Obsidian Distribution in Michoacán during the Epiclassic Period

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Crossing Boundaries: Interregional Interactions in Pre-Columbian Times" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

During the Epiclassic, well known as a transitionary period, some emerging chiefdoms sought control of exchange networks and natural resources like obsidian. Specifically, in Western Mesoamerica, in Michoacán are two obsidian sources that had a local distribution across the Lake Chapala basin, the central mountain range and southern Tierra Caliente region’s archaeological sites. These regions have been explored by the Proyecto de Arqueología Paisaje del Área Centro-Sur de Michoacán in recent years. To understand the obsidian distribution in these regions x-ray fluorescence analysis was performed on archaeological objects and compared with local geologic samples to corroborate the obsidian’s origin from the quarries. The objective is through comparing the raw materials in these regions, establish possible obsidian exchange networks from the source location to local sites.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Crossing Boundaries: Interregional Interactions in Pre-Columbian Times   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24066