article
Risk and agriculture intensification during the Formative Period in the northern basin of Mexico
American anthropologist • 89 (3) • Published In 1987 • Pages: 596-616
By: Nichols, Deborah L..
Abstract
The relationship between the development of hydraulic agriculture and the formation of sociopolitical hierarchies is a major issue in studies of the evolution of early civilizations in the Basin of Mexico and elsewhere. Previous explanations of agricultural intensification have emphasized population pressure and the effects of settlement nucleation and distance to markets. Neither factor, however, adequately explains the shift to hydraulic farming at relatively low population levels in arid and semi-arid environments. This paper attempts to demonstrate that risk of crop failure was significant in promoting land-use intensification and the development of hydraulic agriculture during the Formative period in the northern Basin of Mexico (p. 596).
- HRAF PubDate
- 2010
- Region
- Middle America and the Caribbean
- Sub Region
- General Middle America and the Caribbean
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Archaeologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle; 2008
- Field Date
- no date
- Coverage Date
- 3150-2100 BP (1150-100 BC)
- Coverage Place
- northern Basin of Mexico
- Notes
- Deborah L. Nichols
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 613-616)
- LCCN
- 17015424
- LCSH
- Indians of Mexico--Mexico--Oaxaca Valley--Antiquities