Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish AmericaJoyce, Thomas Athol
History
Mexican archæology : $b an introduction to the archæology of the Mexican and Mayan civilizations of pre-Spanish America
Joyce, Thomas Athol
Mayas -- Antiquities; Mexico -- Antiquities
Similar vase-feet are found at Tehuantepec, at Cuicatlan, at Teotitlan
and, as we have seen, at Cholula. Of these localities the first pair
seem to stand in close relation one to the other, and also the second
pair, from the fact that the Cholulan and Teotitlan vase-feet are most
commonly in the form of grotesque human heads, those of Cuicatlan and
Tehuantepec in the form of heads of snakes. However, the distinction is
by no means absolute. As far as the Totonac region is concerned, the
beast heads seem to be in the majority. Impressed patterns are found on
the bottoms of bowls from Sacrificios (Pl. XVIII, 9), but these form
regular designs, instead of being, as in Mexico, mere series of incised
lines. Similar bowls are found at Atlixco and at Cuicatlan, though
at the latter locality they are made in black ware. An interesting
characteristic of Totonac pottery ornamentation is seen in more or
less naturalistic painted designs, usually in yellow and brown slip,
representing animals, such as the Mexican porcupine, the coati,
monkeys, snakes, bats, lizards and insects. Quantities of fragments of
pottery figurines occur throughout the Totonac area. These are made
of a ware inferior to that of the vases, and though the treatment of
the bodies and limbs is apt to be clumsy, yet the faces are modelled
with considerable skill. Many of the details are applied, such as
head-dresses, sandal ties and the like; the teeth are often shown filed
to a point, or even mutilated in characteristic Maya fashion. The last
peculiarity emphasizes the general resemblance which these figurines
bear to those of British Honduras.
The pottery of the Totonac has been investigated carefully by
Strebel, who distinguishes several local types within the area. In
a general work of this nature it is impossible to deal at length
with minor variations, and it will be sufficient to state that the
careful investigations of this archæologist seem to indicate four
culture centres for the coastal region between the rivers Nautla and
Papaloapan. The two first are in the north, and close together, and are
associated respectively with sites at Cerro Montoso (E.N.E. of Jalapa,
near the coast) and Ranchito de las Animas (immediately N.E. of the
last). At the former of these the style is akin to and influenced by
the neighbouring highlands and the district beyond, while the latter
is probably more purely aboriginal. The two second lie to the south,
one including the Rio de Cotaxla, the other extending thence to the Rio
Papaloapan.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account