essay

Southwest platform mounds from an ethnographic perspective

hohokam village revisitedGlenwood Springs, Colo.Published In 2000 • Pages: 345-372

By: Elson, Mark D..

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
After 100 years of research, it seems doubtful that archaeological excavations alone will resolve question of platform mound function. A cross-cultural study based on eight cases of platform-using groups indicates that, regardless of whether the mounds were inhabited, the groups that used them were socially complex. In the American Southwest it is likely that these groups were ranked, and possibly in the Phoenix Basin, stratified. Ethnographic research shows that all mound-using groups had inherited and institutionalized leadership positions. It is suggested that ehnographic studies open up new and interesting avenues to explore the roles of platform mounds in prehistoric societies (p. 345).
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Structures
Historical reconstruction
Comparative evidence
Water supply
Real property
Status, role, and prestige
Kin groups
traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Hohokam
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2010
RegionThe area the document pertains to
North America
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Southwest and Basin
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
essay
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Archaeologist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
John Beierle; 2009
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
no date
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
850-650 BP (AD 1150-1350)
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
southern and central Arizona, United States
NotesAdditional notes
Mark D. Elson
Includes bibliographical references (p. 364-372)
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Hohokam culture