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Books by Ximena Chávez Balderas

A la búsqueda del significado del uso ritual de mandíbulas humanas y animales en Mesoamérica. Olivier, Chávez Balderas y Santos Fita (2019), 2019

Papers by Ximena Chávez Balderas

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 2021

This is the first systematic study of residential patterns of Mexica human sacrifices, as determi... more This is the first systematic study of residential patterns of Mexica human sacrifices, as determined from bone and enamel phosphate oxygen isotope data of individuals recovered at the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan (n = 36)
and the Templo R of Tlatelolco (n = 24). We identify these individuals’ geographic residences and compare these patterns with phosphate oxygen isotope data from a contemporary non-sacrificial group (Ecatepec; n = 24) from the Basin of Mexico. The sacrifices’ residential patterns are evaluated to assess their group membership (i.e., as locals, long-term residents, or non-locals from other regions of Mesoamerica). The Tlatelolco subadult and adult sacrifices were either locals or long-term residents. The Templo Mayor subadult sacrifices offered at several ceremonies were non-locals and long-term residents, while the adult sacrifices were long-term residents (e.g., slaves living in Tenochtitlan >10 yrs.) or non-locals (e.g., war captives, slaves, spoils-of-war sacrificed soon after arriving to the Basin). Our results demonstrate the Templo Mayor priests had broad access to long-term residents and non-locals with origins from Mesoamerican regions subjugated by the Mexica. This study illustrates the Mexica obtained individuals for sacrifice with a diverse range of physical, social, and geographic characteristics for their ritual ceremonies.

Social Skins of the Head (Tiesler & Lozada), 2018

Uso del águila real en el Templo Mayor

Reseña de la Conferencia Conference Review

Archaeological data relating to the fauna exploited by the Mexicas and their neighbors in the Bas... more Archaeological data relating to the fauna exploited by the Mexicas and their neighbors in the Basin of Mexico are relatively sparse. To a large extent, this is due to the fact that the majority of pre-Hispanic settlements from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries have gradually been buried under Mexico City, a megalopolis that today houses more than 20 million inhabitants and that continues to grow at an unbridled rate (see Parsons 1989). Archaeologists have excavated only a few rural sites in detail, revealing some of the complex human-animal relationships in these kinds of contexts at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards. Outstanding examples include the projects of Elizabeth M. Brumfiel (2005) at Xaltocan, Raúl Ávila López (2006) at Mexicaltzingo, and Mary G. Hodge at Chalco, which focus on these modest settlements located at opposite ends of the Basin's lake system.

A la búsqueda del significado del uso ritual de mandíbulas humanas y animales en Mesoamérica. Olivier, Chávez Balderas y Santos Fita (2019), 2019

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 2021

This is the first systematic study of residential patterns of Mexica human sacrifices, as determi... more This is the first systematic study of residential patterns of Mexica human sacrifices, as determined from bone and enamel phosphate oxygen isotope data of individuals recovered at the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan (n = 36)
and the Templo R of Tlatelolco (n = 24). We identify these individuals’ geographic residences and compare these patterns with phosphate oxygen isotope data from a contemporary non-sacrificial group (Ecatepec; n = 24) from the Basin of Mexico. The sacrifices’ residential patterns are evaluated to assess their group membership (i.e., as locals, long-term residents, or non-locals from other regions of Mesoamerica). The Tlatelolco subadult and adult sacrifices were either locals or long-term residents. The Templo Mayor subadult sacrifices offered at several ceremonies were non-locals and long-term residents, while the adult sacrifices were long-term residents (e.g., slaves living in Tenochtitlan >10 yrs.) or non-locals (e.g., war captives, slaves, spoils-of-war sacrificed soon after arriving to the Basin). Our results demonstrate the Templo Mayor priests had broad access to long-term residents and non-locals with origins from Mesoamerican regions subjugated by the Mexica. This study illustrates the Mexica obtained individuals for sacrifice with a diverse range of physical, social, and geographic characteristics for their ritual ceremonies.

Social Skins of the Head (Tiesler & Lozada), 2018

Uso del águila real en el Templo Mayor

Reseña de la Conferencia Conference Review

Archaeological data relating to the fauna exploited by the Mexicas and their neighbors in the Bas... more Archaeological data relating to the fauna exploited by the Mexicas and their neighbors in the Basin of Mexico are relatively sparse. To a large extent, this is due to the fact that the majority of pre-Hispanic settlements from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries have gradually been buried under Mexico City, a megalopolis that today houses more than 20 million inhabitants and that continues to grow at an unbridled rate (see Parsons 1989). Archaeologists have excavated only a few rural sites in detail, revealing some of the complex human-animal relationships in these kinds of contexts at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards. Outstanding examples include the projects of Elizabeth M. Brumfiel (2005) at Xaltocan, Raúl Ávila López (2006) at Mexicaltzingo, and Mary G. Hodge at Chalco, which focus on these modest settlements located at opposite ends of the Basin's lake system.

Agradecimientos Los resultados de esta investigación son producto del trabajo en conjunto y de la... more Agradecimientos Los resultados de esta investigación son producto del trabajo en conjunto y de las numerosas ideas, creativas e innovadoras, de los investigadores que me brindaron su apoyo.

resumen La Ofrenda 126 fue encontrada durante el año 2008, en el marco de la séptima temporada de... more resumen La Ofrenda 126 fue encontrada durante el año 2008, en el marco de la séptima temporada de excavación del Proyecto Templo Mayor. El depósito estaba emplazado bajo el monolito de la diosa Tlaltecuhtli, correspondiente al reinado de Ahuítzotl (1486-1502 dC). La ofrenda se caracteriza por la extraordinaria riqueza de materiales biológicos, entre los que destacan restos de felinos, cánidos y aves. Estos ejemplares presentan evidencia de modificaciones culturales de diversa índole, pues fueron colocados como huesos aislados y segmentos articulados, presentando numerosas huellas de corte, descarne y fracturas. La cantidad de ejemplares y la considerable superposición de elementos óseos planteó la necesidad de realizar un registro minucioso que permitiera recuperar la mayor cantidad de información en campo. En el presente trabajo se expone la metodología utilizada, la cual combina planteamientos propuestos por la llamada osteoarqueología de campo, desarrollada por especialistas en antropología física, además de la utilización de sistemas de registro gráfico empleando el programa AutoCAD.

After eight long field seasons working at the sacred precinct of Tenochtitlan, the Proyecto Templ... more After eight long field seasons working at the sacred precinct of Tenochtitlan, the Proyecto Templo Mayor (INAH, Mexico) has recorded in this ritual contexts an amazing diversity of animal species, infinitely superior to what has been observed, for example, at rural sites such as Xaltocan, Mexicaltzingo, and Chalco. As a result of archaeozoological research on materials recovered in the heart of Mexica capital, more than three hundred species have been identified. The resulting information has been on display to the public in a gallery devoted to fauna in the Templo Mayor Museum and has also been published in numerous studies on biological, ecological, and taphonomic aspects of the animals deposited in offerings. Equally numerous are publications referring to cultural dimensions such as a preference for certain species; places, ways, and periods to obtain living or dead fauna; mechanisms of circulation; techniques of sacrifice and modification of cadavers; uses and meanings of each zoological group; indigenous taxonomies, and persistence or transformation of all of these behaviors through time. There are even published studies on the conservation and restoration of faunal remains uncovered by our project.

Primera Mesa Redonda de Tenochtitlan. En su primera edición, esta reunión académica será dedicada... more Primera Mesa Redonda de Tenochtitlan. En su primera edición, esta reunión académica será dedicada al tema “Al pie del Templo Mayor: excavaciones y estudios recientes” y tendrá lugar en el Auditorio Mayor del Colegio Nacional del 30 de noviembre al 4 de diciembre de 2015, de 10:00 a 15:00 hrs. Entrada libre

Templo Mayor, Cuauhxicalco, Templo de Ehécatl, Calmécac, Juego de Pelota y Huei Tzompantli.

Organizadores: Dr. Leonardo López Luján, Mtra. Ximena Chávez y Arqlgo. Raúl Barrera

Transmisión en vivo colnal.mx

The fortuitous discovery of the Tlaltecuhtli Earth Goddess monolith in 2006 generated new investi... more The fortuitous discovery of the Tlaltecuhtli Earth Goddess monolith in 2006 generated new investigations in the ruins of Tenochtitlan’s sacred precinct. Since March 2007, an interdisciplinary and international team organized by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia has carried out topographic studies, geophysical prospection, microchemical analysis, and archaeological excavation in Mexico City’s historic center. These activities have produced new data regarding the precinct’s urban planning, the architectural and functional evolution of its religious structures, and the symbolism and economy of Mexica rituals carried out at the foot of the Templo Mayor in the decades prior to Spanish Conquest.

Organizers: Ximena Chávez Balderas and Leonardo López Luján

by Gonzalo Linares Matás, Jennifer Bates, Gesualdo Busacca, Christina M Carolus, Ximena Chávez Balderas, Chelsea Colwell-Pasch, Amelia W. Eichengreen, Linda Gosner, Alexandra Guglielmi, Jacqueline Jordaan, Kate Rose, Fabio Saccoccio, Celeste Samec, Rhiannon C Stammers, Devin L Ward, John Vandergugten, Rebecca Biermann Gürbüz, and IJSRA Journal

Volume 1, Issue 1, Mar 25, 2016

The International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology is the first independent, unaffiliat... more The International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology is the first independent, unaffiliated and markedly international journal focused exclusively on student academic research in archaeology.
Our aim is to become a free, open-access, global forum for the exchange of excellent student scholarship in a context of constructive dialogue and inclusiveness, where students interested in improving our social reality, coming from different backgrounds, can share their ideas and discuss solutions to the challenges facing our discipline.
This Journal seeks to enhance the academic experience of students worldwide by publishing their quality research, review articles, perspectives about the state of the field and any additional material useful for students and anyone interested in any aspect of archaeology.
We are run by students on a voluntary, not-for-profit basis.
We believe that getting involved in the publication process, both in its author and editor aspects, is a great opportunity for university students to develop their writing, reviewing and publishing skills.
Our Journal values and encourages diversity. It aims to foster global participation and to attract the submission of the best student research in archaeology, regardless of academic institution, nationality, gender, ethnicity or religion, in order to enhance international cooperation and mutual understanding.

To download the higher resolution file, please follow the associated link

by Gonzalo Linares Matás, Nayeli Jimenez Cano, Linda Gosner, Fabio Saccoccio, Rhiannon C Stammers, Ximena Chávez Balderas, Gesualdo Busacca, Jacqueline Jordaan, Jennifer Bates, Kate Rose, Alexandra Guglielmi, Chelsea Colwell-Pasch, Amelia W. Eichengreen, Christina M Carolus, John Vandergugten, and IJSRA Journal

International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology, May 4, 2015

The International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology (IJSRA) is a free, open-access, peer... more The International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology (IJSRA) is a free, open-access, peer-reviewed journal. We are the first independent, unaffiliated and markedly global publication focused on student academic research in archaeology. ISSN: 2398-2012

We welcome papers addressing any topic and temporal sequence of archaeological interest, based in any geographical area, and engaging with any methodological and/or theoretical framework. IJSRA encourages submissions of papers such as:

​• Research articles (up to 6,500 words).
• Literature reviews and academic essays (up to 5,000 words).
• ‘Debate’ articles based on unpublished or published evidence and that may challenge traditional, long-established academic perspectives (up to 6,000 words).
• Condensed field reports or monographs (up to 4,000 words).
• Reviews of Books relevant to the discipline, or Reviews of archaeological conferences, focusing particularly on the role and participation of students.

The International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology does not charge any submission or publication fees. Authors must confirm that the content of their original research papers has not been published or accepted for publication elsewhere (although previous presentation in poster format and at conferences is accepted).

All submissions should be full papers written in English or another field-relevant language. If the paper is submitted in a language other than English, an extended summary in English must be provided. Assistance with academic English of publishable articles will be provided if required.

The recommended deadline for submissions for our next issue is 15th March 2017. Please note that we are also accepting submissions on a rolling basis throughout the year.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail us at: editor.ijsra@gmail.com

Traditionally, when speaking about the provenance of immolated and buried individuals inside the ... more Traditionally, when speaking about the provenance of immolated and buried individuals inside the oblation deposits from the surroundings of the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan, it was believed as a fact that the bone remains belonged to captive individuals from different military campaigns designed to expand the dominated territory by the Triple Alianza, headed by the México-Tenochtitlan metropolis. This idea was based mainly in historical sources written between the XVI and XVII centuries by erudite people belonging to the ecclesiastical hierarchy, by military survivors from the Spanish conquest, and from noble natives from the different lordships of the last stage of pre-hispanic Mexico.

The strontium isotopic method was applied to bone and enamel samples of six individuals inside the consecration offerings of the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan, belonging to the constructive stages IVa (1440-1469), IVb (1469-1481) and VII (1502-1520), associated to the mandates and territorial conquests of the tlatoque Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, Axayácatl and Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, respectively. The results of our studies reveal that, contrary to what was previously thought, the possible provenance of those individuals is not only restricted to localities conquered far away during those historic times by the mexica armies, but also includes sites outside the mexica domain, and besides, it reveals the presence of possible individuals of the same nahua filiation, located in the close vicinity of the Mexican Basin. The information deduced from the Sr isotopic signatures of our samples permit: 1) to raise a new line of research related to the trade of people by an intricate net of slave marketing, 2) the possible capture of people coming from places not controlled by the Triple Alianza that could have arrived as a tribute payment from locations ascribed to the mexica empire, and 3) to reveal the “consumption” of the local population with the purpose of being used as an important part of oblation and inauguration rituals of the different constructive stages of the Huey Teocalli.

En general, en el estudio de las sociedades humanas, varias técnicas isotópicas se han utilizado,... more En general, en el estudio de las sociedades humanas, varias técnicas isotópicas se han utilizado, entre otras cosas, para reconstruir nivel trófico, paleodieta, niveles o clases sociales por acceso diferencial a recursos alimenticios y de hábitos de migración. En el caso de la arqueología las relaciones de 87Sr/86Sr medidas en huesos y dientes de esqueletos humanos prehistóricos se han utilizado como indicadores de datos directos sobre los ambientes en donde se desarrollaron los individuos. La teoría se basa en la incorporación del Sr a las estructuras biológicas por medio del proceso de nutrición.

Tradicionalmente, las osamentas humanas solo eran objeto de observaciones descriptivas relacionadas con datos de edad, género, patologías aparentes, la clásica osteología cultural (deformaciones y mutilaciones macroscópicas rastreables en huesos y dientes) y las entesopatías (alteraciones óseas por trabajo o actividad). En los últimos años se han agregado a estos estudios los análisis isotópicos de Sr para demostrar aspectos de movilidad comparando dos momentos de la vida de una persona.