Censer Symbolism and the State Polity in Teotihuacán

Ritual Ceramics at a Workshop in the Ciudadela, Teotihuacán: Catalog
by Carlos Múnera B. and Saburo Sugiyama

Presentation

Teotihuacán, one of the archaeological sites more intensely explored within the Mesoamerican area, presents a varied range of information originated in archaeological excavations, the study of which has allowed to largely understand the process of growth of its inhabitants, the urban pattern of the ancient city, and several artistic manifestations such as mural paintings, while some overall notion regarding the funerary system or the burial pattern has also been obtained. Also, there’s information concerning ideology and religion, and regarding as well the cultural relationships that the great metropolis of Teotihuacán maintained with other Mesoamerican areas.

The excavations of the Teotihuacán Archaeological Project (TAP) carried out by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) during the years 1980-82, have also provided material numbers and a rich corpus of information, while results of most of such studies have become available through different publications; however, the project ceased to exist before work was concluded. A number of researchers who participated in the above project have continued studying the materials, integrating information, widening discussions and presenting results in different forums and scientific gatherings. Three books have been the result of such studies, and nine Bachelor dissertations presented at the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH) were elaborated; some of them have been published, thanks mainly to the interest of the researchers who integrated said project.

However, due to the lack of the necessary supports, it was not possible to continue and to make progress in regard to the analysis of the substantial materials recovered during the excavations, and most of these archaeological collections are presently stored and awaiting to be studied.

This study, displayed as a catalog, is a part of those recovered materials that remained, for a long time, awaiting to be published. It provides highly interesting information, mainly in the field of iconography, and being as they are, materials originated in a rare finding, the study is imbued of a particular significance. This is a part of a ritual ceramic workshop located in the North Quadrangle of the Ciudadela, and because of its context, it has been said that the workshop was established under the initiative of the residents of this large architectural compound, considered to be the ruling center of the Teotihuacán state. In other words, this was a workshop that produced luxury objects of an ideological character.

This collection includes numerous ceramic objects, uncommon in Teotihuacán, mainly molds and object reproductions that were used as decorative appliqués in censers known as "theater-type censers" (braseros tipo teatro), typical of this great religious center. Together with these substantial materials, numerous mass elaborated figurines mainly made of clay were found, as also clay masks with their molds, and several tools and remains of possible ceramic furnaces. This material, presented in five groups, has been classified based on the different subjects represented in them. The general classification was first undertaken by Carlos Múnera, who included part of this information in his Bachelor dissertation; later, Saburo Sugiyama carried on with the classification and made its final arranging. Both scholars were a part of the project we have referred to.

The iconographic analysis of these materials is still to be made, and this is why they are now presented in this publication, so that experts in this field may use the information and produce their own interpretations, which will represent a valuable contribution and increase knowledge on the Teotihuacán culture.

Rubén Cabrera Castro
Project Coordinator
Teotihuacán Archaeological Project 1980-82

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