Late Classic and Early Postclassic Residential Spaces of Rio Viejo, Oaxaca: Preliminary Results

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Checking the Pulse: Current Research in Oaxaca Part I" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Río Verde Project-2022 examined changes in domestic economy at the city of Río Viejo during the Classic to Postclassic transition. Horizontal excavations were carried out in two low status residential areas. In both areas excavations moved from Early Postclassic domestic space near the surface into Late Classic residential areas in deeper levels, although one of the excavation areas was the focus of supra-household activities at the end of the Late Classic. Excavations explored four Late Classic residences and eight Early Postclassic ones. Evidence for the preparation of meals was found in the form of three earth ovens, which based on their size may have involved supra-household groups in the Late Classic perhaps associated with ritual feasting. Inhabitants ritually marked the dramatic social changes that occurred in the broader region during the Classic–Postclassic transition through termination ceremonies involving the intentional breakage of ceramic vessels and incensarios. Evidence for domestic activities was recovered from two large middens. A total of 23 burials were exposed. The most elaborate burial was that of an adult female dating to the Classic–Postclassic transition. She was accompanied by implements used in the spinning and weaving of cotton as well as elaborately decorated ceramic vessels.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Checking the Pulse: Current Research in Oaxaca Part I   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 35615.0