Etlatongo : Social Complexity, Interaction, and Village Life in the Mixteca Alta of Oaxaca, Mexico (Case Studies in Archaeology Series)

Rating:
Summary: A new view of ancient Oaxaca
Review: A very enjoyable read! Well-written and witty, this book will appeal to students interested in learning how archaeologists actually work. Blomster provides helpful overviews of how he chose his site, determined his research objectives and drafted his research strategy. He also describes some of the glitches along the way, giving a very hands-on perspective of field work.
Blomster's research in Etlatongo, a large settlement in the largest valley of the Mixteca Alta, the mythical origin place of the Mixteca people, provides a new view of cultural interaction in early Oaxaca. When Blomster began his work, the common assumption was that, prior to the Postclassic period, the Mixteca Alta was a "cultural backwater", peripheral in terms of social development and regional interaction to the Valley of Oaxaca. This book challenges these views, demonstrating that this region of the Mixteca Alta shows similar sociopolitical processes and transformations as those in the Valley of Oaxaca. Blomster's work is an important and persuasive re-writing of early Mixtec history.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the author's discussion of "community archaeology", explaining how he worked with the village council and community members so that this project would be truly a dialogue with the community. I would recommend this book very highly for students and specialists alike.