Residue Analysis of Cooking Vessels from Early Postclassic Xaltocan, Mexico

Summary

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

We examine the use of cooking vessels from Early Postclassic (AD 900-1250) Xaltocan, Mexico, through residue analysis of ceramic sherds. The analysis combined phytolith, pollen, and starch analyses with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF) conducted at the Paleoresearch Institute. Because our understanding of prehispanic foodways in central Mexico is based largely on sources that describe or depict Aztec practices in the sixteenth century, we ask how foods were similar or different prior to the Aztecs. Further, we also seek to gain a better understanding of how plainware vessels were used in prehispanic times. We find that while there is long-term continuity in the preparation of foods such as tamales and corn gruels, additional foods such as tuber-based stews were also prepared in the Early Postclassic. This study also finds that some ceramic vessels, such as comales and crude bowls, had a wider range of food preparation functions than expected.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 33297