Conflict and sudden mobility are often correlated in the archaeological record; however the timing and nature of a relationship between these variables is complex and historically-contingent. In the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, the transition from the Middle to Late Formative period (500 BCE) was a time of population movement and nucleation in the region marked by the founding of Monte Albán, a site that would be come the New World’s first urban center. These population movements, documented through regional survey, coincided with possible evidence for conflict such as relocation of settlements to naturally defensible hilltops, the construction of defensive walls, and burning of public architecture at large sites. However, the nature of conflict and its relationship with these population movements is not well-understood.

We examine the case of Tilcajete, one of the three largest settlements in the Oaxaca Valley at this time. The earliest occupation of the site was abruptly abandoned around 300 BCE following an episode of burning and destruction of the civic ceremonial plaza. The entire site was rebuilt 800 m upslope in a more defensible location. Following the re-building, the site’s population continued to grow and persist for two centuries. We evaluate multiple lines of evidence for resistance and negotiation. Using chemical sourcing techniques such as XRF and INAA along with more traditional analyses of household assemblages to evaluate evidence for change and continuity in access to resources essential for the survival of the residents of Tilcajete. Our findings indicate that conflict continued during this period in the form of economic isolation. We document disruption in access to local, regional, long-distance resources. We argue that this is evidence of interference by other powerful sites, likely Monte Albán, whose dominance in the region was solidified by 100 BCE, coinciding with the abandonment of Tilcajete.

First Author: Lacey Carpenter

Co-Authors: Sofía Pacheco-Forés

Keywords:
Conflict
Resistance
Mesoamerica
Chemical Sourcing