Spatial Distribution of Ceramics and Lithics at the Plaza of the Columns Complex, Teotihuacan, Mexico

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Teotihuacan (150 BCE-550 CE), located in the northeastern Basin of Mexico, was a large urban center that was built of a heterogenous ethnic and socio-economic population. The Plaza of the Columns and the Plaza North of the Sun Pyramid, in Teotihuacan’s core ceremonial zone, are posited as palatial-administrative complexes. The occupants of these two complexes left behind a rich history of artifacts and structures, ranging from ornate and elaborate to subdued and utilitarian artifacts. We present a 3D database of ceramic and lithic artifacts, integrated into our 3D architectural map collected during 2015 to 2019 field seasons. Resulting in a multi-artifact spatial distribution map in GIS we identify the function of the different areas, define the chronology based on materials’ forms and styles, and explore activities associated with specific contexts. The variation in spatial distribution and density provide information on possible areas of consumption and production through the use and function. Most importantly, correlations between distribution of multiple artifact types can be plotted to detect patterned human actions across space (horizontally) and time (vertically). We plan to continue adding to and revisiting this dataset each field season to eventually construct comprehensive perspectives of the two complexes.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• SAA 2021: General Sessions

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 33072