Then and Now: Lessons from the Mimbres by Margaret C Nelson

GLYPHSThe Monthly Newsletter of theArizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyAn Affiliate of the Arizona State Museum, University of ArizonaFounded in 1916Vol. 61, No. 11 Tucson, ArizonaMay 2011HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUEPresident’s Message .................................................................................................... 2Then and Now: Lessons from Mimbres, Margaret C. Nelson ..................................... 4The Cornerstone ........................................................................................................... 7Ancestral Hopi PaintedPottery SeminarFriday, May 20Next General Meeting: May 16, 20117:30 p.m., Duval Auditorium, University Medical Centerwww.az-arch-and-hist.org

Page 2 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of . . .. . . The Arizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyPage 3PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEIt has been a challenge forthe nominating committeeto find Arizona Archaeologicaland Historical Societymembers who are willing toserve in leadership positions on ourboard for the coming year, beginningJuly 1.This all-volunteer organizationhas been able to exist since 1916 becausemembers have been willing tovolunteer or to serve when asked asboard members or officers of yoursociety. I urge you to help your organizationin the future by being willingto serve as a board member or asan officer of AAHS.Without your help, we could not:• publish Kiva, Glyphs, and reportslike the Whiptail Project;• be of support to the ArizonaState Museum;• provide scholarships and researchgrants to students; and,• provide educational opportunitiesthrough lectures and field trips.I hope that we can count on yoursupport so AAHS can continue toprosper for years to come.—Don Burgess, PresidentREDTAIL SITE: STAGE ONE COMPLETED!For the past two years, a group of AAHS volunteers have been workingwith Arthur Vokes and graduate student Katie McFarland to rebag,count, and data entry the approximately 100 boxes of artifacts collectedfrom the Redtail site during an AAHS excavation, 1984–1987. The Redtailsite is part of a large Hohokam settlement complex known as the LosMorteros Community. It contained the largest collection of turquoise found,to date, in the Tucson Basin.We are ready to begin the next step of data analysis and eventual write-upabout the site. A planning meeting to scope and define the project will beheld soon. We are looking for local archaeologists and students who wouldbe interested in participating in this project. There will, of course, be a rolefor those avocational archaeologists who have spent so many hours counting,bagging, and typing in this next stage.If you are interested in learning more about this project as it develops andcontributing your talents, contact Katherine Cerino at kcerino@gmail.com.Follow AAHS on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/pages/Tucson-AZ/Arizona-Archaeological-and-Historical-SocietyAAHS LECTURE SERIESAll meetings are held at the University Medical Center, Duval AuditoriumThird Monday of the month, 7:30–9:00 p.m.May 16, 2011: Margaret Nelson, Then and Now: Lessons from MimbresJune 20, 2011: Bruce Anderson, The Interplay Between Forensic Anthropologyand Bioarchaeology in Interpreting Human Skeletal VariabilityJuly 18, 2011:Aug. 2011:Sept. 2011:Oct. 2011:Nov. 2011:Dec. 2011:Ronald Towner, Tree-rings, Documents, and Oral Histories inCebolla Creek, New MexicoNo Lecture [Pecos Conference]E. Charles Adams, Homol’ovi and BeyondJanet Lever-Wood and Laurie Webster, What’s in the Bag? ANew Look at Ancient Bags through Museum Collections andRock ArtJames Snead, TBAJoshua Reuther and Ben Potter, Upward Sun River Site:Climate Change, Geoarchaeology, and Human Land Use in IceAge AlaskaCHACO ROCK ART TOURThe Friends of Chaco Rock Art tour is scheduled for May 5–8, 2011. Thepark archaeologist will lead an introductory tour of architectural structures.The majority of rock art sites to be visited are closed to the public.Camping will be provided in the park, with limited showers and hot water.Participants must provide their own camping gear. Meals will be provided.Cost of the tour is $750, much of which is tax deductible. For detailed information,contact either Jane Kolber at 520.432.3402 or jkolber@theriver.com orDonna Yoder at 520.882.4281 or donnayoder@cox.net.GLYPHS: Information and articles to be included in Glyphs must be receivedby the 10th of each month for inclusion in the next month’s issue.Contact me, Emilee Mead, at emilee@desert.com or 520.881.2244 (phone),520.909.3662 (cell), 520.881.0325 (FAX).AAHS WEBSITE: Glyphs is posted each month and can be found on theAAHS website at: www.az-arch-and-hist.org.

Page 4 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of . . .. . . The Arizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyPage 5AAHS HAPPENINGSTOPIC OF THE MAY 16 GENERAL MEETINGThen and Now: Lessons from Mimbresby Margaret C. NelsonArchaeological research is inherentlyinteresting, but does ithelp us think about the present andthe future? We argue that archaeologicalsites are a valuable heritageresource and that archaeological researchdelves into and improves ourunderstanding of past lives—waysof being and doing. This is true. Butcan the experiences of the past informcurrent thinking and decision-makingabout social and ecological issues?I explore this question by assessingthe role of social diversity inthe resilience of human societies. Recentcalls for homogenization of cultureemphasize the value of inquiringinto the consequences of reductionsin social diversity.I will examine the MimbresMogollon sequence from the late 900sCE to the 1300s CE, a period in whichpeople changed their ritual practices,their village forms, and much of theirmaterial culture. These four centuriesare marked by a major reorganizationof social life and settlement and asubstantial emigration. I will explorethe role that social diversity, as expressedin ceramic wares, played inthe social changes that occurred. Iwill then expand this view to considerother cases in the U.S. Southwestand take a look across the Southwestmore broadly. This research isdirected toward consideringwhether understandings derivedfrom long-term sequences of changecan inform our current thinkingabout the impacts of declining socialdiversity.Suggested Reading:Nelson, M. C., and M Hegmon (editors)2010 Mimbres Lives and Landscapes. Schoolof Advanced Research, Santa Fe. [Apopular book offering insights fromdecades of research by archaeologistsin the Mimbres region.]Nelson, M. C., M. Hegmon, S. Kulow, M.Peeples, K. Kintigh, and A. Kinzig2011 Resisting Diversity: A Long-termArchaeological Study. Ecology andSociety 16(1):25. . [An open-access articlein an online journal.]Speaker Margaret C. Nelson is a Professor in the School of Human Evolution and SocialChange and Vice Dean of Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. She has beenrecognized for her teaching excellence as ASU Centennial Professor, Parents AssociationProfessor of the Year, and ASU President’s Professor. Her teaching addresses critical thinking,research skills, and collaboration across traditional academic disciplines. In addition, sheincludes undergraduate and graduate students in her archaeological research. Dr. Nelsonhas conducted research in the Mimbres region of southwest New Mexico for more than 30years, collaborating for the past 20 years with Dr. Michelle Hegmon. Their work focusesprimarily on the Classic to Postclassic transformation. Nelson’s 1999 book, Mimbres Duringthe 12 th Century: Abandonment, Continuity, and Reorganization, derives fromthat research. Her recent book, Mimbres Lives and Landscapes, edited with Hegmon,brings many specialists together in a popular book about archaeology and Mimbres culture.Most recently, she leads an interdisciplinary research team addressing a range of socioecologicalissues concerning resilience and sustainability for prehistoric small-scale farmersin the U.S. Southwest (600–1500 CE) and the lessons learned form this research for contemporaryissues of resilience and sustainability. Their work is newly published in severalarticles in the journal Ecology and Society. Nelson was elected a Fellow of the AmericanAssociation for the Advancement of Science in 2008.2011 PECOS CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS OPEN!The 2011 Pecos Conference of Southwestern Archaeology will be heldin the Kaibab National Forest on the “Arizona Strip,” north and westof the Colorado River, August 11–14. Early registration and vendor registrationis now open. Registration forms, souvenir order forms, and otherinformation about the conference are available online at www.swanet.org/2011_pecos_conference. The website includes information about the conferencelocation, amenities, and the presentation submission form, for thoseparticipants who intend to present a poster or paper. If you are not planningto camp at the conference, please visit the Notes and Accommodationssections soon to plan your hotel stay.The 2011 Pecos Conference is sponsored by the Kaibab Vermilion CliffsHeritage Alliance, DMG Four Corners Research, Inc., and Past PeoplesConsulting LLC; individuals and organizations interested in joining withthese organizations as sponsors may contact organizer David Purcell atdavidepurcell@gmail.com. Volunteers, field trip organizers, and vendorsplease consult the Contact section for the appropriate event coordinatorinformation.The website is updated frequently; please make sure to check periodicallyfor new information.This year will feature special sessions on the archaeology and history ofthe Arizona Strip, southwestern Utah, and southern Nevada, including aworkshop on Arizona Strip ceramic traditions. Please join us for a specialevent!

Page 6 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of . . .. . . The Arizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyPage 7Ancestral Hopi Painted Pottery SeminarFriday, May 20; 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.ASM Pottery GalleryAAHS Membership Required to AttendJoin Dr. Patrick Lyons, ASM Acting Associate Director and Head of Collections,for a two-hour seminar focused on ancestral Hopi painted pottery.Dr. Lyons will teach about the typology and chronology of Jeddito YellowWare, Jeddito Orange Ware, Winslow Orange Ware, and Hopi White Ware,using whole vessels and sherds from ASM’s collections. He will address keyresearch questions that archaeologists have explored using these wares, includingexchange, migration, and the origin of the katsina religion.Also included in the program are a tour of the Agnese and Emil HaurySouthwest Native Nations Pottery Vault and an opportunity for participantsto test their new knowledge by sorting sherds. The seminar will conclude witha question-and-answer session. A compilation of published sources on ceramicanalysis and ancestral Hopi pottery and handouts synthesizing typologicaland chronological information will be provided.Attendance is limited to 30 people. To register, contact Katherine Cerino atkcerino@gmail.comSuggested Reading:Colton, Harold S.1953 Potsherds: An Introduction to the Study of Prehistoric Southwestern Ceramics and TheirUse in Historic Reconstruction. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin No. 25. NorthernArizona Society of Science and Art, Flagstaff.Hays, Kelley Ann1991 Ceramics. In Homol’ovi II: Archaeology of an Ancestral Hopi Village, edited by E. C.Adams and K. A. Hays, pp. 23-48. Anthropological Papers No. 55. University ofArizona Press, Tucson.Hays-Gilpin, Kelley Ann, and Steven A. LeBlanc2007 Sikyatki Style in Regional Context. In New Perspectives on Pottery Mound Pueblo,edited by P. Schaafsma, pp. 109-136. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.LeBlanc, Steven A., and Lucia R. Henderson2009 Symbols in Clay: Seeking Artists’ Identities in Hopi Yellow Ware Bowls. Papers of thePeabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 84. Harvard University, Cambridge,Massachusetts.Lyons, Patrick D.2003 Ancestral Hopi Migrations. Anthropological Papers No. 68. University of ArizonaPress, Tucson.THE CORNERSTONEState Museum’s “Woven Wonders” Nationally Recognized:Preparing for Public Debut$400,000 grant jump-starts fund-raising effortfor new storage and exhibition spacesWith the award of a $400,000grant from the federalpreservation competition SaveAmerica’s Treasures, Arizona StateMuseum (ASM) at the Universityof Arizona is embarking ona fund-raising campaign toconstruct a climate-controlledstoreroom and new exhibitionspace for its vast collection ofsouthwestern basketry andother “woven wonders” ofsouthwestern heritage.Arizona State Museum caresfor some of the world’s mostsignificant collections representingthe peoples of theAmerican Southwest andnorthern Mexico. Among themuseum’s vast and variedcollections is a comprehensiveassemblage of American Indianbasketry. With more than 25,000specimens, the collectionincludes not only baskets, butcordage and other items representativeof every regional culturegroup dating from 11,000 years agoto the present.“Receiving this grant is anhonor because it recognizes thenational importance of the collection,but it is also testimony that thecollection faces imminent danger ofdeterioration caused by inadequateenvironmental controls within themuseum’s two historic buildings,”said Dr. Nancy Odegaard, theHow You Can HelpAs a requirement of the $400,000 SaveAmerica’s Treasures grant, Arizona StateMuseum must raise a dollar-for-dollar match.You can help with a tax-deductible contribution.Checks, payable to “University of Arizona/ASM Woven Wonders,” may be sent to:Darlene LizarragaMarketing OfficeArizona State MuseumP.O. Box 210026Tucson, AZ 85721-0026Or donate quickly and easily to ASM’s“conservation fund” using the University ofArizona Foundation’s secure website: http://bit.ly/ftl1ZN.Or contact Darlene Lizarraga with a creditcard handy at 520.626.8381.museum’s head conservator. “Allmeasures have been taken toensure responsible stewardship;now the only step left is placing theobjects into a renovated space.”According to Odegaard, anupgraded “visible vault” for thiscollection will mitigate threats from

Page 8 Glyphs: The Monthly Newsletter of . . .. . . The Arizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyPage 9light, temperature, humidity,insects, and abrasion. Not only willthe upgrades provide the vitalatmospheric controls, they willcreate a living exhibit and a dynamiceducational venue throughwhich the museum can share thisincomparable collection with thepublic as never before.Presently, the collection ishoused in several rooms in twobuildings, out of public view. Thisproject will make the extensivecollection of “woven wonders”accessible to students, scholars,members of Native Americancommunities, and the generalpublic. Target completion is 2013.This is the second such awardearned by Arizona State Museumfrom Save America’s Treasures. Thefirst grant came in the year 2000 forthe museum’s pottery collection,which, at 20,000+ whole vessels, isthe largest and most comprehensivecollection of its kind in the world.Through that grant and throughgenerous contributions frommembers, friends, and tribalcommunities the collection is nowaccessible to the public through aclimate-controlled display wall, avisible storage vault, and a dedicatedexhibition gallery.Established by the Arizonaterritorial legislature in 1893,Arizona State Museum is the oldestand largest anthropology museumin the region, is the nation’s largestand busiest state-run archaeologicalrepository, and is an affiliate ofthe Smithsonian Institution.ASM occupies two historicbuildings, both on the NationalRegister of Historic Places, justinside the University of Arizona’sMain Gate in Tucson. While thebuildings’ exteriors are beautiful,their interiors are not up to 21stcentury standards of climatecontrol and exhibition space. Thisproject is part of ASM’s ongoingefforts to retrofit its facilities.See for an illustratedlist of frequently askedquestions about Arizona StateMuseum’s woven wonders.The Cornerstone is presented by:Darlene F. Lizarraga, Marketing CoordinatorArizona State Museum, University of ArizonaP.O. Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721-0026Phone: 520.626.8381, FAX: 520.621.2976www.statemuseum.arizona.edudfl@email.arizona.eduANNUAL PLAINS ANTHROPOLOGICAL CONFERENCEThe 69th Annual Plains Anthropological Conference will be held in Tucson,Arizona, at the Marriott University Hotel on October 26–29. For additionalinformation, contact María Nieves Zedeño at mzedeno2email.arizona.edu, orvisit the conference website at www.pac69.com.AAHS MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION(A membership subscription makes a great gift for your loved ones!)All members receive discounts on Society workshops and classes.Monthly meetings are held the third Monday of each month except August, and arefree and open to the public. Participation in field trips requires membership.Categories of Membership $50 Kiva members receive 4 issues of Kiva, 12 issues of Glyphs, and allcurrent benefits $40 Glyphs members receive Glyphs $35 Student Kiva members receive both Glyphs and Kiva $75 Contributors receive Glyphs, Kiva, and all current benefits $120 Supporters receive Glyphs, Kiva, and all current benefits $300 Sponsors receive Glyphs, Kiva, and all current benefits $1,000 Lifetime members receive Glyphs, Kiva, and all current benefitsFor memberships outside the U.S., please add $20.00.For institutional membership, contact AltaMira Press at or 800.273.2223.My Name: __________________________________________________ Phone :______________Address: ____________________________________________________________________________City: __________________________________ State: _____________ Zip: ________________E-mail: __________________________________Gift Subscription To: __________________________________________ Phone :______________Address: ____________________________________________________________________________City: __________________________________ State: _____________ Zip: ________________E-mail: __________________________________AAHS does not release membership information to other organizationsMEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONINFORMATIONMemberships and subscriptions run for oneyear beginning on July 1 and ending June 30.Membership provides one volume (four issues)of Kiva, the Journal of Southwestern Anthropologyand History, and 12 issues of the monthlynewsletter Glyphs.Membership applications should be sent to:Donna Yoder, VP MembershipArizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyArizona State Museum, University of ArizonaTucson, AZ 85721-0026 USALibraries and other institutions interested ininstitutional subscriptions to Kiva should contactthe publisher, AltaMira Press, at 800.273.2233 or.BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2010-2011OfficersPresident: Don Burgess, 520.299.4099 Vice President for Activities: Katherine Cerino, 520.721.1012Vice President for Membership: Donna Yoder Recording Secretary: Tineke Van Zandt, 520.206.6905Corresponding Secretary: Sharon Urban, 520.795.3197 Treasurer: George Harding Assistant Treasurer: Donna Yoder DirectorsJesse Ballenger Chance Copperstone Billy Graves Todd PitezelMichael Boley Tom Euler Scott O’Mack Michael RileyAlex Cook Bill Gillespie Matt Pailes Donna YoderEditors of Society PublicationsKiva: Steve Lekson, Acquisitions Editor Glyphs: Emilee Mead, 520.881.2244

The objectives of the Arizona Archaeologicaland Historical Society are toencourage scholarly pursuits in areasof history and anthropology of thesouthwestern United States and northernMexico; to encourage the preservationof archaeological and historicalsites; to encourage the scientificand legal gathering of cultural informationand materials; to publish theresults of archaeological, historical,and ethnographic investigations; toaid in the functions and programs ofthe Arizona State Museum, Universityof Arizona; and to provide educationalopportunities through lectures,field trips, and other activities.See inside back cover for informationabout the Society’s programs andmembership and subscription requirements.Arizona Archaeological and Historical SocietyArizona State MuseumUniversity of ArizonaTucson, Arizona 85721-0026USARETURN SERVICE REQUESTEDNONPROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. PostagePAIDTucson, ArizonaPermit No. 1161