Interpolity Pottery Exchange in the Tuxtla Mountains, Southern Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) of Coarse Orange jars demonstrates economic exchange among the Classic period political capitals of Totocapan, Matacapan, and Teotepec in the Tuxtla Mountains of southern Veracruz, Mexico. Matacapan, in particular, displays evidence of intensive pottery production at large workshops at the southern margin of the site. Comoapan (Area 411) and Area 199 present configurations of kilns, ceramic densities, and assemblage characteristics that suggest production for exchange beyond the site's boundaries. Both of these production facilities specialized in the production of Coarse Orange jars, a well-made and decorated utilitarian ceramic ware. While these products were traded to sites in the Tepango Valley, different paste recipes of the Coarse Orange type were also produced locally. Of broader concern, I examine the articulation of these regional exchange relationships with the interregional interactions previously documented among Tuxtlas groups and others in central Mexico and the Gulf Coast.

Ceramic exchange networks in the south‐central Tuxtla Mountains, southern Veracruz, Mexico

“…In the volcanic Tuxtla Mountains of southern Veracruz, Mexico (Figure 1), the recent application of neutron activation analysis (NAA), paired with petrographic analysis of clays and utilitarian ceramics, has overhauled our reconstructions of the economic and political strategies undertaken by neighboring groups at Classic period (ca. AD 300–900/1000) centers by highlighting divergent economic, political, and symbolic interaction systems (Stoner & Pool, 2015; Stoner et al, 2008; Stoner, 2011, 2013; Wilson, 2016). These data show that the Classic period of the western Tuxtlas was governed by several contemporary, autonomous, and sometimes competing centers (Figure 1).…”

“…These ceramics included varieties of Fine Orange, Coarse Brown, and Coarse Orange, among others. Only Coarse Orange production and distribution has been subjected to NAA and complementary petrographic analysis (Stoner & Pool, 2015; Stoner et al, 2008; Stoner, 2013; Wilson, 2016). Those results augment Pool's (1990) earlier XRF studies of untempered Fine Orange and the kaolinitic Concepción Formation clays from which they were made.…”

“…There is a chemically distinct east‐to‐west trend within the Concepción formation that enables its separation into two principal groups (Figure 1). The more eastern C group clays are rich in calcium carbonate, whereas the more western and southwestern S group clays contain lower calcium and more quartz sand, among other mineral differences (Pool, 1990, p. 311; see also Stoner, 2013, p. 271). Both C‐ and S‐groups crop out near the upper Arroyo Xoteapan and places intermediate between that drainage and the middle Catemaco Valley, whereas only S‐group clays crop out in the Tepango Valley to the west and C‐group clays crop out to the south of Matacapan in the middle Catemaco Valley and in the tributary Chuniapan Valley, with one localized S‐group exception (Pool, 1990: Map 5, see also Figure 1 here).…”

“…Although some Fine Orange pastes contain natural quartz inclusions due to the clay's proximity to the volcanic Filisola formation, they generally lack added temper. The abundance of natural quartz inclusions can make the S‐Group clays described above visually as well as chemically distinguishable from C‐Group clays that contain less quartz due to increased distance from Filisola Sands (Pool, 1990; Stoner, 2013). Owing to the lack of added tempers, Fine Orange ceramics produced from Concepción clays should chemically correspond to one of the identified source groups.…”

“…Coarse Orange ceramics also consist of Concepción Formation kaolinitic clays, but they are typically tempered with well‐sorted fine‐to‐medium grained volcanic ash (Pool, 1990; Stoner, 2013). The typical Comoapan recipe at Matacapan contained abundant angular ash, that when the soft kaolin surfaces erode, are exposed and give the sherds their coarse or sandpaper‐like texture.…”