Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-sxzjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T21:09:23.865Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

OBSIDIAN PRODUCTION AND CHANGING CONSUMPTION IN THE LAKE PATZCUARO BASIN, MICHOACAN, MEXICO

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2010

Karin J. Rebnegger
Karin J. Rebnegger*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University, 354 Baker Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
*
E-mail correspondence to: kjreb@msu.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Many Tarascan settlements surrounded Lake Patzcuaro in Michoacan, Mexico, during the Late Postclassic period. A hierarchy of settlements existed from the capital of Tzintzuntzan to secondary administration sites and small tributary communities. Obsidian artifacts from the large site, Erongaricuaro, have been studied by the author. Analysis of the obsidian from this site highlighted particular patterns in the production and consumption of prismatic blades and large scrapers. Data from another site, Urichu, was collected and analyzed more recently. Urichu was a tributary center to Erongaricuaro during the Tarascan empire. Local and state elites inhabited both sites, and analysis of obsidian manufacture indicates that the sites may have had different functions. Obsidian from the sites also varies by source location. This too may indicate site function and the changing sociopolitical organization of obsidian production and use throughout the Tarascan empire.

Type
Research Article
Information
Ancient Mesoamerica , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , Spring 2010 , pp. 79 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Andrews, Bradford 2002 Stone Tool Production at Teotihuacán: What More Can We Learn from Surface Collections? In Pathways to Prismatic Blades: A Study in Mesoamerican Obsidian Core-Blade Technology, edited by Hirth, Kenneth and Andrews, Bradford. Monograph 45. The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Braswell, Geoffrey E. 2003 Obsidian Exchange Spheres. In The Postclassic Mesoamerican World, edited by Smith, Michael E. and Berdan, Frances F., pp. 131–158. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Cabrera Castro, Rubén 1987 Tzintzuntzan: Décima temporada de excavaciones. In Homenaje a Román Piña Chan, pp. 531–565. Serie Antropologcia. Vol. 79. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Antropologias, Mexico City.Google Scholar
Castro Leal, Marcia 1986 Tzintzuntzan, capital de los tarascaos. Gobierno del Estado de Michoacán, Morelia, Michoacán.Google Scholar
Clark, John E. 1982 Manufacture of Mesoamerican Prismatic Blades: An Alternative Technique. American Antiquity 47:355–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, John E. 1986 From Mountains to Molehills: A Critical Review of Teotihuacan's Obsidian Industry. In Economic Aspects of Prehistoric Highland Mexico, edited by Isaac, Barry L., pp. 23–74. Research in Economic Anthropology, Supplement 2. JAI Press, Greenwich, CN.Google Scholar
Clark, John E. 1997 Prismatic Blademaking, Craftsmanship, and Production: An Analysis of Obsidian Refuse from Ojo de Agua, Chiapas, Mexico. Ancient Mesoamerica 8:137–159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, John E. 2007 In Craft Specialization's Penumbra: Things, Persons, Actions, Value, and Surplus. In Rethinking Craft Specialization in Complex Societies: Archaeological Analysis of the Social Meaning of Production, edited by Hruby, Zachary X. and Flad, Rowan K., pp. 20–35. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association. Vol. 17.Google Scholar
Clark, John, and Bryant, D. D. 1997 A Technological Typology of Prismatic Blades and Debitage from Ojo de Agua, Chiapas, Mexico. Ancient Mesoamerica 8:111–136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costin, Cathy L. 1991 Craft Specialization: Issues in Defining, Documenting, and Explaining the Organization of Production. Archaeological Method and Theory 3:1–56.Google Scholar
Costin, Cathy L. 2007 Thinking about Production: Phenomenological Classification, and Lexical Semantics. In Rethinking Craft Specialization in Complex Societies: Archaeological Analysis of the Social Meaning of Production, edited by Hruby, Zachary X. and Flad, Rowan K., pp. 143–162. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association. Vol. 17.Google Scholar
Costin, Cathy Lynne, and Wright, Rita P. (editors) 1998 Craft and Social Identity. American Anthropological Association, Arlington, VAGoogle Scholar
Darras, Veronique 1998 La obsidiana en la Relación de Michoacán y en la realidad arqueológica: Del símbolo al uso de un símbolo . In Genesis, culturas y espacios en Michoacán, edited by Darras, Veronique, pp. 61–88. Centre d'Etudes Mexicaines et Centroamericaines, Mexcio City.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darras, Veronique 1999 Tecnologías prehispánicas de la obsidiana: Los centros de producción de la region de Zinaparo-Preieto, Michoacán. Cuadernos de Estudios Michoacános 9. Centre Francais d'Etudes Mexicaines et Centramericaines, Mexico City.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Darras, Veronique 2008 Estraegias para la Produccion de Navajas de Obsidiana ed la Region de Zacapu y la Vertiente del Lerma (Michoacán, Mexico) Entre el Epiclasico y el Posclasico Tardio Ancient Mesoamerica 19(02):243–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gorenstein, Shirley, and Pollard, Helen. P. 1983 The Tarascan Civilization: A Late Prehispanic Cultural System. Vanderbilt University Publications in Anthropology No. 28. Department of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan. M. 1983 Excavations and Preliminary Analysis of an Obsidian Workshop in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico. Journal of Field Archaeology 10:127–145.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan. M. 1986 Technological and Nontechnological Aspects of an Obsidian Workshop Excavated at Tula, Hidalgo. In Economic Aspects of Prehistoric Highland Mexico, edited by Isaac, Barry L., pp. 133–152. Research in Economic Anthropology, Supplement 2. JAI Press, Greenwich, CN.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan. M. 1997 Pre-Hispanic Quarrying in Ucareo-Zinapecuaro Obsidian Source Area. Ancient Mesoamerica 8:77–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Healan, Dan. M. 2002 Producer versus Consumer: Prismatic Core-Blade Technology at Epiclassic/Early Postclassic Tula and Ucareo. In Pathways to Prismatic Blades: A Study in Mesoamerican Obsidian Core-Blade Technology, edited by Hirth, Kenneth and Andrews, Bradford. Monograph 45, The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan. M. 2004 Extracción prehispánica de obsidiana en el área de Ucareo-Zinapecuaro, Michoacán. In Bienes estratégicos del antiquo occidente de México, edited by Williams, Eduardo, pp. 33–76. El Colegio de Michoacán, Zamora, Michoacán.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan. M. 2005 Nuevos datos acerca del desarrollo de la tecnología de núcleos prismáticos en la fuente de obsidiana, Ucareo, Michoacán. In El antiquo occidente de México: Nuevas perspectivas sobre el pasado prehispánico, edited by Eduardo Williams, Phil C. Weigand, Lorenza Lopez Mestas, and Grove, David C., pp. 171–184. El Colegio de Michoacán, Zamora, Michoacán.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan M., Kerley, Janet M., and Bey, George J. II 1983 Excavation and Preliminary Analysis of an Obsidian Workshop in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico. Journal of Field Archaeology 10:127–145.Google Scholar
Healan, Dan, and Stoutamire, James W. 1989 Surface Survey of the Tula Urban Zone. In Tula of the Toltecs, edited by Healan, Dan M., pp. 203–238. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.Google Scholar
Hirth, Kenneth G. 1998 The Distributional Approach: A New Way to Identify Market-Place Exchange in the Archaeological Record. Current Anthropology 39:451–476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hirth, Kenneth G. 2006 Obsidian Craft Production in Ancient Central Mexico: Archaeological Research at Xochicalco. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Hirth, Kenneth, and Andrews, Bradford 2002 Pathways to Prismatic Blades: Sources of Variation in Mesoamerican Lithic Technology. In Pathways to Prismatic Blades: A Study in Mesoamerican Obsidian Core-Blade Technology, edited by Hirth, Kenneth and Andrews, Bradford. Monograph 45, The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Hirth, Kenneth, and Flenniken, J. Jeffrey 2002 Core-Blade Technology in Mesoamerican Prehistory. In Pathways to Prismatic Blades: A Study in Mesoamerican Obsidian Core-Blade Technology, edited by Hirth, Kenneth and Andrews, Bradford. Monograph 45, The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Inomata, Takeashi 1998 Floor Assemblages from Burned Structures at Aguateca, Guatemala: A Study of Classic Maya Households. Journal of Field Archaeology 25(4):431–452.Google Scholar
Inomata, Takeashi 2007 Knowledge and Belief in Artistic Production by Classic Maya Elites. In Rethinking Craft Specialization in Complex Societies: Archaeological Analysis of Social Meaning of Production. Edited by Hruby, Zachary X and Flad, Rowan K.. pp 129–141. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association 17.Google Scholar
Johnson, Jay 1996 Lithic Analysis and Questions of Cultural Complexity: The Maya. In Stone Tools: Theoretical Insights into Human Prehistory, edited by Odell, George H., pp. 159–179. Plenum Press, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kovacevich, Brigitte 2007 Ritual, Crafting, and Agency at the Classic Maya Kingdom of Cancuen. In Mesoamerican Ritual Economies edited by Wells, Christian and Davis-Salazar, Karla pp. 67–114 University Press, Colorado.Google Scholar
Miller, Heather M. L. 2007 Association and Ideologies in the Locations of Urban Craft Production at Harappa, Pakistan. In Rethinking Craft Specialization in Complex Societies: Archaeological Analysis of the Social Meaning of Production, edited by Hruby, Zachary X. and Flad, Rowan K., pp. 3–51. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association, Vol. 17, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Moholy-Nagy, Hattula 1984 Tikal Obsidian: Sources and Typology. American Antiquity 49(1):104–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moholy-Nagy, Hattula 1997 Middens, Construction Fill, and Offerings: Evidence for the Organization of Classic Period Craft Production at Tikal, Guatemala. Journal of Field Archaeology 24:293–313.Google Scholar
Otis-Charlton, Cynthia 1993 Obsidian as Jewelry: Lapidary Production in Aztec Otumba, Mexico. Ancient Mesoamerica 4:231–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pastrana, Alejandro 2002 Variation at the Source: Obsidian Exploitation at Sierra de Las Navajas, Mexico. In Pathways to Prismatic Blades: A study in Mesoamerican Obsidian Core-Blade Technology, edited by Hirth, Kenneth and Andrews, Bradford, pp. 15–26. Monograph 45. The Costen Institute of Archaeology, Los Angeles.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 1972 Prehispanic Urbanism at Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, Anthrology Department, New York.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 1993 Tariacuri's Legacy: The Prehispanic Tarascan State. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2000 Informe Final al Consejo de Arqueologia, Instituo Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Proyecto Desarrollo del Estado tarasco: Los señoríos Urichu, Xaracuaro y Pareo (1990–1998).Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2003a The Tarascan Empire. In The Postclassic Mesoamerican World, edited by Smith, Michael E. and Berdan, Frances F., pp. 78–86. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2003b Desarrollo Del Estado tarasco: Proyecto Erongarícuaro. Report prepared for the Instituo Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2003c Development of a Tarascan Core: The Lake Pátzcuaro Basin. In The Postclassic Mesoamerican World, edited by Smith, M. E. and Berdan, F. F., pp. 227–237. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2005a Proyecto Erongarícuaro. Informe técnico parcial al Consejo de Arqueologia, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Temporada 1 (Campo) 2001, Temporada 2 (Laboratorio) 2002–2004. May.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2005b Michoacán en el mundo mesoamericano prehispánico: Erongarícuaro, Michoacán y los estados teotihuacan y tarasco. In Arqueologia del Occidente de México. Nuevos datos, futuras direcciones, edited by Williams, Eduardo, Weigand, Phil C., Mestas, Lorenza López, and Grove, David C., pp. 283–303. Colegio de Michoacán, Guadalajara.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P. 2008 A Model of the Emergence of the Tarascan State. Ancient Mesoamerica, 19:217–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollard, Helen P., and Cahue, Laura 1999 Mortuary Patterns of Regional Elites in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin of Western Mexico. Latin American Antiquity 10:259–280.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen Perlstein, Amy Hirshman, Hector Neff, and Glascock, Michael D. 2001 Las elites, el intercambio de bienes y el surgimeniento del área nuclear tarasca: Análisis de la cerámica de la cuenca de Pátzcuaro. In Estudios cerámicos en el Occidente y norte de Mexico, edited by Williams, Eduardo and Weigand, Phil C., pp. 289–310. El Colegio de Michoacán and Instituto Michoacáno de Cultura, Zamora, Michoacán.Google Scholar
Pollard, Helen P., and Vogel, Thomas 1994 Late Postclassic Imperial Expansion and Economic Exchange within the Tarascan Domain. In Economics and Polities in the Aztec Realm, edited by Smith, M. E. and Hodge, M., pp 447–470. University of Texas Press, Austin.Google Scholar
Rebnegger, Karin J. 2004 Determining Workshop or Household Reduction at Erongarícuaro, Michoacán. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Montreal, Canada.Google Scholar
Rebnegger, Karin J. 2006 Changing Obsidian Consumption and Production in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, Michoacán, Mexico. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, San Juan, Puerto Rico.Google Scholar
de Michoacán, Relación 1989 Anónimo; edición de Leoncio Cabrero. Madrid: Historia 16, 1989. 1a ed.Google Scholar
Smith, Michael E., and Schreiber, Katharina J. 2005 New World States and Empires: Economic and Social Organization. Journal of Archaeological Research 13:189–229.Google Scholar
Spence, Michael W. 1981 Obsidian Production and the State in Teotihuacan. American Antiquity 46:769–788.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spence, Michael W. 1984 Craft Production and Polity in Early Teotihuacán. In Trade and Exchange in Early Mesoamerica, edited by Kenneth, G. Hirth, pp. 87–114. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Warren, J. Benedict 1985 The Conquest of Michoacán: The Spanish Domination of the Tarascan Kingdom in Western Mexico 1521–1530. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.Google Scholar