What If the Aztec Empire Never Existed? The Prerequisites of Empire and the Politics of Plausible Alternative Histories
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2280225 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Christopher T Morehart (Georgia State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 267-281 |
| Publication date | 2012-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Anthropologist (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0002-7294 • E-ISSN: 1548-1433 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2012.01424.x |
| OpenAlex | W2034995035 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 27 |
| References cited | 44 |
This article studies archaeological and local versions of the past at Xaltocan, Mexico. At Xaltocan, the past provides a vehicle for statements of ethnic, national, and community identity. Community organizations seek to glorify the town as the descendant of an ancient kingdom that, had a different constellation of historical processes transpired, could have become both the center of an empire and a nation. This process raises questions regarding archaeology's utility and points of convergence and divergence between archaeological and local versions of the past. Rather than disregard the local appropriation of archaeological knowledge, this article attempts both to recognize the relationship between the past and identity politics and to assess local claims by examining archaeological and historical data. This article also considers the problems of this project, particularly the unintended consequences of archaeological research connected to identity politics. [identity, heritage, empire, Mexico, Aztec empire]RESUMEN Este artículo estudia las versiones arqueológicas y locales del pasado en Xaltocan, México. En Xaltocan, el pasado proporciona un vehículo para la manifestación de la identidad étnica, nacional y comunitaria. Las organizaciones de la comunidad tratan de glorificar a la ciudad como descendientes de un antiguo reino que, habiendose dado una constelación diferente de procesos históricos, podría haberse convertido en el centro de un imperio y una nación. Este proceso plantea dudas sobre la utilidad de la arqueología y los puntos de convergencia y divergencia entre las versiones arqueológicas y locales del pasado. Este artículo intenta reconocer la relación entre el pasado y las políticas de identidad y evaluar los reclamos locales mediante el examen de los datos arqueológicos e históricos. También, este artículo considera los problemas de este proyecto, en particular, las consecuencias impremeditadas de la investigación arqueológica ligadas a la política de identidad
Aesthetics · Ancient history · Appropriation · Art · Descendant · Empire · Ethnology · Genealogy · Geography · Humanities · Identity (music · National identity · Political science · Politics · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies · History · Latin American history and culture · Law
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| Unique citing works | 27 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,93 |
| Citation span | 2012 - 2026 (15) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 27 |