Keywords

Casas Grandes, Medio period, Viejo, archaeology

Abstract

Much is known about political, social, economic, and ritual organization during the Casas Grandes Medio period (ca. A.D. 1200-1450). A looming question is, What are the roots of the Medio period? The preceding Viejo period, assumed to begin around A.D. 500, is poorly understood because so little work has been conducted at Viejo sites, and few sites from this time period are known. We recently conducted reconnaissance and systematic survey north and south of the Medio capital settlement of Paquimé and identified six previously unrecorded sites. We present the characteristics of each site, including a ground stone quarry, and how they fit into our anticipated long-term research program focused on the Viejo period and the roots of the Medio period.

Original Publication Citation

Pitezel, Todd, and Michael T. Searcy 2015 Recent Explorations for Casas Grandes Viejo Period Settlement. Paper presented at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, San Francisco.