George J. Gumerman

Human Behavior, Demography, and Paleoenvironment On the Colorado Plateaus

Archaeological and paleoenvironmental data are integrated in an investigation of culture change among the Anasazi of the American Southwest by a conceptual model of the interaction among environment, population, and behavior, the major determinants of human adaptive systems. Geological, palynological, and dendrochronological reconstructions of low and high frequency environmental variability coupled with population trends are used to specify periods of regional population-resource stress that should have elicited behavioral responses. Examination of these periods elucidates the range of responses employed and clarifies the adaptive contributions of mobility, shift of settlement location, subsistence mix, exchange, ceremonialism, agricultural intensification, and territoriality. These results help differentiate responses that are triggered by environmental variability from those stimulated primarily by demographic or sociocultural factors. These analyses also demonstrate the adaptive importance of amplitude, frequency, temporal, spatial, and durational aspects of environmental variability compared to the commonly invoked but simplistic contrast between “favorable” and “unfavorable” conditions.

The Colorado Plateaus: Cultural Dynamics and Paleoenvironment

Convergent archeological, geological, palynological, dendrochronological, and radiometric data provide a paleoenvironmental record for the American Southwest at a level of detail and time resolution not previously achieved. Many prehistoric cultural and demographic changes on the Colorado Plateaus coincided with environmental fluctuations defined by precisely dated geoclimatic and bioclimatic indicators. These coincidences support the interpretation that socioeconomic changes and population displacements were commonly triggered by environmental stress.

The Anasazi in a changing environment

List of illustrations List of tables Foreword Jonathan Haas Preface George J. Gumerman 1. A historical perspective on environment and culture in Anasazi country George J. Gumerman 2. A model of Anasazi behavioural adaption Jeffrey S. Dean 3. Alluvial chronology and hydrologic change of Black Mesa and nearby regions Thor N. V. Karlstrom 4. Prehistoric vegetation and paleoclimates on the Colorado Plateaus Richard H. Hevly 5. Dendrochronology and paleoenvironmental reconstruction on the Colorado Plateaus Jeffrey S. Dean 6. Anasazi demographic patterns and organizational responses: assumptions and interpretive difficulties Shirley Powell 7. Demography and cultural dynamics on the Colorado Plateaus Robert C. Euler 8. Anasazi adaptive strategies: the model, predictions, and results Fred Plog, George J. Gumerman, Robert C. Euler, Jeffrey S. Dean, Richard H. Hevly and Thor N. V. Karlstrom 9. Afterword George J. Gumerman References Index.

The Siphon Technique: An Addition to the Flotation Process

To enhance the recovery of dense, non-floating botanical remains, we used a siphon subsequent to the normal flotation process. The siphon vacuums the heavy fraction of a flotation sample and retrieves most of the nonfloating botanical material. Experiments show an improvement averaging 9.9% and 11.3% by count and weight, respectively, for the recovery of high-density botanical remains using the siphon technique.

Trends in Western Anasazi Archaeology: From Fewkes to the Future

ABSTRACTThe history of western Anasazi archaeology is a reflection of North American archaeology. Especially complementary is the use of various forms of conceptual models, changes in the quality and quantity of data, and changes in the relative scales of observation and analysis. Building from a series of foundation studies that sketched the spatial and chronological framework for the western Anasazi, explanations for prehistoric phenomena take three forms: event-related, systemic-processual, and historical-processual. These three types of explanation are explored using studies that emphasize horizontal interaction (alliances, exchange, and population movement) and vertical interaction (social egalitarianism and hierarchy). Future directions of western Anasazi archaeology are predicted that have implications for Americanist prehistoric studies in general.

The Question of Salado in the Agua Fria and New River Drainages of Central Arizona

ABSTRACTSurvey and excavation in recent years in the Agua Fria and New River drainages north of Phoenix, Arizona, have revealed a Salado-like manifestation in the Upper Sonoran Life Zone. We propose that the archaeological manifestation near the Agua Fria be classified under the rubric of Western Pueblo rather than Salado. This manifestation is part of a larger exploitative system covering much of central and east-central Arizona. We suggest an alternative for examining the so-called “Salado problem.”

Feathered Gods and Fishhooks: A Introduction to Hawaiian Archaeology and Prehistory

This text aims to combine all the evidence for Hawaiian prehistory into a coherent pattern. It presents a balanced cultural history of the Hawaiian group of islands, from the first Polynesian settlement to the time of European contact and is grounded in the archaeological evidence.