Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports, DAP-077: Temporal Changes in the Anasazi Food Processing Toolkit

Author(s): Carolyn Raffensperger

Year: 1983

Summary

This study examines changes in the food processing tool kit among the northern Anasazi during the period A.D. 650-900. It is assumed that, during this period, the Anasazi were gradually increasing their use of corn and decreasing their use of nondomesticated or gathered plants. Corresponding changes in the Anasazi tool kit are hypothesized. First, corn grinding tools are expected to have become more efficient, indicating specialization in the corn grinding task, and second, the total food processing tool kit is expected to have become more diversified because diet variety is adaptive. In a comparison of metates and ma nos from Sagehen and McPhee Phase contexts at Dolores Archaeological Program sites, it was found that corn grinding tools did become more efficient through time. Diversity of the tool kit was examined across a broader time range --Basketmaker III through historic Pueblo-- and across a broader geographic range. A small but consistent increase in the diversity of food processing tools was found.

Cite this Record

Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports, DAP-077: Temporal Changes in the Anasazi Food Processing Toolkit. Carolyn Raffensperger. Salt Lake City, Utah: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region. 1983 ( tDAR id: 398436) ; doi:10.6067/XCV84T6N1P

URL: http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/ahc/dap_documents.Par....


Keywords

Culture
Anasazi

Site Name
5MT0023 • 5MT2161 • 5MT2182 • 5MT2193 • 5MT2854 • 5MT4475 • 5MT4477 • 5MT4479 • 5MT4545 • 5MT4614 • 5MT4644 • 5MT4671

Investigation Types
Ethnographic Research

General
corn • Diet Variety • Food Processing • Food processing toolkit • Mano • Metate • Zea Mays

Geographic Keywords
Colorado (State / Territory) • Dolores • Dolores (County) • Montezuma (County) • North America (Continent) • Southwest Colorado • United States of America (Country)

Temporal Keywords
McPhee Phase • Sagehen Phase

Spatial Coverage

min long: -108.606; min lat: 37.463 ; max long: -108.483; max lat: 37.588 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Principal Investigator(s): David A. Breternitz

Sponsor(s): USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office

Prepared By(s): University of Colorado, Dolores Archaeological Program

Submitted To(s): USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Regional Office

Record Identifiers

Bureau of Reclamation Contract No.(s): 8-07-40-S0562

Notes

General Note: As of April 2015, this and additional reports are hosted on the US Bureau of Land Management, Dolores Archaeological Program website; http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc/dolores_archaeological/dap_technical_reports.html

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
DAP-Technical-Report-077.pdf 2.29mb Apr 14, 2015 2:26:20 PM Public