Joshua D. Englehardt, Verenice Y. Heredia Espinoza, and Christopher S. Beekman (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780813066349
- eISBN:
- 9780813058566
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813066349.001.0001
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
Ancient west Mexico has often been viewed as an isolated mishmash of cultures, separated from Mesoamerica “proper,” a region that lacked “civilization.” This volume argues against this vision by ...
More
Ancient west Mexico has often been viewed as an isolated mishmash of cultures, separated from Mesoamerica “proper,” a region that lacked “civilization.” This volume argues against this vision by highlighting current archaeological research on the diverse and complex pre-Hispanic societies that developed in this area. Through the presentation of original data and interpretations, contributions provoke debate and advance understanding of regional complexity, chronology, and diversity, as well as the role of the west in broader, pan-Mesoamerican sociocultural processes. The volume illustrates the ways in which research and areal data from western Mesoamerica can meaningfully contribute to the construction of theoretical models applicable in multiple contexts and capable of enhancing archaeological descriptions and explanations of the dynamic diversity characteristic of all Mesoamerican societies. The volume also presents intriguing case studies from western Mesoamerica that illuminate alternative pathways to sociopolitical complexity in pre-Hispanic societies. In doing so, the volume seeks to contribute to contemporary anthropological and archaeological debates regarding the ways in which archaeologists describe and explain the material configurations that they encounter in the archaeological record, and how these configurations may explain, relate to, and enhance our understanding of the ancient lifeways of the diverse societies that inhabited the region.Less
Ancient west Mexico has often been viewed as an isolated mishmash of cultures, separated from Mesoamerica “proper,” a region that lacked “civilization.” This volume argues against this vision by highlighting current archaeological research on the diverse and complex pre-Hispanic societies that developed in this area. Through the presentation of original data and interpretations, contributions provoke debate and advance understanding of regional complexity, chronology, and diversity, as well as the role of the west in broader, pan-Mesoamerican sociocultural processes. The volume illustrates the ways in which research and areal data from western Mesoamerica can meaningfully contribute to the construction of theoretical models applicable in multiple contexts and capable of enhancing archaeological descriptions and explanations of the dynamic diversity characteristic of all Mesoamerican societies. The volume also presents intriguing case studies from western Mesoamerica that illuminate alternative pathways to sociopolitical complexity in pre-Hispanic societies. In doing so, the volume seeks to contribute to contemporary anthropological and archaeological debates regarding the ways in which archaeologists describe and explain the material configurations that they encounter in the archaeological record, and how these configurations may explain, relate to, and enhance our understanding of the ancient lifeways of the diverse societies that inhabited the region.
Christopher S. Beekman, Joshua D. Englehardt, and Verenice Y. Heredia Espinoza
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780813066349
- eISBN:
- 9780813058566
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813066349.003.0001
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
This introductory chapter provides a brief history of research on ancient west Mexico and outlines traditional archaeological conceptions of the region as exotic, unique, or “other.” It also provides ...
More
This introductory chapter provides a brief history of research on ancient west Mexico and outlines traditional archaeological conceptions of the region as exotic, unique, or “other.” It also provides a preliminary definition and spatial delimitation of the vast area known as “the west,” and a short discussion of regional chronology. In doing so, it contextualizes the constituent chapters of the volume within broader archaeological debates regarding the nature of pre-Hispanic societies in west Mexico and their role in larger, pan-Mesoamerican sociocultural processes. Like the volume itself, the introduction highlights the spatial, temporal, and cultural diversity evident throughout the region’s history. Finally, the introduction provides brief summaries of the chapters that comprise the volume, foregrounding the dialogue among the contributions and foreshadowing the synthesis presented in the conclusions, thus aiding in binding a diverse collection into a coherent whole.Less
This introductory chapter provides a brief history of research on ancient west Mexico and outlines traditional archaeological conceptions of the region as exotic, unique, or “other.” It also provides a preliminary definition and spatial delimitation of the vast area known as “the west,” and a short discussion of regional chronology. In doing so, it contextualizes the constituent chapters of the volume within broader archaeological debates regarding the nature of pre-Hispanic societies in west Mexico and their role in larger, pan-Mesoamerican sociocultural processes. Like the volume itself, the introduction highlights the spatial, temporal, and cultural diversity evident throughout the region’s history. Finally, the introduction provides brief summaries of the chapters that comprise the volume, foregrounding the dialogue among the contributions and foreshadowing the synthesis presented in the conclusions, thus aiding in binding a diverse collection into a coherent whole.
