Early–Middle Formative Period Subsistence in the Teotihuacan Valley, Mexico: Pre-Hispanic Plant Remains from Altica

Excavations at the Early–Middle Formative period site of Altica in the Teotihuacan Valley, Mexico, reveal critical insights into early agriculture and plant use during a transitional phase in the region's subsistence economy. Macro- and microbotanical evidence indicates that maize cultivation became firmly established by the end of the Early Formative period, marking a shift from earlier agricultural practices in the southern Basin of Mexico to more intensive farming in the semiarid northern sector. This transition likely set the stage for increased population density and social complexity. Altica stands out as one of the few surviving rural communities from this pivotal period, offering rare pre-Hispanic plant remains that shed light on subsistence strategies prior to broader agricultural diversification.

McClung de Tapia, E., Acosta-Ochoa, G., Martínez-Yrizar, D., Adriano-Morán, C. C., Cruz-Palma, J., & Chaparro-Rueda, B. (2019). EARLY–MIDDLE FORMATIVE PERIOD SUBSISTENCE IN THE TEOTIHUACAN VALLEY, MEXICO: PRE-HISPANIC PLANT REMAINS FROM ALTICA. Ancient Mesoamerica, 30(2), 339–354. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0956536118000548