A Typology of Ancient Purépecha (Tarascan) Architecture from Angamuco, Michoacán, Mexico

Abstract

The morphological study of architectural features, the building arrangement within urban spaces, and multiscalar variation are critical for understanding urbanism as a process. Building types and architectural typologies form the foundational blocks of urban morphology and are essential for identifying architectural patterning. We use a process-typological approach to present an architectural typology from the ancient Purépecha (Tarascan) city of Angamuco, located in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, Michoacán, Mexico. Using archaeological survey, lidar analysis, and excavation, we analyze building foundations from houses and public structures; storage facilities; monumental architecture such as pyramids, altars, and public buildings; and landscape features such as plazas, roads, terraces, and raised roadways locally known as huatziri. Our typology enhances understanding of the dense urban environment of this important prehispanic city during and after the formation of the Purépecha Empire.

A Mesoamerican Urban Road Network: An Analysis of Pedestrian Pathways of Angamuco, Michoacán

“…Before conducting this dedicated analysis of roads, the LORE-LPB project registered clusters of architectural features interpreted as sociospatial units following concepts of urban morphology and space syntax (Fisher and Leisz 2013; Fisher et al 2019; Urquhart 2015). These social clusters are defined through the combination of apparent road segments, natural topography, the built environment, and various semi-centralized and shared resources, such as pyramids, wells, and reservoirs.…”

“…Less commonly studied, however, is the movement infrastructure, such as roads and intersections, that served to connect or restrict access to different religious, economic, and social areas of a city (but see Alcock et al 2012; Mendoza and Jordan 2008) or the relationship between these features and the development, maintenance, and emergence of social organization (Shaw 2008). The relatively recent studies of the ancient city of Angamuco in Michoacán (AD 250–1530) and its well-preserved architecture, including its road network, provide a unique opportunity to address major questions concerning the development, function, and interconnection of architectural features and social organization (Fisher and Leisz 2013; Fisher et al 2019). However, there are several challenges to studying movement infrastructure in archaeology, including a lack of a working methodological and analytical framework along with issues of conservation.…”

Nueva perspectiva sobre el sistema de organización territorial epiclásico en la región de Zacapu, Michoacán

“…Ahora bien, eso implica cuestionar la noción tradicional de sitio como entidad a priori y escala pertinente, e interesarse en las relaciones entre los diferentes componentes de los asentamientos. También implica prestar atención a los espacios "no construidos" que separan las múltiples unidades, tomando en cuenta sus propiedades geomorfológicas y las modificaciones antrópicas que allí se dieron y que aún se perciben (Dorison 2019;Fisher 2014;Isendahl y Smith 2013;Lemonnier y Vannière 2013).…”

El Palacio: Historiography and new perspectives on a pre-Tarascan city of northern Michoacán, Mexico

“…Her research interests are anthropology of art and archaeology, with a focus on the Mesoamerican Central Highlands interaction and exchange processes, and the Epiclassic period. She is currently working on developing a systematic iconographic data analysis protocol for ArchAm's archaeological projects and has published on Mesoamerican iconography (Testard 2014(Testard , 2019, especially on figurines (Testard and Serra Puche 2020; Forest et al 2019), as well as on interaction processes (Testard, 2017). She has participated in ArchAm projects in Michoacán since 2010.…”

“…Se especializa en antropología del arte y arqueología, con un enfoque en las interacciones culturales y los procesos de intercambio en el altiplano central mesoamericano durante el período Epiclásico, Actualmente, trabaja en la sistematización del análisis de datos iconográficos de los proyectos arqueológicos de ArchAm. Sus publicaciones versan sobre la iconografía mesoamericana (Testard 2014(Testard , 2019, especialmente en figurillas (Testard y Serra Puche 2020; Forest et al 2019), así como los procesos de interacción culturales (Testard, 2017). Ha participado en los proyectos de ArchAm llevados a cabo en Michoacán desde 2010.…”