The Early Formative Olmec are central in a wide variety of debates regarding the development of Mesoamerican societies. A fundamental issue in Olmec archaeology is the nature of interregional interaction among contemporaneous societies and the possible Olmec role in it. Previous debates have often not been informed by recent research and data, often relying on materials lacking archaeological context. In order to approach these issues from new perspectives, this book introduces readers to the full spectrum of the material culture of the Olmec and their contemporaries, relying primarily on archaeological data, much of which has not been previously published. For the first time, using a standard lexicon to consider the nature of the interaction among Early Formative societies, the authors, experts in diverse regions of Mesoamerican art and archaeology, provide carefully considered contrasts and comparisons that advance the understanding of the Early Formative origins of social complexity in Mesoamerica.
Author(s): Jeffrey P. Blomster, David Cheetham
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 358
City: Cambridge
Cover
Half-title
Title page
Copyright information
Table of contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Contributors
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Issues
Volume Overview
Chapter One Materializing the San Lorenzo Olmecs
Setting, Chronology, and Scientific Investigations
Materializing San Lorenzo: Settlement and Complexity
San Lorenzo Architecture
San Lorenzo Portable Material Culture
San Lorenzo phase ceramic vessels and figurines
San Lorenzo Subsistence
Comprehending Early Olmec Style Monuments at San Lorenzo
The End of the San Lorenzo Olmec
Summary
Chapter Two Defining Early Olmec Style Pottery: Techniques, Forms, and Motifs at San Lorenzo
On Style
Production and Technological Style
Vessel Form
Surface Color and Finish
Firing
Design Production
Early Olmec Visual Style
Icons from San Lorenzo
Conclusion
Chapter Three An Early Horizon Manifestation in the San Lorenzo Countryside
El Remolino
Distribution of Ceramics Across the Profile Cut
El Remolino’s Role in the San Lorenzo Area
Archaeological Expectations
Evaluating Site Function
The Establishment of El Remolino
The Relationship between El Remolino and San Lorenzo
Final Observations
Notes
Chapter Four An Early Olmec Manifestation in Western Olman: The Arroyo Phase at Tres Zapotes
Contexts and Dating of Arroyo Phase Materials
Assemblage Characteristics
Ceramics
Figurines
Chemical Analysis
Concluding Comments
Acknowledgments
Notes
Chapter Five Early Horizon Materials in the Greater Basin of Mexico and Guerrero
Basin of Mexico
Tlatilco
Coapexco
Tlapacoya
Puebla
Morelos
Guerrero
La Organera
Baño Negro
Other Sites
Summary
Chapter Six Materializing the Early Olmec Style in the Nochixtlán Valley, Oaxaca
Background
Etlatongo and the Contexts of Its Ceramic Samples
Methods: Quantifying Early Olmec Style Sherds
Early Formative Pottery at Etlatongo
Cruz B Pottery from EA-2: Colors and Forms of Vessels with Olmec Style Motifs
Cruz B Pottery from EA-2: Technical Style of Olmec Style Motifs
Early Olmec Style Motifs at Etlatongo
Motif 1: Crossed-bands/St. Andrew’s Cross
Motif 2: U-shapes/Brackets
Motif 3: K-bracket/Music Bracket
Motif 4: Sunburst/Shell/Star
Motif 5: Pointed Line/Claw
Motif 7: Flame Eyebrow
Motif 9: Pi
Motif 11: Gill and Fin
Linear
Miscellaneous
Early Olmec Style Compositions at Etlatongo
Composition 1: Symmetric Crossed-bands
Composition 2: Symmetric Inverted Brackets
Composition 3: Symmetric Lines
Composition 4: Asymmetric
Composition 5: Limón
Composition 6: Miscellaneous
Regional Early Olmec Style Decorations and Local Designs at Etlatongo
Conclusions
Notes
Chapter Seven Early Olmec Style Ceramics from the Southern Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Background: Geography and Archaeology
Barrio Tepalcate
INAA of Southern Isthmus Ceramics
Local Pastes
Unassigned Pastes
Imported San Lorenzo Pastes
Golfo Phase Ceramics from Barrio Tepalcate
Sandy Paste Vessels
Fine Paste Vessels
Early Olmec Style Ceramics in Highland Oaxaca
Chronological Divisions in the Early Horizon
Discussion
Conclusion
Notes
Chapter Eight Ceramic Vessel Form Similarities between San Lorenzo, Veracruz, and Canton Corralito, Chiapas
San Lorenzo and Cuadros Ceramic Complexes
Ceramic Types
Vessel Forms across Ceramic Types
Vessel Forms within Ceramic Types
Imported Pots as Templates?
Implications
Note
Chapter Nine ‘‘Olmec’’ Pottery in Honduras
Dating and Contexts of Early Olmec Style Pottery in Honduras
Ocotillo and Chotepe Phase Ceramics
Ocotillo Phase (1400-1100 BC [Calibrated]) Ceramics
Chotepe Phase (1100-900 BC [Calibrated]) Ceramics
Other Olmec Style Ceramic Objects in Honduras
Communities of Practice, Constellations of Practice, and Pragmatics
Chapter Ten Figuring Out the Early Olmec Era
The Book Endeavor
Putting Pottery Comparisons into Practice
Interpretive Issues: ‘‘It’s Complicated’’
Prestige Competition Models
Integrative Mechanisms
A Trans-Regional Cult
Other Extensive Ritual Patterns
Conclusions and Discussion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
