Urban Indians in a Silver City: Zacatecas, Mexico, 1546-1810

Silver mining by native peoples in the sixteenth century became New Spain's most important export, leading to northern expansion and the development of mining towns. These towns brought together different ethnic and social groups, including Spaniards, Indians, Africans, and ethnically mixed individuals or castas. Urban Indians in a Silver City explores the social footprint of colonial Mexico's silver mining district and reveals how native peoples exploited the urban milieu to create multiple statuses and identities that allowed them to live in Zacatecas as both Indians and vecinos.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2020
Publisher: Stanford University Press

In the sixteenth century, silver mined by native peoples became New Spain's most important export, propelling northern expansion and the development of mining towns that fostered new industries, markets, population clusters, and frontier institutions. These towns brought together diverse ethnic and social groups, including Spaniards, Indians, Africans, and ethnically mixed individuals or castas. On the northern edge of the empire, 350 miles from Mexico City, emerged Zacatecas, a silver-mining town that would rise in prominence to become the Second City of New Spain.

Urban Indians in a Silver City: The Social Footprint of Colonial Mexico's Silver Mining District by Dana Velasco Murillo offers a groundbreaking perspective on indigenous society in Zacatecas during the colonial period. Through meticulous research and analysis, Murillo sheds light on the lives of men, women, children, and families who inhabited this silver-mining district, challenging traditional notions of indigenous peoples as mere laborers and revealing them as settlers and vecinos (municipal residents).

One of the key insights of the book is how native peoples exploited the urban milieu to create multiple statuses and identities that allowed them to navigate and thrive in Zacatecas as both Indians and vecinos. Murillo demonstrates how indigenous communities strategically adopted aspects of Spanish culture, language, and religion to enhance their social standing and gain access to resources and opportunities. This hybridization of cultures resulted in the formation of distinct indigenous subgroups, such as the mestizos, who possessed a combination of indigenous and Spanish heritage.

Murillo's study also raises broader questions about the nature and rate of cultural change in the Mexican north during the colonial period. She challenges the notion that cultural transformation occurred solely from the top down, imposed by the Spanish colonizers, and instead emphasizes the agency and creativity of indigenous peoples in adapting to and shaping their own cultural identities. By examining the social dynamics and interactions within the mining district, Murillo provides valuable insights into the complex processes of cultural hybridization, adaptation, and transformation that shaped the region's history.

Overall, Urban Indians in a Silver City is a groundbreaking work that contributes significantly to our understanding of colonial Mexico and the diverse experiences of indigenous peoples within its borders. By challenging traditional narratives and highlighting the agency and resilience of indigenous communities, Murillo's book offers a fresh perspective on the complex and multifaceted history of Mexico's northern region.

Weight: 506g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503615021