Procedencia de la mica de Teotihuacan: control de los recursos suntuarios foráneos por las élites gobernantes

Research reveals that mica, imported from the Valley of Oaxaca, was predominantly concentrated in elite compounds within Teotihuacan during the Classic period (first 6 centuries CE), particularly at the Xalla Palace and the Viking Group. These sites, linked to the city's governing elite, contained over 90% of the mica found, with approximately 37 kg discovered at Xalla. In contrast, multi-ethnic neighborhood centers like Teopancazco had minimal mica presence. Archaeometric studies, including X-ray diffraction and neutron activation analysis, characterized the mica and compared it with sources in Oaxaca's Valley, suggesting that most Prehispanic mica likely originated from the modern mine of Minerales de Antequera S.A. in Ejutla. This finding indicates a significant control over foreign luxury resources by Teotihuacan's ruling elite.

Manzanilla, L. R., Bokhimi, X., Tenorio, D., Jiménez-Reyes, M., Rosales, E., Martínez, C., & Winter, M. (2017). Procedencia de la mica de Teotihuacan: control de los recursos suntuarios foráneos por las élites gobernantes. Anales de Antropología, 51(1), 23–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antro.2016.09.001