The Production and Use of Prehispanic Metal Artifacts in the Central Coastal Area of Jalisco, Mexico

Abstract

This chapter provides the information regarding the production and use of prehistoric metal artifacts in the central coastal area of Jalisco, Mexico is derived from three seasons of archaeological fieldwork in the Tomatlan river basin and laboratory analysis which has been conducted subsequent to the field investigations. It describes the metal artifacts which were found in association with deposits of the Aztatlan and Nahuapa phases. Excavations at several Tomatlan area sites yielded metal artifacts, all of which appear to be mainly copper. The great majority of metal artifacts recovered from the excavations in the Tomatlan area came from the excavation of Tom-24 where we excavated the interior floor deposit of eight out of a total of 11 houses found at the site, and test-trenched both plazas. The Amapa material is the largest collection of metal artifacts found near Tomatlan which has been recovered from scientifically controlled excavations and subjected to extensive metallurgical analysis.