Evidence of pre-Columbian settlements in the forest of the Tuxtla Volcanic Field, Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

The basaltic Los Tuxtlas Volcanic Field (LTVF) is located at the western margin of the Gulf of Mexico in the State of Veracruz, Mexico. The field is a massif composed of four large volcanic structures and hundreds of scoria cones, lava domes and maars. This area was in the past covered by a dense forest in whose margins flourished several of the ancient cities of importance in central and southern Veracruz. Within the forest no enduring archeological ruins have been found; but the present inhabitants of the area frequently find fragments of ceramics and stone that attest to the presence of what could have been small settlements with a seminomadic regime. Unfortunately the objects found have been removed from their emplacement and are difficult to date. However in the course of our study of the volcanic deposits in the area we found four mudflow deposits containing pre- Columbian pottery objects and shards, as well as charcoal in some of them. Sections of the deposits were observed in detail and sampled for granulometric analysis. The charcoal samples were dated using standard radiocarbon methods (C-14); where charcoal was absent the pottery shards were dated with thermoluminescence (TL) techniques. The samples from these sites yielded ages of 1176±100 years BP (TL), 1385±70 BP years (C-14), 1157±105 years BP (TL), and 2050+245-235 years BP (C-14). Since in the area there is no clayey and silty material suitable for production of pottery; the closest and largest prehispanic cities, Tres Zapotes or Matacapa, are located to the west of the LTVF.