POLLEN ANALYSIS AT LOS HORNOS (AZ U:9:48 (ASM)), ARIZONA

Summary

Seventy-eight pollen samples were examined from a variety of locations

within Los Hornos primarily to address questions regarxiing subsistence and

economic strategies. Various natural and cultural factors may have influenced

these strategies, which are likely to have relied heavily on farming, with the

addition of collected or wild plant resources. Three research questions outlined

under Problem Domain IV may be addressed directly through the pollen record:

1. What economic resources were used? What kinds of plant, animal, and

mineral resources were exploited? To what degree was agriculture relied upon vs.

exploitation of natural resources?

2. Is there evidence of resource specialization, including agricultural

and/or floral resources? In addition to agriculture, did residents augment their

subsistence base through the exploitation of a variety of wild resources, or did

they engage in the promotion of economically important species, such as agave,

cholla, legumes, or others?

3. What implications may be identified concerning exploitation methods

through examination of the botanical remains and artifactual categories? What

methods of foodprocessing are indicated through examination of feature types and

artifactual categories?

A wide variety of both plant and animal resources are usually noted at

Hohokam habitation sites. The pollen record is examined for both ubiquity and

abundance of evidence for utilization of plants by the occupants. Identification

of resource specialization is also important at Los Hornos. Pollen analysis will

contribute to understanding utilization of groundstone and may contribute to the

identification of other instances of resource or task specialization.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

Record Identifiers

PRI Technical Report (s): 92-019

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