Advances in the Study Archaeological Ceramics of the Epiclassic-Early Postclassic Basin of Mexico

Summary

This is an abstract from the "The Legacies of The Basin of Mexico: The Ecological Processes in the Evolution of a Civilization, Part 2" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Basin of Mexico survey and related archaeological projects in the region provided not only a ceramic chronology, but also a legacy of archaeological materials available for continued research. Two key goals of the Basin of Mexico survey focused on relations among settlement clusters and the character of human relations with the natural environment. With an emphasis on Epiclassic-Early Postclassic periods (Second Intermediate Phases One and Two), I evaluate some key propositions reported by Sanders, Parsons, and Santley (1979) and provide discussion from my two decades of studies of utilizing ceramic materials from Basin survey and other related projects. I provide discussion on how attribute-based study of archaeological ceramics, when combined with spatial and temporal associations, can provide a robust approach to address economic, political, and social relations among communities. Compositional studies have been developed and new methods and approaches continue to refine interpretation of production and exchange, however the complexity of Basin geological patterns require continual assessment and innovation in using sourcing data. Ceramics can inform on a range of issues from population migration, changes in cuisine, innovation and emulation in technology and crafting, and local access to clay and mineral resources on the landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Legacies of The Basin of Mexico: The Ecological Processes in the Evolution of a Civilization, Part 2   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25738