GLYPHS The Monthly Newsletter of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society An Affiliate of the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona Founded in 1916
Vol. 62, No. 12 Tucson, Arizona June 2012
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE President’s Message ...... 2 Hands-on Prehistory, Allen Denoyer ...... 4 The Cornerstone ...... 8
Allen Denoyer demonstrating flintknapping at Casa Grande Ruins.
Next General Meeting: June 18, 2012 7:30 p.m., Duval Auditorium, University Medical Center www.az-arch-and-hist.org Page 2 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of ...... The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Page 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE AAHS LECTURE SERIES All meetings are held at the University Medical Center, Duval Auditorium his month I would like Yoder, a retired faculty member at Third Monday of the month, 7:30–9:00 p.m. to use this space to con- Pima Community College and a dedi- T June 18, 2012: Allen Denoyer, Prehistoric Technology gratulate the four newly cated rock art enthusiast, will be tak- elected members of the AAHS ing over as Recording Secretary. The July 16, 2012: Art Rohn, The Neglected Stage of Puebloan Culture History Board of Directors: Ken other officers on the Board were re- Aug. 20, 2012: No lecture, Pecos Conference Fleshman, Mary Prasciunas, elected to their current positions: Sept. 17, 2012: Patricia A. Gilman, What is the Meaning of Mimbres Art? Suzanne Crawford, and Patrick Katherine Cerino as Vice President Lyons. for Activities, Mike Diehl as Vice Oct. 15, 2012: Paul Reed, Chacoan Immigration and Influence in the Middle Ken is an avocational archaeolo- President for Membership, George San Juan gist and a retired Public Health Of- Harding as Treasurer, and Jon Boyd Nov. 19, 2012: Joshua D. Reuther and Ben Potter, Upward Sun River Site: ficer. Mary is a Senior Project Man- as Communications Officer. The new Climate Change, Geoarchaeology, and Human Land Use in Ice ager and Principal Investigator at Board begins its duties on July 1. Age Alaska Westland Resources, Inc., with a re- My sincere thanks to all the newly search interest in Paleoindian archae- elected and reelected Board members ology and the peopling of the Ameri- and officers for their willingness to cas. Suzanne is a criminal defense serve, and a special thanks to outgo- FIELD TRIPS FOR 2012–2013 lawyer with a background in archae- ing Board members Bill Gillespie VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ology and journalism. Patrick, who and Judith Billings for their service. will be the Arizona State Museum I am also ending my term on the he field trip committee for next season will be forming shortly. If you are representative to the Board, is Head Board. It has been a pleasure to work Twilling to plan a field trip for next year, we need you to volunteer. It is of Collections at the museum and also with such a dedicated group of really not an onerous task, and with enough volunteers, each person will only its acting Associate Director. people, and I want to thank every- be responsible for one to two trips per year. Field trips are an important part of In addition to these four new one for the help they have given me our Society, both for the enjoyment of current members and bringing in new members, let me also congratulate over the past year as I have tried members. The committee meets once and plans out the program for the year two continuing Board members who (sometimes struggled) to properly fill and assigns responsibilities. We try and do a combination of overnight trips, have been elected to offices on the the role of President. I am confident in-town half-day trips, and museum-based outings. If you are willing to help Board. Jesse Ballenger will serve as that, as long as fine people continue out, or if you have suggestions for trip you would like to participate in, please the new AAHS President. He is a Se- to volunteer their time, talents, and send an email to Katherine Cerino, Vice President for Activities, at nior Project Director at Statistical Re- energy to service on the Board and [email protected]. search, Inc., and his research inter- its committees, the future of AAHS is ests focus on hunter-gatherer societ- bright. ies in Arizona and Montana. Donna —Scott O’Mack, President ARIZONA STATE MUSEUM FREE ADMISSION FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL Arizona State Museum is proud to continue its participation in Blue Star GLYPHS: Information and articles to be included in Glyphs must be re- Museums, an annual, nationwide program through which museums across ceived by the 10th of each month for inclusion in the next month’s issue. the country and American territories offer free admission to active duty Contact me, Emilee Mead, at [email protected] or 520.881.2244 (phone), military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor 520.909.3662 (cell), 520.881.0325 (FAX). Day, May 28–September 3, 2012. Page 4 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of ...... The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Page 5
primitive technology instructor. He has worked on many experimental archaeology projects AAHS HAPPENINGS over the years, for both academic and public outreach purposes. His diverse experimental TOPIC OF THE JUNE 18 GENERAL MEETING projects have ranged from reconstructing prehistoric pithouses, to replicating flaked and ground stone technologies, to conducting living history demonstrations for the public.
Hands-on Prehistory by Allen Denoyer 2012 PECOS CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS OPEN! used prehistorically. For example, xperimental archaeology pro- he 2012 Pecos Conference of Southwestern Archaeology will be held projects have involved manufactur- E vides a wealth of information at Pecos National Historical Park, Pecos, New Mexico, August 9–12. ing bifaces and projectile points to T that helps archaeologists reconstruct Join us for the 85th anniversary! Early registration is now open. Registra- specific shapes and sizes using vari- the past. Information gained from ex- tion forms, a preliminary schedule, conference location, accommodations, ous reduction strategies that allow perimental studies is often crucial for and other information about the conference are available online at comparison of flake breakage be- understanding prehistoric technolo- www.swanet.org/2012_pecos_conference/index.html. gies, especially those technologies no tween different tool and raw mate- longer practiced by living people. rial types. One of the projects looked Each August, archaeologists gather under open skies. They set up a large In addition to providing informa- at the difference in penetration depth tent for shade, and spend three or more days together discussing recent tion useful to archaeologists for an between arrows using stone points research and the problems of the field and challenges of the profession. In academic understanding of the past, as opposed to simply sharpened recent years, Native Americans, avocational archaeologists, the general experimental archaeology provides a wooden arrow shafts. This experi- public, and media organizations have come to speak with the archaeolo- way for the public to experience pre- ment was filmed for the popular gists. These individuals and groups play an increasingly important role, historic technologies first-hand. This “Myth Busters” television show. I as participants and as audience, helping professional archaeologists cel- first-hand experience makes archae- will also have examples of artifacts I ebrate archaeological research and to mark cultural continuity. ology much more relevant to non-ar- have replicated for people to exam- First inspired and organized by A. V. Kidder in 1927, the Pecos Conference chaeologists, and it gives the public ine and handle. has no formal organization or permanent leadership. Somehow, profes- a better understanding of, and respect sional archaeologists find ways to organize themselves to meet at a new for, artifacts and archaeological sites. conference location each summer, mostly because they understand the prob- In this presentation I will discuss Suggested Reading: lems of working in isolation in the field and the importance of direct face some of the ways experimental ar- time with colleagues. The conference is open to all who are interested. chaeology can help in the under- Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills, 1999, Gibbs Smith Publisher. This is a The 2012 Pecos Conference is sponsored by Pecos National Historical standing of prehistory. I will describe compilation of articles from the Bulletin Park, Friends of Pecos NHP, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, School several projects in which I have col- of Primitive Technology, a journal that pro- for Advanced Research, New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office, laborated with other researchers to motes the practice and teaching of primi- and the Western National Parks Association. provide the experimental data nec- tive technology.
A Cautionary Note: Past Restoring, Testing, and Institution’s Museum Conservation bright yellow lead iodide is formed the Study of Hohokam Palettes Institute, in collaboration with con- in the presence of nitric acid. This is servation scientist Dr. Odile Mad- a common test for lead that has been by Christina Bisulca, Mike Jacobs, and Nancy Odegaard den. Data interpretation is currently used since the nineteenth century. Arizona State Museum underway. However, because it was not yet stan- There are limitations to the inter- dard protocol to document materials ohokam palettes are small, rectangular stone slabs, often with incised pretation of scientific results, given or discretely remove microsamples H decorations at the edges. They occur from the Pioneer period through the collection’s life since excavation. for testing, today the altered appear- the late pre-Classic, and are often found in mortuary contexts. Palettes were As was common at the time of their ance may be easily misinterpreted as first fully described by Emil Haury from his excavations at Snaketown, and excavation, most of the finds would yellow pigment. they have been found at numerous sites throughout the Hohokam area. In have been cleaned and repaired for Archaeological objects have com- some cases, mineral pow- illustration and photography. In the plex histories including the use dur- ders remain on these pal- past, cleaning agents and repair ad- ing their lifetimes, alteration during ettes. These minerals are hesives were seldom documented. burial, and any treatment during and usually white, but in This is an inherent source of error that after excavation. The residue on the more rare cases, are other can have significant impact on data Hohokam palettes provides another colors like yellow or red. interpretation in the determination of example of why archaeologists Even after decades of the palette’s precise function. should document all interventive ac- examination and analy- As part of this study, palettes pre- tivities to finds that involve chemi- sis, the function of these viously examined by Hawley from cal reagents, cleaning agents, adhe- palettes and associated the Hodges site in the ASM collec- sive and consolidants. Even today, minerals remains a mys- tion were reexamined with non-de- excavated palettes may have mineral tery. Due to their form, structive testing. The minerals on accretions removed during routine these artifacts were first these palettes also often contain lead, cleaning. identified as palettes used Hohokam palette from the Gila Bend region (circa A.D. but are usually yellow in color. After Acknowledgments: This work 950–1050) in the Norton Allen collection (ASM 95-128-43). for pigment processing. Photograph by Christina Bisulca. examination, the yellow coloration was funded by a generous donation However, as noted by was determined to likely be due to an from Edith Lowell and a 2011 re- Devin White in his recent reexamination, few actually have remnants of col- early potassium iodine microchemi- search grant from the Arizona Ar- ored pigments or show wear from grinding. In the 1930s and 1940s, Fred cal test used by Hawley. In this test, chaeological and Historical Society. Hawley utilized microchemical testing, and he found that the majority of min- erals on palettes contain lead. Because lead pigments are not found on other Hohokam artifacts, Hawley proposed that the minerals may be specifically 2012 T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE ONLINE associated with the cremation ritual, possibly as a one-time “pyrotechnic dis- The new AAHS T-shirts, designed by Janine Hernbrode, featuring Ho- play.” Hohokam palettes also bear a striking similarity to South American hokam burden carriers over a petroglyph design from Cerro Prieto, are snuff tablets, suggesting a possible link to drug or tobacco use. now available through our online store at www.az-arch-and-hist.org. The With advances in scientific instrumentation, the mineral remains on pal- T-shirts, which are available in both a traditional cut and a more tailored ettes can be more fully characterized, even with exceedingly small samples. women’s cut, are $18.00 (including shipping). The system will create an Personnel at the conservation laboratory at Arizona State Museum (ASM) are online account for any purchaser for whom AAHS does not already have currently reinvestigating the chemical identity of these minerals, using im- an email address. If you have difficultly making a purchase from our proved protocols for microchemical testing developed at ASM. Micro-samples online store, contact Vice-President for Membership, Mike Diehl at from palettes in ASM’s Norton Allen collection were recently analyzed with [email protected]. scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy at the Smithsonian Page 8 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of ...... The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Page 9
THE CORNERSTONE mation of “corporate groups,” whose this shows a great deal of complex- equally strong bonds were also es- ity in the motivations, functions, and Hohokam Inheritance Laws Show in Burial Practices tablished and reinforced through behaviors involved in enacting a burial clusters. death ritual, all based on very spe- The researchers posit that corpo- cific, individual and familial circum- oday in this country, if a person dies without a will, the person’s property rate groups were necessary within stances. Tis distributed according to the United States Uniform Probate Code (USUPC) the highly organized society in order Recent field work by the ASM/UA — a set of consolidated and revised laws relating to will and intestacy, and the to solidify lines of power or access to team is one of four major excavation administration and distribution of estates. Difficult to navigate, in almost all “specialists” whose skills would campaigns that have taken place at situations in which inheritance is a factor, the services of an attorney special- have been necessary to sustain a University Indian Ruin: izing in USUPC, and versant in the code specific to the decedent’s state of clan’s way of life and ensure its im- (1) 1930-1937, under the direction of residence, are required. mediate and future success. Essen- Dr. Byron Cummings (ASM/UA The ancient inhabitants of the tial societal specialties among the Ho- Department of Archaeology) Tucson Basin may have had the most hokam might have included irriga- (2) 1938-1939, under the direction of straightforward approach to inherit- tion management, hunting skills, cer- Dr. Emil W. Haury (ASM/UA De- ance law yet – they buried their rela- emonial knowledge, political acuity, partment of Anthropology) tives in and around their homes. No ceramic making abilities, etc. (3) 1940-1941, under the direction of attorneys needed. Mortuary practices doubling as in- Julian D. Hayden (Civilian Con- Sometime around 1150 CE, the heritance law are clearly seen at Uni- servation Corps) Hohokam began interring their versity Indian Ruin (UIR), a Classic (4) 2010-present, under the direction (mostly) cremated dead within and period Hohokam platform mound of Dr. Paul Fish and Dr. Suzanne around their homes. Before that time, site in the eastern Tucson Basin, at Fish (ASM/UA School of Anthro- burial placement was in formal cem- the confluence of Tanque Verde Wash pology) eteries located away from residential and the Rillito River. Tree-ring dates, units. 1371-1375 CE, indicate that UIR was Why the drastic shift? The full report will be available at: among the last platform mound sites www.arizonaarchaeologicalcouncil.org/ In a recent article to be published still occupied in the Tucson Basin at Default.aspx?pageId=1109872. in the Journal of Arizona Archaeology, the end of the Classic period. It ap- Arizona State Museum (ASM) and Adobe room at University Indian Ruin (aerial pears that the bulk of the occupation Byrd, Rachel M., James T. Watson, Suzanne University of Arizona (UA) research- photograph by Henry D. Wallace). dates to the Late Classic period (1300- K. Fish, and Paul R. Fish ers believe the new practice may have 1450 CE). 2012 Architecture and the Afterlife: A served to legitimize a person’s right of inheritance within compact Hohokam Spatial Analysis of Mortuary Be- Among the cremations studied, havior at University Indian Ruin. settlements. individuals of all ages are found with Journal of Arizona Archaeology 2(1). Deceased relatives interred inside rooms, within interior walls, or clus- a variety of decorated and plain ce- tered in or around outside walls of a residence, may have been all the probate ramics, shell ornaments, bone arti- code that was needed to claim, legitimize, and perpetuate ownership of struc- facts, and projectile points. While cre- ture, land, and resources. mation burials dominate the mortu- The Cornerstone is presented by: The overly literal and highly symbolic proximity of one’s antecedents ary program, inhumation burials Darlene F. Lizarraga, Marketing Coordinator formed a direct and unquestionable link from one generation to the next, dem- were also standard practice among Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona onstrating and reinforcing clear lines of ownership. the Hohokam of the Classic period, P.O. Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721-0026 But, just as today, those lines of ownership and rights of inheritance may Phone: 520.626.8381, FAX: 520.621.2976 but reserved mainly for high-status www.statemuseum.arizona.edu not have been limited to kin-based relationships. There is evidence of the for- individuals. Just as with us today, [email protected] Page 10 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of ...... The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Page 11
OLD PUEBLO ARCHAEOLOGY AAHS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION TUSD Ajo Service Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson, AZ 520.798.1201, [email protected] Membership is open to all persons who are interested in the prehistory and history of Arizona and the Southwest and who support the aims of the Society. Membership runs for a full year from the date of receipt, and covers all individuals living in the Mimbres Ruins, Rock Art, and Museums of Southern New Mexico same household. June 15–20, 2012 Monthly meetings are free and open to the public. Society field trips require member- Join this education tour with archaeologist Allen Dart. Drive your own ve- ship. Members may also purchase an annual JSTOR subscription to Kiva back issues hicle and meet the tour in Silver City, New Mexico. Actual touring begins for $20 through the AAHS website. Saturday and continues through Wednesday. Membership Categories This tour includes Classic Mimbres and Early Mogollon village archaeologi- $50 Kiva members receive four issues of the Society’s quarterly journal Kiva cal sites, spectacular petroglyph and pictograph sites, and a museum with and 12 issues of Glyphs probably the finest Mimbres Puebloan pottery collection in the world—all in $40 Glyphs members receive Glyphs southwestern New Mexico’s Silver city, Mimbres, Deming, and southern Rio $35 Student Kiva members receive both Kiva and Glyphs Grande Valley areas. Places we plan to visit include the original Mogollon $75 Contributing members receive Kiva, Glyphs, and all current benefits $120 Supporting members receive Kiva, Glyphs, and all current benefits Village and Harris sites excavated by Emil Haury; sites in Gila Cliff Dwell- $300 Sponsoring members receive Kiva, Glyphs, and all current benefits ings National Monument and vicinity; Classic and Postclassic Mimbres sites $1,000 Lifetime members receive Kiva, Glyphs, and all current benefits (Beauregard-Montezuma, Cottonwood, Gattons Park, Lake Roberts Vista, For memberships outside the U.S., please add $20. Mattocks, Old Town, and Woodrow); the Frying Pan Canyon and Pony Hills For institutional membership, contact AltaMira Press at
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The objectives of the Arizona Archaeo- logical and Historical Society are to encourage scholarly pursuits in areas of history and anthropology of the southwestern United States and north- ern Mexico; to encourage the preser- vation of archaeological and histori- cal sites; to encourage the scientific and legal gathering of cultural infor- mation and materials; to publish the results of archaeological, historical, and ethnographic investigations; to aid in the functions and programs of the Arizona State Museum, Univer- sity of Arizona; and to provide edu- cational opportunities through lec- tures, field trips, and other activities. See inside back cover for information about the Society’s programs and membership and subscription re- quirements.