Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest by Stephen Plog

Beginning no later than AD 1000, scores of similar large pueblos, often referred to as Chacoan outliers, were erected throughout much of the southern Colorado Plateau in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. more One of the truly remarkable developments in the prehistory of North America was the construction of more than a dozen Great Houses-imposing multi-storied structures that were qualitatively different from the usual small, irregular, single-story homes-in Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico from the early AD 800 to the 1100s. One of the truly remarkable developments in the prehistory of North America was the construction. Together, these results demonstrate the persistence of an elite matriline in Chaco for ∼330 years. Analyses of nuclear genome data from six samples with the highest DNA preservation demonstrate mother-daughter and grandmother-grandson relationships, evidence for a multigenerational matrilineal descent group. We show that nine individuals buried in an elite crypt at Pueblo Bonito, the largest structure in the canyon, have identical mitochondrial genomes.

Here we use an archaeogenomic approach to identify an elite matriline that persisted between 8 CE in Chaco Canyon, the centre of an expansive prehistoric complex society in the Southwestern United States. In contrast, it is unknown whether hereditary succession played a role in the early formation of prehistoric complex societies that lacked writing. more For societies with writing systems, hereditary leadership is documented as one of the hallmarks of early political complexity and governance.

įor societies with writing systems, hereditary leadership is documented as one of the hallmarks o. A careful reassessment of existing salinity data as measured by. A number of researchers have argued that salinized soils severely limited local agricultural production, instead suggesting food was imported from distant sources, specifically the Chuska Mountains. Discussions of agricultural feasibility and its impact on local population levels at Chaco Canyon have been heavily influenced by studies of soil salinity.

One area where this problem has failed to find resolution is Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, the center of one of the New World's most vibrant ancient civilizations. The application of specialist techniques from non-archaeological fields typically expands our knowledge base, but can be detrimental to cultural interpretations if employed incorrectly, resulting in problematic datasets and erroneous conclusions not easily caught by the recipient archaeological community. more Questions about how archaeological populations obtained basic food supplies are often difficult to answer. Questions about how archaeological populations obtained basic food supplies are often difficult t.

Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest by Stephen Plog