The Homol’ovi Settlement Cluster (ca. A.D. 1260–1400): Reconstructing Environment and Ancient Hopi Lifeways through Charred Botanical Remains

Summary

The Homol’ovi settlement cluster, a group of Hopi villages occupied A.D. 1260–1400, shared common utilization of a wide range of wild and domesticated plants for both subsistence and non-subsistence needs. Inhabitants had an extremely well-rounded and informed view of the plant world that surrounded them, as well as plant resources obtained from afar. The ubiquity of domesticates in the archaeological record indicates a heavy reliance on agriculture for food, household items, clothing, fuel, and perhaps even trade and economic gain. Wild plant remains signify an equal dependence on the natural environment for subsistence, as well as for medicine, fuel, clothing, crafts and construction materials. Over 325 botanical samples have been examined from five sites within the Homol’ovi settlement cluster; this paper is a combined synthesis of these analyses, used to contribute to a better understanding of the past local environment, as well as human-plant interactions and lifeways within. The synthesis also provides for the interpretation of possible changes that occurred over time within the local environment, as well as within the Homol’ovi settlement cluster itself.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Homol'ovi: A Gathering Place

Keywords

Spatial Coverage