Keeping It Coastal: Classic Period Politics Along Mexico’s Southern Gulf Lowlands

Speaker: Dr. Philip J. Arnold III

On February 24, we welcome back Dr. Philip “Flip” Arnold, to discuss Classic Period politics in the Southern Veracruz region.

Tuxtlas Statuette

The Southern Gulf Coast of Mexico is best known as home to the Formative Period (1500-500 BC) Olmecs, a precocious culture celebrated for its megalithic artwork. Less established, but no less important, are the political ebbsandflows that marked this region during the heyday of the subsequent Classic Period (AD 300-1000).This presentation charts these Classic Period developments through archaeological, iconographic, and epigraphic data. Previously identified linkages between La Mojarra Monument #1 and the Tuxtlas Statuette are further supported via more recent data from Totocapan and Matacanela, while fieldwork at Teotepec and La Perla del Golfo suggests interaction with other Classic Veracruz cultures up and down the southern Mexican Gulf Lowlands.This new understanding demonstrates that the region’s cultural character, often

La Mojarra Monument #1

Dr. Philip Arnold

attributed to outside forces such as the Lowland Maya or Teotihuacan in Highland Mexico, results instead from an autochthonous (indigenous) development. This appreciation, in turn, offers a more nuanced understanding of the unique expressions that together constitute Classic Veracruz culture.

Our speaker, Philip J. Arnold III, is a Professor of Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago. His archaeological research focuses on the political and economic development of southern Veracruz, Mexico, spanning a period of approximately 3000 years. Dr. Arnold is the author and editor of numerous publications. His most recent volume, coedited with Lourdes Budar, is Arqueología de Los Tuxtlas: Antiguos Paisajes, Nuevas Miradas (2016: Universidad Veracruzana). His faculty webpage is https://www.luc.edu/anthropology/faculty/arnold.shtml .

The CAS will meet at 3:00pm for a social period, with the lecture beginning at 3:30pm at the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington. Meetings are open to the public and free of charge.

Members' Day

The January CAS meeting was also officially Members Day which involves the election of officers and the election of 1/3 of the Board of Directors. The slate was elected with the status appellation of Emeritus awarded to Jacqueline Leipold.

Mesoamerican/Ancient Southwestern Trade

Mike Ruggeri Talk in January Explored Evidence of Trade Over Modern Borders

The weather outside was frightful but the company inside was delightful. Twenty three doughty armchair travelers shrugged off Chicagoland subzero temperatures. (The record for Chicago happened to be 27°!) Bad weather would get worse but the CAS carried on with a room filled with members.

Trade ln Ancient Mesoamerica
Michael Ruggeri, retired Professor of History from City Colleges of Chicago, engaged us with a detailed slide show in an area of his expertise in Mesoamerican trade routes.

The various archaeological sites of the U.S. Southwest are always a source of intense interest. Current events may have intensified interest. Mike Ruggeri explained how theobromine, a component remnant of cacao, found in special drinking vessels from various sites in Pueblo Bonito was evidence of usage of chocolate.

Chocolate was the drink of Mesoamerican royalty and cacao beans were also used as currency by Mesoamericans. As such, why would the Mesoamericans want to use it as a trade item? The suggestion is that the desire for turquoise was strong enough to allow cacao use as a trade item. Seems like a sweet deal.

Archaeological exploration has uncovered extensive evidence of trade at Paquime (a/k/a Casas Grande) and also aviculture with evidence of more than 800 macaws and parrots. The acquisition of exotic birds, e.g. “scarlet macaws”, seems to have been for sacrificial rituals. Such ceremonies must have consumed a considerable portion of the economy as evidenced by macaw and parrot aviculture and the sacrifice of hundreds of birds at Paquime.

The excellence of Mike’s presentation was absolutely rewarding, as was our first postmeeting informal dinner at Prairie Moon Restaurant.

Escaping the Cold

If you took one of those advertised Mayan Riviera vacation deals, offered to escape the Chicago vortex, you might have found yourself bored at about midweek. If it happens to you, do what a few relaxing CAS members did recently. Hire a taxi or a van for a day trip to the important Maya site, Coba (including a Yucatecan lunch). With a local guide and a chauffeur pumping the pedals of your tricycle/carriage, it is more fun than a theme park. You could take an aerial wire flight over a patch of jungle, too. Joe & Marilyn Shidle, Deb & Bob Stelton, Beverly Bucur and Alan Brew shared the cost of a van. Five of us sat on a log and timed Joe Shidle climbing the highest pyramid in the Yucatan; it was 7 minutes up and 7 minutes down. Congratulations Joe!

“Keeping it Coastal:

Classic Period Politics Along Mexico’s Southern Gulf Lowlands”

IS TOPIC ON February 24 IN EVANSTON

Professor Philip J. Arnold, PhD will present “Keeping it Coastal: Classic Period Politics Along Mexico’s Southern Gulf Lowlands” on Sunday, February 24 in the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston.  This month’s lecture for the Chicago Archaeological Society/CAS begins at 3:30pm, with refreshments and socializing starting earlier, at 3:00pm.  All CAS meetings are free and open to the public.

Philip J. Arnold III is a Professor of Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago. His archaeological research focuses on the political and economic development of southern Veracruz, Mexico, spanning a period of approximately 3000 years. He is the author and editor of numerous publications; his most recent volume, co-edited with Lourdes Budar, is Arqueología de Los Tuxtlas: Antiguos Paisajes, Nuevas Miradas (2016: Universidad Veracruzana).

Dr. Arnold’s talk will chart Classic Period developments through archaeological, iconographic, and epigraphic data of the Veracruz, Mexico area.  His fieldwork at Teotepec and La Perla del Golfo suggests interaction with other Classic Veracruz cultures up and down the southern Mexican Gulf Lowlands. This new understanding demonstrates that the region’s cultural character, often attributed to outside forces such as the Lowland Maya or Teotihuacan in Highland Mexico, results instead from  indigenous development. To learn more, join us on February 24 at an open meeting of the Chicago Archaeological Society at the Evanston Public Library beginning at 3:00pm.

For more information, go to: http://www.chicagoarchaeologicalsociety.com/p/events.html.