care and consideration, vessels were mended, repurposed and included in burial assemblages showing the cumulative effects of their life histories. These insights provide context for understanding domestic refuse. While sherds help date the site and track migration, archaeologists have incomplete knowledge of how Trinchereños used pots in their daily lives. In this paper, I will discuss the deposition of Trincheras funerary ceramics as they relate to household assemblages.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21642