The Bioarchaeology of the Central Highlands of Mesoamerica from the Early Classic Period Through the Toltec Period

Abstract

This chapter reviews the bioarchaeology of the Central Highlands of Mesoamerica, from the Early Classic period (AD 300–600) through the terminus of the Toltec period (AD 1,200). The Central Highlands cover an archaeologically diverse area, which encompasses the Basin of Mexico, the Toluca area, the Tula region, and the Mexican states of Morelos, Puebla, and Tlaxcala, all of which are reviewed in this chapter. Past research utilizing skeletal collections from the Central Highlands of Mexico has sought to reconstruct ancient patterns of daily life, diet, health, migration, ancestry, and paleodemography. In-turn, these pursuits have fueled discussions of human resilience in times of social, political, and environmental turmoil, the dynamics of urban growth, maintenance, and renewal, and the navigation of complex social issues such as inequality and life in ancient multicultural communities. While the history of bioarchaeological and osteological research in the Central Highlands is rich, the path forward is also teeming with new possibilities, as recent methodological and technical innovations in the archaeological sciences are permitting researchers to ascertain new information more effectively than ever before. In closing, this chapter provides a brief overview of new trends in Central Highland bioarchaeology and provides some suggestions for avenues of potential inquiry.