Obsidians from the Archaeological Site of San Francisco Toxpan, Mexico: Supply Sources and Trade Routes

Abstract

The obsidian artifacts from the San Francisco Toxpan excavation in Veracruz, Mexico, dating from the Proto-Classic to the Mid-Post-Classic periods, were analyzed using instrumental neutron activation and statistical methods. The sources of these artifacts were Guadalupe Victoria and Zaragoza-Oyameles in Puebla, Pico de Orizaba in Veracruz, Sierra de Pachuca in Hidalgo, and Paredón in Puebla. The majority of the artifacts came from the first three sources, which are closest to the site. San Francisco Toxpan was into the trade route from the Central Highlands to the Gulf Coast but with limited influence from major cities like Teotihuacan or Cantona. The independence of these cultures likely allowed for the development of a local lithic industry, facilitating trade through the Jamapa-Cotaxtla basin. The intricate process of obtaining obsidian for the residents of Toxpan becomes evident when considering the diverse sources of these materials.