A comparative study of southwestern milling stones Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Richert, Roland Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 07/10/2021 04:36:12 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/553448 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOUTHWESTERN MILLING STONES tgr Roland Richert A Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Department of Anthropology In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Graduate College University of Arizona 1959 / Date ?3 Iu ^£b H U .: - .; W tt vj '%:- * y1> a 'W> ua -< _V ._ € 9 7 9 / / 9 S 9 3'S' 2- ACKNOKLj IT The writer wishes to acknowledge hie Indebted­ ness to the serreral individuals and institutions who have assisted in the compilation of this thesis# First, I express my great appreciation to Dr# Emil W. Hmiry, Chairman of the Department of Anthrop­ ology at the University of Arizona, for his helpful suggestions throughout the study# I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the following members of the staff in the Depart­ ment of Anthropology at the University of Arizona for their assistance and cooperations Dr. Byron Cummings, Director Emeritus of the State Museum, Mr# Harry T# Getty, Mrs# Clara Lee Tanner, Hr. Norman E. Gabel, and Mr# Gordon Baldwin# I am grateful to Dr. F# 1# Galbraith of the Geology and Mineralogy Department at the University of Arizona for his courtesy in identify­ ing various stones# To the United States National Museum, I am in­ debted for the permission to use the photograph on Plate XVI$ to the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, for photographs on Plates I, XXII, and XXIII# I also owe thanks to Mr. Albert Schroeder for the photograph on Plate VIIIj to Hr. William A. Duffen for photographs on Plates IV and XV; and to Reverend Victor R# Stoner for the photograph on Plate XIV# All photographs with the exception of those mentioned are of specimens now in the Arizona State Museum# Introduction . , . .... « . • * * . « * • ' Ae Tarpotm . •• » . s . ; - • ' . B. % o Southwest * • » * . * .. * ■. .■ » . » * . • « • . * 1* Geography . • . « ♦ ♦ B. Archaeology « « • • *•>»** . • * • Tho Place of tho Ilotato in Contemporary Indian Life * A. The Influence of Corn among the Puehloa • • • • • * B* The Gi'inding of Cera • * • * • * « «**••*«« C. Grinding Inplomento among Hon-Puebloon Tribea « . • Methods of Approai* * . * . A. Typology . * • . •;»' '*;« 1, A Method of Study . # . E* Its Objectives . « . 5, 4. The Method Applied to Milling Stones B. The Conpar&tiwe Method * A Comparison of Mono and Eetate Types . « . A*. The Cochise Type * . • * * * « • > * » * !• Metate Origins * 2. # # 5. The Relation of Ketate to COHTEHTS (Continued) 5* Pithoueea, Mma, Hew Hozlco * • « . » * • » • * w <U The Hohokaa T^e * ► . v . » * . * 58 i; amketow . » * 88 D. Anaseri ^pes . » . • V 41 1* letateo - s' * . * » « * . • \ 41 8# The Valley of llrodLoo : * •-*" •«• * * * *■■*■.* ®i ■ S# Z&C&t@5CO «;>i #--- *' e* # * #' e • *■ 56 6«ieral Sumaary and Conclusions # * * *«*♦** * * * • 59 Bibliography . ,* . .♦ . » 68 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIOHS .PLATES Following page Plate I. Modem Zonl loam Grinding Com • * * . * . 19 Plate U. A Tusayan (Hopi) Mealing Trough • • ♦ ♦ • * • • • • • 20 : ■ • ■ Plate HI. Arrcngeaent of Mealing Stones in a Tusayan House . 20 Plate XV• A Cochise Type Metate in Sitn * , . « , SL Plate V. Cochise Type Metate * * * * * »**•»*••, 55 Rate VI. Cochise Type Metates » . * * ♦ « 55 Plate HI. Hogollon MetateS from Luna, HewMoadeo , • ... * * • 57 Plate VIII* Mobokaa Type Metate# *■ ,.■ * .«■ . «' * * 58 Plate XX, Hohokaa Type Metates * • • # »>. * • * , • • .... 58 Plate X, Hohokaa lype Metates , . * * . • • . • . * * 58 Plate U. Hohokaa Brick-shaped Monos • . • . .. .. .. 59 Plate HI. A. Grooved Motate* B. Kano with Finger Grip . 41 JUJU# Sl&b Xkt&tw # # # # # *#%»#**# # ##%**$ 41 Plate Hf. Mealing Bine at Mteo* Hew MeadLop * # * * + # . * # # 4$ Plate XV. Healing Bins at the 76 Ranch Site near Fort Grant, Arizona # * * » * * # * * * + # * * # # * * # # 47 Plate XVI. Utah Typo Metate # # *»# * '# #. # # #. * * # * # # 47 Plate T O . Anaeagi Kwioa ^ ^ 60 Kt&tr6 IVXXI• AzissssX Mfitios # # # # #. * # # * # # # # # # # 5D Plate HI# Steps la the Shaping of Wedge and Triangular Shaped llanos # # # + + + + * + + # * * + + * * * * * # + SI FMTBS (continued) Following page HsM'XI*; -lEesdcan lype-Metates . * • . • « . * * * Plate XU. - . ▲ Hetate £tm Chihuahua * . .... * * . * * Plate X m * Elaborately Carved Hetate fron Costa Elea (pro- Metorie) • . * * . ...... * - . * ..... Plate #1 1 * Putua Women of Palenque, iMhpasi Mexico* Preparing n-tsHif. m t , , , T - f t ' ; , ' ' :..U _/ - - Figure 4* Tronnvorso and Longitudinal Sections of Ifogollon ■ Figure 6. Figure 7. Eelationchips of Southwestern Milling Stones . * * -* tt of Ari: CHAPTER 1 The large number of nuch of their food by grinding com end other dried grains to meal. Unfortunately, thoao Important utilitarian and household objects of material culture have not been given the attention by students which origin, evolution, function, and distribution. However, the recent ■ .':V: :;v :■ ;v ■ 1 excellent works of Bartlett and others ore bringing much to light in that about an analysis of the material cult of all be primitive, civilized, contemporary. &t it a tool 1. Bartlett, K., 1953. acre complex forms* That this is true may be recognized in the accepted fact that a study of material traits helps to illustrate the history of San* a efforts to adapt himself to, or to utilize Ms environment; and the Increasing complexity, specialization, and efficiency of Ms mater­ ial aids may be regarded as indications to some extent at least, of his general progress, and of a trend toward his greater freedom. Therefore, in order to acquire a better comprehension of one of the most essential and basic material traits in the agricultural com­ plex of Southwestern prehistory which has until recently evaded the close scrutiny which it obviously warrants, it seems of value to turn toward s study of the man© and notate, the primitive "flour mill,* This study is essentially a compilation, As comprehensive a bibliography as was possible has been used to give a descriptive com­ parison of grinding stones as to their origin, use, distribution, posi­ tion in the economy, and methods and materials of manufacture. The plan of procedure following the introductory chapter which deals with the geography and archaeology of the Southwest, is to dis­ cuss first in Chapter H the place of the meno and aetate in contem­ porary Indian life. It has been found that in studying modem prim­ itive cultures many helpful hints and interpretations are often sug­ gested which clarify the use of these implements in prehistoric times. As Sayce has said, "It is only through the known that we can apprehend the unknown, only by a study of the present that we can understand the past? and archaeological investigation therefore must be largely -3- 2 barren if pursued ,ln isolation and independent of ethnology,8 : Di Qmpter HI the methods of approach in & stWy of this kind are discuceed# The comparative md typological approaches are, briefly presented* Also mentioned in this connection are the scientific ■con­ trols* of archaeological excavation .with reference to the dating of artifacts, vhich in this case are, of course, manos and netates* Chap- ; ■ • ; --v.;' -■ ■ ' . .... ter IT is devoted to a comparative study of these impleaents ao found among the prehistoric cultural groups of the Southwest eW possessed and used them, including the Cochise, Mogollon, Hohokam, Anasazl, and the cultures of.Hexico* - The last chapter consists of a short summary and conclusion re- garding origins, use, distribution, and trend® of development of the mono and met&to in these,different cultures. : ; ; ’By virtue of its materials, and because of both its prehistoric and.contemporary cultural implications involving the Southwest, this work revolves principally about the archaeological and ethnological branches of the field of anthropology* Ho achievements in American anthropology are more striking than those of the Southwest from whose study of cultural remains antedating the. historic period, advanced prehistoric cultures of Man in America are revealed* It is worthy of note that. litUe more than a decade ago Southwestern archaeologists were of the opinion that the entire region 2* Boyce, R» tf*, 1953, p* B* Has at one time inhabited by a people of one cultural and ethnic af­ finity, differing, to be sure, only locally, duo primarily to environ- Bontal con treat s. But it become increasingly apparent that matters were more complex and Irregular* Present evidences indicate that there existed end disappeared (or descended) within the wide geographical area of the Southwest three or four distinct peoples whose architecture, pottery, artifacts, and burial customs— in short, whoso material and implied non-material cultures differed so markedly that their origin­ ality and dietinctiveneos is today held to be reliable and valid* Through the researches of various Southwestern authorities, three of these cultures have received a rather careful analysis* Their nature as regards characteristic traits, ceramics, peripheral contacts,