Michael E Smith
@michaelesmith.bsky.social
Archaeologist, Arizona State Univ. Aztecs, Teotihuacan. Ancient & modern cities. Commoners in the past. Transdisciplinary, materialist, historical, occasionally musical. Kino the dog.
- These days I'm working on urban persistence over long periods.
- These days I'm working on urban persistence over long periods.
I'm not sure. Cosmogram means that the thing in question was constructed to be a spatial model of the cosmos. In some urban traditions (ancient China, Khmer), we have textual references stating that cities were laid out as cosmograms. Here are some images from China.
November 8, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I'm not sure. Cosmogram means that the thing in question was constructed to be a spatial model of the cosmos. In some urban traditions (ancient China, Khmer), we have textual references stating that cities were laid out as cosmograms. Here are some images from China.
Now, THIS is a cosmogram (Aztec, Cdx Fej-Mayer). But I still maintain that there is no evidence - outside the minds of scholars - that ancient Mesoamericans built buildings or cities as cosmograms. Smith ME (2003) "Can We Read Cosmology in Ancient Maya City Plans? Comment on Ashmore and Sabloff"
4/6
4/6
November 8, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Now, THIS is a cosmogram (Aztec, Cdx Fej-Mayer). But I still maintain that there is no evidence - outside the minds of scholars - that ancient Mesoamericans built buildings or cities as cosmograms. Smith ME (2003) "Can We Read Cosmology in Ancient Maya City Plans? Comment on Ashmore and Sabloff"
4/6
4/6
.. to identify one." If you read my works on argumentation in archaeology, you will understand why the argument is weak (no formal definition of the key concept, no operationalization, and no testing). I published two critiques of claims for Maya cosmograms, 20 years ago 3/6
November 8, 2025 at 2:20 PM
.. to identify one." If you read my works on argumentation in archaeology, you will understand why the argument is weak (no formal definition of the key concept, no operationalization, and no testing). I published two critiques of claims for Maya cosmograms, 20 years ago 3/6
This is how archaeologists do it
November 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
This is how archaeologists do it
Kino in the afternoon sun
September 24, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Kino in the afternoon sun
Nap in the sun
September 20, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Nap in the sun
Wow, Unforgotten is a 2025 Bronze Winner, Prix de la Photographie de Paris - UNFORGOTTEN: ANCIENT CITIES FROM A DISTANT PAST px3.fr/winners/px3/... Maybe this was because of my excellent essay. Ha ha, in my dreams. Bill Frej's photos of sites are gorgeous, well worth a look.
September 17, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Wow, Unforgotten is a 2025 Bronze Winner, Prix de la Photographie de Paris - UNFORGOTTEN: ANCIENT CITIES FROM A DISTANT PAST px3.fr/winners/px3/... Maybe this was because of my excellent essay. Ha ha, in my dreams. Bill Frej's photos of sites are gorgeous, well worth a look.
Went hiking in the woods near Pine, AZ, saw some javelinas, and had a birthday picnic at a state park. Home now and tired.
September 13, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Went hiking in the woods near Pine, AZ, saw some javelinas, and had a birthday picnic at a state park. Home now and tired.
The cactus is blooming this morning. I can’t seem to upload the video of bees having a good time in the flowers
September 12, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The cactus is blooming this morning. I can’t seem to upload the video of bees having a good time in the flowers
I'm giving a zoom lecture on our excavations at Calixtlahuaca, for the Aztlander group. Monday, Sep 15, 8:00 pm Eastern time. Contact the Aztlander folks, or email me, if you want a link.
September 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
I'm giving a zoom lecture on our excavations at Calixtlahuaca, for the Aztlander group. Monday, Sep 15, 8:00 pm Eastern time. Contact the Aztlander folks, or email me, if you want a link.
Just for fun, here is an Aztec parrot head. I call it the Jimmy Buffett parrot head.
September 6, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Just for fun, here is an Aztec parrot head. I call it the Jimmy Buffett parrot head.
Lots of small ceramic figurines from Yautepec. For some reason, many authors insist that anything anthropomorphic must be a deity. But when they wanted to depict a deity, they included deity attributes so there was no doubt. See my paper on Aztec domestic ritual: www.academia.edu/13087249/_Do...
September 6, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Lots of small ceramic figurines from Yautepec. For some reason, many authors insist that anything anthropomorphic must be a deity. But when they wanted to depict a deity, they included deity attributes so there was no doubt. See my paper on Aztec domestic ritual: www.academia.edu/13087249/_Do...
I am an archaeologist at Arizona State University. I am into premodern cities, comparisons with cities today, methodological rigor, Aztecs, and Kino the dog. I have found Bluesky to be boring, although there are a few feeds here I like to follow. But I post more at the other place.
September 6, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I am an archaeologist at Arizona State University. I am into premodern cities, comparisons with cities today, methodological rigor, Aztecs, and Kino the dog. I have found Bluesky to be boring, although there are a few feeds here I like to follow. But I post more at the other place.
Some images of the Calixtlahuaca bird. The city was originally called Matlatzinco, but the conquering Mexica gave it the name Calixtlahuaca. The bird may signal the name of the ruling dynasty.
September 1, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Some images of the Calixtlahuaca bird. The city was originally called Matlatzinco, but the conquering Mexica gave it the name Calixtlahuaca. The bird may signal the name of the ruling dynasty.
Is there a term for making up fake hypotheses to make one's work sound scientific? These authors make up three bogus hypotheses about Aztec whistles - hypotheses that no one has ever proposed, & suggest they are important research issues. 10.1038/s44271-024-00157-7 Weird. Photo is Yautepec whistles.
September 1, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Is there a term for making up fake hypotheses to make one's work sound scientific? These authors make up three bogus hypotheses about Aztec whistles - hypotheses that no one has ever proposed, & suggest they are important research issues. 10.1038/s44271-024-00157-7 Weird. Photo is Yautepec whistles.
After Kino swims in the pool, we keep him off the bed. But he finds another soft place to snooze after dinner.
September 1, 2025 at 3:00 AM
After Kino swims in the pool, we keep him off the bed. But he finds another soft place to snooze after dinner.
Me and Kino, out for a walk.
August 30, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Me and Kino, out for a walk.
Afternoon sunbathing
August 30, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Afternoon sunbathing
Some doggie friends from our time in Cuernavaca. The girls would carry these guys around in a market bag.
August 29, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Some doggie friends from our time in Cuernavaca. The girls would carry these guys around in a market bag.
Same for Kino, here in Arizona
August 28, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Same for Kino, here in Arizona
#internationaldogday. Kino is all in.
August 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
#internationaldogday. Kino is all in.
Sunrise over the Superstition Mountains today
August 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Sunrise over the Superstition Mountains today
Cool that a book I contributed to is a winner of the New Mexico Book Association's 2025 award for book production and design, in the Scholarly/Technical category. The photos are incredible, and my essay isn't too bad ("Late Lessons from Early Cities").
www.nmbookassociation.org/2025.html
www.nmbookassociation.org/2025.html
August 22, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Cool that a book I contributed to is a winner of the New Mexico Book Association's 2025 award for book production and design, in the Scholarly/Technical category. The photos are incredible, and my essay isn't too bad ("Late Lessons from Early Cities").
www.nmbookassociation.org/2025.html
www.nmbookassociation.org/2025.html
Went to a nice memorial event for Cindy’s cousin, Patrick Shoemaker. Our host brews beer, and he made a special Shoemaker stout, Pats favorite kind of beer.
August 21, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Went to a nice memorial event for Cindy’s cousin, Patrick Shoemaker. Our host brews beer, and he made a special Shoemaker stout, Pats favorite kind of beer.
Is this a black billed magpie? They are all over the place near our hotel near Denver
August 16, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Is this a black billed magpie? They are all over the place near our hotel near Denver