PIECING TOGETHER THE PAST THROUGH TIME: A CERAMIC ANALYSIS OF LOS SOLDADOS, MEXICO

The Olmec Civilization of Mexico’s southern Gulf lowlands is central to understanding the Early and Middle Formative periods (2000-400 BC) in Mesoamerican prehistory; yet, the development of a universal ceramic chronology for the Olmec region has not been produced. This can be partially attributed to the Hallstatt Plateau (ca. 800-400 BC), a segment of the radiocarbon record where date precision is significantly reduced, hindering the ability to establish clear chronological divisions. This research addresses this critical gap by analyzing ceramic attributes collected from Middle Formative contexts at the site of Los Soldados, an Olmec site located near La Venta, Mexico. Utilizing data from the Proyecto Arqeológico Arroyo Pesquero (PAAP), the central objective is to determine if identifiable pottery attributes can be reliably utilized as relative chronological indicators to better differentiate phases within the plateau. Furthermore, this study tests how ceramic from the site align with established regional chronologies. This was done by identifying diagnostic ceramic traits and comparing them to existing seriation studies from proximal sites. The research proposes a refined relative dating method to supplement absolute dating techniques, thereby contributing essential reliable data toward the development of a unified chronology for the Olmec Heartland.