Ceramics and the Spanish Conquest: Response and Continuity of Indigenous Pottery Technology in Central Mexico (The Early Americas: History and Culture, 2)

Focusing on the native ceramic technology of central Mexico during the early colonial period and the present-day, this book offers a refreshing view into the process of cultural continuity and change in the indigenous Mesoamerican world after the Spanish conquest. Readership: All those interested in sixteenth century colonialism, the colonial period in Middle America, material culture, ancient and present-day ceramics, as well as in cultural continuity and change. CONTENTS......Page 8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 10 LIST OF MAPS AND TABLE......Page 14 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 16 INTRODUCTION......Page 18 Cultural continuity......Page 26 A note on some terms used......Page 30 Organization of this work......Page 32 Colonies, colonization and colonialism......Page 36 Post-colonial thinking......Page 38 Hybridity and hybridization......Page 39 Archaeology of colonialism......Page 41 The archaeology of colonialism in Mesoamerica......Page 42 The study of material culture......Page 46 Change in material culture......Page 48 A method to study change in material culture......Page 50 Conservatism of potters......Page 53 Change and continuity in pottery-making......Page 56 Summary......Page 58 3 CERAMIC-MAKING BEFORE THE CONQUEST......Page 60 Sources to study late pre-colonial ceramics......Page 64 Organization of ceramic production......Page 66 (a) Clay preparation......Page 68 (b) Vessel forming......Page 71 (c) Vessel surface finishing......Page 74 (d) Firing......Page 80 (e) Decoration......Page 84 (f) Assembling vessel shapes......Page 91 The impact of the Aztec empire on ceramic-making......Page 97 Ceramics as ritual objects and media of literacy......Page 100 Summary......Page 106 4 CERAMIC-MAKING IN EARLY COLONIAL TIMES......Page 108 Sources to study early colonial ceramics......Page 112 Organization of ceramic production......Page 117 (a) Clay preparation......Page 124 (b) Vessel forming......Page 126 (c) Vessel surface finishing......Page 130 (d) Firing......Page 137 (e) Decoration......Page 139 (f) Assembling vessel shapes......Page 145 The impact of the Spanish ceramic technology......Page 157 Ceramics as indices of cultural affiliation in early colonial central Mexico......Page 162 Early colonial ceramics in central Mexico......Page 166 5 CERAMIC-MAKING AT PRESENT......Page 170 Sources to study present-day ceramics......Page 176 Organization of ceramic production......Page 181 (a) Clay preparation......Page 184 (b) Vessel forming......Page 187 (c) Vessel surface finishing......Page 193 (d) Firing......Page 197 (e) Decoration......Page 201 (f) Assembling vessel shapes......Page 205 The environmental impact of ceramic-making......Page 211 Impact of institutional programs to stimulate ceramic-making......Page 214 Present-day ceramics in central Mexico......Page 220 6 CERAMICS, CULTURAL CONTINUITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE......Page 224 The development of ceramic-making during early colonial times......Page 228 The development of ceramic-making at present......Page 232 Ceramics and cultural continuity......Page 234 The role of material culture in the process of colonization......Page 237 Reactions of Mesoamerican potters to the colonization......Page 239 The prospects for ceramic-making......Page 241 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 244 INDEX......Page 262 The Spanish colonization dramatically interrupted the autonomous development of ancient Mesoamerican culture. Nevertheless, indigenous societies learnt to live with the conquest. It was not only a time of crisis, but also an extraordinarily creative time period in which material culture reflected indigenous peoples' varied responses and adaptations to the changing circumstances. This work presents insights into the process of cultural continuity and change in the indigenous world by focusing on pottery technology in the Nahua (Aztec) region of Central Mexico. The late pre-colonial, early colonial and present-day characteristics of this industry are explored in order to come to a renewed understanding of its long-term development Archaeology Of Colonialism -- The Study Of Material Culture -- Ceramic-making Before The Conquest -- Ceramic-making In Early Colonial Times -- Ceramic-making At Present -- Ceramics, Cultural Continuity And Social Change. By Gilda Hernández Sánchez. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [227]-244) And Index.