Fiber Production of Three Varieties of Agave Found on Perry Mesa

Part of the Legacies on the Landscape project

Year: 2007

Summary

Agave has been exploited throughout time and space for its sap, edible flesh, and fibers. Cultivation of this productive, multi-purpose plant took place within what is now Agua Fria National Monument at the pueblos of La Plata and Pato on Perry Mesa and Richinbar on Black Mesa. At these sites, the heart of the plant was removed for roasting and, subsequently, consumption. This is an experimental archaeology project that examines another aspect of agave exploitation: the fiber processing potential of Agave parryi, Agave chrysantha, and varieties and possible hybrids of these two species found at Pueblo de la Plata on Perry Mesa. This data will reveal if hybrids or certain varieties of agave provide a significant advantage in this respect. This may provide greater insight into the role of agave in the cultural adaptation of the people that inhabited this landscape.

Cite this Record

Fiber Production of Three Varieties of Agave Found on Perry Mesa. 2007 ( tDAR id: 406882) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8ZC84SF

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Keywords

Culture
Ancestral Puebloan • Hohokam • Mogollon • Perry Mesa Tradition

Site Name
Perry Mesa

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Funerary and Burial Structures or Features • Non-Domestic Structures • Resource Extraction / Production / Transportation Structure or Features • Rock Art • Water-Related

Investigation Types
Architectural Survey • Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis • Systematic Survey

Geographic Keywords
Agua Fria National Monument • Perry Mesa

Temporal Keywords
Perry Mesa Tradition • Pueblo IV

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1200 to 1450

Spatial Coverage

min long: -112.162; min lat: 34.079 ; max long: -111.907; max lat: 34.296 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Landowner(s): Bureau of Land Management

Sponsor(s): Arizona State University, Department of Anthropology

Repository(s): Arizona State University Museum of Anthropology

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
agave_kalexander.doc 68.00kb Aug 3, 2016 12:52:13 PM Public

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