Artifact Analysis

By Geoffrey McCafferty (2008)

Six construction phases were identified at the Patio of the Carved Skulls.  Three of these could be associated with sufficient ceramic material to be used in a seriation to infer micro-level change through time.  The combination of Classic period diagnostics with Early Postclassic material suggest that the Patio was occupied during a transitional period, probably between 700-900 CE.  These dates are tentative, however, since two C14 samples have not supported this assessment.  Between the earliest level (post-Stage 2) and the latest (post-Stage 5) the Classic diagnostics (Acozoc and Tepontla) decrease in frequency, whereas the Postclassic diagnostics (Cocoyotla and Momoxpan) increase.   

TABLE 1: Ceramic Analysis

Type                                        post-Stage 2          post-Stage 4          post-Stage 5        

Acozoc Tan/Orange                   24 / 22%                48 / 38%                 11 / 13%

Cero Zapotecas Plain                 3 / 3%                    2 / 2%                      1 / 1%

Cocoyotla Black/Natural            28 / 25%              29 / 23%                   25 / 31%

Comac Red/Buff                            1 / 1%                   1 / 1%                       1 / 1%

Momoxpan Orange                       9 / 8%                   9 / 7%                       9 / 11%

Ocotlan Red Rim                           1 / 1%                     0                                 0

San Andres Red                                0                        1 / 1%                       2 / 2%

San Pedro Polished Red                 0                           0                             1 / 1%

Tepontla Gray                                35 / 32%              40 / 32%                  22 / 27% 

Xicalli Plain                                     10 / 9%                  5 / 4%                       6 / 7%

The few figurines that were recovered were mold-made, and similar to to those found at Xochitecatl (Serra Puche and Lazcano  ) from the Epiclassic period. 

Obsidian was analyzed by Ruth Edelstein (1995), who reports that 16% was green from the Pachuca source, while 76% was gray (probably representing several sources).