AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CERAMICS OF TRES ZAPOTES, VERACRUZ, MEXICO
By C. W. WEIANT
INTRODUCTION
The archeological zone of Tres Zapotes is located on the right bank of the Arroyo Hueyapan in the district of Los Tuxtlas in the southern part of the State of Veracruz. The site comprises about 50 earth mounds of varying size, some of which are on bottom land adjacent to the arroyo while others are on an elevated terrace above this flat ground. The site extends for a distance of about 2 miles and to a small extent overlaps onto the left bank of the stream. (See Stirling, 1940, 1943.)
DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCHEOLOGICAL ZONE
Some notion of the extent of the archeological zone, as well as of the number, shapes, relative base-areas, orientation, and groupings of the mounds, may be gained from map 3.It may be observed that two principal levels are indicated:
1.
The level of the Arroyo Flood Plain, which is even with the tops of the steep banks of the arroyo. (The banks themselves range from about 12 to 18 feet in height.)
2.
The level of the Main Terrace, which rises with varying de- grees of abruptness from the flood plain level to an elevation 20 to 40 feet greater.
At the southeast corner of the Main Terrace, which corresponds to a bend in the arroyo, the ascent from the flood plain is broken by an intermediate level area which is about 15 feet below the terrace. This intermediate level has been designated Lower Terrace on the map. It should be noted, also, that two prolongations from the Main Terrace jut out upon the Lower Terrace. On map 5 these prolongations have been labeled West Promontory and East Promon- tory, respectively. Both afford a commanding view of the sur- rounding country, especially to the east and the south. Gullies separate the West Promontory from the Main Terrace proper and the two promontories from each other. These gullies decrease in
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Publication Information: Book Title: An Introduction to the Ceramics of Tres Zapotes, Veracruz Mexico. Contributors: Clarence Wolsey Weiant - author. Place of Publication: Washington, DC. Publication Year: 1943. Page Number: 1.
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