Letters RETHINKING PALEO-IN
american archaeology
Insights into Paleo-Indian Behavior
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AMAZING MOUND BUILD
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HISTORIC TREE CARV
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SUMMER 2013
a quarterly public
ation of The Archa eologi
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Vol. 17 No. 2
TO U R IN G
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Jennifer Pinkowski’s article about John Speth’s research (“A Different View of Paleo-Indians,” Summer 2013) offers many interesting possibilities. Occasional big game hunting as a collective effort would provide not only a reason for male bonding, but also an opportunity to develop and hone skills such as tracking, communication, strategy building, and quick thinking in emergencies. In addition it would be a place for individuals to gain status for bravery, prowess, and mental acumen, which in turn might identify future leaders. The beautiful arrow and spear points that Speth says were too brittle for extensive cutting may have served as celebrations of successful hunts. As treasured artifacts, they would be natural for inclusion in burials. As the importance and status of beautifully made points, such as Clovis points, grew, they could have become important trade items. This could also explain the spread of Clovis points from the eastern part of North America, where they were most numerous, west across most of North America and south to Venezuela. Kathleen F. Rollins Davisburg, Michigan
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5/21/13 2:47 PM
A Map Error I just opened the latest issue of American Archeology, which came in the mail today.There is a mistake in either the map or the article,“Obtaining an Iconic Pueblo.” The opening sentence reads “Carter Ranch Pueblo is located east of Snowflake, Arizona...”. But the map on the next page shows Carter Ranch in eastern New Mexico. From reading the article, I believe the map is incorrect. Margery Spofford Silver City, New Mexico Editor’s Note: We did mistakenly place Carter Ranch Pueblo in eastern New Mexico in our POINT acquisitions map. It's located in eastern Arizona. We apologize for this error.
Sending Letters to American Archaeology American Archaeology welcomes your letters. Write to us at 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 902, Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517, or send us e-mail at tacmag@nm.net. We reserve the right to edit and publish letters in the magazine’s Letters department as space permits. Please include your name, address, and telephone number with all correspondence, including e-mail messages. american archaeology
Editor’s Corner I’ve been to a number of Maya sites, but I’d never seen one like Joya de Ceren. Instead of the large, august temples seen at Tikal, Chichén Itzá, Pelenque, and numerous other places, Joya de Ceren’s structures are modest. This is probably because Ceren was a small village of working class people. No one percenters here. When a nearby volcano erupted about 1,400 years ago, this village and its structures were buried under a heavy blanket of ash. The eruption was, at that time, a destructive act of nature. But, strangely enough, that blanket of ash also preserved the village’s ruins. Joya de Ceren’s preservation is, in fact, unique in the Maya world. Maya studies often focus on large sites and the doings of the elites who ruled them. The long-running excavation at Joya de Ceren (See “The Pompeii of the Americas,” page 25), presents archaeologists with an opportunity to study the little guys, the farmers whose labors—to paraphrase a paleobotanist who works at the site—made the incredible achievements of the Maya possible. Payson Sheets, who directs the Joya de Ceren project, wants to know all he can about these villagers. What did they grow, where and how did they grow it? Did they take orders from higher ups in nearby cities, or were they politically autonomous, free to make their own decisions? He does know they had plenty of possessions, some of which, like polychrome pottery, were quite fancy. So they could have been living good lives until that fateful moment when their village was destroyed, and preserved.
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