Comparative Archaeology Database, University of Pittsburgh
URL: http://www.cadb.pitt.edu
Email: cadb@pitt.edu

Upper Grijalva Basin Dataset
Olivier de Montmollin

Civic structure information

The data files CIVIC.TXT and CIVIC.XLS provide the dimensions, area, volume, and building type for all Late Terminal Classic Period civic structures within the study area. CIVIC.TXT is a comma delimited ASCII text file; CIVIC.XLS contains the same data in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Each line in the ASCII file corresponds to one civic structure. There are 458 lines, each with 14 variables separated by commas. The variables are listed in the following order:

1 Period.
LTC = Late Terminal Classic
NLTC = Non Late Terminal Classic
2 Polity. The polity to which the civic structure belongs:
  • RO = Rosario polity - (please see de Montmollin 1989a:ch.2, pp.40-50; 1995:ch.3, pp.51-61; ch.4, pp.76-86 for details about polity definition and boundaries).
  • OA = Ojo de Agua polity - (please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.3, pp.51-61; ch.4, pp.76-86 for details about polity definition and boundaries).
  • LE = Los Encuentros polity - (please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.3, pp.51-61; ch.4, pp.76-86 for details about polity definition and boundaries).
  • JA = Jabalí polity - (please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.3, pp.51-61; ch.4, pp.76-86 for details about polity definition and boundaries).
  • CO = Concepción polity - (please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.3, pp.51-61; ch.4, pp.76-86 for details about polity definition and boundaries).
  • n/a = Not available (for civic structures that are not from the Late Terminal Classic Period).
3 District. The district to which the civic structure belongs:
  • CAP = Capital Center within a polity.
  • ROS = Rosario district (in Rosario polity).
  • CHI = Chihuahua district (in Rosario polity).
  • EXROS = Edge of Rosario polity.
  • MOM = Momon district (in Rosario polity).
  • NS = Nuestra Senora district (in Rosario polity).
  • SIN = Santa Ines North district (in Rosario polity).
  • SIS = Santa Ines South district (in Rosario polity).
  • ZOR = Zorrillo district (in Rosario polity).
  • EXZOR = Edge of Zorrillo district.
  • ROS/SIN = boundary area between Rosario and Santa Ines North districts (in Rosario polity).
  • SIN/SIS = boundary area between Santa Ines North and Santa Ines South districts (in Rosario polity).
  • EXOAP = Edge of Ojo de Agua polity.
  • OAE = Ojo de Agua East district (in Ojo de Agua polity).
  • OAW = Ojo de Agua West district (in Ojo de Agua polity).
  • LEP = Non-capital district (in Los Encuentros polity).
  • n/a = Not available (for civic structures that are not from the Late Terminal Classic Period).
For details and boundaries about:

-- Hinterland districts within the Rosario polity, please see de Montmollin 1989b:ch.5, pp.25-39.

-- Hinterland districts within the Ojo de Agua [OA] polity, please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.4, pp.76-86.

-- Hinterland districts within the Los Encuentros [LE] polity, please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.4, pp.76-86.

-- Hinterland districts within the Jabalí [JA] polity, please see de Montmollin 1995: ch.4, pp.76-86.

-- Hinterland districts within the Concepcion [CO] polity, please see de Montmollin 1995:ch.4, pp.76-86.
4 Structure ID. A unique identifying alphanumeric code specific to each civic structure (or part of a structure for multi-part structures such as ballcourts). The first part of the code includes the letters RV for "Rosario Survey Project" and a unique site number. This is followed by a dash followed by a unique civic structure ID code. In some cases, there are uppercase letters after the dash which designate a subdivision of that site. For example, "RV4-II" labels civic structure II within site 4 or "RV6-CC_IV" labels civic structure IV in sector CC within site RV6.

This ID corresponds to the structure label ID given in the CIVIC_ID layer of the file CIVICMAP.DXF provided in the map of civic structures page.
5 Structure type:

Structures with likely dwelling uses
  • lbp = long platform (with ranges on top)
  • lr = L-shaped range
  • r = range
  • ra = range annex
  • U = small u-shaped structure
  • hm = house mound
Structures with possible dwelling uses
  • lp = long platform
  • sp = smallish platform atop a civic bldg (pym, range, etc)
  • pa = pyramid annex
Structures without dwelling uses
  • acr = acropolis
  • alt = altar
  • bc = ballcourt
  • hpl = high platform
  • hbpl = high basal platform
  • hpla = high platform annex
  • xpl = low cruciform platform
  • bp = basal terrace platform
  • ep = large U-shaped high platform
  • p = squarish platform
  • pym = pyramid
  • cw = connecting walkway
  • spx = smallish platform on plaza level
  • Tomb
6 Length of base (m).
7 Width of base (m).
8 Area of base (m2). Variable 6 multiplied by variable 7.
9 Length of top (m).
10 Width of top (m).
11 Area of top (m2). Variable 9 multiplied by variable 10.
12 Height of structure (m).
13 Volume of structure (m3). First, the base area (variable 8) and the top area (variable 11) are added together and the result is divided by two. The number is then multiplied by the height of the structure (variable 12).
14 Structure drawing not available on the map of civic structures provided in this dataset. 1=drawing not available.

The first line of the ASCII text file, for example, looks like this:

LTC,RO,CAP,RV164-CC_I,pym,24.0,24.0,576,8.0,8.0,64,8.20,2624,

This means that the civic structure is from the Late Terminal Classic period, it is located in the Rosario Polity, in the capital district. The structure ID is RV164-CC_I, it is a pyramid whose base is 24 meters long by 24 meters wide for a base area of 576 m2. Its top is 8 meters long by 8 meters wide for a top area of 64 m2. The height of the pyramid is 8.20 meters. The total volume of the pyramid is 2624 m3.

The last, or 458th line of the ASCII text file is:

NLTC,n/a,n/a,RV233-VII,hpl,12.0,9.0,,,,,0.75,81,

This means that the civic structure is not from the Late Terminal Classic period, because of this, no polity or district information are provided. The structure ID is RV233-VII, it is a high platform that is 12 meters long by 9 meters wide. The total height of the platform is .75 meters, for a total volume of 81 m3.

Download the file CIVIC.TXT (25 KB) or the file CIVIC.XLS (97 KB).


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