The Obsidian Trade at Teotihuacan: pXRF Analysis of Changes in Source Location Over Time

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Obsidian played an important social and economic role in ancient Mesoamerica. Because obsidian is a relatively homogenous material, chemical analyses can quantify its elemental concentrations and determine source locations of individual artifacts. This study investigates sources of obsidian procurement at the ancient metropolis of Teotihuacan in central Mexico through the use of a portable X-Ray florescence instrument (pXRF). The research focuses on obsidian artifacts recently obtained from surface collection and from the excavation of stratified deposits at the Teotihuacan neighborhood of Hacienda Metepec, located on the eastern margin of the ancient city (N1E7). In total 378 obsidian artifacts, representing blade, projectile points, cores, and scrapers, were analyzed by pXRF during the summer of 2022. Chemical compositions are compared with those of known geological sources to identify changes in the raw material source locations over time and to assess whether particular artifact classes more frequently associate with particular source locations. Samples are grouped according to levels associated with Xolalpan (AD 350-500), Metepec (AD 500-550), Coyotlatelco (AD 550-850), and Mazapan/Aztec ceramic phases (AD 850-1500), as well as artifact type. Results increase our understanding of the trade networks at Teotihuacan and how they changed during the Epiclassic to Classic transition.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36982.0