Table Of ContentPREHISTORY AND HUMAN ECOLOGY
OF THE VALLEY OF OAXACA
Kent V. Flannery and Richard E. Blanton
General Editors
Volume 1 The Use of Land and Water Resources in the Past and Present Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico,
by Anne V. T. Kirkby. Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan,
No.5. 1973.
Volume 2 Sociopolitical Aspects of Canal Irrigation in the Valley of Oaxaca, by Susan H. Lees.
Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, No. 6. 1973.
Volume 3 Formative Mesoamerican Exchange Networks with Special Reference to the Valley of Oax
aca, by Jane W. Pires-Perreira. Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropology, University of
Michigan, No.7. 1975.
Volume 4 Fabrica San Jose and Middle Formative Society in the Valley of Oaxaca, by Robert D.
Drennan. Memoirs ofthe Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, No. 8. 197 5.
Volume 5 Part 1. The Vegetational History of the Oaxaca Valley, by C. Earle Smith, Jr.
Part 2. Zapotec Plant Knowledge: Classification, Uses and Communication about Plants
in Mitla, Oaxaca, Mexico, by Ellen Messer.
Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, No. 10. 1978.
Volume 6 Excavations at Santo Domingo Tomaltepec: Evolution of a Formative Community in the
Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, by Michael E. Whalen. Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropol
ogy, University of Michigan, No. 12. 1981.
Volume 7 Monte Alban's Hinterland, Part 1: The Prehispanic Settlement Patterns of the Central and
Southern Parts of the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, by Richard E. Blanton, Stephen
Kowalewski, Gary Feinman, and Jill Appel. Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropology,
University of Michigan, No. 15. 1982.
Frontispiece. The great Precolumbian mound of Zaachila (center) towers above the town and subvalley of the same name.
MEMOIRS OF THE MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
NUMBER 15
PREHISTORY AND HUMAN ECOLOGY
OF THE VALLEY OF OAXACA
Kent V. Flannery and Richard E. Blanton
General Editors
Volume7
MONTE ALBAN'S HINTERLAND, PART 1:
THE PREHISPANIC SETTLEMENT PATTERNS OF
THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE
VALLEY OF OAXACA, MEXICO
by
Richard E. Blanton
Stephen Kowalewski
Gary Feinman
Jill Appel
With contributions by Laura Finsten and Eva Fisch
ANN ARBOR
1982
©1 98Re2g e onfTt hsUen iveorfMs iicthyi gan
ThMeu seoufAmn t hropology
All rigthsr eserved
Prinmtt hee d
UnitSetdao tfAe mse rica
ISB7N8 --99032206-91-6 (paper)
ISBN 978-1-951538-34-7 (ebook)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables ........................................................ . . ...................................... ix
List of Figures .................................................................................................. xi
Preface ........................................................................................................ xv
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTS ON METHODS .................................................... 1
Introduction ....................................................................................... 1
Prior Work in the Valley of Oaxaca ..................................................................... 2
Natural Environment ................................................................................ 4
The Valley's Ceramic Sequence ....................................................................... 5
Field Methods ..................................................................................... 6
Laboratory Procedures .............................................................................. 10
CHAPTER 2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................... 13
Introduction ...................................................................................... 13
Traditional Approaches to the Explanation of Culture Change ............................................... 13
An Analytical Procedure ............................................................................ 14
Fluctuation and Change ............................................................................. 15
An Approach to Understanding the Evolution of Chiefdoms in the Valley of Oaxaca ............................. 17
Consequences of the Formation of Monte Alban ......................................................... 20
Conclusion ....................................................................................... 25
CHAPTER 3. THE EARLY AND MIDDLE FORMATIVE PERIODS by Eva Fisch ........................................ 27
Introduction ...................................................................................... 27
Settlement Patterns ................................................................................ 28
Catchment Calculations ............................................................................. 32
Setting the Stage for the Establishment of Monte Alban .................................................... 35
Conclusions ...................................................................................... 35
CHAPTER 4. PERIOD I ....................................................................................... 37
Introduction ...................................................................................... 37
Period I Settlement Patterns .......................................................................... 40
Growth Patterns ................................................................................... 40
Regional Organization .............................................................................. 45
Aspects of the Administrative Central-Place Hierarchy:
Part I: Primacy ................................................................................. 49
Part 2: Regional Interaction ........................................................................ 51
Part 3: Early I Administrative Districts ............................................................... 53
Marketing in Early I ................................................................................ 55
Administrative Organization in Late I .................................................................. 61
Late I Interaction Potential Measures .................................................................. 62
Changes in Market Organization in Period I ............................................................. 65
Period I: Conclusions ............................................................................... 68
The Origins of Monte Alban .......... , .............................................................. 69
The Origin of the State in the Valley of Oaxaca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... 69
CHAPTER 5. PERIOD II ....................................................................................... 73
Introduction ...................................................................................... 73
Period II: Population Trends and Settlement Distributions .................................................. 74
Period II: Administrative Central Places ................................................................ 77
Period II Interaction Measures ........................................................................ 81
Production/Distribution in Period II ................................................................... 81
Period II: Conclusions .............................................................................. 84
CHAPTER 6. PERIOD Ilia ..................................................................................... 85
Introduction ...................................................................................... 85
Period Ilia: Population Growth and Agricultural Development .............................................. 85
Period Ilia: Administrative Central Places .............................................................. 89
Period Ilia: Interaction Estimates ..................................................................... 95
Production/Distribution in Period Ilia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 96
Period Ilia: Coriclusions ............................................................................ 97
CHAPTER 7. PERIOD lllb .................................................................................... 103
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................................................... 103
Administrative Places in Period IIIb .................................................................. 106
Period Illb: Interaction Potential Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 110
vi MONTE ALBAN'S HINTERLAND
Production/Distribution in Period IIIb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... Ill
Period IIIb: Conclusions ............................................................................ 112
CHAPTER 8. THE POSTCLASSIC .............................................................................. 115
Introduction ...................................................................................... 115
Postclassic Settlement Patterns and Population Transitions ................................................. 117
Administrative Places and Interaction Potentials in the Postclassic ........................................... 121
Production and Distribution in the Postclassic ........................................................... 131
The Postclassic: Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......... 134
ADDENDUM TO CHAPTER 8: THE POSTCLASSIC-A SUMMARY OF THE ETHNOHISTORIC INFORMATION
RELEVANT TO THE INTERPRETATION OF LATE POSTCLASSIC SETTLEMENT
PATTERN DATA, THE CENTRAL AND VALLE GRANDE SURVEY ZONES by Jill Appel ............... 139
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................. 139
Documentary Sources .............................................................................. 139
Local Administration ............................................................................... 139
Regional Integration and Regional Administration ........................................................ 143
Commercial Activities .............................................................................. 146
CHAPTER 9. POPULATION AND AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL: EARLY I THROUGH V by Stephen Kowalewski ........... 149
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. 149
Variables and Assumptions .......................................................................... 149
Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................... 150
Land and Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 150
Classification of Land Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 151
The Distribution of Land Types ..................................................................... 151
Measuring Land Areas ............................................................................ 153
Climate and Weather..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 155
Labor...................................... . .................................... 157
Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................... 158
Calculating Potential Population .................................................................... 158
The Results: Across Phases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 160
Potential Population .............................................................................. 160
Correlation and Regression ........................................................................ 163
Changing the Scale of Analysis ..................................................................... 167
Population/Resources and Distance from Monte Alban .................................................. 168
The Results: Phase by Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................... 169
Early I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. 169
Late I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ 171
Monte Alban II ................................................................................. 172
Monte Alban Ilia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................. 173
Monte Alban IIIb ................................................................................ 176
Monte Alban IV ................................................................................. 177
Monte Alban V ................................................................................. 178
General Conclusions ............................................................................... 179
CHAPTER I 0. PATTERNS IN CERAMIC PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION. PERIODS EARLY I THROUGH V
by Gary Feinman .................................................................................. 181
Introduction: Assumptions, Theoretical Framework, and Problem Orientation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 181
Analytical Framework: Variables, Measures, and Indices .................................................. 183
Analysis, Interpretations, and Results .................................................................. 185
Rosario phase, ................................................................................... 188
Monte Alban Early I ............................................................................. 189
Monte Alban Late I .............................................................................. 190
Monte Alban II ................................................................................. 193
Monte Alban III a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ 194
Monte Alban IIIb.................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............. 197
Monte Alban IV ................................................................................. 199
Monte Alban V ................................................................................. 200
Summary ........................................................................................ 203
CHAPTER 11. SYNTHESIS ..................................................................................... 207
The View From the Bottom ......................................................................... 207
The View From the Middle ......................................................................... 208
The Macroregional Perspective ...................................................................... 209
The Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 210
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 210
Appendix I. Site Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Explanation of Terms Used in Coding Sites ............................................................ 211
Coding Scheme For Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 213
Coded Data ...................................................................................... 216
Comments ...................................................................................... 254
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
Appendix II. Site Maps ...................................................................................... 267
Appendix III. Distribution by Grid Square of Land Types Defined in Chapter 1 ........................................... 339
Appendix IV. Sites That Have Been Combined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... 355
Appendix V. Site Survey Form..................................................... . . . . . . . ................ 357
Appendix VI. Field Number Designations and Field Numbers by Site .................................................. 361
Appendix VII. Ceramic Descriptions ............................................................................. 375
Appendix VIII. Number of Ceramic Types Per Site, by Administrative Rank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 383
Appendix IX. Ceramic Production Sites by Gary Feinman ........................................................... 389
Early I ......................................................................................... 390
Early I: Additional Comments .................................................................... 390
Late I.. . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................................... 391
Late I: Additional Comments ..................................................................... 391
Monte Alban II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 391
Monte Alban II: Additional Comments ............................................................. 392
Monte Alban Ilia ................................................................................ 392
Monte Alban Ilia: Additional Comments ........................................................... 393
Monte Alban IJlb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 393
Monte Alban IIIb: Additional Comments ........................................................... 394
Monte Alban IV ................................................................................. 394
Monte Alban IV: Additional Comments . . . . . . . .................................................... 394
Monte Alban V. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................. 394
Monte Alban V: Additional Comments ............................................................. 395
Appendix X. Summary of Terraced Sites ........................................................................ 397
Appendix XI. Structure Summaries and Structure Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... 425
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 493
Resumen en Espafiol ............................................................................................ 505
ix
TABLES
1-1. Valley of Oaxaca Chronology ............................................................................. 6
3-1. Tierras Largas Catchment Calculations ..................................................................... 33
3-2. San Jose Catchment Calculations .......................................................................... 33
3-3. Guadalupe Catchment Calculations ........................................................................ 34
3-4. Rosario Catchment Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 34
4-1. Central-Place Summary, Early I .......................................................................... 47
4-2. Percent of Interaction Potentials of Large Sites, Not Including Interactions with Monte Alban .......................... 53
4-3. Central-Place Summary, Late I ........................................................................... 62
5-l. Central-Place Summary, Period II ......................................................................... 80
6-1. Central-Place Summary, Period Ilia ....................................................................... 93
6-2. Mean Number of Types per Site, Early I Through Ilia ......................................................... 97
7-1. Central-Place Summary, Period Illb ...................................................................... 108
7-2. Mean Number of Types per Site, Ilia and Illb ............................................................... Ill
8-1. Central-Place Summary, Period IV ....................................................................... 126
8-2. Central-Place Summary, Period V ........................................................................ 126
8-3. Summary of Terraced Sites ............................................................................. 128
SA-l. Residences of Caciques in the Valley of Oaxaca in the Pre-Colonial or Colonial Periods .............................. 142
SA-2. Summary of Reports on Pre-Conquest Warfare .............................................................. 146
SA-3. Value of Aztec Tribute Assessments by Province ............................................................ 147
9-1. Land (in Hectares) of Each Type of Agricultural Potential ..................................................... 154
9-2. Mean Annual Rainfall for 19 Stations in the Valley of Oaxaca .................................................. 156
9-3. Yield Ranges for Land Types Through Time, in Metric Tons per Hectare per Year .................................. 156
9-4. Probability of an Excessively Dry Year, by Sub-Area ......................................................... 157
9-5. Probability of an Overall Excessively Dry Year, for Combinations of Sub-Areas ................................... 157
9-6. Potential Yields in Metric Tons (Monte Alban Early I) ........................................................ 159
9-7. Potential Population and Archaeological Population Estimates ................................................. 162
9-8. Correlation Coefficients at Three Analytical Scales .......................................................... 164
9-9. X2 Values for Land Types and Presence/ Absence of Occupation ................................................ 169
9-10. Grid Squares Reducing Consumption or Importing Maize in Ilia ................................................ 175
9-11. Grid Squares Reducing Consumption or Importing Maize in Illb ................................................ 177
9-12. Grid Squares Reducing Consumption or Importing Maize in Period V ............................................ 179
10-1. Mean Numbers of Types/Site ............................................................................ 183
10-2. Production-Step Measure ............................................................................... 185
10-3. Production-Step Measure for Each Ceramic Category ........................................................ 186
10-4. Ceramic Production Locations ........................................................................... 190
10-5. Mean Production-Step Measure by Phase .................................................................. 191
10-6. Contingency Table Analysis Results ...................................................................... 191
10-7. Distribution of Well-Dispersed Vessel Categories ........................................................... 192
10-8. Rank Order of Certain Key Variables by Phase .............................................................. 193
10-9. Illb Gris Ware Distributions: Vessel Shape Variants ......................................................... 199
10-10. Illb Gris Ware Distributions: Technical Variants ............................................................ 199
10-11. Mean Number of Types per Site: Monte Alban IV ........................................................... 200
10-12. Transitional Changes in the Degree of Isomorphism Between Economic and Political Networks and the Organization
of Ceramic Production-Distribution ....................................................................... 203
