Estudios recientes aplicados a los objetos lapidarios de Teopancazco han permitido identificar una gran variedad de rocas y minerales de distintos origenes, asi como tres patrones tecnologicos relacionados con su filiacion cultural, uno de los cuales es local y los dos restantes foraneos, que coinciden con piezas mayas y zapotecas

Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigacion e Innovacion Tecnologica (UNAM-PAPIIT), proyecto IN400117

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Several pyrite inlays that shaped Prehispanic mosaic mirrors have been recovered in many Mesoamerican sites. Recent researches on these objects have been focused on their symbolic meaning, morphology, trade and use, with few studies that address their manufacturing techniques and production organization. In this paper we present the technological analysis we applied to different pyrite inlays from four Mesoamerican sites, supported by experimental archaeology and technological instruments such as scanning electron microscope. In this way it has been possible to identify quite precisely the type of tools used in its manufacture, enabling us to distinguish different technological styles.

The Museum of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan in Mexico City holds a collection of several thousands of polished stone artifacts that were excavated and identified as temple offerings. These can stratigraphically be related to the sequential construction stages (II-VII) of the ceremonial area of the Aztec capital from the foundation of the city in 1325 to 1521, when the Spaniards conquered the city. A non-destructive investigation of the elemental and chemical composition of these archaeological artifacts helps us to understand the provenance of these pieces, their use and the specific mineralogical choice for these artifacts as well as more information regarding trade routes relevant to the development of the Aztec empire. A mineralogical analysis of, in total, 450 stone artifacts was carried out using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). From this, eighty-five pieces were selected according to their excavation location, either in the Great Temple itself or in the surrounding buildings, as well as to represent the different construction stages of the area (this is part of a World Heritage Site). The resulting mineralogical and chemical information was related to possible mineral resources that were controlled and used as the empire expanded. Artifacts made from high-status semi-precious minerals, like jadeite and turquoise, are found to be concentrated in the central buildings and in the Great Temple itself, but also in the later construction periods of the area.

Tamtoc is a very important archaeological site in San Luis Potosi, in the Central region of Mexico. The pre-Hispanic Huastec culture developed in this site (900–1100 A.D.). During the archaeological excavations, a large amount of lithic artifacts were recovered from burials and offerings. Among them, pieces of semitransparent crystalline objects of color blue, green, yellow and white and green stone pieces were discovered in one of the most important ceremonial precinct, inside a water reservoir of the monument 32 “The Priestess”. The aim of this work is to measure the composition of the artifacts for provenance study and to establish the manufacturing technique and tools used to produce them. For material analysis, a combined analysis involving X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy was applied. The main elements as well as some traces can be measured by XRF while the mineral identification can be established by Raman. The results indicate that most of the pieces are calcite with traces of rare elements. On the other hand, experimental archaeology using a well established methodology of optical and electron microscopy examination of the manufacturing traces was applied. From this technological study the specific use of tools and materials were established for this site.