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Residue Analysis of Cooking Vessels from Early Postclassic Xaltocan, Central Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2021

Kristin De Lucia Open the ORCID record for Kristin De Lucia [Opens in a new window]  and
Linda Scott Cummings
Kristin De Lucia*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY13346, USA
Linda Scott Cummings
Affiliation:
PaleoResearch Institute, Golden, CO80401, USA (linda@paleoresearch.com)
*
(kdelucia@colgate.edu, corresponding author)
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Abstract

This article examines the use of cooking vessels from Early Postclassic (AD 900–1250) Xaltocan, Mexico, through residue analysis of ceramic sherds. The analysis combined phytolith and starch analyses with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Because our understanding of prehispanic foodways in central Mexico is based largely on sources that describe or depict Aztec practices in the sixteenth century, we ask how foods were similar or different prior to the Aztecs. We also seek a better understanding of how plainware vessels were used in prehispanic times. Although there is long-term continuity in the preparation of foods such as tamales and corn gruels, we find that additional foods such as tuber-based stews were prepared in the Early Postclassic. In addition, some ceramic vessels, such as comales and crude bowls, had a wider range of food preparation functions than expected.

Este artículo examina el uso de vasijas de cerámica del Posclásico Temprano (dC 900–1250) Xaltocan, México, utilizando del análisis de residuos de tiestos de cerámica. El análisis combinó los análisis de fitolitos y almidón con la microespectroscopía de infrarrojo con transformada de Fourier (FTIRM). Nuestra comprensión de las vías alimenticias prehispánicas en el centro de México se basa en gran medida en fuentes que describen o representan las prácticas aztecas en el siglo XVI, por lo tanto, nos preguntamos cómo los alimentos eran similares o diferentes antes de los aztecas. También buscamos obtener una mejor comprensión de cómo se utilizaron la cerámica sin decorar en tiempos prehispánicos. Encontramos que hay una larga continuidad en la preparación de alimentos como los tamales y atole, sin embargo, también se prepararon alimentos adicionales como los guisos de tubérculos en el Posclásico Temprano. Este estudio también encuentra que algunas cerámicas, como los comales y los cuencos crudos, tenían más funciones de los que esperábamos.

Keywords

cooking vesselsceramic residue analysisprehispanic foodwaysvasijas de cerámicaanálisis de residuosprácticas alimentarias tradicionales
Type
Article
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , December 2021 , pp. 800 - 818
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Society for American Archaeology

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