Archaeometric Characterization of the Lapidary Objects from Teopancazco and Xalla, Teotihuacan

Summary

This is an abstract from the "From Materials to Materiality: Analysis and Interpretation of Archaeological and Historical Artifacts Using Non-destructive and Micro/Nano-sampling Scientific Methods" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

One of the main goals of the archaeological researches in Teotihuacan is the analysis and classification of the material culture in order to distinguish local and foreign goods among this multiethnic settlement. In this paper, we will present different archaeometric studies applied to the lapidary assemblages from the neighborhood center of Teopancazco and the palace compound of Xalla. These objects were analyzed by non-destructive techniques (UVF, IRR, OM, SEM-EDS, and µRaman) to identify their chemical composition, mineralogy and provenance, and the characterization of their manufacturing traces. We detected raw materials from diverse geological origins, like jadeite, green quartz, serpentine, white and green travertine, amazonite, pyrite, slate, and marble, among others. With the traceological analysis we distinguish four technological patterns. Their comparison with the lapidary traditions developed in Classic Mesoamerica allowed us to identify them as Teotihuacan, Mezcala, Maya, and Zapotec. Also we appreciate specific relationships and cultural preferences between some types of raw materials, objects, and techniques. Finally, the temporal and spatial comparison of these lapidary items with other areas at Teotihuacan showed the existence of different mechanisms of production and distribution of these goods.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• From Materials to Materiality: Analysis and Interpretation of Archaeological and Historical Artifacts Using Non-destructive and Micro/Nano-sampling Scientific Methods   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 23116