The origin of complex societies--the change from egalitarian to early ranked (or chiefdom level) societies-- is a fundamental transformation explored by social scientists. Due to its diachronic nature, archaeology is particularly well suited to explore the dramatic changes in power and status relationships attendant with complex societies. In ancient Mexico, socio-politically complex societies first appear between 1500 and 850 BC. Substantial debate has centered on the role of political integration, differences in domestic economies and access to exotic materials, interregional interaction, and public ceremony in this major social transition. In order to contribute to this debate, Dr. Blomster will conduct archaeological research at the Nochixtlán Valley site of Etlatongo, in the Mixteca Alta of Oaxaca, Mexico. His research will explore the emergence and dynamics of early ranked society through variation in archaeological correlates including: household assemblages, architecture, craft production, community ritual, access to exotic goods, and interregional interaction. The Mixteca has been characterized as exhibiting less precocious developments in socio-political complexity and interregional interaction than their contemporaries in the nearby Valley of Oaxaca, which provides substantial comparative data.
Through three years of excavation and laboratory analyses at Etlatongo, the researcher will generate multiple lines of data to explore the emergence and dynamics of early ranked society in the Nochixtlán Valley. The researcher's hypothesis is that Etlatongo developed rapidly into a large center circa 1150 BC due to the confluence of the development of public ritual and greater access to exotic symbols and materials through interregional interaction. He will explore this central hypothesis through two main anthropological questions. The first question is: did Etlatongo, circa 1150 BC, become a ranked society, comparable to the similarly-sized contemporaneous chiefly center of San José Mogote in the Valley of Oaxaca? This issue will be assessed by exploring comparative differences in household architecture, crafting activities, material culture, and participation in feasting. The second question is: if present, what were the key factors in the emergence of socio-political complexity at Etlatongo? This issue will be examined through analysis of public space, ritual, and interregional interaction (including with the Olmec of Mexico's Gulf Coast), to determine if they are associated with nascent leaders both spatially and through their restricted access to ritual paraphernalia and/or exotic materials.
By documenting Etlatongo's early political history, this research will have a broader impact by increasing awareness of Mixtecs' unique contributions to local and national cultural heritage. Based on the interests of local stakeholders, Dr. Blomster will collaborate in development projects, including a proposed community museum at Etlatongo. Research results will be disseminated to the public through a bilingual English/Spanish project website. The project will also train students from both Mexico and the United States, promoting international collaboration, and will generate dissertation and thesis projects.
