The Early Olmec and Mesoamerica: The Material Record

Description

The Early Formative Olmec are central in a wide variety of debates regarding the development of Mesoamerican societies. A fundamental issue in Olmec archaeology is the nature of interregional interaction among contemporaneous societies and the possible Olmec role in it. Previous debates have often not been informed by recent research and data, often relying on materials lacking archaeological context. In order to approach these issues from new perspectives, this book introduces readers to the full spectrum of the material culture of the Olmec and their contemporaries, relying primarily on archaeological data, much of which has not been previously published. For the first time, using a standard lexicon to consider the nature of the interaction among Early Formative societies, the authors, experts in diverse regions of Mesoamerican art and archaeology, provide carefully considered contrasts and comparisons that advance the understanding of the Early Formative origins of social complexity in Mesoamerica. Cover Half-title Title page Copyright information Table of contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Acknowledgments Introduction Issues Volume Overview Chapter One Materializing the San Lorenzo Olmecs Setting, Chronology, and Scientific Investigations Materializing San Lorenzo: Settlement and Complexity San Lorenzo Architecture San Lorenzo Portable Material Culture San Lorenzo phase ceramic vessels and figurines San Lorenzo Subsistence Comprehending Early Olmec Style Monuments at San Lorenzo The End of the San Lorenzo Olmec Summary Chapter Two Defining Early Olmec Style Pottery: Techniques, Forms, and Motifs at San Lorenzo On Style Production and Technological Style Vessel Form Surface Color and Finish Firing Design Production Early Olmec Visual Style Icons from San Lorenzo Conclusion Chapter Three An Early Horizon Manifestation in the San Lorenzo Countryside El Remolino Distribution of Ceramics Across the Profile Cut El Remolino’s Role in the San Lorenzo Area Archaeological Expectations Evaluating Site Function The Establishment of El Remolino The Relationship between El Remolino and San Lorenzo Final Observations Notes Chapter Four An Early Olmec Manifestation in Western Olman: The Arroyo Phase at Tres Zapotes Contexts and Dating of Arroyo Phase Materials Assemblage Characteristics Ceramics Figurines Chemical Analysis Concluding Comments Acknowledgments Notes Chapter Five Early Horizon Materials in the Greater Basin of Mexico and Guerrero Basin of Mexico Tlatilco Coapexco Tlapacoya Puebla Morelos Guerrero La Organera Baño Negro Other Sites Summary Chapter Six Materializing the Early Olmec Style in the Nochixtlán Valley, Oaxaca Background Etlatongo and the Contexts of Its Ceramic Samples Methods: Quantifying Early Olmec Style Sherds Early Formative Pottery at Etlatongo Cruz B Pottery from EA-2: Colors and Forms of Vessels with Olmec Style Motifs Cruz B Pottery from EA-2: Technical Style of Olmec Style Motifs Early Olmec Style Motifs at Etlatongo Motif 1: Crossed-bands/St. Andrew’s Cross Motif 2: U-shapes/Brackets Motif 3: K-bracket/Music Bracket Motif 4: Sunburst/Shell/Star Motif 5: Pointed Line/Claw Motif 7: Flame Eyebrow Motif 9: Pi Motif 11: Gill and Fin Linear Miscellaneous Early Olmec Style Compositions at Etlatongo Composition 1: Symmetric Crossed-bands Composition 2: Symmetric Inverted Brackets Composition 3: Symmetric Lines Composition 4: Asymmetric Composition 5: Limón Composition 6: Miscellaneous Regional Early Olmec Style Decorations and Local Designs at Etlatongo Conclusions Notes Chapter Seven Early Olmec Style Ceramics from the Southern Isthmus of Tehuantepec Background: Geography and Archaeology Barrio Tepalcate INAA of Southern Isthmus Ceramics Local Pastes Unassigned Pastes Imported San Lorenzo Pastes Golfo Phase Ceramics from Barrio Tepalcate Sandy Paste Vessels Fine Paste Vessels Early Olmec Style Ceramics in Highland Oaxaca Chronological Divisions in the Early Horizon Discussion Conclusion Notes Chapter Eight Ceramic Vessel Form Similarities between San Lorenzo, Veracruz, and Canton Corralito, Chiapas San Lorenzo and Cuadros Ceramic Complexes Ceramic Types Vessel Forms across Ceramic Types Vessel Forms within Ceramic Types Imported Pots as Templates? Implications Note Chapter Nine ‘‘Olmec’’ Pottery in Honduras Dating and Contexts of Early Olmec Style Pottery in Honduras Ocotillo and Chotepe Phase Ceramics Ocotillo Phase (1400-1100 BC [Calibrated]) Ceramics Chotepe Phase (1100-900 BC [Calibrated]) Ceramics Other Olmec Style Ceramic Objects in Honduras Communities of Practice, Constellations of Practice, and Pragmatics Chapter Ten Figuring Out the Early Olmec Era The Book Endeavor Putting Pottery Comparisons into Practice Interpretive Issues: ‘‘It’s Complicated’’ Prestige Competition Models Integrative Mechanisms A Trans-Regional Cult Other Extensive Ritual Patterns Conclusions and Discussion Notes Bibliography Index