Culture and Ecology of Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin

18 Chaco Project Synthesisobsidian pieces from 20 excavated sites revealed that12 distinct source areas in New Mexico, Colorado,Arizona, Utah, and northern Mexico provided chippedstone to the Chacoans (Cameron and Sappington1984). A decade later, results were refined whenWindes (1993:304-307) resubmitted some artifacts aspart of a different analysis. Some specimensoriginally identified as coming from the Polvaderasource in the Jemez Mountains were later identified ascoming from the Grants Ridge source near MountTaylor.Attempts to source turquoise, however, have notbeen as satisfying. A small number of artifactsanalyzed using arc emission spectrography (Sigleo1970) suggested several possible sources in threedifferent states. Neutron activation by Weigand et al.(1977) linked one artifact from Chetro Ketl to theCerrillos Mining District south of Santa Fe, NewMexico, and additional studies of 150 artifactsreported a relative homogeneity with regard toconsistent copper values, although the source was notidentified (Bishop 1979:4-5; Mathien 1981b). Morerecently, Harbottle and Weigand (1987, 1992;Weigand and Harbottle 1993) matched Chaco artifactswith artifacts from other sites in the Rio GrandeValley and the Southwest to propose two differenttrade networks extending southward. Their mapsindicate that turquoise recovered in Chaco Canyonmay have come from several sources besides Cerrillos;e.g., Colorado and Nevada. Hans Ruppert (1982,1983) used an electron microprobe to analyze samplesand artifacts from sites in both North and SouthAmerica. Although successful in linking artifacts tosources in South America, his data for North Americawere difficult to interpret. Tables that included 462source samples and 80 Chacoan artifacts did not fallinto discrete clusters; e.g., 63 source samples fromCerrillos fell into 15 separate clusters. Artifacts from29SJ629 and 29SJ423 in Chaco Canyon were groupedin clusters with source material from Cerrillos, NewMexico; Mineral Park, Arizona; the Courtland­Gleeson area of Arizona; and the King Mine inColorado. Thus, although it seems likely thatturquoise was imported from several sources,additional research is needed to clarify present results.In summary, the trace element studies ofobsidian and turquoise provided clues as to areas ofinteraction among various Southwestern popUlations,but they will benefit from improvements as methodsare perfected and sample sizes increase.Concurrent Studies. Dendroclimatic studiescontributed much to the Chaco Project. Investigatorsbegan to evaluate the variability that was apparent inthe specimens throughout the Southwest (Dean andRobinson 1977), which led to reconstruction ofpaleoenvironment (Dean 1988, ] 992; Rose et al.1982) and its effects on population dynamics (Dean1996; Dean 1994, 1995). These contributions wouldaid in the development and testing of new models forgrowth and development of the Pueblo culture (seeChapter 2).SummaryPrior to the 1970s, researchers relied onethnographic analogy to interpret their data. Thepractitioners of "New Archaeology" (Willey andSabloff 1980) wanted to use larger databases and newtechnology to examine propositions derived throughdeductive reasoning. In ]969, this would not be astraightforward path to success for the Chaco Project.For example, fewer than 400 sites had been recordedfor Chaco Canyon in the UNM system (Bc sitenumbers), and many excavations were either notreported or the existing documentation did not lenditself to detailed analysis. There was little understandingabout selection of site locations or shifts insettlements through time. Gathering of data to addressthose problems would play an important role not justin the initial surveys but also throughout the ChacoProject.I feel that the deductive approach simplycannot be implemented effectively insurvey archeology, even in an area as wellknownarcheologically as Chaco. Anactual survey involves the expenditure ofconsiderable time and effort and thus, Ifeel, must be inductively-oriented in orderto maximize the information gained. Thisdoes not preclude the concept of specificproblem formation to be tested with thesurvey data, but it does relegate such anorientation to a place second in importanceto the maximization of the capabilities ofinductive research. (Judge 1972:9)