Formative lithic carved early in the Valley of Oaxaca

Abstract

In Mesoamerica, lithic artifacts have long been studied in a marginal way. Within this minority subject, obsidian production has been of special importance in comparison to other raw lithic materials. Thus, the technique of prismatic blade-making and the development of exchange networks have been priority research topics for the Early Formative (Preclassic). As a whole, simpler artifacts made of local materials have been overlooked. This may seem somewhat contradictory, because for the most part, Formative lithic collections are essentially composed of this “simple” production. This paper shows the advances in the analysis of the lithic industry in the Tierras Largas phase (1400–1200 B.C.) from the Tierras Largas and Hacienda Blanca sites in the Oaxaca Valley. Based on a technological study of the pieces, different methods of artifact production and their main characteristics are analyzed.