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Absolute geomagnetic intensity determinations on Formative potsherds (1400–700 BC) from the Oaxaca Valley, Southwestern Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2012

Marie Pétronille ,
Avto Goguitchaichvili ,
Juan Morales ,
Claire Carvallo  and
Yuki Hueda-Tanabe
Marie Pétronille*
Affiliation:
Laboratorio Interinstitucional de Magnetismo Natural, Instituto de Geofísica, Unidad Michoacán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Morelia, Mexico
Avto Goguitchaichvili
Affiliation:
Laboratorio Interinstitucional de Magnetismo Natural, Instituto de Geofísica, Unidad Michoacán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Morelia, Mexico Laboratorio de Paleomagnetismo, Departamento de Física, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Burgos, C/Francisco De Vitoria, s/n, 09006, Burgos, Spain
Juan Morales
Affiliation:
Laboratorio Interinstitucional de Magnetismo Natural, Instituto de Geofísica, Unidad Michoacán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Morelia, Mexico
Claire Carvallo
Affiliation:
Institut de Minéralogie et de Physique des Milieux Condensés, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
Yuki Hueda-Tanabe
Affiliation:
WWF Programa Oaxaca, Mexico
*
⁎Corresponding author. Email Address:marie.petronille@wanadoo.fr
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Abstract

New Thellier-Coe archeointensity determinations have been measured on 15 potsherds from the Oaxaca Valley belonging to three of the four Formative Periods (Pre-Classical) of Mesoamerica, spanning 1400–700 BC. Seven of these are considered to be reliable and indicate a geomagnetic field strength of about 30 μT. This value is some 75% of the present geomagnetic field strength but is in agreement with the absolute intensities predicted from global models for this time and location, and consistent with coeval published determinations. These data thus provide significant evidence for the geomagnetic field strength in an area and for a time that was previously poorly constrained, thus providing an important contribution towards establishing a local master curve for the last 3500 yr. When established, such a curve would be a useful dating tool and also enable establishing for field strength correlations with climatic events and civilization evolutions in a region that is particularly strong in archeological and geological features. Such potential is examined for aridity events, although such observations can only be considered tentative at this stage.

Keywords

ArcheomagnetismGeomagnetic fieldRock magnetismIntensity global modelsMaster curveClimate changesCivilization evolutionsMesoamericaFormative period
Type
Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 78 , Issue 3 , November 2012 , pp. 442 - 453
Copyright
University of Washington

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