Tarascan Copper Metallurgy : a Multiapproach Perspective.

Cover -- Title Page -- Contents Page -- List of Figures -- Preface -- References cited -- Chapter 1 -- Introduction -- Problem definition and research design issues -- Methodology -- Data collection and sampling -- Significance -- The approach: metallurgy as technology -- Specific issues covered in this volume -- Chapter organization and content -- Chapter 2 -- Approaches to the study of technology and craft production -- The definition of technology in archaeology: historical background -- Theoretical approaches to technology and culture -- The historical/particularist approach -- Neo-Darwinian approaches -- The evolutionary approach -- Behavioral and economic factors -- Methodological approaches to technology -- Models derived from evolutionary theory -- Applicability of evolutionary models -- Implementing the Theory: The Study of Technological Processes -- Chaîne opératoire: the concept and its application -- Perspectives of the present study: technology, craft production and political economy -- Approaches to the study of craft production in archaeology -- The Organization of craft production: political ecology vs. political economy -- Discussion -- Chapter 3 -- Synopsis of preindustrial metallurgy as applied to Mesoamerica -- Background: the emergence of metallurgy in the New World -- Mining, metallurgy, and the evidence for West México -- Native metals and ore minerals in West México -- Prospecting and mining -- Extractive metallurgy -- Beneficiation -- Pyrometallurgy -- Alloy technology -- Fabrication of artifacts -- Cold and hot working -- Lost-Wax Casting -- Discussion -- Chapter 4 -- Tarascan copper smelting at the zone of Itziparátzico: a case study -- Socio-technological background: the Tarascan state -- Metal and the political economy of the Tarascan state -- Ore deposits and mining in the Tarascan territory.

Patterns of distribution and consumption of metal -- Smelting activities in the Tarascan territory -- Physiographic background: the Santa Clara-Opopeo Region -- Hydrology and climate -- Soils and vegetation -- History of land use -- Itziparátzico: the research project -- Preliminary work -- Surface survey -- Test pitting -- Slag analysis -- Sample selection, preparation and processing -- Microscopic analyses of slag samples -- Summary results of the microscopic analyses -- Chemical composition analysis of the slag samples -- Summary of the results of the chemical composition analysis -- Summary description of Itziparátzico -- Interpretation of the Scientific Analyses of the Slag Samples -- Discussion -- Chapter 5 -- Models of technological organization -- The Study of Craft Production -- Some notes on attached vs. independent craft production -- Gradients of variation in Costin's Scheme -- Scale of production units -- What was the scale of production at Itziparátzico? -- Organization of metallurgical production: two models -- Organizational Model I: local metallurgical industry -- Archaeological correlates -- An ethnohistorical example from south central Africa -- Organizational Model II: mobilized local metallurgical industry -- Archaeological correlates -- The Kingdom of Benin: an ethnohistorical example from southwestern Nigeria -- The organization of copper production in the Tarascan state: local versus mobilized industry -- Ore deposits and mining -- Smelting operations -- Independent or supervised smeltings? -- Final processing and manufacturing activities -- Discussion -- Scale of production units -- What was the scale of production at Itziparátzico? -- Organization of metallurgical production: two models -- Organizational Model I: local metallurgical industry -- Archaeological correlates -- An ethnohistorical example from south central Africa.

Organizational Model II: mobilized local metallurgical industry -- Archaeological correlates -- The Kingdom of Benin: an ethnohistorical example from southwestern Nigeria -- The organization of copper production in the Tarascan state: local versus mobilized industry -- Ore deposits and mining -- Smelting operations -- Independent or supervised smeltings? -- Final processing and manufacturing activities -- Discussion -- Chapter 6 -- Conclusions, remarks and suggestions for future research -- Evaluating the data from Itziparátzico -- Archaeometallurgical materials -- Archaeometallurgy -- Theory of technology -- The organization of copper metallurgy -- Potential for future research in and around Itziparátzico -- Technological and chronological implications -- Comparative models for the use of wind power in preindustrial smelting -- A brief overview of wind-powered smelting technology -- Other pressing research needs: fuel production studies and ethnohistory -- Potential for future research at the regional level -- Colonial studies as a possible avenue to investigate Prehispanic technology -- Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Chapter 6 -- Conclusions, remarks and suggestions for future research -- Evaluating the data from Itziparátzico -- Archaeometallurgical materials -- Archaeometallurgy -- Theory of technology -- The organization of copper metallurgy -- Potential for future research in and around Itziparátzico -- Technological and chronological implications -- Comparative models for the use of wind power in preindustrial smelting -- A brief overview of wind-powered smelting technology -- Other pressing research needs: fuel production studies and ethnohistory -- Potential for future research at the regional level -- Colonial studies as a possible avenue to investigate Prehispanic technology -- Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Appendix A.

IARP 2003-4: survey data -- Appendix B -- IARP 2003-4: Test pitting data -- Appendix C -- Slag analyses -- Appendix C -- Slag analyses -- Appendix D -- The rise of the theory of technology -- V. Gordon Childe: Technology and Social Evolution -- Problems in Childe's Theory of Technology -- Appendix D -- The rise of the theory of technology -- V. Gordon Childe: Technology and Social Evolution -- Problems in Childe's Theory of Technology.

A study which provides valuable insights into the nature of metal production and the development of technology and political economy in ancient Mesoamerica, offering a contribution to general anthropological theories of the emergence of social complexity.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.