Extending Teotihuacan's Past: Ceramic Insights from Lidar-Based Surface Survey

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Ancient Mesoamerican and Andean Cities: Old Debates, New Perspectives" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In this presentation, we will explore the density patterns of ceramics in the Teotihuacan Valley, from the Patlachique phase to the Mexica occupation. Our research is based on an initial ceramic analysis conducted using a recent lidar-based surface survey. To manage and visualize the density maps more efficiently, we integrated the collected data into a geographic information system. We aim to offer a fresh perspective on the relationship between the distribution of ceramics and the topography of the Teotihuacan landscape, given that the collected materials are linked to the lidar map. We have already tested the Patlachique Phase, and we observed a shift in the occupation's elevation during that phase, followed by significant variations in subsequent ones. The close connection between the collected materials and the lidar map offers new information that may not have been clear previously. With the lidar map covering most of the Teotihuacan Valley, our vision extends beyond the ancient city's core area, allowing us to reinterpret the connection between the central area's primary occupation and its peripheries.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ancient Mesoamerican and Andean Cities: Old Debates, New Perspectives   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39838.0