The History of Teotihuacan Through the Eyes of Women Scholars

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, more than 60 women have dedicated their research to the ancient city of Teotihuacan, located in Central Mexico (100–650 CE). This chapter describes the history of Teotihuacan through the contributions of women archaeologists, art historians, and bio-archaeologists throughout four periods of investigations, in which they have studied the environment and natural resources, the city sectors, craft specialization, the making of objects, archaeological materials, human remains, and murals. In the 1960s, women scholars investigated pottery production and established the chronology of Teotihuacan. Since the 1970s, they have conducted bio-archaeological research and environmental studies in the Teotihuacan Valley. Between 1960 and 1990, excavations of residential compounds created a benchmark for household archaeology and the identification of human activities. These women have concentrated their research on the early history of the Teotihuacan Valley, investigating its Formative occupation during the 1980s and its later history since the 1990s. Teotihuacan appears before us through their numerous studies, covering household excavations and neighborhoods, including palatial compounds. The vast knowledge produced by these women and their studies makes it possible to tell the history of Teotihuacan and its inhabitants in the following pages.