Archaeological Researches at Teotihuacan, Mexico
263 pages, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Paperback
Release Date:26 Mar 2003
ISBN:9780817350055
Archaeological Researches at Teotihuacan, Mexico
University of Alabama Press
The field data and archaeological analysis of the first controlled excavations of the vast "City of the Gods" in central Mexico
In 1932, the Ethnographical Museum of Sweden sent an archaeological expedition to Mexico under the direction of Sigvald Linné to determine the full extent of this ancient Teotihuacan occupation and to collect exhibit-quality artifacts. Of an estimated 2,000-plus residential compounds at Teotihuacan, only 20 apartment-like structures were excavated at the time. Yet Linné’s work revealed residential patterns that have been confirmed later in other locations.
Some of the curated objects from the Valley of Mexico and the adjacent state of Puebla are among the most rare and unique artifacts yet found. Another important aspect of this research was that, with the aid of the Museum of Natural History in Washington, Linné’s team conducted ethnographic interviews with remnant native Mexican peoples whose culture had not been entirely destroyed by the Conquest, thereby collecting and preserving valuable information for later research.
In 1932, the Ethnographical Museum of Sweden sent an archaeological expedition to Mexico under the direction of Sigvald Linné to determine the full extent of this ancient Teotihuacan occupation and to collect exhibit-quality artifacts. Of an estimated 2,000-plus residential compounds at Teotihuacan, only 20 apartment-like structures were excavated at the time. Yet Linné’s work revealed residential patterns that have been confirmed later in other locations.
Some of the curated objects from the Valley of Mexico and the adjacent state of Puebla are among the most rare and unique artifacts yet found. Another important aspect of this research was that, with the aid of the Museum of Natural History in Washington, Linné’s team conducted ethnographic interviews with remnant native Mexican peoples whose culture had not been entirely destroyed by the Conquest, thereby collecting and preserving valuable information for later research.
[With this work], Linné has made available a wealth of data on one of the New World's most significant archaeological sites and illuminated them with his searching and thoughtful comments and interpretations. . . . A must for all who are interested in America's high cultures.’
—American Antiquity
The lasting importance of both volumes is the clearly written descriptive data on the architecture, the artifacts, and their contexts. Both volumes are excellent additions to collections in Mesoamerican archaeology, including libraries that have the original editions, because of the new introductory sections.’
—CHOICE
Sigvald Linné was professor of Ethnography at the University of Stockholm and Director of the Swedish National Museum of Ethnography until 1969. He published several books including, The Technique of South American Ceramics.
Staffan Brunius is Curator of the Americas at the National Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm.
George L. Cowgill is professor of Anthropology at Arizona State University and coeditor of The Collapse of Ancient States and Civilizations.
Staffan Brunius is Curator of the Americas at the National Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm.
George L. Cowgill is professor of Anthropology at Arizona State University and coeditor of The Collapse of Ancient States and Civilizations.
C 0 N T E N T s
PREFACE . . . .. . . .. .. . . ... . .. . . .. . . .. .. . . . . .. . . .......... .. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. . . .. .. .. . . . 9
INTRODUCTORY NOTES ...................................................... 12
PART I
EXCURSIONS INTO MEXICAN ANTIQUITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL CITY OF TEOTIHUACAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
PART II
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION WORK AT TEOTIHUACAN IN 1932 .......... 36
Las Palmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Xolalpan.......................................................................... 37
The Xolalpan house ruin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The earliest portions of the ruin ................................................. , 45
The altar of the central court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7
PART III
THE FINDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS OF TEOTIHUACAN CULTURE ...................... 51
The earliest artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
The graves
Grave I
Grave 2
Grave 3
Grave 4
Grave 5
Graves 6 and 7
PART IV
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS OF THE MAZAPAN CULTURE ...................... 75
Mazapan pottery types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Graves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . So
The Xipe Totec figure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
PART V
FINDS OF THE AZTEC CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
PART VI
MISCELLANEOUS POTTERY FINDS FROM VARIOUS SITES AND OF VARIOUS
CULTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE BETWEEN XOLALPAN AND LAS PALMAS ........ 90
STRAY FINDS OF TEOTIHUACAN POTTERY BELOW THE FLOORS AT XOLALPAN 91
FOREIGN ELEMENTS AMONG THE CERAMIC FINDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Vessels decorated with figures in relief, “Maya style” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
The yellowish-red pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
POLISHED RED WARE . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . 104
PLUMBATE WARE ................................................................ 105
POTTERY WITH IMPRESSED ORNAMENTATION ................................ 107
POTTERY WITH MOULDED ORNAMENTS 108
POTTERY WITH IMPRESSED PATTERNS OF TEXTILE PLANT FIBRES .......... 109
EARTHENWARE ROASTING DISHES .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . 110
INCENSE BURNERS ................................................................ 110
“Candeleros” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
BOWLS WITH INNER HANDLES . .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . .. u4
CLAY FIGURINES ................................................................ u5
EAR-PLUGS
CLAY PELLETS
DISCS MADE FROM POTSHERDS ........ . 121
CLAY-MOULDS ........................... . 123
CLAY-STAMPS .................................................................. 125
SPINDLE-WHORLS ................................................................ 126
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ........................................................ 128
PART VII
STONE OBJECTS 130
Stone axes ...................................................................... 132
Points and blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Masonry implements and rubbing-stones ............................................ 134
Bark-beaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Sculptural representations .......................................................... 137
Stone vessels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Ear-plugs and problematic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
OBJECTS OF OBSIDIAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Flake knives 144
Leaf-shaped blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Spear-heads and arrow-points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Scrapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Circular plaques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Ear-plug and labret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Eccentric obsidian objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
SLATE AND MICA ................................................................ 153
OBJECTS OF BONE ................................................................ 155
MOLLUSK MATERIAL FROM THE SITES ........................................ 158
COLOUR MATERIALS ............................................................ 160
PART VIII APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: NEGATIVE PAINTING
APPENDIX 2: IN-FRESCO PAINTED AND SIMILAR WARE ...................... 168
APPENDIX 3: XIPE TOTEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
APPENDIX 4: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF EARTHENWARE
ROASTING DISHES . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . 184
APPENDIX 5: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BLOWGUN IN
AMERICA ...................................................................... 185
APPENDIX 6: POTTERY-MOULDING TECHNIQUE .............................. 193
APPENDIX 7: BARK-BEATERS AND PAPER MANUFACTURE .................... 197
APPENDIX 8: RASPING BONES .................................................. 204
APPENDIX 9: ENTIRE ABSENCE OF METAL OBJECTS .......................... 208
APPENDIX 10: MENDING POTTERY BY THE •>CRACK-LACING» METHOD ...... 210
APPENDIX 11: EXAMINATIONS OF WALL FRAGMENTS FROM THE HOUSE RUIN
AT XOLALPAN ................................................................ 2II
APPENDIX 12: MICROSCOPIC INVESTIGATIONS OF CERAMICS ................ 213
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................ 215
WORKS CONSULTED .......................................................... 221
INDEX ............................................................................ 234
PREFACE . . . .. . . .. .. . . ... . .. . . .. . . .. .. . . . . .. . . .......... .. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. . . .. .. .. . . . 9
INTRODUCTORY NOTES ...................................................... 12
PART I
EXCURSIONS INTO MEXICAN ANTIQUITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL CITY OF TEOTIHUACAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
PART II
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION WORK AT TEOTIHUACAN IN 1932 .......... 36
Las Palmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Xolalpan.......................................................................... 37
The Xolalpan house ruin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The earliest portions of the ruin ................................................. , 45
The altar of the central court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7
PART III
THE FINDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS OF TEOTIHUACAN CULTURE ...................... 51
The earliest artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
The graves
Grave I
Grave 2
Grave 3
Grave 4
Grave 5
Graves 6 and 7
PART IV
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS OF THE MAZAPAN CULTURE ...................... 75
Mazapan pottery types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Graves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . So
The Xipe Totec figure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
PART V
FINDS OF THE AZTEC CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
PART VI
MISCELLANEOUS POTTERY FINDS FROM VARIOUS SITES AND OF VARIOUS
CULTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE BETWEEN XOLALPAN AND LAS PALMAS ........ 90
STRAY FINDS OF TEOTIHUACAN POTTERY BELOW THE FLOORS AT XOLALPAN 91
FOREIGN ELEMENTS AMONG THE CERAMIC FINDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Vessels decorated with figures in relief, “Maya style” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
The yellowish-red pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
POLISHED RED WARE . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . 104
PLUMBATE WARE ................................................................ 105
POTTERY WITH IMPRESSED ORNAMENTATION ................................ 107
POTTERY WITH MOULDED ORNAMENTS 108
POTTERY WITH IMPRESSED PATTERNS OF TEXTILE PLANT FIBRES .......... 109
EARTHENWARE ROASTING DISHES .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . 110
INCENSE BURNERS ................................................................ 110
“Candeleros” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
BOWLS WITH INNER HANDLES . .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . .. u4
CLAY FIGURINES ................................................................ u5
EAR-PLUGS
CLAY PELLETS
DISCS MADE FROM POTSHERDS ........ . 121
CLAY-MOULDS ........................... . 123
CLAY-STAMPS .................................................................. 125
SPINDLE-WHORLS ................................................................ 126
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ........................................................ 128
PART VII
STONE OBJECTS 130
Stone axes ...................................................................... 132
Points and blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Masonry implements and rubbing-stones ............................................ 134
Bark-beaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Sculptural representations .......................................................... 137
Stone vessels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Ear-plugs and problematic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
OBJECTS OF OBSIDIAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Flake knives 144
Leaf-shaped blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Spear-heads and arrow-points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Scrapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Circular plaques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Ear-plug and labret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Eccentric obsidian objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
SLATE AND MICA ................................................................ 153
OBJECTS OF BONE ................................................................ 155
MOLLUSK MATERIAL FROM THE SITES ........................................ 158
COLOUR MATERIALS ............................................................ 160
PART VIII APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: NEGATIVE PAINTING
APPENDIX 2: IN-FRESCO PAINTED AND SIMILAR WARE ...................... 168
APPENDIX 3: XIPE TOTEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
APPENDIX 4: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF EARTHENWARE
ROASTING DISHES . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . 184
APPENDIX 5: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BLOWGUN IN
AMERICA ...................................................................... 185
APPENDIX 6: POTTERY-MOULDING TECHNIQUE .............................. 193
APPENDIX 7: BARK-BEATERS AND PAPER MANUFACTURE .................... 197
APPENDIX 8: RASPING BONES .................................................. 204
APPENDIX 9: ENTIRE ABSENCE OF METAL OBJECTS .......................... 208
APPENDIX 10: MENDING POTTERY BY THE •>CRACK-LACING» METHOD ...... 210
APPENDIX 11: EXAMINATIONS OF WALL FRAGMENTS FROM THE HOUSE RUIN
AT XOLALPAN ................................................................ 2II
APPENDIX 12: MICROSCOPIC INVESTIGATIONS OF CERAMICS ................ 213
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................ 215
WORKS CONSULTED .......................................................... 221
INDEX ............................................................................ 234
