The Department of History and Anthropology at the Catholic University of America presents...

Sam Holley-Kline, University of Maryland

Totonac Labor in the Shadow of El Tajín

How does a landscape of pre-Hispanic mounds become an archaeological site? In the case of El Tajín, Mexico, the answer is "with more than a century of Indigenous labor." Totonac workers played crucial roles in excavating, reconstructing, and guarding the archaeological site since the 1920s, but are typically excluded from written accounts and overlooked in favor of the site's ancient past. This presentation centers Totonac narratives to reconsider the history of El Tajín, and draws out the implications of this analysis for sites elsewhere.

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at 5:00 pm

CUA McGivney Hall, Room 106

This is an in-person event with a catered reception following the talk

SUPPORTED BY THE REGINA FLANNERY HERZFELD MEMORIAL FUND