Palimpsest, pentimento, and city: archaeological sites and urban accounts in Puebla, a world heritage city in Mexico

Abstract

The objective of this article is to understand the adverse conditions in the conservation of a set of archaeological sites in the Paseo de San Francisco area and to address some social accounts of archaeological practice in the historic center of Puebla. For the analysis, the theoretical categories of palimpsest and pentimento were used as they are powerful analogies for the study of the city and its socio-territorial processes. The city is a space of possibilities at the intersection of past and present meanings, not only at the junction of physical traces, but also in the immaterial traces that creates the urban palimpsest. In this sense, the social perception, memory and imagination of the inhabitants are immaterial traces that rise up to the idea of ​​linear time, since by remembering, living and imagining the city it is possible to unite past, present and future. The case of the city of Puebla invites to think about archaeological practice as a political act on the territory, as well as the need to manufacture an archeology tailored to each city.