Emergence of the Neolithic in the Southwest United States: A Case Study from the Mesa Verde Region
We examine the emergence of the Neolithic in the Southwest United States by focusing on the Mesa Verde region and the research we have conducted there as a part of the Village Ecodynamics Project. The Mesa Verde region has many characteristics that make it an ideal place to study the emergence of th...
| Autor Principal: | Varien, Mark D. |
|---|---|
| Otros Autores: | Kohler, Timothy A. |
| Formato: | Artículo |
| Idioma: | spa |
| Publicado: |
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
2012
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: |
http://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/boletindearqueologia/article/view/1832/1770 |
| Etiquetas: |
Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
|
| Sumario: |
We examine the emergence of the Neolithic in the Southwest United States by focusing on the Mesa Verde region and the research we have conducted there as a part of the Village Ecodynamics Project. The Mesa Verde region has many characteristics that make it an ideal place to study the emergence of the Neolithic. The region has about 20.000 recorded archaeological sites. These sites are highly visible because there has been relatively little erosion or deposition. The arid climate has resulted in remarkable preservation, and tree-ring dating provides precise chronological resolution. Tree rings also allow annual reconstructions of temperature and precipitation. Finally, Pueblo Indians continue to live in New Mexico and Arizona today, and their oral traditions can be combined with archaeological information to provide a more complete and inclusive reconstruction of the Pueblo past. We examine the lengthy occupation of the Mesa Verde region to better understand the relationship between the following key elements of the Neolithic: the introduction of domesticated food production, the causes and consequences of population growth, the effects of climate change, the intensification of the warfare, the degree of sedentism and frequency of population movement, the formation of villages, and the emergence of complex social and political organization. |
|---|