LIVING on the EDGE: RETHINKING PUEBLO PERIOD: (AD 700 – AD 1225) INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT PATTERNS WITHIN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN ARIZONA Philip B
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology Anthropology 2015 LIVING ON THE EDGE: RETHINKING PUEBLO PERIOD: (AD 700 – AD 1225) INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT PATTERNS WITHIN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN ARIZONA Philip B. Mink II University of Kentucky, [email protected] Recommended Citation Mink, Philip B. II, "LIVING ON THE EDGE: RETHINKING PUEBLO PERIOD: (AD 700 – AD 1225) INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT PATTERNS WITHIN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN ARIZONA" (2015). Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology. Paper 17. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/anthro_etds/17 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Anthropology at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third- party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The nivU ersity of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty- free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Philip B. Mink II, Student Dr. Christopher A. Pool, Major Professor Dr. Hsain Ilahiane, Director of Graduate Studies LIVING ON THE EDGE: RETHINKING PUEBLO PERIOD: (AD 700 – AD 1225) INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT PATTERNS WITHIN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN ARIZONA ________________________________________ DISSERTATION ________________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Philip Bruce Mink, II Lexington, Kentucky Co-Directors: Christopher A. Pool, Professor of Anthropology Tom D. Dillehay, Professor of Anthropology Lexington, Kentucky 2015 Copyright © Philip Bruce Mink, II 2015 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION LIVING ON THE EDGE: RETHINKING PUEBLO PERIOD: (AD 700 – AD 1225) INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT PATTERNS WITHIN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, NOTHERN ARIZONA This dissertation challenges traditional interpretations that indigenous groups who settled the Grand Canyon during the Pueblo Period (AD 700 -1225) relied heavily on maize to meet their subsistence needs. Instead they are viewed as dynamic ecosystem engineers who employed fire and natural plant succession to engage in a wild plant subsistence strategy that was supplemented to varying degrees by maize. By examining the relationship between archaeological sites and the natural environment throughout the Canyon, new settlement pattern models were developed. These models attempt to account for the spatial distribution of Virgin people, as represented by Virgin Gray Ware ceramics, Kayenta as represented by Tusayan Gray Ware ceramics, and the Cohonina as represented by San Francisco Mountain Gray Ware ceramics, through an examination of the relationships of sites to various aspects of the natural environment (biotic communities, soils, physical geography, and hydrology). Inferences constructed from the results of geographic information system analyses of the Park’s legacy site data, indicate that Virgin groups were the first to arrive at the Canyon, around AD 700 and leaving around AD 1200. They practiced a split subsistence strategy, which included seasonal movements between maize agricultural areas in the western Inner Canyon and wild resource production areas in the pinyon-juniper forests on the western North Rim plateaus. The Kayenta occupied the North Rim, South Rim and Inner Canyon, throughout the entire Pueblo Period. Their subsistence system relied heavily on wild resource production on both rims supplemented by low-level maize agriculture practiced seasonally on the wide deltas in the eastern Inner Canyon. The Cohonina were the last to arrive and the first to leave, as they occupied the Canyon for about 300 years from AD 800–1100. They were the most prolific maize farmers, practicing it in the Inner Canyon near the mouth of Havasu Creek, but still seasonally exploiting wild resource on the western South Rim. Based on my interpretations, use of the Canyon from AD 700-1225, is viewed as a dynamic interplay between indigenous groups and their environment. As they settled into the Canyon and managed the diverse ecology to meet their subsistence needs. KEYWORDS: Southwest Archaeology, Ecological Anthropology, Settlement Patterns, Geographic Information Systems, Grand Canyon Philip Bruce Mink, II ________________________________________ July 30, 2015 ________________________________________ LIVING ON THE EDGE: RETHINKING PUEBLO PERIOD: (AD 700 – AD 1225) INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT PATTERNS WITHIN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, NOTHERN ARIZONA By Philip Bruce Mink, II Dr. Christopher A. Pool _________________________________________ Co-Director of Dissertation Dr. Tom D. Dillehay _________________________________________ Co-Director of Dissertation Dr. Hsain Ilahiane _________________________________________ Director of Graduate Studies July 30, 2015 _________________________________________ for Danielle, Stella, and Anthony ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Any project of this size requires the assistance of numerous people. I owe a great debt of gratitude to all of the members of my committee. Christopher Pool, the Co- Director of my committee, agreed to serve in that capacity after my initial chair left to pursue other opportunities. Even though I was an adopted student, he was always generous with his time and expertise, and has kept me on task even though I took a bit longer than expected to finish. I hope I did not cause you too much grief during those end of the year Faculty meetings. Tom Dillehay, my other committee Co-Director, initially took me on even though I worked in an area thousands of miles away from his research, and even though he left the University of Kentucky, he still maintained an interest in my intellectual growth and stayed on my committee, often emailing me or checking with me at meetings to ensure that I stayed on track. His comments on this dissertation, and my other writings, are always insightful and because of his guidance I have become a better Anthropologist. David Pollack provided much appreciated feedback on my dissertation drafts that was always helpful and on-point; because he has edited much of my non-dissertation technical work he knows all my weaknesses as a writer. His constant harassment about meeting deadlines and flexibility with my work schedule were of paramount importance to me finishing this degree. George Crothers was equally flexible with my work assignment and his questions in my defense forced me to make the conclusions of the dissertation much more robust. Rich Schein was always available when I needed him and I am sorry that most of the insight about cultural landscapes he provided me ended up “on the cutting room floor”. A special thank you goes to my un-official committee Co-Director, Alan Sullivan, there is very little of this dissertation that he did not influence. He first introduced me to Grand Canyon archaeology over 20 years ago, when I was a young eager undergraduate looking for my first field experience. His mentorship continued as he served as the committee chair for my M.A. at the University of Cincinnati. The experience I gained during that process not only ignited my continuing passion for the Grand Canyon but gave me the skills I needed to begin a career at the University of Kentucky, which in-turn resulted in me continuing my education and research in the Park. He has always kept me involved in his research and has been there with advice as I have struck out on my own and formed relationships with the NPS staff. During this last push he has read countless drafts and I hope he feels this study is a worthy extension of UBARP. I would also like to thank the Grand Canyon National Park archaeologists. Amy Horn was encouraging and helpful as I initiated my research, and she was patient with me as I kept constantly asking for more data as I modified my research questions. Jan Balsom was always aware of what I was doing even if we only saw each other occasionally and when we did talk she provided immeasurable advice. I would like to iv offer a special thank you to Ellen Brennan, we bonded in 2008 over evening chats, while I was scanning site forms and she was wrapping up work before she temporarily left the Park. When she came back as the Cultural Resources Program Manger I could not have been happier. As I finished the dissertation she always answered emails and helped me in any way that she could. We have developed a great working relationship that I hope will continue for many years to come. Of course none of this would have been possible without my family and friends. I should first thank my mom, Debbie, and dad, Philip, who encouraged me to pursue my dreams even when it meant that I left home for long periods of time.