Aztec provincial administration at Cuetlaxtlan, Veracruz

The Cuetlaxtlan (Cotaxtla) province, at the eastern edge of the Aztec empire, provides an interesting case for examining imperial administrative strategies and their material implications. Prior research at Cuetlaxtlan, coupled with recent archaeological survey and surface artifact collection, reveal Aztec style sculpture, pottery, figurines, and architectural elements. Considered collectively, these data indicate a relatively strong degree of imperial intervention and material investments, possibly including colonization, and underscore a key role for imperial ideology in provincial maintenance. Although a model of indirect administration has generally characterized Aztec provincial rule, imperial strategies were likely spatially and temporally more dynamic, with some provinces, like Cuetlaxtlan, requiring more intensive forms of administration.