Typological and Geochemical Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts

623 Pages·2017·5.73 MB·English

University of Colorado, Boulder
CU Scholar
Anthropology Graduate Theses & Dissertations Anthropology
Spring 4-1-2012
Typological and Geochemical Analysis of Obsidian
Artifacts: A Diachronic Study from The Lower Río
Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico
David Thomas Williams
University of Colorado at Boulder, [email protected]
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Williams, David Thomas, "Typological and Geochemical Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts: A Diachronic Study from The Lower Río
Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico" (2012).Anthropology Graduate Theses & Dissertations. 21.
https://scholar.colorado.edu/anth_gradetds/21
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TYPOLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF OBSIDIAN ARTIFACTS:
A DIACHRONIC STUDY FROM
THE LOWER RÍO VERDE VALLEY, OAXACA, MEXICO
by
DAVID THOMAS WILLIAMS
B.A., University of South Dakota, 2007

A thesis submitted to the
Faculty of the Graduate School of the
University of Colorado in partial fulfillment
of the requirement for the degree of
Master of Arts
Department of Anthropology
2012
This thesis entitled:
Typological and Geochemical Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts:
A Diachronic Study from
The Lower Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico:
written by David Thomas Williams
has been approved for the Department of Anthropology

Arthur A. Joyce

Douglas Bamforth

Payson Sheets

Date

The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we
Find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards
Of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline.
Williams, David Thomas (M.A. Anthropology)
Typological and Geochemical Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts: A Diachronic Study from the Lower
Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico
Thesis directed by Professor Arthur A. Joyce

This thesis examines the acquisition and use of over 5200 obsidian artifacts throughout
prehispanic times (ca. 1800 BC-AD 1522) in the lower Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico. This
research represents the first systematic study of obsidian artifacts in the region, and focuses on
two aspects of the obsidian artifacts. First, I present a technological analysis of artifacts
collected from primary contexts which correspond to each prehispanic period. The second part
of the thesis presents a geochemical survey of obsidian acquisition through time. Results
indicate that each prehispanic period of coastal Oaxaca contained multiple sets of long-distance
trade networks centered on major geographical areas. Forexample, during the Late Formative,
obsidian sources from the Basin of Mexico dominated the assemblage, while in previous
periods Gulf Coast sources comprised the majority. Additionally, specific technological
attributes (e.g., prismatic blades, ground platforms) appear in the lower Verde at roughly the
same time as the rest of Mesoamerica. This suggests that, despite being a relatively long
distance from many major centers of activity throughout prehispanic times, the lower Verde
was very well-informed as to the advancements in obsidian technology through time.
Examining which sources were acquired through time in conjunction with changing
technologies provides a greater understanding of the broader social, economic, and political
patterns occurring in the region.
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To my parents,
Mike and Nancy Williams

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Acknowledgments

The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without the help, support,
and encouragement of countless individuals and organizations. First, I have to thank my thesis
advisor, Arthur Joyce, for allowing me to work on this project. Art’s work over the past 26 years
in the lower Verde has produced a wealth of data, so examining the obsidian artifacts from
those 26 years of survey and excavation has been a wonderful experience to be a part of.
Additionally, Art was always available for questions or thoughts on the topic, and his expertise
on Oaxacan archaeology and his editing skills have made this thesis better.
I also have to express deep gratitude for my other thesis committee members, Doug
Bamforth and Payson Sheets. Not only were they kind enough to take the time to read through
this massive undertaking and provide their thoughts on my research, but they are both
respected experts in lithic analyses. Doug and Payson provided a great deal of help, especially
in the early stages of this project, in identifying the types of questions I needed to ask and
address, the necessary attributes to look for, and they gave me a much better understanding of
lithic analysis in the process.
My two summers of research in Oaxaca would not have been possible without the help
of external funding. For this, I must thank the Colorado Archaeological Society for providing me
with the Alice Hamilton Scholarship on more than one occasion. I also have to thank the
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, the CU Graduate School, and the
Department of Anthropology for funding in various forms over the years. Finally, the University
of Missouri Research Reactor, and Michael Glascock in particular, provided me with a National
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Science Foundation Subsidy grant (#0802757) which greatly reduced the costs of the sourcing
analysis.
A number of archaeologists allowed me to analyze and write about their obsidian
artifacts from previous years of excavation and survey. Without them, none of my analysis
would have been possible. So, Sarah Barber, Michelle Butler, Susan Gillespie, David Grove, Guy
Hepp, Art Joyce, Stacie King, Marc Levine, and Andrew Workinger, I thank you from the bottom
of my heart for allowing me the use of your obsidian assemblages.
My sanity would not have been kept in check during the entire thesis process without
the encouragement and attentive ears of a number of friends and colleagues within the CU
Department of Anthropology. Hal Baillie, Jakob Sedig, Jeff Brzezinski, Guy Hepp, Kellam
Throgmorton, and Lance Holly have not only been great friends, but have listened to many
different iterations of my project and analysis over the past four years. They have also asked
many great questions and provided feedback which has shaped some of the final discussion and
arguments I make in this study.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mike Fosha for getting me started in archaeology,
helping push me through my school work, being a wonderful mentor, and always having a keen
interest in my work.
Finally, and certainly not least of all, I have to thank my family. My wonderful wife,
Hillary, has stood by my side and supported me through the entire process, watching me leave
to spend months in Oaxaca on two separate occasions. She has been my rock throughout the
data collection, writing, editing, and finalizing processes. Without her unconditional love and
reassurance I would have never been able to complete this project. Also, her Photoshop
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expertise made the artifact images in this thesis what they are; this thesis really would not be
complete without her. Fozzie has also been a wonderful companion, never complaining about
all the times I have had to work on my thesis instead of taking him for a walk.
And my parents, Mike and Nancy, have stood by my side since 5th grade when I decided
I wanted to be an archaeologist. They have never questioned why I choose such an interesting
career path, and have supported me, both financially and emotionally, through my entire
academic journey to this point. Without everything they have ever done for me, I would not be
here writing these acknowledgments for this project, and for that I cannot express enough how
much they mean to me. That is why this thesis is dedicated to them. Thank you for everything.

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents .................................................................................................... viii
List of Tables ............................................................................................................... x
List of Figures ............................................................................................................ xii

Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................. 1
Statement of Purpose .................................................................................... 1
Geography of Mesoamerica, Oaxaca, and the lower Río
Verde Valley ................................................................................................... 3
Previous archaeological research in the lower Río Verde
Valley ............................................................................................................ 8
Culture history of the lower Río Verde Valley ............................................. 10
The structure of this thesis .......................................................................... 14

Chapter 2: Obsidian: Characteristics, Tool Making, and
Previous Mesoamerican Studies............................................................................. 16
Characteristics of obsidian ........................................................................... 16
Obsidian tool production ............................................................................ 18
Obsidian studies in Mesoamerica .............................................................. 26
Sourcing studies of obsidian in Mesoamerica ....................................... 27
Technological studies of obsidian in Mesoamerica ............................... 32
Functional studies of obsidian in Mesoamerica .................................... 34

Chapter 3: Methods ................................................................................................ 37
Typological methods .................................................................................... 37
Geochemical analysis of obsidian ................................................................ 42
The obsidian assemblage of the lower Río Verde Valley ............................. 44

Chapter 4: Diachronic Analysis of Obsidian Artifacts from the Lower
Río Verde Valley ...................................................................................................... 63
Early Formative obsidian use ....................................................................... 64
Middle Formative obsidian use ................................................................... 68
Late Formative obsidian use ........................................................................ 70
Terminal Formative obsidian use................................................................. 73
Classic obsidian use ...................................................................................... 77
Postclassic obsidian use ............................................................................... 84
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Chapter 5: Diachronic Analysis of Obsidian Sources in the Lower Río
Verde Valley .......................................................................................................... 89
Geochemical analysis of obsidian from the lower Río Verde
Valley .......................................................................................................... 89
Early Formative obsidian sources .............................................................. 100
Middle Formative obsidian sources ........................................................... 107
Late Formative obsidian sources ............................................................... 111
Terminal Formative obsidian sources ........................................................ 115
Classic obsidian sources ............................................................................. 122
Postclassic obsidian sources ...................................................................... 128
Summary .................................................................................................... 135

Chapter 6: Conclusions .......................................................................................... 138
The obsidian of the lower Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico ................... 138
Final thoughts and recommendations ....................................................... 142

Bibliography……………………..………………………………………… ...................................... 147

Appendix A: The obsidian assemblage of the lower Río Verde Valley ............... 180
Appendix B: Results of 2011 Geochemical Analyses ........................................... 604

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