by Esther Aguayo Food is an important part of our lives, yet it is a difficult thing to see in the archaeological record. Usually archaeologists rummage through ancient trash piles to look for animal bones and residues in pots to find out what people ate. However, there is another tool that archaeologists use that can tell us more about what people and animals consumed called stable isotope analysis. This methodology helps archaeologists understand the chemical make-up of human and animal…
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On the stone’s edge: lithic analysis Sharp tools have always been a necessity in the daily life of human beings. In ancient Mesoamerica, these types of tools were made with obsidian. Their use was not only common but also practically indispensable. For this reason, obsidian is likely to be found during all excavations and is carefully analyzed by specialists. Around 70,000 obsidian pieces were analyzed in 2019, revealing not only artifacts which were used constantly in the daily life of…
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GIS technology on regional analysis An important part of the Plaza of the Columns Complex Project is the study of the Teotihuacan Valley. With the application of innovative technologies like the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in scientific research, we are developing an interesting line of research for understanding the past and present of this region. A very detailed and precise topographic map (digital elevation model) is first created by using an airborne sensor (LiDAR) over the surface of the valley….
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The case of candeleros by Yolanda Peláez Castellanos The potters who made the ceramic pieces recovered in archaeological excavations gave them different shapes depending on the function they would have (e.g., pots and bowls were used in the preparation and consumption of food). A very distinct form that corresponds almost exclusively to Teotihuacan can be seen in the figure below; these vessels have been found in various foreign sites, and each have been attributed to Teotihuacan presence or influence. These…
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