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THE ECONOMY OF SPECIALIZED CERAMIC CRAFT PRODUCTION IN THE CASAS GRANDES REGION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2017

John R. Topi ,
Christine S. VanPool ,
Kyle D. Waller  and
Todd L. VanPool
John R. Topi*
Affiliation:
Swallow Department 202, Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Christine S. VanPool
Affiliation:
Swallow Department 202, Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Kyle D. Waller
Affiliation:
Swallow Department 202, Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
Todd L. VanPool
Affiliation:
Swallow Department 202, Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
*
([email protected], corresponding author)
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Abstract

Recent analyses use geometric morphometrics (GM), the quantitative study of shape and its variation, to examine aspects of the archaeological record. Our research builds on such applications to examine the organization of production by applying GM analysis to whole ceramic vessels from the Casas Grandes culture of northwest Mexico. We quantify variation in vessel shape and size and conclude that specialists made at least some of the Ramos and Babicora Polychromes, but that the other Casas Grandes ceramic types were generally made by nonspecialists. This bolsters arguments for Medio period (AD 1200 to 1450) specialized production above the household level but indicates that specialized production was limited to a subset of economically valuable goods. We further suggest some Ramos Polychrome was made by attached specialists associated with elites at Paquime, the religious center of the Medio period, whereas some Babicora Polychrome was made by independent specialists. The analysis contributes to three important anthropological topics: (1) the study of the Medio period Casas Grandes culture, and by extension the organization of production in mid-level hierarchically organized societies; (2) geometric morphometric analysis of archaeological collections; and (3) the Standardization Hypothesis and the relationship between artifact standardization and the organization of production.

Análisis recientes utilizan la morfometría geométrica (MG), entendida como el estudio cuantitativo de la forma y su variación, para examinar aspectos del registro arqueológico. Nuestra investigación se basa en este método mediante su aplicación en el análisis de vasijas cerámicas de la cultura Casas Grandes del noroeste de México, con el objetivo de evaluar la organización de su producción. Cuantificamos la variación en tamaño y forma de las vasijas, y concluimos que probablemente los estilos polícromos Ramos y Babicora fueron hechos por alfareros especializados, mientras que los otros tipos de cerámica de Casas Grandes no habrían sido realizados por especialistas. Esto refuerza los argumentos de la producción especializada durante el período Medio (1200 a 1450 dC), por encima del nivel doméstico, pero indica que la producción especializada se limitó a objetos económicamente valiosos. Además, sugerimos que la cerámica Ramos Polícroma fue elaborada por especialistas asociados con las élites de Paquimé, el centro religioso del período Medio, mientras que la cerámica Babicora Polícroma fue hecha por especialistas independientes. El análisis llevado a cabo contribuye a la discusión de al menos tres temas antropológicos importantes: (1) el estudio de la cultura de Casas Grandes durante el período Medio y, en consecuencia, de la organización de la producción en las sociedades jerarquizadas de nivel medio; (2) el análisis morfométrico de las colecciones arqueológicas; y (3) la hipótesis de la normalización y la relación entre la estandarización de artefactos y la organización de la producción de vasijas.

Type
Articles
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , March 2018 , pp. 122 - 142
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 by the Society for American Archaeology 

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