Arizona State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Dr. Michael E. Smith . . . Publications to Download


Publishing Archaeology Blog . . .. . . . Calixtlahuacca Archaeological Project Blog
" Urban Organization Through the Ages" (transdisciplinary project)


I am an archaeologist specializing in the Aztecs of central Mexico. My professional title is Professor of Anthropology in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change (formerly the Department of Anthropology) at Arizona State University. I have directed fieldwork projects at Aztec sites in the Mexican state of Morelos and in the Toluca Valley, and I have published several books and numerous scholarly articles on this work.

My research focuses on two broad areas: Aztec social and economic organization, and the comparative analysis of ancient urban societies. My theoretical and comparative interests derive from a materialist, political-economy approach to ancient state societies. I have published on topics of urbanism, imperialism, households, and economic organization. Currently, my students and I are working on artifacts excavated from Calixtlahuaca (NSF support), and I am working on a transdisciplinary urbanism project.

What's New: I will be speaking at the Science Cafe Feb 19 (5;30) at the Arozpma Science Center about 2012: "The End of the Earth: If Not 2012, Then When?"
Urban Origins.
Elinor Ostrom, the Nobel Prize, and SHESC.
Podcast interview on Open Access publishing at ASU.

Grad study in archaeology at ASU. For a downloadable pdf flier on the grad program Click Here.

The Calixtlahuaca Project has an incipient Calixtlahuaca Web Site
No, I am NOT the interior decorator of the Obama White House (nor am I the jockey who won the Kentucky Derby in 2005)

Biographical and Professional Information:

Publications & downloads (my page)
Selected Works site with some of my articles
My page on Academia.edu
Biographical Information 
Curriculum Vitae
Student bibliography on the Aztecs
Book series: Ancient Cities of the New World
Ancient Urbanism Page
Books by Michael Smith that I did not write

Something Very Silly

Do you want information about an artifact that you own?
Click here.
Some non-technical papers :

Research Material, Toluca Valley:
Calixtlahuaca Web Page (new, rudimentary)
Matlatzinco Home Page (Postclassic Toluca Valley)
Report on Preliminary Research at Calixtlahuaca
Photos of Classic Period ceramics from Calixtlahuaca
The Roman figurine from Calixtlahuaca, Mexico
Brief description of fieldwork plans

Research Material, Morelos:
Redware Sherds Analyzed by NAA
Tlahuica Culture Home Page (Postclassic Morelos)
La Cultura Tlahuica de Morelos (lo mismo, en español)
Excavations at the Aztec City of Yautepec
Aztec Rural Sites, Cuexcomate and Capilco
"La Cerámica Postclásica de Morelos" (paper with illustrations)

Some recent puplications:

"V Gordon Childe and the Urban Revolution"
"Form & Meaning in the Earliest Cities"
"How do Archaeologists Compare Ancient States?"
"City Size in Late Postclassic Mesoamerica"
"Did the Maya Build Architectural Cosmograms?"
"The Archaeology of Ancient State Economies"
"Tula & Chichen Itza: Are We Asking the Right Questions?"

ASU Links:

Urban Organization Through the Ages: Neighborhoods, Open Spaces, and Urban Life (transdisciplinary research project)

Grad study in archaeology at ASU.

ASB 494 "The Earliest Cities", spring 2009 syllabus.

Civilizations of Antiquity

Books: (click on the covers for more information)


List of publications & downloads
Links:  ASU: School of Human Evolution and Social Change  ||

Django Reinhardt video
Talking cat
New Dutch cell phone
Bronze Age orientation day

Email:  mesmith9@asu.edu.  ASU
  School of Human Evolution and Social Change / P.O. Box 872402 / Arizona State University / Tempe, AZ  85287
tel: 480-727-9520 || fax: 480-965-7671

Creative Commons License This website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Bird
© 2010, Michael E. Smith (revised 2/9/2010) .        "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing."