THE PROYECTO ARQUEOLOGICO RÍO SAHUARIPA: INTERACTION, INTEGRATION AND CULTURAL DYNAMICS IN THE SONORAN SERRANíA

Summary

The characterization and descriptions of the Rio Sonora and Serrana (formerly known as the southern or Alamos branch of Rio Sonora) archaeological traditions exemplify Richard Pailes’ contributions to the archaeology of Sonora (and northeastern Sinaloa as well) and our current understanding of the serranía region. The Proyecto Arqueológico Río Sahuaripa (PARS) represents the first systematic archaeological investigation of the Sahuaripa River basin, located in eastern Sonora. The primary objectives of this research are to 1) reconstruct the cultural-historical occupation of this region; 2) identify and define the cultural transitions manifest between the Río Sonora and Serrana archaeological traditions; 3) define the southwestern limits of the Casas Grandes interaction sphere; 4) examine the role this region played in regional and long distance exchange systems; 5) investigate the timing and nature of Opata-Pima interaction and/or intrusions; 6) document late prehispanic socio-politico organization; and 7) confirm the possible routes of the earliest Spaniards to traverse northwestern Mexico. Many of these themes were pioneered by Richard Pailes, and to whom this research is indebted.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• The legacy of the Río Sonora Project and other early research in Sonora, Mexico

Keywords

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