Personal Art in Teotihuacan: The Thin Orange Graffiti

Abstract

In the Classic period Teotihuacan imported large quantities of Thin Orange ware from the Tepexi de Rodríguez area of Puebla. Thin Orange bowls were widely distributed in the city, many of them with post-firing graffiti inscribed on their walls or bases. Although not highly visible, the graffiti seem to have served as owner's marks. Some of the images, particularly in the city's central zone with its high concentration of elite residences and public structures, were drawn from the formal iconography of Teotihuacan. Most, however, seem to have been idiosyncratic expressions of personal identity or simply marks with no wider meaning. This general disinterest in the formal iconography as a source of personal imagery suggests that the ideology of the state may not have penetrated deeply into the daily lives of most Teotihuacanos and may even have stimulated some resistance.

Moving in mysterious ways: the use and discard of Cambridge college ceramics

“…Even when their significance can be determined, it can still be difficult to identify where vessels were actually used (e.g. Spence 2015). One possible parallel is fifth-century BC Athens where some vessels were marked with the names of individuals or as public property (Lang 1976: 51–52; Rotroff & Oakley 1992).…”