Southwest Culture Area The Anasazi ca 2100 BP

Southwest Culture Area The Anasazi ca. 2100 BP and 700 BP

The Anasazi Ancestors of the Pueblo People Anasazi bowl

Anasazi • • “Anasazi” – a Navajo word Pre-Columbian Civilization ca. 2100 BP and 700 BP ? disappearance ? Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde Town Dwellers Chetro Ketl

Anasazi and Pueblo • Ancestors to contemporary Puebloan peoples • “ethnographic analogy” • Why such change? • Transitioned into smaller-scale society

Economy / Subsistence • Farming – Three sisters – “Dry farming” • Corn – Intensive processing and preparation – Evidence of extreme arthritis Mano and Metate Corn cribs

Social Organization • Matrilineal • Lineage elders held significant power – Elder : Chief – Kinsmen pay tribute • Work collectively • Surplus – Elaborate ritual etc.

Roads Evidence of extensive trade, or something else? • social organization / stratification – – – Trade routes (? ) Religious/Political service (? ) Both (? ) Regulation Valley of Mexico (? ) • Turquoise • Obsidian (? )

Theocracy • Rule by priests – Calendric rituals – “Time keepers” • Chiefs & Priest = upper stratum of society – Tribute Astronomy • Architectural features suggest observatories – Prior to architectural forms, natural features were used to mark passage of sun or celestial objects • Timing and scheduling • Control the calendar – control the society

Cosmology • Layered universe • Upper world is permanent • sacredness is to transport between worlds – Sipapu – opening • Four worlds • Each ends in catastrophe – 4 th (present) world

Kachinas • Emerge from 3 rd world via sipapu • Not “dolls” but masked figures • Represent sacred beings – kachina figurines – assist memory Kachina in rock painting?

Ritual: Calendric • return of the sun after solstice • rainy summer season. – Hopi snake dance • Anasazi not exactly the same, but quite similar to modern Pueblo peoples.

Rock Art Kokapelli and Friends Hunting Magic? hands 6 -toed feet Sacred contact? Sipapu?

• Provides point of contact • Emergence of sacred beings • Sipapu Kiva – Originally humans re-emerge after death – Coyote covered it up. Anasazi kiva (reconstruction) Kiva at Chaco Canyon

Kiva-archaeology • “Basketmaker” phase lived in “pit houses” • many groups continued to live in pit houses. • Anasazi developed pueblo-style housing – retain kivas as ritual space

Kiva Gender and Society • Secular as well as Sacred space – Two sacred periods • winter and summer – Remaining secular periods • “men’s club. ” • foster solidarity among adult men – Some women allowed on occasion • uncommon – Women of childbearing age generally kept out.