Swidden agriculture, village longevity, and social relations in Formative central Tlaxcala: Towards an understanding of macroregional structure

► Formative-period occupation of Tlaxcala, Mexico is studied in macroregional context. ► Late start of the local Formative is traced to macroregional population history. ► Swidden agriculture on erodible slopes led to a village cycle of boom and bust. ► Sociopolitical development was rapid and access to shared symbolism was strong. ► Village sites shed light on history and organizational structure of the macroregion.