America's Architectural Heritage: Chaco Canyon

[Johnny]

I just wanted to start some discussion on these two articles from the front page as they had me completely engrossed this morning.

http://www.examiner.com/x-40598-Archite ... co--Part-1
http://www.examiner.com/x-40598-Archite ... co--Part-2

I've read theories trying to explain the emergence of sacrifice and cannibalism with something other than deforestation/drought that the native americans at Chaco were infiltrated or openly controlled by mesoamerican powers. The large number of mesoamerican trade items and cultural evidence (filed, turquoise inlaid teeth) found in association with Chaco seemed to strengthen those claims.

While I never subscribed to theories of occupation or control, mesoamerican influence at Chaco is obvious. I'd never considered South American connections to Chaco until now. What are you Arizonites and New Mexicans thinking?

[Sam Salmon]

edited

[Johnny]

edited

That must've been interesting.

[Sam Salmon]

edited

That must've been interesting.

I was tired and misread a few things-my comments were out of context/uninformed -will try to get back to this later tonight.

[Sam Salmon]

I knew I'd seen a reference to South American influence on SW USA indigenous culture somewhere here it is.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/971939

I wonder how much this has to do with the Spondylus shell trade-even today they are highly prized by collectors around the world.

[MichelleH]

More in today's news:

America's architectural heritage: Chaco Canyon, New Mexico - Part 3

http://www.examiner.com/x-40598-Archite ... co--Part-3

[Johnny]

I knew I'd seen a reference to South American influence on SW USA indigenous culture somewhere here it is.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/971939

I wonder how much this has to do with the Spondylus shell trade-even today they are highly prized by collectors around the world.

Intriguing first page. I'll have to find the full thing sometime and see what other connections it goes on to make.

Spondylus trade would be high on the list of excuses to ply the western coasts of the Americas. Everyone seems to love 'em. But spondylus princeps appears to be in the waters off of Ecuador as well as in the Sea of Cortez....at least today. If all three regions had access to spondylus, wouldn't that discourage trade for the most part outside of a collection shortfall or ceremonial requirement for a foreign shell?

Since spondylus shells are grown in rings that can reflect environmental differences, would it be possible to estimate the origin of known spondylus artifacts?