Pottery politics: Late Classic Maya palace production at Motul de San José, Petén, Guatemala

Materiality, regimes of value, and the politics of craft production, exchange, and consumption: A case of lime plaster at Teotihuacan, Mexico

“…An important ramification of the integration of practice theories in archaeology is an explicit recognition that a material object is both a medium and a consequence of practice (e.g., DeMarrais et al, 1996DeMarrais et al, , 2004Halperin and Foias, 2010;Hendon, 2000Hendon, , 2005Hutson, 2010;Smith, 2011). This can clearly be seen in Giddens' concept of structure, which is defined as sets of mutually sustaining rules and resources (Giddens, 1979:104).…”

“…But some studies of household economy and non-elite populations explore consumption behaviors based on a consideration of material values to various degrees (e.g., Barber and Joyce, 2007;Carballo et al, 2014b;Hutson, 2010;Levine, 2011;Lohse and Valdes, 2004;Smith, 1987;Wattenmaker, 1994). Since all social segments consume material objects, we need to expand the scope of the analysis to include both elites and non-elite populations (e.g., Brumfiel, 1987aBrumfiel, , 1987bHalperin and Foias, 2010;Lesure, 1999;Steel, 2013).…”

Tomb 68-1, Copan: Deducing Polity Dynamics during the Early Classic Period and Beyond

“…The volume begins with several contributions that examine the roles and impacts of household decision-making on larger political structures. In recent decades, household excavations across Mesoamerica have significantly increased in number, spatial expanse, and analytical intensity (Carballo 2011; Halperin and Foias 2010;Healan 2009;Hendon 1991;Hirth 2009;Inomata and Triadan 2010;Manzanilla 2009;Marken and González Cruz 2007;Palka 1997;Plunket 2002;Santley and Hirth 1993). These studies demonstrate that elite and non-elite households were active participants in the negotiation of polity.…”

Circulation as Placemaking: Late Classic Maya Polities and Portable Objects

“…In addition to the paste composition data, archaeological excavations at the northern edge of Motul de San José's royal palace has uncovered evidence for the production of Ik’ style polychrome vessels, simple polychrome vessels, and ceramic figurines (Halperin and Foias , ). Although evidence for pottery production is extremely rare in the Maya area, these excavations located the debris from a pottery‐production workshop or workshops within a large secondary midden of the palace.…”