Obsidian is one of the most common materials preserved in the archaeological record of Mesoamerica. Because of this and obsidian's unique chemical properties, it has become one of the most common means by which to explain ancient exchange and production. Northern Belize has largely been absent from discussions of Postclassic Mesoamerican economies. The limited amount of obsidian research that has been done is unable to draw comparisons to the region's primary site during this period, Santa Rita Corozal. This thesis remedies this by exploring the importation, production, and distribution of obsidian at the Postclassic Maya primary center of Santa Rita Corozal, Belize. Through the application of the lithic technology approach and the use of pXRF (portable X-ray fluorescence) spectrometry, it is possible to establish the sources of obsidian being exploited, the stage of reduction of obsidian imports, the major obsidian industry, and obsidian distribution for Santa Rita Corozal's Postclassic Period.

Chert tool production and exchange has long been studied for the Maya Preclassic to Terminal Classic Periods of Northern Belize (1000 B.C.-A.D. 950). It is increasingly clear that lithic systems of production and exchange were an integral part of the economic environment for this region, yet lithic research pertaining to the Maya Postclassic Period (A.D. 950-1530) is not well represented in the general literature. A recent examination of 110 chert, chalcedony, and obsidian small side-notched projectile points and point preforms, as well as 2,163 pieces of associated production debitage from two Late Postclassic households at Santa Rita Corozal, Belize, has yielded the identification of two lithic craft production areas. Examination of the complete lithic collection from these residences, as well as an additional 176 projectile points located throughout the site, reveals the need for new models of lithic production and exchange for this region during the Postclassic Period.

Lors de la période classique, entre 200 et 800 ap. J.-C., les centres urbains complexes se développèrent en sur l’ensemble de la Mixteca, en lien étroit avec les cités de Teotihuacan sur les hauts plateaux centraux et de Monte Alban dans les vallées centrales d'Oaxaca. La période plus tardive du Postclassique récent, à partir de 1200 apr. J.-C. et jusqu’à la conquête espagnole, est à nouveau documentée, par les codex peints et les vestiges archéologiques : la Mixteca était densément peuplée et très dynamique, et ses populations liées par une idéologie commune. Le Postclassique ancien, entre 800 et 1200 apr. J.-C., est mal connu. Aucun marqueur archéologique n'a été relevé et daté pour cette période, les Mixtecas Aira et Baja en particulier semblèrent désertées. Cependant, les codex peints plus tardifs témoignent de dynamiques importantes lors de cette période intermédiaire, période la plus ancienne peinte dans les codex. La présente recherche consiste en une synthèse éclairée des données publiées et d'archives, des collections de musées et de réserves archéologiques dans le but de mettre en évidence, dans un premier temps, les marqueurs archéologiques du Postclassique ancien dans la Mixteca, Alta en particulier, et de les dater fermement. Dans un second temps il s'agit de confronter ces données à celles issues des codes mixtèques concernant le Postclassique ancien, témoignant de corrélations évidentes. Ces données collectées, datées et organisées permettent de dresser un premier bilan concernant le Postclassique ancien, de la réorganisation politique, religieuse et spatiale des sociétés après les effondrements politiques classiques. / During the classical period, between A.D. 200-800, complex urban centers grew ail over the Mixteca, in close contact with the cities of Teotihuacan in the central highlands and of Monte Alban, in the central valley of Oaxaca. The later Late Postclassic, from A.D. 1200 to the Spanish Conquest, is documented by painted codex and archaeological remains : the Mixteca was densely populated and very dynamic, populations were united by a shared ideology. Early Postclassic, between A.D. 800 and 1200, is poorly known. No archaeological marker has been identified and precisely dated for this rime, Mixtecas Alta and Baja seemed uninhabited. However, late painted codex demonstrate important dynamics during this intermediary period, the older one painted in codex. This research includes an enlightened overview of published and unpublished data, of museum artefacts and of storage archaeological collections in order to, first, highlight and put a date on archaeological markers for the Early Postclassic in the Mixteca, especially the Mixteca Alta. Then, this research compares these archaeological data to the ethnohistorical ones from the mixtecan codex concerning the Early Postclassic period, showing obvious correlations. These collected, dated and organized data draw up a first report on the Early Postclassic, about political, religious and spatial reorganization of societies after the classical political collapses.