Lay of the Land

Following ancient Peoples

In this issue of American Archaeology we tackle one of the most difficult and vexing problems of archaeology—the movement of ancient people and goods over long distances. (See “The Mesoamerican-Southwest Connection,” page 32, and “Polynesian Contact?” page 38.) For decades archaeologists have debated the extent of trade and influence between ancient cultures in the present day United States and the advanced cultures of Mesoamerica. The mound-building cultures of the Southeast have some similarities (temples on pyramids and art forms to name a few) with the Aztecs, Toltecs, and others. Evidence of trade between southern Mexico and the Southwest is growing with the recent discovery of chocolate at Chaco Canyon.

Possible evidence of a Polynesian presence in California adds another aspect to the debate over the peopling of the New World. Pre-Columbian contacts from Europe and elsewhere have been proposed for many years. Only one—a Viking colony in Labrador—has been proven. But the search continues. While it is unlikely that travelers before Columbus had much impact on the Americas, it is certainly possible that they could have visited. New technologies like ancient DNA could provide strong evidence. We must approach all these theories with an open mind, and American Archaeology will continue to report on the most current evidence as it becomes available.

Mark Michel, President