Abstract
Cotton textiles played important economic, social, and political roles in the Prehispanic civilizations ofMesoamerica, yet archaeologists have made little progress in the analysis of textile production beyond the simple identification of spindle whorls. In this article we identify and describe whorls and a second artifactual marker of cotton spinning: ceramic spinning bowls. Quantitative changes in the occurrence of these artifacts in excavated contexts from the Mexican state of Morelos are then used to discuss the development of the local cotton industry from the Epiclassic through the Late Postclassic periods. The Postclassic cultures of Morelos apparently produced a number of innovations in cotton-spinning technology, and these changes along with increased textile production levels are linked to demographic, economic, and political changes occurring throughout Central Mexico at that time.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 349-358 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Field Archaeology |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1988 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Archaeology
- Archaeology
Cite this
The development of prehispanic cotton-spinning technology in western morelos, mexico. / Smith, Michael; Hirth, Kenneth G.
In: Journal of Field Archaeology, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1988, p. 349-358.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The development of prehispanic cotton-spinning technology in western morelos, mexico
AU - Smith, Michael
AU - Hirth, Kenneth G.
PY - 1988
Y1 - 1988
N2 - Cotton textiles played important economic, social, and political roles in the Prehispanic civilizations ofMesoamerica, yet archaeologists have made little progress in the analysis of textile production beyond the simple identification of spindle whorls. In this article we identify and describe whorls and a second artifactual marker of cotton spinning: ceramic spinning bowls. Quantitative changes in the occurrence of these artifacts in excavated contexts from the Mexican state of Morelos are then used to discuss the development of the local cotton industry from the Epiclassic through the Late Postclassic periods. The Postclassic cultures of Morelos apparently produced a number of innovations in cotton-spinning technology, and these changes along with increased textile production levels are linked to demographic, economic, and political changes occurring throughout Central Mexico at that time.
AB - Cotton textiles played important economic, social, and political roles in the Prehispanic civilizations ofMesoamerica, yet archaeologists have made little progress in the analysis of textile production beyond the simple identification of spindle whorls. In this article we identify and describe whorls and a second artifactual marker of cotton spinning: ceramic spinning bowls. Quantitative changes in the occurrence of these artifacts in excavated contexts from the Mexican state of Morelos are then used to discuss the development of the local cotton industry from the Epiclassic through the Late Postclassic periods. The Postclassic cultures of Morelos apparently produced a number of innovations in cotton-spinning technology, and these changes along with increased textile production levels are linked to demographic, economic, and political changes occurring throughout Central Mexico at that time.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84975004540&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1179/009346988791974466
DO - 10.1179/009346988791974466
M3 - Article
VL - 15
SP - 349
EP - 358
JO - Journal of Field Archaeology
JF - Journal of Field Archaeology
SN - 0093-4690
IS - 3
ER -