National Institute of Anthropology and History

Volcanic textures control the mechanical behaviour of Mesoamerican obsidians

Abstract Obsidian—natural volcanic glass—was exploited for millennia and played a central role in the technological and socio-economic development of pre-Hispanic societies across Mesoamerica. The selection of obsidian from specific deposits has been linked to differences in visu...

Painted Teotihuacan glyphs of Cave 19, Chalcatzingo, Morelos, Mexico

The Mexican archaeological site of Chalcatzingo is best known as a Formative centre, famed for its extensive Olmec-style iconography ( c . 900–500 BC). Yet, recent investigations at Cave 19 on the western face of Cerro Delgado provide evidence of continued ritual use into the fou...

Seasonal forcing and substrate legacy shape the biogeochemical organization of rooftop vs. ground-level urban gardens

Urban agriculture is expanding rapidly in densely populated cities, yet the ecological functioning of rooftop soils relative to ground-level gardens remains poorly understood. We evaluated soil carbon and nitrogen cycling, microbial activity, and broad microbial community structu...