- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
Canada - 403-220-6364
- University of Kentucky, Anthropology, Adjunctadd
- Ceramic Analysis (Archaeology), Oaxaca (Archaeology), Chibchan Archaeology, Aztec Art, Dress and Personal Adornment (Archaeology), Chiefdoms (Archaeology), and 49 moreCognitive archaeology, Teotihuacan, Midwifery (Archaeology), Archaeology of Childhood, Archaeology of States, Archaeology of Personal Adornment, Mesoamerican Archaeology, Archaeology of ethnicity, Pre-Columbian Art, Religion and ritual in prehistory, Social Archaeology, Ornament (Archaeology), Death and Burial (Archaeology), Household Archaeology, Central Mexico (Archaeology), Colonial Mexican, Greater Nicoya, Ancient Textiles of Mexico, Codex Epigraphy, Mixteca Puebla, Aztec, Central American Prehistory and Archaeology, Costume and Identity, Aztecs, Dilmun (Archaeology), Mortuary archaeology, Aztec Art, Religion, & Politics before and after the conquest, Central American Historical Archaeology, Archaeology of Gender, Ceramics (Archaeology), Mixtec Polychrome Iconology, History of Colonial Mexico, Mesoamerican Ethnohistory, Mortuary studies, Great Pyramid of Cholula, Archaeology of Colonialism, Historical Archaeology, Development of complex societies, Prehistoric Archaeology, Archaeology of food, Mesomericanos-Gran Nicoya-Migración, Spindle Whorls, Textile Archaeology, Foodways of the Ancient World, Cooking and Food Preparation (archaeology), ARQUEOLOGIA DE GENERO, Nicaragua (Archaeology), Pre-Columbian Textiles, Cholula, Archaeological textiles and clothing, and Gender Archaeologyedit
- I am Professor emeritus of Archaeology at the University of Calgary, and currently an adjunct professor of Anthropolo... moreI am Professor emeritus of Archaeology at the University of Calgary, and currently an adjunct professor of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky. My three major research areas are Central Mexico, Central America, and Identity (especially gender and ethnicity). Recently, I assumed co-editorship of the journal Latin American Antiquity. I am currently directing archaeological excavations in Cholula (Mexico) and Pacific Nicaragua, where we are investigating Mesoamerican colonization of the region in the centuries prior to the Spanish conquest.
Cholula was a major ceremonial center in the highlands of central Mexico. It is arguably the oldest continuously occupied city in the Americas, and its Great Pyramid is the largest in the world. I have concentrated my research on Cholula since I began graduate work at the Universidad de las Américas (in Cholula) in the early 1980s. My MA thesis considered ethnohistorical and archaeological evidence for Postclassic ethnicity at the site, and my PhD dissertation involved a holistic analysis of a residential complex and associated artifacts dating to the Early Postclassic period. Since that time I have published eighteen articles, a monograph, and an extensive webpage (www.arky.ucalgary.ca/mccafferty/cholula) on Cholula, dealing with such diverse topics as ceramics, monumental architecture, domestic ritual, ethnicity, mortuary patterns, and textile production. In 2023, I began a new phase of investigations in the ancient ceremonial center.
When I moved to Calgary in 1999 I began a new research topic involving pre-Columbian migrations of Mesoamerican groups to Central America, specifically the Greater Nicoya region of Pacific Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica. The traditional foundation for this migration is based on ethnohistorical accounts, historical linguistics, and art historical interpretations of the polychrome pottery from the region. Since one of the alleged points of origin for the migration was Postclassic Cholula, this theme is a logical extension of my Mexican research. And since the archaeological interpretation of ethnicity has been a longstanding interest, research in Nicaragua allows an outstanding opportunity to explore Mesoamerican identities in a ‘borderlands’ context. In 2002, I received a three-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (of Canada) grant to excavate at the site of Santa Isabel (Nicaragua), the suspected capital of Chief Nicaragua at the moment of Spanish contact. In 2007, I received a second grant for three more years to move up the coast of Lake Nicaragua to the Granada region. In 2008 we excavated at the site of Tepetate, the ancient capital of the Chorotega polity, and in 2009-2010 we moved to a second tier site to investigate a subject community of the same chiefdom. Since then, we have conducted three more field seasons at El Rayo (2015, 2016, and 2021) with field schools for the Institute for Field Research. I have published numerous articles and short monographs, as well as an extensive webpage (www.arky.ucalgary.ca/mccafferty/santa-isabel) on the Nicaragua work, and am currently preparing two edited volumes on related themes.
The research theme for which I am perhaps best known relates to gender relations in the prehispanic world. This line of investigation originated with collaborative research (with Sharisse) on textile production, but since spinning and weaving were closely related to female identity and ideology we soon moved into more theoretically charged realms. Some of our more prominent publications discuss Tomb 7 at Monte Albán, the Battle Murals of Cacaxtla, textile imagery in the Mixtec codices, figurines from Greater Nicoya, engenderment in Cholula burial contexts, and alternative gender identities. Our gender research on Tomb 7 fueled heated debate in the journal Current Anthropology (1994), and I have been an invited speaker at numerous international conferences since then. Gender research in archaeology remains controversial, and resonates very well with undergraduate students since it provides a nice linkage with larger anthropological issues as well as lived experience. Additionally, my research into identity has included ethnicity, both in Pacific Nicaragua and Cholula. I have used ceramic vessel forms as a way of inferring changing foodways. More recently I have collaborated to include aDNA as a way of interpreting population changes. This will hopefully provide a new dimension to interpretations of Mexican migrations into Pacific Nicaragua, as well as the population dynamics of central Mexico during the Classic to Postclassic transition.edit
A collection of articles based on the past 20 years of archaeological and ethnohistorical data from Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica
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Este ensayo recoge descubrimientos arqueológicos y reinterpretaciones de los últimos 20 años dentro de un marco teórico que considera la persistencia (resiliencia) mediante la cual Cholula navegó las turbulencias de esos tiempos. Debido a... more
Este ensayo recoge descubrimientos arqueológicos y reinterpretaciones de los últimos 20 años dentro de un marco teórico que considera la persistencia (resiliencia) mediante la cual Cholula navegó las turbulencias de esos tiempos. Debido a que uno de los factores más importantes en la persistencia de Cholula pareciese ser los intercambios a largas distancias, particularmente con la costa del Golfo Maya, resulta pertinente incorporar recientes evidencias de la presencia maya en la meseta central. La argumentación incluye evidencia del centro ceremonial y el entorno a la Gran Pirámide, así como practicas domésticas en sitios residenciales alrededor de la ciudad. Las conclusiones incluyen una estrategia alternativa de parte de los residentes de Cholula al negociar los cambios durante la transición del Clásico al Postclásico.
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A descriptive summary of archaeological projects in the Granada department of Nicaragua, including the sites of Ayala, El Rayo, Isla el Muerto, Sonzapote, and Tepetate. Following the site descriptions is a presentation of different... more
A descriptive summary of archaeological projects in the Granada department of Nicaragua, including the sites of Ayala, El Rayo, Isla el Muerto, Sonzapote, and Tepetate. Following the site descriptions is a presentation of different classes of material culture.
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This short illustrated booklet summarizes archaeological research in the Granada region of Pacific Nicaragua.
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This is a compilation of articles published in the Mi Museo y Vos journal of Mi Museo, Granada, Nicaragua, edited with Nora Zambrana Lacayo. This lists the Table of Contents.
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"As the center for the religious cult of Quetzalcoatl, Cholula played a prominent role in shaping events of central Mexico's Postclassic period. Yet confusion over historical events in Cholula itself have limited its place in recent... more
"As the center for the religious cult of Quetzalcoatl, Cholula played a prominent role in shaping events of central Mexico's Postclassic period. Yet confusion over historical events in Cholula itself have limited its place in recent archaeological considerations of Mesoamerica. Since ceramic sequences are the backbone of archaeological chronologies, this confusion ultimately relates to problems in previous attempts to order archaeological time with ceramics.
This book provides an innovative new classification of Cholula ceramics, based on artifact assemblages from primary depositional contexts recovered from the UA-1 excavation. A detailed and well-illustrated description of ceramic types is provided to construct a new classification system. These types are then seriated using collections from house floors and trash middens to suggest a new sequence spanning the Tlachihualtepetl (700-1200 CE) and Cholollan (1200-1550 CE) periods.
The polychrome ceramics of Cholula have been described as among the most beautiful of Mesoamerica, employing vibrant colors to represent complex religious iconography of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. By defining type and subtype variations in the polychrome ceramics, a foundation is created for a refined chronology as well as for recognizing intra-societal variability."
This book provides an innovative new classification of Cholula ceramics, based on artifact assemblages from primary depositional contexts recovered from the UA-1 excavation. A detailed and well-illustrated description of ceramic types is provided to construct a new classification system. These types are then seriated using collections from house floors and trash middens to suggest a new sequence spanning the Tlachihualtepetl (700-1200 CE) and Cholollan (1200-1550 CE) periods.
The polychrome ceramics of Cholula have been described as among the most beautiful of Mesoamerica, employing vibrant colors to represent complex religious iconography of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. By defining type and subtype variations in the polychrome ceramics, a foundation is created for a refined chronology as well as for recognizing intra-societal variability."
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Polychrome ceramics from Pacific Nicaragua depict a creature with an upturned snout. Previous scholars have interpreted this as a jaguar, but we suggest instead that these are stylized representations of the tapir. Bribri mythology... more
Polychrome ceramics from Pacific Nicaragua depict a creature with an upturned snout. Previous scholars have interpreted this as a jaguar, but we suggest instead that these are stylized representations of the tapir. Bribri mythology incorporated tapirs as important participants in the creation. These ceramics may, therefore, represent mythical scenes that provide a unique window onto ancient worldview
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This short article presents a 'thick' description of a polychrome vessel from Early Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua that we interpret as a depiction of the central Mexican merchant god Yacatecuhtli. The vessel is of the Papagayo Polychrome... more
This short article presents a 'thick' description of a polychrome vessel from Early Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua that we interpret as a depiction of the central Mexican merchant god Yacatecuhtli. The vessel is of the Papagayo Polychrome Cervantes variety, dating to between 1000-1300 CE, known locally as the Santa Isabel period. The iconography relates to the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition, often associated with the spread of the Quetzalcoatl/Feathered Serpent religious complex throughout Mesoamerica. This and other examples of Mixteca-Puebla ceramics from Pacific Nicaragua represent the southernmost extent of the interaction sphere, and provides a hint of the importance of long-distance trade in the ideological diaspora.
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A critical reevaluation of the ceramic sequence from the Sapoa/Ometepe periods (800-1525 CE) of Pacific Nicaragua, using recent radiocarbon dates from excavations by the University of Calgary project. It challenges previous chronologies... more
A critical reevaluation of the ceramic sequence from the Sapoa/Ometepe periods (800-1525 CE) of Pacific Nicaragua, using recent radiocarbon dates from excavations by the University of Calgary project. It challenges previous chronologies by demonstrating that several of the so-called Ometepe diagnostics were introduced several centuries earlier, and therefore disrupting the culture history of sequential occupations of the region by Chorotega and Nicarao migrant/colonizers. In fact, based on nearly 60 C14 dates, almost no evidence has been found for the final two centuries of habitation.
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An archaeological survey sampled five sites on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua, in search of Late Postclassic occupation. The Late Postclassic has never been adequately reported from Pacific Nicaragua, despite ethnohistorical descriptions by... more
An archaeological survey sampled five sites on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua, in search of Late Postclassic occupation. The Late Postclassic has never been adequately reported from Pacific Nicaragua, despite ethnohistorical descriptions by early Spanish chroniclers. The project collaborated with the local El Ceibo Museum to sample sites with likely Late Postclassic deposits. Shovel testing followed by limited stratigraphic excavations discovered cultural deposits from the Bagaces period (300-800 CE), Sapoá period (800-1300 CE), and Ometepe period (1300-1525 CE). Unfortunately, a land dispute at the Sacramento 1 site forced our team to abandon the most likely Late Postclassic occupation.
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Bone objects are perishable items that are rare in archaeological ontexts, and are seldom reported in more than cursory discussion. This article describes bone spinning and weaving implements, hunting and fishing tools, and ornamentation... more
Bone objects are perishable items that are rare in archaeological ontexts, and are seldom reported in more than cursory discussion. This article describes bone spinning and weaving implements, hunting and fishing tools, and ornamentation from Bagaces and Sapoá periods (A.D. 500-1300) deposits from sites along the shore of Lake Cocibolca in Pacific Nicaragua. Recent excavations at two coastal sites have recovered unusually good preservation of faunal remains, including bone tools. Based on well-dated, stratified deposits it is possible to observe changing technologies for textile production and hunting/fishing, relating to the arrival of Mesoamerican culture groups c. A.D. 800. Beautifully
carved objects of adornment hint at the importance of ornamentation for expressions of social identity, as well as providing insights into possible ideological constructs. The diverse assortment of these objects exemplify an aspect of material culture that is often lost or overlooked, and therefore has significance beyond the regional focus of Central America.
carved objects of adornment hint at the importance of ornamentation for expressions of social identity, as well as providing insights into possible ideological constructs. The diverse assortment of these objects exemplify an aspect of material culture that is often lost or overlooked, and therefore has significance beyond the regional focus of Central America.
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Detailed analysis of a polychrome vessel from Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua featuring an anthropomorphic image, interpreted as the central Mexican merchant deity Yacatecuhtli.
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Pacific Nicaragua has long been recognized as a cultural crossroads, with groups of historically documented migrants from central Mexico integrating with Chibchan groups affiliated with Central and South America. This multicul-tural... more
Pacific Nicaragua has long been recognized as a cultural crossroads, with groups of historically documented migrants from central Mexico integrating with Chibchan groups affiliated with Central and South America. This multicul-tural setting has inspired decades of archaeological investigation, particularly in search of the southeastern frontier of the Mesoamerican culture area. Following ethnohistorical accounts, Nahuat-speaking groups migrated into and colonized the Rivas area in the late Postclassic / Ometepe period (c. 1300-1525 CE). The most prominent ceramic type used to identify this time period was Luna Polychrome, often found in mortuary contexts and therefore currently the best artifact class for inferring Nahua culture and ideology. This paper presents a detailed analysis of sixty Luna vessels. We suggest that the overarching theme of the painted designs relates to the praying mantis. This interpretation coincides with oral traditions identifying the mantis as the "Madre Culebra," a powerful and revered predator of the insect world and closely affiliated with female symbolic authority. Iconography on some of the more elaborate pots parallels polychrome ceramic female figurines that have been interpreted as ritual practitioners, or shamans, and we suggest a possible correlation between painted designs with visions experienced during trances. Through this analysis we explore the role of ceramic iconography as an expression of ritual practice.
RESUMEN Desde hace mucho tiempo, se reconoce el Pacífico nicaragüense como un cruce de caminos cultural, donde hay registros históricos de grupos de migrantes del centro de México que se unió a grupos Chibchan originarios de América Central y del Sur. Este entorno multicultural ha inspirado décadas de investigación arqueológica, que se ha interesado particularmente en definir la frontera sureste de la zona cultural mesoamericana. De acuerdo con relatos etnohistóricos, los grupos de habla nahua emigraron y colonizaron el área de Rivas en el período Posclásico Tardío, también llamado Ometepe (c. 1300-1525 CE). La principal cerámica que se ha usado para identificar esta era fue la del Polícromo Luna, que, ya que se encuentra a menudo en contextos mortuorios, constituye hoy día la mejor clase de artefacto para reconocer la cultura e ideología nahua. Este artículo presenta un análisis detallado de sesenta vasos Luna. Mantenemos que el tema general de los diseños pintados se relaciona con la mantis religiosa. Esta interpretación coincide con las tradiciones orales que identifican a la mantis como la "Madre Culebra", un depredador poderoso y venerado del mundo de los insectos y estrechamente relacionado con la autoridad simbólica femenina. La iconografía en algunas de las macetas más elaboradas se asemeja a la de las estatuillas femeninas de cerámica policromada, en las que algunos han querido ver a practicantes de rituales o chamanes. Por nuestra parte, proponemos una posible correlación entre los diseños pintados y las visiones típicas de los trances. A través de este análisis, exploramos el papel de la iconografía cerámica como expresión de la práctica ritual. PALABRAS CLAVE iconografía cerámica, Pacífico nicaragüense, mantis religiosa, etno-entomología, chamanismo, cerámica, cerámica para servir
RESUMO A Nicarágua do Pacífico é reconhecida há muito tempo como uma encruzilhada cultural, com um importante grupo sendo documentado historicamente como migrantes do centro do México, integrando-se a grupos de Chibchan afiliados à América Central e do Sul. Esse cenário multicultural inspirou décadas de investigação arqueológica, particularmente em busca da fronteira sudeste da área cultural mesoamericana. Segundo relatos etno-históricos, grupos falantes de Nahuat migraram para e colonizaram a região de Rivas no período pós-clássico tardio/Ometepe (c. 1300-1525 dC). A cerâmica mais proeminentemente utilizada para diagnosticar esse período de tempo foi o policromo Luna, frequentemente encontrado em contextos mortuários e, portanto, atualmente a melhor classe de artefato para inferir a cultura e a ideologia de Nahua. Este artigo apresenta uma análise detalhada de sessenta recipientes Luna. Sugerimos que o tema dominante dos desenhos pintados esteja relacionado ao louva-a-deus. Essa interpretação coincide com tradições orais que identificam o louva-a-deus como a "Madre Culebra", uma predadora poderosa e reverenciada do mundo dos insetos e intimamente afiliada à autoridade simbólica feminina. A iconografia de alguns dos vasos mais elaborados é paralela às figuras femininas de cerâmica policromada que 28
RESUMEN Desde hace mucho tiempo, se reconoce el Pacífico nicaragüense como un cruce de caminos cultural, donde hay registros históricos de grupos de migrantes del centro de México que se unió a grupos Chibchan originarios de América Central y del Sur. Este entorno multicultural ha inspirado décadas de investigación arqueológica, que se ha interesado particularmente en definir la frontera sureste de la zona cultural mesoamericana. De acuerdo con relatos etnohistóricos, los grupos de habla nahua emigraron y colonizaron el área de Rivas en el período Posclásico Tardío, también llamado Ometepe (c. 1300-1525 CE). La principal cerámica que se ha usado para identificar esta era fue la del Polícromo Luna, que, ya que se encuentra a menudo en contextos mortuorios, constituye hoy día la mejor clase de artefacto para reconocer la cultura e ideología nahua. Este artículo presenta un análisis detallado de sesenta vasos Luna. Mantenemos que el tema general de los diseños pintados se relaciona con la mantis religiosa. Esta interpretación coincide con las tradiciones orales que identifican a la mantis como la "Madre Culebra", un depredador poderoso y venerado del mundo de los insectos y estrechamente relacionado con la autoridad simbólica femenina. La iconografía en algunas de las macetas más elaboradas se asemeja a la de las estatuillas femeninas de cerámica policromada, en las que algunos han querido ver a practicantes de rituales o chamanes. Por nuestra parte, proponemos una posible correlación entre los diseños pintados y las visiones típicas de los trances. A través de este análisis, exploramos el papel de la iconografía cerámica como expresión de la práctica ritual. PALABRAS CLAVE iconografía cerámica, Pacífico nicaragüense, mantis religiosa, etno-entomología, chamanismo, cerámica, cerámica para servir
RESUMO A Nicarágua do Pacífico é reconhecida há muito tempo como uma encruzilhada cultural, com um importante grupo sendo documentado historicamente como migrantes do centro do México, integrando-se a grupos de Chibchan afiliados à América Central e do Sul. Esse cenário multicultural inspirou décadas de investigação arqueológica, particularmente em busca da fronteira sudeste da área cultural mesoamericana. Segundo relatos etno-históricos, grupos falantes de Nahuat migraram para e colonizaram a região de Rivas no período pós-clássico tardio/Ometepe (c. 1300-1525 dC). A cerâmica mais proeminentemente utilizada para diagnosticar esse período de tempo foi o policromo Luna, frequentemente encontrado em contextos mortuários e, portanto, atualmente a melhor classe de artefato para inferir a cultura e a ideologia de Nahua. Este artigo apresenta uma análise detalhada de sessenta recipientes Luna. Sugerimos que o tema dominante dos desenhos pintados esteja relacionado ao louva-a-deus. Essa interpretação coincide com tradições orais que identificam o louva-a-deus como a "Madre Culebra", uma predadora poderosa e reverenciada do mundo dos insetos e intimamente afiliada à autoridade simbólica feminina. A iconografia de alguns dos vasos mais elaborados é paralela às figuras femininas de cerâmica policromada que 28
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The cadejo is a contemporary myth about an evil and vicious dog who attacks stragglers in the night. Recent analysis of Pataky Polychrome pottery from Mi Museo in Granada has found similarities to creatures tentatively identified as... more
The cadejo is a contemporary myth about an evil and vicious dog who attacks stragglers in the night. Recent analysis of Pataky Polychrome pottery from Mi Museo in Granada has found similarities to creatures tentatively identified as badgers. This brief paper argues that the cadejo myth may have 1000 year history in Pacific Nicaragua.
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ABSTRACT: For more than 100 years scholars have associated polychrome ceramics from Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua with those from central Mexico, particularly those identified with the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. This evidence has... more
ABSTRACT: For more than 100 years scholars have associated polychrome ceramics from Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua with those from central Mexico, particularly those identified with the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. This evidence has been used to support ethnohistorical accounts of migrations to Central America that supposedly began about 800 CE. A long-term research program along the shore of Lake Cocibolca, however, has generally failed to find strong evidence for the Mexican migration of Oto-manguean or Nahua groups, and instead identify stronger influences with El Salvador and Honduras. Yet the recent recovery of ceramic iconography resembling Mixtec and Borgia codex imagery on Vallejo Polychromes again raises the ossibility
of some degree of cultural contact. Surprisingly, these ceramics date to the Early Postclassic period, and therefore predate the codex style of central Mexico.
RESUMEN: Por más que 100 años estudiosos han asociado la Cerámica
policromada del Pacifico de Nicaragua Posclásico con los del centro de México, específicamente los identificado como la tradición estilístico Mixteca-Puebla. Esta evidencia ha estado utilizada para apoyar crónicas etnohistóricas de migraciones a América Central empezando por 800 d.C. Un programa de larga duración en la costa del Lago Cocibolca no ha producido evidencia fuerte de las migraciones de grupos Oto-mangue ni Nahua, y en cambio ha identificado influencias de El Salvador y Honduras. Pero el descubrimiento reciente de iconografía cerámica relacionado con los códices mixtecos y del grupo Borgia en el tipo Vallejo Policromado sugiere la posibilidad de algún grado de contacto
cultural. Sorprendemente, estos restos fechan al Posclásico Temprano, y así están más temprano que el estilo códice del centro de México.
of some degree of cultural contact. Surprisingly, these ceramics date to the Early Postclassic period, and therefore predate the codex style of central Mexico.
RESUMEN: Por más que 100 años estudiosos han asociado la Cerámica
policromada del Pacifico de Nicaragua Posclásico con los del centro de México, específicamente los identificado como la tradición estilístico Mixteca-Puebla. Esta evidencia ha estado utilizada para apoyar crónicas etnohistóricas de migraciones a América Central empezando por 800 d.C. Un programa de larga duración en la costa del Lago Cocibolca no ha producido evidencia fuerte de las migraciones de grupos Oto-mangue ni Nahua, y en cambio ha identificado influencias de El Salvador y Honduras. Pero el descubrimiento reciente de iconografía cerámica relacionado con los códices mixtecos y del grupo Borgia en el tipo Vallejo Policromado sugiere la posibilidad de algún grado de contacto
cultural. Sorprendemente, estos restos fechan al Posclásico Temprano, y así están más temprano que el estilo códice del centro de México.
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El periodo colonial en las Américas se inició con el arribo de Cristóbal Colón. No he podido dar con la relación etimológica entre "Colón" y "colonialismo", pero el título de este ensayo alude a una propuesta que busca editar el prejuicio... more
El periodo colonial en las Américas se inició con el arribo de Cristóbal Colón. No he podido dar con la relación etimológica entre "Colón" y "colonialismo", pero el título de este ensayo alude a una propuesta que busca editar el prejuicio colonial y español en la interpretación de la princesa indígena que tuvo un lugar tan preeminente en la conquista de México. Y como tal representa una perspectiva poscolonial de la conquista al empoderar las voces de autores subalternos y no dominantes con la intención de argumentar una historia alternativa nativa y feminista (Gosden, 2001). Doña Marina, con otras 19 mujeres, fue bautizada poco después de ser entregada por el cacique de Potonchan, de la región del Golfo sur de México, al ejército de Her-nán Cortés (Díaz del Castillo, 1963; Karttunen, 1997). Al conocerse su manejo de varias lenguas, mostrándose bilingüe por lo menos en dialectos mayenses y náhuatl, Cortés la toma para sí y ella se convierte en su traductora, consejera y amante. La mayor parte de la información que se conoce de fuentes históricas proviene de cronistas coloniales: Bernal Díaz del Castillo (1963) y Fernando Ló-pez de Gómara (1964). Cortés (1986) alude a doña Marina como una mujer nativa que acompañaba al ejército en una reveladora descripción de su sentir hacia la madre del heredero de su imperio. Con base mayormente en estas crónicas históricas, ali-mentadas por un fervor nacionalista y antiespañol, durante los siglos XIX y XX, doña Marina ha sido repudiada como
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Las investigaciones en los últimos 15 años han buscado evidencia arqueológica para los migrantes mexicanos al Pacífico nicaragüense, como se indica en los mitos de origen etnohistórico y en la cultura popular contemporánea. Excavaciones... more
Las investigaciones en los últimos 15 años han buscado evidencia
arqueológica para los migrantes mexicanos al Pacífico nicaragüense, como se indica en los mitos de origen etnohistórico y en la cultura popular contemporánea. Excavaciones extensivas en tres sitios del Posclásico han proporcionado evidencia de arquitectura doméstica, canales gastronómicos, restos mortuorios y prácticas religiosas, todos considerados como posibles indicadores arqueológicos de etnicidad, pero ninguno de los cuales proporciona una fuerte evidencia de
identidad mexicana. Un tema más amplio es la reacción contemporánea al desafiar la identidad de los ancestros indígenas. Este artículo discute el legado mexicano en Nicaragua y las estrategias para negociar la ideología popular con datos arqueológicos mal comportados.
arqueológica para los migrantes mexicanos al Pacífico nicaragüense, como se indica en los mitos de origen etnohistórico y en la cultura popular contemporánea. Excavaciones extensivas en tres sitios del Posclásico han proporcionado evidencia de arquitectura doméstica, canales gastronómicos, restos mortuorios y prácticas religiosas, todos considerados como posibles indicadores arqueológicos de etnicidad, pero ninguno de los cuales proporciona una fuerte evidencia de
identidad mexicana. Un tema más amplio es la reacción contemporánea al desafiar la identidad de los ancestros indígenas. Este artículo discute el legado mexicano en Nicaragua y las estrategias para negociar la ideología popular con datos arqueológicos mal comportados.
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This chapter presents a detailed analysis of weaponry depicted in the Mixtec codices, including the contexts in which weapons are displayed.
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Material culture studies demonstrate how objects may act to communicate information regarding social identity. In this study we consider ethnohistorical, ethnographic, and archaeological evidence for Postclassic spinning and weaving as... more
Material culture studies demonstrate how objects may act to communicate information regarding social identity. In this study we consider ethnohistorical, ethnographic, and archaeological evidence for Postclassic spinning and weaving as symbols relating to female ideology in ancient Mexico. We then relate aA contextual interpretation of texts and images is related to contemporary symbolism, particularly associated with members of the female earth/fertility deity complex depicted and described in pre-Columbian and early Colonial pictorial manuscripts. For our case study we analyze decorative imagery found on baked clay spindle whorls from Postclassic Cholula, Mexico. This collection is is used as a case study representative of an iconographic system relating to female ideology. Whorls as well as other spinning and weaving tools paralleled male-oriented weapons to create a symbolic equivalence, or as we argue, a usurpation of the male symbols within a female worldview as a form of resistance to male domination. We conclude that the symbolic system used on spindle whorls and in other aspects of female practice created a communication network understood by Postclassic women.
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This brief article considers the relationship of perception altering substances to the production of traditional arts, with a case study from pre-Columbian Nicaragua.
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For more than 100 years scholars have associated polychrome ceramics from Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua with those from central Mexico, particularly those identified with the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. This evidence has been... more
For more than 100 years scholars have associated polychrome ceramics from Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua with those from central Mexico, particularly those identified with the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. This evidence has been used to support ethnohistorical accounts of migrations to Central America that supposedly began about 800 CE. A long-term research program along the shore of Lake Cocibolca, however, has generally failed to find strong evidence for the Mexican migration of Oto-manguean or Nahua groups, and instead identify stronger influences with El Salvador and Honduras. Yet the recent recovery of ceramic iconography resembling Mixtec and Borgia codex imagery on Vallejo Polychromes again raises the possibility of some degree of cultural contact. Surprisingly, these ceramics date to the Early Postclassic period, and therefore predate the codex style of central Mexico.
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1 La matanza en Cholula La matanza de Cholula es uno de los episodios más crueles e indignos suscitados durante el proceso de La Conquista, que debemos asumir como un acon-tecimiento que se inscribe en una historia mucho más amplia,... more
1 La matanza en Cholula La matanza de Cholula es uno de los episodios más crueles e indignos suscitados durante el proceso de La Conquista, que debemos asumir como un acon-tecimiento que se inscribe en una historia mucho más amplia, profunda y compleja en el curso de la cual se fue gestando, gradualmente, un intenso pro-ceso de occidentalización de los pueblos origina-rios de Mesoamérica y Aridoamérica, que dio lugar a un singular sincretismo religioso y un mestizaje cultural del que derivaron las características mul-tiétnicas y pluriculturales del México actual. Con este primer Cuaderno de Divulgación po-nemos en manos del lector una selección de textos, que comprenden distintas perspectivas, con la fina-lidad de propiciar en él la reflexión, el análisis y la inquietud por profundizar en un tema fundamental de nuestra historia como nación.
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The past composition and genetic diversity of populations from Central Mexico during the Postclassic period (ad 900–1520) are still little understood. Two of the largest centres of ancient groups, Tlatelolco and Cholula, declined after... more
The past composition and genetic diversity of populations from Central Mexico during the Postclassic period (ad 900–1520) are still little understood. Two of the largest centres of ancient groups, Tlatelolco and Cholula, declined after European conquest and questions about their relationships with other Central Mexican cities and ritual activities have been debated. Tlatelolco was a Mexica group that practiced the Quetzalcoatl cult and human sacrifice, including the sacrifice of children, while Cholula was considered the main pilgrimage centre and multiethnic city during the Postclassic. This study analysed the mitochondrial DNA control region of 28 human skeletal samples to estimate the genetic affinities of individuals buried at Tlatelolco and Cholula. Amelogenin analysis and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were also applied to determine the sex of the 15 Tlatelolco subadults from sacrificial contexts. Networks, PCoA and Nei genetic distances were calculated to compare Tlatelolco and Cholula haplotypes with available ancient haplotype data from Mesoamerican groups and the two borderland areas, Paquimé and Greater Nicoya. Mitochondrial haplogroups were characterized for 11 of the 15 samples from Tlatelolco (73%) and 12 samples out of 13 from Cholula (92%), revealing the presence of four distinct Amerindian mitochondrial lineages at Tlateloloco, A (n = 6; 55%), B (n = 2; 18%), C (n = 1; 9%) and D (n = 2; 10%); and three lineages in Cholula, A (n = 5; 42%), B (n = 5; 42%) and C (n = 2; 16%). Statistical analysis of the haplotypes, haplogroup frequencies and Nei genetic distances showed close affinity of Tlatelolco’s subadults with ancient Mexica (Aztecs) and closer affinities between Cholula and the Xaltocan of the Basin of Mexico. Sex determination of Tlatelolco subadult sacrifice victims revealed that 83% were females, in contrast to previous studies of subadult sacrificial patterns at the site. Together, these results demonstrate the multi-ethnic nature of religious and economic centres in Postclassic Central Mexico.
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Pacific Nicaragua has long been noted as a cultural crossroads, especially featuring historically documented migrants from central Mexico. Following ethnohistorical accounts, Nahuat speaking groups colonized the Rivas area in the Late... more
Pacific Nicaragua has long been noted as a cultural crossroads, especially featuring historically documented migrants from central Mexico. Following ethnohistorical accounts, Nahuat speaking groups colonized the Rivas area in the Late Postclassic Ometepe period (ca. 1300-1525 CE). The most prominent diagnostic ceramic of this time was Luna Polychrome, often found in mortuary contexts. This paper presents a detailed analysis of over 50 Luna vessels from the Mi Museo collection. We suggest that the overarching theme of the painted designs relates to the praying mantis. This interpretation coincides with oral traditions relating the mantis as the “Madre Culebra”, a powerful and revered predator of the insect world and closely affiliated with female symbolic authority. The association of these vessels with mortuary ritual suggests links to the Nahua deity Cihuacoatl, a goddess of death and regeneration, whose name also translates as ‘woman serpent’.
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A critical evaluation of proposed abandonment scenarios for the Classic/Postclassic transition at Cholula. In particular, we present data to dispute the idea that a volcanic lahar swept over Cholula.
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A report on investigations conducted in 2013 at the site of Sonzapote on Zapatera Island in Lake Cocibolca. Sonzapote is famous for its colossal stone statues (most have been removed to the Convento San Francisco museum in Granada), but... more
A report on investigations conducted in 2013 at the site of Sonzapote on Zapatera Island in Lake Cocibolca. Sonzapote is famous for its colossal stone statues (most have been removed to the Convento San Francisco museum in Granada), but this project documented over 50 extant monuments (including statue fragments, petroglyphs, and utilized boulders). It also mapped and described 17 mounds in the site center. Finally, this represents the first description of excavations at the base of one of the mounds, which provides a chronology for mound construction as well as information on subsequent use as a mortuary site.
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This paper discusses the symbolic importance of feathered serpent imagery on polychrome pottery of early Postclassic/Sapoa period Pacific Nicaragua. As an icon closely associated with the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition of central... more
This paper discusses the symbolic importance of feathered serpent imagery on polychrome pottery of early Postclassic/Sapoa period Pacific Nicaragua. As an icon closely associated with the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition of central Mexico, the presence of feathered serpent images has long been used to argue for Mexican influences in Central America. This critical analysis considers specific iconographic elements of the feathered serpents on different ceramic types to identify varying elements, as a step toward better discrimination of specific traits.
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Sacasa Striated 'shoe-pots' are one of the diagnostic ceramic types of Postclassic (Sapoa and Ometepe period) Pacific Nicaragua. They are common as burial urns, but also appear in kitchen middens as an indication of their role in the... more
Sacasa Striated 'shoe-pots' are one of the diagnostic ceramic types of Postclassic (Sapoa and Ometepe period) Pacific Nicaragua. They are common as burial urns, but also appear in kitchen middens as an indication of their role in the culinary tool-kit. This article discusses the funcion and symbolism of Sacasa shoe-pots.
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This paper presents preliminary information from excavations at the El Rayo site on the Asese peninsula into Lake Cocibolca, south of modern Granada. In 2009, two cemeteries were encounterred, beside another locus with rich domestic... more
This paper presents preliminary information from excavations at the El Rayo site on the Asese peninsula into Lake Cocibolca, south of modern Granada. In 2009, two cemeteries were encounterred, beside another locus with rich domestic refuse. The site dates from the late Bagaces to Sapoa periods, between AD 600 and 1200; this is an important transition since it corresponds to the period when migrants from Mesoamerica allegedly arrived in and colonized the region.
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A study of the foodways of ancient Nicaragua based on excavated materials from the Santa Isabel site on the shore of Lake Cocibolca. Remarkably good preservation of faunal and botanical remains provide a unique insight into the kinds of... more
A study of the foodways of ancient Nicaragua based on excavated materials from the Santa Isabel site on the shore of Lake Cocibolca. Remarkably good preservation of faunal and botanical remains provide a unique insight into the kinds of foods consumed, while a functional analysis of material culture used in food preparation fills out the rituals of consumption.
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This article discusses a shared ceramic horizon stretching from Central America into central Mexico during the Early Postclassic period. Polychrome vessels, especially tall drinking vessels, are painted with elaborate iconography over a... more
This article discusses a shared ceramic horizon stretching from Central America into central Mexico during the Early Postclassic period. Polychrome vessels, especially tall drinking vessels, are painted with elaborate iconography over a white slip. It is suggested that these vessels were used for consuming cacao, and were therefore part of an elite culture of consumption with relgious undertones.
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This article summarizes 10 years of excavations in Pacific Nicaragua, especially at the sites of Santa Isabel and El Rayo. Included are discussions of architecture, mortuary practices, foodways, and specialized production.
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A consideration of the settlement pattern of Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua, with dispersed settlement clusters situated between environmental greenspaces. Although the population density was relatively low, these 'garden cities' often... more
A consideration of the settlement pattern of Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua, with dispersed settlement clusters situated between environmental greenspaces. Although the population density was relatively low, these 'garden cities' often stretched from kilometers along the lake shores of the region.
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Discussion of the ceramic ware designated Granada Red, which includes types such as Tola Trichrome, Leon Punctate, and Chavez White on Red. Compositional analysis indicates that these types share a similar ware originating in the Granada... more
Discussion of the ceramic ware designated Granada Red, which includes types such as Tola Trichrome, Leon Punctate, and Chavez White on Red. Compositional analysis indicates that these types share a similar ware originating in the Granada region of Pacific Nicaragua.
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Introductory essay welcoming the journal Mi Museo y Vos as well as the Mi Museo museum of pre-Columbian art and archaeology
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A consideration of the potential for archaeo-tourism as a form of sustainable development, especially in developing economies of Central America.
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A survey of analytical techniques currently being employed for the study of archaeological ceramics from Nicaragua, including petrography, neutron activation analysis (INAA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), functional analysis, and iconography.
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Introduction to the volume Arqueologia de Nicaragua, summarizes the history of the discipline and prospects for future developments.
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This chapter summarizes information about Aztec textiles and their production, providing important information about the economics of this valued good as well as insights into female production and ideology. Textiles, including both... more
This chapter summarizes information about Aztec textiles and their production, providing important information about the economics of this valued good as well as insights into female production and ideology. Textiles, including both clothing and other woven articles, were important commodities in ancient Aztec society. Although they have not preserved well in the archaeological record, textiles are abundantly depicted in pictorial manuscripts, statuary, and ceramic figurines. Additionally, Colonial period texts describe the gender associations between textile production and female identity and ideology. Ethnographic traditions among indigenous groups of the region continue these practices. Finally, archaeological spindle whorls are an abundant artifact type that are often decorated and therefore provide additional information about the functions and symbolic significance of textile production.
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Description of the architectural history of the Great Pyramid of Cholula with special emphasis on the dynamic symbolism associated with its iconography.
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Critical analysis of ethnohistorical, art historical, and archaeological evidence for the famous Cholula massacre during initial contact with Cortes' invading army. This discussion highlights the possible role of Malintzin in events,... more
Critical analysis of ethnohistorical, art historical, and archaeological evidence for the famous Cholula massacre during initial contact with Cortes' invading army. This discussion highlights the possible role of Malintzin in events, particularly as her Gulf Coast origins may have informed her own agency.
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Describes analysis of ceramics and lithics from a salvage project conducted in Cholula in 2007, in which import wares from the Gulf Coast dating to the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic periods correspond with ethnohistorical evidence for... more
Describes analysis of ceramics and lithics from a salvage project conducted in Cholula in 2007, in which import wares from the Gulf Coast dating to the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic periods correspond with ethnohistorical evidence for lowland/highland interaction.
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A reconsideration of ethnohistorical accounts of migration into Pacific Nicaragua from central Mexico, informed with recent archaeological evidence
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Investigations over the past ten years have searched for archaeological evidence for Mexican migrants to lower Central America, as indicated in ethnohistorical origin myths and as embraced by contemporary popular culture. For example,... more
Investigations over the past ten years have searched for archaeological evidence for Mexican migrants to lower Central America, as indicated in ethnohistorical origin myths and as embraced by contemporary popular culture. For example, Nicaragua itself is named after the chief of the Nahuat-speaking Nicarao who the Spanish first encountered in 1522. Nahuat- and Oto-Manguean speakers were the major indigenous groups in Pacific Nicaragua at contact (Abel-Vidor 1981; Chapman 1960; Ibarra Rojas 2001), and although they were largely exterminated during the Colonial period they are still the groups most associated with the pre-Columbian past (Newson 1987). Problems arise in the very non-Mesoamerican lifeways of Postclassic (900-1550 CE) inhabitants along the shore of Lake Cocibolca (also known as Lake Nicaragua), supposedly the 'Mexican heartland' at the time of European contact, as demonstrated through intensive excavations of three Postclassic sites supposedly relating to these migrant groups (McCafferty 2008a, 2010a). Extensive analyses have evaluated domestic architecture, foodways, mortuary remains, and religious practices – all considered to be potential archaeological indicators of ethnicity, but none of which provide strong evidence of Mexican identity. A larger theme relevant to this volume is the reaction to challenging the identity of the indigenous ancestors, which is perceived by Nicaraguan scholars as a blow against entrenched concepts of ethnic origin and political identity. This paper will discuss the the Mexican legacy in Nicaragua, and strategies for negotiating popular ideology with badly behaved archaeological data.
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A characteristic of the female earth/fertility complex of Postclassic Mexico is the use of skeletal masks around the lower jaw. These appear in numerous codices, especially associated with the Aztec goddess Cihuacoatl and the Mixtec... more
A characteristic of the female earth/fertility complex of Postclassic Mexico is the use of skeletal masks around the lower jaw. These appear in numerous codices, especially associated with the Aztec goddess Cihuacoatl and the Mixtec goddess 9 Grass. Actual buccal masks have been found archaeologically, for example at Monte Albán’s Tomb 7 and recently at Macuilxochitl. This paper will develop a context for these insignia and suggest possible symbolic associations.
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One of the striking similarities linking the Gulf Coast of Mexico with the Greater Nicoya region of Central America is a shared ceramic style involving white slip serving wares over which is vibrant polychrome painted decoration. This... more
One of the striking similarities linking the Gulf Coast of Mexico with the Greater Nicoya region of Central America is a shared ceramic style involving white slip serving wares over which is vibrant polychrome painted decoration. This style has been used to link the Greater Nicoya inhabitants with Mesoamerica as support for ethnohistorically attested migrations. In Mesoamerica similar pottery is known from Cholula and the Mixteca Alta, as well as the Gulf Coast. But the chronology of these areas is generally weak for the Early Postclassic period, especially in contrast to the well-documented ceramic sequence of Pacific Nicaragua and northwest Costa Rica. This paper raises the issue of from whence did the horizon originate and the directionality of interaction.
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This is a study of the iconography representing feathered serpents on polychrome ceramics from Postclassic Pacific Nicaragua.
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Report of preliminary investigations at the site of Sonzapote on Zapatera Island in Lake Cocibolca, Nicaragua. The project was funded by National Geographic/Waite Foundation, and created a site map of the 17 mounds in the site center, and... more
Report of preliminary investigations at the site of Sonzapote on Zapatera Island in Lake Cocibolca, Nicaragua. The project was funded by National Geographic/Waite Foundation, and created a site map of the 17 mounds in the site center, and an invientory of existing statuary and other monuments. Excavations at Mound 14 demonstrated an initial occupation dating to the late Tempisque period (1-300 CE) but subsequent mortuary use of the mound during the Sapoa period ((800-1300 CE).
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A critical evaluation of the migration and colonization theories from Pacific Nicaragua, based on recent excavations at El Rayo and Santa Isabel.
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A survey of the culture history of Central America along the southern frontier of Mesoamerica, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
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Canadian archaeologists have a long history of research in southern Central America, especially as it relates to the southern frontier of the Mesoamerican culture area. Work by Paul Healy in the Rivas region of Pacific Nicaragua built on... more
Canadian archaeologists have a long history of research in southern Central America, especially as it relates to the southern frontier of the Mesoamerican culture area. Work by Paul Healy in the Rivas region of Pacific Nicaragua built on excavations directed by Gordon Willey in the early 1960s and remains one of the cornerstones for archaeology in the region. Collaborative research at Cihuatan (El Salvador), initiated by archaeologists from the University of Calgary (especially Jane Kelley, Karen Bruhns, and William Fowler) has explored possibly the southernmost Mesoamerican ‘city.’ More recently, teams from the University of Calgary have conducted extensive excavations at the regional centers of Santa Isabel and Tepetate, and the second-tier site of El Rayo, specifically designed to collect information on the historical migrations of central Mexican groups during the Early Postclassic, and to evaluate claims that Pacific Nicaragua was part of the Postclassic Mesoamerican ‘world system.’ This paper will discuss these projects and summarize their results.
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Presentation about the evolution of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition as seen through the polychrome ceramics of Cholula, the Gulf Coast, and Nicaragua.
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An illustrated presentation about animal imagery and related myths from pre-Columbian Pacific Nicaragua.
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This is a popular lecture that discusses my role in the recent Ancient Apocalypse program, in which I discussed the Great Pyramid of Cholula. I believe that it is important to engage with proponents of pseudo-archaeology and their... more
This is a popular lecture that discusses my role in the recent Ancient Apocalypse program, in which I discussed the Great Pyramid of Cholula. I believe that it is important to engage with proponents of pseudo-archaeology and their followers in order to counter fanciful claims with scientific data. The presentation also touches on the mythical Atlantis and some of the pseudo-archaeological claims about Nicaraguan archaeology.
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Overview of the architectural history of the Great Pyramid of Cholula
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An illustrated public presentation on recent advances in interpretations of Nicaraguan sculpture, petroglyphs, and ceramics
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This illustrated lecture covered my investigations and interpretations of Cholula archaeology with special emphasis on diachronic changes in its religious organization. This was then followed by recent discoveries from Pacific Nicaragua,... more
This illustrated lecture covered my investigations and interpretations of Cholula archaeology with special emphasis on diachronic changes in its religious organization. This was then followed by recent discoveries from Pacific Nicaragua, where feathered serpent imagery and polychrome ceramics resemble Cholula iconography, raising questions about the interactions between central Mexico and Central America. The presentation concluded with a series of problems deserving of further investigation and consideration.
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Public lecture on the role of women in the pre-Columbian world that considers examples from Mesoamerica and Central America
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Illustrated public lecture about Malintzin, the native princess who collaborated with Hernan Cortes during the conquest of Mexico. This presents a critical history of female gender roles in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica using ethnohistorical,... more
Illustrated public lecture about Malintzin, the native princess who collaborated with Hernan Cortes during the conquest of Mexico. This presents a critical history of female gender roles in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica using ethnohistorical, archaeological, and art historical data to suggest that Malintzin was a powerful actor in the critical events of the conquest.
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An illustrated lecture on female warriors in ancient Mesoamerica, including Maya, Aztec, and Mixtec cultures, among others.
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An illustrated public lecture about the history and symbolism of the Great Pyramid of Cholula. The conference was in support of opposition to the planned development of a tourist theme park on the 'protected' archaeological zone around... more
An illustrated public lecture about the history and symbolism of the Great Pyramid of Cholula. The conference was in support of opposition to the planned development of a tourist theme park on the 'protected' archaeological zone around the base of the pyramid. Construction has already resulted in the bulldozing of upper layers of elite residential architecture on pre-Columbian platforms, as well as extensive drainage and utility excavation. This development is being done despite community opposition, and with only minimal intervention by the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
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An illustrated public lecture considering the ethnohistorical myth of migration from central Mexico into Pacific Nicaragua, with information based on 25 years of archaeological research along the shore of Lake Nicaragua. The conclusion is... more
An illustrated public lecture considering the ethnohistorical myth of migration from central Mexico into Pacific Nicaragua, with information based on 25 years of archaeological research along the shore of Lake Nicaragua. The conclusion is that the evidence for Mexican influences are minimal, and as a result the assertion of 'Chorotega' ethnicity (associated with speakers of Oto-Manguean language and Mexican cultural traits) is misleading. Instead, I suggest adopting a less Mexican-centric term (Papagayo culture) that reflects the local material culture.
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Illustrated lecture about the archaeological resources in the Isthmus of Rivas that may be impacted by planned construction of the Trans-Oceanic Canal. The presentation included discussion of the historic roots of the canal plan,... more
Illustrated lecture about the archaeological resources in the Isthmus of Rivas that may be impacted by planned construction of the Trans-Oceanic Canal. The presentation included discussion of the historic roots of the canal plan, especially the 19th century transit route that connected the Atlantic with the Pacific for travelers en route to the California gold rush, and concluded with a discussion of the many challenges that the planned canal will present.
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Illustrated overview of research in Pacific Nicaragua
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Malintzin (aka La Malinche or Dona Marina) was an indigenous princess who was given to Hernan Cortes during his advance on the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, and who played a prominent role in the Conquest. Reviled in Mexican popular... more
Malintzin (aka La Malinche or Dona Marina) was an indigenous princess who was given to Hernan Cortes during his advance on the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, and who played a prominent role in the Conquest. Reviled in Mexican popular history as La Chingada ("the whore"), her very name has become synonymous with selling out to global interests. This presentation will contextualize Malintzin within her society, using archaeological and art historical data in addition to the limited historical information, to characterize her as an intelligent woman and skillful agent of self-empowerment. In contrast to the Spanish impression recorded by Colonial chroniclers, and further elaborated on by Mexican historians, my approach will use a more emic perspective as recorded by native artists who depicted Malintzin as an active and respected authority figure.
A powerpoint presentation in which I discussed the results of the Proyecto Arqueologico Granada, Nicaragua, with special emphasis on the 2010 field season at El Rayo. The presentation concludes with a comparison between the Granada... more
A powerpoint presentation in which I discussed the results of the Proyecto Arqueologico Granada, Nicaragua, with special emphasis on the 2010 field season at El Rayo. The presentation concludes with a comparison between the Granada region and previous research at Santa Isabel in the Rivas district, and my current thoughts on the question of Mesoamerican influences in Pacific Nicaragua.
Archaeology is big business. It is prominent in entertainment venues through the success of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, and through more realistic venues such as National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. Something inherent to... more
Archaeology is big business. It is prominent in entertainment venues through the success of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, and through more realistic venues such as National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. Something inherent to archaeology captures the public imagination; it is often synonymous with adventure, discovery, and mystery. Archaeo-tourism also plays an important role in global economies through tours to sites and museums packed with beautiful and exotic items. Short of a time-machine, these experiences provide a unique glimpse on the past, and millions of people per year flock to pyramids and similar monuments to stand in awe of ancient wonders. Latin America is home to many impressive archaeological sites, and archaeo-tourism provides tremendous income without depleting natural resources. It also generates non-financial gains to host populations through the creation of a strong sense of identity relating to historical roots and indigenous accomplishments. This presentation will argue that archaeo-tourism offers sustainable development in some of the most impoverished regions of Latin America, and should be supported as a valuable means of balancing economic and cultural inequities. Case studies will be drawn from Mexico, Nicaragua, and El Salvador
Website based on archaeological investigations at the Tepetate site on the outskirts of the modern city of Granada
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Web site based on archaeological investigations at the El Rayo site on the shore of Lake Nicaragua
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Website based on archaeological investigations at the Santa Isabel site on the shore of Lake Nicaragua
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The archaeological site of Cholula, in the Puebla/Tlaxcala valley of central Mexico, is one of the great enigmas of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This dissertation organizes ethnohistoric and archaeological data for the Epiclassic and... more
The archaeological site of Cholula, in the Puebla/Tlaxcala valley of central Mexico, is one of the great enigmas of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This dissertation organizes ethnohistoric and archaeological data for the Epiclassic and Postclassic periods at Cholula, while presenting original data recovered from the UA-1 excavation on the campus of the Universidad de las Americas. The UA-1 site was investigated as a field school in 1968, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Wolfman. Excavations uncovered remains of three structures, including Structure 1, a small but well-preserved house dating to the Early Postclassic period (ca. A.D. 1000-1200).
Six research objectives are presented in this dissertation relating to Structure 1, associated features, and other structural remains. The principal goal was the contextual interpretation of material culture from the Structure 1 compound in relation to a model for Postclassic household organization based on ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological background information. In order to establish the integrity of the related features, however, it was necessary to conduct four preliminary steps: (1) develop a ceramic typology for Postclassic Cholula; (2) construct a ceramic sequence based on a seriation analysis of pottery from primary depositional contexts; (3) analyze vessel form from different contexts to infer the extent of food preparation and consumption; and (4) interpret other artifact classes (e.g., figurines, spindle whorls, projectile points, etc.) as they related to household activities. Finally, the UA-1 data is integrated into the culture history of Postclassic Cholula, with particular reference to its role in the origin and development of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition.
Results of this project relate to the study of archaeological households from Postclassic Mexico, and also provide substantive information on the culture history of Cholula. The revised chronology challenges existing interpretations of the Classic/Postclassic transition. The reinterpretation supports ethnohistoric reconstructions for ethnic change at the center, with strong ties to the Gulf Coast during the Early Postclassic period.
Six research objectives are presented in this dissertation relating to Structure 1, associated features, and other structural remains. The principal goal was the contextual interpretation of material culture from the Structure 1 compound in relation to a model for Postclassic household organization based on ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological background information. In order to establish the integrity of the related features, however, it was necessary to conduct four preliminary steps: (1) develop a ceramic typology for Postclassic Cholula; (2) construct a ceramic sequence based on a seriation analysis of pottery from primary depositional contexts; (3) analyze vessel form from different contexts to infer the extent of food preparation and consumption; and (4) interpret other artifact classes (e.g., figurines, spindle whorls, projectile points, etc.) as they related to household activities. Finally, the UA-1 data is integrated into the culture history of Postclassic Cholula, with particular reference to its role in the origin and development of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition.
Results of this project relate to the study of archaeological households from Postclassic Mexico, and also provide substantive information on the culture history of Cholula. The revised chronology challenges existing interpretations of the Classic/Postclassic transition. The reinterpretation supports ethnohistoric reconstructions for ethnic change at the center, with strong ties to the Gulf Coast during the Early Postclassic period.
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Report submitted to the Instituto Nicaraguense de Cultura based on survey and excavation of the La Arenera site in 2000.
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Appendices to report to the Instituto Nicaraguense de Cultura based on 2000 field work at Santa Isabel
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Report to Instituto Nicaraguense de Cultura on the 2000 field season at Santa Isabel
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Report turned in to the Instituto Nicaraguense de Cultura from the Proyecto Arqueologico Granada, Nicaragua for the 2009 field season in El Rayo.
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Report submitted to the Instituto Nicaraguense de Cultura on the 2008 field season of the Proyecto Arqueologico Granada, Nicaragua in Tepetate
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Report to Instituto Nicaraguense de Cultura on materials analyzed under exit permit, including C14 dates
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A research report of results from the 2015 field season at El Rayo, Nicaragua. El Rayo is located on the tip of the Asese Peninsula in Lake Cocibolca, near the colonial capital of Granada. In previous field seasons El Rayo has revealed... more
A research report of results from the 2015 field season at El Rayo, Nicaragua. El Rayo is located on the tip of the Asese Peninsula in Lake Cocibolca, near the colonial capital of Granada. In previous field seasons El Rayo has revealed mortuary remains and residential deposits dating to the late Bagaces and Sapoa periods (500-1250 CE). In 2015, excavations continued at the Locus 3 cemetery, recovering additional Sacasa Striated shoe-pot urns associated with a small stone altar. A new excavation at Locus 4, a low mound, revealed a long, rectangular stone foundation consisiting of parallel lines of vertical stones, perhaps supporting a palisade of perishable materials. No clear artifact pattern was found to infer the building's function, and the tentative interpretation is that it was a public building used for ritual performance.
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Final report on the SSHRC funded archaeological project at Santa Isabel, Nicaragua (2003-2005). Presented to the Institute Nicaraguense de Cultura, 2008.
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Zapatera Island is located in Lake Cocibolca, about 10 km south of the colonial city of Granada. It was first explored archaeologically in the mid-1800s, when it was mentioned by such scholars as Squier and Bovallius. Carl Bovallius... more
Zapatera Island is located in Lake Cocibolca, about 10 km south of the colonial city of Granada. It was first explored archaeologically in the mid-1800s, when it was mentioned by such scholars as Squier and Bovallius. Carl Bovallius published a fine book that detailed carved monuments from the site of Sonzapote that were arranged around low, stone mounds. In 2013, a team from the University of Calgary and the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua investigated Sonzapote, with funding from the National Geographic --Waite Institution. The site center was mapped, including 17 mounds and over 50 monuments. Excavations at Mound 14 exposed architectural features, and encountered multiple urn burials dating to the Sapoa/Ometepe periods (800-1525 CE). Notably, walking surfaces associated with the mound architecture itself dates to the late Tempisque period (100-300 CE), based on diagnostic pottery. This early date is in direct contrast to previous interpretations, and if validated using C14 testing pushes the date of the ritual center back nearly 1000 years earlier than published interpretations.
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This is an illustrated presentation (in Spanish) about the symbolic landscape of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico using archaeological and ethnohistoric evidence.
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Incorporating historical maps, archaeological data, and ethnographic insights, this paper presents information on the ancient urban center of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. Over its 3000 year history, the inhabitants of Cholula have integrated... more
Incorporating historical maps, archaeological data, and ethnographic insights, this paper presents information on the ancient urban center of Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. Over its 3000 year history, the inhabitants of Cholula have integrated changing ethnicities and religious ideologies into their sacred landscape, often centered around the Great Pyramid, the Tlachihualtepetl. This study of cultural resilience offers enormous research potential for future studies.
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This paper analyzes and compares lithic assemblages found between two separate but geographically similar Sapoa period (800-1300 CE) sites found on the shores of lake Nicaragua. This research will employ the use of quantified data coupled... more
This paper analyzes and compares lithic assemblages found between two separate but geographically similar Sapoa period (800-1300 CE) sites found on the shores of lake Nicaragua. This research will employ the use of quantified data coupled with an analysis of the techniques used to manufacture lithic tools and the ensuing use wear patterns. The aim of this research is to analyze commonalities present in the lithic assemblages of these two different archaeological contexts in an effort to ascertain similarities or differences present in the implimentation of Nicaraguan lithic technologies associated with lacustrine environments during the Sapoa period.
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Back to Camp Granada: The 2021 Field Season at El Rayo, Nicaragua • El Rayo (Nicaragua) continues to offer unique insights into the cultural changes that occurred during the Ayala to El Rayo period transition (600-1100 CE), when... more
Back to Camp Granada: The 2021 Field Season at El Rayo, Nicaragua • El Rayo (Nicaragua) continues to offer unique insights into the cultural changes that occurred during the Ayala to El Rayo period transition (600-1100 CE), when Oto-manguean-speakers migrated from central Mexico and integrated with native Chibchan populations. The fifth field season at El Rayo was supported by the Institute for Field Research. Field school students excavated at four loci: a deeply stratified area with rich material culture possibly relating to feasting activities, a dispersed cemetery with El Rayo period urn burials, a low mound with stone architecture, and a locus near the shore of Lake Cocibolca with high incidence of exotic artifacts. Results further inform on the dramatic developments as the resident population adapted into what has been identified as the Chorotega culture, with changes to the mortuary practices and ceramic ecology.
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Located on the Asese peninsula of Lake Cocibolca, El Rayo is the most extensively excavated archaeological site in Pacific Nicaragua. Five seasons of investigation have identified nine distinct loci, including ceremonial structures, a... more
Located on the Asese peninsula of Lake Cocibolca, El Rayo is the most extensively excavated archaeological site in Pacific Nicaragua. Five seasons of investigation have identified nine distinct loci, including ceremonial structures, a feasting area, and two cemeteries, leading to the interpretation of El Rayo being a necropolis, spanning 600-1250
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Colonial sources describe interaction between central Mexican groups and Central American cultures, including possible migration and colonization, during the Postclassic period (900-1520 CE). Linguistic and art historical evidence has... more
Colonial sources describe interaction between central Mexican groups and Central American cultures, including possible migration and colonization, during the Postclassic period (900-1520 CE). Linguistic and art historical evidence has been used to support and reify this connection. A 20+ year archaeological program by the University of Calgary, however, has found limited evidence for large-scale migration into Pacific Nicaragua, thus challenging population replacement models that have dominated the literature. A more nuanced reading of the material culture, particularly iconography on polychrome pottery, allows interpretation of mexican religious ideology beginning in the Early Postclassic period. Whereas feathered serpents have long been recognized in Greater Nicoya artistic renderings, detailed analyses of ceramics now offer evidence of other members of the central Mexican pantheon, including Ehecatl, Yiacatecuhtli, Mixcoatl, Cihuacoatl, and Tlaloc. Interestingly, some of these representations pre-date their appearance in central Mexico itself, complicating previous interpretations of Postclassic culture contact. Furthermore, these innovative elements offer insights into developing belief systems as Mexican deities became integrated with native animism.
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The culture history of Cholula (Puebla, Mexico) has been a rollercoaster as different scholars with different paradigms have radically altered direction over the past 100 years. Consequently, when I got onboard in the early 1980s the... more
The culture history of Cholula (Puebla, Mexico) has been a rollercoaster as different scholars with different paradigms have radically altered direction over the past 100 years. Consequently, when I got onboard in the early 1980s the consensus was that Cholula had been abandoned at the end of the Classic period, in the same way as Teotihuacan, only to be reoccupied in the Late Postclassic. However, a field school excavation from the campus of the University of the Americas, designated UA-1, resulted in contextual data to challenge that cultural sequence. Prompted by my professor Mickey Lind, I undertook the analysis of two household compounds that offered abundant archaeological materials dating to the Early and Middle Postclassic periods, ca. 900 to 1400 CE. This paper will outline the UA-1 households with emphasis on the ceramic assemblages. Among the conclusions are considerations of ethnic identities as well as the violent end of the Early Postclassic occupation. Interestingly, polychrome serving wares changed between the Early and Middle Postclassic, yet utilitarian wares remained the same, suggesting possible distinctions between public and private consumption practices.
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Information on the pre-Columbian religious practices from Pacific Nicaragua is very limited. Ethnohistorical sources from 16th and 17th century chroniclers detail practices of the Nahua-speaking Nicarao at Contact, including deities of... more
Information on the pre-Columbian religious practices from Pacific Nicaragua is very limited. Ethnohistorical sources from 16th and 17th century chroniclers detail practices of the Nahua-speaking Nicarao at Contact, including deities of the religious pantheon, use of the 260-day ritual calendar, and some of the actual ceremonies observed. This information has been widely mined by 20th century archaeo-historians, especially Mexican historian Miguel Leon Portillo who assembled a lengthy comparison of Nicarao practices with those from the Nahua heartland in central Mexico. Traditional culture historical interpretations infer that the Nicarao migrated into Pacific Nicaragua in the final centuries before the European invasion, and while archaeological confirmation is weak the generally accepted date is about 1300 CE.
But what were religious practices like before the Nahua colonization? Ethnohistorical sources are silent about other cultural groups, other than a vague hint that the Oto-manguean speaking Chorotega, another migrant group from Mexico, had some similarities to the Nahua. Information on the autochthonous population, probably affiliated with the Chibchan cultures of Central America, is virtually non-existent. To fill this gap we must turn to the archaeological record.
But what were religious practices like before the Nahua colonization? Ethnohistorical sources are silent about other cultural groups, other than a vague hint that the Oto-manguean speaking Chorotega, another migrant group from Mexico, had some similarities to the Nahua. Information on the autochthonous population, probably affiliated with the Chibchan cultures of Central America, is virtually non-existent. To fill this gap we must turn to the archaeological record.
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Polychrome pottery from the Greater Nicoya region of Central America prominently features ‘feathery serpents’ that have been associated with the Mixteca-Puebla tradition of greater Mesoamerica. A closer look at the variety of ‘feathery... more
Polychrome pottery from the Greater Nicoya region of Central America prominently features ‘feathery serpents’ that have been associated with the Mixteca-Puebla tradition of greater Mesoamerica. A closer look at the variety of ‘feathery serpents’ has discriminated between more Borgia-like images and others that are less prototypical, including features such as legs and shield patterns on the back. Feathered serpents have been at the core of debates over whether or not the Greater Nicoya region should be considered part of the Mesoamerican culture area. Recent excavations have refined the chronology of Greater Nicoya polychromes, especially in Pacific Nicaragua, such that these so-called “Mixteca-Puebla” diagnostics now pre-date most polychromes from central Mexico. This paper will muddy the waters of how we define “Mesoamerica,” at least for the Postclassic period, with suggestions about the importance of religious and economic interconnectedness, and the directionality of cultural influences.
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The dancing hippos, rainbow flowers, and magic mushrooms of Disney’s Fantasia have often been considered indicative of drug-induced experience, reducing young minds to ‘psychedelic rubble’ according one review. And little wonder, since... more
The dancing hippos, rainbow flowers, and magic mushrooms of Disney’s Fantasia have often been considered indicative of drug-induced experience, reducing young minds to ‘psychedelic rubble’ according one review. And little wonder, since Disney got the inspiration from artist Salvador Dali and the visions from Mazatec shaman/healer Maria Sabina in the mountains of southern Mexico. Maria Sabina is noted for introducing hallucinogenic mushrooms to such drug gurus as Timothy Leary, John Lennon, and Mick Jagger. To what extent, then, is art transformed by extra-sensory experience, and to what extent can that experience be recognized in the pre-Columbian past. This paper will discuss potential shamanic visions as encoded in visual culture of the ancient Americas, with particular emphasis on Central America. These insights will then be integrated into a broader discussion of ‘religion.’
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Ethnohistoric sources describe the market of Postclassic Cholula as featuring goods from throughout Mesoamerica. Furthermore, the merchant guilds centered in the city, followers of the merchant god Yacatecuhtli/Quetzalcoatl, were elevated... more
Ethnohistoric sources describe the market of Postclassic Cholula as featuring goods from throughout Mesoamerica. Furthermore, the merchant guilds centered in the city, followers of the merchant god Yacatecuhtli/Quetzalcoatl, were elevated to princely status. Contact-period sources also describe the political organization of the city, in which these merchant princes played a prominent role. The far-flung influence of the religio-commercial hegemony is represented through the distinctive symbolism of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition, found throughout Postclassic Mesoamerica and as far south as Pacific Nicaragua. This paper uses the ethnohistorical evidence to construct a model of Cholula’s urban economy and its international influence, with archaeological evidence to critically evaluate the sources.
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Costume evidence is presented relating to pre-Columbian social identities from Pacific Nicaragua, involving both decorated figurines and archaeological objects of adornment such as earspools, beads, and pendants.
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The Bagaces to Sapoá transition, roughly 700 to 900 CE, is a critical period in the culture history of Pacific Nicaragua. It saw dramatic changes in decorated ceramics, mortuary practices, and settlement patterns, among other cultural... more
The Bagaces to Sapoá transition, roughly 700 to 900 CE, is a critical period in the culture history of Pacific Nicaragua. It saw dramatic changes in decorated ceramics, mortuary practices, and settlement patterns, among other cultural traits. Following traditional culture historical reconstructions, these changes were the result of migrations of 'mexican' groups such as the Chorotega and Nicarao – ethnic groups described in Colonial documents as speaking dialects of Mesoamerican languages and with social practices consistent with generalized Mesoamerican culture. Recent and ongoing investigations by the University of Calgary, however, have allowed critical evaluation and reformulation of these interpretations. The El Rayo site is key to understanding the Bagaces/Sapoá transition, since it is currently the only well-documented site that spans the transition.
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Excavations in 2009 and 2010 established the presence of mortuary remains at the El Rayo archaeological site, located on the Asese Peninsula near modern Granada, Nicaragua. In 2015, an additional field season expanded upon previous... more
Excavations in 2009 and 2010 established the presence of mortuary remains at the El Rayo archaeological site, located on the Asese Peninsula near modern Granada, Nicaragua. In 2015, an additional field season expanded upon previous excavations in Locus 3, one of two known cemetery locations at the site, exposing several more burial urns, and further investigating previously known urn burials. This new data contributes to a greater understanding of mortuary practices at El Rayo, which at Locus 3 includes a cluster of burial urns in association with a stone structure. The urns, containing burials from the Sapoà (800–1350 C.E.) period, include several examples of multiple-individual interments, which is accentuated by a child burial in Feature 8 alongside portions of another, older, individual. Possible re-deposition of remains within urns alongside multiple individuals may suggest continued use and reuse of the cemetery by related peoples throughout time, indicating a maintenance of social identity through burial rituals.
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Ethnohistorical sources describe migrations of Mesoamerican peoples into the Greater Nicoya region of Pacific Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica during the Classic to Postclassic transition, ca. 800 C.E., a period known regionally as... more
Ethnohistorical sources describe migrations of Mesoamerican peoples into the Greater Nicoya region of Pacific Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica during the Classic to Postclassic transition, ca. 800 C.E., a period known regionally as the Bagaces and Sapoa periods. Recent research has targeted this transition in order to better understand the material culture dynamics, as a means to further understand historical linguistic and genetic data. This paper contrasts two case studies: one from the Guanacaste sites of Finca Chiva, Villa Aventura, and Los Platanos; and the Nicaraguan sites of Santa Isabel and El Rayo. Consideration of such attributes as mortuary practices, settlement patterns, and decorated ceramics all contribute to an empirical evaluation of the migration claims. Among the conclusions is a critical reconsideration of the ‘Greater Nicoya’ concept, as well as evidence with other parts of Central America.
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El Rayo, located on the Asese Peninsula in Lake Cocibolca, continues to surprise with its archaeological resources. Initially identified as a small fishing community on the lakeshore, investigations in 2009 and 2010 revealed extensive... more
El Rayo, located on the Asese Peninsula in Lake Cocibolca, continues to surprise with its archaeological resources. Initially identified as a small fishing community on the lakeshore, investigations in 2009 and 2010 revealed extensive mortuary remains as well as rich domestic refuse. In the summer of 2015, a field school by the Institute for Field Research re-opened excavations at the Locus 3 mortuary complex, uncovering additional burial urns in diagnostic Sacasa Striated ‘shoe-pot’ urns. A second focus of excavation, however, discovered an unexpected example of monumental architecture on a low mound. A well-constructed stone foundation outlined a building measuring 20 x 10 m, with at least three layers of walking surface representing sequential modification. This poster will outline the new discoveries, with special emphasis on the architectural feature.
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Paper presented in a symposium in honor of Jane Kelley. It features some of her work in Cihuatan, El Salvador, with special emphasis on the spinning tools recovered. We then put these in a larger Mesoamerican and Central American context... more
Paper presented in a symposium in honor of Jane Kelley. It features some of her work in Cihuatan, El Salvador, with special emphasis on the spinning tools recovered. We then put these in a larger Mesoamerican and Central American context relating to potential female practice.
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In 1989, John Hoopes and I presented a paper at the SAA conference in which we attempted an archaeological evaluation of ethnohistorical models for Mexican migrations into the Greater Nicoya region of Central America. Although the paper... more
In 1989, John Hoopes and I presented a paper at the SAA conference in which we attempted an archaeological evaluation of ethnohistorical models for Mexican migrations into the Greater Nicoya region of Central America. Although the paper was never published, it became the foundation for my current research in Pacific Nicaragua. Colonial chronicles describe ‘Mexican’ cultural practices of the Nahua-speaking Nicarao and, to a lesser extent, the Oto-Manguean-speaking Chorotega. Linguists and art historians of the 20th century have supported claims of Mesoamericans in the region beginning about 800 CE. After 15 years of excavating several major sites along the shore of Lake Cocibolca, specifically looking for the Mexican connection, we have amassed an excellent database for ancient Nicaraguan lifeways, but rather ambiguous evidence for Mexican colonies. This paper will outline the evidence for migration ‘out of Mexico’ and then critically evaluate the archaeological evidence as it relates to foreign influence as opposed to in situ development.
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Cacao was a sacred substance in ancient Mesoamerica, as it continues to be among traditional groups in the region. This presentation will consider archaeological evidence of cacao consumption as a unifying theme of regional interaction... more
Cacao was a sacred substance in ancient Mesoamerica, as it continues to be among traditional groups in the region. This presentation will consider archaeological evidence of cacao consumption as a unifying theme of regional interaction during the medieval period (AD 800-1250). In contrast to the political and military themes more common to European models of medieval societies (e.g., Game of Thrones), the archaeological record of Mexico and Central America is more amenable to interpretations of religious and exchange patterns. One prominent material example of this is found in polychrome ceramics using the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition, which feature highly stylized design elements relating to an ‘international’ ideational grammar. Early examples of Mixteca-Puebla polychromes featured tall whiteware vessels that were used for ritual consumption of cacao-based beverages. These are represented in pictorial manuscripts such as Mixtec codices, where they play a role in marriage ceremonies uniting dynasties, and their archaeological correlates are found throughout the broad region of greater Mesoamerica. The time depth of cacao as a ceremonial beverage includes the Classic Maya (at least), but I will argue in this paper that it rose to pan-Mesoamerican prominence during the Early Postclassic period. Furthermore, based on recent research in Central America, it appears now that the whiteware tradition may have originated in cacao-growing regions such as Pacific Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador. This presentation will attempt to weave together ideological and economic themes from diverse regions to argue for elite interaction under the auspices of the cult of the feathered serpent deity, sometimes identified as Quetzalcoatl.
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The ceramics of Pacific Nicaragua have been a source of scholarly interest for over 100 years, in part because of their intrinsic beauty and also because of their similarities to the polychrome pottery of central Mexico. This paper will... more
The ceramics of Pacific Nicaragua have been a source of scholarly interest for over 100 years, in part because of their intrinsic beauty and also because of their similarities to the polychrome pottery of central Mexico. This paper will summarize recent research by members of the University of Calgary team that for the past 15 years has been investigating the cultural dynamics of the region through intensive excavations and multi-disciplinary analyses. Whereas the research program began as an attempt to evaluate the ‘out of Mexico’ migration mythstory, ambiguous results now challenge that hypothesis and may instead point towards a more Honduran connection, but also with links to El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. The ceramics of Pacific Nicaragua seem to hold important clues to these pan-Central American relationships.
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The Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, Alberta showcases the past social and cultural activities of the small prairie community strictly using gopher taxidermy. These dioramas contain detailed representations of local buildings,... more
The Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, Alberta showcases the past social and cultural activities of the small prairie community strictly using gopher taxidermy. These dioramas contain detailed representations of local buildings, activities and even dress attire. Designed by Torrington locals, the curious creatures may be sporting more than just fancy skirts and jackets but ideologically contrived gender stereotypes. The Gopher Hole Museum has projected past gender differences through the staging and design of the dioramas. This paper will explore the gender stereotypes displayed at the Torrington Gopher Hole Museum.
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Recent reinterpretations of archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence indicate lowland to highland interaction during the Epiclassic period, with influences seen at such sites as Cacaxtla, Xochicalco, and Cholula. During the summer of... more
Recent reinterpretations of archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence indicate lowland to highland interaction during the Epiclassic period, with influences seen at such sites as Cacaxtla, Xochicalco, and Cholula. During the summer of 2007 the authors had the opportunity to work with recently excavated materials from a large rescue project at Cholula that included ceramic trade wares which further support these interpretations. This paper will present ceramic and lithic evidence to suggest exchange patterns from the Classic to Postclassic transition. Discussion will integrate Epiclassic Cholula into the dynamic changes that were taking place during this crucial period of Mesoamerican history.
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This paper presents a re-examination of abandonment theories for Cholula (Puebla, Mexico), focussing on the recent proposal by Claus Siebe and colleagues that an eruption of the Popocatepetl volcano and resultant lahar mud flow destroyed... more
This paper presents a re-examination of abandonment theories for Cholula (Puebla, Mexico), focussing on the recent proposal by Claus Siebe and colleagues that an eruption of the Popocatepetl volcano and resultant lahar mud flow destroyed the city in about 800 C.E. Excavations throughout the city and stratigraphic columns adjacent to the Great Pyramid reveal contradictory evidence, such as plaster floors in the so-called lahar deposits. Recent ceramic seriation indicates occupation through the Classic to post-Classic transition, suggesting occupational continuity instead of abandonment. This paper challenges the interpretation that Cholula experienced socio-political collapse at the end of the Classic period.
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Discussion of recent compositional analyses conducted on ceramics from Pacific Nicaragua.
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The Sonzapote site on Zapatera Island (Nicaragua) is well-known for the dozens of monumental stone statues representing human figures, many of which depict individuals seated on thrones. Yet little attention has been paid to the... more
The Sonzapote site on Zapatera Island (Nicaragua) is well-known for the dozens of monumental stone statues representing human figures, many of which depict individuals seated on thrones. Yet little attention has been paid to the archaeological context of the site, including the remaining statues and associated architectural features. In 2013, a joint archaeological project involving the University of Calgary, Mi Museo (Granada), and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua conducted preliminary investigations at the site with funding from the National Geographic/Waitt Foundation and the University of Calgary. This paper presents the results of this research, especially excavations at Mound 14 including both the construction history as well as its post-abandonment use as a mortuary site. The revised chronology results in major changes to interpretation of Sonzapote within the regional politico-religious network.
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We will discuss research during the summer of 2013 when members of the IZAP project conducted a survey of monumental sculptures on the site of Sonzapote, located on the northeastern tip of Zapatera Island in Lake Nicaragua.
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This paper will draw upon archaeological discoveries and reinterpretations of the past 20 years at Cholula, combined with recent theoretical considerations of the meanings of “collapse.” Because one of the important factors in Cholula’s... more
This paper will draw upon archaeological discoveries and reinterpretations of the past 20 years at Cholula, combined with recent theoretical considerations of the meanings of “collapse.” Because one of the important factors in Cholula’s resilience seems to be its long-distance interactions, especially with the Gulf Coast Maya, it is appropriate to incorporate recent evidence for Maya presence in the central highlands. The discussion will include evidence from the ceremonial center on and around the Great Pyramid, known from historical sources as Tlachihualtepetl (“artificial mountain”), as well as domestic practices from residential sites around the city. Conclusions will include an alternative strategy on the part of the residents of Cholula as they negotiated the currents of change during the Classic to Postclassic transition.
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One of the striking similarities linking the Gulf Coast of Mexico with the Greater Nicoya region of Central America is a shared ceramic style involving white slip serving wares over which is vibrant polychrome painted decoration. This... more
One of the striking similarities linking the Gulf Coast of Mexico with the Greater Nicoya region of Central America is a shared ceramic style involving white slip serving wares over which is vibrant polychrome painted decoration. This style has been used to link the Greater Nicoya inhabitants with Mesoamerica as support for ethnohistorically attested migrations. In Mesoamerica similar pottery is known from Cholula and the Mixteca Alta, as well as the Gulf Coast. But the chronology of these areas is generally weak for the Early Postclassic period, especially in contrast to the well-documented ceramic sequence of Pacific Nicaragua and northwest Costa Rica. This paper raises the issue of from whence did the horizon originate and the directionality of interaction.
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Bilingual museum text introducing Sala 1: Prehistory of Ancient Nicaragua
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Bilingual museum text explaining the role of chronologies in characterizing ancient cultures, and the techniques used by archaeologists to build chronological sequences.
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Bilingual museum poster describing archaeological evidence for the Tempisque period in Pacific Nicaragua (500 BCE - 300 CE).
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Bilingual museum text describing the Bagaces Period, 300-800 CE, when Pacific Nicaragua was dominated by members of the Chibcha culture.
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Bilingual museum poster about archaeological evidence for migration into Pacific Nicaragua by Mexican groups beginning about 800 CE.
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Bilingual museum text from Sala 1 "Nicaraguan Prehistory" -- describing the final phase of pre-Columbian history when, according to ethnohistorical sources, Nahua migrants from central Mexico arrived and colonized parts of Pacific... more
Bilingual museum text from Sala 1 "Nicaraguan Prehistory" -- describing the final phase of pre-Columbian history when, according to ethnohistorical sources, Nahua migrants from central Mexico arrived and colonized parts of Pacific Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum text in Sala 3, "Prehistory of Ancient Nicaragua," that describes the arrival of Spanish explorers in 1522 and the Colonial period.
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Bilingual museum poster introducing aspects of daily life in Pacific Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum poster discussing iconography on Luna Polychrome pottery depicting praying mantis imagery, and the relationship to Ometepe period ideology.
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Bilingual museum poster describing ancient food preparation in Pacific Nicaragua.
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Exhibition poster describing the ancient foodways of Pacific Nicaragua
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Bilingual museum poster describing archaeological evidence for specialized production, including jewelry, textiles, and tools.
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Bilingual museum poster describing archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence for textile production in ancient Pacific Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum poster describing ceramic figurines from ancient Pacific Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum poster describing ethnohistorical and archaeological evidence for ornamentation and its relationship to expressions of social identity.
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Bilingual museum poster describing variation in mortuary practices in ancient Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum text describing the cultural ecology of pre-Columbian Pacific Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum poster discussing Sacasa Striated burial urns and their relationship to beliefs about death and resurrection, and the natural world.
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Bilingual museum poster describing the history of archaeology in Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum poster describing excavations of a Tempisque period cemetery in Managua.
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Bilingual museum poster describing recent excavation of Late Tempisque period burials at Ticuantepe.
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Bilingual museum poster describing recent excavations and survey at the site of Sonzapote, Zapatera Island.
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Bilingual museum text summarizing the first ten years of the University of Calgary's archaeological program in Pacific Nicaragua.
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Bilingual museum poster describing ongoing analyses of Nicaraguan ceramics by the archaeologists from the University of Calgary.
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Bilingual museum poster describing excavations at the site of El Rayo, on the Asese Peninsula south of Granada.
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Bilingual museum text describing recent excavations at Ciudad Sandino.
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Bilingual museum poster describing the history of the trans-Nicaragua passage and recent archaeological investigations along the proposed route.
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Investigations over the past 15 years have sought archaeological evidence for Mexican migrants to Pacific Nicaragua, as indicated in ethnohistorical origin myths and as embraced by contemporary popular culture. Extensive excavations at... more
Investigations over the past 15 years have sought archaeological evidence for Mexican migrants to Pacific Nicaragua, as indicated in ethnohistorical origin myths and as embraced by contemporary popular culture. Extensive excavations at three Postclassic sites have provided evidence of domestic architecture, foodways, mortuary remains, and religious practices—all considered to be potential archaeological indicators of ethnicity, but none of which provide strong evidence of Mexican identity. A larger theme is the contemporary reaction to challenging the identity of the indigenous ancestors. This paper discusses the Mexican legacy in Nicaragua, and strategies for negotiating popular ideology with badly behaved archaeological data.
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A contextual analysis of material culture recovered from Tomb 7 at Monte Albán (Oaxaca, Mexico) suggests a radical reinterpretation of the gender identification of the tomb's principal individual. Spinning and weaving implements... more
A contextual analysis of material culture recovered from Tomb 7 at Monte Albán (Oaxaca, Mexico) suggests a radical reinterpretation of the gender identification of the tomb's principal individual. Spinning and weaving implements found with the burial, previously interpreted as a male, indicate the strong possibility that the individual was gender female. A reinterpretation of the skeletal remains as presented in the published accounts further indicates that the osteological evidence is ambiguous at best, and may in fact indicate that the skeleton was of a biological female. Finally, the total assemblage is considered in reference to the religious and gender ideologies of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, to suggest that Tomb 7 may have been an important shrine to Lady 9 Grass, a principal member of the Mixtec Mother Goddess complex. This paper points up the necessity of periodic reevaluations of "accepted wisdom" that may have been developed under theoretical paradigms that minimized cultural diversity, as in this case study in gender archaeology.
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The Santa Isabel Project (Nicaragua) is investigating domestic remains from a supposed Postclassic/Ometepe-period regional center on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. However, a suite of twelve C-14 dates from the site suggests that the... more
The Santa Isabel Project (Nicaragua) is investigating domestic remains from a supposed Postclassic/Ometepe-period regional center on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. However, a suite of twelve C-14 dates from the site suggests that the occupation predates the currently accepted time range for the Ometepe period by several hundred years, calling into question the periodization and associated cultural processes. This paper reports and contextualizes those dates. This paper reports on a suite of twelve new C-14 dates recently obtained from presumed Late Postclassic contexts from the site of Santa Isabel, located near Rivas in southwestern Nicaragua (Figure 1). Since 2000, excavations by the University of Cal-gary’s Santa Isabel Project have focused on residential mounds in the site center where temporally diagnostic ceramics recov-ered in previous excavations and survey (Healy 1980; Niemel 2003) suggested the presence of late pre-contact occupation. Based on its position at the top of the ...
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2001. In Landscape and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica, edited by Rex Koontz, Kathryn Reese-Taylor, and Annabeth Headrick, pp. 279-316. Westview Press, Boulder, CO. ... Enter the email address you signed up with, and we'll send an... more
2001. In Landscape and Power in Ancient Mesoamerica, edited by Rex Koontz, Kathryn Reese-Taylor, and Annabeth Headrick, pp. 279-316. Westview Press, Boulder, CO. ... Enter the email address you signed up with, and we'll send an email to that address. Click the ...
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The northern and southern peripheries of ancient Mesoamerica are poorly understood. There has been speculation over whether borderland cultures such as Greater Nicoya and Casas Grandes represent Mesoamerican outposts in the... more
The northern and southern peripheries of ancient Mesoamerica are poorly understood. There has been speculation over whether borderland cultures such as Greater Nicoya and Casas Grandes represent Mesoamerican outposts in the Isthmo-Colombian area and the Greater Southwest, respectively. Poor ancient DNA preservation in these regions challenged previous attempts to resolve these questions using conventional genetic techniques. We apply advanced in-solution mitogenome capture and high-throughput sequencing to fourteen dental samples obtained from the Greater Nicoya sites of Jícaro and La Cascabel in northwest Costa Rica (n = 9; A.D. 800-1250) and the Casas Grandes sites of Paquimé and Convento in northwest Mexico (n = 5; A.D. 1200-1450). Full mitogenome reconstruction was successful for three individuals from Jícaro and five individuals from Paquimé and Convento. The three Jícaro individuals belong to haplogroup B2d, a haplogroup found today only among Central American Chibchan-speaker...
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Four seasons of excavation at the Santa Isabel site on the shore of Lake Nicaragua have recovered an extensive assemblage of material remains relating to Early Postclassic period (A.D. 800–1250) domestic practice. This paper reports... more
Four seasons of excavation at the Santa Isabel site on the shore of Lake Nicaragua have recovered an extensive assemblage of material remains relating to Early Postclassic period (A.D. 800–1250) domestic practice. This paper reports initial project results, specifically relating to themes of architecture, foodways, specialized production, and belief systems. Exceptional preservation of organic materials such as faunal and botanical remains, as well as bone tools, permits an expansive description of the material culture relating to household level consumption. Through the intensive coverage of 5 ha of the site center, including 10 house mounds, we see that intra-site variation also reflects community organization. Finally, Santa Isabel presents potential for inferring cultural relationships between central Mexico (based on ethnohistorical accounts) and Greater Nicoya.
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Research Interests:
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Page 1. Current Anthropology Volume 35, Number 2, April 1994 © 1994 by The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. All rights reserved ooii-3204/94/3502-ooo2$2.50 Engendering Tomb 7 at Monte Alban ...
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... de Cholula. La presencia de cerámica policromada con rasgos Mixteca-Puebla apoya esta asociación con Cholula. Al mismo tiempo, hay varias líneas de evidencia que no apoyan una asociación mesoamericana. Por ejemplo ...
"The archaeological site of Cholula, in the Puebla/Tlaxcala valley of central Mexico, is one of the great enigmas of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This dissertation organizes ethnohistoric and archaeological data for the Epiclassic and... more
"The archaeological site of Cholula, in the Puebla/Tlaxcala valley of central Mexico, is one of the great enigmas of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This dissertation organizes ethnohistoric and archaeological data for the Epiclassic and Postclassic periods at Cholula, while presenting original data recovered from the UA-1 excavation on the campus of the Universidad de las Americas. The UA-1 site was investigated as a field school in 1968, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Wolfman. Excavations uncovered remains of three structures, including Structure 1, a small but well-preserved house dating to the Early Postclassic period (ca. A.D. 1000-1200). Six research objectives are presented in this dissertation relating to Structure 1, associated features, and other structural remains. The principal goal was the contextual interpretation of material culture from the Structure 1 compound in relation to a model for Postclassic household organization based on ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and archaeological background information. In order to establish the integrity of the related features, however, it was necessary to conduct four preliminary steps: (1) develop a ceramic typology for Postclassic Cholula; (2) construct a ceramic sequence based on a seriation analysis of pottery from primary depositional contexts; (3) analyze vessel form from different contexts to infer the extent of food preparation and consumption; and (4) interpret other artifact classes (e.g., figurines, spindle whorls, projectile points, etc.) as they related to household activities. Finally, the UA-1 data is integrated into the culture history of Postclassic Cholula, with particular reference to its role in the origin and development of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition. Results of this project relate to the study of archaeological households from Postclassic Mexico, and also provide substantive information on the culture history of Cholula. The revised chronology challenges existing interpretations of the Classic/Postclassic transition. The reinterpretation supports ethnohistoric reconstructions for ethnic change at the center, with strong ties to the Gulf Coast during the Early Postclassic period."
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The Great Pyramid of Cholula is both the largest and oldest continuously occupied building in Mesoamerica. Initial occupation of the ceremonial precinct began in the Late Formative period, and the first building stage of the pyramid dates... more
The Great Pyramid of Cholula is both the largest and oldest continuously occupied building in Mesoamerica. Initial occupation of the ceremonial precinct began in the Late Formative period, and the first building stage of the pyramid dates to the Terminal Formative. The Great Pyramid was built in four major construction stages and at least nine minor modifications. Early stages shared stylistic similarities with Teotihuacan, but toward the end of its construction history external contacts shifted to the Gulf Coast, particularly El Tajin, and probably relate to occupation by ethnic Olmeca-Xicallanca. The fourth and final stage was contemporary with extensive construction on the south side at the Patio of the Altars, and dates to the Early Postclassic period. This period ended, however, with the partial abandonment of the pyramid when ethnic Tolteca-Chichimeca constructed a ceremonial center around their “new” Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl. The Great Pyramid continued as an important shrine ...
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Research Interests:
The Santa Isabel Project (Nicaragua) is investigating domestic remains from a supposed Postclassic/Ometepe-period regional center on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. However, a suite of twelve C-14 dates from the site suggests that the... more
The Santa Isabel Project (Nicaragua) is investigating domestic remains from a supposed Postclassic/Ometepe-period regional center on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. However, a suite of twelve C-14 dates from the site suggests that the occupation predates the currently accepted time range for the Ometepe period by several hundred years, calling into question the periodization and associated cultural processes. This paper reports and contextualizes those dates.
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Costume is one of the most significant forms of material culture in ethnographic contexts, yet remains of cloth are extremely rare at most archaeological sites. Artifacts that typically relate to textile production include spindle whorls... more
Costume is one of the most significant forms of material culture in ethnographic contexts, yet remains of cloth are extremely rare at most archaeological sites. Artifacts that typically relate to textile production include spindle whorls and bone tools. This paper summarizes results of analyses of a large corpus of whorls and a remarkably extensive assemblage of bone tools from the Early Postclassic site of Santa Isabel in Pacific Nicaragua. Ethnohistoric sources identify several Mesoamerican groups as living in the region during the Postclassic period, with the Oto-Manguean-speaking Chorotega likely candidates for the cultural group at Santa Isabel. Textiles were probably made from cotton, among other plant fibers. In addition to cloth production, we consider the importance of spinning thread for fishnets and hammocks.
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Colonial chroniclers marveled at the quality and variety of textiles produced at the Postclassic center of Cholula. As a principal market center, textiles were produced for tribute and exchange, and other woven goods were manufactured for... more
Colonial chroniclers marveled at the quality and variety of textiles produced at the Postclassic center of Cholula. As a principal market center, textiles were produced for tribute and exchange, and other woven goods were manufactured for local consumption. This paper examines ethnohistorical and archaeological evidence to interpret the technology, materials, scale, and social relations of textile production. Original spindle-whorl data from the UA-1 domestic compound is contrasted with other whorls from Postclassic Cholula and from other sites in central Mexico. Results of this analysis indicate the complexity of pre-Columbian textile production and the significance of spinning and weaving in economic and social reconstructions of the past.
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Mortuary practices are one the fundamental expressions of ideological practice and cultural identity. Unfortunately, in Pacific Nicaragua cemeteries are also the principal targets of illegal looting, so relatively few scientific... more
Mortuary practices are one the fundamental expressions of ideological practice and cultural identity. Unfortunately, in Pacific Nicaragua cemeteries are also the principal targets of illegal looting, so relatively few scientific excavations have been conducted. This paper will summarize research on mortuary practices from the recently excavated sites of El Rayo, Tepetate and Santa Isabel. There is substantial variation among sites in the age, sex and health profiles of interred individuals, which is explored in relation to differences in site function and regional differences in mortuary practices. Overall, this bioarchaeological analysis of human remains is hoped to be a launching point upon which analysis of further sites will occur aiding in the formation of a regional database.
Chronology is a fundamental prerequisite for problem-oriented, anthropologically relevant archaeology. It is also the shaky foundation that has hampered attempts to reconstruct the culture history of Cholula, Mexico. Cholula is among the... more
Chronology is a fundamental prerequisite for problem-oriented, anthropologically relevant archaeology. It is also the shaky foundation that has hampered attempts to reconstruct the culture history of Cholula, Mexico. Cholula is among the oldest continuously occupied urban centers of the New World, yet it remains one of the most enigmatic. This paper evaluates previous cultural sequences for the site, and summarizes recent evidence to construct a chronology using absolute dates and ceramic assemblages from primary depositional contexts. This revised sequence features a clearer understanding of Middle Formative settlement and the definition of ritual and domestic contexts from the Classic period. In addition, there is now evidence for a gradual transition between Late Classic and Early Postclassic material culture; and for the evolution of the Postclassic polychrome tradition within a sequence of short, clearly defined phases.
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Bibliography of anthropology and archaeology articles published in the Revista de Temas Nicaraguenses, vols. 1-151 (November 2020). Published online at https://www.temasnicas.net