Archaeology Cafe: Current Debates in Southwestern Archaeology

On Tuesday, January 21, 2014, Barbara Mills reviewed current debates in southwestern archaeology.
View upcoming Archaeology Café presentations at: www.archaeologysouthwest.org/...

[@killerhook07]

Maybe the original area inhabitants consolidated into the large organized villages(circa P4) in the Silver Creek, etc. areas to entice the Kayenta Potters to join them and start trading centers. I've noticed a small amount of Pinto Polychrome on pueblo 3 sites prior to their abandonment.

[@GettinJiggyWithGenghis]

Where is the archeology cafe??? Is there admission? What’s up with this I love it

[@ArchaeologySouthwest]

Hi Luciano! Some good news--Archaeology Café is free to attend, and this year it's entirely virtual. To learn more and register for upcoming events, go here: www.archaeologysouthwest.org/things-to-do/cafe/. In fact, we have our first Café of the season tomorrow evening--perhaps we'll see you there!

[@GettinJiggyWithGenghis]

ArchaeologySouthwest dang i missed it but thank you I won’t miss the next one!

[@ubomninomen7765]

To assert that potters are never high-status sounds clueless, and I agree with Prof Mills emphasis on the value that would have been place on the skilled craft and products associated with "pottery." Greco-Roman amphorae and tiles, Chinese porcelain, Corning glassware, right up to silicon chips are all examples of "pottery-based" ceramics and related technologies that have played an integral and often lucrative part of primitive and elaborate economies for millenia.

[@Kaz.Klay.]

Just like the blacksmith in later times... Nebuchadnezzar following the tradition of those prior would literally kidnap the commoners and 'resettle' them in a different place, they'd also takethe clerics/priests and more 'elite' class to Babylon or another of their major cities to assimilate and in time return them home/repatriate them with the understanding that they would now serve as vassels .... But yeah potters would be fairly important and say they were good artists their value would multiply for sure.. again comparable to taking the blacksmiths from a nation you've conquered

[@treasureexplorationandrese3712]

The problem with Archaeologists is they search for their answers too close to the dig and without crossing over into geology and other sciences. What made the people of Mesa Verde move. Dendrochronology tells of great drought. There was evidence of violence, disease, food shortages and if that wasn't enough there were volcanos going off directly south and west of there. Any idea where the jet stream went? You guessed it right over Mesa Verde. Not to mention the earthquakes talked about by the Washoe Indians that drained the great inland lake between them and the Piaute. What about plateau uplift to the north. There are many sites on the Arizona Strip that show large and medium size villiages that could not have existed without substantial water supplies. Where did the water go? The northern fault uplift caused massive earthquakes, volcanos and a severely dropped water table. No wonder everyone migrated quickly south to other civilizations. Ever wonder where Lake Copala went the legendary home of the Aztec? Follow the corn right to the Southern Shoshone and Fremont. Look at the Geology and lake fossils. Lake Uinta. When the Gods got mad the people moved.