An Integrated Approach to Urban and Artifact Analysis of Residential Buildings in Late Postclassic Guiengola, Tehuantepec, Oaxaca

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Checking the Pulse II: Current Research in Oaxaca Part 2" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper explores ethnogenesis and cultural hybridity by analyzing survey and lidar data in 72 buildings from the Guiengola archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico. Specifically, it examines the Zapotec people's domestic construction and pottery assemblages in four areas of this fortified site during the Late Postclassic period (AD 1250–1521). By analyzing the various configurations of domestic buildings on the site, it was possible to understand how the city's settlement evolved over a period of 100 years. Additionally, this study uncovers the motivations behind the Zapotecs' decisions to keep using, adopting, or creating new pottery styles and how their domestic practices were affected in their new coastal surroundings. The findings reveal the integration between the incoming Zapotec settlers and existing local traditions. This research challenges traditional notions of cultural boundaries and highlights the complexities of cultural exchange. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in understanding cultural adaptation and assimilation. Ultimately, this research provides evidence of cultural hybridity in the archaeological record and paves the way for further investigations into the mechanisms behind it.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Checking the Pulse II: Current Research in Oaxaca Part 2   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38383.0