Postclassic expansion of Mesoamerican biocultural characteristics into Sonora, Mexico

Abstract

Recent excavations at the Postclassic period (circa a.d. 1000–1521) mortuary mound of El Cementerio (SON P:10:8), located along the Río Yaqui in central Sonora, Mexico, have documented 105 mortuary features (111 individuals) many of which display elongated intentional cranial modification and several cases of tooth filing. These constitute biocultural traits common across much of Mesoamerica throughout its Prehispanic cultural sequence, which expanded along West Mexico and into northwest Mexico beginning in the late Classic period. The examples from El Cementerio represent the northernmost concentrated expression of these traits and could represent the spread of Mesoamerican/West Mexican identity associated with macro-regional trade and the expansion of the Aztatlán archaeological tradition during the Postclassic period in the region.

Keywords:

• cranial modification
• tooth filing
• Postclassic period
• Sonora

Acknowledgments

Proyecto Arqueológico Sur de Sonora is funded by Arizona State University through Ben Nelson and has been directed by Cristina García since 2008. We extend our gratitude to Ben Nelson and Matt Pailes who reviewed the original version of this manuscript and provided insightful comments, and to Randy McGuire and an anonymous reviewer who provided a critique of this submission, all of which contributed to a much improved manuscript.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James T. Watson

James T. Watson (Ph.D. 2005, University of Nevada Las Vegas) is Associate Curator of Bioarchaeology and Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. His research examines health and disease in prehistoric populations through their skeletal remains. He is specifically interested in understanding prehistoric human adaptations in desert ecosystems and the role local resources play in the adoption of agriculture and their impact on health.

Cristina García

Cristina García (M.A. 2014, Universidad de Sonora) is an archaeologist. She graduated from Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia—México with a focus on the prehistory of northwest Mexico and since 2002 has contributed to several national and international archaeological projects in the state of Sonora. Under contract from Arizona State University since 2008, she has been directing the Proyecto Arqueológico Sur de Sonora.