Valley of Mexico and the Rise of Teotihuacan

Question 1

Basin of Mexico

Development of Complexity

Answer 1

3000 bp sites appear on the western side of the lake, where there is more rainfall

Western sites known almost entirely from burals containing figurines (show increasing social stratification)

Burials also show no Olmec related elite goods (local motifs centered on life/death)

Loma Torremote (2600 bp) demonstrated that these western sites were using canals to do irrigation farming

LT also shows development of Teotihuacan style apartment complexes starting with 1-2 room compound with an enclosed area for garden or specialized craft going within 100 years to almost total coverage and many room complexes

Question 2

Tezoyuca

Basin of Mexico

Answer 2

2600 bp

Hilltop forts on ridges of mountains on the east side of the BoM

Argued that perhaps these were warriors raiding the western communities

Below the forts are scattterd farming sites in a narrow band along the mountain slopes as they reach flat ground (rain flowing down the mountain side is used for farming, possibly with use of canals)

Abandoned by 2400 bp (rise of Teotihuacan)

Question 3

Olmec Influence in the Basin of Mexico

Answer 3

Olmec items not found in burials on west side of lake where there are many sites around 2600 bp

Despite dealing with foreigners at this time (Otumba obsidian is going to Gulf Coast and Valley of Mexico)

Similar to Cor site in Quiche Basis - Pacific Piedmont outpost for 1000 years but appeared to have no effect on surrounding cultures

Question 4

Cuicuilco

Answer 4

Clearly predated Teotihuacan, probably substantially

difficult to date because the site is mostly buried in a lava flow

Use of irrigation

West and South of Basin of Mexico more settled becuase of more rain and presence of fresh water

Possible first use of chinampa agriculture

Destroyed by volcano, possibly 2400 bp

Question 5

The Rise of Teotihuacan

Answer 5

2400 bp

Teotihuacan goes from 0 to 10,000 inhabitants in a very short period of time

The populations in the surrounding Valley appear to all move to Teotihuacan abandoning prior settlements for all of the next 1000 years

By 1400 bp population had grown to 125-250,000

Question 6

Why Did Everyone Go to Teotihuacan?

Answer 6

• 2 Theories*
  1) They were forced to go here by eastern hilltop fort peoples
• (questionable whether eastern folk had enough power or population to force this kind of a change)*
  2) They went there voluntarily to participate in chinampa agriculture which is easier and more productive, and to be near sources of ceramics, obsidian, and other craft goods

Pollen studies show pre-Teotihuacan, swamps were primarily swamp plants, post-Teotihuacan replaced with MBS, and over 4-500 years from Teotihuacan taken over by chinampas

Chinampas can produce 2+ crops a year, not as susceptible to freezing, not dependent on rains becuase swamp is fed be fresh water from springs