essay

The settlement and its architecture

ancient chalcatzingo • Austin • Published In 1987 • Pages: 63-81

By: Prindiville, Mary, Grove, David C..

Abstract

Prindville and Grove document an innovative, distinctively highland tradition of Formative period public architecture, adorned with stelae and other carved stone monuments at the highland site of Chalcatzingo. Stimulus from the Gulf Coast Olmec is possible for this precocious development. Excavation of domestic architecture focuses on Cantera phase remains easily located by surface scatter. While probably not representative of domestic architecture throughout Olmec-influenced Mesoamerica, this greatly augments the tiny sample for the Middle Formative period. Construction materials and methods, interior layout, and household activity areas (especially obsidian knapping) are systematically discussed. Other topics covered are storage (including warehousing), refuse disposal, and subfloor burials. Evidence for periodic destruction of houses using fire and rebuilding on the same spot, sometimes with no change in layout and probable reuse of salvaged materials provides an interesting parallel to apparently periodic and equally purposeful destruction, defacing, burial and/or recycling of carved stone monuments, both at Chalcatzingo and at coastal Olmec centers; perhaps in reaction to the death of an associated prominent individual. Compass orientations of architecture in general exhibit consistency, but whether the alignments are with geographical or celestial phenomena is uncertain. The work concludes with a phase-by-phase assessment of the overall settlement pattern and its implications for social stratification and regional influence.

HRAF PubDate

2000

Region

Middle America and the Caribbean

Sub Region

Central Mexico

Document Type

essay

Evaluation

Creator Type

Archaeologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Leon G. Doyon ; 2007

Field Date

1972-1976

Coverage Date

3500 BP-2500 BP

Coverage Place

Chalcatzingo, Morelos State, Mexico

Notes

Mary Prindiville and David C. Grove

house destruction, intentional - use 'FIRE (372)'

For bibliographical references see Grove: 1987 (Document 3)

LCCN

85022673

LCSH

Olmecs