Craft Activities at the Prehispanic Ejutla Site, Oaxaca, Mexico

Craft Activities at the Prehispanic Ejutla Site, Oaxaca, Mexico Author(s): Gary M. Feinman, Linda M. Nicholas and William D. Middleton Source: Mexicon , März 1993, Vol. 15, No. 2 (März 1993), pp. 33-41 Published by: Mexicon Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23760159 JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Mexicon This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Scheie, Linda and David Freidel 1990 A Forest of Kings. William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York. Scheie, Linda n.d. The Peten Wars. Gradúate seminar at the University of Texas at Austin. Spring, 1991. Tedlock, Dennis 1985 Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition of the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and the Glories of Gods and Kings. Simon and Schuster. New York. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Caracol Altar 21: Eine Neubeurteilung der Chronologie und ihre Bedeutung für die dynastische Sequenz in der Mittelklassik. In dem Artikel wird eine neue Chronologie für Altar 21 rekonstruiert, die sich von der die Stephen Houston vorschlug, unterscheidet. Es stellt sich heraus, daß der Altar auf ein späteres Ereignis verweist, das in die Regierungszeit von Kan II fällt. In der früheren Rekonstruktion der Daten fielen sämtliche Daten des Altars in die Regentschaft von "Lord Water", dem Vater von Kan II. Darüberhinaus kann gezeigt werden, daß das neue Datum der Jahrestag der Thronbesteigung eines yahaw te ist, eine Tatsache von großer Bedeutung für die dynastische Sequenz Caracols in der Mittelklassik. ^RESUMEN: Altar 21 de Caracol: Una reevaluación de la cronología y su importancia para la secuencia dinástica en el Clásico Medio. En el artículo se reconstruye una nueva cronología para el Altar 21, que difiere de aquella propuesta por Stephen Houston. Resulta que el Altar se refiere a un hecho posterior, correspondiente al reinado de Kan II. En la anterior reconstrucción cronológica, todas las fechas del Altar correspondían al reinado de "Lord Water", padre de Kan II. Además, se logra demostrar que la nueva fecha es el aniversario de Fig. of of Oaxaca and Ejutla surveysurvey areas, with sites Fig. 1.1.The TheValley Valley Oaxaca and Ejutla areas, with sites la subida al trono de un yahaw te, un hecho de gran importancia para mentioned in the text. la secuencia de Caracol en el Clásico Medio. A brief season of exploratory fieldwork, involving inten sive surface study and the excavation of several 2 x 2 m test Craft Activities at the Prehispanic Ejutla Site, Oaxaca, Mexico Gary M. Feinman, Linda M. Nicholas, ) and William D. Middleton Introduction units, was carried out at the Ejutla town site in the summer of 1990, with the primary goals of documenting shell ornament production and providing a preliminary chronological place ment for this craft activity. The procédures and findings of this preliminary field research are reported in Mexicon (Feinman et al. 1991 ). Although the goals of this brief field research were limited in scope, the intent was to lay the groundwork for a larger-scale project that would address two key issues interregional interaction and economic specialization that are central to current discussions regarding prehispanic Mesoamerica in particular and the archaeology of complex In 1984 and 1985, a full-coverage, systematic regional seule in general. societies ment pattern project was initiated in the Ejutla Valley (Feinman To summarize the 1990 research results, a wide range of 1985; Feinman and Nicholas 1988; 1990). Düring the Ejutla shell omaments were found to have been made at the site, Valley regional survey (Fig. 1), evidence for the crafting of small tabular mosaic pièces (or placas), and various including shell omaments was recorded at the large prehispanic site types of beads, pendants, and bracelets. More than 20 shell located beneath the modem district head town of Ejutla de were used in omament manufacture were identified; taxa that almost all these shell varieties are native to the Pacific Coast. Crespo (Fig. 2). Shell, which had great prehispanic value (e.g. Suárez 1991), was rarely found during the archaeological Chipped stone tools and large quantities of small stone flakes, surface survey s in the Oaxaca highlands (Feinman and Nicholas fragments, and debris were found in association with the shell 1992). Therefore, the location of a dense concentration of in subsurface contexts. Based on the analysis of the shell surface shell in a sector of the Ejutla town site, so far removed debris, the omaments themselves, and the tools and other from the coast, was completely unexpected. Although this stone debris, we were able to document various chipped archaeological site, one of the largest in the Ejutla région, has technologies (see Suárez 1977; 1981) that were employed in been known since the tum of the Century for its cruciform thetomb crafting of shell omaments at the site. (Diguet 1905), no mention of the possible shell-working One unexpected finding from the 1990 fieldwork was the activity had been recorded prior to the Ejutla Valley settlement recovery of debris from lapidary crafts. We noted seven stone survey (Feinman 1985; Feinman and Nicholas 1988). drill plugs (several of onyx) in surface collections, although ^3 This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms have been practiced as well, but ejutla de Crespo sucj1 evidence had not been re EJUTLA DE CRESPO covered in subsurface contexts. fi CHURCH CHURCH *11 ii 1 r\r\r\ r' i • 13 PREHISPANIC STRUCTRE PREHisPANic structre Although STREET shell ornament production were =Z STREET informative, especially in the context of a highland site far ARROYO removed (roughly 100 km) from the coast, additional work at the site was necessary if we were to address the suite of issues that inspired our initial interest in this prehispanic site. The 1991-92 excavations were conducted in three blocks of 2 x 2 m units covering a total area of 100 m2 within one sec tor of the shell concentration (Fig. 3). Basic excavation pro cédures were comparable to those used in the 1990 field work (Feinman et al. 1991). When possible, natural^ stratigraphy was followed; however, at times it was neces sary to excávate in arbitrary 5 or 10 cm levels. All the exca vated soil was screened in ei ther 1/4" or 1/8" mesh, depend ing on the nature of the depos o so 100 its, and recovered archaeologi 050100 meters cal materials (ceramics, shell, TOMIAHUATLAnW EJUTLA RIVER \\ METERS lithics, bone, etc.) were collect TO MIAHUATLAN Fig.2.2.A A plan of Ejutla de Crespo, theoflocation of themounds prehispanic and the dense Fig. plan of Ejutla de Crespo, showingshowing the location the prehispanic and the mounds dense ed by excavation unit and surface concentration of shell. surface concentration of shell. Where appropriate, soil and , ■ . . . ■ c , , , , carbón samples were made. none were recovered in test excavations. Such plugs have been _ . . ... ,. , , . , , , , , r u h j ii Beginning with units adiacentto the 1990 test unit (18N22E) recognized as a by-product of the use ot hollow dnlls to J r t . u i /o h i nnn. r-,* 1.11 no-> 1 m 1 rv-i-, that had the greatest amount of shell debris (Feinman et al. manufacturestonebowls(Savillel90O,Diehll983:l0l-l02)or „, ... I99l), the I99l excavations were carned out m ear spools. t, , „ 11 and B) (Fig. 3). Area A consistsof a dense middenof shell and Based on the relative Oaxacan ceramic chronology, the T a • , , ■ ... , „ , . , . i , , . . .. . , . , . ., , . associated production debris, as was indicated by the 1990 shell working at Ejutla has been tentatively dated to the late J m Terminal Terminal Formative/Earlv Formative/Early Classic Classic (Monte (Monte Alban Alban II-lIIAi. II-IIIA). reSearch- In ad „ ,...,, „ , . ir.0/l ot. ,. . ,, .,, indicativeoflapidary activities,clothproduction,andceramic Mound ful collections made in 1984-85 indícate that the major . J i episode of monumental building at the Ejutla site also oc- vessel and fi8urine manufacture also was recovered. Cer curred at this time (Feinman and Nicholas 1990), when the site f,rin8 areas that had been du§into the bedrock were d both areas A and B. was one of the two largest centers in the Ejutla región. Carbon samples from the Ejutla site have been submitted for analysis, ^be stone foundation of a residential structure was partial and we await their processing to confirm the chronological lyexposedin Area Cduring the 1992 field season (Photograph placement of this prehispanic craftwork. Limited excavations in and around the stone foundation indicate that the feature represents a single construction epi Excavations in 1991 and 1992 sode that appearscontemporaneous with the shell working and Düring the summers of 1991 and 1992, larger-scale exea- ceramic firing activities previously identified at the site. Soil vations were conducted in the area of the dense surface shell. samples were taken from various contexts and stratigraphie Although the 1990 field season had been brief, the preliminary layers in and around the structure. These samples were wet findings indicated that expanded excavations and additional screened in the field using 1/16" mesh. The floating material study at the Ejutla site clearly were warranted. While shell (light fraction) was removed with a geological screen (e.g. ornament production had been documented at the site, the MetcalfeandHeath 1990;Widmerl99l).Everythingretained limited excavations provided only a small sample of shell in the 1/16" screen (heavy fraction) was bagged separately. 34 Ornaments and debris, and yielded little information on the The material that passed through the 1/16" screen also was scale of production or the social context of this craft activity. passed through a 1.0 mm and then a .5 mm screen. The results The presence of the drill plugs suggested that other crafts may of the analysis of several soil samples are discussed below. This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Although the total size and the specific nature and size of this feature represented by the stone foundation remains in question, the exposed walls suggest that it may be a multi room residential Compound (see Winter 1974 for features at Early Classic period Monte Alban). Unfortunately, at the time of its discovery, time and funding were insufficient to com plete the uncoverage of this architectural feature, and the excavated area has been refilled to protect and preserve it. More extensive excavation is necessary to address a series of key research questions, such as the residential context of the artisans who worked and resided there, what locally made goods they consumed (the lack of such goods within the structure would strengthen the inference that much of what was produced was for exchange), and the nature and degree of the association between the inhabitants of Ejutla and other régions. These issues are to be pursued in future Ejutla exca vations. *V Photo foundation of a prehispanic structure uncovered uncovered Photo1.1.Stone Stone foundation of a prehispanic structure during at the site. site. duringexcavations excavations at Ejutla the Ejutla 22N, 20N, c 1 1 B 12N 12N KEY Ji :? s H B c STONE FOUNDATION HEAVY SHELL DEBRIS HEAVY ASH/CERAMIC FIRING AREAS i 10N 10N it**'::, h 8N |. ./V •• •• V* v« « i • I T T 22E 24 Fig. E 26E 3. 28E The 30E 32E three 4N 1" 1 34E 36E areas This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms 38E of 35 excavation Economie Specialization: Preliminary Results recovered in Ejutla had not been perforated). Bead forms Perhaps the biggest surprise of the research at the Ejutla include miniature, tubular, and larger, cylindrical shapes, as site has been the substantial evidence encountered for the we" as a few perforated disk beads (Feinman and Nieholas practice of other craft activities in close proximity to shell 1993). Some small whole gastropod shells had been perforat ornament production. Düring the Ejutla Valley regional sur- but the majority of pendants were formed by cutting small vey, we did record several surface indicators for other craftwork tabular pièces from the walls of large shells (see Moholy-Nagy at the site; however, the presence of just one spindle whorl, two ' 989:141). possible kilnwasters, and eight figurine fragments did not offer unequivocal surface evidence for economic specializa tion. Yet an examination of regional survey findings from the Valley of Oaxaca (Blanton et al. 1982; Kowalewski et al. ■ -jl Lpi • «— - w t nlflK 1989) and the rest of the Ejutla Valley (Feinman and Nieholas 1988; 1990) does indícate that the spatial clustering of surface indicators for différent craft activities was not unusual in Lit! ancient Oaxaca (Feinman and Nieholas 1991; Kowalewski et al. 1989). If substantiated, this pattem would seem to contrast with the contemporary practice of Oaxacan villages, which tend to specialize in single crafts. Elsewhere in prehispanic Mesoamerica, the Otumba project (Charlton et al. 1991) also 'm found considerable spatial overlap in a diversity of craft 0 5 activities (see also Brumfiel's ( 1987:105] ethnohistoric com- HB _____ ■—H—M pendium for 16th-century lluexotzinco). Widmer(1991:144) VyIVi and Turner (1987) have noted the close spatial association of C debris from shell and lapidary work at Central Mexican Photo Photo 2. Nacreous shell 2. placasNacr from the Ejutla Teotihuacan. Preliminary analyses of the shell material collected in Ejutla during the 1990 and 1991 field seasons have been published (Feinman and Nieholas 1993; Feinman et al. 1991), and space does not permit a complete recapitulation of those findings here. Below, the focus is on information gathered during summer 1992 that expands and enhances our earlier discussions of shell ornament production. Evidence for other craft activities at the Ejutla site also is synthesized. Shell Ornament Production Of the more than 15,000 pièces of shell that have been collected at the Ejutla site during three field seasons, about 5% are finished or partially finished ornaments. This proportion is markedly différent from the percentage (35-45%) of finished or partially finished omaments in the collections of marine Table Table 1: Shell ornaments (finished 1: Sh andand unfinished) recovered unfin from excavations excavation in Ejutla, 1990-1992 Type Type of Ornament Quantity Formed beads 78 Flat, disk disk beads beads Flat, 29 Unperforated disks 211 Nacreous placas 335 Natural pendants 6 Formed pendants pendants Bracelet fragments fragments Bracelet 39 Otheromaments ornaments Other 77 Total 788 of O 13 shell at Tikal (Moholy-Nagy 1985:148-150), one of the only sites for which published, comparative, quantitative data exist. The Ejutla research has documented a range of technique ™ At Tikal the majority of shell was recovered from burials, and tools that were used to fashion the shell omaments caches, and structures, so the contrast with Ejutla (where the (Feinman and Nieholas 1993; Feinman et al. 1991). A large majority of shell was recovered from midden deposits) is in segment of the stone assemblage at the site is composed of the accord with the contextual différences. An additional 11 % of tools (and associated retouch debris) used in the production of the Ejutla shell shows very clear indications of working, such shell omaments. Most of the basait artifacts consist of large as string eut edges or surfaces (Feinman and Nieholas 1993:Fig. flakes or modified cobbles that could have been used in the 7), abraded surfaces, or bracelet débris. primary breakage of whole shells. The obsidian débris is Placas of nacreous pearl oy ster that are eut and worked on comprised largely of blades with badly wom edges (and a few several edges are the most prévalent of the shell omaments at drills). The presence of these well-wom blades supports the the Ejutla site (Photograph 2). The more finished of these flat, inference that shell was worked in the area, since this hard, angular pièces could have been used in mosaic inlays (Caso abrasive material tends to wear down stone tools quickly 1965:906; Lowe and Agrinier 1960:42) or sewn on cloth (Lewenstein 1987:113; Parry 1987:108). The chert artifacts (Mahler 1965:584; Mester 1985). Other common omaments include 93 small, solid micro-drills that have been linkedto the (both finished and unfinished) include shell disks, a variety of perforation of beads and pendants elsewhere in Oaxaca (Parry beads and pendants, bracelet fragments, and a number of 1987) and in other régions (Mester 1985:107; Yerkes blanks and other miscellaneous forms (Table 1). Some shell 1989:115). 36 disks may have been used for mosaic incrustations in the teeth The abundance of obsidian blades and other chipped stone of ceramic figurines and ums (Romero 1958); others may have tools in close subsurface association with the shell debris also been blanks for flat, disk-like beads (most of the shell disks provides support for the inference that these implements were This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms used in working shell. For example, the excavation units with These placas generally were eut with string from the outer the highest amounts of shell (in Area A, Fig. 3) also generally walls of large gastropods (particularly from the genei&Strombus had the highest amounts of obsidian blades and chert drills. and Ficus). Examination of associated debris and unfinished Streng spatial corrélations between shell and obsidian blades triangular placas indicated a standardized process of first (r2=.685, r = .827) and shell andchert drills (r2=.750, r=.866) cutting the base of the triangular pieces and then cutting the also were noted. In addition, thousands of small flakes pro- two sides. duced through both chippage during use and retouching have To date, 80 taxa of marine shell have been identified (the been recovered in the excavated deposits where the densest great majority of which are Pacific species) at the Ejutla site shell was encountered (see Zeitlin 1978 for a similar finding). (Table 2). The only definite Atlantic variety is one example of Perishable materials also were employed to work the shell. Cypraea cinerea that was collected from the surface. The most As noted above, many pieces of shell debris with string cuts abundant species is Pinctada mazatlanica-, in fact, nacreous were recovered (Feinman and Nicholas 1993). String, likely shell (the majority of which is P. mazatlanica) comprises, by used with an abrasive such as sand, was employed to eut small weight, more than 60% of all the shell debris recovered at the tabular shapes. Hollow tubular drills (Foshag 1957:54-55; site. Other common genera/species include large pelecypods Holmes 1919:350-351), most likely made of cane (Caso (Chama sp., and Spondylus sp.) and large gastropods {Patella 1965:905), were employed to extract small circular disks that mexicana, Olivasp., andStromhussp.). The only taxa of small were to become beads and/or mosaic pieces. In the final stages shells recorded in any abundance were various speeimens of ofornamentmanufacture,manyshellornaments(variousbeads, the genus Acmaea. Pinctada was the species of choice for K disks, and pendants) were smoothed and polished by abrading making many of the Ornaments, especially placas and disks, them against another hard surface (see Suárez 1977; 1981). the two most abundant omament forms in Ejutla. Spondylus While the analyses completed in 1992 largely provided shells were used largely for pendants, and the rosy parts of both additional support for our earlier discussions concerning shell Spondylus and Chama were formed into beads. Of the large ornament production, three additional findings were made. By gastropods, Patella was fashioned almost exclusively into examining the larger sample of finished and unfinished beads, bracelets, Oliva into pendants (both whole shells and formed), and bead failures, we have determined that différent Steps and Strombus into a variety of beads and other eut forms. The were used in making small and large beads. Whereas larger, smaller gastropods generally were perforated and then used thick cylindrical beads generally were perforated prior to final whole as small pendants, shaping and finishing, the drilling of holes through smaller, miniature and flat beads generally was attempted after they Other Craft Activities were shaped and smoothed. The différent order of production A series of other craft activities were carried out in close steps most likely reflects the greater difficulty of (and in- proximity to the shell working. The prehispanic inhabitants of creased chance for breakage when) perforating the larger, the Ejutla site dugseveral dépressions in the bedrocktocreate thicker beads. circular firing pits for ceramic (vessel and figurine) manufac Second, we have documented at the Ejutla site the focused turc (F'g- 3 and 4). These features have use and extraction of the base of the columella of large tbe outdoor pits that are employed gastropods to make large cylindrical beads, in a process contemporary village of San Marcos similar to that recorded in Suárez (1981 :Lámina 8). However, been described for prehispanic Lamb at Ejutla, itappears that perforation was attempted while these tbe Valley of Oaxaca). In the Ejutl large beads were in a more unfinished State. Third, we noted were filled with heavy ash layers, car further différences in the procédures used to make omaments caches of raw and prepared clay. Bur 'rom différent species. While nacreous shell placas (Photo- tions were found in stratigraphie ass KIgraph 2) were made in a variety of shapes and sizes, using both have been fragments from temporary string with abrasive and sharp cutting implements (obsidian were used to enclose the firing pits blades, etc.) to shape them, the placas made from gastropods modern San Marcos where pottery i had a fairly uniform triangular form and size (Photograph 3). oxidized). Some of the ceramics fir redueed graywares indicating that some kind of roof or was employed (at least occasionally) during heating. Ot signs of ceramic production associated with the Ejutla f areas include : 1 ) over 200kiln wasters and many other mi sherds (with multi-toned and fire-clouded surfaces), 2) ic vessels firing, 3) clay, and figurines that exploded or otherwise were damaged du prepared clay, burnt clay, and baked concrétio 4) several complete and partial*molds for cer (as well as hundreds of figurines or figurine ments, including many that were broken during manufac Over three field seasons more than 980 figurines or rine fragments have been recovered. The presence additional 79 figurine wasters and 13 partial figurine m offers further support that figurine production was a s Photo 3. Triangular shell from the Ejutla site. Photo 3.Ornaments Triangular can! part of the ceramic industry in Ejutla. The densit shell omaments from the Ejutla site. figurines in excavated units was clo This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Table2: Shell taxa identified inEjutla the shell collections Table Table 2:2: Shell Shell taxa taxa identified identified in in thethe Ejutla shellEjutla shell collections collections Pelecypods Gastropods Anadara sp. Acmaea sp. esmeralda discors formosa grandis fascicularis multicostata multicostata Anomia adamas Area pacifica Arca Chama sp. buddiana echinata frondosa Chione sp. Codakia sp. Glycymeris sp. bicolor limatula pediculus pelta Agaronia testacea Astraea sp. olivácea olivacea unguis Callistoma leanum Cancellaria sp. urceolata Haliotis sp. fulgens Protothaca sp. Pteria Pieria sterna Semele sp. Solamen columbianum Spondylus sp. calcifer princeps Tellina sp. virgo Tivela planulata Trachycardium sp. rufescens Janthina globosa globosa Janthina Jenneria pustulata Lamellaria inflata Littorina sp. Malea ringens Marginella sp. curta pyriformis Mitrella lalage Morum tuberculosum consors pristipleura Nerita sp. senticosum Cerithium sp. funiculata Oliva sp. porphyria Conus sp. Olivella sp. albonodosa valida Ostrea sp. Pinctada mazatlanica Pitar sp. Cassis centiquadrata gigantea mazatlanica Gastropods Cerithidea sp. multicostata Lucina sp. approximata Pelecypods Cymatium sp. Cypraea sp. Nassarius bailyi semistriata Patella mexicana angélica angelica arabicula corteziensis cinerea Polinices sp. Pyrene major fisheri Ficus ventricosa ventñcosa Strombus Strombus sp. sp. iridescens iridescens Fissuretla sp.sp. Fissurella galeatus peruvianas peruvianus Tegula mariana Thais speciosa Pecten sp. Periglypta multicostata gemmata volcano Turritella leucostoma firingareas. Yet,one excavation unit withinthe structure also Analyses of soil samples taken from inside the stone has a relatively high frequency of figurines. This suggests that foundation of the structure in Area C indicate that at least shell some of the figurines may have been made for local use; how- and lapidary production activities were associated with that ever, additional investigation into the structure is needed to in- feature. The samples contain many small chert flakes, most of vestigate this hypothesis more fully. Comales, incense burners, which are smaller than 1.0 mm. These flakes would seem to be andhollow-footedconicalbowlsweresomeoftheotherpottery the by-products of tool use or maintenance (Fladmark 1982). forms that likely were produced in Ejutla. In addition to the chert flakes, tiny pieces of marine shell, A small amount of the stone materials recovered at the site greenstone, mica, flint, onyx, obsidian, and basait were recov represents the debris from lapidary craftwork, albeit on a much ered in these samples. By weight and quantity (per liter of soil), smaller scale than shell working. In 1991 and 1992, many addi- the density of these microartifacts generally exceed the figures tional small stone cylinders (drill plugs) were found bothon the reported by Widmer (1991) for a suggested lapidary/shell surface and in excavations. Excavation findings also include working area at Teotihuacan. Although larger artifacts of most several rim fragments from very small onyx bowls, several these materials were not particularly abundant in the collec stone beads, nodules and chips of greenstone, and a number of tions associated specifically with the structure, they all were smoothed and polished onyx plaques (possibly unfinished represented in the debris of the Area A midden deposits. In pendants). As with the shell, most of the lapidary materials Ejutla, greenstone was the rarest of these materials, as no represent debris from the manufacturing process and not fin- finished artifacts have been recovered. However, a small ished artifacts. Neitheronyx nor greenstone sources are known polished flake and several imperfect pebbles of greenstone to exist in the Ejutla région. have been found in the Ejutla excavations. As noted above, The evidence for cloth production, which is derived from onyx (drill plugs, flakes, and small polished pla ceramic spindle whorls and bone needles, is somewhat less de- been recorded at the site although no quarry i finitive than that for the aforementionedcrafts. However, more Ejutla région. Mica is a common occurren than 30 spindle whorls have been recorded, all of which have tions, and sources can be found close to Ejut hole diameters that generally are associated with the spinning materials (chert, flint, obsidian, and basait) of cotton (Parsons 1972). Cotton is not grown in the Ejutla area materials employed for stone tools in Ejutla. today (although the region's lo wer élévation as compared to the The gravéis and sand that comprise the m V alley of Oaxaca makes local production possible). Alterna- by weight of the heavy fraction samples were po tively, cotton may have been imported prehispanically from size) and mostly angular, thereby suggesting tha 38 areasclosertothe Pacific, in conjunction with the shell. To date, was not transponed extensively. For the ab 14 bone tools have been recovered, mostly needles or awls. The because of their small size (Miller Rosen 19 subsurface distribution of these bone tools is similar to that for that the microartifacts in the heavy fraction spindle whorls. Miniature bowls that have been associated with context, suggesting that shell working and a weaving assemblage elsewhere in Mesoamerica (Smith and crafts were carried out within the enclosed are Hirth 1988) also are common in the Ejutla collections. foundation. For comparison, a similar soil samp This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms was employed in a deposit associated with ceramic firing. ies of shell artifact collections from other sites in Oaxaca and Although this sample contained many small fired clay concre- elsewhere in Mesoamerica. The same Pacific taxa that are tions and a greaterquantityofsmallbone fragments thanfound prévalent at the Ejutla site (Spondylus princeps, Spondylus within the stone foundation, only a single obsidian flake (and calcifer, Pinctada mazatlanica, Oliva porphyriä) are well no shell) was recovered. Additional soil/microartifact samples represented in Terminal Formative/Early Classic period col currently are under analysis in Madison. lections from the Valley of Oaxaca. The principal différence Our proposed excavation of the structure and its immédiate is that a larger proportion of the V alley of Oaxaca pièces tend surrounds in 1993 will provide an opportunity to examine to be more elaborately decorated. For example, whereas further the spatial distribution of activities in this section of the nacreous disks and geometrics are common in Ejutla in vari Ejutla site. By continuing to compare the distributions of ous stages of manufacture (but rarely incised), the nacreous macro- and microartifacts in these contexts, we should be able pieces from North Platform tombs at Monte Alban (Ernesto to more firmly define and distinguish activity areas from González Licón, personal communication 1992) tend to be deposition/midden areas at the site (also areas where craft smoothed and finely incised. Terminal Formative/Early Clas activities did not occur) (see Healan 1992; Hester and Shafer sie shell beads from both Monte Alban and nearby San Jose 1992; Moholy-Nagy 1990; 1992). Mogote (Kent V. Flannery and Joyce Marcus, personal com munication 1991) include cylindrical beads that are common at the Ejutla site. Some of these shell items could have been made in Ejutla, or at least initially worked there and then traded to the Valley of Oaxaca where they were finished more finely. At Teotihuacan, worked shell is abundant in the "Oaxaca barrio" (Millón 1981:227; Starbuck 1975:150), which over ^ // // \j \ laps chronologically with the Ejutla site (Spence 1989). The W // \ prédominant species in the "Oaxaca barrio" was Chama echinata, a key species at Ejutla, but apparently less abu elsewhere at Teotihuacan (Starbuck 1975:150-151 ). Con ably, shell could have been procured by Teotihuacan thr Monte Alban, with Ejutla as a link to the Pacific Coast 1987:117). At présent, the above discussions regarding consump of the Ejutla craft goods remain preliminary, awaiting a m thorough analysis of highland Mesoamerican finished Ornaments. Somewhat greater progress has been made documenting a coastal-highland connection (through E 18N in the State of Oaxaca prior to the late prehispanic era (Ba Brockington 1978). The overwhelming majority of raw rine shell that reached Ejutla came from the Pacific. It have been transported with cotton and obsidian from the Mexican Ucareo (Michoacan) source (Elam et al. 1992) latter almost certainly entered Ejutla via the Oaxacan coa 26E 28E it is barely présent at sites (Monte Alban and Jalieza) in Valley of Oaxaca that are contemporaneous with the E occupation. In contrast, obsidian from Ucareo is propo ately well represented in Ejutla, and it is particularly abun Fig. Topographie sketch Fig. 4. Topographie 4. sketch of ceramic firing area at the Ejutla site. ¡n contextual association with shell Nevertheless, to understand the nature of these long Conclusions and Implications of the Research tance relations, the socio-economic m As a central focus of this research, a range of crafts have these goods (processed and unprocess been documented in close spatial proximity at the prehispanic must be discovered. More speeifieal Ejutla site. These aggregated production activities have been which items were traded from Ejutla to associated temporally with late Terminal Formative-Early raw shell and to Ejutla from the Valley Classic ceramic materials. The range of crafts include both for its finished produets. To achieve t those generally associated with higher status as well as utilitar- investigations and analyses along ian pottery manufacture. The technologies employed in (and clearly still are necessary. the specific produets of) these crafts have been described. In some instances, équivalent technologies were found to have Acknowledgments been employed on a range of materials, as the same tubular \yc acknowledge the National Science Foundation, the National Geographie drilling process modified both Stone and Shell (the diameters Society, the H. John Heinz Charitable Trust, the University of Wisconsin of the Stone drill plugs were roughly comparable to the sizes Gradúate School, and the Vilas Foundation for financial assistance. Wethank ofshell disks [9 to 1 1 mm] that were fashioned in this manner). ^ Instituto Nacional de AntropologíaeHistoriafor pennission and Lorena . . Mirambell, Angel Garcia Cook, Ernesto Gonzalez Licon, Angeles Romero To examine the Project S second key analytical aim, p Jorge Juárez, Ejutla Preside interrégional interaction, we have initiated comparative stud- members of the field crews This content downloaded from 129.21.35.191 on Sat, 13 May 2023 14:53:45 +00:00 All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Healan, Dan M. Bibliography 1992 A comment on Moholy-Nagy's "The misidentification of Ball, Hugh G., and Donald L. Brockington 1978 Trade and travel in prehispanic Oaxaca. In: Thomas A. Lee, lithic Workshops." In: Latin American Antiquity 3:240-242 Jr., and Carlos Navarrete (eds.): Mesoamerican communication Hester, Thomas R., and Harry J. Shafer routes and cultural contacts, pp. 107-114. Papers of the New 1992 Lithic Workshops revisited: Comments on Moholy-Nagy. 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