Book
The archaeology of San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán
In the land of the Olmec • 1 • Published In 1980 • Pages: viii, 416
By: Coe, Michael D., Diehl, Richard A..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This detailed site report for San Lorenzo is the singular, seminal reference of its kind for the Olmec heartland. Coe and Diehl consider only the Early Formative period San Lorenzo phase to be truly 'Olmec' (3150 B.P.-2900 B.P); certainly the peak of influence for this important cultural center. The authors acknowledge that the preceding Chicharras phase ceramic assemblage is largely identical to the San Lorenzo phase, that monumental stone sculpture is present--some of it possibly in high Olmec style--and that the massive undertaking of creating an enormous artificial plateau for the site was probably well under way. They make the case that the Nacaste phase marks foreign intrusion at the end of the San Lorenzo phase, with but a few, decadent, Olmec traits remaining. The subsequent Palangana phase, however, could signal a minor, provincial Olmec (re)settlement, despite exhibiting effectively no evidence of high Olmec style other than refurbishing of the earthen mound architecture. This work covers nearly every aspect of the 1964-1970 project, from survey through analysis, but the most extensive and notable sections of the text are the descriptions of the excavations, the ceramic seriation, and the catalogue of carved stone monuments.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Visual arts
- Ceramic technology
- Lithic industries
- Cultural stratigraphy
- Archaeological excavation methods
- traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Olmec
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2000
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Middle America and the Caribbean
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Central Mexico
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Archaeologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Leon G. Doyon ; 2006
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1964-1970
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 3500 BP-2400 BP
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- San Lorenzo, Southern Veracruz State, Mexico
- NotesAdditional notes
- by Michael D. Coe and Richard A. Diehl
- 'benches,' stone - use 'FURNITURE (352)' and 'MISCELLANEOUS BUILDING EQUIPMENT (355)'
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 405-409) and index
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 79017167
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Olmecs/San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán site/Coatzacoalcos region, Mexico--Social life and customs