PREHISTORY 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