Obsidian as Jewelry: Lapidary Production in Aztec Otumba, Mexico

Abstract

Research carried out during the last three decades at the Late Postclassic city-state of Otumba, Mexico, has identified a wide variety of craft-production specializations. Data derived from excavations and surface collections made at the workshop site of one of Otumba's specialties—lapidary jewelry production—have revealed much of the process for the production of such jewelry, including ear spools, lip plugs, and beads, along with some possible secondary products, such as sequins and disks, all primarily made from obsidian. Besides the lapidary products themselves, many of the tools employed in production—made of obsidian, chert, and basalt—were found. The materials recovered enhance and expand upon the information available from colonial documentary sources, providing greater insight into this complicated and intriguing process.

Cuentas rojas y magia de amor. Intercambios culturales entre España y Nueva España en Edad Moderna

“…Del mismo modo, la palabra tacley es la que aparece en los registros del galeón y en las crónicas filipinas para denominar las cuentas. Sobre el tema de las cuentas prehispánicas y la introducción de estos objetos desde Europa véanse Charlton 1993. Velázquez Castro 2004.…”

Testing the accuracy of portable X-ray fluorescence to study Aztec and Colonial obsidian supply at Xaltocan, Mexico

“…Otumba, located 44 km east of Xaltocan, was the closest source to consumers in the Basin of Mexico and was a center of obsidian tool and lapidary production (Otis Charlton, 1993;Parry, 2001). Ucareo, along with the nearby source of Zinapécuaro, is located in northern Michoacan about 170 km west of Xaltocan (Healan, 1997).…”

New World States and Empires: Economic and Social Organization

“…The majority of recent publications are devoted to the technology of particular craft industries, with some limited attention to their social context. Not surprisingly, Mesoamericanists have focused their technological research extensively on obsidian tool production (Aoyama, 1999(Aoyama, , 2001Braswell et al, 1994;Clark, 1997b;Clark and Bryant, 1997;Healan, 1997;Hirth, 1995;Hirth and Andrews, 2002;Otis Charlton, 1993;Parry, 2001). Obsidian quarries are receiving more detailed attention than in the past (Cruz Antillón, 1994;Darras, 1999;Pastrana, 1998).…”