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Imperial and Social Relations in Postclassic South-Central Veracruz, Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Christopher P. Garraty  and
Barbara L. Stark
Christopher P. Garraty
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402
Barbara L. Stark
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402
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Abstract

We explore social and imperial relations in the western lower Papaloapan Basin, especially along the lower Blanco River, using statistical analyses of ceramic rims from recent surveys. This region is sandwiched between two known tributary provincial centers of the Aztec empire, but its relationship to the empire is uncertain in colonial documentary materials. Our analyses illuminate changes in social relations from the Middle (A. D. 1150–1350) to Late Postclassic (A. D. 1350–1520) periods and shed light on the impact of Aztec imperialism. We use a ceramic unmixing procedure to assign collections to the Middle and Late Postclassic periods for assessment of settlement patterns. Next we use cluster analyses to examine vertical wealth and status differentiation. In the Middle Postclassic period, we observe a concentric gradation of wealth and status away from the small center of El Sauce. Late Postclassic changes include the decline of El Sauce and the founding of a new center at Callejón del Horno. The concentric model does not apply to the Late Postclassic period, however, and wealth and status became more highly concentrated at Callejón del Horno compared to its hinterland. We also investigate sparse collections-those with few Postclassic rims-to evaluate whether these collections represent poor residences or, rather, sherd scatter from possible field manuring. The lower Blanco region was likely integrated into the Aztec empire on the basis of changes in vertical social differentiation from Middle to Late Postclassic times and percentages of Aztec-style ceramics compared to known Aztec provincial centers, especially Cotaxtla.

En este trabajo exploramos las relaciones sociales e imperiales en la cuenca oeste baja del Río Papaloapan, especialmente en el bajo Río Blanco, a través de análisis estadísticos de los bordes de cerámica recolectados en la prospección de superficie llevada a cabo durante el transcurso de dos décadas. Este región se localiza entre de dos centros regionales y tributarios conocidos, pero su relación con el imperio Azteca es ambigua en las fuentes escritas. Los resultados de estos análisis indican cambios en las relaciones sociales del Postclásico Medio (1150–1350 d. C.) al Postclásico Tardío (1350–1520 d. C.) y proporcionan información acerca del impacto que tuvo el imperio Azteca en la región. Usamos un procedimiento estadístico de desunión de la cerámica (ceramic unmixing) para asignar las colecciones al Postclásico Medio o Tardío y así evaluar los patrones de asentamiento. Posteriormente realizamos dos análisis estadísticos de agrupaciones para examinar la diferenciación vertical de riqueza y de la posición social. En el período Postclásico Medio, observamos un patrón concéntrico de riqueza y estatus jerarquizados cuyo núcleo es el centro pequeño de El Sauce, y a partir del cual se desminuye gradualmente la riqueza y el nivel de estatus. Los cambios del Postcásico Tardío incluyen el descenso de El Sauce y la fundación de un nuevo centro en Callejón del Horno. Sin embargo, el modelo concéntrico no se aplica al período Postclásico Tardío, y la riqueza y el estatus se observan muy concentrados en Callejón del Horno en comparación con su periferia. Nuestra investigación acerca de la diferenciación social vertical también incluye el análisis de colecciones reducidas-las que tienen pocos bordes de cerámica Postclásica-para evaluar si estas colecciones representan residencias pobres, o tiestos esparcidos por el posible efecto de la aplicación de abono en los campos de cultivo. Los cambios en la diferenciación social vertical del Postclásico Medio al Tardío y los porcentajes de la cerámica de estilo Azteca comparados con otros centros provinciales Aztecas conocidos (especialmente Cotaxtla), indican que la región baja del Río Blanco muy posiblemente se integró al imperio Azteca.

Type
Articles
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , March 2002 , pp. 3 - 33
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2002

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