Comprehensive Study Notes on Central Place Theory and the Archaeology of the Basin of Mexico

Central Place Theory Definitions

• Micro Definition: Central Place Theory is characterized as an attempt to identify logic in the location and number of specific types of sites within a landscape.

• Macro Definition: It is a model that attempts to understand the regional distribution of settlement based on logical principles.

• Core Premises:     * The theory argues that settled sites are logically situated to ensure that outlying communities have access and the ability to reach them with relative ease.     * It assumes that humans are logical, rational, and calculating beings, drawing from the arguments of Western economics from the $1970s$.     * It is often associated with formalist capitalism and formalist economics, which led to nineteenth-century socialism as a counter-argument.

• The Central Place Site: A central place is defined as a large city that offers a disproportionate amount of goods and services compared to the surrounding areas.

• Regional Analysis Application: Central Place Theory looks at the distribution of all sites (central and non-central) over a region, assuming an economic logic dictates their size, location, and overall distribution.

Environmental Settings of the Basin of Mexico

• Archaeological Survey Context: In the $1960s$, Mexico City's massive lake was filled in for urban construction. Before the destruction of archaeological remains, a survey was conducted where archaeologists documented ceramic locations, mounds, and ancient buildings to assign dates and map settlements over thousands of years.

• The Northern Region:     * Climate and Soil: Characterized by very dry soil and low levels of rainfall.     * Agricultural Constraints: The combination of poor soil and low rainfall prevented simple agriculture.     * Technological Necessity: Farming was only possible through complex technology, specifically irrigation (intensive agriculture).     * Resources: Features an obsidian deposit located in the Patlachique Range, situated at approximately the $02:30$ or $03:00$ position on the regional map.

• The Southern Region:     * Climate and Soil: Characterized by high rainfall and good quality soil.     * Agricultural Methods: Excellent for simple and effective slash-and-burn agriculture.     * Ideal Settlement Location: The foothills, which serve as the transitionary zone between the lake and the mountains.

• The Lake System: Provided vital resources for transportation, water, food, animals, and raw materials like reeds.

Chronological Settlement Mapping and Carrying Capacity

• Map 10 ($3,000$ to $1,000\,BC$):     * Population and Complexity: Characterized by low population levels and low social stratification.     * Social Structure: Consisted of simple bands and tribes engaging in simple agriculture.     * Settlement Patterns: Almost exclusively located in the foothills of the South.     * The Guadalupe Range Exception: Three nucleated villages located at the $09:00$ position on the map, likely situated there to draw upon lake resources like fish rather than agricultural land.

• Map 22 ($1,000$ to $500\,BC$):     * Population Growth: Levels increased dramatically, with most people remaining in the South.     * Social Complexity: Emergence of chief-level societies with regional centers (indicated by bullseye symbols on maps).     * Demographics: Regional centers supported approximately $5,000$ people. Leaders were often considered gods, while $95\%$ of the population were commoners.     * Carrying Capacity Concerns: The South relied heavily on simple agriculture, leading to an issue of carrying capacity.

• Definition of Carrying Capacity: The number of individuals that regional resources can support given a specific level of technology.     * Formulaic Implication: $CC = f(\text{Resources}, \text{Technology})$. If technology changes, the number of people the land can support changes.     * South Basin Status: By this period, the lower third of the basin was bordering on a "razor's edge" of over-carrying capacity. The central third was exactly at carrying capacity, leaving no flexibility.

The Rise of Teotihuacán and Regional Conflict

• Map 23 ($300$ to $100\,BC$):     * Northern Development: For the first time, a large regional center appears in the North (Teotihuacán context) with approximately $25,000$ people.     * Technological Shift: The North adopted intensive agriculture (irrigation) to support these large populations.     * Southern Crisis: The entire South (from the midline down) exceeded carrying capacity. The lecturer uses the metaphor of "soaking the credit card" for $40$ years just to pay off the minimum, leading to a loss of food and resources.     * Political Landscape: Approximately $14$ to $15$ regional centers existed, but they were likely dominated by two independent powers: Cuicuilco (located at $07:30$) and Teotihuacán (located at $02:30$).

• Buffer Zones and "No Man's Land":     * Central Place Theory suggests humans choose the most economically viable locations, yet prime foothills in the South were left unoccupied.     * Inference of Warfare: Prime land remained empty because it was "No Man's Land"—buffer zones between warring North and South powers.     * Modern Equivalence: The lecturer compares these to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) at the $38^{th}$ parallel in Korea, the Mexico-US border, and zones between Israel and Palestine.     * Defensive Fortifications: The South organized an arc of regional centers as defensive fortifications against the North, utilizing the natural terrain like volcanoes as barriers.

The Dominance of Teotihuacán (Supra-Regional Success)

• Teotihuacán vs. Cuicuilco: The North (Teotihuacán) eventually won. The South became entirely depopulated.

• Map 13 ($100\,BC$ to $AD\,300$):     * Displays a "Supra-Regional Center" (depicted as a shaded "duck" shape with a head turning back at the top right).     * Population: Teotihuacán grew to between $50,000$ and $75,000$ people.     * Settlement Distribution: Instead of a fluid distribution of various site sizes, the map shows one massive center (Teotihuacán) surrounded by small hamlets. This suggests captured populations from the South were forced into small farming communities to work the land for the capital, preventing revolts.

• Map 14 (The Height of Power):     * Introduction of Provincial Centers (satellite capitals) acting on behalf of the primary capital.     * Teotihuacán expanded power across the North, Central, and South regions of the Basin.     * Military Expansion: Recent genetic and DNA evidence suggests Teotihuacán marched as far as Tikal in Guatemala, defeating the Maya in various battles.     * Artistic Influence: The distinctive "tripod vessel" (ceramic style with three legs, sometimes containing rattles) originated here and is found throughout Central America, including Belize.     * Environmental Factors: The collapse of the South may have been exacerbated by a massive volcanic eruption (possibly in El Salvador or Southern Mexico) that destabilized agricultural bases and trade routes.

The Toltecs and the Chichimec Mercenaries

• Map 17 ($AD\,1100$ to $1300$):     * Teotihuacán collapsed (circa $AD\,700$) after being attacked by a militaristic culture from the North known as the Toltecs (T-O-L-T-E-C).     * After the Toltecs, the Basin returned to a fragmented state with regional centers (population $5,000$ to $10,000$) and farming hamlets in the South.

• Rise of Mercenaries:     * Local lords in the South hired professional "guns for hire" or mercenaries from the North.     * Chichimecs (Chichimes): Translated as "Dogs of the North." These were brutal, spectacular warriors hired by Southern lords despite being culturally disliked.     * The term "dog" is noted as one of the greatest cross-cultural insults due to canine habits regarding waste and cleaning.

• The Legend of the Mexica (Aztecs):     * The Incident: A Chichimec warrior reportedly killed and flayed the daughter of a Southern lord, wearing her skin in a manner compared to Silence of the Lambs.     * The Migration: The Southern lords launched a counter-attack, forcing the mercenaries to flee North.     * The Vision: They sought a sacred homeland promised by a vision: an eagle holding a serpent (snake) while perched on a cactus.     * Modern Significance: This vision marked the founding of their capital on a small island and remains the symbol on the modern flag of Mexico. The Chichimecs became known as the Aztecs or Mexica.

The Aztec Empire and the Spanish Conquest

• The Height of Tenochtitlán ($1400$-$1519$):     * In just over a century, the Aztecs conquered the entire Basin.     * Tenochtitlán: The capital city located on an island in the lake at the $08:30$ position. It had a population of approximately a quarter-million ($250,000$), making it six times larger than Paris and one of the five largest cities in the world.     * Infrastructure: Extensive bridges connected the island to the mainland.     * Complexity: The lecturer argues this was the most centralized and complex culture in the Americas, surpassing even the Inca.

• The Arrival of the Spanish ($1519$):     * The Aztecs were defeated in approximately one and a half years.     * Common Myths of Defeat:         1. Guns/Artillery: $500$ Spanish with muskets could not have defeated a million people through technology alone.         2. Quetzalcoatl Legend: The myth of a returning fair-skinned, blue-eyed god may have played into the storyline but was not the primary cause.         3. Disease: Smallpox and other diseases eventually killed $90-95\%$ of the indigenous population over a century, but the immediate collapse had political roots.     * Primary Cause of Defeat: The Spanish formed alliances with all the surrounding communities that hated and were oppressed by the Aztecs. These communities joined the Spanish to liberate themselves from Aztec rule and human sacrifice.

• Legacy and Resilience:     * Despite European efforts to eradicate indigenous political and social systems and superimpose Christianity, native cultures have been resilient.     * Traditional house-building, central plaza organization, native tongues, and dress continue to survive in areas like Oaxaca, Yucatan, Belize, and Guatemala.

Questions & Discussion

• Question (Student): Before we move on to that, I in my notes, I have that the central place also has a disproportionate amount of resources… Is that correct?

• Response (Lecturer): Yes, a particular central place is a large city that offers a disproportionate amount of goods and services. Central Place Theory looks at the regional organization of settlements assuming an economic logic to their size and location.

• Question (Student): What characterized the northern half of the Basin of Mexico?

• Response (Lecturer): Very dry soil and low levels of rainfall, requiring irrigation technology for agriculture.

• Question (Student): What was the reason for the no man's land in between the North and South?

• Response (Lecturer): Warfare and buffer zones. Economic concerns were overridden by the danger of being in disputed boundary territory.

• Question (Student): I heard that Zolita was poisoned by storm?

• Response (Lecturer): We are not there yet. That didn't help either, but that was also down in Peru.

• Question (Student): Is there gonna be an exam?

• Response (Lecturer): Yes, there is an exam next class. It will be here in the classroom.