potters’ traditions in epiclassic bajío: Needs and contributions of the technological studies of incised decorative tradition

Abstract

In Northwest Mesoamerica, long potters ‘traditions existed and developed specific decorative techniques. These phenomena constitute archaeological studies quite complex. In the case of incised decorative tradition, it is considered as a cultural marker of Bajio’s epiclassic societies, but the typological ceramic’s studies of this region created problems of confusion in its identification and classification. To resolve it, the technological analysis and reconstitution of its manufacturing and decoration operational sequences allowed understanding the potters’ logics of production and to evidence relevant criteria to propose a coherent classification.