Exploring the Environmental Conditions of 17th Century Spanish Ranches in New Mexico

Summary

In the early 17th century Spanish colonists came to New Mexico seeking agricultural opportunities to gain wealth and status. Obtaining access to environmental resources proved to be difficult due to a harsh climate and a large population of indigenous people occupying the best agricultural land. Little is known about the colonists that settled on the rural landscapes\ since nearly all documentary evidence and structural evidence was destroyed in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, and few archaeological sites have been uncovered. This paper uses spatial analysis to explore the environmental factors that influenced the location of known 17th century Spanish ranches and Pueblo villages using slope and environmental data revealed on a 19th-century land survey map as variables to provide a better understanding of how the Spanish were settling this portion of the New Mexican landscape. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Environmental Archaeology and Historical Ecology: Present and Future Directions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 571