Epi-Classic Cultural Dynamics in the Mezquital Valley

White Raised (Blanco Levantado)

There is a number of works in regard to the White Raised decoration technique, where its extended use and variability throughout a considerable period of time are described (Saint-Charles, 1990:56-59, 80-82, 102-103; Crespo, 1991a; 1996; Durán, 1991:70-71). The analysis of shapes has allowed to distinguish several types. The latest one is that which is a part of the Terminal Corral and Tollán de Tula complexes (Saint-Charles, 1990:56; Crespo, 1996:77; Braniff, 2000:40); the earliest one was present in the Formative sites of both coasts (Crespo, ibid.:79), and from the Middle Classic to the Early Post Classic, it was identified in sites from northern Guanajuato and El Bajío (Saint-Charles, ibid.:56; Crespo, ibid.:77).

The Raised White, which spread throughout the Bajío during the Classic, and was identified in El Mezquital during the Epi-Classic and the Early Post Classic, was distributed northwards at least as far as southern San Luis Potosí. It embraced almost the entire territory of Guanajuato and was present even in Salvatierra; while to the east, it was identified in several sites south of Querétaro and east of the Mezquital Valley (Map 2).⁸⁸  It has been frequently found jointly with local ceramics, and towards the end of the Epi-Classic, jointly with ceramics from the Terminal Corral complex from Tula. Surprisingly, Raised White is not present in Acámbaro, Cuitzeo, and has not been seen in large quantities south of the Lerma Valley (Moguel, 1987:122; Moguel and Sánchez, 1988:232; Castañeda et al., 1988:326; Durán, 1991:70; Braniff, 1999:58), as some of the types that characterize this area and that are found north, south and east, coexist in several sites with this one. Besides, nearby Acámbaro, there are China clay deposits, an indispensable resource for its decoration (Cárdenas, 1997:17, map 2); and the Basin of the Laja River, which flows into the Lerma River almost at the level of the Yuriria Lagoon, close to Cuitzeo, has been indicated as the major area of production for Raised White (Crespo, 1996:80).

There is a Black on Orange pottery which has been considered a variety of Raised White (Contreras and Durán, 1982, n/p; Castañeda et al., 1988:326; Saint-Charles, 1990:83-84, 102-103; Durán, 1991:68; Crespo, 1996:77). This has been occasionally confused with the Aztec II type (see Juárez and Morelos, 1988:279, 282), but besides the existing differences between them, the first seems to be earlier (Braniff, 1972:281-282). Its probable beginning has been proposed for sometime around A.D. 750/800 (Contreras and Durán 1982, n/p; Sánchez and Zepeda, 1982, n/p; Saint-Charles, ibid.:57; 84). The Black on Orange from the Bajío shows a pattern of distribution similar to Raised White, because even though it is usually reported in a lesser proportion (Durán believes the contrary, 1991:69-70), it is anyway present in southern San Luis Potosí, central and southern Guanajuato, southern Querétaro, and several samples are exhibited at the site museum in Tula.⁸⁹

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Endnotes

88. Raised White has been reported in Villa de Reyes, San Luis Potosí (Flores and Crespo, 1988:210-215; Crespo, 1996:87; Braniff, 1999:30-31); Cuarenta, Jalisco (Durán, 1991:70); Carabino, Guanajuato (Braniff, 1972:279; 1999:30-31; Flores and Crespo, 1988:210-215; Crespo, 1996:87); El Cóporo, Guanajuato (Middle and Late Cóporo phases, associated with local types) (Braniff, 1972:276; 1999:30-31; Flores and Crespo, 1988:210-215; Crespo, 1996:82); Alfaro, Guanajuato (Ramos and López, 1999:253); at sites from the Comanjá-Guanajuato sierras (such as Cerrito de Rayas) (Ramos et al., 1988:313; Ramos and López, 1996:112); Agua Espinoza, Guanajuato (Crespo, 1996:87); Cañada de la Vírgen, Guanajuato (here, it is situated between A.D. 850-900 and 1100) (Nieto 1997:107); La Gavia, Guanajuato (as of the Late Classic and during the Early Post Classic) (Moguel and Sánchez, 1988:232); Tlacote, Guanajuato (Crespo, 1991a:123); Urétaro, Guanajuato (Crespo, 1996:83), La Magdalena, Guanajuato (Flores and Crespo, 1988:210-215; Crespo, 1991a:figs. 14a-14c; Braniff, 1999:30-31); Salvatierra, Guanajuato (Braniff, 1999:30-31); the Salamanca-Yuriria stretch (Contreras and Durán, 1982, n/p) and the Salamanca-Degollado stretch (Sánchez and Zepeda, 1982, n/p); Valle de Lerma (Moguel and Sánchez, 1988:231); La Griega, Querétaro (Flores and Crespo 1988:210-215; Crespo, 1996:87); Santa Bárbara, Querétaro (Crespo, 1996:88); El Cerrito, Querétaro (Flores and Crespo, 1988:210-215; Crespo 1991a:104; Crespo 1996:82, 87); La Negreta, Querétaro (Crespo, 1996:82); San Juan del Río (Nalda, 1975:94-95); Zimapán (Sánchez et al., 1995:141-142); Sabina Grande (Carrasco et al., 2001); Tula (Cobean, 1990).

89. Black on Orange has been reported in Villa de Reyes, San Luis Potosí (Braniff, 1992:112; 1999:98); Alfaro (Ramos and López, 1999:253); at the sites from the Comanjá-Guanajuato sierras (such as Cerrito de Rayas) (Crespo, 1996:82; Ramos and López, 1996:112); Morales, Guanajuato (Braniff, 1999:96); La Gavia, Guanajuato (as of the Late Classic and during the Early Post Classic) (Moguel and Sánchez, 1988:232); Huanímaro, Guanajuato (Juárez and Morelos, 1988:279, 282); the Salamanca-Yuriria stretch (Contreras and Durán, 1982; Durán, 1991:68-69) the Salamanca-Degollado stretch (Sánchez and Zepeda, 1982); Valle de Lerma (Moguel and Sánchez, 1988:231); El Cerrito, Querétaro (Crespo, 1991a:104; 1991b:192, fig. 13); and Tula, Hidalgo (Braniff, 1999:98, Cobean, 1990:463-470). Black on Orange pottery has been noted in the Río Turbio Valley, El Cóporo, Guanajuato, and Cuarenta, Jalisco, but it has not been definitely confirmed it corresponds to the same type (Durán, 1991:69).

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