Abstract

MACIAS QUINTERO, Juan Ignacio et al. Pre-Hispanic pottery of hunter-gatherers from the Zacatecas northern semi-deserts, Mexico. Trace (Méx. DF) [online]. 2021, n.79, pp.119-150.  Epub May 24, 2021. ISSN 2007-2392.  https://doi.org/10.22134/trace.79.2021.757.

The archaeological research usually assumes that pottery production and consumption are absent in hunter-gatherer societies of northern Mexico. However, new data suggest very different behaviors in pre-Contact times. This paper presents preliminary results of analysis on ceramic sherds recovered from hunter-gatherer open air campsites in the northern Zacatecas desert. The findings reveal pots, bowls and plates used between the 10th and 13th centuries ad. The pottery was decorated with red and ochre pigments over orange, cream and buff polished surfaces. Petrographic analysis indicates three different clay groups, apparently unrelated to local sediments and minerals. These results suggest a more common use of ceramics among nomadic societies, raising new questions about contacts with other territories and cultures.

Keywords : hunter-gatherers; pottery; petrography; open air camps; Zacatecas.