Comments on the Impacts of Climatic Variability and Population Growth on Virgin Anasazi Cultural Development
Keywords
Virgin Anasazi, population growth, climate variability, archaeology
Abstract
Larson and Michaelsen (1990) suggest that Virgin Anasazi cultural development can be explained as a response to population growth and climatic variation. They present demographic and climatic data to argue that abandonment of the Virgin Anasazi region was a response to a severe mid-twelfth century drought. Reconsideration of their data shows that Virgin Anasazi populations probably did not grow or decline as rapidly as they suggest. Further, radiocarbon dates suggest that the Virgin Anasazi occupied the area until the late thirteenth century. The Virgin Anasazi abandonment did not coincide with the twelfth-century drought, and cannot be explained solely by reference to population size and climatic change.
Original Publication Citation
James R. Allison 1996 Comments on the Impacts of Climatic Variability and Population Growth on Virgin Anasazi Cultural Development. American Antiquity 61(2):414-418.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Allison, James R., "Comments on the Impacts of Climatic Variability and Population Growth on Virgin Anasazi Cultural Development" (1996). Faculty Publications. 6604.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/6604
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
1996
Publisher
Society for American Archaeology
Language
English
College
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Department
Anthropology
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