Non-Invasive Characterization of Stone Artifacts from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, Mexico
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Non-Invasive Characterization of Stone Artifacts from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, Mexico Mayra Dafne Manrique-Ortega1, Pieterjan Claes1, Valentina Aguilar-Melo1, Malinalli WongRueda1, José Luis Ruvalcaba-Sil1, Edgar Casanova-González1, Emiliano Melgar2, Reyna Solis2 1
Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico, DF 04510, Mexico. e-mail: [email protected] 2 Museo de Templo Mayor, INAH. Seminario 8, Centro Histórico, Mexico, DF 06060, Mexico. ABSTRACT 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. INTRODUCTION Although Tenochtitlan was already founded around 1325 A.D. on a small island in the Mexico Basin as a result of a territorial concession made by the lord of Azcapotzalco to the Aztecs, it lasted a century before the city finally became the Aztec capital [1]. In 1428, the Aztecs were released from the power of Azcapotzalco and could begin their expansion throughout the Aztec heartland. Eventually, they conquered and controlled about 340 ethnic groups located in a vast region covering of Mesoamerica from the southwest coast to the Gulf of Mexico and Soconusco (Southwest coast) in the Maya area (Figure 1). Besides military benefits, the Aztec expansion also resulted in the acquisition of materials which were not present in the capital region but that were needed in daily and ritual life in the city. Conquered cities were forced to pay tributes, or taxes, to Tenochtitlan. Not only merchandises, such as agricultural products, raw materials and handicrafts, each of them characterist
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