The Oshara Tradition: Origins of Anasazi Cutlure

Author(s): Cynthia Iriwin-Williams

Year: 1973

Summary

Some of the most intriguing problems in the p re his to r-y of the New World concern the origins and development of the sophisticated sedentary town-dwelling Indians of the Southwestern United States, particularly the Pueblos. Seventy five 'years of extensive research have yielded a considerable amount of infor- matron on the immediate background of these native Pueblo peo- pl es , whose prehistoric representatives archaeologists group under the term Anasazi Culture. However, almost all of this research has focused on the development of Anasazi (Pueblo) culture, from the beginning of the Christian Era until present, after the introduction of agriculture and largely after the rise of settled village life. Knowledge of the relevant events which led

up to this period has been until recently very limited and f rag - mented. There were relatively few data on the critical questions concerning the adoption of domestic plants, the role of climatic change, the slow evolution of society from a hunting and gathering way of life toward sedentarism, and the growth of the complex social and religious organization characteristic of the Puebloans.

In addition, it is evident that an understanding of the Southwestern situation could shed light on more general and large scale ques- tions about the origins of settled life on a world-wide basis. At present research in other critical areas for the development of sedentarism (Near East, Meso -Arne rtca) has far outstripped that carried out in the Southwest.

Cite this Record

The Oshara Tradition: Origins of Anasazi Cutlure. Cynthia Iriwin-Williams. Eastern New Mexico University Contributions in Anthropology. 5 (1): 1-19. 1973 ( tDAR id: 390884) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8JW8FQD

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

Keywords

Culture
Ancestral Puebloan • Archaic • Armijo Phase • Bajada Phase • Early Archaic • En Medio Phase • Euroamerican • Historic • Jay Phase • Late Archaic • Loma Alta Phase • Middle Archaic • Oshara Tradition • PaleoIndian • San Jose Phase • Sky Village Phase • Spanish • Trujillo Phase

Material
Chipped Stone • Dating Sample • Fauna • Ground Stone • Human Remains • Macrobotanical • Pollen

Investigation Types
Archaeological Overview • Collections Research • Data Recovery / Excavation • Environment Research • Heritage Management • Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis • Reconnaissance / Survey • Research Design / Data Recovery Plan • Systematic Survey

General
Archaic Artifacts • Archaic Cultures • Archaic Environment • Armijo Phase Projectile Point • Bajada Projectile Point • En Medio Projectile Point • Ground Stones • Jay Projectile Point • Oshara Tradition Points • San Jose Projectile Point

Geographic Keywords
Arroyo Cuervo • New Mexico • Northern Southwest

Temporal Keywords
Archaic • Armijo Phase • Bajada Phase • Basketmaker II • Basketmaker III • En Medio Phase • Jay Phase • Loma Alta Phase • Oshara Tradition • Pueblo I • San Jose Phase • Sky Village Phase • Trujillo Phase

Spatial Coverage

min long: -107.136; min lat: 35.228 ; max long: -106.625; max lat: 35.653 ;

Notes

Redaction Note: All information on site location is considered confidential and has been redacted to protect the integrity of a site. Researchers interested in site locations can contact the principal investagator.

File Information

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