Ancient Tula and Its Interactions with Other Areas of Mesoamerica

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Interactions during the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic (AD 650–1100) in the Central Highlands: New Insights from Material and Visual Culture" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Over the course of time, archaeological investigations at Tula, Hidalgo, have recovered increasing evidence of systematic exchange with other areas of Mesoamerica spanning Tula’s initial growth in the Epiclassic period and its Early Postclassic apogee. The material evidence at Tula itself includes finds from many parts of Mesoamerica, and in some cases includes luxury goods from ritual and other contexts associated with Tula's political and religious elite. Many other such items, however, including some of the most sensational recent finds, have been recovered from contexts associated with the everyday domestic realm, including a wide variety of residential structures throughout the ancient city, revealing a multitiered exchange system whose components include not only the movement of goods to and from Tula, but their movement within the city itself. Stratigraphic and chronometric data indicate notable long distance exchange activity beginning in the Epiclassic that continued and flourished in the subsequent Early Postclassic period. Evidence from other sites provides some perspective on Tula's role as a donor in several cases.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Interactions during the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic (AD 650–1100) in the Central Highlands: New Insights from Material and Visual Culture   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38263.0