Comparing and Contrasting Community Structure across the Northwest/Southwest

Summary

One of the most enduring contributions made by Suzy and Paul Fish was their elucidation of the role played by multi-settlement communities in structuring socio-political organization. The community concept, initially elaborated in the Hohokam region, now fulfills a central interpretive role in many regions of Northwest Mexico. In this paper, I compare characteristics of communities across several regions of the Northwest/Southwest to demonstrate qualitatively different organizational precepts. Topographical and environmental parameters play a major role in directing community formation. Social factors, such as spatial juxtaposition to Mesoamerican influence, also substantially impact community character. These community level differences emerge as likely drivers of alternate demographic, political, and ideological trajectories when considered from a pan-regional scale perspective.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Regional to International Collaborations in American Archaeology: The Legacy of Suzanne Fish and Paul Fish

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15223