Epi-Classic Cultural Dynamics in the Mezquital Valley

Some Spheres and Possible Overlappings

Throughout the past three decades, several archaeological projects were carried out in northeastern Michoacán, southern Guanajuato and southern Querétaro. Although in the past few years many sites have been excavated, most of the information concerning this area has been built on surface observations. Thus, the correlative grounds have been, primarily, the ceramic sequence established by Michael Snarkis for the site of Acámbaro (1974; 1985) (see Nalda, 1981; Velázquez, 1982; Contreras and Durán, 1982; Sánchez and Zepeda, 1982; Moguel and Sánchez, 1988; Ramos et al., 1988; Saint-Charles, 1990; 1991b; Durán, 1991; Healan and Hernández 1999:133), those proposed by Nalda for San Juan del Río (1975) (see Saint-Charles, 1991b; Crespo) and by Cobean for the region of Tula (see Braniff, 1999; Flores and Crespo, 1988; Cervantes and Fournier, 1996).

In spite of the vagueness that surface studies may offer in chronological terms, it has been precisely after them that the geographical scopes of some ceramic provinces could be gradually established, while their extensions and overlappings now constitute a remarkable approach to the distinction of interregional relationships.

With the word "province" we refer to the dispersion of one particular ceramic type (or group of types). In such a distinction, the place occupied by the varieties is sometimes confusing, particularly whenever they show a filiation with types corresponding to other provinces. This observation is necessary, as the confluence of diagnostic traits from different provinces, would, hypothetically, be the result of a differential orientation in the connections abroad made by each social group, and consequently, of the implicit degree of interaction. In this sense, the concept of "style" is, again, very useful, as a mid position between the particularizing connotation of "type", and the generalizing connotation of "tradition" (Willey and Phillips, 1958:34-43).

The coincidences/dissents in terms of ceramic styles, reach beyond the local scale to integrate several social systems. From now on, whenever we talk about "Spheres", we shall do it after Charles Kelley’s definition, of "[…] a series of local and more or less adjacent archaeological cultures, connected by the joint presence of one or more "horizon styles" […] where sharing such styles implies some degree of cultural interaction" (Kelley, 1974:33, note 8).

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