Teotihuacn Slate discs: characterization and origin of the raw material

Slate artifacts were used by societies in various parts of the Americas from ancient times, spanning different forms and temporalities. In the case of Teotihuacan, located in central Mexico, slate artifacts reported both inside and outside this city were deposited as offerings, and were associated with fire, water, and the underworld. Although slate was a raw material with a constant presence in Teotihuacan, it is only recognized when it appears associated with mirrors or when it presents iconographic designs or with evidence of decoration. In this article we point out its social importance in Teotihuacan and its chronological and contextual associations. According to the results of the typological, geological, and characterization analyses, we show the use of raw materials within the same deposit, as well as the identification of slate raw material sources. The results allow us to make inferences about the ritual, symbolic, and hierarchical functions of this raw material within Teotihuacan.