PREFACE

CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTIONPatrick HoganThe regional research design for southeastern New Mexico was prepared by the Office of ContractArchaeology, University of New Mexico under a contract with the New Mexico State Office, Bureau ofLand Management (Task Order No. NAD04NM25; UNM Proposal 185-849). The overall objective ofthe research design is to develop a cost-effective research strategy that maximizes the informationobtained from data recovery at pre-contact sites in the region. One approach to this problem is to developa sampling strategy that focuses data recovery on the sites or site areas that are most likely to yield therequired information, and that minimizes the collection of unnecessarily redundant information. Themajor challenges in implementing such a program are 1) to identify the relevant research issues and thekinds of data needed to address those problems; 2) to identify the kinds of sites that are most likely toyield those data; 3) to develop efficient and effective excavation and analysis strategies for data recovery;and 4) to develop some means of determining when a particular set of data requirements have beensatisfied.The report is structured to address six questions posed by the BLM. Chapters 2 and 3 address thequestion “What is the nature of the archaeological resources?” In Chapter 2, the region is divided intonine regional sampling units (RSUs) using a combination of physiographic units and drainage basins.These RSUs reflect gross environmental variability within the region that may have conditionedprehistoric settlement patterns and subsistence activities. The region was also divided intogeoarchaeologic units that have implications for the integrity and relative visibility of archaeological sites.In Chapter 3, the NMCRIS database is used to provide a summary of the known archaeological resourcesin the region and to assess the extent of survey coverage. A site typology is developed to characterize themorphological and presumably the functional variability in those sites. A sample of recently excavatedsites was then examined to determine how closely the behavioral implications of our site types matchedthe excavators’ interpretations of the sites; to assess the kinds of data recovered from the different typesof sites; and to assess the field methods being employed. Finally, the distribution of sites is examined foreach of the five temporal periods – Paleoindian, Archaic, Ceramic, Protohistoric, and Unknown.Chapter 4 addresses three questions: “What are the most important research questions that can beanswered by the study of southeastern New Mexico archaeology;” “what data are needed to address thosequestions;” and “what should future research priorities be?” Four general problem domains – chronologyand culture history, subsistence strategies, settlement system/mobility strategies, and environment – areidentified as foci of research. Basic questions applicable to all temporal periods and questions specific toparticular temporal periods are posed for each problem domain. The data needed to address the researchquestions are identified, and an integrated research strategy for collecting and interpreting those data isdeveloped. As part of that strategy, explanatory concepts are introduced that provide a framework forunderstanding cultural developments in the region. Priority was given to research questions at thesite/component and area levels that have to be answered before major regional research issues can beaddressed.Chapter 5 presents management recommendations for implementing the regional research design andaddresses the question: “When have particular research questions have been adequately addressed?”Finally, Chapter 6 addresses the question: “What field and analytical methods are required to capture thecritical data?” This chapter suggests field methods to maximize the information recovery from sites in theregion and analytical methods to meet the data requirements of the research design.1-1