Embedded Identity: Preliminary Analyses of Mogollon Corrugated Vessels

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Emerging Voices in Mogollon Archaeology" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Between 1250 and 1450 CE, the cultural landscape of the US Southwest transformed as diverse communities migrated from their homelands into areas with long-established local populations. The processes behind this new shared multicultural identity were complex and required individuals from both migrant and local Mogollon communities to negotiate diverse traditions. This paper examines Arizona State Museum corrugated-ceramic collections from before and after this period to investigate identity in these diverse communities. In my preliminary data, I consider attribute variation of whole corrugated vessels in the Mogollon region, from the fine-grained analysis of how the coiling was achieved to their overall design. My study seeks to give corrugated ceramics in the Point of Pines area and Arizona Highlands the same level of scrutiny as painted ceramics using indicators of identity embedded in their production with communities of practice as a theoretical framework. I analyze each vessel for production practices, form, and design using a portable magnification tool, profile gauge, measuring stand, and digital rollouts. Given the complexity of corrugated wares, their widespread use, and the visibility of the designs, I hypothesize that people used the decorated forms of these wares to negotiate their identity in multicultural communities across the Mogollon region.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Emerging Voices in Mogollon Archaeology   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38892.0