Trade, tribute and market: the role of the pochteca in the organization of the Mexica State

Résumé

Up until the 1970's, studies of the Mexica were largely based on Spanish records produced in the 16th century. This work is a methodological discussion resulting from analysis of indigenous accounts of the pochteca "s (long-distance merchants) role in the running of the Mexica economy. The methodological discussion aims to demonstrate how advances in archaeological findings and recent interdisciplinary studies reveal that the pochtecas were more than mere long-distance merchants. They played a complex role in the balance of the Mexica official economy.