“Cholula: Crossroads, Melting Pot, Mecca” with Geoffrey McCafferty

Cholula (Puebla, Mexico) is one of the most enigmatic cities of ancient Mesoamerica. Located in the Puebla/Tlaxcala valley of central Mexico, it is strategically located between the Basin of Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and the southern highlands of Oaxaca. Archaeological evidence indicates continuous occupation for at least 3000 years, much of it centered around the Great Pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, a pilgrimage center that 16th-century chroniclers described as the “Rome of Anahuac.” A rich ethnohistorical literature describes Cholula’s role in regional religion as the cult center for the veneration of Quetzalcoatl and his avatars. It also recounts Cholula’s role as a ‘port of trade’ for long distance merchants. One important aspect that sets Cholula apart from other Mesoamerican centers is its longevity, surviving and even flourishing while other prominent sites such as Monte Alban, Teotihuacan, and Tula floundered. Why? What factors contributed to the resilience with which Cholultecas adapted to the social and political turbulence? This presentation will outline Cholula’s long history, interacting with Olmecs, Zapotecs, Teotihuacanos, Mayas, Toltecs, Aztecs, and more. We will consider the significance of the ceremonial center, the long-distance exchange network, the religious hegemony of the Quetzalcoatl cult, and the development of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition used in elite interaction. Evidence is drawn from over 100 years of archaeological research, ethnohistorical sources (including Precolumbian pictorial manuscripts), and contemporary ethnography... because Cholula continues as a vibrant cultural center maintaining and transforming ancient traditions as it negotiates 21st century realities. Geoffrey McCafferty began a tenure-track professorship at the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) in 1999, with a focus on Mesoamerican and Central American archaeology. With a small start-up grant, he initiated excavations at Santa Isabel, Nicaragua, to investigate ethnohistorical claims of migration from central Mexico into Pacific Nicaragua. As expected, the polychrome pottery from the Early Postclassic period was quite similar to Mixteca-Puebla style pottery from Cholula, supporting the migration hypothesis, yet other lines of evidence contrasted with Mesoamerican practices. Since 2000, and with the help of several multi-year grants from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, he has investigated numerous sites along the shore of Lake Cocibolca in southwestern Nicaragua to further explore the ‘Mexican’ connection. He also co-directed (with his wife Sharisse) the Mi Museo museum of Precolumbian art in Granada, Nicaragua, conducting research on the ceramic iconography. He and Sharisse are currently finishing a book on the animal imagery of Precolumbian Nicaragua and its ties to Indigenous cosmovision. Thus, the two major research themes of Cholula and Pacific Nicaragua are integrated into an overarching interest in migration and ethnogenesis, especially through the beautiful polychrome ceramics. An additional research topic, also in collaboration with Sharisse, involves Precolumbian gender relations. They have focused on textile production as a stereotypical female activity with strong ideological underpinnings, informed through iconographic analyses of Precolumbian and Colonial pictorial manuscripts. Dr. McCafferty has published five monographs, two edited volumes, and over 100 academic and popular articles on such topics as ceramics and chronologies, domestic practices, engendered behaviors, mortuary patterns, and more. To subscribe to free monthly issues of The Aztlander: Voice of the Ancient Americas e-magazine, contct host Jim Reed at: [email protected]