Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Santiago Tuxtla Archaeological Project

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Under the supervision of Dr. Christopher A. Pool, Marcie L. Venter will conduct archaeological research at Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico. Totogatl is the original location of Tuxtla, which was one of the principal towns in the Aztec province of Tochtepec, and the early colonial predecessor to modern Santiago Tuxtla. The visible ruins at the site include several pre-Columbian pyramid mounds, as well as the stone foundations of a colonial building believed to have been a convent, which the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes, ordered to be built. Venter's investigations will consist of mapping the site, conducting systematic surface collections of artifacts and excavating key areas. Together, these sets of data will allow her to identify areas of local and foreign occupation, and to document changes in settlement, craft production, and artifact inventories as a result of interaction with the Aztec Empire.Tuxtla is particularly important because it lay on the eastern edge of the Aztec empire. Whereas a great deal is known about the Aztecs in their core region of central Mexico, interactions with the imperial frontiers are much less understood. Elsewhere, boundary interactions in the precapitalist world were often multidimensional, with different degrees of control, peaceful alliance, and resistance. The same may have been true of Tuxtla, which is recorded as having paid tribute to the Aztec Empire, but which was also part of a region renowned in its time for its commercial success and relative autonomy. In addition, some of Tuxtla's inhabitants are recorded as having spoken a local version of the Aztec language, Nahuatl, while others spoke the indigenous Popoluca language. Venter's investigation will test different models of Aztec-Tuxtla interaction, including (1) Aztec domination of Tuxtla, (2) Tuxtla independence and competition with the Aztec Empire, and (3) sharing of authority with the Empire's representatives. She will also investigate whether Tuxtla's relations with the Aztecs shifted among these alternatives over time. Understanding how the Aztecs and Tuxtecos managed their relationships with one another may provide insights into imperial relations elsewhere on the Aztec frontier and precaptialist boundary dynamics in general.Beyond the research questions of interest to social scientists, this project will have a broader impact by enhancing public understanding of science, particularly through its cooperation with the Tuxtla Regional Museum, which is currently being refurbished by Mexican agencies. The museum hosts a steady stream of local residents and schoolchildren as well as foreign tourists traveling to the region's other archaeological and ecological attractions. Archaeological specimens and educational resources provided by the project will enhance the museum's collections and public outreach activities. In addition, the project will provide training opportunities for students from Mexican universities and employment for local citizens.