Anth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC1The Southwest II:Early Agricultural Villages(North)North American ArchaeologyLecture 15Spring 2009UCSC500 BC – AD 800 Transitional Periodin No. Southwest Between Archaic andRegional PuebloTraditions Anasazi and Mogollon Gradual spread offarming settlementsthroughout highlandsMajor Trends Increasingdependence onagriculture Increasing sedentism(villages?) New social systemsand communityorganizationInterpretations of these trends highly varied and controversialAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC2The Basketmakers Anasazi Area – ColoradoPlateau “Basketmakers” (1890s) Agriculture, Baskets, littlePottery Pecos Classification Kidder (1927) Earliest known site-- 1AD--termed Basketmaker II Basketmaker I = LateArchaic (term never used)Basketmaker II 500 BC to AD 500 Thin scatter of sitesin So. ColoradoPlateau Site Diversity E/W Variation in Cultural Antecedents EnvironmentalAdaptationSubsistence Maize and squashcultivated--beans rare Hunting andgathering stillimportant Carbon isotopeanalysis shows thatmaize was staple ofdietAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC3Settlements Rockshelters and opensites Simple circular houses inpits Settlements rare andsmall Slab-lined cists Utah: base camps nearsprings; seasonal activitysites White Dog Cave, TalusVillageBurials and Perishable ArtifactsArchaic Style Grinding StonesAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC4Pottery Generally Absentexcept crude brownware in Mogollon areaDomesticated Dogsand Dog BurialsWhite Dog Cave, AZ, excavated by Kidder and Guernsey (1921)Sashes woven from dog hair fromObelisk Cave, excavated by Earl MorrisBasketmakerIIIAD 500 - 750Anth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC5Agriculture More ImportantTwo Handed ManosMore intensive processingDomesticated TurkeyBow and ArrowAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC6Basketmaker IIIPotteryLino Plain Gray WareEarly B/W with basketry designLa Plata Black-on-white with simplegeometric designs thatresemble basketrydesigns and rock artRock ArtButler Wash, UtahAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC7Pithouses--Thermally efficient--Bi-seasonal site useStep House, Mesa VerdeMost settlements average 2-3housesIncreased StorageAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC8Settlements 2-12 houses, ave. 3per site Some largeraggregation sites Larger communalstructure (kiva,lineage house??)Shabik’eshchee Village, NMFrank H.H. Roberts 1926Houses (19+)Storage Bins (45+)Large Circular Structure2 Distinct OccupationsRecent Re-Analysis of Settlement Wills and Windes 1989 Episodes of houseconstruction and rebuilding Est. max population – 70 Based on floor space Sedentism? Debris in room fill Tree-ring dates Private vs. public storage Two Groups Sedentary Core Group Aggregating Group Pinon collectingAnth 176A: North American ArchaeologyProf. Judith Habicht MaucheSpring 2009UCSC9Interpretations of SocialOrganization at Shabik’eschee Upham, Feinman and Lightfoot [in Fagan] Large settlements = Central Places Internal structure reflects supra-household decision-making Trade: Essential Constant Highly organized and conducted by local leaders – “Big Men” Kivas – Where trading occurs Wills and Windes (1989) [ERES] Large Communities = scalar stress harder to make consensus decision more potential conflict may be aided by development of lineage system communal rituals may reinforce this communal structure (Great Kiva) individual leaders may emerge Lineage heads form ad hoc ruling group BUT power episodic and situational – not institutionalizedBasketmaker to Pueblo Transition After AD 700 Surface Architecture Sites cluster in higherelevations – good ag. land Some large sites Alkali Ridge: >200 structures Great Kivas Regional Integration Cotton Textiles Pottery Lots of local diversityPattern of small, scatteredfarmsteads linked by ceremonialnetworks and trade dominated SWfor next 500